Low-carbohydrate diet - rules, diet, products and sample menu for the week. Low carb diet

Fast carbohydrates, unlike slow ones, are instantly transformed into glucose. If they are not used up in a timely manner, they will begin to be deposited in fat. The consequence of this process is excess weight gain.

But, of course, it is impossible to completely eliminate these substances from the body, since without them it will not be able to function normally. As you know, carbohydrates are responsible for most vital processes.

From now on, a diet that excludes uncontrolled consumption of carbohydrates is considered a healthy nutrition system, which is based on foods containing large amounts of protein.

This method is completely free of harmful carbohydrates. It is due to this that the human body begins to consume its own fat reserves to obtain the necessary energy.

Protein should predominate in the diet

Thus, the body can take energy from food or from fat, which is specially stored in the body in case a person begins to starve. The main goal of such a balanced diet is the following - the absence of fasting.

You should not completely give up food, as this will later lead to even greater health problems. Besides, the extra pounds are here to stay.

In order to reduce weight, it is enough to simply limit the consumption of carbohydrates, replacing them with protein foods. The latter, in turn, are known for their nutritional value and benefits.

In addition, one steak or chicken cutlet will give the body a feeling of fullness and fill it with useful vitamins, minerals, amino acids, as well as macro- and microelements.

But cakes and sweets cannot provide anything other than empty calories and fat. As a result, carbohydrates obtained from them begin to be deposited on the sides.

A low-carbohydrate diet is approved by experts and is considered the most harmless and effective for weight loss. It is also recommended for, since the concentration of this substance in patients is very high. And uncontrolled consumption of carbohydrates can only worsen the situation.

Permitted and prohibited products

As a rule, only from protein foods with the addition of a small amount of carbohydrates.

When eating a low-carbohydrate diet, you can eat the following foods:

any (pork, beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, goose, duck, rabbit);
offal (kidneys, heart, lungs, brains);
(, sour cream, yogurt);
(chicken, );
nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts);
(except legumes, asparagus, potatoes, olives);
fruits (no more than two pieces per day: everything except bananas and grapes);
low-fat varieties and others;
cereals (brown rice, ).

Foods containing fats should also be consumed in small quantities. After the diet does not contain carbohydrates, the body will begin to burn fat reserves as vital energy.

Prohibited foods include the following:

side dishes containing a large amount of starch (rice, spaghetti, potatoes);
any bread;
various types of baked goods, including pastries, cakes, cookies, muffins, pizza, burgers;
(sweets, chocolate);
smoked meats (fish);
fatty sauces (, ketchup);
(from now on you will have to drink coffee without refined sugar);
as mentioned earlier, bananas and grapes will have to be completely excluded from fruits, since they contain a huge amount of sugar, which is a sugar of natural origin;
sweet juices from the supermarket, carbonated juices and compotes;

Low Carb Diet Food Chart

If you strictly follow this diet, you should use a specific table in which for any product (per 100 g) the numbers indicated in y are given. e.

One such conventional unit is equal to 1 g of carbohydrates. Calculating the amount of carbohydrates that are allowed per day is quite simple (to start losing weight, you should gain no more than 39 USD per day).

Even though some of the junk foods have a low y. That is, it is prohibited to eat them during the diet. When the weight reaches the desired level, they can be gradually included in your diet.

The list of products and conventional units for them is as follows:

meat, poultry, beef liver – 0;
chicken liver – 1.5;
any eggs (piece) – 0.6;
sausages and sausages – 3;
milk sausages and sausage – 1.5;
smoked and baked fish – 0;
shrimp, red and black caviar – 0;
squid – 5;
champignons – 0.2;
dried mushrooms – 7.5;
low-fat – 1.8;
fatty cottage cheese – 2.9;
yogurt without sugar – 3.4;
sweet yogurt – 8.7;
kefir, fermented baked milk – 3.1;
milk – 4.8;
sour cream – 4;
cream – 4;
butter – 1.1;
margarine – 2;
– 22;
dark chocolate – 50;
cookies – 75;
– 55;
honey – 75;
sugar – 98;
beans – 46;
, dried peas – 50;
buckwheat – 65;
, – 66;
rice – 71;
– 69;
rye bread – 34.

Menu for the week

As you know, a low-carb diet is not a fast diet. Losing weight takes time. Experts recommend staying on this diet for a month. Only after thirty days can you see the first results of weight loss.

Day one – Monday:

breakfast: 200 g of low-fat curd product, herbal tea without refined sugar;
dinner: 200 g fish;
afternoon snack: apple;
dinner: a small portion of buckwheat porridge without oil with chicken or beef.

Day two – Tuesday:

breakfast: omelette, two, coffee;
dinner: 250 g of boiled beef with vegetables and herbs;
afternoon tea: or unsweetened apple, natural yogurt;
dinner: mushroom

Day three – Wednesday:

breakfast: 150 g cheese, apple, tea;
dinner: chicken soup without fat;
afternoon snack: low-calorie yogurt;
dinner: with meat.

Day four – Thursday:

breakfast: buckwheat porridge;
dinner: 250 g of beef or any poultry with vegetables;
afternoon snack: orange;
dinner: rice with fish.

Day five – Friday:

breakfast: 100 g cheese, 2 boiled eggs, coffee or tea;
dinner: 200 g of beef or pork and vegetable salad;
afternoon snack: kefir;
dinner: stewed vegetables with chicken.

Day six – Saturday:

breakfast: 250 g cottage cheese, tea;
dinner: meat soup;
afternoon snack: fruit;
dinner: 150 g baked fish with rice.

Day seven – Sunday:

breakfast: buckwheat or oatmeal;
dinner: champignon soup;
afternoon snack: 1 glass of yogurt and orange;
dinner: 200 g boiled pork and vegetable salad.

For best results, experts recommend steaming or using a slow cooker. When frying, use a minimum amount of oil. The above menu should be used as an example, since if desired, it can be slightly adjusted by selecting recipes to suit your taste.

