Too much of something and even too little of something is never a good thing. Eat too few calories, and you’ll throw your body into starvation mode, where it selfishly holds on to everything you consume, making it close to impossible to lose weight. And consuming so few calories is impossible to maintain, because you are hungry all the time! Try to adhere to a low-fat diet, and once again, you’ll be starving, because healthy fats help keep you satisfied and your appetite in check. But nor can you throw all calories and portion-control to abandon simply because you are following a low-carb diet.
It’s all about eating smart. When you consume the right combination of foods, so your metabolism runs smoothly, you don’t feel ravished and you’re able to continue to lose weight steadily or maintain the weight you’ve already lost. A low-carb diet like Atkins helps you manage your blood sugar because of the foods you are eating—protein, fat and fiber from vegetables. These foods naturally control your appetite and cravings, unlike processed foods from a high-carb diet, which stimulate hunger and cravings.
Here are some more tips for eating smart:
- Fat is your friend, but don’t go overboard. Stick with three 1-tablespoon servings of healthy fats a day.
- Protein keeps you satisfied. Go for 4 to 6 ounces at each meal; maybe a little more if you are a large man.
- Get your veggies in at every meal and snack. The fiber from the vegetables helps fill you up.
- Don’t skip meals. You’ll feel ravenous by the end of the day or overdo it at your next meal. Focus on three meals and two snacks a day.
- Don’t consume all your carbs for the day in one meal. Spread them out over your meals and snacks.
- It’s smart to keep a food diary; that helps you make sure your carbs where they are supposed to be and your calories are around the 1,500- to 1,800-calorie range. This is just a sample range, but helps make sure you’re not consuming too few calories.
Stick with these low-carb eat-smart strategies, and you’ll be well on your way losing weight or maintaining the weight you already lost!
