Try some Low Carb Sandwiches!

JUST because you’re eating a low carb diet doesn’t mean you have to say good-bye to sandwiches. In fact, with a low carb bread recipe, your sandwiches can be even more varied and delicious than your standard peanut butter and jelly fare. Those who love bread and are missing their rolls and sandwiches at lunchtime will be delighted with these recipes. Although ordinary bread is not part of a low carb diet, the low carb variety will serve as an excellent substitute for packed lunches, picnics and buffets.

Put this low carb bread recipe at the top of your recipes list:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp pecan flour
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup soy protein Isolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup seltzer water
2 eggs

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease bread pan with real butter.
3. Mix ingredients with electric mixer for 90 seconds.
4. Pour bread batter into bread pan and bake 25-30 minutes.

This bread, which you will find to be an excellent low carb bread recipe, has a mere 2 grams of carbohydrates per slice!

Another selection for those looking for a great low carb bread recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unprocessed bran
1/2 cup Splenda
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup nut flour
1 stick butter
2 eggs

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Melt butter.
3. Beat vanilla extract, heavy cream, and eggs together.
4. Add butter and all remaining ingredients to mixture.
5. Bake 35 minutes.

And of course, never be limited by a single low carb bread recipe. Try pumpkin seeds in place of sunflower seeds, different flavours of soy protein, Equal instead of Splenda. Add more butter, or try adding your favourite nuts, spices, and herbs. If a bread loaf doesn’t come out quite right, just try again! Also try different bread varieties, like zucchini or spinach breads.

If you’re not in the mood to try a low carb bread recipe, consider using a thick cut of meat in place of sandwich bread, or using cold cuts, cheese slices, or lettuce as sandwich wraps. Another alternative to a low carb bread recipe is to use nori (a thin sheet of sea vegetable), wrapped around a filling of tuna or egg salad.

Some delicious sandwich variations that will complement your low carb bread recipe include:

• Grilled cheese (try adding extra cheese and tomatoes or mushrooms).
• Eggplant parmesan.
• BLTs (bacon, lettuce, and tomato).
• Monte Cristo sandwiches, with turkey, cheese, and ham and toasted mustard.
• Grilled vegetables with melted cheese and/or dressing.

Experiment with dressings! Many have virtually no carbohydrates. Mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup are all well and good, but a quick trip to the grocery store will reveal shelf upon shelf of dressing options to spice up your low carb bread recipe.

Make—and use—leftovers. Having a delicious meat entrée for dinner? Serve it cold between your latest culinary masterpiece … the result of your new-found low carb bread recipe!

Overweight? Have a Cup of Tea!

CHINESE herbalists claim they have demonstrated the efficacy of tea in reducing fat in the human body, reports Xinhua.

Research conducted by the Guiyang Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine shows tea drinkers on an average have less fat on their bodies and have lower risk of obesity than those who never drink tea.

"The average fat level in those who've been drinking tea for 10 years is 20 percent less than non- drinkers," said Shao with the hospital based in the southwestern Guizhou Province.

The slimming effect of the traditional Chinese drink is more obvious in women as they were found to have 30 percent less fat and five percent less in the belly region compared with women who didn't drink tea, said Shao.

Shao and his colleagues also found green tea to be more effective than black tea in reducing fat.

"But those who suffer from iron-deficiency anemia should avoid drinking tea during meals and insomniacs should stop drinking in the evening", said Shao.


Indo-Asian News Service


http://www.eians.net/2004/12/24/24cup.html

Researchers Say All Calories Are NOT Alike

IN A paper published in Nutrition Journal (Open Access, available without subscription at http://www.nutritionj.com/home), two researchers from SUNY Downstate Medical Center show that low carbohydrate, high protein diets can be expected to be more effective than low fat diets, going against long standing prejudice of the nutritional community, which has claimed that only calories count.

(PRWEB) July 31, 2004 -- “There are numerous examples of low carbohydrate diets being more effective than low fat diets with the same number of calories. It doesn’t always happen but it can happen,” said Dr. Richard Feinman of the Department of Biochemistry. “The nutritional establishment has been reluctant to accept this, because they say it violates the law of thermodynamics. However, they never seriously look at the thermodynamics, which not only says its possible, but it is to be expected.” he added.

In their paper, Dr. Feinman and Dr. Eugene J. Fine explain that thermodynamics is as much about efficiency as it is about energy conservation. Carbohydrate is an efficient fuel, whereas protein is not. On a low carbohydrate/high protein diet, even though total energy is conserved, more energy is wasted as heat, a process known as thermogenesis. This energy comes from burning fat.

The researchers stress that “the human body is not a storage locker. It is a machine and the efficiency of the machine is controlled by hormones and enzymes. Carbohydrates increase insulin and other hormones that regulate enzymes, leading to storage rather than burning of fat.

“Of course, people are different” said the authors, “but many people are sensitive to the effects of carbohydrates and for them, a low carb diet is going to work well.”

The practical point is that getting rid of the idea that “a calorie is a calorie” opens the door for serious research into what kind of diets will be most effective and which people will benefit most. “This is important,” they explain “because millions of people are seriously trying to lose weight on low carbohydrate diets, and instead of being given directions on the best way to do this, they have been largely discouraged by health professionals and self-appointed expert groups. The obesity epidemic is too important to allow this to happen.”

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/7/prweb145415.htm

Ridding Yourself of Obstacles on Your Way to Dieting Success

JUST as an athlete who is running the 50-yard dash doesn’t want to encounter hurdles as he or she approaches the finish line, you don’t want to start a diet and find yourself ill prepared. Planning ahead of time and ridding yourself of obstacles on your way to weight loss success will make you just that—a success!

If you have never been on a low carb diet you are probably wondering what some of those obstacles could be. You can learn from people who have already been down this path and hopefully you can make their mistakes your lessons learned.

One major obstacle to rid yourself of is having food on hand that you cannot eat. When you begin this diet you should make a list of low carb foods and use this list as you shop for food. Having foods on hand that are only from your list of low carb foods will help you avoid the dieter’s number one obstacle—temptation.

Another obstacle that you may encounter is, eating out of habit. On a low-fat diet this might cause a big problem, but on a low carb diet it serves as an obstacle to overcome only if you stray from your list of low carb foods.

To further avoid the temptation to stray from your diet, try to comprise your list of low carb foods from foods that you actually enjoy eating. There are many foods to add to your list of low carb foods that you may like but have felt guilty eating, such as bacon, full fat cheese, and eggs. You can also add most meats and cheeses to your list of low carb foods.

Motivation is a key element in dieting success. When beginning a low carb diet, think of what motivates you, and use that to motivate and coach yourself as you would other people. If you know that someone is going to criticize you about your diet by attempting to squash your spirit with negative emotion, get that obstacle person out of your way!

Another potential obstacle on your way to success is your fat mentality, or, how you think about fat. Most of us have heard, for most of our lives, that fat is not good for you. Fat in your diet will make you fat. Change that mentality right now. Eating food from your list of low carb foods, and sticking to that list will not cause you to add body fat. Quite contrarily, eating foods from your list of low carb foods will turn your body into a fat burning machine. Since your body has very little carbs to burn for energy, it will be forced to burn stored body fat.

Arming yourself with the knowledge of what your body will feel on a low carb diet could also help you avoid potential obstacles. While you are eating foods from your list of low carb foods, you may initially have cravings for sugar as your insulin levels become constant—maybe for the first time in your life. These cravings usually go away as your blood sugar levels stabilize.

Preparing meals from your list of low carb foods while also trying to cook for others in your family could also be a hurdle you may have to overcome. Searching the web you will find hundreds of low carb recipes using ingredients from your list of low carb foods. Variety is the spice of life — so too with a low carb diet.

You will encounter many obstacles on your way to weight loss success, but preparing yourself ahead of time will turn these obstacles into stepping stones on the way to your goal.

Working out Daily Carb Intake

A low carb food chart can be really helpful to your dieting goals

Low carb dieting is big business these days, and dieters have many tools at their disposal to assist with successful weight loss. However, trying to work out which food can and cannot be eaten may get a little confusing. Consulting a low carbohydrate food chart will enable dieters to see what type of food they can eat whilst on their eating plan. This will make things much simpler and faster when trying to work out carbohydrate quantities in different foods as well as trying to calculate overall carbohydrate intake for the day.

