A Low Carb Dieting Resource
Category : Low Carb Hints
I came across this offer to recive two free low carb protein bars. I have not tried the bars myself but they have 4 net carbs per bar and they look pretty tasty in the pictures!
http://www.questproteinbar.com/sample/
Let me know how they are!
Clayton
I received an email recently asking why you often see different nutritional values for cooked verses raw foods. Many times this is seen on rice and pasta packages. Typically the carb count is reduced when cooked, but this can confuse because: Who eats raw rice and pasta?
The answer is actually more simple than you may think. The actual nutritional content of the food does not change, only the amount changes. For example (these are made up numbers, just illustrative):
Raw Rice
300 pieces fit in 1/2 cup and contains 50 carbs
Cooked Rice
150 pieces fit in 1/2 cup and contains 25 carbs
The package will say 1/2 cup raw = 50 carbs, 1/2 cup cooked contains 25 carbs without pointing out the difference in actual “material”.
So my advice is to ignore the raw count unless it is something you are going to actually eat raw.
Clayton
Low Carb Diets
If you have been on a low carb diet for an extended period of time and lost a significant amount of weight then you have encountered the dreaded “stall” or “plateau”. These stalls can be hard to deal with and very discouraging. Many people just give up on the low carb way of eating after stalling for a period of time. In this article I will outline some popular methods for overcoming these stalls and my own approach to them.
I personally seem to stall about every 10 pounds of weight loss and until recently they would last approximately 2 weeks and then take off like a rocket. After a year and a half on a low carb diet, I have been stalled for a month and a half. I have tried restricting carbs further and reducing calories to no avail…But I have a plan! Before I get to my plan, below is a list of stall breaking techniques that might help you:
1. Drink a lot more water. Cold water burns calories and helps to flush your body of undesirable material, you may be dehydrated.
2. Stop drinking diet cola. This one got me through a stall, for some reason it can hold people back.
3. Don’t eat too late. Try toa void eating within 4 hours of bedtime.
4. Count every carb. Make sure you aren’t eating more carbs than you think you are. Some carbs may be sneaking in without you knowing it. A food diary can be helpful here. I know almonds got me one time.
5. Try the Fat fast. Consume 1000 calories per day, 90% of which come from fat.
6. excercise.
7. Eat more. You may need to increase your caloric intake to get your metabolism moving.
8. Have a cheat day. You have to be careful here, don’t go crazy, and get right back on it!
9. Have More Low Carb Veggies
10. Avoid Salt. You may be retaining water, eliminating salt from your diet can help with this.
I have decided to break my stall through number 6, exercise. My plan is to start P90X in 3 weeks. I have done P90X in the past and lost weight, this will be the first time I have tried it while on a low carb diet. I am certain it will jump-start my weight loss again.
I am going to add an excercise category so you all can follow my progress on P90X and see if it is right for you.
Clayton
Category : Low Carb Hints, Product Reviews
Like a lot of people on a low carb diet, I use Splenda on everything. I remember being shocked and upset that Splenda contains carbs…I know, I know, it is a small amount, but I can’t be wasting my precious carb allotment! I was particularly concerned about my southern sweet tea. I would regularly add 2 cups to a gallon of tea. It turns out, those 2 cups of Splenda, contained 48 carbs! This made my tea “un-carb-friendly” as far as I was concerned.
After months of a sad tea-less existence, I came across a product called EZ-SWEETZ. The EZ-SWEETZ website explained that it was liquid sucralose and unlike powder/granulated Splenda, it was zero carbs! I jumped at the opportunity to regain my beloved tea so I ordered a box of three droppers. I later found out that liquid sucralose is available from several companies on Amazon but cannot be purchased in stores (in the United States). EZ-SWEETZ can be purchased HERE
I received my droppers a few days after ordering and red the label. It said 1 drop was the equivalent of 1 packet and it would take 48 drops to be the equivalent of 2 cups of sugar that my tea needed. I made my tea and added the 48 drops, being careful to count each one. I poured a cup of tea and cautiously lifted it to my lips and took a sip…It was delicious! It tasted identical to Splenda.
So, for you sweet tea addicts on a low carb diet, or those who use Splenda often, I highly recommend you check out liquid sucralose.
Clayton
CarbStation
A Low Carb Network
Category : Low Carb Hints
I am often asked…”If I am going to eat carbs, what time of day should I have them.” This is difficult to answer, the best we can do is to look to diabetics and what increases in blood glucose they see at different times of the day.
The answer is not a glamorous one…The impact of carbs at various times during the day is unique to each individual. Everyone has a basil profile that indicates the amount of insulin needed to maintain body function. So not only is the daily insulin requirement unique, the impact of each carb is unique to each individual.
The best we can do is talk about what we do know:
1. Insulin increases after consuming carbs
2. Insulin helps the body to extract energy from food and store as fat if necessary
These two “knowns” are going to happen regardless of the time of day. We can only conclude that time of day makes no difference in weight gain. This logic has been confirmed with several recent studies.
The belief that eating before bed causes more weight gain is most likely due to dieters weighing themselves in the morning and blaming that meal they had right before bed for their weight gain.
Clayton
CarbStation
A Low Carb Network
Category : Low Carb Hints
One of the benefits to following a low carb diet is the ability to eat almost anywhere with only a limited knowledge of the nutritional information of the food being served. This guide is called the “The rules of 3″ and is intended to help making low carb choices easier.
3 Rules for eating out:
1. If you know the restaurant you are going to, look up the menu and nutritional information online. Most chain restaurants make their nutritional information known on the web.
2. Customize your order. If you have a good idea of what you can and cannot have, customize your order to exclude those high carb items.
3. Have dressing and sauces served on the side. Many times there are hidden carbs in your favorite sauces and dressings. You are best to avoid them all together, but if you have to have them, order on the side and dip your food, to limit amount consumed.
3 Things to Look for on the menu:
1. Plain meat such as steak, chicken or pork. Avoid meats that have been “drizzled” with … or glazed with …
2. Salads, most restaurants offer large salads that are meant to be a full meal. Remember to leave off the croutons and order the dressing on the side.
3. Bunless sandwich items, such as hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and hotdogs.
3 Things on the menu to avoid:
1. Anything with the words breaded or bread in the name are to be avoided.
2. “White things”, avoid anything white…This is a general rule that works pretty well with the exception of cauliflower. Cauliflower is okay.
3. Gravy and sauces, avoid anything slathered in gravy and be very careful with sauces!
Clayton
CarbStation
A Low Carb Network