Recipes

This article provides recipes for men and women for weight loss that contain virtually no carbohydrates.

Vegetable salad with chicken breast

To prepare it, you should prepare the following ingredients:

1 teaspoon thyme;

1 teaspoon rosemary;

ground black pepper;

100 ml.

Mix all the spices together and rub the chicken meat with them.

Place it in a glass container, cover with cling film and put it in the refrigerator for two days. Turn the fillets twice a day.

After the specified time has passed, you need to remove it from the refrigerator, rinse off all the spices and leave in cold water for twenty minutes. Next, remove from the water and dry with napkins.

Now each breast should be wrapped in a linen towel and left to dry for three days. After this period of time has passed, you can enjoy its unique taste and aroma.

If you wish, after it is ready, hang the meat on strings above the stove, turn on the burner and hood and wait about three hours. After such manipulation it will finally be cooked.

Useful video

Low carb recipes in the video:

Only at first glance, it seems that losing weight on a low-carb diet is boring and monotonous. But in fact, everything is quite the opposite: there are a large number of low-calorie dishes that are no worse than fatty or sweet foods. In addition, such nutrition has its own bonus - the long-awaited loss of excess weight. The most important thing is to follow the recommendations of experts and eliminate carbohydrates from your diet.

We need to lose weight! What's your first thought? Eliminate carbohydrates! Fully. Here are 11 of the most common mistakes that those who decide to give up carbohydrates are sure to make.

The one who does nothing makes no mistakes. We all make mistakes - it's not surprising. Recently, various diets and nutritional systems based on consuming small amounts of carbohydrates or completely abandoning them have become very popular. A couple of days without carbohydrates - and you start dreaming about the desired buns at night?

To maintain a diet and not go crazy, read this material carefully.

Yulia Bastrigina

If we talk about a low-carbohydrate diet in the context of limiting simple carbohydrates (sugars) and a dosed approach to “slow” carbohydrates, then this is the most rational way. If you go to the extreme and count only fibrous vegetables as carbohydrates, you may run into several problems:

1. Remember once and for all: the main fuel for our body is glucose. If there is no glucose in the body, it will try to extract it from muscle tissue.

2. The lack of carbohydrates leads to rapid depletion of glycogen reserves in the liver and muscles. Just 18 hours is enough for them to disappear. An “empty” liver becomes an excellent target for attack by fats that break down during the diet and is literally clogged with them. It will be very difficult to remove these fats. By the way, fatty hepatosis is one of the reasons for the development of type 2 diabetes.

3. Excess protein does not leave its mark on the body. Long-term exposure will lead to breakdown of protein metabolism, the development of kidney stones and the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints.

4. Carbohydrates attract water. Proteins are dehydrating. Dehydration threatens us with flabby and dry skin.

1. We mistakenly refuse some products

You don’t have to graduate from college to understand what a low-carb diet is. But some people think that if they give up carbs, then they need to eat nothing but chicken breast all day long. In fact, they simply do not understand which foods should be left in their diet and which should not.

To achieve success, each of us needs basic knowledge, and detailed information about diet is no exception. Before you change your diet, understand how to cut carbs in your diet, what foods contain carbs, and how to actually make a low-carb diet balanced.

Yulia Bastrigina

nutritionist, Nutrilite expert

First, you should understand that carbohydrates are sugars (glucose, fructose, lactose), and “slow” starch compounds in cereals, pasta and bread, as well as dietary fiber in vegetables. All of them are carbohydrate in nature. Despite the same chemical nature - the presence of the formula glucose - each of these groups has its own properties. Sugars are quickly absorbed and can increase the level of the storage hormone - insulin. “Slow” carbohydrates provide a flat glycemic curve, allowing you to maintain excellent health and performance. However, their excess (as well as protein and fat) can affect the figure. And, finally, dietary fiber from vegetables, which, despite the presence of “nominal” calorie content, are de facto products that “take away” energy from the body for their digestion.

2. We give up too quickly

There are a million different ways to go low carb. At first, we make a lot of mistakes in order to find the method that will “work” for us. And the first mistake: we give up too quickly and decide that low-carb nutrition is definitely not for us. These conclusions are often reached by those who cut carbohydrates too much in the first week. It’s clear that you want everything at once, but it’s better to be patient and learn to listen to your body’s signals. Often simple nutritional adjustments can help you navigate this difficult transition period comfortably. And the results will not keep you waiting.

3. We don't eat enough vegetables.

In pursuit of the body of our dreams, for some reason we like to reduce the amount of fresh vegetables and fruits. It turns out that this should not be done under any circumstances, and such nutrition will lead to poor health and, as a result, breakdowns. To be successful, a low-carb diet should be based on vegetables and all kinds of vegetable dishes. In other words, eat more vegetables than any other food!

4. Not eating enough fat

This is where the real problem lies. Despite all the talk about “healthy fats,” every day we hear about how bad fats are if we want to lose weight.

Such conversations lead to the fact that, in addition to carbohydrates, we also begin to reduce fats. First, the body begins to actively burn subcutaneous fats instead of those that it usually received through nutrition. But fat loss will inevitably slow down, and we will begin to feel eternally hungry if we do not add at least a small amount of fat to our diet. Nothing sabotages your diet faster than going on a hunger strike! Let's not step on this rake. , which contain essential nutrients for maintaining health and well-being.

By the way, we are already talking about why you shouldn’t give up fat.

5. Not getting enough fiber

Eating enough fiber is another argument in favor of the presence of vegetables and fruits in the diet. Fiber has long been recognized as essential for those wishing to lose weight.

There is also a lot of fiber in beans, nuts, seeds, citrus fruits, carrots and soybeans.

6. We start eating too much

It's true that you can skip calorie counting on a low-carb diet, but that doesn't mean you have to eat everything all the time. Some of us make the stupid mistake of thinking that they can eat and lose weight - after all, they don’t eat harmful carbohydrates! Let appetite be our guide. Eat when you are actually hungry and stop when that hunger is satisfied.

