Since I finally posted some progress pictures a few weeks ago I've had a lot of people message me and ask me what I am doing so I thought I'd share how I, along with exercise, am trying to live a low carb life!
One reason I love low-carb diets is because they have been known to help reduce cravings and burn fat more efficiently. This type of diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates.
When I decided I wanted to get healthy I knew I wanted to go low carb.
Listen- it does work when its done it right, but ,like most of you I am not as consistent as I should be.
#mexicanstreetcorngotmeacoupleofweeksago
I am trying hard to make this a 'life-style change' as opposed to just constantly watching the scale as I would on any of other diet.
I’m sure that some of you struggle with wondering what to eat or how a low carb diet works, so let me help you out with some tips that I have learned on my long, long, loooooong journey as a professional yo-yo diet-er.
Here are some helpful tips:
Don't skimp on healthy fat.
Eat when you're hungry.
Keep the focus on real food (keep processed food to a minimum!).
Remember- weight loss is 20% exercise and 80% nutrition.
Count carbs not calories.
Now, lets look at food!
I am NOT a low carb expert, but I personally focus my diet around eggs, meat, green vegetables, and some cheese, but that's not all.
Which fruit can you eat?
Watermelon. This fruit has the lowest carb count. Strawberries is also another lower carb choice, too.
BANANAS ARE A NO!
What foods do not have carbs?
Eggs! Eggs are life! Literally- they are so good for you!
Beef! Beef is highly satiating and loaded with important nutrients like iron and B12.
Of course don't forget chicken, pork, lamb, and most fish. Basically your a carnivore now, haha!
Is peanut butter good?
It is high in protein and healthy fats. Peanut butter is the perfect snack for anyone following a low carb diet. You can have it on its own or mixed into a protein shake, its up to you. Be sure you get a 100% natural peanut butter with no added salt, sugar, or oil.
Is a sweet potato a carb?
The same amount of white potatoes and sweet potatoes contain about the same amount of carbohydrates (1/2 cup = 15 grams of carbs). Sweet potatoes, however, have more fiber and are slightly lower on the glycemic index than white potatoes. I personally stay away from potatoes unless I'm cheating.
Now to the important question- how many carbs do you need to lose weight?
According to Google, if you eat a 2000-calorie diet you should aim for about 200 to 300 grams of carbs per day. But if you need to lose weight, you will get much faster results eating around 50 to 100 grams of carbs. Most days I prefer to keep my carbs under 25 if I can that helps insure that my body is in ketosis and is burning fat.
How long does it take to get your body into ketosis and what is ketosis?
Your body can only store a two-day supply of glucose in the form of glycogen, so after two days of consuming no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates, most people go into ketosis.
Ketosis is when the body produces ketone bodies out of fat and uses them for energy instead of carbs. You can get into ketosis by following a very low-carb, high-fat diet.
When you first start a low carbohydrate diet, your weight will drop FAST as your body sheds storage glycogen and all the water that the storage carbohydrate sucks up like a sponge. So if your goal is weight loss, life is great for the first couple weeks as you should drop anywhere from 5-20 pounds, depending on your starting weight. (This is exactly what happened to me!)
And then the weight loss stops. (Also me!)
In most cases, this is the point where people throw up their hands, get disappointed, and become convinced that eating low carb isn’t working. That's when they quit and go in search of a donut shop. (Also me, again.)
#formerdonutatarian #ilovedonuts #andtacos
Its difficult to stick to any type of diet, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up! If you fall off the wagon (like I do frequently) just get back on.
Like me, I was off for our entire vacation and so I am basically starting over. #yay #sofun #sarcasm #thissucks
If you stick with a low carbohydrate diet, the weight loss will gradually continue to come off, especially if you include days where you allow your body’s storage carbohydrate levels to be re-filled. YES- occasional cheat meals will help you!
This is important.
Long-term carbohydrate deprivation leads to a complete depletion of your body’s storage glycogen levels and a decrease in your metabolic function and other issues, too.
I hope that these low carb diet tips helped you become more knowledgeable on what has worked for me.
So what are you waiting for?
If you have any questions or would like to share your low-carb diet tips, then comment down below. I would love to hear them!
I am also working on a food post to show some of my favorite things to eat- so stay tuned for that!
*** Please note: I am not an expert, doctor, or dietician. Please consult your doctor before starting a low carb diet.
