Menus and rules for a low-carb diet for slimming men and women

If the diets were nominated for an Oscar, then a low-carb would get it in all categories. Why? In this article we will analyze this power system in detail.

Imagine you don’t need to go hungry by eating only two peas per day, you can eat almost everything except harmful to body carbohydrates, and you will soon see your body in relief. This diet is good for health. She is considered the most harmless and effective. This is not even a diet, but rather, proper nutrition.

According to nutritionists, carbohydrates are not in trend today. Exactly their excess is deposited directly in fat. And subcutaneous fat does not carry yourself any useful properties, except, maybe one, warm you in severe frost. But for this you have a stylish down jacket, it is so?

Carbohydrates, of course, are needed by our body, but not in such the amount in which we consume them. If you undress, stand up to the mirror “nude” and, evaluating your figure, decide that you have something to lose, then this diet is for you.

• The essence and basic rules of diet
• Glucose maintenance
• Problems with high blood sugar
• What is the glycemic index?
• Differences Between Low-Carb Diets
  • High-fat, low-carb diet (ketogenic)
  • High-protein low-carb diet
• How to eat a low-carb diet?
  • What can I eat on a low-carb diet?
    • Healthy fats
    • Quality proteins
    • Non-starchy vegetables
    • Milk products
    • What can I eat for a snack?
    • Seasonings
    • The drinks
  • What you can eat in limited quantities
  • What can’t you eat on a low-carb diet?
• One week menu example
• Benefits of a Low-Carb Diet
• The risks
• Exit the diet and save the result
  • Carbohydrate-free diet
• The opinion of nutritionists
• Minced Meat Casserole with Cheese for a Low Calorie Diet
• Fish with herbs
• Diet Results and Reviews
  • The result of following a low-carb diet for 55 days.
• Before and after photos
  • Two-month reviews

The essence and basic rules of diet

A low-carb diet limits carbohydrate intake. TO such foods include sugar, cereals, starchy vegetables and fruits – and emphasis is placed on foods rich in protein and fats.

Low carb diets are nothing new. They were used in medicine for many different purposes for a long time, more than a hundred years, and they are based on dozens of years of research, their positive Properties include:

• rapid weight loss;
• decreased hunger;
• sugar and insulin control;
• improved mental abilities;
• reduced risk of heart disease;
• reduced risk of cancer.

The benefits of low-carb diets are provided due to restrictions, or even complete removal of glucose from the diet. Glucose and the molecules that transform into it are in all carbohydrate foods, whether cereals, beans, potatoes, fruits or sweets.

How does low-carb nutrition work? It is effective because the body quickly wastes all glucose, and when its supply wasted, he begins to burn fat – either the one that comes with food, or your subcutaneous supply.

Our body is used to working on glucose and sugar, but cannot produce them. He can only store sugar for one day, in the liver. When this supply is depleted, and carbohydrates are not with food come, the body has to switch to fat reserves. Exactly therefore, a low-carb diet and allows you to lose fat so quickly and improve health in a short time.

Not getting carbohydrates with food, your body will have to spend your own fat stored in fat depots on black day.

That is, for your body, this deficiency of carbohydrates, which you Arrange for him, and it will be a rainy day. Accumulated body fat will melt, and after a while you will become the owner a beautiful figure.

Glucose maintenance

Low-carb diets are designed to reduce glucose in blood. In addition to losing weight, we also try to get healthy sugar level. To fully understand this connection, you must first familiarize yourself with the process of maintaining blood sugar and even understand how diabetes affects this level.

Sugar is just a form of carbohydrate. Any source of carbohydrates – be it rice, jam, beans or watermelon – will inevitably turn into our body into sugar due to metabolism. It is this process causes a rise in blood glucose.

Carbohydrates in many types of starchy foods, potatoes and bread, for example, just a chain of glucose molecules that quickly fall apart in the body into individual molecules.

