Carbohydrate-free diet - rules, types, list of foods and menus

A carbohydrate-free diet is considered the “mildest” or easily tolerated of all modern diets, despite the complete elimination of carbohydrates from the diet. It is formulated for weight loss and is really effective at eliminating subcutaneous fat. What to eat and what not to eat on a carbohydrate-free diet? How to get out of the diet so that the lost pounds do not return? Read about it in our article.

Basic diet rules

This program was developed specifically for bodybuilders participating in championships and championships, but, like many other nutrition systems, it went beyond the framework of professional sports.

Protein foods and a small amount of vegetable fats are the main accents of this diet. The limitation of the amount of carbohydrates, although maximum, is not complete. It is still advisable to consume 30-40 g of carbohydrates per day for the normal functioning of the intestines and stomach. Eliminating them altogether increases the risk of constipation and other digestive disorders.

The essence of the diet

This method of nutrition is based on the principle of burning subcutaneous fat by the body itself in conditions of a constant lack of energy from carbohydrates consumed in food.

Without the use of carbohydrates, those who are losing weight are noted ketosis - a condition in which the body receives energy due to the breakdown of fat cells. Ketosis is considered a physiological condition, in contrast to ketoacidosis, a pathology in which the number of ketone bodies in the blood increases critically. Long-term course of ketoacidosis is dangerous to life and health. For this reason, they move to ketosis gradually. A safe ratio is recommended: 50% protein, 35-40% fat, and 10-15% carbohydrates.

The body's response to refusing carbohydrates

In the first week of the new diet, there are no visible changes in the body. Weight loss is either very slight or absent altogether. At the initial stage, the body gets used to getting energy not from food rich in carbohydrates, but from its own fat reserves.

Reducing carbohydrates can cause drowsiness and slight weakness. Constipation can also be a reaction of the body. The increased volume of protein foods puts a strain on the liver and kidneys. Another common reaction of the body to this diet is mild stress and even depression due to the fact that the brain receives less glucose.

Burning fat on this diet does not require intense daily training.

Diet stages

The gradual transition of the body to the consumption of energy from the split fat cells occurs in 4 stages.

1. First stage. Eating carbohydrates only in the morning. A few hours after breakfast, the supply of glucose from the morning meals will run out, and the body will begin to waste its own glycogen stores.
2. Second phase. Complete elimination of glucose from food. Glycogen from muscle cells and liver is used for energy production. After 2-3 days, the body feels a constant lack of carbohydrates and begins to "search" for an alternative for energy production.
3. The third stage occurs 3-4 days after the start of the diet. There is almost no glycogen in the cells of the body. Fat burning is activated, but the body relies on proteins to provide the body with energy. In the first week, you will need to eat more protein than in the following weeks to compensate for the increased protein consumption.
4. Stage four. Ketosis starts. The breakdown of fat cells for energy production begins.

Types of carbohydrate-free diets

There are several varieties of this nutrition program practiced: constant, circular and power. Each of them has its own characteristics.

Power

Suitable for professional athletes only. Its essence is in the intake of carbohydrates before training, so that there is strength for full-fledged work with great physical activity. This approach is only justified with an intense training program. Otherwise, you will not completely waste the carbohydrates received and will not lose weight.

Constant

You consume no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day with fiber. The emphasis in the diet on proteins and vegetable fats. By completely refusing carbohydrates, you run the risk of experiencing psychomotor retardation, absent-mindedness, a decrease in the speed of thinking and perception.

Circular

This approach is to reduce the intake of carbohydrates to 30-40 g in vegetables and cereals. The restriction lasts 6 days. On the seventh day, there is a full carbohydrate "load". It is allowed to eat porridge, vegetables, pasta, a couple of fruits.

Loading starts the production of enzymes, stimulates metabolic processes and enriches muscle cells with glycogen. By practicing this approach, you will perform well, feel great, and avoid all the negative effects of carbohydrate exclusion.

List of approved products

Allowed products during beef-free breeding include boiled or baked fish, boiled red meat (rabbit, beef), boiled poultry fillets or in steamed cutlets, dairy products with a protein content of not more than 5%.

Vegetables

Green vegetables are allowed: lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, parsley, white cabbage, dill and some fruits: sour green apples, coconut, citrus fruits, peaches.

Nuts

It is recommended to eat nuts. It is a source of fat. Try to eat a handful of peanuts, hazelnuts, and any other nuts several times throughout the week.

Cereals

Supplement your diet with buckwheat, millet. It is allowed to use side dishes of stewed or baked zucchini, asparagus, eggplant.

Approved Products Table

The list of products shown for consumption is extensive. Use it as the basis for your low-carb diet. The calorie content of each type of food is indicated per 100 grams.

Table of Allowed Foods on a Carbohydrate Diet:

Download the table of allowed on a carbohydrate-free diet here so that it is always at your fingertips.

Partially restricted and prohibited products

Although this nutritional program is varied and not considered overly restrictive, some foods will have to be discarded. The first to be banned are packaged juices, fruit drinks, carbonated water. Do not eat fresh starchy foods: potatoes, beets, carrots and corn. It is also worth giving up foods marked "low-calorie", "low-fat", "light", "dietary".

The strictest ban applies to alcoholic drinks and fast food, as well as all kinds of cakes, pastries and sweets from the supermarket. Also, among the prohibited "treats" are smoked meats: sausages, smoked chicken, smoked fish. The partial ban applies to frozen foods: green frozen vegetables can be used for side dishes. Bread products (bread), including homemade baked goods, are prohibited. The only exception is pasta, which needs to be cooked for more than 5 minutes.

Table of foods that are prohibited on a carbohydrate-free diet:

You can download the list of prohibited foods on a carbohydrate-free diet here. So it will always be at your fingertips.

Carbohydrate-free diet for weight loss for a week

• Allowed the use of lamb, pork, chicken, veal, rabbit - all this, of course, within acceptable limits.
• The second must-have in the diet is egg whites. With them, you can make a light salad, cook an omelet, or simply eat boiled.
• Another important ingredient in the menu is fermented milk products. Snacks from yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk will help to cope with hunger between morning, lunch and evening meals.

We present to your attention a menu on a carbohydrate-free for seven days. Based on it, you can easily draw up your nutritional program for a month. Just swap the days or supplement it with foods from the allowed list.

Try to drink plenty of water and use as little salt as possible.

The menu for every day on a carbohydrate-free diet for weight loss may look like this:

Save yourself a table of a sample menu by downloading it here so that it is always at hand.

How to behave in case of a breakdown?

Even with the most varied and rich menu, breakdowns are possible when you are tempted by "goodies" at a holiday, party, or bought something from the prohibited list in a supermarket. It depends on how you relate to the diet: as a tool that will help you become slimmer and more beautiful, or as another "dietary" test. Start the diet in a positive mood and it will be easier for you to stick to restrictions. You will not notice how the time that you are going to diet will fly by.

If you do allow yourself a sausage sandwich or fast food, but intend to continue the diet, do not scold yourself. Excessive self-criticism will only ruin the mood. Analyze the cause of the breakdown and try to avoid such situations in the future. Do not go shopping on an empty stomach and always make a list of products so as not to be tempted by various "harmfulness".

How to get out of a carbohydrate-free diet?

Considering that strict restrictions, except for reducing the consumption of carbohydrates to 30-40 g per day, this diet does not provide, the concept of getting out of it is conditional.

Yield refers to only a slight increase in carbohydrate intake per day. On the recommendation of doctors, it is advisable to adhere to their reduced content in food for life, if there are no contraindications to this due to your health condition.

The consumption rate of carbohydrates after this diet rises to 50-60 g: you smoothly go into a constant low-carb diet.

Contraindications

A carb-free diet for weight loss is prohibited if you have:

• diabetes;
• renal failure;
• diseases of the heart and vascular system;
• stomach ulcer, enterocolitis and bowel disease;
• instability of the psycho-emotional background, depression, stressful conditions.

Also, the period of gestation and lactation are considered absolute contraindications.

Advice

Some helpful tips:

1. Don't worry if you haven't started to lose weight after the first week of the diet. During this time, your body is just getting used to the new diet.
2. In the first week, reduce your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams, and in the following weeks, double this amount. This is necessary for ketosis to start.
3. Don't starve to speed up the results. This will only worsen your overall health. Meals in the morning, lunchtime and evening, as well as snacks are required.
4. Don't try strict carbohydrate abstinence unless you're a professional athlete.
5. Print out a list of products that are allowed to eat and carry it with you when you go to the supermarket.

Conclusion

This type of diet is not overly expensive: you will buy regular foods from the supermarket that only contain a minimum of carbohydrates. The basis of nutrition is meat dishes, milk-based products, green vegetables. The diet is universal and suitable for most people who lose weight in the absence of contraindications to its use.

During a carbohydrate-free eating program, you will easily get used to it and hardly want to return to your old eating habits. Your decision will be reinforced by a refreshed look, healthy skin, beautiful hair and a slim figure.

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