Georgy Maltabar

functional training and boxing instructor at Rocky Road Gym

When regulating fats and carbohydrates, it is important to monitor your total calories per day. It is also important to eat more often, 5-6 times a day. On average, to lose weight, each person needs to eat no more than 2 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat per 1 kg of their weight. You can also use BSSA or protein, replacing one meal with it. Omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 acids can be used as a fat replacement.

7. We don't plan meals.

The first time after switching to a different way of eating, we act according to old habits. To achieve success, we need to try to replace them with new, healthier ones. You will no longer be able to mechanically press the coffee machine button or finish the second chocolate bar. Taking a break and reconsidering our habits is a constructive step if we are determined to improve our lives. But in the case of food, it is important to start planning ahead for a while so that new habits naturally become part of our lives. Nothing brings a breakdown closer than the moment when hunger strikes and we don’t know what to eat. At such moments, there is a great risk of following the usual rut. Better planning.

8. We begin to eat very monotonously

Some people eat the same food every day and they like it, it's normal for them. Still, most of us love variety and, most likely, the monotonous menu every day will get boring very quickly. Experiment! And if If you don’t know what to cook, then read.

While low-carb diets have many benefits, especially if you can afford to kick your sugar habit or lose weight to improve your health, many are hesitant to try eating this way for fear of having to give up a lot of goodies. They wonder if low-carb eating can be fun.

Rest assured that by following a healthy, low-carb diet, you can still continue to enjoy a variety of great foods. Low-carb recipes include everything from slow cooker chicken and vegetables to burgers. What about low-carb breakfasts or light travel snacks? This could include green smoothies or protein shakes, low-carb desserts made with foods like coconut or almond flour, 1-2 hard-boiled eggs, or newer varieties of grass-fed beef jerky, for example.

While a low-carb diet may not be a magic bullet for long-term weight loss for everyone, it can help most people reduce their intake of sugar and carbohydrates from a variety of sources. Even if you're only planning to cut back on sugar and carbs for the short term, perhaps to reduce your sugar cravings or start eating healthier, non-processed foods, you'll probably be able to see improvements fairly quickly.

Eliminating foods like breads, grains, sweetened drinks, processed dairy products, and even whole grains or starchy vegetables from your diet will be an important change in your diet that will cause your body to produce less insulin. This will help balance your blood sugar, reduce addiction and fatigue, speed up weight loss, which means a clearer head (at least once you get used to the change), and even reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Replacing carbohydrate-heavy foods with low-carb foods like non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats, and high-quality proteins will take these benefits to the next level: reducing hunger so you feel better and maybe even correcting deficiencies in certain nutrients.

It's worth understanding what carbohydrates are and how to avoid them. A “low carb” diet will look different to different people. In the most general sense, however, a low-carb diet means that you only get about 20 to 30 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates - such as added sugars, grains, fruits or starchy vegetables. This is usually around 50-100 grams or less. In some cases, for example, if a person is following an LCHF (low carb, high fat) or ketogenic diet, which is also a low-carb diet, he may consume even fewer carbohydrates, about 20-50 grams per day, in order to enter a state of ketosis (a condition in which fat is burned instead of glucose/carbohydrates to produce energy).

If you set a goal to consume about 100 grams of net carbs per day, divide it between three main meals, with 30-35 grams of net carbs in each. What are net carbs? This is the amount of carbohydrates obtained after subtracting the weight of fiber from the total amount of carbohydrates.

In other words, fiber doesn't count toward your total because it isn't actually digested and doesn't affect your blood sugar like glucose does. For this reason, most people, even on a very low-carb diet, still try to consume fiber-rich foods such as non-starchy vegetables and the occasional nut/seed.

Even those on a very low-carb/ketogenic (with a daily carbohydrate intake of about 20-30 grams or less) diet can still eat any non-starchy vegetables, as they are high in fiber, high in water and nutrients, highly filling and very filling. few calories.

What would a low carb meal look like with 30-35 grams of net carbs?

One meal on a low-carb diet may include the following:

An 85-gram serving of protein (such as chicken breast), 2 cups of non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli and peppers, a salad of assorted greens tossed with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil or dressing. All of this will contain less than 35 grams of pure carbohydrates. If you replace vegetables with starchy ones, say, beets or turnips, you would get more carbohydrates, but not much. For a meal to be considered moderate or high carbohydrate, you would need to add cereals, fruits, sweeteners like honey or potatoes - and this is 20-25 (or more) grams per serving.

Lettuce leaves or something green and decorative, such as cabbage, on which vegetables with chopped chicken, sprinkled with sesame seeds, are laid out.
Fajitas with any protein of your choice and lots of vegetables
Chicken or salmon burgers
Empanadas or quesadillas made from almond and coconut flour with farm-raised beef and cheese
Cabbage-based pizza
And many other options, like smoothies, casseroles and slow cooker dishes

Healthy and harmful low-carb foods

You may be wondering what contains carbohydrates and what does not. Let's be clear: Even if a food or dish is low in carbs, that doesn't mean it's a healthy food! In many cases, the quality of carbohydrates you eat is more important than the quantity. I recommend staying away from packaged low-carb foods, such as most store-bought protein bars or quick snacks, to avoid processed or synthetic ingredients in your diet. Yes, they will provide you with fats and protein, yes, they are low in carbohydrates, but on a global scale they are still harmful because they contain processed protein powders, refined oils and artificial sweeteners.

If you're wondering what to take with you for a quick snack on the run, it's best to make your own. You can make low-carb snacks at home using ingredients like nuts, seeds, humus, coconut flour and coconut oil, protein powder (whey or bone broth), oatmeal and cocoa powder energy bites, cabbage rolls, and even low-carb ones. sweets" like cookies, muffins or donuts. The quickest way to do this is to make a low-carb protein shake.

