Many witnessed the unbelievable success of the Atkins diet a few years ago, as well as the subsequent backlash against it. What we can learn from that ordeal is that carbs are not necessarily bad, as long as you eat them in the proper amount. The problem with carbs is that they provide a quick energy boost followed by a crash- much like sugar (because chemically, carbs are a sugar). When the body crashes, it craves more sugar-rich foods, which causes us to eat more to satisfy our hunger. What we have to do is stop the cycle of craving and consumption caused by eating carbs.
What To Do
Limit your carb intake to one meal a day. That's right, you don’t have to stop eating carbs! This diet works because when you limit the amount of carbs you eat, you help stop the cycle that causes weight gain. Try to keep the carb meal to one hour each day in order to minimize the effect on your body.
What to Eat for the Other 2 Meals
For the majority of the day, your diet will be limited to foods that contain fewer than 5 grams of carbs.
Here are some acceptable foods:
- Meats (i.e. Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Fish and certain substitution meats)
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Cream
- Spinach and other leafy greens
- Onions
- Celery
- Bell Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Avocados
- Pickles
- Vinegar and Olive oil (great as a salad dressing)
- Coffee
- Tea
Omelettes and salads are great meal options on this diet. As long as what you're eating contains less than 5 grams of carbs, feel free to eat as much as you need to stay full. This diet is not about depriving yourself, but about taking in food groups under the right conditions and in the right proportions.
Be wary of hidden carbs. Foods with sugar always include carbohydrates. Opt for sugar-free foods, and try to switch to a sugar substitute in coffee and tea. Certain vegetables contain hidden carbs as well. Watch out for carrots and broccoli. They're healthy foods, but on this plan they can only be eaten during your carb meal.
You may find that your appetite decreases slightly on this plan. Don't worry, this just your body's way of readjusting. Carbohydrates tend to make the body crave more food once the short-term energy provided by carbs is depleted. You may feel the need to eat less because you aren't being made to crave foods unnecessarily.
For a mid-day snack, munch on a string cheese or a pickle to hold yourself over until dinner. You don’t even have to give up the cream in your coffee. Remember- you get to have carbs once a day, every day. It’s like cheating on your diet every day!
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