Why you switch to a low carb diet & how

The phrase ‘low carb’ is a coinage by dieticians and health experts and today it is among the most widely chanted phrases across the world, thanks to growing concern among people about their health.

The Concept that Begets ‘Health’

The phrase ‘low carb’ refers to low carbohydrate or food items that are low in carbohydrate content. Despite of the fact that carbohydrate is a major source of energy that the body needs to perform various activities, dieticians and health experts suggest for reducing its consumption, since excess intake of carbohydrate raises body weight and encourages obesity, which again encourage various complications. Besides, carbohydrates that are consumed in the form of sugar contained in candy and jams encourage growth of blood sugar level, which too is quite fatal. So far people who have put on loads of weight and are standing on the verge of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes due to their faulty food habit, a low carb diet is the prime medicine.

The Ideal low carb constituents

 A low carb diet is specially planned diet containing food items that are very low in carbohydrate content but are rich in other vital nutrients like fat, protein, vitamin and mineral. Low carb diets can be made in various ways but the aim should be same-it should reduce the consumption of carbohydrates drastically, if not eliminate it completely. F you have been instructed by your dietician to switch to low carb diet from normal diet you must know which food items are harmful for you and which food items can replace them in your breakfast, lunch and dinner plate. Though many dieticians emphasize on complete elimination of carbohydrates from meals, you could opt for a slow substitution process. Instead of rejecting your favorite items like rice, bread pasta, cereals, potato and beans completely one fine morning you can say goodbye to them one by one by making suitable replacements. You can replace rice with brown rice or maize, pasta with milk, potato with cauliflower and broccoli and deserts with fruits. Green and fibrous vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, carrot sticks and veggie sticks have been identified by dieticians as beneficial alternatives of rice, bread and pasta which are rich in starchy properties that damage the body.

Getting Used to the Perfect Diet

So if you have been suggested to go for a low carb diet it is better to get habituated slowly. Start with increasing the quantity of the prescribed vegetables and reducing the carbohydrate rich items in your plate and keep increasing the pace for both. Slowly you will get habituated with broccoli, spinach, cauliflower and the fruits. If you have absolute hatred for vegetables like spinach and broccoli as well as fruits you can combine them with poultry, egg, fish, shellfish, cheese and chestnuts that are rich in protein and fat but are low in cholesterol. Fat and protein are essential for your body since they compensate for the loss of energy caused by reduced intake of carbohydrate. Your job is simple. Just log on to the net, download various low carb diets and then choose one that satisfies your taste buds and keep you healthy.     

Why low carbohydrate diet is beneficial for health

Low carbohydrate diet refers to diet which is low in carbohydrate or in simple terms a diet that contains food items that are not rich in carbohydrate.

Carbohydrate- Mind the amount of intake

Carbohydrate is a vital source of energy for the human body. Available in four different forms-monosachharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides and amigosaccharides, carbohydrate is among the most vital nutrients for the body. But excess intake of carbohydrate, especially complex carbohydrate and simple carbohydrate (as categorized by heath scientists and dieticians) that food items like rice, cereals, bread, pasta, potato, jam, jelly, candy and deserts contain, make an adverse side effect on the body. Regular consumption of food items rich in complex and simple carbohydrates lead to excessive weight gain, obesity and encourage Type 2 diabetes. Though there are medicines and exercises that can cure and reduce the negative impacts of these fatal diseases, the best way to get rid of them is to switch from normal diet to low carbohydrate diet.

The League of Misconception

There is a popular misconception or a misunderstood theme that switching to a Low carbohydrate diet means putting a ban on white food items like rice, cereals, brads and pastas forever. Previously it was a fact since dieticians with old thoughts used to consider carbohydrates as big enemies for health. But with the change in time, the definition of low carb diet has changed. The purpose of switching to a diet low in carbohydrate is to reduce the level of starch that are high in rice, bread and pasta and sugar which comes from candy, jam, jelly and deserts in the body.

A Slim &Trim ‘YOU’

It is quite obvious that to get rid of threats of obesity and get back to your slim and trim figure, you have to curb the carbs in your lunch and dinner plate but that doesn’t mean you have to snap all ties with your favorite white food items overnight. Dieticians with modern thoughts have gone for detailed research and have come out with diets that do not depress the food lovers. These diets are very well planned and allow you to go slow for changing your food habit. Instead of eliminating rice, pasta bread, jam and desert at one go, you can go for slow substitution. You can slowly replace the carbohydrate rich items one by one with green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, pepper, carrot stocks and veggie sticks. Though many dieticians are against vegetables also, studies have proved that they are rich in fibers and nutrients that the body need to fight the deficiency of carbohydrates.

