Losing weight healthily with „low“ diets like low carb & low-carbohydrate nutrition – we show you how it works!

So called „Low“ or „High“ diets are with no doubt trendy. The basic concept of such diets is based on the idea of abstaining carbohydrates or fat as far as possible. Basically we differ between Low Carb and High Carb.

The first one is based on the principle to ingest as little as possible sugar or rather carbohydrates to effect a fast loss of weight.

You can mainly eat food that has a high content of water, fat or protein. Carbohydrate food like fruits, bread, noodles or rice has to be resigned.

High Carb is the exact opposite. While a High Carb diet or dietary change you eat food in first instance that is rich in carbohydrates. Sweet fruits and selected cereal products in combination with a lot of vegetables are perfect in this case.

Fat should be avoided or just eaten in small amounts. Animal products are generally resigned completely. That is why High Carb diets find notable favor with vegans. However this kind of nutrition makes losing weigh not necessarily easy. Rather – many moan about an initial increase in weight.

Finally there are different hybrid forms e.g. food combining diet where its diet plan take attention that carbohydrates, protein and fat are eaten separately and only at special times during the day. Another example is the so called metabolic diet. Aim of this diet or dietary change is to reorganize the metabolism of the body to a healthy, effective fat burning in a long-term.

The exact diet plan varies from method to method as even here exist different kind of diets like the Metabolic Balance or the blood type diet whereas in general there are food with a lot of protein on the menu.

Within the metabolic diet, albuminous food dominates essentially that is why it could also be called protein diet.  Aim of the metabolic diet is to trim the metabolism for fat burning in the long-term. Generally there exist different kinds and approaches of the diet e.g. Metabolic Balance, the Max-Planck-diet or blood type diet.

The exact diet plan varies from method to method whereas it is emphasized to eat as much as protein und as little as possible carbohydrates. Depending on the kind of diet the allowed aliments are more or less given, generally it is recommended to eat a lot of fish, meat, dairy product, eggs and few vegetables. Any kind of carbohydrates like sugar, bread, noodles, rice and some kinds of cereal, salt, sweeten drinks and alcohol are a no-no.

But how works this diet plan exactly on the body? Based on the theory the body gets forced to take stored replacing carbohydrates to win energy for sports and everyday life. These stored energy provider are also called ketone that are within the fat tissue und during the diet they get gradually released.

Another advantage is that the level of blood sugar is maintained as the body has to distribute less insulin. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and is essentially famous for blocking the lipid catabolism and trigger “attacks” of adephagia in elevated concentrations.

The individual diet plan for losing weight is sometimes really strict and has little space. Normally there are three meals per day that exists of animal low carb food as well as low-carb vegetables like salad, sprouts, cucumber or cabbage. It is allowed to drink exclusively water, unsweetened tea (f.e. Matcha green tea, info & buying: Matcha Green Tea Store) or black coffee.

Therefore losing weight will not be easy for you. Despite such strict plans there are also metabolic diets that allow up to 6 small meals as well as one day per week where you can eat whatever you want. Basically the plan will be executed for two weeks – afterwards it is allowed to eat gradually “normal”.

Granted with the aid of metabolic diet you can actually lose weight fast and even without sports. Take note that the fast loss of weight in the first days is caused by the enormous water loss as well as the lowered caloric intake.

The occasionally high protein intake is absolutely advantageous as protein sates well, reduces muscle removal and is considered to be an economic energy provider. In the long-term metabolic diets or so called protein diets should not realized as high protein consumption can lead to metabolic disorder, nephropathies and cardio-vascular diseases.

Result – short-term protein diet for losing weight on the belly and without sports

In particular the extreme high intake of animal protein is absolutely crucial because this could lead to diseases in the long-term, can make tiered and dull if it is consumed daily and in a high amount. If you want to lose some kilos before New Year, this diet can eventually help you. In the long-term you should do a more balanced, mostly plant-based nutrition as well as enough exercises.

With the so called food combining diet it is simple for you to lose weight easily. Annoying calorie counting is cancelled; instead you can eat your fill every day with food combining diet. The principle of food combining diet is based on the knowledge of the American medic Dr. Howard Hay.

It is allowed to eat almost everything except some restriction but the aliments are strictly separated by meals.

The most important rule – protein and carbohydrates must never be eaten together but only in combination with neutral Low Carb aliments like vegetables.