When the sugar level rises, our body begins to secrete insulin to stabilize it. Sugar is taken from the blood and turns into fat. Diabetics, for example, are unable to balance blood sugar when food is being digested.

When sugar is high, pancreatic cells cannot effectively secrete insulin. Then the iron tries to compensate and begins to work hard. Now insulin level remains high, like sugar level. Over time, the pancreas receives irreparable damage, as a result of which damage is caused and other systems, such as circulatory.

Problems with high blood sugar

For many people, this process works fine. But for some people have a moment when a glitch appears. it called insulin insensitivity. As a result, the pancreas secretes excess insulin, trying to reduce sugar level.

When a person has excess insulin, he begins to gain weight, so as the main function of this hormone is the storage of fat. With another On the other hand, such people lose weight more easily on a low-carb diet.

Maintaining normal glucose levels has other benefits. properties. For example, a stable glucose level is associated with low risk of heart disease and diabetes. Even people without diabetes have increased risk of heart disease if they have a high level glucose.

What is the glycemic index?

This is a relative measure of the effects of carbohydrates in foods. nutrition for changes in blood glucose levels, the body’s response to form of carbohydrate. The highest GI has white wheat bread and baked goods – 100, and the lowest parsley – 5.

However, remember that serving size matters. Consuming large amounts of low glycemic foods index will also raise blood glucose. Therefore often it’s easier just to limit food intake with a lot carbohydrate intake following a low-carb diet.

Some types of low-carb diets, such as ketogenic, do not not only very effective for weight loss, but also improve all aspects health: normalize sugar levels, neurological health, hormonal balance.

Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

High-fat, low-carb diet (ketogenic)

Ketogenic is a fat-rich diet that removes almost everything. sources of glucose in the diet to put the body in a state ketosis. The body will use as fuel mainly fat.

The ketogenic diet has been used as a cure for many years. many heart diseases and problems with the nervous system.

When you follow a ketogenic diet, you consume about 75 % its calories from healthy fats, 5% with carbohydrates and 20% protein.

The ketogenic menu allows you to eat no more than 20-30 grams carbohydrates per day. But if you eat vegetables, that is, you can more because fiber is not considered carbohydrate.

Although this method is a good solution for many people, some will still get better results if they add to diet a few carbohydrates once a week.

High-protein low-carb diet

Generally speaking, people who do not control their diet, get an average of 15-25% of calories with protein.

If you choose a high-protein version of a low-carb diet, then 40% of your energy will come from proteins, 20% or less from carbohydrates and 40% of fat. It is desirable to include in each meal enough protein from a healthy source, such as meat or fishes.

The main difference between high-fat and high-protein modes nutrition – in the amount of protein that you get with food.

How to eat a low-carb diet?

How much carbohydrate can you consume? Depending on the varieties of diet, you can get from them up to 30% of calories.

Table: the ratio of BJU with a low-carb diet for women and men.

	Daily calorie intake
	Women	Men
Calories	120 0 kcal	150 0 kcal
Protein g	120	150
Fats g	47	58
Carbohydrates g	75	93

Now let’s talk about what should be excluded from the diet.

The first thing you should do is remove all large sources of carbohydrates and sugar – these will be: sweets and sweetened drinks, then cereals, fruits, and maybe beans and peas. At the same Watch out to get enough calories from healthy fats and quality proteins. Following these simple rules, many people notice rapid weight loss and improved overall health.

Keep in mind that everyone reacts differently to different diets, and There is no single option that would suit everyone.

Factors such as age and gender, genetics and weight, quantity activity and purpose – all this affects your well-being when you trying to lose weight.

Therefore, you must take care of yourself if you are going to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the diet. Find the deal that suits you best likes everything and is best for your body. it allows you to avoid fatigue and impulsive desire to break loose and eat sweet or flour.

What can I eat on a low-carb diet?

Low Content Products Added To Recommended List carbohydrates that do not cause a sharp jump in insulin in the blood.

