A low-carb diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates, primarily found in foods with sugar, pasta and bread. Instead of eating carbohydrates, focus on foods high in protein, healthy fats and vegetables.

Studies show that a low-carbohydrate or so-called ketogenic diet can result in weight loss and better health markers. Detailed long-term calorie counting is not required. All you need to do is cut out foods high in carbohydrates and refined products

Cutting out carbohydrates was and is absolutely crucial for me to get stable blood sugar that allows me to have consistent energy throughout the day. At the same time, I lost 25 kilos without counting calories.

Ronny Bruknapp – General Manager New Baseline

1. What is low carb?

A low-carb diet means that you eat less carbohydrates and more of the food you eat is protein and fat. It’s also called a ketogenic diet if the focus is on producing ketones.

For decades, we’ve been told that fat is detrimental to our health. At the same time, “healthy” low-fat products, often full of sugar, have filled up store shelves. That development occurred at the same time as the epidemic of obesity starts and in all likelihood appears to be a big mistake.

While it is not entirely clear what has caused the wave of obesity in the Western world, it is clear that dietary advice has not prevented it.

Studies show and now that there is no need to fear natural fat. Instead, on such a diet you don’t need to be afraid of fat. The important thing is to limit the amount of sugar and starch. Make sure you get enough protein and eat enough natural fat so you can enjoy your meal.

Blood sugar stabilizes

When you avoid sugar and starches, blood sugar tends to stabilize and insulin levels drop. They can make it easier to use fat stores as energy. In addition, higher protein intake and any ketones will make you feel fuller.

Eggs, bacon and salad

The basics

  • Eat: Meat, eggs, fish, vegetables primarily from above ground and natural fats such as cold-pressed olive oil and butter from dairy products.
  • Avoid: Sugar and starches (such as bread, rice, pasta, beans and potatoes)

Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re satisfied. It can be so easy, and you don’t need to count calories to get results. For faster results, see our articles on five fasting tips and the complete guide to intermittent fasting.

2. What are you going to eat?

As a general rule, you should stay below 50 carbohydrates each day and eat low-carb foods that have less than 5% carbohydrate content. Fiber doesn’t count, you can eat as much fiber as you want. Unless you are looking for an even more disgusting diet in the form of a diet with only meat products without fiber.

Healthy food with avocado and nuts

Food you can eat

  • Meat – All types. Feel free to eat the skin and fat on the meat. If you can afford it, buy organic, grass-fed meat.
  • Fish and seafood – All types. Fatty fish such as salmon and sardines are very good due to their high omega 3 content.
  • Natural fats – Dairy butter, olive oil and avocado oil are all great examples of good sources of fat that are essential for keeping you full.
  • Vegetables that grow above ground – Broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, asparagus, olives, mushrooms, avocados, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and other leafy greens. Basically, you can eat as much as you can of these items.
  • Dairy products – Choose dairy products that are not fat-reduced, such as real butter and creme fraiche. Greek yogurt and cheese are examples of foods that taste good and can give you results. Avoid all milk and cream as they are high in milk sugar.
  • Nuts – Nuts are great as long as you eat the right kind. Stick to low-carb nuts. Macedamia nuts are recommended as they contain a lot of unsaturated fat. Combine with walnuts and a limited amount of peanuts.
  • Berries – Important to limit. Only eat berries if you’re not aiming to be very careful with carbohydrates.

Drinking

  • Water – Try making natural water your preferred way to stay hydrated. It can be beneficial for many people to add a pinch of salt to their water, as the body excretes a lot of minerals when making such a sharp reduction in carbohydrates. If you can, it’s a good idea to stay away from flavored water. But generally speaking, most things are okay to drink as long as there are no calories in them to get into ketosis.
  • Coffee – You can drink black coffee. Studies show that the best health benefits of coffee are between two to four cups a day. You can also add mct oil and butter to your coffee at times. see article and video when you should have coffee here.
  • Tea – Same principle as coffee. Remember to check that there are no artificial sweeteners or calories in it.

Typical traps you can fall into

Remember to limit milk and cream as they contain milk sugar. An occasional glass of wine is also okay.

Food you shouldn’t eat

  • Sugar – Sugar is the worst thing you can eat or drink. Sugar is found in many drinks, candy, juice, sports drinks, chocolate, cake, ice cream, cereals and much more. Avoid all foods and drinks with added sugar. It is also a great advantage to avoid artificially sweetened foods as they tend to increase cravings for sugar and carbohydrates.
  • Starch – Wheat, oats and other refined products. Includes food that is labeled as gluten-free. So don’t eat bread, pasta, rice, cereals, potatoes. Remember that whole grains and should not be eaten. You should also stay away from beans and lentils. Small amounts of root vegetables can be good.
  • Beer – Beer is bread in liquid form. Low-carb beer is an alternative. But remember that they contain more carbohydrates than wine, for example.
  • Fruit – Although berries in small amounts can be ok, be careful with other fruit. They are often high in carbohydrates and fruit sugars which can limit the results you can expect from the lifestyle. Potentially, fruit can increase blood sugar, reduce weight loss and exacerbate metabolic challenges.

The benefits of eating more meat, fish and healthy fats in a low-carb diet

As you embark on a low-carb journey, you’ll discover the importance of including quality foods like meat and fish in your diet. These foods, among others, are low in carbohydrates but rich in essential nutrients and proteins.

By eating more of these foods, you are enriching your body with necessary fuel that supports metabolic health.

In addition, it’s worth noting that while many traditional diets recommend low fat, a low-carb diet emphasizes the consumption of healthy fats. These fats, which are abundant in fish and meat, not only help the body feel full, but also support optimal brain function and energy production.

How to reduce carbohydrate intake for effective weight loss

Losing weight is an ambition for many, and a key strategy is to reduce carbohydrate intake. But how do you do this effectively?

Firstly, consider the amount of carbohydrates you are currently consuming. Look at common foods and drinks in your diet that are high in carbohydrates and consider replacing them with low or no carbohydrate alternatives.

Less “CRAVING”

At the same time, eat more protein-rich and high-fat foods, such as meat and fish, which provide long-lasting satiety without the high carbohydrates. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, you are likely to experience a reduction in hunger and cravings, leading you to naturally eat less and, as a result, lose weight.

Also remember the importance of including healthy fats in your diet, which can contribute to satiety and provide the body with an alternative source of energy in the absence of large amounts of carbohydrates.

Eat natural

If you stick to high-quality, unprocessed raw materials, you’ll get fast results. If there is no table of contents, that’s fine. This means that the food is natural without additives. If the list of contents is long, do not eat the food.

Important! Don’t be afraid of fat and salt

As you’re probably used to hearing that fat is bad for you and that you should eat a maximum of two eggs a day, there are many indications that this is wrong. It’s important to eat enough fat to get enough nutrition when dieting. Especially in the beginning.

Feel free to use coconut oil, dairy butter, cheese, olive oil, avocado oil. Just don’t use too much fat either as it can be too calorie heavy if weight loss is the goal.

When your body is fat adapted (metabolically flexible) you can start cutting down on fat little by little so that your body can use the fat you have stored in your body as energy if your goal is to lose weight. If you feel underfed, sluggish or otherwise, try increasing your fat intake.

In summary, don’t be afraid of fat. If you feel lethargic or have abnormally high cravings, your body may be lacking electrolytes. Don’t be afraid of salt. Use unprocessed salt such as sea salt or Himalayan salt. Don’t count calories. Eat when you’re hungry and get to know when you’re full.

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