As you look to clean up your diet and embrace new low-carb recipes, you'll also want to get rid of "diet" or "comfort" foods that contain low-fat artificial ingredients. To achieve lower fat content, these products typically use more flour or carbohydrates, thickeners, emulsifiers or artificial sweeteners. And although they may not have much carbohydrates or cane sugar, I would still avoid foods with trans fats or hydrogenated oils, because in essence they are the same fast food or shelf-stable food.

50 Best Low Carb Foods

Below are dozens of low-carb foods that will fit perfectly into your diet:

Low carb vegetables

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Pepper
Chard or collard greens
Asparagus
Spinach
Green beans
Arugula
Onion or leek
Tomatoes
Brussels sprouts
Avocado
Cabbage
Carrots (moderate carbs)

Eggs and dairy products

Homemade eggs
Full-fat unsweetened yogurt or kefir
Raw whole milk
Hard cheese, sour cream and heavy cream (all of these are low in carbohydrates, but I highly recommend making sure that everything is as natural and organic as possible, ideally from raw milk). Low-carb cheeses include bleu, cheddar, goat, feta, Swiss, Parmesan and Asiago.

Meat and seafood

All of the following are low carb foods. I recommend looking for wild-caught fish and avoiding most shellfish like shrimp, as they often contain heavy metals such as mercury. Organic beef and other fatty red meats can also be included in the diet, as can poultry and eggs. While some low-carb ketogenic diets include pork and processed meats like bacon, I don't recommend eating these unhealthy foods.

Salmon
Haddock
Trout
Halibut
Sardines
Anchovies
Mackerel
Tuna or cod (in moderation)

Nuts and seeds

Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
Almond
Walnuts
Pumpkin, sesame or hemp seeds
Cashews and Brazil nuts (and almost all other nuts or seeds too)

Oils and fats (all carb-free)

Coconut, olive, hemp, flaxseed, walnut or avocado oil
Butter or ghee
Palm oil
Smalets

Seasonings, herbs and spices

Herbs such as turmeric, ginger, oregano, rosemary, basil, natural sea salt, pepper, etc.
Hot sauces
Apple cider vinegar and most other vinegars in small quantities (balsamic, white, red, etc.)
Cocoa powder (raw and unsweetened is best)
Mustard (just avoid high-sugar mustards, such as honey mustard)
Soy sauce, tamari or coconuts
Bone broth (drink alone or use in dishes)

No carb drinks

Teas, including green, black, oolong or white
Herbal teas (ginger, chamomile, honey plant, mint, tea, etc.)
Freshly squeezed vegetable juices or green smoothies

What about starchy vegetables, beans and fruits: can they be used in diet dishes?

If you're having trouble remembering which vegetables are starchy and therefore high in carbohydrates, here are some simple clues:

Most vegetables grown above ground are considered "non-starchy" and therefore contain fewer carbohydrates (such as cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, leafy greens, peppers, chard and kale). Some squashes are also considered non-starchy, including spaghetti squash and zucchini.
- Vegetables that grow underground, also called "root vegetables", are usually richer in starch and carbohydrates (eg potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets).
- This is not an ironclad rule. For example, regular pumpkins grow above the ground and are high in carbohydrates, but you can use these traits as a starting point.

While most root vegetables and fruits are not generally considered “low carb,” many are still nutrient-dense, low in sugar, and make a good addition to any diet. In fact, strained, crushed or pureed vegetables and fruits can in many cases serve as substitutes for sweeteners or even cereals. A good example is shredded cauliflower.

The same applies to legumes or legumes, for example, chickpeas can be made into flour or hummus, and then they make an excellent spreadable side dish that goes well with many low-carb dishes. These foods are rich in antioxidants, provide you with essential fiber, and make your food sweeter, which helps overcome the addiction of sugar, which allows you to avoid adding it to your food separately. For this reason, I recommend including the following fruits and starchy vegetables in your diet:

Berries - such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or raspberries
Cherry
Cranberry
Citrus
Sweet or purple potatoes
Swede
Beet
Celery
Parsnip

Legumes and legumes - such as chickpeas, black beans, mung beans, adzuki, etc. They are also not considered low-carb foods, but are healthy foods in moderation. If you decide to include legumes or grains in your diet, I recommend pre-soaking and sprouting them before cooking. This helps release more protein, vitamins and minerals and makes them more easily digestible.

Low-carb diet: an overview of the benefits and how it works

Plenty of research shows that for those who make consistent efforts, a low-carb diet is highly beneficial. It's not always necessary to give up all unprocessed, whole carbohydrate sources (such as the fruits and starchy vegetables mentioned above), but cutting out processed foods, sweeteners, and even grains may benefit you in the following ways:

Faster weight loss and usually easier to maintain a healthy weight. Since glucose from carbohydrates is no longer available as an energy source, the body will use stored fat in the body instead of the fat and protein consumed through food.
More satiation from food, decreased hunger and cravings (especially carbohydrate-rich foods and sweets).
Normalization of blood sugar levels. This is due to better control of insulin and glucose spikes. For a pre-diabetic or diabetic condition, this may be the difference between preventing symptoms or avoiding complications.
Neuroprotective effects, improved cognitive performance, including reduced brain fog or lack of energy, improved memory later in life, and improvement of symptoms of epilepsy.
In some cases - improved hormonal balance. This often results in improved sleep, less fatigue, relief from pain or muscle weakness, and improved overall tone.
Reduces bone loss and the risk of developing osteoporosis.
For athletes, this provides possible beneficial changes in weight and physique, as well as an increase in the relative values of maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) and oxygen uptake at lactate threshold (VO2 LT).
In some cases, the risk of cardiovascular disease or metabolic syndrome is reduced by normalizing blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels.

Wondering what types of foods you should really avoid if you're following a low-carb diet? They're higher in things like sweeteners, flours, and thickeners, so cutting them out will help keep your carb intake low:

If you want to eat truly low-carb, avoid grains (including wheat, barley, oats, rice and other whole grains). This also applies to all products made from grain flour, such as bread, cakes, cookies, chips, cereals, muffins, pasta, etc.
Sugar and products containing artificial sweeteners or added sugar (honey, cane sugar, coconut sugar, etc.)
Most store-bought fruits and fruit juices (with the exception of lime and lemon juice, these have a lot of added sugar)
Most prepared seasonings, sauces or packet mixes typically contain sugar.
Alcohol, soda and other sweetened drinks.
If you want to completely cut out carbs (if you're on, say, a ketogenic diet), also avoid most dairy products, such as yogurt, ricotta, or cottage cheese. High-fat, low-carb cheeses are often included in low-carb diets because they contain very few carbohydrates.

Remember that no matter how many carbohydrates you plan to consume per day, it is helpful to be intentional about consuming more natural foods and fewer processed foods.

It’s best to experiment with an extremely low-carbohydrate diet for a certain period of time, but in the long term (based on how you plan to eat forever), keep in mind that you need to eat a variety of plant foods that contain at least some amount of carbohydrates.

To maintain a long-term therapeutic diet, you need to really understand how many carbohydrates per day, given a balanced diet, you can consume without the risk of gaining weight or developing other health problems. You should use this information about your personal individual biochemistry to help you maintain a balanced diet - one that includes healthy proteins and fats, as well as fresh vegetables, fruits and even starchy vegetables, legumes or grains if they suit you.

Examples of Low Carb Meals

Breakfast

Country style eggs

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

151 calories
46.8 g protein
10.4 g fat
1.7 g sugar

Try a hearty breakfast dish: Mexican-style country eggs. This dish includes ground meat, eggs, peppers and spices, served on a tortilla with fresh tomatoes, avocado and cilantro. This low-carb meal will give your day a healthy protein start, keeping you energized and full until lunchtime.

Dinner

Shredded cauliflower

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 1/3 cups):

108 calories
9 g protein
3 g fat
1 g sugar

Shredded cauliflower is a quick and healthy alternative to rice that will become your new favorite lunch item. Chop the cauliflower and place in a blender or food processor to create a crumbly mixture. Add eggs for protein, ghee as a healthier replacement for butter, onions and garlic, and you have a simple, tasty and healthy dish.

Dinner

Salmon with pecans and pesto

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

140 calories
17 g protein
5 g fat
2 g sugar

This quick and easy dish takes just 25 minutes to prepare. Salmon with Pecans and Pesto is rich in omega-3 fats and healthy protein, and it's an amazing dish you'll want to come back for. To complete the picture, serve it with a salad of leafy greens.

Key Takeaways About Low-Carb Eating

Low-carb diets can help you lose weight faster and can potentially help with certain health conditions, such as sugar addiction, brain fog, fatigue, and the risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes.
Low-carb foods include non-starchy vegetables (such as leafy greens or cruciferous vegetables), healthy fats such as coconut or olive oil, butter and hard cheeses, meats, seafood and eggs. Moderate carbohydrate foods include nuts, seeds, legumes, legumes and some starchy vegetables.
Depending on your overall health and goals, it is not always necessary to completely cut out healthy sources of carbohydrates such as fruits or starchy vegetables. In some cases, soaked grains and legumes (which are higher in carbohydrates) can be included in a balanced diet consisting primarily of low-carbohydrate foods.
What can you make with low carb foods? Recipes that contain no added sugar, refined grains, or artificial sweeteners include protein shakes, smoothies, salads, slow cooker meals, fajitas, burgers or meatballs, and more.

In diabetes mellitus, almost all organs are affected, but the development of the disease is associated with disruption of the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes mellitus develops in people mainly after 40 years of age.

Predisposing factors: sedentary lifestyle, bad habits, unhealthy diet.

As a result, people develop obesity and cells lose sensitivity to insulin. Because of this, glucose levels in the blood increase. A low-carb diet helps people lose weight, improve metabolism and regulate sugar.

Principles of Low Carbohydrate Nutrition

A low-carbohydrate diet is prescribed for type 2 diabetes. The main principle is to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the diet to 100 - 125 grams per day or 10 - 12 bread units.

But it is important to understand that a complete absence of carbohydrates is also dangerous to health. Our body needs glucose to produce energy. Therefore, every person needs carbohydrate food. The diet should be dominated by “correct” carbohydrates. An individual nutrition plan is selected for diabetics.

It will depend on many factors:

body mass index;
average blood sugar levels;
presence of complications of diabetes mellitus.

The basic principles of a low-carb diet include:

Fractional meals in small portions. This means that a person should eat 6 times a day, preferably at the same time.
The main calorie content of meals should come from breakfast and lunch, and dinner should be light and low in calories.
Complete rejection of sweet and fatty foods.
Half of the daily diet should be protein.

It will take about 2 weeks to rebuild the body. After this time, the person may feel improvement. Weight will begin to decrease, the constant feeling of hunger will disappear, and blood sugar levels will improve.

In addition to the positive aspects, there are also negative factors that can cause health problems. These include “hungry” acetone.

The appearance of ketones in the urine is associated with insufficient carbohydrate intake by the body.

In order for the body to function normally, it needs energy, which it receives by processing carbohydrates.

If few carbohydrates enter the body with food, the liver begins to release its reserves - glycogen - into the blood. For some time it becomes the main source of energy.

After the liver has given up all its reserves, it will begin to release fats into the blood. Their breakdown also produces some energy, but along with it, ketones are also formed - these are products of the breakdown of fats. They are a kind of poison for the body and lead to disruption of all organs and systems. A so-called ketoacidotic coma develops.

Signs of ketoacidosis are:

high blood sugar;
constant feeling of thirst;
nausea and vomiting;
smell of baked apples from the mouth.

To determine whether there are ketones in your urine, you need to have special test strips with you. By immersing the control zone in urine, you can get the result in 1 minute.

