Numerous studies have been published demonstrating the benefits of a low carbohydrate diet. Recent studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine have shown that it is superior to a low fat diet for weight reduction. Additionally, there are several beneficial effects on cholesterol, including reduction in LDL (bad) and increase in HDL (good) cholesterol. This diet may also be beneficial for those with diabetes, as it may improve the control of their blood sugar (glucose) levels.
The question is, how can you easily follow a low carb lifestyle? What are the key elements? Are there any meal replacements that you can use to make your choices easier? In the course of researching low carb diets for my own personal use, I found them very valuable for a variety of my patients. I have been recommending that many of my patients restructure the way they eat: I have encouraged them not to think of this as a diet, but as a way of life. While the greatest weight reduction can be achieved by minimizing or eliminating carbohydrates, the sensible use of good carbs can allow you to enjoy a healthy and appetizing variety of foods. Fortunately, there are many convenient low carb options available today to help you achieve your weight loss and management goals.
Kick Start Your Day With Breakfast
First, let's start with the first meal of the day: Breakfast. This is an essential meal because it gets your metabolism going and provides your energy to start the day. Eggs are a great choice, especially if you leave out some of the yolks. I recommend eating 3 eggs, using the white from all 3 eggs and the yolk from just one. Another great alternative is Keto brand shakes. They come in all sorts of delicious flavors such as banana crème, cappuccino and chocolate peanut butter. I keep 3 or 4 in the house and rotate them each morning. If you mix them with some ice in a blender, they come out smooth, creamy and they are quite filling.
Grab a Healthy Snack
You should always remember to eat a mid morning snack, and here again there are several good choices. If you have had a shake for breakfast, a hard-boiled egg makes a quick, satisfying snack. Also, low fat cheddar or mozzarella cheese sticks are good options. The calcium is good for your bones, and some studies have shown that ingesting more calcium is helpful in weight reduction.
Healthy, Easy Lunch
For lunch, you can rotate things like turkey breast, chicken breast, or lean ham (not sugar cured). You can put a little mayonnaise or mustard on these and roll them up into a no-carb roll-up. Having some broccoli florets or a small salad with oil and vinegar dressing adds some healthy fiber. If you are on the maintenance phase of your low carb eating plan, a fruit that has a low "glycemic index" such as apple, peach or pear would be acceptable. Low glycemic fruits ensure that avoid the dramatic increases in blood sugar. If you are on the go, the Atkins ready-mix and ready-to-drink shakes are a good choice for a one-minute meal. I usually grab one when I am in between patients at the office. There are 4 flavors, and they all taste good, so you can rotate these to prevent boredom. Just make sure that you drink them cold, or over ice. They are much tastier this way.
Afternoon Pick-Me Up
One of the most convenient mid-afternoon snacks is 15 to 20 almonds (unsalted). You can put them in a Ziploc snack size bag and take them anywhere. If you like to golf, as I do, you can toss them in your golf bag. Be sure to drink plenty of water. Another good choice would be a low carb food bar, such as one of the Atkins or Keto varieties.
Add a Little Spice to Dinners
Dinner consists of low carb vegetables or salad (with low carb dressing-oil and vinegar is best) with chicken, turkey or lean beef or pork. Fish is also a good choice, but I would avoid tuna, swordfish or mackerel more than once per month, because of the high mercury level. Lean cuts of steak are fine once (or maybe even twice) per week. If you need to use steak sauce or ketchup, chose one of the low carb Atkins or Keto products. They really taste pretty good. Or better yet, season your meat or chicken with low salt seasoning. Fresh ground pepper, garlic and onion powder can be rotated for variety. There are also several pre-packaged seasonings which you can use: just make sure they do not have a lot of salt.
A word on salad dressing. The best choice is using extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and water. You can vary the type of vinegar for variety, such as using balsamic vinegar. Or you can add some lemon juice to make a Greek-type dressing. Go easy on the salt, but add other flavors to your taste. Experiment and have fun. You can come up with some nice alternatives.