1. Healthy fats

Many types of foods rich in healthy fats are almost free. carbohydrates, especially those that we list below. Fats need include in large quantities throughout the day.

Healthy fats are saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. It is especially useful to add omega-3s to your diet. It’s best to include all types of fats in your diet.

Coconut Oil, Olive, Flaxseed, Avocado, Butter butter and ghee are all good, healthy alternatives.

2. Quality proteins

Animal proteins, such as fish and meat, almost do not contain carbohydrates. They can be eaten as much as necessary to control hunger. Choose organic meat, as the fats in it are more healthy and healthy.

Fatty beef contains omega-3s, and in large quantities, therefore try to choose it. Also very useful in this. plan the liver. Eggs, especially yolks, are also a wonderful source, like protein and healthy fat. And, of course, all kinds of fish, especially tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines.

3. Non-starchy vegetables

All leafy green vegetables, such as young beet tops, mustard and turnips, sorrel and parsley. Also cabbage, spinach and broccoli, cucumber and onions. Bean sprouts and asparagus, radishes and Tomatoes

4. Milk products

Dairy products should be consumed sometimes, as they contains natural sugar. But hard cheese can be eaten when anything, because there’s almost no carbohydrates in it, and protein and fat comparatively much.

5. What can I eat for a snack?

• Protein shake;
• Beef jerky;
• Boiled eggs;
• Vegetable salad dressing;
• Avocado or salmon;
• Chicken breast with lettuce leaves.

6. Seasonings

You can use vinegar, unsweetened mustard, cocoa powder, vanilla, stevia.

7. The drinks

Water, unsweetened coffee, sugar-free black or green tea, and unsweetened vegetable juice.

What you can eat in limited quantities

You should eat less sugary or carbohydrate vegetables, which include sweet peas, artichokes, carrots, beets and potatoes. Also less need to eat beans and dairy products, for example, kefir or yogurt.

What can’t you eat on a low-carb diet?

1. Any kind of sugar:

• White, brown and cane types of sugar, as well as fructose;
• Honey;
• Any types of syrup;
• Any food containing glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose and lactose free.

2. Cereals:

One slice of bread may contain up to 30 grams of pure carbohydrates! Cereals from cereals contain about 15-35 grams of carbohydrates per 50 g of dry product, depending on the type of cereals.

Cereals include:

• Wheat, oats and all kinds of rice (white or brown) quinoa, couscous, pilaf;
• Corn and all products containing it, such as popcorn and hominy;
• All flour products, such as bread, pastries and pasta.

3. Almost all processed foods:

• Crackers, pretzels and chips;
• All sweets;
• All desserts (ice cream, cakes, pies);
• Pancakes, waffles and quick breakfasts;
• Oatmeal and granola;
• Canned soups.

Not categorically: all food items with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame. Also, do not eat food with preservatives, dyes or taste enhancers.

4. Sweet and high-calorie drinks:

• Cola and the like;
• Alcohol (beer, wine and liquor);
• Sweet teas or coffee;
• Milk and its substitutes, such as soy milk, and cream;
• Fruit juices.

One week menu example

Every day you will receive 50 grams of carbohydrates. But if you healthy and lead an active lifestyle, you can consume them and a little more.

Monday:

• Breakfast: omelet from two eggs with various vegetables, a cup of coffee without Sahara;
• Snack: 150 g of cottage cheese, apple;
• Lunch: chicken breast with vegetables, yogurt with blueberries and a handful almonds, sugar free green tea;
• Dinner: vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers) with cheese and salsa sauce.

Tuesday:

• Breakfast: two boiled eggs, coffee with cream without sugar, orange;
• Snack: a handful of nuts, yogurt;
• Lunch: fish stuffed with vegetables, cheese, apple;
• Dinner: salmon with olive oil and vegetables, tea without sugar.

Wednesday:

• Breakfast: eggs with vegetables, coffee;
• Snack: cottage cheese, half an avocado;
• Lunch: shrimp salad dressed with olive oil, fish boiled tea;
• Dinner: fried chicken with vegetables.

