The low-carbohydrate diet limits the intake of carbohydrates, which include bread, pasta, grains, rice, fruit and starchy vegetables. The idea is to prevent spikes in blood sugar that lead to insulin kicking in. Insulin works to store fat in the body. Many low-carb diet plans have been touted, including Protein Power, Atkins, South Beach and the Zone. You do not need a formal plan, however, to go low-carb.
Step 1
Decide how much of your daily intake should come from carbohydrates. There is no universally accepted definition, but generally, a low-carb diet means you get 25 to 39 percent of your calories from carbohydrates. A "very low" carb diet means you take in less than 25 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates. Organizations such as the American Diabetes Association commonly will call a diet with less than 50 to 60 percent carbs a "low carbohydrate diet."
Step 2
Count carb calories. Decide what percentage of carb calories you want to take in daily. For example, if you want to allot 25 percent of a 2,000-calorie diet to carbs, you would reserve 500 calories daily for carbs. In general, carbs have four calories per gram.
Step 3
Choose carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index. These slow-release carbs help keep blood sugar stable. Low glycemic food examples include butter beans, chick peas, kidney beans, navy beans, red lentils, baked beans, apples, peas, peanuts, grapefruit, cherries, dried apricots and green beans, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Step 4
Focus on lean meats and proteins to get the most bang for your buck--even though many plans allow meat cuts that are higher in fat. Lean meat proteins stimulate the release of glucagon, a hormone that works in opposition to insulin. Basically, what insulin puts into storage, glucagon mobilizes for use in the body. Fish, skinless poultry, low-fat dairy products, wild game, and grass-fed beef and eggs are examples.
Step 5
Utilize the omega-6 fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid to rev up fat burning. It sounds ironic, but good fats actually help your weight loss effort, says nationally-known nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman. CLA, for example, helps balance blood sugar levels and facilitate the body's ability to access and utilize stored fat. CLA is in organic, grass-fed beef or available as a supplement. Take 3,000 to 6,000 mg daily if supplementing.
Step 6
Consume omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids as well. "MUFAs" come from flaxseed oil, and the oils of peanuts, safflowers and olives as well as nuts and seeds, avocados and whole olives. Omega 3's are in salmon or mackerel or can be taken via a fish oil supplement. Gittleman advises 1 to 3 g daily if you supplement.
Step 7
Take calcium every day. People who add calcium to their diets lose 30 percent more weight, found a 2000 University of Tennessee Department of Nutrition study by M.B. Zemel . Calcium is in low-fat dairy products as well as chia seeds and green leafy vegetables.
Tips and Warnings
- Drink plenty of water or low-calorie beverages such as unsweetened or herbal tea. Mild dehydration is damaging because the kidneys call on the liver for help functioning. This hampers the liver's ability to burn fat, leading to fat deposits in the body.
- Always consult a doctor before beginning a diet plan.
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