Many diet plans leave you feeling hungry or unsatisfied. These are major reasons why you might find it hard to stick to a diet.
However, not all diets have this effect. Low carb diets are effective for weight loss and may be easier to stick to than other diets.
Eat protein, fat, and vegetables
Each one of your meals should include a protein source, fat source, and low carb vegetables.
As a general rule, try eating two to three meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a fourth meal.
Constructing your meals in this way should bring your carb intake down to around 20–50 grams per day.
To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low carb meal plan and list of 101 healthy low carb recipes.
Protein
Eating plenty of protein is an essential part of this plan.
Evidence suggests that eating lots of protein may boost calorie expenditure by 80–100 calories per day.
High protein diets can also reduce cravings and obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce the desire to snack late at night by half, and make you feel full. In one study, people on a higher protein diet ate 441 fewer calories per day.
When it comes to losing weight, protein is a crucial nutrient to think about.
Healthy protein sources include:
Meat: beef, chicken, pork, and lamb
Fish and seafood: salmon, trout, and shrimp
Eggs: whole eggs with the yolk
Plant-based proteins: beans, legumes, and soy
Low carb vegetables
Don’t be afraid to load your plate with low carb vegetables. They are packed with nutrients and you can eat very large amounts without going over 20–50 net carbs per day.
A diet based mostly on lean protein sources and vegetables contains all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals you need to be healthy.
Lift weights three times per week
You don’t need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it will have extra benefits.
By lifting weights, you will burn lots of calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight.
Studies on low carb diets show that you can gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat.
Try going to the gym three to four times a week to lift weights. If you’re new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.
If lifting weights is not an option for you, doing some cardio workouts like walking, jogging, running, cycling, or swimming will suffice. Both cardio and weightlifting can help with weight loss.
Resistance training, such as weight lifting, may be the best option. If that’s not possible, cardio workouts are also effective.