Low carb diet - weekly menu with recipes

In pursuit of harmony, toned and harmonious silhouette, people begin to exercise and follow a healthy diet. The first problem we face is diet. Few people know that the problem lies in the excessive consumption of simple carbohydrates. And once they study information in popular sources, without reading it to the end, they completely exclude carbohydrates from the diet. And here begin the damage, the health problems, the loss of strength and so on. Where is the balance and the truth? Very close! Let's figure it out.

In recent years, there has been a dramatic change in ideas about why a person is gaining weight. The masses have realized that carbohydrates, not dietary fats, are converted to subcutaneous fat and become one of the leading causes of obesity.

For a long time, low fat diets were the basis of weight loss methods, but the real sensation was caused by a low carb diet, which showed high results in losing excess weight. Studies have shown that simple and complex carbohydrates have different effects on the body. Excessive consumption of foods high in carbohydrates leads to overweight.

In this article you will learn:

• What is a low carb diet and how does fat burning occur?
• advantages and disadvantages of the method;
• what foods are in the diet of a low carb diet.
• interesting low carb recipes for a full menu.

What is the essence of the weight loss method

Carbohydrates provide the body with the necessary amount of energy expended during the day in vital processes and during physical activity. Complete rejection of a macronutrient will lead to malfunctions of the operating systems and an excess of energy received will lead to an increase in fat stores. The diet of a low carb diet includes slow (complex) carbohydrates that do not cause a strong jump in blood sugar and take longer to be converted into energy.

The essence of the method lies in the fact that from the first day of the diet for safe and effective weight loss, every day the amount of carbohydrates consumed decreases and protein increases. Thanks to this, the following processes begin in the body:

1. Previously received energy is in short supply, which forces us to look for a new source.
2. Glycogen in the first 2-3 days of the diet becomes the main energy supplier.
3. Further, the fats are broken down, synthesizing an additional source of energy - the ketone.

Studies comparing the benefits of a low-carbohydrate, low-fat diet to weight loss have shown that people who minimized the amount of carbohydrates lost more weight in 6 months than those who followed a low-fat diet.

With a low carb diet, people felt full after eating, as proteins and fats are broken down more slowly than carbohydrates. In addition, the increase in blood sugar and insulin production was gradual. This means that they did not have sudden bursts of energy, which are replaced by fatigue and an increased feeling of hunger.

conclusion: The beginning of the diet is the biochemical processes that contribute to fat burning and weight loss.

It is important to remember that during the diet, the layer of fat is reduced evenly throughout the body, so it is impossible to reduce tumors locally.

Advantages and disadvantages

The low carbohydrate content in the menu favorably affects the state of the body, normalizing digestion, increasing metabolic processes and rejuvenating.

Advantages:

• there is no hunger in the diet, strength remains at the same level, there is no weakness.
• suitable for diabetics;
• proper nutrition for men and women for the purpose of weight loss.
• suitable for low, medium and high levels of activity.
• does not require a significant change in the calculations of the daily requirement in calories for weight loss, the indicators of protein and carbohydrates change.

Reducing the amount of a macronutrient helps in weight loss and improving health, it is recommended for:

• overweight;
• intensive training;
• Diabetes;
• hypertension;
• endocrine system disorders?
• oncological diseases.

The method has gained trust among athletes and bodybuilders - this is a reliable opportunity to relieve, reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat and maintain muscle mass.

However, the diet has its disadvantages:

• Constipation - Decreased fiber, which is associated with reduced carbohydrate intake, can lead to digestive problems.
• Carbohydrate starvation can cause headaches, irritability and nervousness.
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• increases the load on the liver.
• potassium and sodium are deficient.
• Carbohydrate deficiency reduces concentration, which is critical for people engaged in mental work.
• increase in cholesterol levels due to a large number of animal products, which causes the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

A diet low in carbohydrates is not included in the list of methods that can be followed for several years, as a large list of forbidden foods creates additional stress in the body. Therefore, after several weeks or months of restriction, a person returns to his normal diet.

Balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates

The main source of protein in a diet low in carbohydrates are animal products: meat, poultry, offal, cottage cheese, eggs. For vegetarians, legumes and nuts are an alternative.

The BJU ratio in the diet is within:

• 40-50% protein?
• Fats 30-35%;
• Carbohydrates 20-25%.