A low carbohydrate food chart provides a list of low carb foods, along with the quantity of carbohydrate (in grams) per serving. This further enables low carb dieters to make a more informed choice about what they eat. For example, the dairy section on the low carbohydrate food chart clearly shows that full-fat milk and yoghurt are quite high in carbs, whereas butter and cheese have no carbs at all. By using this chart as a handy reference, dieters can see at a glance which foods are high in carbs and should be avoided. They can also see which foods have few or no carbs, and the recommended servings that should be consumed to stay within the levels of carbohydrate allowed.

The low carbohydrate food chart is useful for both low carb dieters looking to lose weight and for some diabetics who need to monitor the type and quantity of carbs consumed each day. For those on a low carb eating plan, the low carbohydrate food chart will prove invaluable. It enables them to easily calculate carbohydrate consumption for the day without having to resort to calculators and bean-counting. In the same way, diabetics can use the chart as a reference tool to make sure that they do not eat any more than the recommended levels of carbohydrate.

The low carbohydrate food chart is very simply laid out, so there is no complicated working out or confusing jargon to worry about. Anybody who is looking to simplify the process of low carb dieting should make a point of consulting a low carbohydrate food chart. This will allow them easy reference and access to carb quantities in different types of food.

You will find a comprehensive low carbohydrate food chart in most books that relate to the subject of low carb dieting, such as the Atkins or the South Beach diet books. In addition to this, you can often pick up a low carbohydrate food chart at your local health food shop.

The internet is another useful resource for those looking to gain access to a low carbohydrate food chart. By utilising these tools, dieters can concentrate on their everyday lives and spend minimal time on worry about calculating the intake of carbohydrate quantities.

Tips for Newbies

,
Everyone needs all the info they can acquire when starting any new program, especially dieting. Below are some tips for newbies to help you get started on the right foot.

1. Forget about fat. Most diets require you to constantly be aware of the amount of fat you are consuming in your diet. On this diet, fat is your friend. Instead of concentrating on fat, you should concentrate on building a low carb food list that consists of foods that you enjoy eating. Some of the foods from your low carb food list may contain large amounts of fat, but concentrate on lowering your carb intake and forget about fat.

2. Stock your pantry and refrigerator prior to starting the diet. Armed with your low carb food list, you should stock your refrigerator and pantry with foods from the list that you enjoy eating. Do not allow yourself to purchase foods that you know you will be tempted to eat and also do not stock your refrigerator with a food such as celery, if you know that you will not eat it. If a juicy New York strip steak is your cup of tea, (and they are on your low carb food list), purchase those instead and don’t feel guilty about eating them.

3. Purchase ketostix. Ketostix are litmus type strips that are used to determine when your body has entered ketosis. During ketosis your body is like a furnace, burning stored fat for energy. The release of ketones in your urine, (measured with the ketostix), will signal that you are indeed in ketosis. Eating foods from your low car food list will enable your body to enter ketosis. Being able to see physical evidence that proves that you are burning stored fat will be a great motivator and aid in your weight loss success.

4. Exercise regularly. You will, unless you are metabolically resistant, definitely lose weight on a low carb diet. Eating foods from your low carb food list will get you started on the right foot, and adding regular exercise to your regimen will put you even farther ahead of the game. Regular exercise speeds up your metabolism and assists in your weight loss. Weight-bearing exercise, such as weightlifting, also helps to prevent osteoporosis.

5. Consider taking a fiber supplement. Some of your favorite foods selected from your low car food list may also be low in fiber. To avoid the effects of a low fiber diet, such as constipation, consider taking a fiber supplement such as Metamucil. One tablespoon of Metamucil contains only 5 grams of carbohydrates and will also help you digest food more efficiently.

6. Drink plenty water. Try to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Some of the foods from the low carb food list are comprised of water, but drinking 8 extra glasses of water a day will aid in flushing excess fat from your system. When you have been on the diet for a few days and have only eaten foods from your low carb food list, you will begin to lose a great deal of water weight. Foods not from the low carb food list, which are comprised mostly of carbohydrates, contain large amounts of water. Since you are only eating foods from your low carb food list, your body does not retain the water that it does with carbohydrate consumption. Thus, the excess water in your body usually used to burn carbohydrates for energy, will be lost.

7. Investigate new low carb foods. When the diet first reached popularity, there were very few, if any companies, producing low carb foods such as bread and pasta. Just as necessity is the mother of invention, so too, is it in the case of low carb dieting. Check your local grocer and look for the low carb food section for a variety of foods to add to your low carb food list.

I came across a good website that you might find useful: free-weight-loss-resources.com Check it out.

Motivating Yourself to Succeed!

What motivates you to begin a new diet and stick with it? It could be a drop in the scale or getting into those jeans that have been hiding in the back of your closet from your “thin days.”

Without a doubt motivation and knowledge go hand-in-hand. The knowledge of what foods to eat and having on hand some low carb recipes will surely get your motivation going when starting a low carb diet. Following is a list of some no carb recipes that will help get you started, motivated, and ready for success.

Low Carb Recipes #1 Ham and Three-Cheese Omelet



3 eggs, beaten
2 oz. Shredded Cheddar cheese
2 oz. Shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 oz. Pepper jack cheese
3 oz. Diced Ham (non-sugar cured)
1 T Butter or Margarine
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place butter or margarine in skillet over medium heat. As butter melts, add ham. Sauté for 1 minute. Add beaten eggs. As eggs begin to cook, lift edges of the egg allowing the center, uncooked portion, to run under the lifted edge. This assures cooking throughout. After lifting the edges until you find that all of the egg mixture is done, attempt to flip the omelet over. Sprinkle with cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack. Slide the omelet onto the plate, and as you do this, allow the top to fold inward and roll over, causing two “folds” in the omelet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

low Carb Recipes #2 Salami Coronets (Cones)

6 Slices Thinly sliced Genoa Salami
3 T Chive flavored cream cheese
6 Black Olive slices
1 T Mustard

Lay salami slices flat. Fill each salami center with ½ T cream cheese. Take one edge and roll inward to form a salami, “cone”. Rub a small amount of cream cheese at the fold to help it stick together. Top open end of the cone with one black olive slice. Using yellow mustard from a squeeze bottle container, apply a zigzag stripe from the top to the bottom of the cone. Serve as a hors d’ oeuvres or enjoy as a snack.

Low Carb Recipes #3 Chicken Cordon Bleu



(1) 4 oz. Chicken Breast
(1) Slice American Cheese
2 oz. Non sugar-cured ham, thinly sliced
1 T Melted Butter

Gather all ingredients for your no carb recipes, recipe #3.
Pound chicken breast to ¼- inch thickness. Top underside of breast with one slice American cheese and 2 oz. ham. Roll inward to seal. Baste with 1 T melted butter. Place in non-stick pan and bake at 350 degrees until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Serve as an entrée with appropriate low carb vegetable, such as steamed broccoli.

Low Carb Recipes #4 Chicken Caesar Salad



4 oz. Chicken Breast
8 oz. Cut Romaine
½ Tomato
4 Whole Black Olives
No-Carb Caesar Dressing
½ T Grated Parmesan

In a bowl combine romaine, Caesar dressing, and parmesan cheese. Toss to coat. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with 4 whole black olives and 4 tomato wedges (made from ½ tomato.) Grill chicken breast until internal temperature is 165 degrees. Slice chicken into strips and place on top of salad. Sprinkle remaining ½ T parmesan on top of chicken. Enjoy!

You fill find many more recipes to add to your list of low carb recipes as you continue your low carb diet and eat your way to success!

Overview of the Atkins Diet

Dr Atkins

Over recent years low carb dieting has really taken off all over the world. The most famous of these diets is the Atkins Diet. This diet is based around the consumption of items from a list of low carb foods. Although people on this diet do not have to worry about the levels of fat that they consume, large quantities of carbohydrate-rich foods are a definite no! So, a wedge of cheese and fried bacon and eggs are fine – but don’t even look at that mashed potato or pasta.

The Atkins Diet has actually been around for many years, but only truly gained popularity over the past decade. In the 1990s it took the world by storm with a string of copy-cat diets following close behind. This diet is now practised by millions of people worldwide, who all religiously stick to consuming items from a list of low carb foods. Even many celebrities now opt for choice from a list of low carb foods as part of their everyday diets. The diet seems to increase in popularity every day, as more and more people realise that it can actually promote rapid and successful weight loss.

