Low carb diet? HUH?!?

Question

What is it?!?! My mom wants to go on one and I do too but I am still in school and I don't know what I can and can't eat at lunch. So if anyone could take the time to explain what a low carb diet is and what some examples of food that I can and can't eat, it would be highly appreciated! :) THANK YOU!

Answer 1

A low carb diet is very different from a low calorie diet. On a low carb diet, you eat meat, vegetables and  - no CARBS. That means no corn, anything with white flour, white rice, corn, milk, sugar - or I as I understand nothing "white".

Meats and non-starchy vegetables are the mainstays. Your body begins to burn fat for energy, because it is starved of the carbs that would, under non-diet circumstances - be there to supply the energy your body needs for fuel.

Any type of meat and/or fish is on this diet, as long as it's not breaded. The fat content of the meat is generally not restrictive. You can have eggs. Also, for snacks - nuts in limited quantity, pork rinds, and fruits. I think bananas and carrots are probably the only fruits and vegetables (besides corn and potatoes) that are not suggested. I also ate beef jerky for a snack.

Your body will undego some changes in the way it handles this new way of eating. It's usually a pretty fast way to lose weight but you can't flip-flop between low calorie diets and low carb diets. One undoes the other.

Good luck and don't forget to drink lots of water and EXERCISE!

Answer 2

It depends on how strict of a low-carb diet your mom is thinking of. The most extreme form of low-carbing would be to cut out all starches and sugars, such as bread, potatoes, pasta, chips, pretzels, etc., and even beans, fruit and some vegetables, such as corn and carrots. A less extreme version would be to cut out all refined carbs (such as those in bread and pasta) and stick to lean meats, green veggies, and a little dairy. Low-carbing can be very limiting. Cutting down on bad carbs isn't as hard- that's pretty much what I do. I still eat beans and fruit, though, I just try to stay away from refined bread, pasta, and junk food.