If you can’t think of lunch and dinner without the sweet taste, you can go for a low carbohydrate diet containing multiple fruits. Though fruits contain sugar, its watery form does not encourage diabetes. Besides, fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals that your body needs stay fit since you lose a vital source of energy by eliminating carbohydrates.

So, if your doctor has suggested a low carb diet and you are not happy with the food items, ignore it and log on to the net to find out low carb diets that suit you. you will find a lot of friendly low carb diet menus there.  

[infographic] Paleo Diet Explained

happylowcarb

A tale of two meals: what's really making you fat

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Easy low carb meals

Most people imagine low carb meals are hard to make but there are easy low carb meals that can be prepared in minutes. The whole idea with low carb diet is to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Therefore you should eat foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates like animal proteins for instance beef, poultry, beef and fish. There are also non starchy vegetables like the leafy greens plus herbs condiments and some dairy products.

 

Eggs

Eggs are one of the easiest low carb meals to prepare in a short time. There are 6 grams of carbohydrates in one big hard boiled egg. Eggs are easy to boil, you can boil a dozen and store in your refrigerator for later when you get hungry. The other quick option is to have your eggs scrambled this is easy and after you are done there isn’t much cleaning up to do.

It is easy to boil eggs just submerge the eggs in cold water up to about 2 inches then put it to heat on the stove. Let the water boil with the eggs then remove it from the stove but leave it covered for 12 minutes. Now remove the boiled eggs and put them inside cold water and later place them in the refrigerator for storage.

Chicken Salad

There are about 6 grams of carbs in a chicken salad that is made with 4 oz. of chicken, about 2 cups of Romaine Lettuce and two table spoons of vinaigrette. Store some prepared salad greens in the refrigerator make sure they are washed together with some grilled chicken. Also keep a bottle of vinaigrette that you can get from the store. Any time hunger strikes you can immediately get these ingredients together and have a nutritious low carb salad in no time.

Steak

Steak is free of carbs and is easy to make. To grill 1 inch thick steak takes about 4 to 7 minutes on an indoor grill. For extra flavor crown your steak with compound butter such as garlic butter. To make compound butter mix some thinly minced garlic plus some herbs into softened butter. Before serving on top of the steak allow the flavors to blend for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Alongside your steak have some cooked asparagus spears grilled on the grill for a quick healthy and nutritious meal.

Strata with low carbs

A low carb strata is quite simple to make and is similar to pastry. It needs little preparation and when it is baked you can have a slice. You can store it for several days in the refrigerator and later warm it in the microwave. There are other easy low carb meals you can make like low carb sausages and other good recipes you can find online.

High Protein Low Carb diet Foods

Once you decide to start on a low carb diet, it is vital that you gather all the necessary information about the diet and which particular foods you will be required to consume. Knowing which low carb foods are suitable for will give ease in following your diet regimen.

Obesity is a huge problem right now and you need a diet that will not leave worrying about being overweight. An example of such a diet is a high protein low carb diet that is healthy and will aid you in losing weight. The whole idea is to minimize your carbohydrate intake and mostly obtain your calories from proteins.

Since the high protein low carb diet rather eliminates carbohydrates from your diet your blood sugar and insulin levels are also reduced. Your body will eventually get to a conditioned referred to as Ketosis. Weight loss will be achieved in the near future as your body will be breaking down less sugar. The other vital benefits include lowered blood tri-glyceride levels and consequently your blood cholesterol levels are considerably reduced.

Now you need to identify the high protein foods that you need and how you will blend with a low carb diet.  One particular measure comes in handy, this the glycemic index of each food you select. This is the measure of how much a particular food raises that blood sugar. A list of the low glycemic foods will help a lot during your selection.

Proteins will constitute a large part of your diet for instance meat and eggs. On the hand you will cut your consumption of foods full of sugars such as rice, potatoes and pasta. Take lots of poultry, red meat, fish, shellfish plus cheese.  Starchy vegetables, sugary products, refined carbohydrates, artificial flavorings and certain sugary fruits are highly discouraged. Here a few examples of low carb foods:

100 grams of roast beef contains 28g of protein and no carbohydrates. The same amount roast chicken has 25g of proteins and no carbohydrates. The other meats generally have 24g of proteins and no carbohydrates. 100 gram of cheddar cheese has 25g of protein and 0.1g of carbs. Cold fillet has 21g of protein and zero carbs for every 100g. Lastly a glass of milk has 6.8g and 4.3g.

Meat

Meat has great benefits not only in terms high protein levels but also minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, phosphorous and vitamin B complex. Meats include beef, lamb, bacon, pork(tenderloin) Venison, elk and buffalo.

