Low carb is one of the biggest diet trends. Limiting carbohydrates is not only supposed to lead to a healthy body, but also help you lose weight. But those who want to try the low carb diet often struggle with starting problems, because there are a few rules to follow. If you want to start with low carb, you can find out here which foods you should avoid, what is allowed and how to stay on track. 10 tips for beginners.
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What is a low-carb diet?
Low carb is a diet in which you limit the intake of Carbohydrates (English “carbs”). Carbohydrates are not bad for the body, but many people consume too many of them, which can lead to weight gain. Scientifically, carbohydrates are the body’s first choice for Energy generation. If there are a lot of carbohydrates in the body, the Insulin levelswhich blocks the body’s own fat burning. With a low-carb diet, the body is supplied with fewer carbohydrates. This means that it has to rely on the Fat reserves In addition, insulin secretion decreases and blood sugar remains constant.
In the video: What you should consider when following a low-carb diet
It is possible to lose weight successfully with a low-carb diet. There are a number of diets that work on a low-carb basis. These include the Paleo diet, the Keto diet and the Thonon diet. Even very specific trend diets such as the rice paper diet use the low-carb principle. The more extreme forms, however, are often Crash dietswhich, although they bring success in a short time through extreme calorie reduction, are harmful to the body in the long term. The well-known Atkins Dietwhich almost completely avoids carbohydrates and instead focuses on protein and fat, is extremely controversial among nutrition experts. Carbohydrates are important for the body, which is why the diet can be low carb, but not no carb.
How do I start with low carb?
No more breakfast rolls or pasta? Only salad as a side dish and no potatoes? At first, switching to low carb often seems impossible. Carbohydrate-rich products are an important part of our daily diet and it is difficult to imagine removing them. In order for the switch to a low carb diet to be successful, Low-carb diet is not so intimidating, proceed in small steps. At the beginning it is enough to just Meal replacementpreferably dinner. Or you can eat fewer carbohydrates one day and more the next. This way your body gets used to the change.
The 10 best tips for low-carb beginners: How to start and stick with it
Switching to a low-carb diet is not as difficult as you think. This Tips and Tricks help you:
Complex instead of simple carbohydrates
Not all carbohydrates are the same. In a low-carb diet, you should simple carbohydrates avoid. All carbohydrates consist of sugar molecules. A distinction is made between simple sugars, double sugars and multiple sugars. Single and double sugars provide energy quickly, but only for a short time. They are found in table sugar, fast food and soft drinks, for example. The body needs much longer to break down stable multiple sugars, which is why the blood sugar level rises more slowly and you stay full for longer. These “good carbs” are found in whole grain products, vegetables and pulses. Complex carbohydrates not only supply the body with energy, but also with vitamins, fiber and minerals.
Check: How to distinguish between the different types of carbohydrates
Low carb instead of no carb
Do not completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. 20 to 30 percent The carbohydrate content should be (150 to 200 grams) so that the diet is still balanced. The German Nutrition Society even recommends a proportion of 50 percent. No-carb diets work with a maximum of 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, which is not healthy in the long term.
Drink a lot
At least 1.5 liters of still Water You should drink unsweetened tea throughout the day. It is calorie-free and fills you up.
Avoiding ready-made products
Ready-made products not only contain many unhealthy Additivesbut also a lot of simple carbohydrates. It’s best to cook yourself, because that way you can determine exactly how many carbohydrates your meal contains.
Avoid sugar
You should generally avoid sugar. This is not so much about the spoonful of sugar in your coffee, but rather about the hidden sugar in soft drinks and products from the food industry. Sugar is often not visible in the list of ingredients because it is hidden behind terms such as malt, sweet whey powder or fructose.
Eat regularly
Those who want to lose weight often fall into the illusion that it makes sense to skip meals. But if you don’t eat regularly, your blood sugar level drops and you can get a craving. So don’t skip a meal, eat regularly and mindfully.
Here you will learn how cravings arise and how you can prevent them
Create a nutrition plan
At first, the low-carb diet can be a bit overwhelming. To avoid stress, it is best to set a Nutrition plan that you can stick to during the week. This way you don’t have to think about your food every day and you avoid too many snacks.
Choose whole grain foods
White flour consists of simple carbohydrates and should therefore be avoided. If you still want to eat bread in between meals, choose complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grain foods.
Rely on proteins
Proteins are the main player in the low-carb diet. Meat, eggs, fish, dairy products, and even legumes contain protein. They are important for building muscle, are filling, and do not affect blood sugar levels.
Eat healthy fats
Even though fats are generally allowed on a low-carb diet, you should eat the right fats. Those with polyunsaturated fatty acids are healthier for your body. These include cold-pressed oils such as olive oil or linseed oil, but also high-fat foods such as avocado or salmon.
In the clip: How to avoid carbohydrate cravings
Mistakes in the low-carb diet
You have been on low carb for a week and there is still nothing on the scale? You cannot be impatient with this type of diet. It is not a crash diet that will lead to quick success. The weight will slowbut sustainable Therefore, you must not make the mistake of giving up too quickly. Also, do not resort to so-called Low-carb products. They often contain many additives that are unhealthy. They also tempt you to consume more of them. alcohol does not belong in the glass: It contains a lot of carbohydrates, inhibits fat burning and increases appetite.
A day with low-carb nutrition: dishes
If you want to eat low carb, a day could look like this:
Low-carb breakfast
If you like it sweet, Low Carb PancakesThe white flour is replaced with starch in the form of a mashed banana and some coconut flour or almond flour. You have to leave out the sugar, of course, but you can have fresh fruit on the table.
For a hearty breakfast option, a omelet always a good choice.
Low-carb lunch
Schnitzel to combat the lunchtime slump is allowed. The “breading” only consists of parmesan and egg. Then fry in good oil and serve with a salad.
Low-carb dinner
Treat yourself to a Pizza for dinner. In the low-carb version, you use two grated zucchini for the dough, squeeze out the water and mix them with an egg, some mozzarella and parmesan. Form a base out of it and pre-bake in the oven. Then cover with tomato sauce, vegetables and cheese and bake again. You can also make the pizza base out of cauliflower. To do this, chop the cauliflower in a blender. You have to briefly steam this cauliflower rice in the microwave or fry it in a pan before mixing it with the egg and cheese.
Low-carb snacks
Healthy low-carb snacks include vegetable sticks with herb curd, fresh berries, low-sugar fruit, cheese with olives or a handful of sunflower seeds.
Low-carb recipes for your diet
If you want to eat a low-carb diet, you have to limit carbohydrates. Proteins form the basis of the diet. So you should have plenty of salad or meat and fish in combination with vegetables.
To start with, it’s best to replace just a few dishes with low-carb. This way, your body gets used to the change in diet. A meal plan for better organization also makes sense.
If you are on a low-carb diet, you should reduce your intake of carbohydrates. You should especially avoid simple carbohydrates, which are found in white flour, sugar and convenience foods.
A big mistake is to give up too quickly. A good low-carb diet ensures slow but healthy weight loss. Also, don’t eat too many low-carb products from the supermarket, as they often contain unhealthy additives. Alcohol is also prohibited.
