Start with the basics.  When present in the body, carbohydrates, converted into simple sugars (known as glucose in your bloodstream), are your main fuel source.  Low-carb dieting is based on the premise that, without sufficient carbs available as fuel, your body will burn its fat stores to keep you moving.  There’s no official definition for a low-carb diet, but the range limit is usually somewhere between 50-100g of carbs per day. This range will vary with each person's body weight. Anything below 50g per day would typically cause the individual to go into ketosis. In comparison, typical American dietary guidelines recommend between 225-325 grams of carbs (900-1300 calories) daily.  Medical opinions vary on the efficacy of low-carb diets as well.  They do seem to offer weight-loss benefits, at least in the short term, and may have benefits for diabetics by decreasing blood glucose levels.  Long-term health impacts are less clear.  Consult your physician before beginning a low-carb diet. Once on a low-carb diet, you'll likely be able to spot carb-heavy foods with ease before too long.  It may be helpful, however, to keep a guide handy, at least early on, that identifies carb amounts in various foods.  Such a guide can be especially useful when eating out. For example, each of the following has approximately 15 grams of carbs: 1 slice bread; ½ bagel 1 banana, orange, or apple; ¾ c. blueberries; 1 ¼ c. strawberries ½ c. apple or orange juice 1 c. milk (skim, full fat, or in between) ½ c. cooked beans, lentils, corn, or peas 1 small baked potato ½ packet of instant oatmeal 15 chips or pretzels; 1 cookie; ½ donut ⅓ c. mac & cheese; ½ breaded chicken sandwich ½ c. ice cream 1 ½ c. cooked or 3 c. raw of most non-starchy vegetables meats, fish, eggs, and many flavorings, dressings, and toppings have fewer than 5 carbs per serving ”  This is where it can start to get confusing.  Different low-carb diet plans will tell you different things about what you should and should not eat.  Some plans tell you to eat high-fat proteins (like meats and dairy) and skip almost all grains (especially containing gluten), while others emphasize low-fat proteins and a more moderate amount of whole grains.  Vegetables are a staple of low-carb dieting. All vegetables contain carbohydrates but some contain even more. The ones to focus on consuming are 'non-starchy' vegetables. In addition, some low-carb dieters do not count green non-starchy vegetables into their overall carbohydrate count. This is due to the high fiber count in these vegetables and many believe that this fiber content 'counteracts' any carbohydrates within these vegetables. To make your low-carb diet simple, make your criteria simple:  more protein and vegetables, less refined starches and sugars, and much less processed food. One simple suggestion would be do eat lots of lean proteins and vegetables, prepared simply; add in supplementary helpings of whole grains, legumes, lowfat dairy, and fruits, and skip processed foods. If guidebooks or diet plans will help your stick to your low-carb diet, then it may be a worthwhile expenditure for you.  However, you can begin and sustain a low-carb diet without buying any of those things.  Just repeat to yourself, “more protein, more vegetables, less starches and sugars.” Don’t bother with prepackaged low-carb foods if possible.  Eating fresh, minimally-processed foods is always preferable. This might be your first worry when you think about giving up bread, pasta, potatoes, and other foods you think of as filling (and tasty).  Your body can and will adjust and can be just as easily satisfied by a low-carb diet. For a low-carb diet, you don’t eat less, just differently.  Stick to eating 3-4 meals per day with small, healthy snacks as needed. You also experience less hunger due to your blood sugar being better regulated. With less carbohydrates, fewer blood sugar spikes (and falls) occur. This keeps you from getting too hungry or experiencing cravings. You may not believe it at first, but water can be filling and can help make your low-carb transition easier.  You want to drink at least 8 (8 oz) glasses of water per day, but even more will help.  Carry a water bottle with you all day.  Take regular drinks, before you’re thirsty.  When you feel a craving coming on (especially for a cookie, donut, etc.), drink water first and see if that calms it. Slice fresh lemons and add them to your water pitcher if you need some flavor. If you live in a household of carb-eaters, you won’t be able to pitch the potatoes and bread, but you can make sure you are well-stocked with staples of low-carb cooking.  A sampling from one lengthy list of low-carb pantry staples includes: canned tuna / salmon / sardines canned vegetables / fruit (in light syrup) chicken / beef stock canned tomatoes / tomato paste low-sugar peanut butter jarred roasted peppers olives, pickles, and capers whole grain pasta, rice, and flour oatmeal and high-fiber, no-sugar cereal sugar substitute olive oil As you develop your personalized low-carb menu, stock your pantry to suit.
اجعل تعريفك للنظام الغذائي منخفض الكربوهيدرات بسيطًا. تعلم كيفية التعرف على كمية الكربوهيدرات في الطعام. تبسيط ما هو "داخل" وما هو "خارج. لا تشترى ما لا تحتاج. كن على دراية بأنك لن تكون جائعًا طول الوقت. اجعل الماء صديقك. احتفظ بخزانتك سليمة.