Fowl and Eggs

Eggs are wonderful for all low carb diets plus the following fowls: Chicken, turkey ostrich, goose, duck and emu.

Dairy Products

The following dairy products are good for the high protein low carb diet. Include 6g to 8g of the following: Milk, soy milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, parmesan cheese, camembert cheese, brie cheese and tofu.

Beans

Beans are very rich source unlike meat that may have unsaturated fats. It is okay to eat 8g to 10g of the following beans. Black Beans, green beans, soy beans, wax beans, split beans, lentils.

Nuts

Nuts are good source of healthy heart friendly fats and proteins. Eat 8g to 10g of the following nuts and seeds: Almonds, peanuts, pecans, cashews, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

 Vegetables

Low carb high protein vegetables are like lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, green collard, mustard green, kales, Cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and zucchini. There also herbs like basil, cilantro, rosemary, parsley and thyme. Let’s not forget carrots and radishes, tomatoes, pumpkins just to mention but a few.

In a high protein low carb diet, fruits are not included as they contain sugars. Do not over do this diet as you risk metabolic rate reduction, kidney disease and high cholesterol levels.

How to prepare snacks with good low carb foods

Since breads, pastas and pizzas are things to avoid when you are on a low carb diet, finding some tasty snack options could become difficult. However, you can try some hamburger low carb recipes using low carb hamburger buns.

How to include snack in low carb diet:

Since there is no room for delicious white foods like breads, pizzas and pastas in a low carb diet, it becomes very difficult for foodies to respond to the belly’s call in gaps between major meals. While maintaining a low carb diet you cannot afford to munch breads or burgers whenever you like and that reduces your snack options. However, thanks to health experts and researchers, foodies on dietary restrictions can now enjoy some pinches of relaxation since some tasty substitutes of these food items and some exciting recipes are available. Yes, even under a low carb diet, you can have delicious snack like a hamburger or a pizza occasionally but for that you need to prepare your snack following some hamburger low carb recipes.

Low carb hamburgers:

This is not very difficult though, since most of the items that you need to prepare a low carb hamburger are available largely. The main difference between a regular hamburger and a low carb hamburger is that that when you prepare a low carb hamburger, you use a low carb hamburger bun instead of a regular bun. You can buy low carb hamburger buns from the market or prepare them at home. You will find several hamburger low carb recipes for preparing the bun. They are made of simple ingredients that you can find in plenty at stores. Once the low carb hamburger buns are ready you can prepare the stuffing, which could be ground beef, pork or chicken. To make it an ideal low carb hamburger, you can use cottage cheese or mozzarella instead of regular cheese while preparing the stuffing since they are low in carb. Since green vegetables like lettuce, parsley and cabbage are good low carb foods, you can use these leaves to make your burger taster and a great filler.

Other low carb snacks:

Apart from hamburgers, there are plenty of good low carb snacks that you can prepare and have at home. Since you are allowed to eat low fat meats like chicken and turkey and eggs and lots of green vegetables in a low carb diet, you can opt for different types of sandwiches and roll-ups as light snacks. Turkey and cheese roll up, side salad topped with hard boiled eggs, Caesar salad with grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, celery with peanut butter, pepperoni with cheese, beef jerky, deli meat, broccoli with melted cheese are a few names from the long list of good low carb snacks, or rather mouthwatering snacks that you can enjoy occasionally. Other than these, you could opt for some great low carb recipes for lunch and dinner.

Low carb recipes for meals:

Since vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, pepper and capsicum are good for your health; you can try some mouthwatering soup recipes. If meats are your favorite, then search for some great low carb recipes for chicken, turkey and pork. To make your lunch or dinner healthy, opt for some crock pot (slow cooker) recipes, since meats cooked in crock pots are left with the nutritious juice, which get dried up when cooked in a normal cooker.     

http://www.ditchthewheat.com/2012/03/low-carb-hamburger-buns-gluten-free.html#!/2012/03/low-carb-hamburger-buns-gluten-free.html

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/best-low-carb-snacks

Food items that make a healthy low carb diet

Since excess intake of carbohydrates encourages weight gain, you need to reduce its consumption for losing weight. But in that process you lose energy as carbs are major sources of it. So you need a healthy low carb diet that can compensate for that loss.