This diet is quite restrictive in terms of carbohydrate consumption. However, the list of low carb foods is fairly comprehensive and dieters do have a variety of foods from which they can choose. From large fry-ups including sausage, bacon and eggs, to mounds of cheese and cream – dieters will be delighted with the type of foods that they can eat. Unfortunately, the diet is not so suitable for vegans or vegetarians as many of the items on the list of low carb foods are dairy, fish and meat products. This is definitely a meat eater’s diet! Also, those who love their bread, pasta and potatoes will suffer as none of these items are on the list of low carb foods.

Although the carbohydrate levels on the Atkins Diet are extremely restrictive, the list of low carb foods seems to be growing all the time with more and lower carb products appearing on the market. Many restaurants have a list of low carb foods on their menu so even eating out is getting easier for those on a low carb eating plan.

Those interested in starting the Atkins Diet can view a list of low carb foods in Dr Atkins’ comprehensive book based on the diet. Many other diet books also provide a list of low carb foods to which dieters can refer. This will enable low carb eaters to select foods that will assist them in their quest for successful weight loss.

The internet is another option for people looking for access to a list of low carb foods. Most of the sites about the Atkins and other low carb diets provide a wealth of tools and information to help dieters make a more informed choice about what to include in their daily eating plans. Providing the carbohydrate restrictions are adhered to there is nor reason why this diet should not prove successful for most people.

Celebrity Low Carb Fans

You know, Hollywood is full of a wide range of celebrities choosing their meals from low carb menus. Millions of dedicated followers of these celebs switch to similar eating plans after seeing their favourite actress or singer lose weight. In fact, many restaurants are now accommodating this new dieting trend by adding low carb menus to their traditional menus—even take-out Chinese restaurants!

Catherine Zeta-Jones is well-known both for her many sophisticated on-screen portrayals as well as being married to Michael Douglas. After giving birth to their son, Catherine turned to low carb menus to slim down quickly – and it seemed to do the trick. Most fans of the movie Chicago can hardly tell Catherine had ever given birth, with the skin-tight costumes and sky-high kicking dance routines. Along with Chicago, Catherine Zeta-Jones has graced the screen in films like America’s Sweethearts, Traffic, High Fidelity, Entrapment, and Mask of Zorro.

Yet another devotee of low carb menus is Friends superstar Jennifer Aniston, who is currently married to Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt. Jennifer has followed The Zone diet since her early years on Friends, and uses Pilates and yoga to help keep her tiny figure in shape. Aniston has starred in such major motion pictures as Object of My Affection, Picture Perfect, Rock Star, and the recent Bruce Almighty. With her enviable figure, Anniston has helped to boost the ordinary dieter’s faith in low-carb eating.

Gwyneth Paltrow has been known to try a variety of dieting fads, but the one she swears by is her low carbohydrate diet. Gwyneth has been spotted throughout Hollywood ordering off low carb menus to fuel up for her yoga workouts. Paltrow is known for her work in View from the Top, Shallow Hal, The Royal Tenenbaums, Emma, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Great Expectations. Even Geri Halliwell, former Spice Girl and international sensation, credits low carb menus for staying fit and trim as “Ginger Spice.” Over recent years, she has trimmed her once-curvy figure right down to slim and slender proportions. Halliwell is currently filming the movie Fat Slags.

The men of Hollywood are also reaching for low carb menus to help stay in shape for all those shirtless scenes. Ben Affleck, engaged to pop star Jennifer Lopez, cuts down on his carbohydrate intake to prepare for his recent movies. He especially credits low carb menus for helping him keep up with his exercise routine for Pearl Harbor. Aside from Pearl Harbor, Affleck has starred in Good Will Hunting, Shakespeare in Love, Sum of All Fears, and the recent Gigli and Jersey Girl.

Hugh Jackman has also reportedly lauded low carb menus for helping him get in shape for his role in X2. Jackman has also appeared in X-Men, Swordfish, Kate & Leopold, and the upcoming Van Helsing. Many other well-known celebrities maintain low carb ways of life, including pop star Robbie Williams, who favours low carb menus while on tour to keep up his energy and stay trim.


Hey, even Al Gore eats low carb!

10 Killer Tips To Jumpstart Weight loss!

Use these great tips to help with your weight loss! Aren't I good to ya?!

1. Water. We’ve heard it a million times, “drink plenty of water.” But what exactly does water do? We lose about a liter of water a day just through our skin and lungs, which must be replenished. Muscle in the body is 70% water and 25% fat. By drinking water, you add muscle weight, which, in turn burns body fat.

2. Exercise. Another idea that you have heard countless times. We all know that exercise is good for the heart, but how does it jumpstart weight loss? When you engage in physical activity, your metabolism speeds up, and when you become more fit, you burn calories at a higher rate because your muscles store more glycogen, a form of carbohydrate that is used for energy. Every gram of glycogen requires and holds about 3 grams of water. So, again, water is essential to your energy and calorie burning.

3. Never go hungry. On a low-carb diet, you should never allow yourself to go hungry. There is no need to deprive yourself as you may have done on previous diets. Eat low carb foods frequently. Fat will appease your appetite and keep you full longer. When you allow yourself to become hungry, you will tempted to eat as you did before, so eat every three to four hours.

4. Supplement. One supplement that is getting rave reviews in aiding dieting and jumpstarting weight loss is L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine is classified as an amino acid. It is used by the body to transport fatty acids to the mitochondria in your cells, where they are burned for energy, thus metabolizing fat stored in the body.

5. Know your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate). Your basic metabolic rate is a measure of how fast your body’s metabolism is running. It is the number of calories that your body requires to do basic functions, i.e., to keep your heart beating, to keep you breathing, etc. To calculate your BMR, use this formula. Women: 661+ (4.38 x weight in pounds) + (4.33 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age) = BMR. Men: 667 + (6.24 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.9 x age) = BMR. This is an estimate of your caloric expenditure.

6. Eat Breakfast. Did your mother ever tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well, she was right. Starting your metabolism running by eating first thing in the morning setting the pace for your metabolism for the rest of the day.

7. Build some muscle. Have you ever wondered why men seem to lose weight faster and burn more body fat than women? The answer is in their physique. Men’s bodies are typically made up of more lean muscle mass than women’s. The more lean muscle mass you have, the more efficiently your body will burn calories.

8. Soy Protein. A number of studies have shown that soy proteins may have a beneficial effect on the body’s natural production of the metabolism-boosting compound T3.

9. Ketostix. Low carb dieters who keep their carbohydrate intake at a low level for a period of time will usually go into ketosis. During ketosis the body is burning stored fat for energy. To stay motivated, purchase ketostix from your local pharmacy. These litmus-type strips are used to measure the level of ketones in your urine. When they turn bright purple, you will know that you are indeed in ketosis and burning stored body fat, which may, in turn, make that bag of cookies not look quite so appealing after all.

10. Avoid diet pills. Most diet pills are loaded with caffeine. While this may give you a short-term energy boost, it will not raise your metabolism for any length of time and could actually harm your heart. Educate yourself about natural supplements, if needed and follow the ten steps listed here to get your weight loss program started the right way.

Tell me what you think guys!

What do you think of this site? You know, I'm kinda wondering. Is it helpful? Have you learned something? Has your low carb taste buds been aroused? Are you just tingling all over with boundless enthousiasm to start or return to your low carb diet?

Hey guys! I WANNA KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! Sorry for shouting! :0)

Just post a comment and let me know your thoughts. Is there a subject you want me to talk about? Are there any specific problems you want advice and help on?

Just drop me a line!

A day in the life of a low carb dieter

4:30 a.m. Today I start my new low carb diet. I have spent time researching and preparing myself for this diet. I have even prepared some low carbohydrate dieting instructions to help me should I feel the need to stray from the diet.

According to my low carbohydrate dieting instructions, I should limit my carbohydrate intake to 20 grams or less for the first two weeks of dieting. I’m hungry already. For breakfast I have a three-egg omelet with ham and American cheese, coffee with Equal and a touch of heavy cream. My low carbohydrate dieting instructions also contain a list of low carb foods and I have created my breakfast from that list.

