Low carb diets are a popular trend circulating on the Internet and on social media. There is no shortage of celebrities, brand influencers, and websites boasting about all the benefits and some of the risks involved in minimizing the number of carbs you consume. With so much information out there, it can seem overwhelming.
A low carb diet limits the amount of carbohydrates you can consume. It’s an eating plan that’s more focused on eating healthy foods rich in vitamins and minerals like meat, fish, and poultry. Other foods like pasta, rice, and bread are meant to be avoided as they contain a lot of starch/ carbohydrates.
Nevertheless, the move to cutting carbs is not as easy as it sounds. Still, it’s not impossible.
Try These 6 Crucial Steps To Getting Amazing Results On A Low Carb Diet
1. Do your homework
This is the time to channel the ‘inner bookworm’ in you! Your mission is to learn as much as you can about low carb diets.
Here are some considerations when you are gathering information
- What is my goal?
- What type of low carb diet?
- My eating patterns/ lifestyle?
- Favourite foods?
- Do I plan to incorporate fitness?
- Where can I find resources to help me?
- How long do I want to be on a diet?
Another place to find information would be from a healthcare professional. Some examples would be a dietitian, therapist, doctor, nurse e.t.c. Talk to them about your plans for dieting. They can go over your findings to highlight any concerns that you should be aware of before starting a new eating regime.
There are several types of low carb diets. They include:
- Typical Low Carb Diet
- Low Carb/ High Fat Diet (LCHF)
- Ketogenic Diet
- Low Carb Paleo Diet
- The Atkins Diet
Ultimately, this initial process is how you’re going to decide which diet is right for you.
2. Create a support team
Many new dieters overlook this 1 important step. As a result, they can find themselves feeling lonely or deprived around friends or at social engagements. Having people to turn to if you have questions, need encouragement, or even just a sounding board for those crazy days when you feel like throwing the diet (and everything along with it) out the window.
Where can you find support?
- Facebook Groups
- Pinterest Group Boards
- Meetup Groups
- Religious Associations
- Co-workers
- Family & Friends
- School
3. Pick a date. Make a plan… Stick to it
Believe it or not, some people can say to themselves “I’ll start tomorrow” and begin their diets the very next day! I’m not one of them. I don’t suspect you are too. So, let’s not set ourselves up for failure by doing that.
You need to take a serious approach to diet. That’s why you did all the research beforehand right?
Choose a date that is not overly busy on the calendar. Which means, don’t start dieting on the day before your best friend’s wedding! Aim for a time when you can focus on your diet. Especially in the first few days or weeks. Switching up the foods you consume, the way they are prepared, and when you eat can be confusing. Furthermore, you may have items on hand that are no longer acceptable on a low carb diet. Here are some good suggestions on what to do with foods that are no longer needed:
- Freeze or eat before diet
- Donate to food banks
- Hold a pot luck dinner
- Give away to family, friends, and neighbours
Once all those items are gone, make a mental note to keep those foods out of the home until you reach your goals.
Now it’s time to get organized! Create a shopping list with the foods you’re allowed to eat. In the beginning, try to buy no more than a week’s worth of groceries.
I recommend buying only 1 week’s worth of groceries to start because:
- A low carb diet can be difficult to adhere to in the first few days.
- Creating a 7-day meal plan eliminates the guesswork out of eating.
Commit to your low cab diet for at least a week before making a decision to move on. It can be quite a change from eating as many carbs as you wanted; to eat very little amounts. Although, there is no quick path to reaching your goals, 7 days of dieting can give you some indication of whether you should continue.
Tip: Have a busy schedule? Try Batch Cooking. It’s a great way to save on time and money for anyone who loves cooking but doesn’t have much time for it. I cover some of the best tips on this type of cooking process in this post:
7 Effective Ways To Combat Loneliness While On A Restrictive Diet
If you find that you are not feeling well enough to complete a week; stop immediately. All low carb diets are not the same. It may take time to find the one that is right for you.
4. Small goals can have BIG impact
Sometimes the goal of losing a lot of weight can seem frightening. Let’s say you want to lose 50 lbs. Instead of starting at 50lbs., how about starting with 5lbs.? No longer does it feel like a tremendous challenge. Dividing your goals into smaller ones in a better way to ensure you can stick to it over time.
5. Be consistent with your efforts
Being on a low carb diet for 30 days will require you to follow the eating guidelines for that duration of time. Don’t expect much improvement if you are working on it for 1 week; then having regular foods the next. Likewise, this could derail any small achievements that you’ve recently made.
Don’t get caught up in ‘yo-yo’ dieting. A process that can lead to frustration, a possible increase in other health-related issues, and more weight gain over time.
6. Learn from mistakes then continue on
It happens: you’re at grandma’s house having lunch and you eat one too many slices of her ultimate chocolate cake. Don’t spend time feeling guilty about it. We all slip up from time to time. It’s what you learn from it that matters. Understanding the emotional and physical triggers that can encourage overeating is important to maintain a low carb diet long term. The answer may be as simple as bringing along your own desserts. Or, having a smaller meal in advance can take the pressure off attempting to meet all dieting requirements in one setting. You could also inform you host of your diet beforehand so they know not to feel insulted if you pass on an extra helping of pasta at the dinner table.
Have a solid plan in place for eating out at restaurants and social events. It’s possible to find online menus for most chain restaurants. You’ll find it on their website. To get specifics on certain entrees, I suggest that you call ahead of your arrival.
Final thoughts
Whatever your goals are for going on a low carb diet, you will have to work for it. Despite the claims on social media, it is not a quick fix nor can it be fast-tracked. Achieving results takes, research, support, a game plan, consistency, and the willingness to continue on even after setbacks.
Follow these crucial steps for a low carb diet or any diet. So that in time, all the efforts that you’ve made will pay off!
To Your Health,
welowcarbliving.com
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