It is important to resign white flour, sugar, white rice, pork, hardened fat as well as convenience products. On the menu is mostly white meat, fish, eggs, curdled milk products, whole meal, fruits, vegetables and vegetable oil.

Moreover you should pay attention to eat only three meals, drink a lot of water and only eat when there is real hunger as well as to eat slowly and with caution.

Result – balanced, however not science-based

Generally you can lose weight well and healthily with the food combining diet however regarding the latest science information the effects of the diet are based on the reduced intake of calories instead of the strict separation of the aliments. Each meal has around 300 to 350 calories which makes an overall intake of about 1000 calories per day. As the body has to face an enormous deficit of calories the loss of weight is just logical. It is evaluated positively that there is a high eating of fruits and vegetables.

Meat is kept within bounds; red meat is mostly totally resigned. All in all the long-term strict separation of carbohydrates and protein should be questioned critically regarding the spirit and purpose.

The term Low Carb means low-carbohydrate and therefore is based on reduction of carbohydrates within the individual Low Carb nutrition.

There is a clear difference between Low Carb and No Carb because carbohydrates are occasionally resigned completely with the second one, like in a ketogenic or metabolic diet.

By now there exist a lot of diets and forms of nutrition that use the principle of Low Carb and the low-carbohydrate nutrition.

The aim of such a diet is always an as fast as possible loss of weight or also the treatment of certain metabolic disorders.

Within the classic Low Carb diet Low Carb food is eaten increasingly like lot of vegetable, fish, meat, dairy products and eggs.

But this doesn´t have to be obligatory and even vegan or vegetarian can take advantage of Low Carb diet. Animal products can be replaced through vegetable alternatives e.g. plant-based milk, nuts and seeds, soy or lupine products, vegetable protein like protein from peas or hemp as well as through a lot of dark green potherbs.

All cells of the body can be supplied with energy through monosaccharide like fructose or dextrose and therefore can work smoothly. Depending on the form of carbohydrate the sugar can be processed either fast or slowly. Fast processing carbohydrate like refined sugar are known for triggering oscillation of the blood sugar, minimizing fat removal and therefore supporting a fast weight gain and overweight.

Not that fast but really simple long-chain carbohydrate like potatoes can be used. If there is a high consumption of carbohydrates and akinetic lifestyle, it can lead really fast to overweight. The reason: the sugar cannot be burnt; the body converts it in fat and stores it.

At that point a Low Carb diet or rather protein diet applies as it uses the fact that fat and protein are really hard to use and the body needs more energy. Additionally insulin release gets minimized that on the one hand reduces oscillation of blood sugar and “attacks” of adephagia, on the other hand it supports the fat removal. If there are fewer carbohydrates through your nutrition that the body actually needs, the metabolism converts into a so called catabolism.

Within this situation the liver creates ketones from the existing adipose store in the body that is an alternative to the needed sugar as energy provider. The organism get forced to use the body´s own adipose store and reduce it systematically. Experts and supporter of Low Carb diets assume analogically that a high consumption of sugar or carbohydrates leads to illness, overweight and lifestyle diseases.

As proof of the concept is that the ancient people could not have sugary food all the time but had to nourish on fat and proteins. Paleo diet can be considered as a part of protein diet that is also known as stone age diet. Also here there are only eaten selected and limited carbohydrates like berries.

If you want to lose weight healthily and fast on the belly without sport, we can recommend you the Low Carb nutrition as with such a dietary change you can burn fat in the long-term. The exact rules of nutrition in the single Low Carb diets deviate a lot.

The daily consumption of carbohydrate food varies between 1 oz to 5 oz in net carbohydrates. Examples are the Atkins diet which resigns completely carbohydrates or Glyx diet which differentiate between good and bad carbohydrates.

In general methods like the Atkins diet can not recommended because of the excess of animal fat and proteins which can lead to numerous health problems in the long-term and also the loss of weight on the belly cannot mandatory be stimulated.

However good are in general carbohydrate-reduced dietary change where e.g. only in the morning healthy carbohydrates from whole meal products or fruits. Despite a balanced but not excessive consumption of protein you should pay attention on vegetables. In particular dark green leafy vegetables offer numerous advantages because they save the cells, heal and vitalize.

