6 Reasons Why A Low Carb Diet Is Right For You

Today is a great day for having a great day. I read that somewhere, and for some of us, the irony is true. Also for some of us, today is a great day for jump-starting the weight loss plan we’ve been thinking about. Let’s talk specifically about a very popular diet, the low carb diet. 

There are a gazillion diets out there. While there are some that make sense, there are many that are just plain silly, based on common sense alone. Can you imagine eating only grapefruits? Or just cabbage? Yuck and more yuck.

Please know I am NOT a registered dietician. I am not a nutritionist. I am simply someone who wants to know about weight loss.

I’ve been seeing lots of information online and on Pinterest about the low carb diet. The Keto Diet and the Atkins Diet are two popular examples of low carb diets. I was very curious about a low carb diet, so I did a bit of research and want to share that research with you.

6 Reasons Why A Low Carb Diet Is Right For You

What Is the Keto Diet?

In a sentence, a keto diet means you limit your carbohydrate intake to an absolute minimum. Doing so forces your body to turn to stored fat for fuel. When your body burns that stored fat, you are in “ketosis.” Ketones are chemicals that are made in the liver when you don’t have enough insulin to turn glucose into energy. And while this is a basic explanation, I don’t understand the science behind all of it, so before you try a low-carb diet, or any diet, for that matter, please discuss the issue with your physician.

The Low Carb Diet Isn’t New.

Several sites such as this one mentions the ketogenic diet was founded all the way back in 1924 for treating epilepsy. However, the eating system was monitored in a very controlled context. I really couldn’t find an exact date as to when this type of diet became part of the mainstream for weight loss, but I can guess it was the Atkins Diet that revolutionized this approach in the early 1970’s when cardiologist Dr. Robert C. Atkins published his book, The Diet Revolution.

The Keto Diet and the Atkins Diet are Different.

While low-carbohydrate diets tend to get lumped all together, they are different. Specifically, today’s keto diet and the Atkins diet are different. According to Atkins, “A ketogenic diet is low in carbs and high in fat. But, Atkins is a better ketogenic diet.  On Atkins you get more food choices and eat a greater balance of macronutrients.”

Unlike the keto diet, the Atkins diet works in four different phases where you track your carbs at different levels, beginning with 20 grams in phase 1.

Reasons for Trying Low Carb

There are definitely good reasons for choosing the low carb dieting, but be sure to talk with your physician. These reasons include:

1. Burn Fat
2. Jump Start Weight Loss
3. Faster Weight Loss
4. Improved Mental Performance
5. Regulate Blood Sugar
6. Reduce Hunger

Foods You Can Eat

There are tons of recipes on the Internet for preparing low-carb meals, another great reason for considering this type of diet. There are, however, common foods that are part of the plan:

• Meats: Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish, and seafood.
• Eggs
• Low Carb veggies such as kale, spinach, and asparagus.
• Full-fat Dairy, such as butter, cheese, cream, and full-fat yogurt.
• Healthy fats, such as extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil.

And because we’re all on the go, we need some grab-and-go food options. Here are some:

• Beef Jerky
• String Cheese
• Avocados
• Pork Rinds

Here are some specific snacks that are marketed for these diets:

• Carmel Bars
• Keto Cups
• Nick’s Sticks
• Cookies and Crème Shake
• Harvest Trail Bars