What is low carb?

Weve all heard about the Atkins diet either good or bad, low carb eating is a weight loss program popularized by diet plans like Atkins, The Zone and South Beach Diet to name a few.

They all have the same basic premise, lower carbs eating will result in weight loss and help to make you healthier. Some studies have even found that eating from low carbohydrate menus may actually help to raise your good cholesterol.

If you decide that a lower carb way of life is for you, you are allowed to eat:

High fat Steak but not the Baked Potato

Hamburger but not the Bun

Hot Dog but not the Fries

Find the right low carb diet that suits you

Which is best for you? As we already said there are several diets that utilize low carbohydrate foods as the base of their plan. Getting an understanding of low carb diet plans and their various approaches will help you choose the diet that best fits your tastes and meal schedule. Remember all the popular lower carbohydrate diets are similar but have subtle differences.

Whats the difference?

Eating the low carb way can vary from one plan to another, for instance the South Beach diet is much more liberal about adding fruits

During the first two weeks of a low carb diet like Atkins you are limited to a very low carbohydrate intake.

The Zone diet works by balancing protein, carb, and fat in every meal and snack. So if you prefer several small meals throughout the day, this may be the low carb diet for you.

There can be dramatic weight loss during this period. After the introductory , or induction phase you can gradually add some higher carb foods to your menu.

How to I avoid eating high carb foods

Eating out while on a low carb diet is not as difficult as you may imagine. Order the entre only and if it comes with a forbidden carb rich food, ask the waiter to remove it before serving.

Also request that the breadbasket not even be brought to the table, thus avoiding another tempting higher carb food item. Dont eat the crackers with the soup, and only use oil and vinegar dressing on your salad. Lower carb eating can be delicious, easy and healthful.