Low carb diet - weekly menu with recipes

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

In the last few years, there has been a dramatic change in perceptions of why a person gains weight. The masses realized that carbohydrates, not dietary fats, are converted into subcutaneous fat and become one of the main causes of obesity.

For a long time, low-fat diets were the basis of weight loss methods, but the real sensation was the low-carbohydrate diet, which showed high results in overweight. Studies show 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 to burn fat;
• advantages and disadvantages of the method;
• what foods are present in the diet of a low-carbohydrate diet;
• interesting low-carb recipes for a complete menu.

What is the essence of the method of weight loss

Carbohydrates provide the body with the necessary amount of energy, which is expended during the day for vital processes and during physical activity. Complete rejection of macronutrients will lead to malfunctions of functional systems, and excess energy will lead to increased fat reserves. A low-carb diet includes slow (complex) carbohydrates that do not cause a high spike in blood sugar and take longer to convert to 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. Due to this, the following processes are started in the body:

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

Studies comparing the benefits of low-carb and low-fat diets for weight loss show that people who cut down on carbs lose more weight in 6 months than those who follow a low-fat diet.

With a low-carb diet, subjects feel full after a meal because protein and fat are broken down more slowly than carbohydrates. In addition, the rise in blood sugar and insulin production occurs gradually. This means that they did not have sudden bursts of energy, which are replaced by fatigue and increased hunger.

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

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

Advantages and disadvantages

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

Professionals:

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

Reducing the amount of macronutrients helps to lose weight and improve health, it is recommended for:

• Overweight;
• intensive training;
• diabetes;
• hypertension;
• disorders of the endocrine system;
• oncological diseases.

The method has won the trust of athletes and working bodybuilders - it is a reliable opportunity to get relief, reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat and maintain muscle mass.

However, the diet has its drawbacks:

• constipation - the reduction of fiber, which is associated with a reduction in 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 deficiency;
• carbohydrate deficiency reduces concentration, which is crucial for people engaged in mental work;
• increase in cholesterol levels due to a large number of animal products, which provokes 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, as a large list of forbidden foods creates additional stress for the body. Therefore, after a few weeks or months of restrictions, a person returns to his usual diet.

Balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates

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

The ratio of BJU in the diet is within:

• Protein 40-50%;
• Fat 30-35%;
• Carbohydrates 20-25%.

The opinion of nutritionists

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

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

Contraindications

Before going on a diet, you should consult a doctor, as high protein foods are contraindicated for people with impaired metabolism (eg urolithiasis, gout).

The fact is that with a normal diet, these metabolic disorders may not occur, which means that you may not even know you have the disease. By changing your diet in the direction of increasing protein intake, you provoke the start of a severe 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 provoke the intake 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 women;
• persons under 18 years of age;
• with cardiovascular disease;
• during exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Basic rules for a low carb diet

The method involves the use of a minimum portion of carbohydrates sufficient to maintain the body's work. For women you need 2 grams per kilogram of weight, for men - 3 g. If the daily intake is 120-150 g, then for weight loss the figure gradually and gradually decreases to 50-70 g per day. Protein food becomes a substitute for energy 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.

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 method of cooking is stewing, 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;
• don't forget to have breakfast;
• follow the drinking regime: at least 2 liters of clean liquid.

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

Approved products

The list of products for maintaining a low-carbohydrate diet is extensive, which diversifies the menu and will not allow you to starve. It is important to research the information about the ingredient using the calorie tables on the food or on the label.

Table of authorized products

The diet implies certain restrictions. With the help of the table you can get acquainted with the products suitable for eating low-carbohydrate foods.

Product groups	Approved products
Meat	Lean pork, beef and veal, poultry, offal
Fish and seafood	Marine fish: salmon, salmon, cod, mackerel, herring, tuna, flounder Seafood - no restrictions
Dairy products	Cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, natural yogurt without additives - all low fat
Eggs	Chicken and quail
Vegetables, raw and canned	Everything except high-starch vegetables: potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes
mushrooms	No restrictions in any way
Fruits, berries	Citrus fruits, green unsweetened apples
cereals	Long cooked oats, brown rice and buckwheat
Nuts and seeds	Without limits
butter	Unrefined 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 most likely on the banned list:

• bakery and confectionery products;
• processed cereals (white rice, instant oatmeal, semolina), first-class 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 the addition of sugar);
• Carbonated drinks;
• alcoholic beverages.

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

Sample menu for the week

At first glance, it seems that a low-carb diet is not very varied, but once you have prepared a menu a week in advance, you can be sure that the diet is saturated.