Why getting overweight is risky:

Getting overweight is risky since it encourages critical health problems that could make permanent damage. Overweight could lead to obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, depression, anxiety and different cardiovascular problems which could get critical if not treated in time. Overweight is a among the most common health problem since it gets encouraged easily by wrong food habit. So, the best way to get reduced and stay safe from the invasion by these diseases is change the food habit. Though exercises, medicine and food supplements are there for burning calories and losing weight, the best and healthy way to get reduced is switching from normal diet to a healthy low carb diet. Since excess intake of carbohydrate leads to addition of weight and Type 2 Diabetes, it is essential to curb the quantity of carbohydrate rich foods in meals. Less the volume, more is pace of losing weight. So what you need to get back to your normal figure is a healthy low carb diet.

Low carb foods:

Low carb diet or low carb meal is something that many people have a misconception about. There is a general feeling that a low carb diet means giving up all the delicious white foods and living on vegetables and fruits. Yes. It is a fact that you have to reduce the consumption of white foods like rice, breads, pastas and sweets like candies, jellies and deserts but that doesn’t mean you have to live on tasteless foods. Since carbohydrate rich foods contain starch that breaks into sugar quickly and raises the blood sugar level, you have to curb its consumption but at the same time you can have tastier food items like milk, poultry, eggs and fishes. Since carbohydrate is a vital source of energy, reducing its consumption reduces the energy level and to compensate that loss, you need to eat these protein and fat rich foods. Low fat meats like chicken and turkey, eggs and fishes like tuna, salmon, halibut, ferring and mackerel are among the top healthy low carb foods that you can have at lunch and dinner. Besides, veggies like spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus, pepper, capsicum, lettice, parsley, cucumber and tomato are considered as healthy low carb foods as they are rich in fibers, vitamins and minerals.

Low carb recipes:

Hence, you need not to feel depressed if a switchover from normal to low carb diet has been adviced by the doctor. Log on to the net and search for healthy low carb dinner recipes. Since you are allowed to have chicken, turkey egg and fishes, you will find varieties of healthy low carb dinner recipes. Chicken with tonnato sauce in pita pockets, halibut with lemon and caper sauce, Tuskan style tuna salad, turkey scallopini with apricot sauce, wasabi salmon burgers, Asaparagus and Canadian bacon omelet and roasted broccoli with lemon are mouthwatering and healthy low carb dinner recipes that you can try. Since fruits are highly beneficial for your health you can try deserts like broiled pineapple and strawberries with ginger and pine nuts.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/quick_healthy_low_carb_recipes

http://www.lowcarbfoods.org/

   

Let's happiness be the signification factor in your life

There are 2 kinds of people: who experience happiness now and those who wait happiness to come sometimes later (and never get there).

When I was in high school, I thought school is tragedy, too much to study (even I loved studying), everyday school routines  make it really boring for me. I just wished the school should end as soon as possible and my life would be happier when I can choose what to do and when to do it when I finish the school. I thought college would be better.
And actually, when I was in college, I felt the same way: I thought when I graduated and go to work then I would be happy. My happiness was always in the future. After graduating, I think I would be happy when I can escape 9-5 everyday routine. When I leaved my 9-5 job and work on myself, I, again, thought that I would be happy when I earn 1 million dollars. I'm the kind of person whose happiness is always in the future.
I know a lot of people are just like me.

It's hard to practice happiness

I'm not saying that we should live happily now and not worry about the future. Your life can easily be a tragedy if you don't invest enough for your future. I think "invest" means "take risk" and not every risk is equal. Your life in future depends a lot of how much risk you take today. People tend to mis-measure risk, the reason is they usually can not define the right scale to measure it.
In some scales, taking no risk means that you take too much risk; stable job means stable risk. Just remember that the would is changing too fast so that biggest companies 20 years ago may be collapsed tomorrow.

For most of people, taking risk is equal to be un-happy. 

"Why shouldn't I be happy today instead of sacrificing too much for 'uncertainty tomorrow happiness'?" . 
That's usually a question but the better question is:
"How can I be happy to day taking risks for tomorrow happiness?"
Taking risks can also be overcoming difficulties as discussed in this article about DoubleThink

Be Happy Now and Be Happy later

The best way to be happy in your life is to be happy with what you have now fighting for the happiness in the future. Fighting for the happiness in the future means live a life with a clear goal: clear on who you want to be, what will you do, where you will are...

Don't just fantasize about the future, the next important thing is about what you do now contribute to your future picture. I have been hearing a lot people keeping saying that they work hard now to save money to travel, they love travelling. Except you want to be a tour guide or work in travel business; otherwise, your ultimate goal should not be travelling. You should find something you love to work on, and travelling should be just a bonus reward.

So, it seems simple now:

• to be happy later, you have to have a clear goal & plan to get it
• to be be happy now, you have to work on something you love and it should lead to the future goal. 

Am I making it clear enough?

