Carb Commando - Food Low In Carbs

Food Low In Carbs

It sounds so messed up to believe that foods that are high in fat and protein can help you lose weight. But that's the premise of most diets that are low in carbs. Why does it work? Read on....

Food Low in Carbs but High in Protein and Fat Helps You Lose Weight

In a nutshell, when you replace the food in your diet with food low in carbs, your body doesn't have the carbs to use for energy anymore. Instead, it uses fat for fuel. This is a process known as ketosis. Bear in mind that switching to a diet that's mainly low carbs is going to be something to get used to. Most people only need 200-275 grams of carbs a day to lose weight or maintain their current weight, but most diets that focus on low carbs mean it--the first two weeks you can't have more than 20 grams of carbs a day. This is what sends your body into ketosis and helps you lose weight. During this time, people tend to feel tired, grumpy nauseated, gassy and have bad breath. But hey--whatever works, right? And if you choose a low carb diet, and it works, adding carbs back in can be tricky. You have to make sure the carbs you add are good carbs, also known as complex carbohydrates. These are carbs that keep you feeling full or satisfied longer than bad carbs, also known as simple carbohydrates.

So what can you have? Check it out:

Meat
Cheese - (But avoid lower fat or fat-free versions.There are more carbs in these foods to compensate for the lack of flavor due to the missing fat.)
Eggs
Nuts

If you think this approach is a bit to drastic, consider replacing foods you currently include in your diet with food low in carbs. This is actually easier than you think, and you truly won't notice a change in the taste. Here are just a few ways to can replace high carb foods with food low in carbs:

Switch from white bread to whole wheat bread. (You may notice a slight taste difference here, but not a huge one.)
Switch from regular pasta to whole wheat pasta. (No flavor or texture difference.)
Switch from white rice to brown rice.
Replace white flour with wheat flour.
Limit your intake of potatoes. Replace mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. (Although cauliflower is a vegetable, it's not a starchy one like potatoes or corn or peas, so it qualifies as food low in carbs.)
Keep a supply of precut vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, celery and cucumbers on hand for snacking.

If you're looking for a more comprehensive list of food low in carbs, it's a good idea to get a book that lists most foods. Start your search at www.carbs.com. No matter what you decide--low carbs or no carbs, just remember that low in carb food doesn't have to taste bad, there is plenty of food low in carbs that will satisfy anyone's appetite.

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