Table: Sample menu for a low-carb diet for 7 days

The table contains possible combinations of snacks, lunches and dinners that you can take as a basis and replace with your favorite dish. Remember that it is important to correctly calculate the calorie content of the finished dish in order to comply with the daily energy intake. Alternation and repetition of products is possible.

day	Breakfast	2nd breakfast	Dinner	afternoon tea	Dinner
One day	Cottage cheese casserole without sugar + tomato / cucumber	Grapefruit	Brown rice porridge with vegetables	kefir 1%	Steamed fish + cabbage salad + bread
2 days	Scrambled or omelet of 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	Stewed vegetables with grated cheese	Apple	Vegetable soup with chicken broth	milk 1, 5%	Boiled breasts + stewed cabbage
Day 4	Oatmeal with grated apple	Grapefruit	Buckwheat porridge + beet salad	Fat-free cottage cheese	Beef or chicken ragout 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 yogurt without sugar 1, 5%	Roast meat + vegetable salad	kiwi	Stewed vegetables + boiled fish
Day 7	Buckwheat milk porridge	Fat-free cottage cheese	Fish roasted with vegetables	kefir 1%	Roast breasts + fresh vegetables and herbs

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

Getting out of the diet

A low carb diet is effective and affordable, but after 2 months you should return to your usual diet. Exit is done gradually to minimize stress for the body and not to regain the previously lost weight.

Return to a normal diet after 3-4 weeks:

• in the first and second week the amount of fruits and vegetables (starch-free) increases;
• the third week - reduction of protein foods by adding cereals;
• the number of calories also increases every day.

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 permitted products is extensive, so you can cook time-tested dishes or fantasize based on the available ingredients.

Chicken fillet in a slow cooker

Recipe №1

Cooking method:

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

Total carbohydrates: 0 g

Ingredients:

• chicken fillet - 250 g;
• water - 150 g;
• salt, ground black 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, beat.
• Grease a pan with oil, put the veal, pour milk.
• Send in the 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, return to 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.

Oat bran soup

Recipe №3

Cooking method:

• Cut the turkey fillet into cubes, boil in 1 liter of water for 20 minutes.
• Finally, add the chopped onion and bran.
• Boil one egg hard, chop finely and add to the broth.
• Finely chop the greens, send to the soup.

Total carbohydrates: 24 g

Ingredients:

• turkey fillet - 150 g;
• water - 1 liter;
• onion - 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 fruit

Recipe №4

Cooking method:

• Peel an orange, grate it and squeeze the juice.
• Fruits cut into cubes.
• Finely chop Chinese cabbage and onions. Combine all ingredients.
• Add salt to taste to the salad, season with lemon juice, stir.

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.

squid salad

Recipe number 5

Cooking method:

• Boil two eggs hard, peel. Cut into medium cubes.
• Rinse the carcass of squid, peel the entrails, immerse in boiling water for 15-20 seconds, no more! Otherwise, they will become "rubber".
• Cut the seafood into thin rings or strips.
• Cut the cucumber into thin strips.
• Mix all ingredients.
• Make the salad with juice and olive oil, stir.

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:

• Rinse the fish, remove the fins. Cut into medium pieces, rub with salt and pepper.
• The vegetables are coarsely chopped.
• Distribute all ingredients evenly on a baking tray.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 8, 7 g

Ingredients:

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

Cheese soup

Recipe number 7

Cooking method:

• Boil the chicken fillet until soft, remove the meat and leave 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 a homogeneous consistency, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Distribute chicken fillet in each portion. Decorate with greenery.

Ingredients:

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

Milk dessert

Recipe number 8

Cooking method:

• Pour the milk into a deep whisk, put in the freezer until an ice crust forms.
• Pour gelatin with water, cook according to instructions, add gelatin. Relax.
• Take out the milk, beat with an immersion blender, pour in the gelatin and continue to beat.
• Remove from 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 the vinegar, stir and leave for 15 minutes. After draining the excess liquid.
• Boil a hard-boiled 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, add salt and pepper to taste.

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.

Dietary cutlets

Recipe number 10

Cooking method:

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

Total carbohydrates: 7 g.

Ingredients:

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

Low carb Raphael

Recipe №11

Cooking method:

• The curd must be dry. Grind some cottage cheese with sweetener through a sieve, add sour cream, stir.
• Dry the almonds in a hot pan with a non-stick coating for 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Glue a ball of cottage cheese, flatten, put an almond inside, roll into a ball.
• Roll the finished cakes in coconut shavings and refrigerate 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 shavings - 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 regain lost weight after leaving the hypo-carbohydrate diet. Carefully study the contraindications, monitor your well-being and stay healthy!