Life is hard

One of my friends working in investment bank, he's earning very good money. And this is what he said to me:
"Actually I don't like my job that much, I'm just trying to save enough money to start my own coffee shop"

Nice sacrifice!

But I'm not sure whether he really likes to run a coffee shop business or he is just dreaming of the coffee shop fantasy [if you has come over here, so you should read that post, too]
Yes, life is hard and you have to make tough choice. Now, look back the title of this post!

How to switch to low carb diet smoothly

Switching to a low carb diet from normal diet is a difficult transition phase for foodies like you but you can make it easy by opting for some great low carb recipes

The transition phase:

For foodies, getting habituated to a low carb diet from normal meals packed of rice, breads, pizzas and pastas is a difficult phase of transition, since situation force them to sacrifice their favorite foods. But one can make it a happy transition by trying some great low carb recipes that are made of food items that are tastier and healthier. When you are instructed by your doctor to switch to low carb diet you certainly need to bring yourself under some restrictions, but unlike the popular belief, you do not have to snap ties with your favorite foods overnight. The transition phase from normal diet to low carb diet could be made smooth by doing some modifications on meals, but for that one needs to know how the carbohydrate rich ‘tasty’ foods could be substituted by low carb foods for which there are varieties of great low carb recipes.

Substitutions that can be made:

If you want to get some good low carb recipes for lunch, dinner and breakfast, first you need to know which food items are okay for your health and which are forbidden. Since you switch over to a low carb diet to curb the intake of carbohydrate, you have to reduce consumption of rice, cereals, bread, pasta, candy, jelly, jam and deserts. But interestingly, you can find substitutes for some of these food items and also find some healthy low carb dinner recipes for them. you can substitute white rice by brown rice which is more fibrous, rich in vitamin and minerals, a good antioxidant, and most importantly, a slow sugar releaser, which helps in keeping blood sugar level in control. Brown rice is a whole grain and is less starchy than white rice and hence it is a low carb food. You can substitute normal breads with whole wheat bread, brown bread and low carb tortillas that are tastier and healthier. To enjoy the sweet taste, you can prepare deserts with sweeteners that are highly recommended for diabetics. 

Protein and fat:

Since a low carb diet is intended to curb the consumption of carbohydrate, a person having such a diet lose energy as carbohydrate is a vital source of energy. Hence foods rich in protein and healthy fats are recommended for them. You may have to give up white rice, breads and pasta but in exchange you can enjoy some delicious lunch recipes and healthy low carb dinner recipes where meats like chicken, turkey and pork, eggs and fishes like salmon, halibut, tuna and mackerel are key ingredients. However, you must keep the level of consumption low as many of these items are high in cholesterol which is an encourager of cardio-vascular problems.

Go green:

The best food items for making a healthy low carb diet are green vegetables. Simple green veggies like spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, peppers, capscicum, lettuce, parsley and cucumber rank high on list of low carb foods and you can make endless varieties of mouthwatering dishes with these items. These zero carbohydrate food items make great soups when used with chicken or turkey, mouthwatering sandwiches and tasty salads. Besides you can have them boiled or prepare curries.

   

Have a diet low carb food and shed weight

 Lot of us are switching on to diet low carb food for preventing fat formation. Food items that are low in carbohydrate helps to keep your body fit and also prevents it ailments such as obesity, diabetes, and so on.

Are you having sleepless nights while thinking about your increasing weight? Well, in today’s world where it is very difficult to have a proper rest and also to maintain proper diet routine, obesity can become a big problem. From children to even aged, people all across the world suffer from obesity related problems. So, if you are thinking about to how to get rid of those extra fats; then try to have a diet low carb routine. Lots of people are switching on to carbohydrate free dieting in order keep fit and prevent excessive fat from accumulating in the body.

Have a basic idea of low carb food

All across the globe, there has been a greater impetus about making diet changes to food low in carbs. According to doctor, food items that do not have much carbohydrates or related supplements are easily digestible and does not lead to fat formation even in case of erratic eating habits.  You just need to have a basic idea of the food items that contain too many levels of carbohydrates and avoid them as possible. On the other hand, one should try to follow a diet that contains low levels of fat and carbohydrates and more minerals and other essential nutrients.

Ill effects of high carb diet

In order to have an idea of diet low carb, it is important that you know which food items have a high carbohydrate count. In most cases, food such as bread, pasta, pizza, and so on are thought to have high levels of carbohydrates that cause fat formation. Apart from fat formation, high level of carbohydrates can also lead to ailments such as high blood pressure, diabetes and so on. On the contrary, foods low in carbs and sugar include different kinds of fruits and vegetables. This is one of the main reasons why one needs to have a bowl of salad daily, while following a low carb diet.

