Low carbs diet

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low carbs diet
low carbs diet

Following a low-carbohydrate diet is useful in getting rid of excess weight, and most importantly, it is useful in controlling blood sugar levels , reducing insulin resistance, and thus recovering from diabetes . Learn in this article about the foods that can be eaten, the foods that should be avoided, the symptoms of sugar withdrawal, and how to deal with them. With it, how to start following a low-carb diet, some golden tips for sticking to this dietary pattern, and some suitable food recipes. 

A low-carb diet contains less than 26% of your total daily calories from carbohydrates. For example, for people on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, this equates to less than 130 grams of carbohydrates per day.

The foods that can be eaten on a low-carb diet vary depending on your daily carbohydrate quota, and some foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains, can be eaten in moderation.

Allowed foods and foods to avoid

The low-carb diet is based on reducing the intake of foods that contain a high amount of carbohydrates and added sugar, such as: pasta, bread, sugary foods, sweets, and starches, and increasing the intake of foods that contain a high percentage of protein, fats, and vegetables.

Foods that can be eaten on a low-carb diet?

Here are some foods to eat on a low-carb diet:

Foods that can be eaten in moderation on a low-carb diet?

There are some foods that contain percentages of carbohydrates, but they can be eaten in moderation on a low-carb diet, such as:

Dark chocolate has many health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, and can be eaten on a low-carb diet. You should choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa.

Try to drink sugar -free drinks such as sugar-free tea and coffee. Because many drinks can be high in carbohydrates, calories, and added sugar, read the ingredient label on any product before purchasing it.

What foods should be avoided on a low-carb diet?

There are some foods that contain high levels of carbohydrates , so you should avoid eating them when following a low-carb diet , such as:

Such as candy, baked goods, ice cream, and other products that contain added sugar.

Such as white rice, white pasta, tortillas, and biscuits

Including dairy products, cereals, or crackers that are low in fat but contain added sugar

Such as fast food, biscuits, potato chips, and pastries.

Such as soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, and energy drinks.

How do I start a low-carb diet?

When the body is accustomed to eating foods that contain high percentages of carbohydrates, in order to follow a low-carbohydrate diet , a series of stages must be carried out and transitioned gradually. This ensures that the symptoms of sugar withdrawal are reduced and the feeling of fatigue and exhaustion is reduced. This is done through:

  1. Diet

The first week

In the first week, the following steps are followed: 

  1. Eat three filling meals without eating any snacks or snacks between the main meals.
  2. Fasting for 12 hours, including sleeping hours, and not consuming any foods or drinks that contain calories during the fasting period. It is possible to drink water, coffee, and tea, without sugar or sweeteners.
  3. Completely avoid products containing sugar, such as: soft drinks, sweets, chocolate, ice cream, and fruit juices.
  4. Completely avoid eating fast food and processed foods.

second week

In addition to the steps followed in the first week, we also do the following:

the third week

In addition to the plans followed in the first and second weeks, we also:

  1. Eat only two main meals instead of three.
  2. We fast for 16 hours before the first meal and 8 hours before the second meal.
  3. Eat meat or chicken soup during the fasting period.

fourth week

In addition to the steps followed in the previous weeks, we limit the daily consumption of carbohydrates to less than 50 grams and they must be among the foods allowed in the low-carb diet.

2.Sports

Practicing physical activity must be gradual according to the following stages:

The first week

Do walking for half an hour a day, three times a week.

second week

Do walking for half an hour a day, six times a week.

the third week

Walk for an hour three times a week.

Do resistance and muscle building exercises for half an hour once every three days.

fourth week

Walk for an hour three times a week.

Do resistance and muscle building exercises for an hour once every three days.

Sugar withdrawal

A low-carb diet has many health benefits, such as losing excess weight, recovering from diabetes, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in the long term, but in the short term, giving up sugar may lead to sugar withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue and cravings. Eat sugar.

Why does sugar withdrawal happen?

Eating sugar leads to the release of some neurotransmitters in the brain, such as endorphins and dopamine, which are responsible for feeling happy.

Endorphins are a natural opiate whose function is to reduce the feeling of pain after an injury and increase the feeling of happiness after exercise. As for dopamine, it has a role in addiction and the feeling of intense desire to eat sugar.

Sugar withdrawal symptoms

Reducing sugar intake can lead to psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms. The severity of these symptoms varies from person to person and can last from several days to several weeks. Sugar withdrawal symptoms include the following:

Sugar cravings also include cravings for carbohydrates such as potato chips or pasta.

These symptoms gradually fade and disappear completely within several days or weeks.

Dealing with sugar withdrawal symptoms

Sugar withdrawal symptoms fade quickly and may not exceed a few days, so sugar withdrawal does not require long-term treatment, but it is possible to reduce these symptoms through the following tips:

  1. Eat a large amount of vegetables

Fiber helps you feel full for a longer period of time and reduces the feeling of hunger. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels, which reduces cravings for food that occur due to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

  1. Eat balanced meals

Eating a variety of meals that contain balanced amounts of healthy foods, including protein and healthy fats, helps promote feelings of fullness, regulate blood sugar levels, and reduce sugar cravings.

  1. Get enough sleep

Sleep is essential for physical and mental health, and lack of sleep may contribute to food cravings and eating foods high in added sugars.

  1. Doing physical activity

In addition to the many health benefits of exercise, studies have also shown that regular physical activity helps reduce sugar cravings, and even if the physical activity consists of short periods of exercise, these periods must be regular.

Adhere to a low-carb diet

In general, adhering to a low-carb diet is easy compared to other diets, as this diet provides a variety of permitted foods. Following the following tips may help increase the likelihood of adhering to this diet and making it a lifestyle.

  1. You should eat only when you feel hungry, and stop when you feel full .
  2. Allocate a specific time and place for eating, and avoid distracting factors while eating, such as the TV or mobile phone, with the aim of enjoying eating on the one hand and distinguishing the feeling of satiety to stop on the other hand.
  3. Eat slowly and start with dishes that take time to eat, such as salad or soup, as the body automatically begins to give signals of satiety 20 minutes after you start eating.
  4. Keep in mind that following a low-carb diet is a lifestyle, not just a diet that you will stop after weeks.
  5. When you feel a desire to eat sugar, you must make sure that we do not feel thirsty or hungry, because the brain may interpret signals related to eating incorrectly.
  6. Planning and preparing meals before meal time, because having the right healthy food available when you feel hungry is helpful in achieving adherence to the low-carb diet and preventing binge eating.
  7. Forgiving yourself and not beating yourself up if you deviate from the low-carb diet , and understanding that bad eating habits have been formed over many years, and it is difficult to change them from the first attempt, day and night.
  8. Set small, realistic, achievable goals. The feeling of accomplishment on a daily basis motivates you to continue toward the bigger goal.
  9. It is possible to control our actions, but it is not possible to control the result, that is, it is possible to adhere to a low-carb diet for two weeks, but it is not possible to judge the possibility of getting rid of 3 kilograms of excess weight during these two weeks.
  10. Every positive step we take every day, no matter how small, is better than staying in the same place, so it is important to enjoy any achievement or any step, no matter how small.
  11. Failure is part of success, and even if we cannot succeed today, tomorrow will be an opportunity for a new beginning towards success without feeling guilty.
  12. It is possible to tell close people about our plan, program and goals, and ask for help and support from them. It is preferable to stay away from negative people at least in the first period to avoid frustrations and negative feelings.
  13. We must feel and understand that we eat in order to live and not live in order to eat 

Great low carb diet recipes

Breakfast and dinner recipes

Lunch recipes

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