So I'd like to take some time to share with you what I've learned about eating low-carb. Of course, I've done a lot of online research to come to the conclusions that I am sharing, so I'm not taking all the credit for this information, but I feel like information is much more believable when you hear it from a friend. And if you're reading my blog, you're already my friend. I can't say it enough, if I can do this, YOU can do this too!
Some of this information may be repetitive, but a lot of it is new. I am continually learning new things about eating low-carb and love to share!
Who
The who is obviously you. You have to want to make a lifestyle change to make any of this successful. Anyone can do it. Yes, that means you too!
What
The what is the low-carb, high fat way of eating. It's not a diet; it's a lifestyle change. I read many posts that people did it for a year, fell off the wagon, and gained every pound, plus some, right back. So really, if you want this to last, you have to make it last. But you can. Motivate yourself. Look towards the end goal. Change your eating habits with a friend. Find support in online support groups and social media forums. If you want this, you will find a way.
When
What better time than now to start! Are you ready? Are we ever really ready? Well, make yourself ready and just do it. There's no time like the present.
The other when is how often do you have to eat "right?" Personally, if this is the lifestyle you are going to promise yourself, you have to stick with it. It's easy to fall off the wagon, especially in the beginning if you're not seeing the results you want to. But hang with it. Don't splurge, not even one bite. Don't do it. That one bite turns into two then turns into three. Discipline yourself. Say no. You're strong enough to do this, even though you're sitting here reading this saying, "I'm not strong enough. I have no self discipline." Well, you're wrong. And I can say that as your friend. Put on your big kid pants and do it. Period.
After you get through the first 3-6 months, maybe then you'll splurge. Maybe you'll have a sushi buffet for lunch to celebrate. I did. And I'm still on the wagon. Because one splurge, after months of hard work and pay off, will not throw you off.
A last when is "When do I have time to cook low-carb?" Really?!? If I can cook low-carb with two kids running at my feet (literally!) then you can too. Plus, low-carb meals don't have to be homemade, they just have to be low-carb. There are plenty of low-carb ready made and/or frozen meals you can prepare in minutes for that hectic weekday dinner. Read on folks.
Where
So now you're saying to yourself, "I eat out all the time. I can't possibly alter my lifestyle. What can I eat? What can't I eat? Gosh, what if I can't eat anything?" These are all incredibly valid questions and concerns. We all have them. But guess what? Nutritional facts can be found on ALL foods, so you can always gauge your meal based on those facts. And if in doubt, eat a salad. :) So where can you find all this invaluable information?
First thing: download a FREE app (I can only speak to the iPhone, but I'm sure Android has some of the same) to guide you. There's Calorie King where you can type in any food, store bought, fresh or from a restaurant, and the nutritional facts will come right up. Right on your phone. Heck, Calorie King also has an online version. Click the link, you'll see. There's also My Fitness Pal; does the same thing, while tracking your consumption. If you don't like those (which could not possibly happen!), try Carb Counter or Fooducate or My Net Diary. There are a million out there. Find the one that works best for you.
Now that you have the nutritional facts on every single food ever made or grown at your fingertips, you're set to go, right? Doubtful. You're still questioning yourself, you're still unsure, you still don't know where to start.
Okay, so let's start here. Let's start on Facebook. Everyone is on Facebook. Everything is on Facebook. Search for "The Low Carb Dish" Facebook page. It's a public page that you can join. It's also a web page containing a million and one recipes. Look at the files folder on this Facebook page and there is a plethora of questions with answers right there. There's one file called "Commonly Asked Questions with Answers" and a ton of websites you can read to learn more. Here's a video with Dr. Mary Vernon explaining the low-carb way of life. It starts off medical, but she shares a lot in her 32 minute video. It's informative about why you should eat low-carb (medical indications, etc), but then you have to go off and learn what is low-carb, what isn't low-carb and what low-carb means.
Another place to start is just by doing an online search for low-carb diets. This is where you're going to learn about the Atkins diet, which is a very strict, very low-carb diet. I personally stick to my own low-carb eating which is:
45 carbs per meal- 3 meals per day
15 carbs per snack- 3 snacks per day
This is what I have been following for the last 10 months and this is what has worked for me. Some people can't get by on this amount; some people have to decrease their carb intake to as low as 20 carbs per day. That's a substantially lower amount than I follow, but it works. It really works. You can truly lose the weight and stay healthy when eating like this!