A low-calorie diet can cause a decrease in sodium, potassium and calcium in the body. Because of this, problems with the kidneys and heart may occur, and the patient may complain of insomnia.

Main Product List

Reducing the amount of carbohydrates does not mean that a person will starve. His diet should contain a small amount of carbohydrates, proteins, as well as vitamins and minerals.

The diet must include meat. It can be lean beef or poultry; it is allowed to eat offal. You need to be careful when handling semi-finished meat products.

You can often see some amount of carbohydrates in sausages and sausages. Seafood is also good for your diet. They are a source of many vitamins and microelements. But it is not recommended to eat canned fish and crab sticks.

Vegetables are the main food on a low-carb diet. Almost all of them do not contain carbohydrates or contain them in small quantities. The exception is potatoes, the consumption of which should be limited.

Carrots and beets contain some carbohydrates, but they have a low glycemic index, which means they are safe to eat.

Cucumbers, different types of cabbage, turnips and radishes are the most suitable vegetables for the diet. They contain few fast carbohydrates, but a lot of fiber and various vitamins.

Fruits are also allowed to be consumed in a low-carb diet. The exceptions are bananas and fruit juices.

Despite the fact that all fruits contain carbohydrates, their glycemic index is low or medium. This means that they break down in the body for a long time, do not sharply increase blood sugar and are not stored in fat.

Pears and apples are faithful companions of such a diet. It is also allowed to eat papayas, pineapples, plums and apricots. They have an average glycemic index, and they also promote weight loss.

Detailed menu with recipes for the week

A similar weekly menu is suitable for both men and women.

Monday:

Breakfast: Boiled egg, 2 tbsp. l. buckwheat porridge, 60 g low-fat cottage cheese, 30 g bread, green tea.
2nd breakfast: orange 170 grams.
Lunch: green vegetable salad, borscht, 120 g of boiled rice, steamed cutlet, 30 g of bread. The steam cutlet is prepared as follows: take minced chicken and beef, mix. Add 1 small potato, previously soaked in water, to the minced meat. This is necessary to reduce the amount of starch. Then onion, salt, and black pepper are added to the minced meat. Cutlets are formed. Cook in a steam bath for 30 minutes.
Afternoon snack: 250 ml milk.
Dinner: 120 g of beans + fried meat weighing up to 100 g, 30 g of bread.
2nd dinner: apple 100 g.

Breakfast: 2 tbsp. l. spoons of oatmeal porridge, 30 g of bread and butter, green tea.
2 breakfast: apple 100 g.
Lunch: vegetable salad, pickle soup, stewed cabbage, 30 g of bread, dried fruit compote without sugar.
Afternoon snack: unsweetened tea + 90 g hazelnuts.
Dinner: baked zucchini with cheese, 30 g of bread, green tea. To prepare baked zucchini, you need to cut the zucchini into cubes, add finely chopped herbs to them, add salt and mix. Pour into dry pan. Pour beaten egg on top and place in the oven. After 25 minutes, remove, sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake for another 10 minutes.
2nd dinner: fruit jelly.

Breakfast: 2 tbsp. l. spoons of pearl barley porridge, 30 g of bread, cheese, tea.
2nd breakfast: 200 ml of kefir.
Lunch: green vegetable salad, pea soup, 2 tbsp. l. spoons of noodles, boiled rabbit meat, tea.
Afternoon snack: 200 ml orange juice. You can drink fruit juices, but only those made at home, without added sugar.
Dinner: boiled chicken breast + stewed vegetables, 30 g of bread, unsweetened tea.
2nd dinner: glass of milk, cracker.

Breakfast: 2 tbsp. l. spoons of rice porridge, apple juice, 30 g of bread, tea.
2nd breakfast: cheese sandwich, unsweetened tea.
Lunch: vegetable salad, rice soup, 2 tbsp. l. buckwheat porridge with meat, 30 g of bread, tea.
Afternoon snack: 3 plums.
Dinner: stewed broccoli with pollock, 30 g of bread, unsweetened green tea.
2 dinner: 1 glass. Ryazhenka

Breakfast: two cheesecakes with a total weight of no more than 150 g, tea.
2nd breakfast: fruit jelly.
Lunch: vegetable salad, noodle soup, minced meat and cabbage cutlet, 30 g of bread, dried fruit compote.
Afternoon snack: ice cream 2/3 serving.
Dinner: 3 tbsp. l. mashed potatoes, 100 g steamed fish, 30 g bread, tea.
2 dinner: 1 glass. kefir

Breakfast: 2 tbsp. l. buckwheat porridge, cheese, tea.
2 breakfast: 3 apricots.
Lunch: vegetable salad, buckwheat soup, 2 tbsp. l. boiled pasta with steam cutlet, 30 g of bread, tea.
Afternoon snack: cottage cheese with fruit 50 g.
Dinner: pea porridge with sausage, 30 g of bread, green tea.
2nd dinner: mug of milk + cracker

Sunday:

Breakfast: two pancakes, tea.
2nd breakfast: banana.
Lunch: vegetable green salad, vegetarian cabbage soup, 4 tbsp. l. pilaf, 30 g bread.
Afternoon snack: apple.
Dinner: Vegetable stew, boiled chicken, 30 g of bread, herbal tea.
2nd dinner: Sandwich with sausage, tea.

The sample menu is very convenient for women for every day. All dishes and recipes for their preparation are simple and do not require serious expenses.

You should completely exclude from your diet:

sugar;
jam;
baking;
alcoholic drinks - they worsen metabolism, increase hunger and help slow down the process of losing weight;
carbonated drinks;
fast food.

Contraindications and precautions

This diet should not be used:

Pregnant women, as well as during breastfeeding.
Children and teenagers. Persons in these categories need a large amount of energy to maintain normal functioning. Low carbohydrate intake may make the condition worse.
Persons engaged in heavy physical and mental labor and athletes. They also need to consume large amounts of carbohydrates to maintain their own health.
Diseases of the digestive system are a contraindication to various diets. Their use is permitted only after consultation with a doctor.

