When you choose to go on a carb free diet, you are joining millions of people who have found weight loss success. The carb free diet strictly limits the carbohydrates you eat, and instead pushes you toward dietary protein and fat options. Low carb diets are very popular as weight loss tool, and many of those who like these diets claim that they have advantages that go well beyond the weight loss, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Though most people who choose to go carb free can do so without worry, be sure to check with your doctor first, especially if you have health conditions like diabetes.
The benefits of carb free diets are very clear. In many cases, the benefits are spread by word-of-mouth; someone tries the diet, and finds that they get a great report from their doctor as they start losing weight and their health improves. Other benefits have been scrutinized by scientists to ensure that yes, they really do exist. Here are a few great reasons why a carb free diet might work for you.
The carb free diet is a change of lifestyle that can give you increased energy from the very first day. Some claim that they have a much shaper mind, with no “brain fog” clouding their reasoning. Their emotions are calmer, move level, and their moods are much improved. When it comes to eating, those who love the carb free diet say that their cravings for sweets have almost vanished, and their need for compulsive or “emotional” eating has diminished greatly.
Many people who choose to go on a carb free diet do so because of the health benefits that can provide, especially if they have been dealing with chronic or acute conditions for a while. Many of those on this diet report that their symptoms of heartburn and other gastrointestinal problems went away; the pain in their joints diminished; and their skin became much clearer, with a healthy glow. They also reported fewer headaches, and women on the diet were happy to report a lessening of PMS symptoms.
When you are on a carb free diet, you are limiting carbohydrates. This means that your body turns to fat for energy, and eating more protein keeps you full longer, so you are less hungry – yet another great way to help you lose weight. But what can you eat on the carb free diet? That depends on how healthy you are at the start, what medical or health conditions you might have, how much weight you need to lose and how active you are from day to day. What you will find below are very general guidelines for those who want to reduce carbohydrates; you should get your doctor’s approval before you begin this diet.
| Food | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Meat
|
You can have plenty of meat, such as lamb, beef, pork, chicken and the like. Look for grass-fed beef to get the best healthy benefits. If you’re concerned about fat, bake or grill these foods to ensure the healthiest portions. |
| Fish
|
If you love wild-caught fish, great! Salmon, haddock, trout and cod are some of the great choices that are allowed on this diet. Shellfish is great to add as well. You will get a ton of protein, as well as calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. |
| Eggs
|
Look for eggs that are from free-range chickens, without hormones and antibiotics. These eggs, especially when boiled, are a great source of protein and the perfect snack for the carb free diet. |
| Vegetables
|
Load your plate up with veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, spinach and plenty of leafy greens. Most veggies are carb free, but some do have small amounts of carbs in them. The health benefits of those veggies just might outweigh the small amount of carbs they do have. |
| Fruits
|
Plenty of fruits can fill your plate, including those favorites like strawberries, apples, oranges, blueberries and pears. When you put these on top of a salad, that’s a great way to get plenty of food and not feel hungry when you’re done. |
| Nuts and seeds
|
When you want a snack or toppings for salad, reach for nuts and seeds, like walnuts, sunflower seeds or almonds. |
One of the important things to remember about eating a carb free diet is that preparation of the food matters. Try to prepare them as simply as possible as to retain all the vitamins and minerals in what you are putting on your plate.
When you are on the carb free diet, there are some foods you should definitely avoid. In most cases these foods are bad for you anyway, so cutting them out will definitely give your healthy a boost. These include:
Here is a very basic sample menu for a low carb or carb free diet plan for one week. Use this to start your diet out the right way.
Day 1: Breakfast includes an omelet with veggies, lunch is grass-fed yogurt with blueberries and almonds, and dinner is a hearty portion of cheeseburger with no bun, served with veggies on the side.
Day 2: Breakfast is bacon and an egg, lunch consists of burgers and veggies, and dinner is a piece of salmon with steamed veggies and butter sauce.
Day 3: Have an omelet of eggs and veggies for breakfast and a shrimp salad for lunch. Finish your day with a healthy grilled chicken and salad for dinner.
Day 4: Today is another omelet for breakfast, a smoothie for lunch, and a big steak and veggies to round out a hearty dinner.
Day 5: Bacon and eggs are a great options or breakfast, and lunch can be a chicken salad. For dinner, try pork chops.
Day 6: Another omelet sounds great, and for lunch you can have a leafy green salad with nuts and berries on top. Dinner might be meatballs with sautéed bell peppers.
Day 7: Round out your week with a breakfast of yogurt and berries, a smoothie made with coconut milk for lunch and a delicious dinner of grilled chicken wings and a salad.
Want to learn more about carb free diet? These videos can help you get started:
