How to Lose Weight With a Low Carb Vegetarian Diet
Low carb and vegetarian can go hand in hand, if you are willing to make a few healthier substitutions for high calorie and empty calorie foods.
Vegetarians, especially those who are more restrictive vegans, should take care when even further restricting their food intake and assure that a balanced diet including all of the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients is consumed daily.
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Instructions
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Break Bad Habits
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Use the low carb diet to help wean yourself from processed foods, boxed and prepared items that are often packed with fat, calories and preservatives.
Time away from certain foods can reduce your craving to eat them; whether it is your body or your mind convincing you to reach for that piece of bread or extra cookie, once you do, it is more likely you will want another. Going cold turkey can allow you the time to get used to the flavors of healthier options you may have skipped previously.
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Add healthier foods in place of the items you cut from your diet. Raw or lightly cooked vegetables and fruits are packed full of fiber, water and natural sugars that will help you feel full and satisfied. You can eat more and yet consume fewer calories, but you will likely find you eat less once your body adapts to the changes.
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Sample a variety of items to keep your meals interesting and to meet the recommended daily allowance from each nutrient. Even if you focus on low carb versions, there are still plenty of tasty and healthy fruits and vegetables from which to fill your menu.
While some diet fads ask that participants cut out certain foods, going without grains, fruits, vegetables or any group of food is not necessary. Simply choose healthier versions, like brown rice or multi grain pastas and eat them in moderation.
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Do not go hungry; instead, spend your calories wisely. Visit a website with a calorie calculator and figure an estimated intake that fits your body and lifestyle. Use the count to figure the average amount of food you should consume each day.
Do not cut out more than a few hundred calories per day. Your body will want to hold on to weight and you may experience unpleasant or dangerous side effects from severe calorie restriction. Often, once a person who has severely limited calorie intake begins to eat normally again, there is a large weight gain that follows. It can then be even more difficult to lose due to a slower metabolism.
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No diet is complete or successful in the long term without exercise. Find an activity you enjoy, one you can sustain and practice it a minimum of thirty minutes per day, three times a week. For weight loss, a greater effort is needed. Remember, even small doses of exercise add up over time.
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Tips & Warnings
Drink plenty of water, get adequate sleep and exercise daily. Through gradual weight loss, you are less likely to see the weight creep back.
Check with your physician before starting a diet, especially if you are on medications or have a health condition affected by changes in eating habits. Avoid fast fix diet plans. They have a high failure rate and often require unhealthy behaviors. Change your lifestyle instead.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo by Alice Moon @ Free Range Human (http://jamestwohats.com/quartremoon/)