Try These Desserts
For dessert, if you need it, try having a cup of decaffeinated coffee with Splenda as a sweetener. If you need a chocolate fix, you can use Keto Hot Cocoa mix. In fact, you can make a great mocha crème desert by taking one half cup of part skim ricotta cheese and mixing in 1 teaspoon of Keto hot cocoa and one half teaspoon of decaffeinated coffee crystals. Mix well, and you have a satisfying desert. Another choice would be Atkins Indulgence Candy. It's not as creamy as regular chocolate, but it's good enough to satisfy most cravings.
If you desire to lose weight more quickly, you should really avoid all carbs and alcoholic drinks for the first 3 to 4 weeks of your weight reduction program. After that, introducing low glycemic carbohydrates to one meal a day will still allow you to lose weight, but not at the same pace. And you can add back alcohol, sparingly. I would avoid more than an occasional beer, because its loaded with carbs. A good choice is red wine, as it contains many antioxidants and is actually heart healthy. Don't forget, a 3 ounce glass of red wine contains about 300 calories, and that will add up quickly.
Drink More Water and Remember Your Supplements
Two other key elements of healthy weight reduction and maintenance are plenty of filtered water, and supplements. If you don't have a water filter on your drinking tap at home, get one now. You need to make sure that you remove as many of the impurities that you can. As for bottled water, you need to make sure that it is really pure. It needs to indicate that it has been "triple filtered," or processed by reverse osmosis. This would insure maximal purity.
Supplements are also very important to helping you achieve your weight reduction goals. Your body needs certain nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, to process your food. The most important may be chromium, which is a key mineral in helping stabilize blood sugar. While too much chromium can be detrimental, having enough is equally critical to help optimize your metabolism. You also need the right amount of B vitamins to promote optimal metabolism. Equally important is consuming the right antioxidants to decrease the oxidative stress that is caused by the production of free radicals. If you look at the scientific evidence, there is overwhelming support for the use of antioxidants to help prevent certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease and stroke. Also, some nutrients such as selenium have been shown to decrease the risk of certain forms of cancer. An excellent choice for those on a low carbohydrate diet is NSI Nutrislim Low Carb Dieter's Basic Multi-Vitamin. This daily multivitamin is designed to work with a low carb diet and supply your daily vitamin and antioxidant needs. A more comprehensive choice would be NSI Synergy Ultra. which contains the omega-3 fatty acids that you would need if you don't eat a lot of fish.
A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way
Exercise is good for the body and soul. Many of the people who respond to advertisements for miracle weight loss supplements are seduced by the claims of weight reduction without exercise. When you see an ad like that, you should disregard the product immediately! That company is not promoting a healthy, long-term weight management strategy. Exercise is an important way to increase your metabolic rate, improve the status of your cardiovascular system, and improve your mental outlook. Exercise should consist of aerobic activity 3 to 4 times per week, and resistance training at least once per week (If possible, 2 to 3 times per week would be better). The aerobic activity improves your cardiovascular condition, while the resistance training adds muscle. Now, you don't have to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger to gain benefit. But for every pound of muscle you add, you will burn an extra fifty calories per day. So ten pounds of muscle allows you to burn an extra 500 calories each and every day. This really adds up after a while.
Low Carb Lifestyle…Safe and Effective Weight Loss
A word about calories. I have not asked you to count calories, or weigh your portions, but it is important to remember that even if you consume no carbohydrate, if you consume an excessive number of calories, you will gain weight. One of the benefits of a low carb diet is that you seem to be able to consume more calories than on a low fat diet, so counting the calories is not that critical. Nonetheless, portions should be reasonable. For example, one to 1-1/2 chicken breast with dinner, or 6 to 8 oz. of steak and enough green leafy vegetables to fill the plate.
I have been recommending this approach to weight management to a variety of my patients over the last 6 years. I have seen dramatic improvements in cholesterol levels, sense of well-being, elimination or decrease in gastrointestinal problems, and yes, weight reduction. I have become a firm believer that processed carbohydrates are a major cause of obesity in this country, especially among children. Can you have a rich, decadent high carb snack every once in a while, or even a Krispy Kreme® donut? Yes, these are things that will taste good, but only and as a treat very infrequently. Then, get right back to your low carb lifestyle. Better yet, seek low carb alternatives to these treats, and incorporate those into your plan. There are many great tasting alternatives that will satisfy your sweet tooth. With persistence, you will find that you will slowly achieve the results you have always dreamed of, and you will be able to keep the weight off.