The opinion of dietitians

Nutritionists are wary of the method, because a diet low in carbohydrates (for a week or a month) involves the use of 50-70 g of a macronutrient per day. Deficiency leads to unwanted disorders with a number of side effects, such as an excess.

Doctors recommend that you prefer a proper and balanced diet by controlling your carbohydrate intake. Healthy eating habits combined with physical activity will help reduce the amount of body fat - the method can not be attributed to weight loss, but without harm to health.

Contraindications

Before dieting, you should consult a doctor, as high protein foods are contraindicated for people with metabolic disorders (for example, urolithiasis, gout).

The fact is that with a normal diet, these metabolic disorders may not manifest, which means that you may not even know you have a disease. By changing your diet in the direction of increasing your protein intake, you are triggering a serious pathological mechanism in your body.

Excessive consumption of fatty foods is contraindicated in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (cholecystitis, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, gastric ulcer, gastritis). Fatty foods cause the body to absorb large amounts of cholesterol, which can cause or accelerate the growth of atherosclerotic plaques.

The weight loss method is also not recommended:

• pregnant and breastfeeding;
• persons under 18 years of age;
• with cardiovascular disease;
• at the time of exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Basic rules for a low carb diet

The method involves the use of a minimal portion of carbohydrates sufficient to maintain the body's work. For women, 2 grams per kilo of weight are required, for men - 3 gr. If the daily intake is 120-150 gr. , then for weight loss the number gradually and gradually decreases to 50-70 gr. the day. Protein food becomes a substitute for an energy source and maintains muscle tone.

A diet low in carbohydrates lowers insulin levels, which suppress appetite. Ketone bodies, which come from animal and vegetable proteins and fats, block the flow of information about the feeling of hunger.

Following are some principles to help you achieve your goals:

• Exclude high glycemic index products from your diet.
• take extra vitamins and minerals.
• the preferred cooking method is baking, boiling, grilling, steaming. Fry the ingredients without adding oil or with a small amount.
• do not skip meals and do not reduce calories.
• remove complex carbohydrates in the first half and before training, in the second - protein foods.
• make sure you have breakfast.
• observe the consumption plan: at least 2 liters of pure liquid.

Remember that correctly calculating your daily energy requirement for weight loss is the first step before starting any diet.

Approved Products

The list of products for maintaining a low carb diet is extensive, which varies the menu and will not allow you to starve. It is important to study the information about the ingredient using food calorie charts or on the label.

List of permitted products

The diet has some limitations. With the help of the table, you can get acquainted with the products that are suitable for a diet low in carbohydrates.

Product groups	Approved Products
Meat	Lean pork, beef and veal, poultry, carcass by-products
Fish and seafood	Sea fish: salmon, salmon, cod, mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut Seafood - without restrictions
Dairy products	Cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, natural yogurt without additives - all low fat
Eggs	Chicken and quail
Vegetables, raw and canned	Everything except vegetables with a high starch content: potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke, sweet potato
Mushrooms	No restrictions in any case
Fruits, berries	Citrus, green apples without sugar
cereals	Oatmeal, brown rice and buckwheat
Nuts and seeds	Without borders
Oil	Raw vegetables
Sauces	Balsamic vinegar
Sweeteners	Free of sorbitol and fructose
Drinks	Coffee, tea - without added sugar, mineral water, vegetable juices

Prohibited Products

If your favorite product is not on the list of allowed ingredients, then it is probably on the banned list:

• bakery and confectionery products;
• processed cereals (white rice, instant oatmeal, semolina), high quality wheat pasta.
• potatoes, corn;
• semi-finished products, smoked products.
• food ingredients (mayonnaise, ketchup and sauces, except soy).
• chocolate;
• sweet fruits (banana, grapes).
• sugar and sugar products;
• packaged juices, fruit drinks (due to added sugar).
• soda;
• alcoholic beverage.

It is necessary to abandon the above products for the first time and after 3-4 weeks, gradually re-introduce them into the diet in small portions.

Sample menu for the week

At first glance, it seems that a low carb diet is not much different, however, having prepared a menu for a week in advance, you can make sure that the diet is saturated.