Here's a list that I have personally compiled of low and high carb foods. Of course my list is not all inclusive, but that's what the internet is for! (click picture to enlarge)
With this lifestyle, you have to learn how to read nutrition labels on your foods. (click picture to enlarge)
So.... once you choose how many carbs you are going to eat a day or a meal, then you can shop down the grocery aisles and buy foods that fit into your lifestyle. Remember what my doctor told me, you should shop around the perimeter of the store where the fruits, veggies, meats and dairy are. The middle aisles are filled with sugars and carbs and should be avoided. I think it's a good rule of thumb, though I shop for items in other aisles. I try to stay away from the cookie and cracker aisle though. ;)
The last resource I am going to share is Pinterest. Look on Pinterest. Type in "low carb." Look at everything that comes up! It's really amazing. Everyone and their brothers are sharing their recipes on Pinterest, including me. Here are some of my low-carb boards- Low-Carb Meals, Low-Carb Desserts, Low-Carb Breakfast, and Low-Carb Veg Dishes.
Why
This is a question you have to ask yourself. Why do you want to change your lifestyle? Is there something medically going on that requires you to loose weight? Do you want to eat healthier for a healthier lifestyle? Do you just dislike what you see in the mirror? Change your lifestyle for whatever reason you want to, but DO IT FOR YOU.
Questions & Concerns
I get a lot of questions about health concerns with eating low-carb and high-fat. I have done extensive research on these concerns too and want to share some websites with you to help clear up those misconceptions.
Research to support Low-Carb eating
http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014...
http://www.cnn.com/.../teicholz-fear-of.../index.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/is-it-really-worth-not-eating-bread-pasta-and-other-carbs/2015/02/06/cd6d1c38-89e2-11e4-a085-34e9b9f09a58_story.html?tid=sm_fb
http://news.osu.edu/.../study-doubling-saturated-fat-in.../
Diabetes:
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/5/1/9
http://www.forbes.com/.../study-eating-high-fat-dairy.../
http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014...
Blood pressure:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60P6HG20100126...
http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014...
Cholesterol:
http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014... http://www.sciencedaily.com/rele.../2014/11/141121151104.htm
http://nyti.ms/1uo06iH
http://authoritynutrition.com/top-9-biggest-lies-about.../
http://www.proteinpower.com/.../protein-power-low-carb.../
http://www.artandscienceoflowcarb.com/the-sad-saga-of.../
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/.../study-questions-fat.../
http://online.wsj.com/.../SB10001424052702303678404579533...
http://news.osu.edu/.../study-doubling-saturated-fat-in.../
Fatty liver:
http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb-diet-best-fatty-liver
Cancer:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Diet-Never-mind-healthy...
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/early/2014/12/10/jn.114.203505.abstract
http://www.renalandurologynews.com/high-fat-low-carb-diet-beneficial-for-ckd-patients/article/314032/
http://chriskresser.com/new-study-puts-final-nail-in-the-saturated-fat-causes-heart-disease-coffin
http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/12361-war-on-fat-was-a-huge-mistake.html
I hope all of this crazy amount of information is helpful. I know it's a TON to take in. Don't do it all at once. Take it all in, one.step.at.a.time.
The more I re-read what I'm writing, the more I feel like a salesperson trying to sell the low-carb lifestyle. Honestly, I'm not. I don't even know how to connect my blog to those paid websites and I definitely don't get paid for my opinion or time (though wouldn't that be nice?!) I am just sharing my experiences because I know personally about how hard this road is and how much I have grown with the support of others. Now it's my turn to support you, so of course, if you need anything, have any questions or any comments, please, please share them with me. Share them here or share them via email or on Facebook. Just share. I wouldn't be here without the support I received and continue to receive!
Maybe a transformation picture will help motivate you. I posted this on The Low Carb Dish Facebook page. It got over 277 hits. Holy Moly!
Gigi
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