A Quick And Easy Guide To Starting A Low-Carb Diet

Weight loss on your mind? We bet low-carb diet was the first thing that struck you! One of the most popular diet trends currently is low-carb diet, which can help in achieving quick weight loss. As the name suggests, a low-carb diet involves reducing the carbs food group from your diet. A low-carb diet is so quick and effective that a person starts feeling light and may even lose a few inches (or some weight) within a week. But it is not as easy as it sounds. A low-carb diet is likely to cause hunger pangs, and make you feel fatigued and even irritable. You need to start slow and make sure that you feel healthy throughout the time you are following the diet.

In this article, we talk about how you can start a low-carb diet so as to lose weight but not health. Keep reading...

A low-carb diet is essentially a diet which comprises fewer carbs, and higher fat and protein. Intake of sugary and starchy foods is kept to the minimum. You need to eat good fats like (ghee, avocado, olive oil, nuts, cheese, egg yolk) and protein (egg white, dairy, lentils, beans, soy, chicken).

Avoiding sugar and starches can stabilise your blood sugar. Eating more fats and proteins can make you feel satiated and reduce hunger pangs, thus inducing weight loss.

Also read: Best Low-Carb Foods You Must Have For Quick Weight Loss

Foods to eat and avoid in low carb diet

Foods you can eat:

1. Meat

2. Fish

3. Eggs

4. Vegetables grown above the ground: Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, asparagus, lettuce

5. Ghee

6. Naturally prepared butter

7. Tea or coffee (no or less sugar)

8. Nuts

Also read: Are You Eating Enough Carbs? Watch Out For These Signs Of Carbohydrate Deficiency

Low-carb diets can help in achieving quick weight loss
Photo Credit: iStock

Foods to avoid:

1. Processed foods

2. Pasta

3. Beans

4. Rice

5. Potatoes

6. Bread

7. Chocolates, sweets and candies

8. Alcohol

9. Aerated drinks

10. Fruit juices

Who all can follow a low-carb diet?

Such restrictive diets are not safe to be followed by everyone. People who are on diabetes medication or on medication for blood pressure must take advice from their doctor before starting with a low-carb diet. Breastfeeding mothers too fall in the same category.

Also read: Low-Carb Diet May Improve Eyesight: 6 Health Benefits Of Low Carb Diets

Once you have achieved your desired weight, you can slowly increase your carb intake if you want. Take it slow and easy and do not go overboard with cutting down carbs in the name of quick weight loss. Remember the idea is to lose weight but not health along with it. It is better to take some time and lose weight while feeling fit and healthy rather than starving yourself to weight loss. Equally important is exercising. For quicker and more effective results, a combination of exercise (both cardio and weight training) and low-carb diet should be followed. 

Religiously following a low carb diet can even improve your gut health. People dealing with indigestion, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome can benefit from low-carb diet.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.