Low carb fruits and vegetables

Talking about foods for low carb diet, there are lots of vegetables such as lettuce, carrots, turnips, cabbage, and spinach and so on. For some added taste, try to mix these with herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, cilantro, and so on. In case of fruits that have a low carbohydrate count, you can try out Watermelon, mangoes, raspberries, guavas, and so on. well, having a glass of milk is not a problem, but try to avoid dairy products such as cheese, butter, and so on. These have high levels of sugar and lead to fat formation.

Coming to the basics steps of diet low carb routine, it is important that you take a slow but steady approach. Try not to abruptly change your diet as it may lead to health complications. In the first step, try to avoid junk food such as burgers, soft drinks, crisps and similar kind of high carb food. The next step is to alter these with low carb food such as salads, and other health food. Have a good diet chart and if possible take help from a nutritionist. Always remember that a rational approach will help you to maintain a diet that is low in carb and help you have a fit body.

Respond to sudden call of belly with low carb snacks

Following a low carb diet doesn’t mean you can’t have anything between lunch and dinner. Opt for low carb snacks. Search for mouthwatering low carb snack ideas and recipes on net.

Low carb snacks:

When on a low carb diet or carb free diet, you have to maintain the system throughout the day. Having restricted meals at lunch and dinner and oily snacks in gaps wouldn’t do, since oily snacks encourage saturation of unhealthy fat in the body and spoils your effort for losing weight. But that doesn’t mean you can’t respond to your stomach’s call between lunch and dinner. You surely can have light food items at afternoon or evening, and in fact you can have some very delicious dishes. What you have to do is opt for some good low carb snacks. Since you are allowed to have fat and protein rich foods like chicken, fish and eggs in a low carb diet, you can opt for some good low carb snacks that are made of these items. The best thing would be opting for more green vegetables, as they are cholesterol free (meats and eggs are not) and highly fibrous. Besides, green vegetables are rich in minerals and vitamins that are essential for your body since you are curbing the intake of carbohydrate.

Low carb snack ideas:

Though breads and pastas are items that are strictly prohibited in low carb meals, you can prepare some light snacks made of whole wheat breads and try some low carb pizza recipes as Blaine’s offers. You can prepare delicious sandwiches with whole wheat breads or low carb torillas, cottage cheese or mozzarella, slices of chicken, boiled eggs and vegetables like pepper, tomato, cucumber and capsicum. smoked salmon, tuna salad, sugar free yoghurt with berries, pepperoni chips, sugar free jello with cottage cheese and granules of nuts, lettuce roll up and lunch meat roll ups are also great low carb snack ideas that you can try. You may also try some low carb hamburger recipes as hamburger is a great filler. You can opt for hamburgers made of ground beef or ground chuck or may search for hamburger low carb recipes that are recommended by Atkin’s diet, which is considered as a benchmark of low carb diets.

Great low carb recipes for snacks:

Switching over from a normal to a low carb diet doesn’t mean you have to stop eating everything that you like. Things that are your favorites could still be parts of your meals and snacks. You just need to make some modification. To prepare delicious low carb snacks with food items of your choice, look for some great low carb recipes. Of course you can’t have pasta but if you like breads, you can make an acceptable substitution for it by opting for whole wheat breads and low carb tortillas. You can have chicken, pork, eggs and fishes that make countless numbers of great low carb recipes. Just browse the net to find such recipes and then download them on your computer. Stick the ingredients listed there and the cooking instructions and then enjoy delicious snacks like roll ups and hamburgers to respond to your belly’s call without damaging health.

   

Carb free diet

 Your weight loss goals as well as avoiding diseases caused by too much carbohydrate can be achieved by trying to prepare your own meals, educating yourself about carb-free foods and buying snacks that fit the diet.

Carb free diet for better health

A carb free diet is not just a trend. There are very many reasons as to why you should consider practicing a carb- free diet. Although carbohydrates make up for the main source of energy in our diet, they can be harmful to the health if consumed in large amounts. They can lead to diseases such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes among many other diseases.

 Carb free diet has numerous benefits to your health. Other than lowering the risk of getting diseases like diabetes, the diet improves your overall health, mental concentration and stability and better dental hygiene. This kind of diet is also known to improve your skin’s appearance, reduce muscle and joint pain, reduces headaches and eliminates gastrointestinal problems such as heart burns among other benefits. As mentioned above, carb free diet is known to aid in weight loss as it suppresses craving for sweets and helps in overcoming emotional eating.

There are very many alternatives that taste similar to foods that are high in carbohydrates. This therefore means that you won’t run out of delicious meals when you decide to opt for a carb free diet.

What to eliminate from your low carb diet

It is advisable to first consult a doctor before you decide to go for the carb free diet. This is so as you can ensure that it is safe for you more so if you are on medication. Steps to follow when going for this kind of diet includes: first eliminating all grains such as breakfast cereals, oatmeal rice, croissant, bagels, muffins, baked foods and the regular bread. Also be sure to stay away from starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, sugar containing foods and drinks. These drinks could include beverages like soft drinks, fruit punch, syrups and desserts. Yoghurt, milk and fruits also contain significant amounts of carbohydrates and should therefore be avoided.

No carb diets should include an equivalent of about 6 oz. of protein during each serving. Proteins help you fill fuller between meals thus making it easier to stick to your no carb diet plan. You could for instance take breakfast that contains two eggs with one sausage and maybe 2 oz. cheese. During lunch and supper you can choose between pork, turkey, beef, fish or seafood.

Healthy unsaturated fats for body replenishment

Apart from a moderate amount of protein, a Carb free diet should also include a high fat content. Fat becomes the primary source of energy in the diet and helps put your body in the fat burning mode to help you shed the extra weight. You could also use olive oil to cook your beef or vegetables, add sour cream to your serving of salmon or just add butter to your mashed cauliflower or broccoli. These ingredients can be used to make rich desserts with non sugar sweeteners. Make sure you do not use low fat versions of the foods as they contain carbohydrates including sugar. 

Why is fruit not allowed on the slow carb diet plan?

According to Tim Perriss book's 4-Hour Body – The Slow-Carb Diet, fruits' principal sugar is fructose, which is converted to glycerol phosphate more efficiently than most of other carbs. 

(fruits)

Glycerol phosphate --> triglycerides (via the liver) --> fat storage.

There are a few exceptional fruits (tomatoes and avocadoes, and the later should be limited usage) but according to Tim Perriss research, you should avoid fruit six days per week to be successful.

In the last day of the week, you eat whatever you want :)

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How to make cheap low carb meals

 Low carb foods or low carb diets are best for people who need to lose weight to stay safe from obesity, diabetes and different cardiovascular diseases that are associated with it.

English: veggies (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Low carb diet is the first thing that a doctor prescribes a patient standing on the verge of obesity and plead for medicines to get back normal health. Low carb diets are good for their health as they contain very low carb and carb less foods. But since low carb diets contain costly protein and fat rich food items, the grocery budget often shoots up. Are you facing such a problem? Are you worried with your rising grocery budget? If you are then what's the alternative? You can't ignore your doctor's advice and get back to regular diet for saving money. But you can keep your grocery budget within control by opting for cheap low carb foods and making cheap low carb meals with them.

Eggs:

Cheap low carb foods refer to items that are available at most affordable rates. Egg is among the best cheap low carb foods. Eggs are really affordable and the advantage of eggs is that you can prepare lots of low carb meals with a few eggs. If you are concerned about cholesterol then leave the yolk and have the white portion. Egg is a completely carb free food but is rich in protein.

Green vegetables:

Fresh green vegetables are also available at cheap rates since they grow throughout the year. To save your money, opt for unlearned and bunched vegetables instead of pre-washed and prepackaged vegetables since those include packaging cost. Buy a bunch of spinach, lettuce and whole cauliflowers, cabbages, broccoli and pepper.

Low cost cuts of meats:

Since meats are great low carb food items you can prepare cheap low carb meals with them. Perhaps you are wondering how can meats make a cheap low carb meal. Well, you can make it cheap by opting for low cost cuts of meats that are harder than the expensive cuts. Buy chuck roast, pork shoulder and chicken with skins and bones as they are cheaper than boneless meats. Remove the bones and skins after cooking and to make chuck roasts and pork shoulders soft, use a crock pot.

Crock pot low carb recipes:

To make your cheap low carb meal mouthwatering search for crock pot low carb recipes on the net. You will find plenty. Crock pot low carb recipes are good for your health since foods do not overcooked inside Crockpot. Instead the juice containing nutrients of the foods remain inside. You can use a crock pot to cook stews and soups using the low cost cuts of meats. As a crock pot cooks food slowly for hours, the meats get softer and the juices that come out of them add to the tastes of the soups and stews.

So, now you know that switching over to a low carb diet doesn't necessarily mean a hike in grocery budget. You can have delicious cheap low carb meals if you know which foods are cheap low carb foods and how to buy them.

1200 calorie low carb diet

(Cheese is low carb food)

Summary: If your figure makes you feel that it’s time to lose some weight then start the process with switching over from normal diet to a 1200 calorie low carb diet.

