Low carb diet - weekly menu with recipes

In search of harmony, a toned and harmonious figure, people begin to exercise and eat healthily. The first problem is diet. Few know that the problem lies in overconsumption of simple carbohydrates. And as soon as they study information in popular sources, without reading them to the end, they completely exclude carbohydrates from the diet. And here breakdowns begin, health problems, loss of strength and so on. Where is the balance and the truth? Very close! Let's find out.

In recent years, ideas about why a person gains weight have changed dramatically. The masses have realized that carbohydrates, not dietary fats, are converted into subcutaneous fat and become a major cause of obesity.

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

In this article you will learn:

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

What is the essence of the method of losing weight?

Carbohydrates provide the body with the necessary amount of energy, which is spent during the day on vital processes and during physical activity. A complete rejection of any macronutrient leads to dysfunction of functional systems, and an excess of ingested energy leads to an increase in fat reserves. Eating a low-carb diet involves slow (complex) carbohydrates that don't cause a sharp spike in blood sugar and take longer to convert to energy.

The essence of the method lies in the fact that every day from the first day of the diet for safe and effective weight loss, the amount of carbohydrates consumed decreases, and proteins increase. This starts the following processes in the body:

1. Energy received so far is scarce, forcing us to look for a new source.
2. Glycogen becomes the main source of energy for the first 2-3 days of the diet.
3. Also, fats are broken down, due to which an additional source of energy - ketone - is synthesized.

Studies comparing the benefits of low-carb and low-fat diets for 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-carbohydrate diet, subjects felt full after eating because proteins and fats are broken down more slowly than carbohydrates. In addition, the increase in blood sugar and insulin production was gradual. This means they didn't have sharp bursts of energy, which were replaced by fatigue and an increased sense of hunger.

Conclusion: The principle of the diet are biochemical processes that contribute to burning fat and losing extra pounds.

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

advantages and disadvantages

The low content of carbohydrates in the menu has a beneficial effect on the state of the body, normalizes digestion, increases metabolic processes and rejuvenates.

Advantages:

• there is no hunger on the diet, strength remains at the same level, there is no weakness;
• suitable for diabetics;
• appropriate diet for men and women to lose weight;
• suitable for low, medium and high activity levels;
• does not require a significant change in the calculations of daily calorie requirements for weight loss, the indicators of proteins and carbohydrates change.

Reducing the amount of a macronutrient helps with weight loss and improves health. It is recommended for:

• overweight;
• intensive training;
• diabetes mellitus;
• Hypertension;
• diseases of the endocrine system;
• oncological diseases.

The method has gained confidence among athletes and bodybuilders - this is a reliable opportunity to get relief, reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat and preserve muscle mass.

However, the diet has its downsides:

• Constipation – the reduction in fiber associated with a reduction in carbohydrate intake can lead to digestive problems;
• Carbohydrate deficiency can cause headaches, irritability and nervousness;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• increases the load on the liver;
• Potassium and sodium are scarce;
• Carbohydrate deficiency reduces concentration, which is crucial for people engaged in intellectual work;
• an increase in cholesterol due to a large number of animal products, provoking the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system;

A low-carb diet is not on the list of methods that can be followed for several years, since a large list of forbidden foods creates additional stress on the body. Therefore, after several weeks or months of restrictions, a person returns to their usual diet.

Balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates

The main source of protein in a low-carb diet is animal products: meat, poultry, offal, cottage cheese, eggs. Legumes and nuts are alternatives for vegetarians.

The ratio of BJU in the diet is within:

• proteins 40-50%;
• fats 30-35%;
• Carbohydrates 20-25%.

The opinion of nutritionists

Nutritionists are suspicious of this method, since a low-carbohydrate diet (for a week or a month) implies the use of 50-70 g of a macronutrient per day. A deficiency leads to undesirable disorders with a number of side effects, as does an excess.

Doctors recommend giving preference to a proper and balanced diet and controlling the intake of carbohydrates. Healthy eating habits in combination with physical activity will help reduce the amount of body fat - the method cannot be attributed to explicit weight loss, but without harm to health.

contraindications

Before "going on a diet", you should consult a doctor, since a high content of protein foods is contraindicated for people with metabolic disorders (eg, urolithiasis, gout).

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

In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (cholecystitis, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, peptic ulcer, gastritis), excessive consumption of fatty foods is contraindicated. Fatty foods provoke the absorption of large amounts of cholesterol in the body, which can cause or accelerate the growth of atherosclerotic plaques.