Thursday:

• Breakfast: omelet with various vegetables, coffee, grapefruit;
• Snack: smoothie with coconut milk, berries, nuts and protein powder;
• Lunch: chicken breast with cucumber and tomato salad with herbs, tea;
• Dinner: steak and vegetables.

Friday:

• Breakfast: eggs, cottage cheese, coffee;
• Snack: a handful of nuts, avocados;
• Lunch: chicken salad seasoned with olive oil, orange;
• Dinner: pork with vegetables.

Saturday:

• Breakfast: scrambled eggs seasoned with any vegetables, coffee;
• Snack: yogurt made from natural milk with coconut shavings;
• Lunch: fish stew with vegetables, orange;
• Dinner: meatballs with vegetables, cottage cheese.

Sunday:

• Breakfast: eggs with bacon and coffee;
• Snack: smoothie with protein powder and any berries;
• Lunch: steak with stewed cabbage and onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, green tea;
• Dinner: fried chicken wings with spinach, cottage cheese.

Include more non-carbohydrate vegetables in your diet. If you trying to eat less than 50 g of carbohydrates per day, then for healthy vegetables and one fruit you have a place left.

If you are generally healthy and exercise regularly, you you can add some potatoes and some healthy cereals, for example, oatmeal.

What else can you have between meals? Scoop protein powder will provide you with 24 g of protein, a minimum of carbohydrates and 100 calories

Diet:

• Eat fractionally;
• Avoid long breaks between meals;
• Drink enough;
• Prefer stewing, boiling.

Benefits of a Low-Carb Diet

1. Fast weight loss

When it comes time to lose weight, a person begins to count calories, but you should control and where these calories come from. Attention to types of food and the ratio of BZHU can work wonders. Besides, people who are on a low-carb diet notice an improvement even when they “have already tried everything” and received nothing.

Why is it so effective in weight loss, even for those who do not could do this before? When we consume sugary or carbohydrate, the hormone insulin is released, which causes the body to store excess sugar in the form of fat. But first, sugars turn into glycogen and are deposited in the liver.

If glycogen is not used for a long time, as a person continues eat carbohydrates, then it is transformed into fat, which is deposited under the skin in fat cells. But if you do not consume carbohydrates, then glycogen will end soon, and fat reserves will begin to give stored energy.

2. Mental improvement

Fat and carbohydrates usually have the opposite meaning in human diet. Many people keep the amount consumed. protein is constant, but problems with carbohydrates are often observed. Than the more people eat sugar and carbohydrates, the less healthy they get fats. This is bad because the brain needs healthy fats for proper operation. And although we feel the pleasure of eating sweets, after some time the person becomes irritable and tired.

Sugar is addictive and causes a negative effect on brain, especially when it comes to an unhealthy attraction to a certain food. On the other hand, many types of fat, even cholesterol, work. as antioxidants and precursors to many of the molecules used neurons for memory and data transfer. Therefore healthy fats positively affect mood and many other brain functions. The brain generally consists for the most part of fats and requires constant their influx to work properly.

3. Reduced risk of heart disease.

Studies have shown that low-carb diets much more effective in reducing the risk of heart disease than without fat.

Those who limited their carbohydrate intake experienced more high levels of good cholesterol and a reduced amount of harmful triglycerides.

4. Type 2 diabetes risk reduction

Nutritionists say that despite an increase in treatment costs people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, doctors cannot successfully reduce the number of patients with both diabetes and numerous complications. Although medications are often not cheap, and can fix the situation, there is only one real solution – consume less sugar and carbohydrates.

Low Carb Diet Is A Natural Cure Against type 2 diabetes. It also helps reduce the risk that diabetes will eventually develop.

There is more evidence that healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains that recommend patients do not bring as much benefit as a low-carb diet that also normalizes insulin secretion and lowers blood pressure.