Low-carbohydrate nutrition involves following some rules:

You need to consume large amounts of water. It improves metabolism and dulls the feeling of hunger.
Since a low-carbohydrate diet causes a lack of certain microelements in the body, they need to be obtained additionally in the form of vitamin-mineral complexes.
Physical activity is allowed only 2 weeks after starting the diet. This is due to the fact that the body is being rebuilt and it needs time for this. It is also important to remember that you cannot perform strenuous exercise while on a low-carb diet. Yoga, morning exercises or visiting the pool are perfect. Before classes, you should have a high-quality snack with slow carbohydrates so that they supply the body with energy for a long time.

A low-calorie diet is a great way to improve the body's metabolism and normalize weight. This is central to the treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Following a diet will help prolong the life of a patient with diabetes and prevent the development of serious complications.

Video about diet for diabetes:

What results can you expect?

Long-term low-carbohydrate nutrition improves metabolism, helps reduce weight, and improves the functioning of all organs and systems of the body. From reviews of people who follow a low-carb diet, we can conclude that it really works.

At age 53, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and put on a low-carb diet. At first it was very difficult: I constantly felt hungry and became irritable. But after two weeks my condition improved, I began to study tables of bread units and the glycemic index and was able to create my own menu. At home, I constantly measure my blood sugar, and it stays around 5 - 9 mmol/l. The excess weight also began to go away; in a month of dieting I lost 1.5 kg.

Karina, 56 years old

At the age of 38, my husband was diagnosed with insulin resistance and stage 2 obesity. The doctor said that if he did not change his lifestyle and diet, he would need to take insulin in the near future. I had to study all the information about the low carb diet and create my own menu. Now our whole family eats right. My husband is losing weight and going to the pool. We hope that there will be no injections.

Elena, 37 years old

I have type 1 diabetes with a tendency to ketoacidosis. This means that I should eat at least 12 bread units per day. When compiling my menu, I take this data into account and distribute the amount of carbohydrates throughout the day. In my diet, I try not to use sugar, chocolate, baked goods and other foods with a high glycemic index. Diet No. 9 only seems very strict at first, but in fact it provides a person with a huge variety of foods and dishes that can be eaten. For example, if I want to eat more porridge for breakfast, then I don't eat bread. Thus, the number of bread units remains the same.

Lose weight up to 5 kg in 7 days.
The average daily calorie content is 680 Kcal.

All experienced losers know that a diet excessively rich in carbohydrates can easily provoke the appearance of excess weight. Reducing the menu of products that contain these substances in abundance, with proper planning of the diet, helps to get rid of unnecessary fat.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with a low-carb diet lasting 1 week. The carbohydrates included in her diet provide the body with the amount necessary for weight loss and at the same time does not cause serious stress to the body. In 7 days of living on a low-carbohydrate diet, you can get rid of 5 or more kilograms, significantly improving your shape.

Low Carb Diet Requirements

First, let's learn about the prohibitions. What foods should you not eat on a low-carbohydrate diet if you want to achieve tangible results? Of course, we exclude from the menu foods that contain a lot of carbohydrates, the excessive amount of which we run away from. Bakery products, pasta (even from durum wheat), and various types of confectionery products immediately fall under distribution. A strong no must be said to any carbonated drinks that contain sugar. If you use them, they will instantly shift your weight loss achievements to a less significant direction.

You should not drink liquids that contain alcohol. In addition to the harm they cause to the body as a whole, their consumption interferes with the processes of fat breakdown and also reduces the effectiveness of weight loss.

Potatoes, grapes and bananas are not at all held in high esteem on a low-carb diet (starch is not our friend now). It is also recommended to refrain from salty, smoked foods, marinades, etc. Although they contain few calories and are not on the list of prohibitions, they can retain salt in the body. And it is better to significantly limit salt consumption on a diet so as not to interfere with weight loss.

Now let's move on to a happier topic. What is recommended to focus on when low-carb weight loss?

Any types of lean meat (chicken fillet, turkey, goose, beef, veal, pork).

Fish and seafood. Sea fish is especially suitable, as it is considered a very healthy dietary product due to its content of unsaturated fatty acids. Eat salmon, salmon, tuna, cod, herring, halibut, mackerel. The choice of tasty sea creatures is huge. It is worth eating shrimp, crabs, mussels, oysters, but make sure that they are not seasoned with oil (as is often the case in store-bought versions).

Dairy and fermented milk products. Include cottage cheese (preferably no more than 2-3% fat) and cheese with minimal fat content, low-fat kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, and milk in your diet.

Chicken eggs are great for satisfying hunger and are a wonderful source of healthy protein.

Of the cereals in the diet, you should only leave brown rice, buckwheat and oatmeal (it’s best to eat it for breakfast).

Vegetables. Anything is possible except potatoes. Focus on green products.

Fruits. Mainly eat apples and citrus fruits. Grapefruits, famous for their weight loss abilities, are especially recommended.

Drinks: clean drinking water (at least 1.5 liters daily), tea and coffee without sugar (their quantity is at your request).

As for fats, it is better to be content with those that are found naturally in foods. Sometimes it's okay to add a few drops of oil to stew vegetables or salad dressing, but don't overdo it. Fats now need to be cut.

On a low-carb diet, 3 main meals are prescribed, including an afternoon snack. Try to have breakfast in the first hour after getting up to jump-start your dormant metabolism, and stop eating 3-4 hours before bed.

The low-carb system works as follows. Limiting the right carbohydrates and avoiding harmful ones found in sweets and similar foods helps prevent the release of insulin into the blood. This, due to the breakdown of fats, provokes weight loss. Hence such good results in a fairly short period of time.