The weight loss method is also not recommended:

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

Basic rules for a low carb diet

The method involves the use of a minimum amount of carbohydrates, enough to keep the body working. For women, 2 grams per kilogram of weight is required, for men - 3 grams. If the daily intake is 120-150 g, then the figure for weight loss gradually and gradually decreases to 50-70 g per day. Protein food becomes a substitute for an energy source and maintains muscle tone.

A low-carb diet lowers insulin levels, which suppresses appetite. Ketone bodies, derived from animal and vegetable proteins and fats, block the flow of information about hunger pangs.

Following a few principles will help you achieve your goals:

• Exclude from the diet products with a high glycemic index;
• take extra vitamins and minerals;
• The preferred cooking method is stewing, boiling, grilling, stewing. Fry the ingredients without adding oil or with a small amount;
• do not skip meals or reduce calories;
• in the first half and before training, take out complex carbohydrates, in the second - protein food;
• definitely have breakfast;
• Observe the drinking regimen: at least 2 liters of clean liquid.

Do not forget that correctly calculating the daily energy requirement for weight loss is the first step before starting a diet.

Approved Products

The list of products for maintaining a low-carb diet is extensive, which makes the menu more varied and will not let you starve. It is important to study the information about the component using food calorie tables or on the label.

Table of allowed products

The diet implies certain restrictions. Using the table, you can get acquainted with the products suitable for a low-carbohydrate diet.

product groups	Approved Products
meat	Lean pork, veal and beef, poultry, offal
fish and seafood	Sea fish: salmon, salmon, cod, mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut Seafood - no restrictions
Dairy products	Cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, natural yogurt without additives - all low-fat
eggs	chicken and quail
Vegetables, raw and canned	Anything but starchy veggies: potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke, sweet potato
Mushrooms	No restrictions in any way
fruits, berries	citrus fruits, green unsweetened apples
Grain	Long-cooked oatmeal, brown rice and buckwheat
nuts and seeds	Without Borders
oil	Vegetables unrefined
sauces	balsamic vinegar
sweeteners	Free from sorbitol and fructose
beverages	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 most likely on the banned list:

• Baked goods and confectionery;
• processed grains (white rice, instant oatmeal, semolina), premium wheat noodles;
• potatoes, corn;
• semi-finished products, smoked products;
• food ingredients (mayonnaise, ketchups and sauces, excluding soy);
• Chocolate;
• sweet fruits (bananas, grapes);
• sugar and sugar products;
• packaged juices, fruit drinks (with added sugar);
• Sparkling water;
• alcoholic drinks.

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

Sample menu for the week

At first glance, a low-carb diet doesn't seem to have a lot of variety. However, having prepared a menu a week in advance, you can be sure that the diet will be saturated.

Table: example of a 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 food. Do not forget that in order to comply with the daily intake of energy, it is important to correctly calculate the calorie content of the finished dish. Changes and repetitions of products are possible.

Day	breakfast	2. Breakfast	dinner	Afternoon tea	dinner
1 day	Cottage cheese casserole without sugar + tomato/cucumber	Grapefruit	Brown rice porridge with vegetables	Kefir 1%	Steamed Fish + Coleslaw + Bread
2 day	Omelette with scrambled eggs or two eggs + chicken	Fat-free cottage cheese	Mushroom soup with low-fat sour cream + bread	Kefir 1% with chopped cucumber and herbs	Boiled beef + cucumber and tomato salad
3 days	Braised vegetables with grated cheese	Apple	Vegetable soup with chicken broth	Milk 1. 5%	Boiled breast + stewed cabbage
day 4	Oatmeal with grated apple	Grapefruit	Buckwheat porridge + beetroot salad	Fat-free cottage cheese	Veal or chicken stew with vegetables
day 5	cheese + boiled eggs	Apple	Cooked Brown Rice + Seafood	Kefir 1%	Vegetable salad + lean beef steak
day 6	Cheese + boiled egg + bread	Natural yoghurt without sugar 1. 5%	Baked meat + vegetable salad	kiwi	Stewed vegetables + boiled fish
day 7	Milk buckwheat porridge	Fat-free cottage cheese	Baked fish with vegetables	Kefir 1%	Baked breast + fresh vegetables and herbs

A long-term low-carb diet (from 30 days) should contain a cheat meal or refeed so as not to slow down the metabolism.