5. Helps fight cancer

Studies have shown that foods rich in refined and processed carbohydrates, increases the number of free radicals in the body and just directly feeds cancerous cells, allowing them to grow and multiply. A low-carb diet reduces the amount of sugar, whereby it will help, as stop the development of cancer, and provide immunity to it, for due to the reduction of free radicals in the body.

When you cut off cancer cell nutrition as sugar, your own cells will not suffer, because, fortunately, they can use fat for nutrition. Cancer cells do not know how to eat fat.

6. Lack of hunger and cravings for junk food

One of the biggest benefits of a low-carb diet is the complete shutting down the production of ghrelin – the “hungry hormone”. After all, proteins and fats allow you to quickly get enough.

Insulin directly controls the release of ghrelin. That’s why when you eat carbohydrates, insulin is secreted. When blood sugar drops sharply because insulin caused the storage of this sugar in liver, ghrelin is secreted. He is responsible for impulsive desire eat something sweet.

7. Improved digestion

Less sugar – improved digestion. Why? Because almost all people have bad bacteria in their gut. They usually don’t cause no harm by breaking down fiber. But when you consume sugar, they get out of hand and violently multiply. And vegetables, high-quality protein and healthy fats nourish intestinal epithelial cells and stop rapid growth bacteria.

8. Improved hormone regulation

In addition to insulin and ghrelin, such a diet affects other types of hormones. Also improves the function of all the hormones involved in data transmission in the brain. It improves memory and mood.

The risks

For all people, the effects of diet are different – some people immediately notice improvements, and for some it is initially difficult for some to adapt to it. After all, a bad habit of uncontrolled eating evolved over the years. Therefore, it’s important to take care of yourself when you start a new diet. Make changes as needed.

Some people may experience symptoms such as confusion or irritability – but they are peculiar only in those cases when a person has reduced carbohydrates to zero. After two weeks, the symptoms disappear, even in such cases.

Obviously, symptoms such as irritability and fatigue spoil many the impression of such a diet. If you notice such signs, then add some carbohydrates and go on a diet gradually – slowly remove its sources from your diet. Be patient everywhere.

Exit the diet and save the result

How to get out of a diet and not gain weight? Gradually. Increase the amount of carbohydrates gradually by 30 g per period. Period depends from your body, you have to listen and look closely at yourself, to understand that the body has adapted to change. Start adding cereals, then fruits. About sugar and various desserts can and should be forgotten. They only do harm to your body. So after a low-carb diet, when your subcutaneous fat will disappear, you just go to the right one balanced diet. The result is a beautiful body, beautiful thoughts and excellent health.

Carbohydrate-free diet

This diet can be called hard drying, in which consumption carbohydrates is minimized – 0.5 g per 1 kg of weight. The diet includes chicken breast and fish, in which 0 carbohydrates, and leafy vegetables. Sufficient water consumption – 2 liters per day. Output from such a diet is also gradual. We increase the amount of carbohydrates in portions: 0.7 g per kg of weight, 1 g per kg of weight, accustoming the body and accelerating metabolism. And then we go to a comfortable level – 2 -2.5 g per kg of weight and maintain the result while enjoying athletic body.

The opinion of nutritionists

And what do nutritionists think about hypo-carbohydrate diets? All of them with both hands to cancel carbohydrates altogether. To man you need 40 grams of glucose per day (8 teaspoons) for meet the needs of the body. If you count how much it eats people (especially children) of all glucose, counting all carbohydrates on sugar, get 0.5 kg!

Here you can calculate the carbohydrates and sugar contained in products.

If you think that a low-carb diet is poor, then you’re wrong. Try this one:

Minced Meat Casserole with Cheese for a Low Calorie Diet

The best part about this recipe is that while the oven is heating up, you’re already have time to cook everything. Just put it in the oven.

It can be served with salad and herbs.

This recipe is incredibly simple. But first you need to cook ground beef. It needs to be baked for forty minutes so that it fried.