8:30 a.m. I’m feeling a little hungry at work. One of the items listed in my low carbohydrate dieting instructions is the fact that I should eat often to avoid the temptation of straying from the diet. So, for a snack I have a small bag of pork rinds and a couple of sticks of cheddar cheese. My low carbohydrate dieting instructions also allow me to have diet Coke, and tea with Equal or Sweet n’ Low. Hey, this diet isn’t so bad after all. I love pork rinds, but always felt guilty eating them before.

12:30 p.m. Lunch. Chicken Caesar Salad with extra parmesan. Another food from my low carbohydrate dieting instructions that I always felt too guilty to eat—Caesar dressing—yum—this is great! I’m feeling awfully thirsty and I seem to be losing some water weight already. The low carbohydrate dieting instructions do say that carbs absorb water in your body and the jack of them will cause your body to expel that extra water. Water weighs about 8 pounds a gallon and I want to lose as many gallons as I can.

3:30 p.m. Heading home. I know that tonight I have to cook for myself, and my family, who are NOT on the diet, so I have planned ahead. By sticking to my low carbohydrate dieting instructions I have already shopped and have foods on hand that I, as well as my family, like.

5:30 p.m. Dinner is served! New York Strip steak, steamed broccoli with butter, and a tossed salad with Ranch dressing. Add some baked potatoes for the family and I am all set! I love meat so this diet is great for me. My low carbohydrate dieting instructions tell me to purchase ketostix to check my urine for the presence of ketones. I do so and find that I am in ketosis—burning stored body fat the first day! This is great!

8:30 p.m. Ice cream—that’s what I want! Ice cream! Oh! The sugar cravings. Maybe just a bite. No! My low carbohydrate dieting instructions specifically say that straying from the diet, even slightly, can be the kiss of death on this diet. But, my low carbohydrate dieting instructions also say that Jell-O and Cool Whip are on the list! And I have saved most of my allotted 20 grams of carbs for tonight. So, I add one cup of strawberries to my Jell-O and Cool Whip snack. It tasted so good that I didn’t even miss the ice cream.

9:30 p.m. Day One is over and I don’t even remember feeling hungry. I’m eating all the foods I always wanted to eat, but felt too guilty to eat. I am ready, charged, and motivated. Bring on Day Two!

Recipes for low carb dieters

There are an endless number of low carb recipes out there to try, for both the novice and experienced chef. Beginners would do well by trying a new main course and sticking to complementary staples, like steamed vegetables with real melted butter and a hearty helping of beans, while more advanced cooks should experiment and see just how many new no carb recipes they can come up with!

Plan your no carb recipes around a meat entrée, as meats have no carbohydrates and plenty of nutrients. Try some of these meaty no carb recipes:

Chicken parmesan with real heavy cream, real butter, and parmesan cheese.
Pesto lamb chops with yogurt and real butter.
Beef tenderloin with real butter.
Beef stew with celery, garlic, and tomatoes.
Sea scallops, with ham.
Tuna steaks

Salads make a great snack or addition to any meal, and they don’t need to be bland lettuce-and-olive-oil concoctions every day. Healthy and virtually fat-free they are a great way to assist with weight loss, whatever kind of diet you are on. Here are some tips on how to make your no carb recipes for salads more lively:

Experiment with lettuce varieties! Romaine lettuce, Belgian endive, iceberg lettuce, Boston lettuce… the list is endless.

Add cheese as a great no carb filler. For every type of lettuce you can find at the grocery store, you can find two new kinds of cheese to try. Toss in some cheese cubes, or grate some cheese on top before serving.

Make your own dressings. Toss some herbs and spices in with your normal oil and vinegar, or be more daring and try mustards, ketchup, mayonnaise, and buttermilk. If you’re a little wary of a new concoction, dip a piece of lettuce in the dressing and taste, instead of pouring it all over your salad first.

Don’t be afraid to throw in some vegetables. Mushrooms, broccoli, peas, string beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and plenty more selections add texture and variety to any salad no carb recipes.

Some vegetables in and of themselves make great no carb recipes, although you must be careful as some vegetables do contain carbs. You can broil them, steam them, fry them, or eat them raw—each bringing out a new taste from any veggie. Some vegetable-based no carb recipes:

Stuffed mushrooms with mozzarella cheese and crab meat.
Zucchini pancakes.
Eggplant parmesan.
Cauliflower with lemon mayonnaise and melted cheese.

You can also make almost any food normally full of carbohydrates into no carb recipes if you experiment enough. Try some of these no carb recipes:

Cream of wheat, made with ricotta cheese, heavy cream, and flax seed meal.
Pasta primavera with spaghetti squash instead of pasta.
Lasagne made with thin, sautéed zucchini slices instead of pasta.
Tortillas made with lard, almond flour, and wheat gluten flour.
Buttermilk pancakes with Atkins Bake Mix and cream cheese.


Low Carb Sandwiches

Just because you’re eating a low carb diet doesn’t mean you have to say good-bye to sandwiches. In fact, with a low carb bread recipe, your sandwiches can be even more varied and delicious than your standard peanut butter and jelly fare. Those who love bread and are missing their rolls and sandwiches at lunchtime will be delighted with these recipes. Although ordinary bread is not part of a low carb diet, the low carb variety will serve as an excellent substitute for packed lunches, picnics and buffets.

Put this low carb bread recipe at the top of your recipes list:

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp pecan flour
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup soy protein Isolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup seltzer water
2 eggs

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease bread pan with real butter.
Mix ingredients with electric mixer for 90 seconds.
Pour bread batter into bread pan and bake 25-30 minutes.

This bread, which you will find to be an excellent low carb bread recipe, has a mere 2 grams of carbohydrates per slice!

Another selection for those looking for a great low carb bread recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unprocessed bran
1/2 cup Splenda
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup nut flour
1 stick butter
2 eggs

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Melt butter.
Beat vanilla extract, heavy cream, and eggs together.
Add butter and all remaining ingredients to mixture.
Bake 35 minutes.

And of course, never be limited by a single low carb bread recipe. Try pumpkin seeds in place of sunflower seeds, different flavors of soy protein, Equal instead of Splenda. Add more butter, or try adding your favorite nuts, spices, and herbs. If a bread loaf doesn’t come out quite right, just try again! Also try different bread varieties, like zucchini or spinach breads.

If you’re not in the mood to try a low carb bread recipe, consider using a thick cut of meat in place of sandwich bread, or using cold cuts, cheese slices, or lettuce as sandwich wraps. Another alternative to a low carb bread recipe is to use nori (a thin sheet of sea vegetable), wrapped around a filling of tuna or egg salad.

Some delicious sandwich variations that will complement your low carb bread recipe include:

Grilled cheese (try adding extra cheese and tomatoes or mushrooms).
Eggplant parmesan.
BLTs (bacon, lettuce, and tomato).
Monte Cristo sandwiches, with turkey, cheese, and ham and toasted mustard.
Grilled vegetables with melted cheese and/or dressing.

Experiment with dressings! Many have virtually no carbohydrates. Mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup are all well and good, but a quick trip to the grocery store will reveal shelf upon shelf of dressing options to spice up your low carb bread recipe.

Make—and use—leftovers. Having a delicious meat entrée for dinner? Serve it cold between your latest culinary masterpiece … the result of your new-found low carb bread recipe!

Simple and complex carbs – An overview

Carbohydrates in the foods we eat come in two forms—simple and complex. Although both forms are naturally occurring, the low carb dieter benefits more from obtaining their daily carbohydrate allowance from foods on the list of complex carbohydrates than from simple carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates are quickly broken down by the body and used for energy. Most naturally occurring foods are made up of simple carbohydrates, including milk and dairy products, and fruit. Sugary foods like candy, syrup, and sodas are also composed of simple sugars. Natural simple carbohydrates are much better for us than the refined sugars in candies and sweets, which involve processed and refined sugars. These are the types of carbohydrates that will give us sugar-highs and lows and will ultimately make us crave more carbohydrates quite quickly. Also known as simple sugars, simple carbohydrates include lactose (milk sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), and sucrose (table sugar). Their simple form makes them readily digestible, and the body has to do minimal work to break them down into a usable form, unlike foods from the list of complex carbohydrates that require more work to convert to energy.

