When I decided to go on a “low carb” diet (also referred to as a ketogenic diet), a number of my friends on other more “traditional” diet plans went into a panic.  After about 30 seconds into their lecture, I realized that their concern was more a result of not knowing what a low carbohydrate diet was than anything else.  If you are thinking about going on a low carb diet and aren’t quite sure how to start, or what the diet entails, you’ve come to the right place to learn more and decide if it’s for you.

What is a Carbohydrate?
Carbohydrates are in most of the foods that we eat.  Carbs consist of different sugars and starches, and break down into glucose (aka sugar).  Glucose is one of the three main sources we derive our energy from so we can get out of bed each morning and be productive.

A short list of foods that are high in carbohydrates are:

Cereals, grains and breads: Bagels, white and whole wheat bread, rice, pasta
Fruits: Dates, berries, apples oranges, watermelons, raisins
Vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots
Beans: White beans, black eye peas, chickpeas, refried beans
Sugar:  White table sugar, candies, any foods with corn syrup, fruit juices

Why would we want to limit our Carb Intake for Weight Loss?
When you eat any sort of carbohydrate, your body releases something called “insulin” into your bloodstream.  Insulin’s role is to tell the cells in our body to nab the sugars from the blood as quickly as possibly, and to then tell the fat cells to not release any fat to burn off since our bodies acknowledge that they will be getting their energy from the sugar we have now ingested.  If there is not enough sugar in our blood stream for energy use, our bodies will then turn to our fat cells and “instruct” our fat cells to release fat to be used as energy instead.

While carbohydrates are certainly necessary for us to function, most Western countries consume so many carbs in a day that often our fat cells never get a chance to release our body’s fat for energy use (thus not allowing us to lose weight).  If you chose to eat a low carb diet, the amount of carbohydrates in our bodies are limited (thus limiting the amount of insulin telling our bodies to burn sugar rather than fat) and so our fat cells are then able to release fat into our bloodstream so fat can be burned and used as fuel.

How do Low Carb Diets Work?
Most of us in North America eat upwards to 300 grams of carbohydrates a day, which means we have a whole lot of insulin coursing through our bodies, telling our fat cells to hold on to that fat we wish to release.  Eating so many carbs makes it almost impossible for most to actually lose any weight and can even cause one to gain MORE weight!

Our bodies get their energy from three sources:  carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.  Low carb diets focus on limiting your carbohydrate intake between 20 to 60 grams a day, while increasing the amount of protein and fats you eat.  This means eating more meat, soy products and vegetables that are low in carbohydrates (such as kale, spinach, broccoli and peppers) and cutting out the crackers, pasta, most fruits and anything made with refined sugars.

What should I know before starting a Low Carb Diet?
As with any diet, there are a number of issues you should be aware of to help decide if this type of diet is right for you.  The first concern is:

Depletion of Glycogen: Glycogen is the stored form of glucose/sugar.  Eating less carbs means less glycogen in your muscles and liver, which will cause water loss/dehydration (which is why many low carb dieters see a drastic drop in weight during the first two weeks).  It is also argued that the lack of glycogen leaves one feeling sluggish and fatigued, and that it can actually lead to muscle loss.  This in turn causes our skin to sag and become dull.

Decreased Basal Metabolic rate:  Metabolism is all about our muscles, so the less muscle and muscle tone you have, the slower our metabolism actually is.  This means that you could be burning fewer calories in a day than one who is not on a low carb diet.

Cuts out the Good Carbs:  Many of these low carbohydrate diets do recommend cutting out both the bad carbs (cookies, cakes, baked items, soda) and the good carbs (whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes).  Cutting out these natural and nutritious foods may leave our bodies completely nutritionally depleted, which leaves us open to illness and infection.

As with any diet, it’s important to recognize that consistency is key.  Failure to practice a diet meticulously will either lessen the positive results, or render no results whatsoever.  Before starting any diet plan, however, it’s always a good idea to visit your health practitioner for more information on the diet you are choosing to use and how it may affect your body specifically.

