What do you eat on a low carb diet?

Whether you are doing Atkins, Protein Power or South Beach diet you will want to know what to eat on a low carb diet. The truth is the answer is simple at first and then cna be a little tricky. For the answer please read on and make sure to take advantage also of our free ebook of the atkins diet plan.

Low Carb Diet - Eat More, Not Less

Author: Michael Harris

A good low carb diet can actually have you eating more food than you're eating right now.

Think about it, when most people want to lose weight what's the first thing they do? They tend to stop eating or cut way back on their food intake.

Well my friends I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way.

A healthy diet should consist of eating less of the foods that contain calories from simple carbohydrates (sugar and processed flour) and more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and good sources of protein. This is the basis of a good low carb diet plan.

In fact, a good diet should have you eating more instead of less! Not more food, but more often in smaller portions.

Your body's a truly wonderful machine geared towards one important goal. Survival. When you cut way back on your food intake your body feels threatened and automatically assumes that you're starving.

This built in survival mechanism dates back to the stone age and is simply nature's way of keeping you alive for as long as possible. Long enough to get to your next meal.

To combat this condition the body will start breaking down muscle tissue to use as energy and saves its fat stores for the last ditch effort to save itself from what it thinks is immanent death. Fat is just that, a storage material.

This is not good because first, by using muscle tissue for energy you're losing precious lean mass which is metabolically active. This means that you need energy to support muscle which helps to keep your metabolism running at a higher pace. Higher metabolism means more calories burned even in a resting state.

Fat, on the other hand, doesn't need any energy to support it. It's simply "dead" weight.

Secondly, the body will start storing more fat because it's preparing itself for the worst. Your survival is your body's most important concern so it'll do whatever it can to stay alive.

So what can you do if you want to eat less without starving yourself and sending your body into this defense mode?

Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day.

This works on two levels.

By eating more often you won't get hungry as quickly and your metabolism will stay raised because you'll be digesting food more often. Digesting food uses calories just like any other physical activity.

So here's a simple low carb diet plan that anyone can follow. Eat four or five small meals a day, each consisting of a small portion of protein along with some fresh fruits and veggies.

Try to eat every three hours or so to keep your metabolism and energy up. This'll help you stay away from those snacking binges too.

Also, drink lots of water. Water will help to cleanse your body and make you feel full.

So you see, with a little planning and by adhering to a low carb diet plan eating more can actually be better!

About the Author:
Michael J. Harris is an avid weight lifter and adheres to a low carb diet plan as part of his routine. To find out more about how a low carb diet can help you visit his low carb diet blog.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Diet - Eat More, Not Less

Low Carb Dieting - It's not About Eliminating Carbs

Author: Charles Amith

The low carb diet revolution may have slowed down a bit, but the fact is that there are so many people that have just starting this style of diet plan. With all of the yoyo diets around, people are looking for a true diet plan that will aid in shedding off the pounds quickly. The biggest question when it comes to low carb eating is how healthy is it?

Traditionally, calories were what dieters counted. They had charts and scales to insure that they were eating the right amounts of food at a certain caloric level each day. Although trimming calories can result in weight loss, it is not the goal for a person following the low carb way of eating.

So what is it that low carb eaters count? Just as the name implies, it is the amount of carbohydrates that is the significant part of the plan. What many people don't understand is how it works.

When you keep your carbohydrates down to a certain level, your body looks for a source for energy. Since there is a reduced level of carbohydrates, your body then goes down to the next step...burning fat. Yes, fat can be used as an energy source. Keep in mind that you are still eating the minimal amount of carbohydrates, not eliminating them from your diet.

In a traditional diet, people stay away from fatty foods. If you are using the low carb diet plan, you will be eating fatty foods. Whether you are eating a steak, some fish, or even nuts, there are oils and fats that you'll be consuming. What you must consider are the types of fat that you're eating...as there are bats that are bad for you such as the ones in margarine. These are often referred to as trans-fats.

So will your health improve or go down the hill while following the low carb diet plan? While following this diet, your insulin levels will decrease, your cholesterol will lower, your blood pressure will lower, and your blood sugar levels will stabilize. This are all moving you into a healthier position.

Another thing to consider is your nutrition. While eating low carb foods, you may be reducing nutrient rich foods which can be high in carbohydrates. So it's important that your body gets all of the vitamins, minerals and fiber so that your body gets the recommended daily levels. The easiest thing to do is take nutritional supplements.

Just remember, everybody is different. Remember to ask a diet professional about any diet advice, especially if you have pre-existing health problems. This diet does change your chemistry to burn fat, so it's important that you do it in the correct way.

About the Author:

If you would like to learn how to naturally lose weight, please visit Modern Health Secrets.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Dieting - It's not About Eliminating Carbs