When you’re looking for ways to lose weight or perhaps want to start a new lifestyle, going on a low-carb diet is one of the best methods. If you have no clue where and how to start, below is a handy guide with tips on how to go on a successful low-carb diet.

What is a low-carb diet?

A low-carb diet is where you restrict the amount of carbohydrates you consume on a daily basis. Carbohydrates are usually found in most sugary foods. The general rule of thumb would be to consume about 50 to 100 grams of carbohydrates a day on a low-carb diet.

While on a low-carb diet, the primary focus would be to consume high protein whole foods, healthy fats and vegetables.

Best Low Carb Foods & Snacks

If you’re wondering what are low-carb foods, below are some of the recommended options:

• 1. Eggs
• 2. Meat such as beef, chicken and lamb. Try going for lean meats such as the breast.
• 3. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage. Generally, any vegetables which grow above the ground.
• 4. Fish or Seafood such as salmon, sardines and mackerel.
• 5. Dairy such as milk, high-fat cheese and plain Greek yoghurt.
• 6. Oils such as olive oil and coconut oil.
• 7. Fruits such as blueberries, apples and raspberries.

Foods To Avoid While On A Low Carb Diet

When you’re on a low-carb diet, you should avoid food that is starchy or high in sugar. Below are some of the foods to avoid:

• 1. Highly processed food
• 2. Refined grains such as pasta, wheat and bread
• 3. Vegetables that are starchy
• 4. Foods that contain artificial ingredients
• 5. Foods that are high in sugar such as candy and soda

Common Low Carb Diet Mistakes & Solutions To Overcome Them

There are a few common low-carb diet mistakes most beginners tend to go through. Below, we listed out some of the mistakes and ways how to fix them:

1. Mindlessly eating vegetables

The common low-carb diet mistake would be either skipping vegetables altogether or simply not watching how much you’re consuming on a daily basis. One thing you should take note of is that certain vegetables contain carbohydrates. So if you eat too much, you might be going over your carbohydrate intake.

What you can do is opt for vegetables that are non-starchy like tomatoes, cucumbers, and cauliflower. Be sure to keep track of how much vegetables you’re consuming too.

2. Not consuming enough fibre

Another common low-carb diet mistake is the lack of fibre intake. It’s easy for those who just start the diet to focus too much on fat and protein while neglecting their fibre.

You can consider adding foods that are low carb but high in fibre such as hemp and chia seed.

3. Eating more than what your body needs

You may think that going on a low-carb diet will automatically help you to lose weight. The thing is, the main factor as to how we lose weight would be to burn more calories than our overall calorie intake.

So essentially, you can’t just eat how much you want. You’ll need to keep track and monitor how many calories you’re consuming.

4. Not eating sufficient amount of carbs

When you’re on a low-carb diet, it doesn’t mean you should completely drop carbohydrates altogether. That would just make you feel weak and have little to no energy to go about your day.

Instead, you should maintain a desirable amount of carbs by consuming nutrient-dense carbs such as berries. This should help you to keep your energy up while achieving your fitness goal at the same time.

A Useful Grocery Shopping List For Low Carb Diet At Home

While grocery shopping, you might now be sure what are low carb foods. Below are some helpful tips on how to plan accordingly:

1. Avocados

Avocados are known as one of the best foods to include in a low carb diet for weight loss because they are low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fat.

2. Salmon, Sardines or Tuna

These are great options to be added to your low carb diet because they contain omega-3 fatty acids and are high in protein.

3. Berries

Blueberries, strawberries or raspberries are great to be added as your snack as they are low in carbohydrates.

4. Olive Oil or Coconut Oil

When you're on a low carb diet for weight loss, it’s a must to use either olive or coconut oil when you’re cooking. This is because the oils have MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) content which is known to be good for health and are high in fat.

5. Eggs

Eggs are inexpensive and are also one of the easiest meals to incorporate into your low-carb diet. Whether it is scrambled eggs or boiled eggs, whip it up according to your own preference.

6. Meat

Of course, you can’t miss out on getting meat when you’re on a low-carb diet. Make sure not to get processed meat. Go for clean cuts such as ribeye or steaks. If that’s not your cup of tea, you can get the usual beef, chicken or lamb.

Wrapping It Up

All in all, a low-carb diet for weight loss or if you’re just trying to live a healthier lifestyle is not that difficult to maintain. Although for some people, it can be hard to eat the right food. YoloFoods offers a low carb meal plan that’s affordable and provides several options on each meal plan for you to choose from.