Start with a 1200 calorie low carb diet

If you have put on excessive weight and feeling like going to the doctor for a check- up and getting some remedies, Get ready beforehand for switching over from your normal diet to a low carb or carb free diet. How strict a diet chart you are going to be handed over by your doctor depends on the condition of your health but it is better to be ready for a strict one. However, if the date of appointment is two or three weeks away, you can switch over now to get a bit reduced by that time to get some relief in your diet. Start with a 1200 calorie low carb diet. Though there are endless options for low carb diets, 1200 calorie low carb diet is considered as the ideal diet for losing weight and pushing away diabetes, obesity, hypertension and various cardiovascular disorders. Enter Google and search for 1200 calorie low carb diet. You will find plenty of options there. Download one or two diets or combine by picking items from different diets to make an exciting low carb diet for yourself.

Best low carb foods

To make yourself habituated with a low carb diet, you can prepare a list of low carb foods and then look for best low carb recipes that can be made with these food items. Making a list of low carb foods wouldn’t be a difficult task for since lots of delicious food items come under this category. So what you need to know first is what the best low carb foods are. Green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, lettuce, pepper, capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower and asparagus aretop examples of best low carb foods since they are absolutely carbohydrate free and are rich in fibers, vitamins and minerals. Tomato, cucumber and beans could also be part of your diet since they are vital sources of vitamins and help in reducing weight.

Little amount of fish, meat and egg is not harmful

Though most doctors do not include meats and eggs in low carb diet charts, you can have them in small quantities. Low fat meat like chicken and turkey, egg white and fishes like salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herrying and halibut wouldn’t hamper your health much if you have them occasionally. Look for best low carb recipes for chicken, turkey and these fishes. Since egg is high in protein it would be better if you can have the white portion leaving the yolk. You can have eggs as boiled, poached or scrambled.

Alternatives to opt for

If you have decided to switch over from normal diet to a low carb diet then accept the fact that you have to stop eating white foods like rice, breads and pastas. However, you can enjoy a similar taste by opting for low carb breads that are made of whole wheat and are rich in oat bran and flax, which help in preventing heart diseases. Opt for Atkin’s or Joseph’s low carb breads that are less starchy and absolutely cholesterol free. To make your sandwiches delicious, replace butter and normal cheese with low fat cheeses like Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, goat cheese and gouda cheese.

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Carb free meals

Low carb meals are a healthy option especially for those hoping to lose some weight since they accelerate your metabolic rate so that your body can burn fats. This is because a low carb diet will make your body move from breaking down sugar to breaking down fat. Low carb meals should be low in carbohydrates basically natural foods unlike the processed carbohydrates. 

You will need to keep a record of the low carb meals you consume this will be beneficial in identifying the low carb meals that best suit you.

Protein low carb meals are wonderful when it comes to burning fat.  Remember that in your selection of foods consider your allergies. Do not coat your low carb meals with flour, gravy or sauces as you will be packing them with carbohydrates. 

There are a variety of low carb meals that you can eat even though you are advised to avoid things like pasta, bread, grains and cereals. These low carb meals are not only for those who love to cook but there are also other alternatives that are quick to prepare so it doesn’t have to be tedious and unexciting. Low carb diets will trim down the amount of carbohydrates that you consume each day to be in the range of 50 and 150 grams.

Low carb meats and vegetables

The principal low carb meals will include meats and the best low carb meat includes fish and poultry. However you are going prepare your meat whether you want broil, roast or grill it you will need to marinate it first. This will increase the flavor you can do this in a majority of spices, herbs, vinegars and citrus juices. On chicken you can sample rosemary or olive oil and lemon juice, and on the side steak some soy sauce and garlic. Low carb vegetable make wonderful stuffing and increase the flavor of bear pork and fish. Coat some fillet with butter; some spinach that has been chopped and cooked, together with diced onions then make some rolls and bake. Mash pork with an assortment of chopped mushrooms, butter, diced onions, pounded garlic together with some parsley and then roast till they are ready.

Low carb salad

When it comes to making the salad for a low carb meal there are a variety of vegetables that you can use. For instance you can use some baby spinach, romaine lettuce these are some dark greens, arugula to combine the best nutrition. Blend in some cucumber alfalfa sprouts these are low carb vegetables a little bell peppers and radishes. Crown this with grilled meat or whatever you like some bacon bits, frayed cheese. Ensure that the dressing of the salad is not laden with carbohydrates use olive oil as they do not contain unhealthy unsaturated fats or dressing based in safflower oil.

Low carb side dish

The low carb meal is not complete out a side dish this usually consists some steamed greens to go along with the meat they include the following vegetables broccoli, asparagus or artichokes. Crown this with a splash of Romano cheese and butter and chopped herbs.