Menu items on the list of complex carbohydrates get their name because they are long, complex chains of sugar molecules, and include fibers and starches. Foods on the list of complex carbohydrates are also broken down into glucose and used as energy for the body. The list of complex carbohydrates includes vegetables, beans, and whole grains, all of which provide an array of additional health benefits. Foods chosen from a list of complex carbohydrates are preferable to simple carbohydrates, particularly those from processed or refined sugars, because they provide additional vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In fact, refined foods offer practically no nutrients, and multiple studies have linked them to a higher risk of developing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and diabetes.

Another advantage to selecting your daily carbohydrates from a list of complex carbohydrates is that these foods also contain dietary fiber, which is essential to maintaining a healthy diet. Only a small amount of this fiber is actually digested and absorbed into the body; the rest travels through the gastrointestinal tract and eases in digestion. Fiber helps stool process through the body faster, reducing the risk of colon cancer. It also retains water, preventing hemorrhoids and constipation, and binds with unhealthy substances that would otherwise remain in the body, which lowers the risk of heart disease. These benefits are gained only from carbohydrates on the list of complex carbohydrates, not simple carbohydrates.

Serving selections from the list of complex carbohydrates include whole grains, rice, cereal, pasta, vegetables, and beans. Although a diet low in carbohydrates is very beneficial for losing weight, it is virtually impossible—and unhealthy—to completely eliminate carbohydrates from one’s diet altogether. Making sure most of the carbohydrates one does consume are from the list of complex carbohydrates ensures that you get the most benefits out of the carbohydrates you do eat.

Low carb dieting vs. low fat dieting

The case for carbs

For the past 20 years, anything other than a low-fat diet—which usually includes a lot of carbohydrates—has been considered unscientific and dangerous. So, it is unusual that scientists and researchers are finally studying the benefits of a low carb diet. Finally, the case for low fat dieting is being challenged.

Research has shown that participants involved in low carb, or controlled carb diets find them easy to follow and quite effective in helping them lose weight. In addition to this, controlling carbohydrate consumption lowers insulin and glucose levels in the blood—two risk factors associated with heart disease and diabetes.

During the induction phase of the low carb diet you are limited to 20 grams of a carbs a day-the equivalent of three cups of broccoli, spinach or salad greens. You won’t be able to use a low carb bread recipe on this phase, even if you had one.

During the next phase of the program, ongoing weight loss, you add five grams of carbs a week until you find what we call your CCLL, or critical carbohydrate level for losing, which is usually between 40 to 60 grams a day. Once you've achieved your desired weight, you continue to add healthy carbs, seeking a level that does not cause you to regain weight. You may add in your low carb bread recipe at this phase of the diet, if your low carb bread recipe does not put you above your CCLL.

How many carbs you can include in your daily diet will depend on your age, gender, level of activity and genetics. Followed properly, the low carb diet can last a lifetime, without your having to count calories or feel hungry all the time.

Low-fat diets require strict calorie counting, do not allow for individual metabolisms and often require putting up with hunger due to a low-calorie and minimal-fat intake.

Most studies done on low carb diets are finding that excessive carbohydrates, and not fat, are the culprits of obesity. This brings a good case for your low carb bread recipe, which you can enjoy in moderation.

The case for low fat

The case for low fat quite simply says, “burn more calories, eat fewer calories,” that’s it.

You can burn more calories by exercising. You can eat fewer calories by consuming less food. You can lose weight on any diet, but it is hard to keep the pounds off because you feel hungry and deprived. An easier way to consume fewer calories is to eat less fat, because there are nine calories in each gram of fat, whereas protein and carbohydrates have only four. (Consult your low carb bread recipe to see how it measures up.) So eating less fat allows you to consume fewer calories without eating less food.

Most people agree that it is wise to eat fewer simple carbs like sugar, white flour and white rice. They are also low in fiber, so you get a lot of calories that don't fill you up. Consider a low carb bread recipe, instead of eating refined, white flour. On top of that, simple carbohydrates get absorbed quickly, causing your blood sugar to skyrocket up. Your body responds by making more insulin, but too much insulin accelerates conversion of calories into body fat.

The goal, however, is not to go from simple carbohydrates to bacon and cheese. Instead you should choose whole foods with complex carbohydrates such as unrefined whole-wheat bread, brown rice, fruits, vegetables and beans. (You can create the breads in your low carb bread recipe from these ingredients). These are packed with thousands of protective substances. In addition, they are rich in fiber, which slows their absorption, thus preventing a spike in your blood sugar and an excessive insulin response.

On a high-protein diet, you may lose some weight because you are eating fewer simple carbohydrates such as in your low carb bread recipe. But you can lose even more weight by eating fewer simple carbohydrates and less fat. And you enhance your health instead of mortgaging it.

The more closely and the longer people follow a low-fat, whole-foods diet, the more their heart disease improves. Most patients eligible for bypass surgery or angioplasty were able to avoid it safely. To get the full benefits of the good fats, you need to consume just three grams of fish oil or flaxseed oil a day, or have on hand some low carb recipes, such as your low carb bread recipe.

You have a spectrum of dietary choices, including your low carb bread recipe. But to the degree that you reduce simple carbohydrates and fat, you will lose weight and gain health.

A word about fat

Most foods with low carbohydrates also contain a significant amount of fat.

It can be confusing knowing what to think or believe about fat. You see many articles by “Dr. Y”, who says that fat will kill you. Then you hear “Dr. Z” telling you to eat a diet rich in food with low carbohydrates; fat is your friend.

Fat, in and of itself, is not bad. The body must have a certain amount of fat each day to sustain life. Consuming foods high in fat AND high in carbohydrate content has been proven to be a recipe for disaster and usually results in obesity.

Within the last two decades, much research has been done on diets that consist of food with low carbohydrates, which may be high in fat, and how the body reacts to these diets.

Remarkably enough, many studies have found that eating food with low carbohydrates, high protein, and moderate amounts of fat, can be good for you. When eating only food with low carbohydrates, your body has virtually no carbs to burn for quick energy.

Without the presence of carbs for energy, the body is forced to burn stored body fat. You must, obviously, have some food for your body to convert to energy to survive. Eating only food with low carbohydrates, and having on hand protein rich foods to burn for energy will help you burn stored body fat.

You will find that by fatty food with low carbohydrates, you stay satiated longer; fat keeps you full much longer than quick burning carbs do. In this way fat can actually help you in your weight loss goals.

Another benefit to eating food with low carbohydrates is that you will not experience the fatigue that comes from up and down blood sugar levels. Have you ever eaten pizza, pasta, or candy, only to find yourself wanting to take a nap shortly afterward? You feel tired and just want to lie down after the meal.

This feeling is caused by the fact that the body burns sugar-laden carbohydrates for energy. The carbs burn quickly and your blood sugar drops, making you feel tired and lethargic. You may eat more sugar, or drink caffeine, to counteract the feeling, only to find yourself feeling tired again.

Eating only food with low carbohydrates will stop this insulin roller coaster and maybe, for the first time in your life, allow your blood sugar levels to stabilize. Once your blood sugar levels have stabilized, the sugar cravings you experience, if any, will subside.

Research for your own piece of mind, the benefits of fat on a low carb diet, and you will be on your way to weight loss success. You may have to change your mentality about fat, but in doing so you will also see the pounds melt away as you reach your weight loss goal.

What to expect from a low carbohydrate diet

Your success on any diet lies in your hands. No one else can do it for you—wouldn’t it be great if they could? But you can learn as much as you can about what to expect prior to beginning the diet.

You should acquire as much knowledge as you can about carbohydrates and how they are metabolized in your body. You may want to comprise and consult your own list of carbohydrates to know what foods you should eat and which foods you should avoid.

In your list of carbohydrates, you may want to have a sub-category of low carb foods. You can learn from others who have already done the diet and succeeded in reaching their weight loss goals.

From a low carb diet you can expect many things. First, you can expect to lose anywhere from 5 to 30 pounds during the first two weeks of the diet. You will probably become very educated about carbs because obtaining this knowledge will help you succeed. You will consult your list of carbohydrates frequently as you shop and as you add more foods to your list of carbohydrates.

If you maintain eating food found only in your list of carbohydrates, you can expect your body to eventually go into “ketosis.” During ketosis, your body will release ketones into your urine. At this stage you will be burning stored body fat. To maintain ketosis, eat only those foods from your list of carbohydrates.

