Switching to a low carb lifestyle

Switching to a Low Carb Lifestyle is a tricky process and success will only come if you take the time to allow the habits to form. When it comes to nutrition too many people dive straight into the deep end, unprepared, unaware and uneducated which leads to them giving up before they experience the benefits.

The best way to start your journey on a LCL is to switch up the food sources you’re currently eating before making any drastic cuts or changes.

Introduce each step below in order:
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Unnatural vs Natural
Unnatural food choices such as microwaveable meals, fast food options and pre-packed meals still dominate many people's eating habits.

Eating anything and everything that's natural (think grown not produced) can make a huge difference to the way you look and feel, especially if you're consistently eating unnatural sources.

This change can be hard as many of us eat unnatural foods as a quick, easy re-fuel. Eating natural foods does take more time but trust me, the results are worth it.

Best Swap
Frozen Chips ➤ Home-cooked chips
Crisps ➤ handful of nuts
Rice ➤ Cauliflower / broccoli rice

High Sugar - Low Sugar
Eating sugar raises our blood sugar levels, this increases the release of insulin which is the fat storage hormone. Too much sugar means your insulin levels are always elevated and therefore your body is always storing fat and not burning it.

Switching out the higher sugar items in your diet for lower ones means you'll avoid those horrible mid-day crashes and your body can begin to breakdown your stored fat.

Best Swap
Milk chocolate ➤ Dark chocolate
Ice Cream ➤ Frozen yoghurt
Chewy sweets ➤ Berries

Low Fibre - High Fibre 
Fibre is a huge component for health and if you're someone whose diet is dominated by unnatural food as we mentioned above, then you're more than likely lacking in fibre too.

Fibre slows down the absorption of sugar into the blood stream and can help you stay fuller for longer.
Focus on including more fibre in all of your meals and this can help you eat less overall and it'll help regulate your digestion and help keep your blood sugar levels stable.

Best Swap
Cereal ➤ Porridge oats
White bread ➤ Wholemeal bread
White pasta ➤ Wholemeal pasta

​Non-Green Vegetables - Green Vegetables
This last swap is the perfect finisher to your introduction to a low carb lifestyle.
Green vegetables have a very low carb content and they're also very low in calories which means you can fill out your plate not your waistline.

Try and fill you plate with green leafy
vegetables such as; broccoli, spinach, cabbage and kale. Reduce the intake of starchy vegetables such as peas, squash and corn, as these hold a higher sugar content and more calories.
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All of these swaps will help you attain a lower carb intake but they'll also help you lose any excess weight your carrying from your general poor choices. Work your way through each step but make sure you have a handle on it before moving on.

​Remember, there is no such thing as ‘perfect’, however to see the results you wish to achieve you need to start thinking about what is going in your body. As the saying goes ‘you are what you eat’.

If you have any low carb recipes you'd like to share with us we'd love to try them.

Leave a comment below.

Speak soon, Nutri-Team.