Best of luck on your weight loss journey!

Admit it: you’ve checked out the amount of calories you’re adding to your body when you put that cracker in your mouth.  Maybe you did the same when you ate that personal sized yogurt.  Or when you decided to indulge in that chocolate bar after lunch.  We’re all checking out the calories that we’re putting into our bodies for SOME foods, but we’re not keeping track of it all (yes, that cup of coffee with cream and sugar certainly has some calories that need to be accounted for!).  Ask most how many calories they consume on a daily basis and they’ll either give you a figure that’s completely off-base or they’ll admit they have no idea.

How many Calories Should I Eat in a Day?
A calorie is a word used to describe a unit of energy.  The amount of calories that one should consume in a day varies on a number of factors: height, activity level, age, and weight loss goals (if any).  For the average person, a 1500 calorie diet is sufficient to keep us energized and mentally alert without packing on the pounds.  If you exercise regularly, you may need more calories than this to keep your body going throughout the day and to fight fatigue.  Similarly, if you spend your days sitting on the couch or laying in bed, you can get away with less than 1500 calories a day while still being functional.

If I need 1500 Calories, Why switch to a 1200 Calorie Diet?
A 1500 calorie diet is fine for those who are satisfied with their current weight, but for anyone looking to shed some pounds, consider taking on a 1200 calorie diet.  Initially, taking on the 1200 calorie diet may seem like a lot less food and you may think you’re going to starve.  Here’s the good news: you won’t starve and you will always be feeling full and satisfied as long as you follow these tips:

- Eat several small meals and snacks each day.  Eating up to 6 small meals a day will not only keep you full, but it will also keep your metabolism revved up and running.
- When you eat, eat slowly.  Eating slowly allows our stomach to effectively communicate to our brain when it’s full, whereas eating too quickly doesn’t get that message through until after we’ve overstuffed ourselves.
- Drink a lot of water.  Water will help fill you up AND it has zero calories.  Bonus!
- Keep your diet simple, yet varied.  You don’t need to eat lean chicken and a salad for every meal.  Change it up!
- Be sure to take a multivitamin or nutritional supplement every day.  You need to make sure that you are getting the nutrients your body needs to be in tip top shape.
How do I Plan to eat a 1200 Calorie Diet?
First and foremost, before starting a diet plan of this kind be sure to check in with your health care practitioner and/or dietician.  He or she will be a wealth of resources when it comes to dieting, calories and nutrition.

Next, it is important that you do actually PLAN your diet.  Write down ingredients for meals, plan out snacks, and be sure to purchase items you need only once a week when you do the grocery shopping.  Forgetting even one thing from a recipe may land a tempted person at the fast food drive-thru window.

Both the library and the Internet have tons of resources on ideal 1200 calorie diets that will keep you interested and motivated.

Below is an example of a typical 1200 calorie diet day:

Breakfast:
- 1 large hardboiled egg (90 calories)
- 2 rashers of lean bacon (200 calories)
- 2 slices of whole wheat toast with a thin spread of butter (200 calories)
- 1 large slice of melon (47 calories)

Lunch:
- Cream of mushroom soup (96 calories)
- 1 large mixed salad (80 calories)
- 1 slice of bread with thin spread of butter (108 calories)

Snack:
- 1 personal low fat yogurt (60 calories)
- 1 piece of fruit (40-50 calories)

Dinner:
- Pasta salad (200-300 calories)
- 50g of tin can tuna (50 calories)

Many stores also sell frozen pre-made low-calorie dishes that you can purchase if you feel like having a lazy “cooking” day.

When attempting to lose weight, you certainly want to stay away from any foods with refined sugars and corn syrup (say good bye to your pop, table sugar and sweets!), any foods with transfats, any foods that will make a brown paper bag turn see-through (fatty, greasy foods) and most alcoholic beverages.

Remember, any sort of change to one’s diet will be met with challenges and temptations.  To help keep on track, write down every piece of food you consume in a day to help you keep motivated and on track.  Best wishes to you and your weight loss!