During your participation in a low carb diet you may initially experience certain cravings. Since the foods in your list of carbohydrates will be very low in sugar content, it may take your body a while to adjust to this new way of eating.

Once your insulin levels stabilize, you will find it much easier to stick with the foods in your list of carbohydrates and the cravings will subside. You can also expect a rise in your energy level.

Foods that are high in sugar content and carbohydrates are burned up quickly in the body and may sometimes leave you feeling tired and lethargic. On a low carb diet, you should not experience these feelings, but instead you should surprisingly more energy than you have felt before.

Your approved foods in your list of carbohydrates will be virtually sugar-free, and consist mainly of proteins and fats. Therefore, you won’t experience the lack of energy and lethargy that a carbohydrate-laden diet can bring.

Eating foods that you may have been prohibited to eat on other diets is also something that you can expect on a low carb diet. Foods such as bacon, eggs, and cheese will be included in your list of carbohydrates. Fat is a friend on this diet and can help you succeed by keeping you full longer than carbohydrates do.

Now you know a little about what to expect from a low carb diet, but as all things are, some factors vary with the individual. Above all, you can expect drastic weight loss and an unbelievable sense of accomplishment by starting and maintaining a low carb diet.

You probably have many questions about how the diet works, and what you are allowed to eat. What are the rules of the diet? Where can I find a low carbohydrate food chart? These answers and more will be addressed here to help you on your way to weight loss success.

In a nutshell, the effects of the diet are as follows:
Many people cannot eat large amounts of carbohydrate foods - sugars and starches - without making and storing body FAT. (If you are one of those people, this diet will work well for you.)

ALL carbohydrates, except for dietary fiber, are ultimately broken down into simple sugar molecules by digestive processes. (See below a low carbohydrate food chart for foods that you will be eating.)

The body will not burn fat for fuel as long as there is a steady supply of quick-to-burn sugar. Since you will be consuming virtually no sugar, your body will have to burn stored fat for energy.

The breakdown of fat will produce energy for the body, and ketones, which are eliminated in the urine. When your body is producing ketones, you are burning stored body fat.

Your insulin levels are stabilized because the pancreas no longer has to pump out large amounts in response to sugary, starchy meals or snacks. Insulin not only helps sugar enter the cells for fuel, it also promotes the conversion of excess sugar into FAT.

So now, you are not only burning fat for energy, you are also no longer making and storing body fat.
Without spikes and drops in insulin levels, your blood sugar remains stable.
Result: You no longer have cravings and blood sugar swings. The presence of ketones helps control hunger. You lose fat and you lose weight.

Most people start the diet with a very low carb intake, usually 20 grams or less, for the first two weeks of the diet. Following is a low carbohydrate food chart. Adding to the low carbohydrate food chart will give you a range of options to choose from.

Low Carbohydrate Food Chart

The following foods contain zero grams of carbs:

Ham
Mayonnaise
Sausage
Eggs
Veal Lamb
Cheddar Cheese
Gin
Rum
Vodka
Whiskey
Sole Flounder
Diet Coke

And the list goes on. You can add more foods to your low carbohydrate food chart as you read package backs and shop. You may want to purchase ketostix to test your urine for the presence of ketones. Ketostix can be purchased from your local pharmacy. A visual confirmation that you are actually burning stored body fat is a great motivator.

There is a vast difference between "low fat" and "low carbohydrate" diets. The standard low-fat/low-calorie weight loss diets basically starve the body, and both fat and muscle end up being burned for fuel. You lose weight, but the loss of lean muscle tissue only serves to reduce your metabolic rate, thus slowing your efforts even more. With a properly planned low carb program, your body will burn mostly fat, and will preserve the lean muscle.

If you exercise, you will add lean muscle while losing fat, which will increase your metabolic rate, and increase the fat-burning effect. Muscle tissue weighs more than fat, but takes up less bulk, so you may find yourself getting smaller in size without seeing a drastic drop on the scales. This makes it a good idea to check your measurements at regular intervals.

Until the excess carbohydrates are cleared from the system, there may be intense cravings. Once this is past though, and your insulin and blood sugar levels are remaining constant, this will serve to curb cravings. And most low carbohydrate plans allow unlimited amounts of allowed foods, so you eat when hungry, and as much as you need to ease your hunger. Just remember to stick to those foods on your low carbohydrate food chart.

Once you are past the initial phase, you will gradually add carbs back to your diet. You may want to add some foods to your low carbohydrate food chart that contain small amounts of carbs. As an example, maybe you would add 10 grams of carbs a day and keep adding slowly until your weight loss stops, then you will know the actual number of carbs that you need to consume to maintain weight loss.

You will still find that when you are altering your low carbohydrate food chart, there will remain many foods to choose from. Gradually adding carbs back in and maintaining choices in your low carbohydrate food chart will get you set on your way to success.

How to determine if a low carb diet is right for you

You may be one of the thousands of people who have dieted their entire life. Many people go from diet to diet in a failed attempt to keep weight off. Some may lose weight temporarily, only to gain back the weight they have lost, and sometimes even more.

To determine if a low carb diet is right for you, you should know how the diet works and what to expect from it. You should first make a carbohydrates list and familiarize your self with it to realize how many grams of carbohydrates you may be presently consuming. Most people limit themselves to 20 grams of carbs, or less, per day during the first two weeks of the diet.

Below is a carbohydrate list of common foods and the amount of carbs, in grams, found in each one. By familiarizing yourself with the carbohydrates list, you will arm yourself with the knowledge necessary to be a successful low carb dieter.

Carbohydrates List

White Bread (per slice) - 56 grams
Peanut Butter (smooth style) (per tablespoon) - 3.1 grams
American cheese (per 1 oz. slice) - .3 grams
Mayonnaise (per tablespoon) - 0 carbs
Sugar (per teaspoon) - 5 grams
M&M’s with peanuts (per 1 oz. serving) - 13 grams
New York Strip Steak (10 oz portion) - 0 grams
Broccoli (per 1 cup serving)-
Strawberries (per 1 cup serving) - 10 grams
Banana (medium size-each) - 27 grams
Pineapple (per 1 cup serving) - 39 grams
Coca-Cola (per 12 fl.oz. serving) - 41 grams
Orange juice (per 6 fl.oz. serving) - 81 grams
Ham (per 3 oz. serving) - 0 grams
Eggs (medium-each) - 0 grams
Iceberg lettuce (per cup) - 1.149 grams
Romaine lettuce (per ½ cup serving) - .66 grams
Ranch dressing (per 2 teaspoon serving) - 1.4 grams

While you are on a low carb diet you will eliminate sugar from your diet. As you begin to read the carbohydrates list on the backs of packages, you will realize that the majority of your diet will consist of proteins such as meats, cheeses, and some vegetables.

Notice in the carbohydrates list, the carb content of a New York Strip steak; there are zero grams of carbs found in most meat. If you are a meat lover, this diet will be very easy for you to maintain.

Depending on your metabolic resistance, (your body’s ability to burn fat efficiently), your body will eventually go into “ketosis”. During ketosis you will be burning stored body fat. You can purchase “ketostix”, which are litmus-type strips, at your local pharmacy. Ketostix are activated by holding them in the stream of your urine. You then compare the color of the stick to the color chart on the side of the container. The darker purple the strip turns, the more ketones your body is releasing into your urine, thus signaling ketosis.

A great many people claim that they are never hungry while on a low carb diet. This may be one reason why people have such great success with this diet. Looking back at the carbohydrates list you will see that there are a variety of foods that you may eat. Imagine having a ham and cheese omelet for breakfast, without feeling guilty. You can do this as you see that ham, cheese, and eggs (listed in the carbohydrates list) are all virtually carb-free. From there you could have a New York Strip steak, broccoli with cheese and a salad with ranch dressing for lunch. This is just two of countless meals that you can construct from the carbohydrates list.

As you compose your carbohydrates list you will no doubt find many foods that you enjoy eating, even in the more restrictive initial phase of the diet. Many people report significant weight loss in the first two weeks of the diet—up to 25 pounds lost!