Provided that you have boiled beef, prepare a meal will only take 15 minutes. Just mix in a glass container for baking ready stuffing (chopped beef chop in a blender), garlic, cheese and onions. Season with any sauce and bake 15 minutes before the appearance of a golden crust.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 750 grams of ground beef;
• 60 grams of fat cheese;
• 3 slices of bacon;
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Cheese sauce:

• 3 eggs;
• 125 ml cream;
• 100 grams of cheese;
• 2 tablespoons of mustard;
• 50 grams of grated cheese for sprinkling.

Fish with herbs

First, make green chili sauce with blender.

In a pan, heat the oil. Add sea salt to it and fry cod fillet. Add freshly ground black pepper and stew until it is ready.

In the meantime, boil greens (green pepper or any non-carbohydrate vegetable) in boiling water. After 1-2 minutes when the greens soften, put it on a dish and add the seedlings beans.

We spread the vegetable mixture on the dish, put the fish there and pour with chili sauce. Serve with lime slices.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
• 4 fillets of 180 grams;
• 2 bunches of any greens to taste;
• 200 g of bean sprouts;
• Lime.

Sauce:

• 1 clove of garlic;
• 2 green chili peppers;
• Lime zest;
• Two tablespoons of fish sauce;
• Coriander to taste.

Diet Results and Reviews

The result of following a low-carb diet for 55 days.

For two months I have been doing the most difficult for me – low carb diet.

Even before I describe her, I will say that I love everything sweet. If I could eat whole French for breakfast bun, I would be the happiest person in the world. When choosing between sex and a fresh, fragrant, ruddy croissant, I, not hesitating, choose a croissant. Can you imagine the scale of the problem?

Before I started looking at the list of allowed products of this menu, I did not even suspect how many carbohydrates and sugar contained in apples, bananas and cauliflower. I thought it was the best food for weight loss. Of course, this is true, but their use should be controlled.

I heard reviews about low carbohydrates more than once and decided that now – it’s time to try it out.

Since I could not imagine life without sweets, I first two weeks searching the Internet for ways not to die and not turn into a hysterical fury in the process of the diet itself. I knew it would be difficult thing.

My goal is to lose weight, but people follow it in many ways. other reasons, because it helps them lower their blood pressure or cure diabetes.

I reviewed the advice of all the main experts in this field and came to the conclusion that more than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day is not worth it. So that you have an idea, I note that in a restaurant with junk food you can serve a portion of french fries, in which contains 66 grams of carbohydrates. The average person consumes 300-500 grams of carbohydrates per day.

So, I still completed two months of this diet!

Can I strictly abide by her? No. But I can greatly reduce the amount of carbohydrates that I consume per day, even if I sometimes enjoy the “bad.” In addition, I realized that this necessary for my health. I do not want to have in old age diabetes. Will I forget cookies forever? Never! But I will not often to indulge in them. The same rule applies to pasta, potatoes fries and pizza. They are harmful, but only if there are many of them. The whole thing lies in the dose.

After these 55 days have passed, I worked out for myself the habit of checking labels on products to quickly see the amount of protein and carbohydrates in them. Every week I try to clean something forbidden from the diet. I am replacing this product with vegetables.

This diet has helped me see a lot. I never understood how some of my favorite foods are harmful. From now on, I strictly follow by putting it in my mouth.

Before and after photos

The photo shows that the results are different for everyone, it depends on initial parameters of each person, duration, severity diet, body characteristics, use and quality physical activity.

Two-month reviews

I lost nine kilograms of weight in a couple of months, and my waist has become six centimeters already. For me it was a breakthrough forward. Tatyana.

The last few years, it was hard for me to lose weight, I I tried different nutritional techniques and I can honestly say that low-carb high-fat diet is one of the best. During her Compliance I was not constantly hungry. On the contrary – I felt yourself more full than usual. I didn’t even notice that between breakfast and lunch time passes. Svetlana

The best part was not that I lost weight. I again began to feel confident because I had reason to think that I look good. Irina