Low Carb Weekly Diet Plan

Planning your low-carb diet one week at a time can help you succeed. If you follow a weekly plan, you can shop for just the foods that you need each week and eat each meal or snack according to your preplanned schedule. This type of planning can help you avoid setbacks and will allow you to follow your diet more closely. Low-carbohydrate diets rely on a specific number of carbohydrates per meal or per day, so planning your meals ahead of time will eliminate guesswork during the week.

Diet Plans

Recommendations for each plan vary. Atkins suggests eating fewer than 20 g of carbohydrates per day in the first two weeks of the diet, and then gradually increasing your carbohydrate levels. Zone recommends eating 40 percent of calories from protein, 30 percent of calories from fat and 30 percent of calories from carbohydrates. Protein Power suggests eating 7 to 10 g of carbohydrates per meal or snack in the diet's first two weeks, followed by 15 g of carbs per meal for the duration of weight loss.

Identification

Dairy products, whole grains, table sugar, syrup, fruit, vegetables, potatoes, rice, breads and cereals all contain carbohydrates. Different types of carbohydrates affect blood glucose differently. In general, simple carbohydrates, which contain one or two sugars, cause a rapid rise in blood glucose. Complex carbohydrates contain three or more sugars, and cause a more sustained rise in blood glucose. Fiber is also classified as a carbohydrate; however, your intestines don't absorb fiber and its effect on blood glucose is negligible.

Theories/Speculation

The effect that carbohydrates have on blood glucose is important in low-carbohydrate diets. According to "Good Calories, Bad Calories" author Gary Taubes, when your blood glucose levels rise, your pancreas releases insulin. Insulin plays a key role in fat metabolism. Taubes explains that insulin is like a switch. Your body can't store fat without it. When insulin is "switched on" by carbohydrate consumption, your body burns what it needs for energy from the food you eat and then stores the rest as fat. When insulin is "switched off" by avoiding carbs, you burn your own fat as fuel.

Weekly Plans

Weekly planning can help you manage your low-carbohydrate diet. Once you have selected which plan you will follow, determine your menu for the coming week based on the phase of the diet you are in. Create a shopping list from your menu plan and buy only the items on the list when you go to the grocery store. You can also use the plan to pre-make some of your foods. Try to include as much variety as possible in your plan both for nutrient intake and to keep yourself from getting bored.

Considerations

Many medical professionals suggest that low-carbohydrate diets may be unhealthy. The diets often contain low levels of fiber and high levels of saturated fats, which can lead to increased risk of heart disease, cancer and intestinal disorders. The diets may contain high levels of protein, which can lead to kidney disease. Talk with your doctor before going on a low-carbohydrate diet.