Monday, January 14, 2013

Here Are The Right Steps Toward Success With Your Low Carb Diet

Getting started on any diet can certainly be overwhelming.  A low carb diet is no exception.  It’s important to recognize the key components of your low carb diet, and do the necessary research before you begin. The following are a few suggestions to help you get started with the right mindset, which will allow for the greatest success with your low carb diet.

Talk to your doctor or dietician.


It is important to consult a doctor, dietician, or other health care professional when beginning any kind of diet.  You need the right information to make sure your body will be receiving the proper nutrients to remain healthy during your diet.  A big downfall potential dieters make is trying to construct a diet plan on their own, often ending up eating or eliminating the wrong foods for their particular needs.  This only leads to frustration, which typically ends up with stopping the diet altogether.  Let’s not quit before we even begin.  Talk to your doctor or health care professional and get the information you need so you can take it from there.

Do your research.


After consulting a doctor, you will most likely have a good idea of the foods you can eat and how to proceed.  Everyone is different, however, and you need to find a way to construct your low carb diet to fit your lifestyle and what is most comfortable for you.  There are a variety of books and loads of information on the internet that will give you lots of tips and advice how best to live a low carb lifestyle.  Check out books at your local library, visit bookstores, both online and physical, and read, read, read.  Start by understanding the difference between simple carbs and complex carbs.   Check out nutrition facts.  Knowledge is key when it comes to starting something as crucial to your health and well-being as a new diet.

Create your meal plan for the week or month.


Schedule your meal times and plan a menu so you know when you are going to eat, and what foods you will be eating at that time.  Having a set schedule makes it less likely that you will snack on items that do not fit the diet guidelines.  Take time to gather low carb diet-friendly recipes.  Start with a few and give them a try, then find a few more.  Soon you'll have a collection of tasty low carb dishes you will turn to again and again.  Successful diets start with good food.  Getting bored with bland food is a sure way to end up abandoning your low carb diet.  Planning out your meals will keep you well fed and on track.

Make your grocery list ahead of time.


Before even attempting to step foot through the doors of a grocery store, you need to have your list made out and ready to go.  This will help keep you from succumbing to impulse buying and following old shopping habits.  Eliminating those 'bad carb' foods from your list will probably be difficult for the first few weeks simply because you are so accustomed to shopping a certain way.  Habit may lead you to the bread and pasta aisle, but with your grocery list in front of you, you'll be able to stay on track and easily head over to the fresh produce and healthy protein aisle without flinching.  You may have to put blinders on for the first few trips to get past the bakery, but don't worry.  You'll soon be over that craving if you follow your low carb diet closely.

Don’t starve yourself.


The purpose of any diet is to create a healthier, more energetic lifestyle.  If you begin starving yourself, eliminating the nutrients your body needs, you'll risk becoming sick, fatigued, and may even be unable to function properly.  Follow the advice of your doctor and your diet plan and eat what you need to stay healthy and still lose weight.  Avoid straying from the meal plan due to excessive hunger by including nutritious low carb snacks throughout the day.  Your low carb diet will allow for plenty of delicious snacks, including crunchy vegetables, cheese, and nuts.  Even a can of sardines or tuna mixed with spicy mustard is an acceptable snack.  If your stomach is rumbling, don't pout and don't starve yourself.  An empty stomach has a mischievous side;  it will lead you to bad food choices if you let it.  Instead, in between meals, reach for one of the many tasty snacks you can enjoy on a low carb diet.

Remember, there is not one specific diet to follow, not even one specific low carb diet.  You have to evaluate your own lifestyle and find what is best for you and your overall health.   Get the information you need, be realistic about your goals, prepare your plan, and give yourself a break when your diet plan goes astray.  Determine what you want to get out of your diet plan and how much effort you want to put into it.  Get started on the right foot and with the right mindset so your low carb diet plan will be a tremendous success.

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