Table: sample of low carb diet menu for 7 days

The table contains possible combinations of breakfast, lunch and dinner, which can be taken as a basis and replaced with your favorite meal. Remember that it is important to properly calculate the calorie content of the final dish in order to comply with your daily energy intake. It is possible to alternate and repeat the products.

Day	breakfast	2nd breakfast	Dinner	afternoon tea	Dinner
1 day	Cottage cheese sauce without sugar + tomato / cucumber	Grapefruit	Brown rice porridge with vegetables	Kefir 1%	Steamed fish + coleslaw + bread
2 days	Omelet omelette or two eggs + chicken	Non-fat cottage cheese	Mushroom soup with low-fat sour cream + bread	1% kefir with chopped cucumber and herbs	Boiled beef + cucumber salad and tomato
3 day	Cooked vegetables with grated cheese	apple	Vegetable soup with chicken broth	Milk 1, 5%	Boiled breast + boiled cabbage
Day 4	Oatmeal with grated apple	Grapefruit	Buckwheat porridge + beetroot salad	Non-fat cottage cheese	Beef ragout or chicken with vegetables
Day 5	Cheese + boiled eggs	apple	Boiled brown rice + seafood	Kefir 1%	Vegetable salad + lean beef steak
Day 6	Cheese + boiled egg + bread	Natural yogurt without sugar 1, 5%	Grilled meat + vegetable salad	Kiwi	Boiled vegetables + boiled fish
Day 7	Milk buckwheat porridge	Non-fat cottage cheese	Fish cooked with vegetables	Kefir 1%	Baked breast + fresh vegetables and herbs

A long-term low-carb diet (from 30 days) should include a cheat meal or diet to avoid slowing down the metabolism.

Leaving the diet

A diet low in carbohydrates is effective and affordable, but after 2 months you should return to your normal diet. The exit is done gradually to minimize stress for the body and not to return the previously lost pounds.

Return to normal diet in 3-4 weeks:

• In the first and second week, the amount of fruits and vegetables (which do not contain starch) increases.
• in the third week - reduction of protein foods with the addition of cereals.
• The number of calories is also increasing daily.

What can be cooked during the period of weight loss - delicious recipes

A low carb diet is not a reason to limit yourself to chicken fillets. The list of allowed products is extensive, so you can cook time-tested dishes or fantasize based on the available ingredients.

Chicken fillet in slow cooker

Recipe # 1

Cooking method:

• Rinse the chicken fillet, remove the excess fat. Cut into arbitrary pieces, sprinkle with salt and spices, place in the bottom of the multicooker bowl.
• Pour water, add the bay leaf.
• Cook for 1. 5 hours in "Off" mode.

Total carbohydrates: 0 g

Components:

• chicken fillet - 250 g;
• water - 150 g;
• salt, ground pepper - to taste.
• bay leaf - 1 pc.

Baked veal with cheese

Recipe # 2

Cooking method:

• Rinse the meat in cold water, cut it lengthwise, beat it.
• Grease a pan with oil, put the veal, pour milk.
• Bake in the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Immediately after, salt the meat, add salt and spices as desired.
• Cut the cheese into thin slices, spread evenly over the meat, put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 7, 7 g

Components:

• beef shoulder - 400 g;
• cheese - 100 g;
• milk 1, 5% - 100 ml;
• vegetable oil - 20 ml;
• salt, pepper, spices - to taste.

Oat bran soup

Recipe # 3

Cooking method:

• Cut the turkey fillet into cubes, boil in 1 liter of water for 20 minutes.
• At the end add the chopped onion and the bran.
• Boil an egg tightly, cut into small pieces and add to the broth.
• Finely chop the greens, send them to the soup.

Total carbohydrates: 24 gr

Components:

• turkey fillet - 150 g;
• water - 1 l;
• onions - 60 g;
• egg - 58 g;
• oat bran - 25 g;
• chopped dill - 10 g;
• green onions - 5 g;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Chinese cabbage salad with fruits

Recipe # 4

Cooking method:

• Peel an orange, grate it and squeeze the juice.
• Fruit cut into cubes.
• Finely chop the Chinese cabbage and onion. Combine all ingredients.
• Add salt to the salad preferably, salt and pepper the lemon juice, mix.

