Trying to stick to a low carb lifestyle? Below are some of the best tips to make low carb easier.
- Learn to meal plan
Any type of specialized diet is made easier when you have a plan in place. This ensures that you stick to it instead of making decisions in a rush that may not align with your goals.
- Create a list of go-to recipes
After trying a recipe, make sure you save it as a “go to recipe” if you love it! This will help you develop a list, or a recipe collection, of food you love that is within your low carb diet.
- Find your favorite low carb snacks
All snacks are not created equal! Try different low carb friendly snacks and make sure you keep a healthy stock of them so you don’t reach for food that isn’t part of your low carb lifestyle.
- Focus on more, not less
It’s easy to focus on what you can’t have. Sometimes if you reframe your mindset to focus on what you can have, it can make low carb easier.
- Look into intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is a great addition to your low carb diet. It involves periods of fasting and periods of eating and can provide significant health benefits.
- Always have low carb options ready
The key to staying on track is being prepared. Make sure you have some of your favorite low carb snacks on hand for when you’re hungry and don’t have time to make something.
- Try a Keto diet
Many people who are doing low carb find that a Keto diet is beneficial. This is a great guide to Keto for beginners.
- Know what foods to avoid
By knowing which foods to avoid, you can make smarter decisions. Foods with lots of simple carbs like pasta, bread, and rice should be avoided.
- Quality over quantity
Make sure you don’t get too focused on total carbs and you ignore the quality of the carbs you’re eating.
- Spread your carbs out
Instead of trying to save your carbs, resist that temptation and spread them out over the day. This can help prevent dramatic dips and spikes in blood sugar.
- Try joining a challenge
Challenging yourself to do something can be just the motivation you need to get started. You can try a challenge like Diet Doctor’s Get Started Keto Challenge, a free 2-week challenge designed to get you on track.
- Pay attention to portion size
Eating large amounts of something because it’s considered low carb doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. Pay attention to your portion size even if a certain food is low carb.
- Order Low-Carb Meal Delivery
Did you know that there are many meal delivery services that can tailor your meals to your low carb lifestyle? If you find yourself overwhelmed or strapped for time, these meal delivery services can make low carb feel a lot easier.
- Find low carb meals at your favorite restaurants
When you’re on a special diet, you don’t have to sacrifice and stop eating at the places that you love. Knowing that you can still enjoy your favorite restaurants can make low carb a lot easier.
- Find inspiration
There are plenty of blogs and social media accounts out there for low carb, so find a few that you find inspirational to keep you motivated.
- Know the difference between carbs
While “carbs” seems to be a pretty widely used term, there are different types of carbs and that these different types act in different ways. High fiber, complex carbs won’t raise your blood sugar as dramatically as simple carbs like bread and pasta.
- Eat protein
When you’re on a low carb diet, it’s important to make sure you get protein in most of your meals. This will help to keep your blood sugars stable, keep you feeling full, and should reduce your sugar cravings.