Get off the diet

A low-carb diet is effective and affordable, but after 2 months you will need to return to your usual diet. The exit is gradual in order to minimize stress on the body and not return the previously lost kilograms.

Return to normal diet in 3-4 weeks:

• in the first and second week, the amount of fruits and vegetables (without starch) increases;
• the third week - reducing protein food by adding cereals;
• the calorie count is also increasing every day.

What can be cooked during weight loss - delicious recipes

A low-carb diet is no reason to limit yourself to just chicken fillets. The list of allowed products is extensive, so you can cook tried and true dishes or fantasize based on the ingredients available.

Chicken fillet in a slow cooker

Recipe #1

cooking method:

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

Total carbohydrates: 0 g

Ingredients:

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

Veal with cheese in the oven

Recipe #2

cooking method:

• Rinse the meat in cold water, cut lengthwise, tap off.
• Grease a baking sheet with oil, put the veal on it, pour milk.
• Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Immediately after that, salt the meat, add salt and spices to taste.
• Cut the cheese into thin slices, spread evenly over the meat, bake in the oven for another 30 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 7. 7 g

Ingredients:

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

Soup with oat bran

Recipe #3

cooking method:

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

Total carbohydrates: 24 g

Ingredients:

• 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 the orange from the peel, removing the white layers.
• Fruit cut into cubes.
• Finely chop Chinese cabbage and onion. Combine all the ingredients.
• Salt the salad to taste, season with lemon juice, mix.

Total carbohydrates: 16. 5 g

Ingredients:

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

octopus salad

Recipe number 5

cooking method:

• Hard boil two eggs, peel. Cut into medium cubes.
• Rinse squid carcasses, peel and entrails, dip in boiling water for 15-20 seconds, no more! Otherwise, they become "rubber".
• Cut seafood into thin rings or strips.
• Cut the cucumber into thin strips.
• Mix all ingredients.
• Dress the salad with the juice and olive oil, mix.

Total carbohydrates: 3. 5 g.

Ingredients:

• 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:

• Wash fish, remove fins. Cut into medium-sized pieces and rub with salt and pepper.
• Roughly chop the vegetables.
• Spread all ingredients evenly on a baking sheet.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 8. 7 g

Ingredients:

• cod - 500 g;
• eggplant - 80 g;
• Tomatoes - 120 g;
• Pepper salt.

cheesesoup

Recipe number 7

cooking method:

• Boil the chicken fillet until tender, remove the meat and leave to cool. Cut into medium pieces.
• Grate the cheese on a coarse grater, add to the broth, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. Season with salt and pepper.
• Distribute the chicken fillet in each serving. Decorate with green.

Ingredients:

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

dairy dessert

Recipe number 8

cooking method:

• Pour the milk into a deep form for whipping, put in the freezer until an ice crust forms.
• Pour water over gelatine, cook according to instructions, add gelatine. Cooling down.
• Remove the milk, beat with a hand blender, pour in the gelatine and continue beating.
• Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 9. 9 g

Ingredients:

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

Salad with canned tuna

Recipe #9

cooking method:

• Finely chop the onion into half rings, pour over the vinegar, mix and let stand for 15 minutes. After draining excess liquid.
• Hard boil the egg, grate with cheese on a coarse grater.
• Cut the cucumber into strips.
• If the tuna is too large, mash the pieces with a fork.
• Mix all ingredients, season with oil, season with salt and pepper.

Total carbohydrates: 7. 5 g

Ingredients:

• canned tuna - 1 can, 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 Chops

Recipe number 10

cooking method:

• Rinse all meats, dry on kitchen paper, chop finely or grind with a blender / meat grinder.
• Cut the onion into small cubes.
• Add the egg, onion, salt and spices to the ground beef. Mix thoroughly, form patties with wet hands.
• Steam or fry in a non-stick pan for 20-30 minutes without adding oil on both sides.

Total carbohydrates: 7 g.

Ingredients:

• 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:

• Quark must be dry. Grind a portion of cottage cheese through a sieve with a sweetener, add sour cream and mix.
• Dry the almonds in a hot nonstick skillet for 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Blind the quark ball, flatten it, put an almond in it, roll it into a ball.
• Roll the finished sweets in coconut flakes and chill for 1 hour.

Total carbohydrates: 28. 1 g

Ingredients:

• 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 way to lose weight with a varied diet. By following the recommendations, you can quickly achieve the desired results and not be afraid of the return of the lost weight after leaving the hypocarbohydrate regime. Carefully study the contraindications, track your well-being and stay healthy!