You can continue to follow a low carb diet, and, make it a life decision if you choose to do so. After the initial two weeks of dieting, you will gradually add carbohydrates back to your diet. Initially you will do this in small increments, such as 5 to 10 grams a day, until you reach a level where your weight loss stops. You will then have a good idea of how efficiently your body burns carbohydrates and your level of intake to maintain weight loss.

Armed with the knowledge that you now have, you can decide if a low car diet is indeed, right for you.

About the glycemic index

The Glycemic Index, otherwise known as the GI, is a list of carbohydrates that are ranked out of 100 according to their effect upon blood sugar levels. This list of carbohydrates includes low ranking foods, which are ones that allow a gradual glucose release into the bloodstream; and high ranking foods, which are the ones that provide us with a rapid sugar / glucose hits. This ranking includes everything, from food and drinks to sugars.

Many dieters who base their diets around the GI rely on the rankings on the list of carbohydrates to help them lose weight. By following an eating plan that is rich in foods that have a low ranking on the list and avoiding those with a high ranking, these dieters are able to lose weight effectively. Those looking to switch to a low GI diet should go by the ranking on the list of carbohydrates. By selecting the foods that have the lower numbered GI ranks dieters can reduce their overall carbohydrate intake and should subsequently lose weight. The GI rankings will enable those looking to control their carbohydrate intake to make more informed choices about what they eat.

A sample list of carbohydrates along with the GI rankings is shown below:

White bread: 71
Croissant: 67
Ice-cream: 61
Grapefruit: 25
Sweetcorn: 55
Wholemeal bread: 69
Sponge cake: 46
Low-fat ice-cream: 50
Bakes beans: 48
Tomatoes: 15
Whole grain: 50
Doughnut: 76
Whole milk: 27
Broad beans: 79
Green peas: 48
All-Bran: 42
Orange juice: 52
Skimmed milk: 32
Chickpeas: 33B
Crisps: 54
Cornflakes: 83
Pineapple juice: 46
Semi-skimmed milk: 34
Wholewheat spaghetti: 37
Mars bar: 64
Muesli: 56
Apple juice: 41
Apples: 38
White spaghetti: 41
Peanut M&Ms: 32
Special K: 54
Digestives: 58
Bananas: 54
Macaroni cheese: 64
Snickers bar: 40
Pita(white): 57
Shortbread: 64
Cherries: 22
Baked potato: 85
Peanuts: 15
Plain bagel: 72
Rice cakes: 77
Grapes: 46
Boiled potato: 56
Popcorn: 55
Cheese pizza: 60
Ryvita: 67
Raisins: 64
Mashed potato: 70
Pretzels: 81

The GI based diet is often recommended for diabetics in order to help regulate their blood sugar levels. By consuming the appropriate foods from the list of carbohydrates, many diabetics are able to better control their diets and blood sugar levels. As you will see from the table above, food items such as peanuts and tomatoes have a low GI rating whereas donuts and baked potatoes have q high rating; even food that we would consider as very healthy such as muesli and cornflakes have a high rating. The GI rating come under three categories: high, moderate, and low. High GI rated foods are those with a rating of 60 or over. Moderate rated foods are those with a rating of between 45 and 60. The low GI rated foods are those with a rating of 45 or under.

The ranked list of carbohydrates is also a useful way of controlling and calculating carbohydrate intake. Those on a carbohydrate-controlled diet, whether for weight loss or to regulate sugar levels in the blood, will find that using the GI list of carbohydrates as a guide will help them to work out which foods are suitable for their diets. People that need to intake foods that provide quick sugar hits, such as some diabetics and people involved in strenuous exercise and sport, will be able to select a higher ranking food from the list; likewise, anyone on a carbohydrate-controlled diet, such as the South Beach Diet , can choose foods that have a low ranking.

There are many resources and books available on the market based around the GI. These will provide a list of carbohydrates along with the relevant GI ratings and daily recommended allowances. Some will also provide recipes based around low ranking foods from the list of carbohydrates. There are even Glycemic Index software packages available. These can calculate the GI index of meals as well as provide calorie, protein, and fat analysis, leaving dieters to concentrate more on their health rather than calculations and measurements.

Aside from the benefits while exercising, eating low glycemic index foods can mean that you have no hunger pains by 10:30 a.m.—and therefore you are less likely to snack on sugary foods. Finding a good low carb bread recipe to enjoy for breakfast would also be wise.

On a low carb diet, you will most likely never eat high glycemic index foods because they tend to be high in carbohydrates. You may eventually add whole wheat bread or some low carb bread recipes to your arsenal, but you will most likely completely avoid breads that are not listed in your low carb bread recipes, such as breads made from refined white flour.

If you are a bread connoisseur, you may find some low carb bread recipes on the internet. You may also find some low carb bread recipes in any of Dr. Atkins’ books.

In May, 2002, Australia started a food program to create awareness about the glycemic content of foods. The program, entitled, The Glycemic Index Symbol Program, aimed to help people make informed choices, by encouraging food companies to list a product’s GI index on its packages.

Since obesity has become a major problem in the United States, we may eventually see such package labeling here also. As people become more aware of the role of carbohydrates in the body and how the body processes them, the need for low carb recipes, and the like, will surely rise.

The glycemic index of a food tells you how rapidly a particular carbohydrate is converted into sugar in the bloodstream. But, its downfall is that it doesn’t tell you how much of that carbohydrate is in a single serving of a particular food. Both things are important to determine a food’s effect on blood sugar.

If you want to compute a food’s GL, you would take that food’s glycemic index and divide it by 100. You would then multiply that by the food’s available carbohydrate content, (carbohydrate minus fiber), in grams.
Take watermelon as an example of calculating glycemic load. GI= 72. In a serving of 120 grams, it has 6 grams of available carbohydrate. The glycemic load = (72/100) x 6= 4.32. By looking at watermelon’s high GI you would think it would be bad to eat, but after calculating its glycemic load, you would see that it is safe to eat.
You can use this formula to calculate the glycemic load for your low carb bread recipes that you will find on various sites on the internet. You will more than likely find that the Gl for your low carb bread recipes is very low. Most low carb bread recipes contain whole-wheat ingredients, which have a low glycemic index.

Keep in mind that foods with a high glycemic index burn up quickly in the body, and if they are not used for energy they will be stored as fat. Also, continually add to your low carb recipes and low carb bread recipes to keep monotony from creeping into your diet.

How low carb dieting works

Low carb diets are based around the restriction of carb-rich foods and the consumption of food with low carbohydrates. These diets work by inducing a state of what is known as ‘ketosis’ in the body. Because the body then assumes that it is being starved – even though it is being fed with food with low carbohydrates – it begins to draw on its stores of fat in order to provide energy. The body uses the fat stores because it is no longer being given carbohydrates, which is what it would normally use as a source of energy. This naturally means that weight loss will occur as the body is now using excess fat as fuel instead of the carbohydrates that it would use on a normal diet.

To induce ketosis dieters must strictly adhere to the consumption of only food with low carbohydrates. The typical recommended carbohydrate consumption to bring about ketosis is 20-40g per day. Many everyday foods are rich in carbohydrates, including: bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, and even fruit. It is therefore crucial that dieters familiarise themselves with the types of food with low carbohydrates in order to induce this state and start losing weight. Eating anymore than the recommended allowance will decrease your chances of weight loss on this diet because it will give the body the opportunity to burn the excess carbs that are being consumed instead of switching to burning excess fat.

For those that manage to beat the carbohydrate cravings and stick to eating food with low carbohydrates, weight loss can be quite fast. Some people manage to lose over half a stone in a week simply by cutting carbs down to a minimum and opting for food with low carbohydrates. It can be a difficult diet to follow at first, particularly for those who love their carb-rich foods. However, most dieters report that cravings do wear off after a few days of following the eating plan.

There are many resources geared towards people looking into food with low carbohydrates. The plethora of diet books – particularly the Atkins, which pioneered low carb diets – provide us with listings and tables of food with low carbohydrates. Dieters can use these as a tool to monitor their carbohydrate intake and ensure that they do not exceed the recommended level. Low carb dieters should therefore have no problem in making a list of their favourite foods with low carbohydrates which they can then use as part of their daily eating plan.

Low carb diets are well-known for promoting rapid weight loss. Their increase in popularity over recent years means that there is now a variety of foods with low carbohydrates lining our supermarket shelves. Therefore, low carb fans no longer have to put up with boring and un-inspiring food in order to induce ketosis and lose weight. Low carb diets can now be varied and colourful, with a wide choice of options.

