Low-carb diets vary. Some allow you to eat some carbohydrates while others eliminate or severely limit carbs. Whole grains like brown rice or wheat are often encouraged as a good replacement for simple carbs, which contain white flour. However, to lose weight fast you can try a more dramatic approach. Eliminating all grains for a few weeks and instead obtaining your carbs from fruits and vegetables will cause you to drop the pounds faster and more effectively.
Step 1
Start with a two-week induction. This is a very strict phase in which you're only allowed a small amount of carbs per day, although that number varies depending on which low-carb method you choose to follow. In Atkins, for example, this number is 20g of carbs per day, while other low-carb diets allow as much as 50 or 60g of carbs per day. Other diets, like South Beach, don't give you a specific number of grams, but instead provide you with recipes you need to follow to ensure you will stay within the required amount of carbs.
Step 2
Eliminate all carbs except vegetables during those first two weeks. Eat only meats and eggs. Some cheese is allowed, although most cheeses contain a small amount of carbs. Compare labels so you can choose the ones with the lowest amount of carbs, such as cheddar, Parmesan and goat cheeses.
Step 3
Eat most of your carbs from vegetable sources. Most vegetables, except potatoes and corn, are low in carbs. Many, like chive and escarole, have less than 1g of net carbs per cup. Don't eat fruits or drink fruit juices, as these contain sugars.
Step 4
Introduce berries, nuts and dairy after those first two weeks. Add grams of carbs slowly. For example, if you've been eating 20g per day for two weeks, try eating 25 the following week and 30 after that. Continue adding carbs as long as weight loss continues. If you stop losing weight, cut back 5g again to restart the process.
Tips and Warnings
- There's no need to count calories when doing a low-carb diet. As long as you don't eat too many carbs, the weight loss should continue.
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