A no carb diet, quite simply, helps you lose weight by restricting foods that contain carbohydrates. On this type of diet, you eat fats and proteins. According to the Mayo Clinic, proponents of low carb diets claim that eliminating carbohydrates helps you lose weight by raising your metabolism and lowering your blood sugar levels. The Atkins, South Beach, Protein Power and Zone diets are all based on this philosophy.
Diet
Step 1
Avoid products that contain carbohydrates. No carb diets exclude foods such as pasta, fruit, bread, grains, starchy vegetables, desserts and grains, according to the Mayo Clinic. Low carb diet followers contend that such foods raise your blood sugar levels, thereby making it difficult to lose weight.
Step 2
Incorporate foods with little to no carbohydrates into your diet. These include eggs, fish, non-starchy vegetables, chicken, turkey, dairy products and meat. Proponents state that such foods are metabolized easily by your body, and therefore are not stored as excess weight. Also, these foods can help you feel full, unlike carbohydrate-rich foods.
Step 3
Avoid foods with hidden carbohydrate content. The website lowcarb.ca lists foods that are seemingly void of carbs such as garlic, herbs, lemon juice, spices, coffee, some sweeteners, processed meats, sausage and bacon.
Step 4
Eat no carb foods every four hours. According to lowcarb.ca, going for five hours without food can cause your metabolism to slow down. Hence, you will stop losing weight, or even gain weight back that you have lost.
Step 5
Avoid overeating low carb foods. Be in tune with your hunger signals and stop eating when you feel full.
Tips and Warnings
- Eat throughout the day but not after 7 p.m. Write down what you eat in a food diary. Get adequate exercise. Aim for some form of cardiovascular exercise every day and perform regular strength workouts to optimize your weight loss.
- According to the Mayo Clinic, possible adverse health effects of a low carb diet are not known, as there have not been enough long-term studies, as of 2009. Talk to your doctor before starting this type of diet, especially if you have a pre-existing health condition. The Mayo Clinic states that low carb diets, like other types of restrictive diets, are hard for most people to stick to long-term.
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