Just because you are eating low carb foods, it doesn't mean that you have to over indulge in high fat protein rich foods. I make chicken, fish, and pork and save red meats for twice a week at most. Also, I use my grill almost every day! It cooks the meat in a healthy way, and it has such a good flavor. I add seasonings to my meats, but you have to be sure and check that your seasoning is not a secret carb hoarder lol. Look for sugar in the seasoning ingredients. If you see it, don't use it. Remember, sugar equals carbs. Also, I really limit our salt intakes. So use salt sparingly, because too much sodium is bad for the heart and also will cause water retention! I know that I am spilling a lot of information and fast, but take your time when you read it, and make notes! That is how I learned :) I had to do a lot of research to set us up for all of this, and it makes me happy to offer you all a one stop shop for information about this lifestyle change.
Something that I think helped us is that we don't really "count calories" ... We keep them in mind, and try to be conscious of them, but we keep our focus on sugars and carbs. When you eat that way, your body will eat lower calories on it's own, without you having to stress about that as well. I don't know about you but I need all the stress relief that I can get lol! My rule of thumb right now is to make sure that we do not eat more than 100 carbs a day, and usually we eat much less. I know that it sounds overwhelming, but it is easier than you think. The only carbs that we get are complex carbs, from things like our veggies and fruit. Make sure that you keep track of what you eat during the day. That is VERY important. I also recommend using a free online program called Fit Day to help you track and manage your eating. Fit Day is also great with tracking exercise and it shows you how many calories your body burns during rest and activities. It also helps you keep track of your weight loss progress. :)
Another thing that is important is to make sure that you are getting dairy in your diet. Your body needs calcium! Get those three servings in each day and you will see some carb content come from that but it is minimal. Also make sure that you are taking a daily vitamin to ensure that you are getting all the vitamins and nutrients that you need. Remember that water is your friend! Try to get those 64 ounces in there. My husband and I have a water bottle with us all the time. If you don't like the taste of plain water, add lemon to it. We find that makes it taste better and not so bland. Also, if you feel hungry, drink a glass of water first. Most times when we feel hunger it is actually thirst. If after drinking eight ounces of water, and waiting a few minutes see if your hunger goes away. More often than not it does. Also, another helpful hint: drink ice water. It helps hydrate you PLUS it helps burn calories! I will admit that a guilty pleasure of mine is a fountain pop. There is just something about them that I crave. I will allow myself one per day (diet of course) and it makes me not feel like I am so deprived of everything. But I always make sure to drink my water first, and never drink more than one soda a day. Diet soda is better than regular soda for many reasons, but ideally you don't want to drink them either, as they are hard on your body. My ultimate goal is to get off the fountain pop addiction sooner than later lol.
I know that I have posted several "don't do this" posts, and so now I am going to get into what we eat every day so you see the plan in action. I will also update periodically on our weight loss progress. And by all means, if you have any questions, please ask! I will do my best to answer them and if I can't myself, then I will find the answer out from a reliable source for you! :)
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