Hi Cricket1315,
I did a very low carb diet recently and found it pretty easy to stick to once I got the hang of it. The toughest part is realizing that carbs are in just about everything. Here are they key things I took away:
- Avoid sugar. Sugar is a carb, so when you think you're being good by picking that apple instead of the granola bar you want, you have to remember that the natural sugars in the apple are ALLLLL carbs. And really look into the dressings and sauces you put on salads/foods - there's usually a lot of sneaky added sugar in those you don't realize! If you're craving something sweet, find an artificial sweetener you like, I liked liquid stevia but taste as you add it because it's strong!
- Avoid grains. Simply put, grains like bread, pasta, granola, oats, etc are all carbs. Some are better than others, but I tried to limit them altogether since I found myself misjudging the amounts I was eating.
- Non-starch veggies. Go crazy with leafy greens. I found a few salads that I LOVED and ate consistently because I knew they weren't going to drive my carbs up. Some good veggies other than greens: Broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, celery, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, etc
- Find high protein foods that you like and eat those. You'll feel full longer and they're generally low in carbs. Poultry, fish, eggs, greek yogurt (unsweetened of course!), etc.
- Lastly - don't completely hold back. Find good alternatives to things you love and crave, but indulge every once in a while. No one is perfect and we all have a day we really want that piece of chocolate. As long as it's not a habit, you're doing just fine!
Hope this helped!