Regarding the issue losing weight on the belly we have a whole article to read: Losing weight on the belly (will follow soon).

Like the name says a low-carbohydrate diet is based on the increased intake of protein and fatty aliments which leads to a losing weight without sport.

It may sound tempting for some of you to eat meat or dairy products all day, but it is not recommended. Instead animal products should not be eaten or only eaten seldom but you should eat enough plant-based, natural and rich in vital material alternatives.

A healthy, balanced but low-carbohydrate nutrition is based on the following dietary plan for losing weight which makes it easy for you:

• Plenty of vegetable that supports fat burning e.g. green leafy vegetables like spinach, corn salad and chard, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, radish, black salsify, asparagus, bell pepper and onions. Rich in carbohydrate and therefore a no-go are potatoes, corn or cooked carrots

• Unsweetened drinks, mainly water but also tea (f.e. Matcha green tea, info & buying: Matcha Green Tea Store)

• Fruits with relative low glycemic index or high fat rate e.g. avocado, raspberries, blueberries, apples, papayas or gooseberries. Bananas, dried fruits like dates, plums or figs and sweet pears are high-carbohydrate

• Sprouts like alfalfa and fenugreek

• Tip: seeds like chia seed (info & buying: Chia Seeds Store), hempseeds or linseed

• Soy and lupine products e.g. tofu, plant-based alternatives for yoghurt

• Vegetable protein powder like in hemp or pea protein

• Konjak noodles that supports fat burning and work against overweight

• Seasoning like mustard, sugar free ketchup, stevia and xylite

• Flour like almond meal, hazelnut meal, lupine meal or carob gum

• Tip: vegetable oil like coconut oil (unbelievable multifunctional and healthy, info & buying: Coconut Oil Store), rape oil, sunflower oil, hempseed oil, linseed oil

• Nuts and pits like coconut, macadamia, almond sunflower seeds and Brazil nut

• Not breaded and not marinated meat like poultry, beef, venison or lamp

• Not breaded and not marinated fish like salmon, eel, gilthead, herring and tuna

• Seafood like crawfish, shrimps, cuttlefish and lobster

• Dairy products like cheese, kefir, buttermilk, soured milk, sour crème and curd

• Tip: bread in form of protein bread as it is filling with low carbohydrates and with a long-lasting feeling of satiety

• Eggs

• Tip: alternative for rice: quinoa seeds (so multifunctional like rice, tasty and healthy, info & buying: Quinoa Seeds Store)

Like already said Low Carb diet hast a huge weakness – although it is easy for you to lose weight easily, it is normally propagandized forcefully you have to eat meat en masse and to eat other animal products.

Someone who prefers low-carbohydrate nutrition normally eats a lot of meat, fish, dairy products and eggs. That does not have to be mandatory and could not be done by a lot of people because of healthy or also ethical reasons.

How can you lose weight healthily and fast with the protein diet without to take animal products? What do you have to consider?

Basically a healthy protein diet, low-carbohydrate nutrition or dietary change could also be done vegan because actually there is a lot of pure vegetable Low Carb aliments that have high amount on protein, vitamins, mineral nutrients and micronutrients. Pay attention that on the long-term you don´t resign completely on carbohydrates.

It should be differentiated between good and bad carbohydrates. The second ones are refined white sugar as well as insulted glucose, pastry flour e.g. noodles or white bread, sweets and ice cream, syrup, processed potatoes products, convenience products, fruits from the can or also white, processed rice.

Also aliments with a high glycemic index e.g. bananas or grapes should be eaten temperately. Good, high-fiber or extreme healthy carbohydrates are oat bran, quinoa seeds (substitute to rice, info & buying: Quinoa Seeds Store) amaranth, oatmeal, low-gluten whole whole-grain products, berries as well as root vegetable and tuber vegetable. These aliments have together that they don´t fluctuate the blood sugar as much as other and therefore don´t stay in your way of fat burning.

However you should pay attention that these aliments within the Low Carb nutrition can be eaten from time to time or just for breakfast. It is allowed to eat a maximum of 5 oz carbohydrates per day otherwise you have to face with a penalty regarding the loss of weight as well as healthy advantages of this kind of nutrition.

Our tip for losing weight: Everything is allowed that is pure vegetable Low Carb food out of the above mentioned list e.g. vegetable, konjak noodles, nuts, soy products or plant-based protein powder.