Ridding yourself of obstacles on your way to success

Just as an athlete who is running the 50-yard dash doesn’t want to encounter hurdles as he or she approaches the finish line, you don’t want to start a diet and find yourself ill prepared. Planning ahead of time and ridding yourself of obstacles on your way to weight loss success will make you just that—a success!

If you have never been on a low carb diet you are probably wondering what some of those obstacles could be. You can learn from people who have already been down this path and hopefully you can make their mistakes your lessons learned.

One major obstacle to rid yourself of is having food on hand that you cannot eat. When you begin your diet you should make a list of low carb foods and use this list as you shop for food. Having foods on hand that are only from your list of low carb foods will help you avoid the dieter’s number one obstacle—temptation.

Another obstacle that you may encounter is eating out of habit. On a low-fat diet this might cause a big problem, but on a low carb diet it serves as an obstacle to overcome only if you stray from your list of low carb foods.

To further avoid the temptation to stray from your diet, try to comprise your list of low carb foods from foods that you actually enjoy eating. There are many foods to add to your list of low carb foods that you may like but have felt guilty eating, such as bacon, full fat cheese, and eggs. You can also add most meats and cheeses to your list of low carb foods.

Motivation is a key element in dieting success. When beginning a low carb diet, think of what motivates you, and use that to motivate and coach yourself as you would other people. If you know that someone is going to criticize you about your diet by attempting to squash your spirit with negative emotion, get that person out of your way!

Another potential obstacle on your way to success is your fat mentality, or, how you think about fat. Most of us have heard, for most of our lives, that fat is not good for you. Fat in your diet will make you fat. Change that mentality right now! Eating food from your list of low carb foods, and sticking to that list will not cause you to add body fat. Quite contrarily, eating foods from your list of low carb foods will turn your body into a fat burning machine. Since your body has very little carbs to burn for energy, it will be forced to burn stored body fat.

Arming yourself with the knowledge of what your body will feel on a low carb diet could also help you avoid potential obstacles. While you are eating foods from your list of low carb foods, you may initially have cravings for sugar as your insulin levels become constant—maybe for the first time in your life. These cravings usually go away as your blood sugar levels stabilize.

Preparing meals from your list of low carb foods while also trying to cook for others in your family could also be a hurdle you may have to overcome. Searching the web you will find hundreds of low carb recipes using ingredients from your list of low carb foods.

Variety is the spice of life—so too with a low carb diet!

The true secret to weight loss is found in your mind!

The first step towards any goal begins in your mind. And this is most certainly true if you want to lose weight. So, the very first thing you need to think about right now is exactly why you want to be slimmer. Think long and hard about it for a while. Think of all the reasons why you want to lose those pounds – every one! Also think about all the benefits associated with those reasons.

Now, I want you to grab a pen and paper and write all those reasons down. Next to each reason, put the benefit. This simple but amazingly powerful exercise will provide you with a motivational trigger that will focus your thoughts upon your desires and help you achieve your weight loss goal. Keep this piece of paper and refer to it often on your diet program. You can even put it up on your wall somewhere, so it will be a constant reminder to you. Each time you see it, it will feed your passion to lose weight. And with desire, comes commitment. If you trigger your desire for commitment, this will help you stick to your diet.

The first key to losing weight is to have the right way of thinking about losing weight. I call it the Diet Mindset. The Diet Mindset involves unlocking the door to your self control. Self control is the most important facet of the Diet Mindset. If you do not have self control, you will not get to your destination of losing weight. It is like being the captain of a ship with no rudder! You must be in control of where you are going, otherwise you will not get there.

You must be able to control your self discipline so you eat the right foods, at the right time. You must also be disciplined enough to stay away from the wrong foods and not give in to the temptations that may arise. Many people eat not for hunger, but due to the stresses they face in their everyday lives. Eating is a way to medicate themselves from negative emotions such as loneliness, boredom, guilt and anger.

Positive emotions can also trigger the urge to eat, such as joy and happiness. Many people have an emotional attachment to food, so it is no surprise that their emotions can tempt them to eat.

If you are going to lose weight, you must learn to recognise when your emotions are tempting you to overeat. You must then learn how to re-program your thinking so you can avoid these weight increasing temptations and destroy these urges on the spot. Many people, in the early stages of their diets will tell themselves that they cannot tolerate the frustration and discomfort of not being able to eat their favourite foods. Unable to stand this change to their lifestyle, such people have a low frustration point. Their thinking goes something like this:

“Oh, man. This is just too hard! It’s easier to stay fat. I can’t be bothered with this anymore.”

Psychologically, these people create a mindset to protect themselves against their feeling of failure by convincing themselves that a dietary lifestyle change is just too difficult for them. The ‘payoff’ for such thinking is that they then can go back to their old, unhealthy eating habits and ‘comfort’ themselves with fat causing ‘goodies’. In doing so, they avoid the negative feelings of frustration and discomfort associated with their diets.

So let us be clear at the start. Before you even begin your new diet, you need to start with your Diet Mindset. You need to ditch any negative, counterproductive thoughts that are ingrained into your psyche. Then you need to create a new, positive frame of mind that will literally power you through the first stages of your diet. Once you start to see the rewards of your new mindset, once you start to see a few pounds disappear from your overweight body, this will fuel your Diet Mindset like a turbo!

Let's get down to business!

Hello!

Firstly, I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Low carb diet tips. I hope this site will become a helpful and inspiring resource for you in your quest to lose weight.

Now, you are probably sat there right now in front of your computer screen with a cup of coffee to hand maybe and wondering to yourself if the information in this website is really going to help you lose weight.

After all, this is probably not the first site you may have visited on the subject. Maybe you have read several or more websites and ebooks on dieting and weight loss. The fact that you have visited my humble little website seems to suggest to me that you still haven’t found the right guide to help you fulfil your dreams of reducing your weight and becoming a fitter and healthier person.

Maybe it is because you have fallen for the usual hype associated with payed for membership sites or the latest 'hot' diet book. The authors will tell you all kinds of things to get you to buy their products. ‘Lose 10lbs in 7 days!’, ‘Lose Weight While You Sleep!’, ‘Stuff Your Face with Cream Cakes and Drop 3 Stones!’….. Ok, you get the idea!

But once you have bought these products or payed for membership, do they live up to the hype? Do they help you to realise your dreams of a slimmer body? Do they really give you the help and advice you need to take control of your eating habits and actually lose the weight you desire?

I think we all know the answer to that question! The fact that you are reading this now proves that you are still earnestly searching for the answers to your weight loss dreams. You may have already wasted your money and time buying into the dieting hype, and maybe now believe that you are never going to find something that actually works for you.

So, I can fully understand any skeptism you may have about weight loss sites and ebooks – including this one! But hang on a minute, hear me out….

Now, the content in this website is completely free of charge, right? I never coerced you into parting with any money and I never made ridiculous promises to get you here, now did I? So, let’s get one thing straight from the start: You can trust the information in this website. What you'll find on this website actually works. That’s right – it works. I don’t have to fill this site with ridiculous programs and unrealistic, unworkable dieting regimes to try and justify the hype I invented to get you to pay for membership. There are no memberships to buy here. All the pages that I create on this website will be freely available to you.

Wow! What a really great guy I am, right?! :0)

Ok, losing weight, like anything else worthwhile in life, takes discipline and perseverance. I am not going to lie to you like so many others and promise you that it is easy. It’s not. I’m going to tell you the truth about dieting. I’m going to tell you like it is, even though it may not be something you want to hear. But neither is successful dieting a monumental mountain to climb – if you apply the right diet program and adopt a positive attitude to your goal.

So please, before you proceed further into this website I want you to change any negative mind-set you may have about dieting. You may have been disappointed and let down in the past and this may have resulted in a negative state of mind towards your desire to lose weight. This will be a major barrier to your weight loss goal. The information and guidance in Low Carb Diet Tips needs to be absorbed with a positive frame of mind. So, I want you to forget about any previous bad experiences you may have had. Wipe any negative thoughts from your mind and browse this website with a positive mind set. The information it contains, if applied as described, will set you on your way to losing weight and becoming the person you always dreamed of!