Low Carb Diet Plan For A Busy Person

A low-carb diet should provide less than 150 g of carbohydrates a day, according to Mayo Clinic, but some low-carb programs even recommend keeping your carb intake lower for best results. Following a low-carb diet is not always easy considering that the typical American diet is rich in carbs; high-carb foods are predominantly featured at grocery stores and restaurants. If you are busy and have little time for grocery shopping and meal preparation, a few easy and simple strategies can make it easier for you to stay on track with your low-carb diet.

Grocery Shopping

When doing your grocery shopping, you can save a lot of time by skipping many of the aisles that mostly stock high-carb foods. Start with the produce section and get an abundance of non-starchy vegetables, such as onions, mushrooms, spinach, leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus and bell peppers. You can choose pre-washed and pre-cut vegetables to save time. Then, go to the meat and fish section to get fresh fish, seafood, poultry and meat. The only aisles you need to visit are the ones with the dried herbs and spices, oils and nuts. Then, end by the dairy section where you can pick up eggs, butter, cream and cheese. By skipping most of the aisles, your grocery shopping will be more effective and quicker.

Preparing Your Meals

To prepare your low-carb meal in a cinch, all you need to do is combine non-starchy vegetables with a source of protein, some fat and flavorings. For example, at breakfast, you could pick a handful of spinach and mushrooms and cook them in olive oil with eggs and cheese. Your cheesy scrambled eggs can easily be ready in less than 10 minutes. For lunch, mix a bag of leafy greens with slices of avocado and salad dressing and top with a chicken or fish. For dinner, grill a steak and serve it with a handful of green beans or broccoli topped with a spoonful of butter. Whenever cooking chicken, fish or meat, always cook a bit more and keep in the fridge or freezer to use later for a quick low-carb meal.

Eating Out

Busy people often eat out. If it is your case, you may find that many of the menu items are high in carbs. Look at the salad section to find a more suitable low-carb meal or order a steak, pork, fish or chicken dish and ask for the potatoes, rice or fries to be replaced by salad or vegetables. If the restaurant is not willing to make substitutions, simply toss the high-carb food away once your get your plate. If you order a burger, a fajita or subway, ask to have the filling only and skip the bread. If it is not possible, just eat the filling and get rid of the high-carb bun, tortilla or bread.

Snacks On the Go

If you are busy and sometimes do not have time to have a meal or you have delayed meals, it is important to have low-carb snacks available to prevent you from giving into the temptation of the muffins, bagels, candies or other unhealthy treats often offered at the office or in meetings. Examples of healthy low-carb snacks include nuts, nut butter, seeds, canned fish and jerky. If you have access to a fridge at work, you can store cheese, ham, and hard-boiled eggs.