It should be noted that you need to exit a diet based on cutting carbohydrates gradually and in a special way, taking into account its specifics. In the first post-diet period, if you do not want the weight to return, you need to continue to use low-fat protein products as the basis of your diet. Add a few more fruits and vegetables per day (also non-starchy types). Then increase, by displacing something from protein products, the amount of slow carbohydrates (in the form of cereals). When you are sure that the weight is behaving well and staying the same, you can try to reintroduce simple carbohydrates into the diet, allowing a tasty sandwich or some sweets.

But don’t forget to weigh yourself and don’t indulge in what was previously forbidden. Try to consume the most high-calorie foods in the first half of the day. Build your menu as rationally as possible, including all healthy foods in moderation.

Of course, sports are also welcome. It's good if training can become your norm of life. This is the only way to consolidate and improve the results obtained for a long time.

Sample low-carb diet menu for 7 days

You can, starting from it, eat other permitted foods, leaving the same number of meals and the same weight of dishes.

Day 1
Breakfast: 200 g of cottage cheese, to which you can add some allowed fruit; tea or coffee.
Lunch: about 150 g of stewed fish and several vegetables, stewed or baked.
Dinner: a serving of wild rice with stewed vegetables (up to 200 g).

Day 2
Breakfast: an omelette of two chicken eggs, cooked in a dry frying pan or in a double boiler, with several slices of lean ham or fillet of meat; tea or coffee.
Lunch: boiled beef (up to 200 g); fresh vegetable salad or vegetables separately.
Dinner: low-fat meat or mushroom soup.
If you are hungry, it is permissible to drink 200 ml of low-fat kefir before going to bed.

Day 3
Breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cheese or cottage cheese; fruit; Tea coffee).
Lunch: 200 g of boiled chicken fillet plus a few tablespoons of stewed cabbage.
Dinner: a serving of vegetable soup made from non-starchy foods.

Day 4
Breakfast: oatmeal with water; tea or coffee.
Lunch: chicken fillet (200 g) boiled or baked; several vegetables.
Dinner: buckwheat porridge (serving up to 200 g).

Day 5
Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs; several slices of hard cheese or 100 g of cottage cheese; coffee or tea.
Lunch: up to 200 g of baked lean pork and a vegetable salad.
Dinner: allowed stewed vegetables.
Before going to bed, it is permissible to drink 200 ml of low-fat kefir.

Day 6
Breakfast: 2 boiled chicken eggs; a glass of natural yogurt or other fermented milk product; Tea coffee).
Lunch: a bowl of soup from any permitted product, plus a few vegetables for a side dish.
Dinner: 200 g of boiled or baked fish.

Day 7
Breakfast: buckwheat cooked in low-fat milk; tea or coffee.
Lunch: a portion of fish baked with your favorite vegetables.
Dinner: a portion of stewed vegetables.
Let's take kefir at night.

Note. You can eat the permitted fruit for an afternoon snack on all days. If you’re not hungry without it, you can skip this snack. Listen to your body.

Contraindications for a low-carb diet

Whatever your fighting spirit for losing weight, you need to take into account your health condition and the contraindications described below.

Nutrition experts do not advise teenagers, and especially children, to go on such a diet. Their vulnerable body is just developing, and a lack of carbohydrates in the diet can cause health problems.

Contraindications also include pregnancy and breastfeeding.

People who have chronic diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, liver disease, cardiovascular disease) should not go on a diet without specific consultation with a specialist.

It is quite possible that it will be permissible for you to correct your figure using a low-carb system, but with some changes in the menu, which can only be determined by a qualified doctor.

Benefits of a Low Carb Diet

The low-carb system has many advantages, which is why it is so popular among people striving for ideal shape.

She also makes sports people happy. Even professional athletes often turn to low-carb methods for help. No wonder. After all, when you follow its rules, it is the hated fat that goes away, but the muscles are preserved. People can fully train and make their body attractive and sculpted.

Another nice bonus is that you don’t have to tediously count calories. Just eat moderately, and the weight will go away.

If some of your previous diets did not allow you to fully lose weight due to hunger attacks, then you will be able to withstand the low-carb diet. You just need to try a little. After all, protein products perfectly saturate the body, and the portions on the diet are not meager, but suitable for properly satisfying hunger. Many people manage without any problems even without a permitted snack.

The selection of products is quite varied. Every day you can vary the menu and eat something new. And you don't need to eat tasteless foods. With a little imagination, you can cook something tasty, satisfying, healthy and, most importantly, help you lose weight.

If you don’t pounce on carbohydrates after a diet and smoothly exit it, the results obtained can be maintained for a long time.

Disadvantages of a Low Carb Diet

The diet contains virtually no glucose, which the body needs to function properly. Its deficiency can affect mental abilities. You may notice that it has become more difficult to collect your thoughts, you have to strain your memory, and sometimes your reaction speed slows down. This fact will be felt especially acutely by those with a sweet tooth, who previously ate more than enough products containing glucose. The fact of the absence of sweets, even in the form of honey and dried fruits, can also affect the mood of those with a sweet tooth, causing longing for their favorite foods and a desire to quit the diet without finishing what they started.

Eating predominantly protein foods can cause excessive stress on the kidneys, as well as on the cardiovascular system. This is due to insufficient potassium intake, which is observed with this diet.

The amount of bad cholesterol in the blood may also increase, which also has a significant impact on the body. To minimize the chance of harm, do not continue a low-carb diet longer than recommended and do not cut your diet more than recommended.

It is also worth noting that ketone bodies, which are produced due to the abundance of protein in the diet, help flush fat from the body. Thus, they can capture other useful substances that are precisely necessary for the proper functioning of all organs and systems. Because of this, people notice weakness, experience insomnia and even dizziness. In this case, stop and consult a doctor. It is likely that you should not lose weight on this diet; it is fraught with health complications.

Although a low-carbohydrate diet cannot be called hungry, it cannot boast a balanced set of essential vitamins, micro and macroelements. So it won’t be superfluous to help the body with a vitamin-mineral complex.

Repeated low-carb diet

This food, if used frequently, can cause protein intoxication in the body. Therefore, experts strongly do not recommend repeating it more often than once a month.