Total carbohydrates: 16, 5 g

Components:

• Chinese cabbage - 150 g;
• apple - 50 g;
• orange - 60 g;
• green onions - 5 g;
• lemon juice - 20 ml;
• salt - to taste.

squid salad

Recipe number 5

Cooking method:

• Boil two eggs, peel. Cut into medium cubes.
• Rinse the carcass, skin and entrails of the squid, soak in boiling water for 15-20 seconds, no more! Otherwise they will become "rubber".
• Cut the seafood into thin slices or slices.
• Cucumber cut into thin strips.
• Mix all the ingredients.
• Pour the salad with juice and olive oil, mix.

Total carbohydrates: 3, 5 g.

Components:

• chicken egg - 116 g (2 pcs. );
• squid - 150 g;
• cucumber - 70 g;
• lemon juice - 15 ml;
• olive oil - 15 ml.

White fish with vegetables

Recipe # 6

Cooking method:

• Rinse the fish, remove the fins. Cut into medium pieces, rub with salt and pepper.
• Finely chop the vegetables.
• Spread all the ingredients evenly in a pan.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 8, 7 g

Components:

• cod - 500 g;
• eggplant - 80 g;
• tomatoes - 120 g;
• pepper, salt.

Cheese soup

Recipe number 7

Cooking method:

• Boil the chicken fillet until soft, remove the meat and leave it to cool. Cut into medium pieces.
• Grate the cheese on a coarse grater, add to the broth, simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until homogeneous, stirring constantly. Add SALT and pepper to taste.
• Spread chicken fillet in each portion. Decorate with green.

Components:

• chicken fillet - 300 g;
• processed cheese - 100 g;
• water - 1, 5 l;
• salt, pepper - to taste.
• fresh herbs - to taste.

Dessert with milk

Recipe number 8

Cooking method:

• Pour the milk into a deep pan to beat, put it in the freezer until an ice crust forms.
• Pour the gelatin with water, cook according to the instructions, add gelatin. I'm cold.
• Take out the milk, beat with a dipping blender, pour in the gelatin and continue beating.
• Put in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 9, 9 g

Components:

• milk 0. 5% - 200 ml;
• gelatin - 10 g;
• water - 40 ml;
• sweetener - to taste.

Canned tuna salad

Recipe # 9

Cooking method:

• Finely chop the onion in half slices, pour over the vinegar, stir and leave for 15 minutes. After draining the excess liquid.
• Boil the egg tightly, grate it with the cheese on a coarse grater.
• Cut the cucumber into strips.
• If the tone is too high, then mash the pieces with a fork.
• Mix all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, season with salt and pepper as desired.

Total carbohydrates: 7, 5 g

Components:

• canned tuna - 1 box, about 180 g.
• egg - 58 g;
• hard cheese - 100 g;
• cucumber - 100 g;
• onion - 40 g;
• vinegar - 5 ml;
• olive oil - 15 ml;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Diet cutlets

Recipe number 10

Cooking method:

• Rinse all types of meat, dry on kitchen paper, chop or chop with a meat blender / grinder.
• Onion cut into small cubes.
• Add the egg, onion, salt and spices to the minced meat. Mix well, form patties with wet hands.
• Steam for 20-30 minutes or fry in a non-stick pan without adding oil on both sides.

Total carbohydrates: 7 g.

Components:

• beef shoulder - 200 g;
• lean pork - 400 g;
• chicken fillet - 250 g;
• onion - 60 g;
• chicken egg - 58 g;
• salt, spices - to taste.

Low carb Raffaello

Recipe # 11

Cooking method:

• The curd must be dry. Grind a portion of cottage cheese with a sweetener through a sieve, add sour cream, mix.
• Dry the almonds in a hot non-stick pan for 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Blind a ball of cottage cheese, flatten it, put an almond in it, roll it.
• Wrap the final sweets in coconut flakes and put them in the fridge for 1 hour.

Total carbohydrates: 28, 1 g

Components:

• cottage cheese 1, 8% - 250 g;
• sour cream 10% - 40 g;
• raw almonds - 20 g;
• coconut flakes - 100 g;
• sweetener - to taste.

A low carb diet is an effective weight loss method with a varied menu. By following the recommendations, you can quickly achieve the desired results and not be afraid to return the lost weight after leaving the carbohydrate shape. Carefully study the contraindications, monitor your well-being and be healthy!