Low Carb Dieting and Ketosis

If you begin a strict low carb diet, such as Atkins, then it is important to understand that the beginning of the diet will be the worst part. As most diets do, low carb diets start out more strict in the beginning and then ease up on restrictions over time. When the diet is low carb, this typically means that you will put your body into something called “ketosis” in the beginning. This does have certain side effects (aside from tremendous and quick weight loss). Read on to learn about ketosis when on a low carb diet, what it is, and how to prepare yourself to get through the first few hard days.

What is Ketosis?

Ketosis is a condition that occurs when you limit your carb intake to a very small amount daily. When you are on a strict low carb diet, such as Atkins, the first five days to a week are the ones in which carbs are so limited that the liver doesn’t have enough stored glucose and the body begins to burn its own fat. During this short time on your strict low carb diet, you will lose more weight than with the beginning of most diets, and the majority of this weight will be actual fat lost. Once you get through this ketosis stage of your low carb diet, you will get to raise your daily carbohydrate intake allowance to a slightly higher number, which will help you continue to lose weight, but at a slower rate and without the side effects of ketosis.

The Side Effects of Ketosis on a Low-Carb Diet

As with anything different you do to your body, there are potential side effects of ketosis when on a strict low carb diet. Just a few that you may experience can include bad breath, gas, and dizziness or weakness. In addition, some people experience more mood swings (particularly being generally in a bad mood). There is also the possibility of ketosis becoming ketoacidosis, which can cause long-term kidney damage, but this typically occurs only in those with Type 1 Diabetes (just another reason to always consult a physician before starting a new diet). The body only needs to be in ketosis for the limited time as Atkins and other low carb diets suggest to achieve lasting results, and the lasting effects of a long-term ketosis diet are not fully known. If ketosis is limited, the side effects are only temporary and are not harmful. If you choose to maintain ketosis for a longer period of time, it is best to consult with your physician for possible side effects that might pertain to your particular situation.

Dealing with the Side Effects of Ketosis

One of the best ways to handle the side effects of ketosis when you are on a low carb diet is to know in advance what to expect. By knowing that gas can be a side effect, you can invest in the necessary medications in advance. Likewise, you can keep mouthwash and fresh breath spray on hand, as well as potentially warn family members that during this ketosis phase of your low carb diet, your mood might not be the best. Keep in mind that these side effects only occur for a short time while in ketosis, and the best side effect is that you will experience true lasting weight loss during this time on your low carb diet.

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Summertime Grilling – It Doesn’t Have to Ruin Your Low Carb Diet

Summertime often means grilling outdoors, and grilling outdoors can be detrimental to a low carb diet. This is particularly true when you attend a get-together in which someone else is in charge of grilling the food. Even if you opt for solely meat as your food to be able to stick to your low carb diet, the meat may have been marinated in, or cooked in, a high-carb sauce. Read on to learn tips for sticking to your low carb diet when grilling during the summertime. 
Offer to Bring Something
If you are attending an event that involves someone else providing the food, offer to bring extras. If you do this, not only will the host be appreciative, but it will enable you to bring low-carb diet friendly foods to the barbecue event. If burgers will be cooked, you can offer to bring the bread, and you can easily take some regular hamburger buns as well as some low carb buns for yourself. No one will even realize that the reason you brought the bread was to stick to your low carb diet while grilling, and you won’t have to skip the bun. You can also offer to bring a side or the condiments, and then you can include low carb options (such as low carb mayo) in what you take.

Do the Grilling Yourself
In many cases, the easiest way to stick to a low carb diet while grilling out is to be the host. While you likely won’t be able to host every grilling event during the summer months, every time you do it will make sticking to your low carb diet during the event easier. This is because, even if you only stick to eating meats and cheeses at a barbecue, it is likely that the sauces or marinades used to cook the meat are high in carbs. By opting to do the grilling yourself, you can use great-tasting low carb sauces for cooking. In addition, you can have low carb sides that will allow you to indulge in the great food without ruining your low carb diet.
Skip the Breads and Pastas
Even if you try your best to hold most barbecues at your own home, and you offer to take additional items, you may find yourself on occasion at a grilling event where you are unprepared. In these situations, the best way to stick to your low carb diet is to simply skip the breads and pastas. Although you may still take in more carbs than you want through seasonings and sauces, simply skipping the full-carb breads and pastas can save a lot of carbs while still allowing you to enjoy the grilled food.
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Tips for Maintaining a Low Sugar Diet

Many people are looking for ways to lose weight and be healthier overall, but don’t always know where to begin. Whether you have already experienced health problems, or you simply want you and your family to experience better general health, there is one step you can take that can help you achieve this goal: reducing sugar in your diet. While this sounds like a simple task, it isn’t just as easy as switching from regular sodas to diet versions. To truly achieve the goal of reducing sugar in your diet, you need to know how to look for hidden sugars, and incorporate a few tricks into your daily low-sugar diet. Read on for a few tips on lessening sugar intake to achieve better health.

Know the Sugars

While some foods will explicitly say the word “sugar” in its list of ingredients, most will not. If you see the words fructose, glucose, maltodextrin or dextrose, the food you are buying contains sugars from these sources. By looking for these words, you will be able to be aware of hidden sugars that might be lurking in your foods and drinks, preventing you from being successful at a low-sugar diet.

Most Processed Foods Contain Sugars

If you weren’t looking at the ingredients label, it might be easy to assume that certain storebought prepared foods contain no sugar. For example, a can of corn likely contains sugar. However, if you buy fresh corn, or even frozen corn, you can eliminate this unnecessary extra sugar from your diet. By watching those labels, you can decide which foods you should buy fresh or frozen, or make from scratch, to continue on your low sugar diet.

Splurge on Occasion

Once you know that most processed provide you with more sugar than you need on your low sugar diet, you may be tempted to avoid them altogether. There are, however, sugar free versions of many great packaged foods that can make cooking easy without giving you those unnecessary sugars. Sometimes these sugar free foods are more expensive than traditional versions, but they are still less expensive (not to mention less time-consuming) than cooking those same foods from scratch. Not only that, but if you find a great sugar-free candy or chocolate that you like, be sure to keep it handy so that you don’t end up giving into a craving and taking in too much sugar.

Don’t Let Names Fool You

Some foods and drinks that sound healthy and harmless, such as apple juice, actually contain added sugars that are not necessary. There are two great ways to combat this – you can purchase low-sugar juices or juices that have no added sugar, or you can skip the juice and have fresh fruit and water instead. Just be sure to watch the labels and don’t trust the name alone just because it has a healthy sound to it.

Thanks for reading our article! If you are ready to stock up on sugar-free foods, visit Linda’s Diet Delites to find exactly what you need to help you stick to your diet!