Low-carb diet - weekly menu with recipes

In pursuit of harmony, a toned and harmonious figure, people begin to exercise and follow a healthy diet. The first problem that must be faced is diet. Few people know that the problem lies in the excessive consumption of simple carbohydrates. And as soon as they study the information in popular sources, without reading it to the end, they completely exclude carbohydrates from the diet. And this is where distractions, health problems, loss of strength and so on begin. Where is balance and truth? Very close! Let's find out.

Over the last few years, there has been a dramatic shift in the idea of why people gain weight. The masses have realized that carbohydrates, not dietary fat, are converted into subcutaneous fat, and become one of the main causes of obesity.

For a long time, low-fat diets were the basis of weight loss methods, but a real sensation was created by low-carb diets, which show high results in losing excess weight. Research has shown that simple and complex carbohydrates have different effects on the body. Excessive consumption of high-carbohydrate foods leads to excess weight.

In this article you will learn:

• what is a low-carb diet and how does fat burning occur;
• the advantages and disadvantages of the method;
• what foods are in a low-carbohydrate diet;
• Interesting low carb recipe for a complete menu.

What is the essence of the method of losing weight?

Carbohydrates provide the body with the necessary amount of energy that is spent throughout the day on vital processes and during physical activity. Complete rejection of macronutrients will lead to malfunctions in the functioning of functional systems, and the excess energy received will lead to an increase in fat stores. Low-carb diets include slow (complex) carbohydrates that don't cause strong spikes in blood sugar and take longer to convert into energy.

The essence of this method lies in the fact that from the first days of a diet for safe and effective weight loss, every day the amount of carbohydrates consumed decreases, and protein increases. Thanks to this, the following processes are launched in the body:

1. Previously received energy was insufficient, which forced us to look for new sources.
2. Glycogen in the first 2-3 days of the diet becomes the main energy supplier.
3. Further, fats are broken down, synthesizing an additional source of energy - ketones.

Studies comparing the benefits of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets for weight loss have shown that people who minimized the amount of carbohydrates lost more weight in 6 months than those who followed a low-fat diet.

With a low-carbohydrate diet, subjects felt full after eating, because protein and fat were broken down more slowly than carbohydrates. In addition, the increase in blood sugar and insulin production occurs gradually. This means that they do not have sharp bursts of energy, which are replaced by increased fatigue and hunger.

Conclusion: the principle of diet is a biochemical process that contributes to the burning of fat and the loss of extra pounds.

It is important to remember that during the diet, the fat layer is evenly reduced throughout the body, so it is impossible to reduce the volume locally.

Advantages and disadvantages

The low carbohydrate content in the menu favorably affects the state of the body, normalizes digestion, improves metabolic processes and rejuvenates.

Advantages:

• no hunger in the diet, strength remains at the same level, no weakness;
• suitable for diabetics;
• nutrition suitable for men and women for the purpose of losing weight;
• suitable for low, medium and high activity levels;
• does not require significant changes in the calculation of daily caloric needs for weight loss, protein and carbohydrate indicators change.

Reducing the amount of macronutrients helps to lose weight and improve health, it is recommended to:

• obesity;
• intensive training;
• diabetes mellitus;
• hypertension;
• endocrine system disorders;
• oncological disease.

This method has gained confidence among athletes and bodybuilders who perform - it is a reliable opportunity to get relief, reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat and maintain muscle mass.

However, this diet has its drawbacks:

• constipation – reduced fiber, which is associated with reduced carbohydrate intake, can cause digestive problems;
• carbohydrate starvation can cause headaches, irritability and nervousness;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• increase the load on the liver;
• potassium and sodium supply shortage;
• a lack of carbohydrates reduces concentration, which is especially important for people who are engaged in mental work;
• an increase in cholesterol levels due to a large number of animal products, which provokes the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system;

Low-carb diets are not on the list of methods that can be followed for several years, because a large list of prohibited foods creates additional stress for the body. Therefore, after a few weeks or months of restriction, a person returns to his usual diet again.

Balance protein, fat, carbohydrates

The main sources of protein on a low-carbohydrate diet are animal products: meat, poultry, offal, cottage cheese, eggs. For vegetarians, beans and legumes are an alternative.

The ratio of BJU in food is in:

• 40-50% protein;
• Fat 30-35%;
• Carbohydrates 20-25%.

Nutritionist opinion

Nutritionists are wary of this method, because a low-carbohydrate diet (for a week or a month) implies the use of 50-70 g of macronutrients per day. Deficiency causes unwanted interference with a number of side effects, such as surplus.

Doctors recommend giving preference to proper and balanced nutrition, controlling the intake of carbohydrate foods. Healthy eating habits in combination with physical activity will help reduce the amount of body fat - this method cannot be associated with weight loss, but without harm to health.

Contraindications

Before you go on a "diet" you should consult a doctor, because high-protein foods are contraindicated for people with metabolic disorders (for example, urolithiasis, gout).

The fact is that with a normal diet, these metabolic disorders may not present themselves, which means you may not even know you have the disease. By changing the diet in the direction of increasing protein intake, you provoke the launch of severe pathological mechanisms in your body.

Excessive consumption of fatty foods is contraindicated in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (cholecystitis, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, peptic ulcer, gastritis). Fatty foods trigger the intake of large amounts of cholesterol into the body, which can cause or accelerate the growth of atherosclerotic plaques.

Weight loss methods are also not recommended:

• pregnant and breastfeeding;
• people under the age of 18;
• with cardiovascular disease;
• at the time of exacerbation of chronic disease.

Basic rules for a low-carb diet

This method involves the use of carbohydrates in a minimum portion that is sufficient to keep the body working. For women, 2 grams per kilogram of weight are needed, for men - 3 g. If the daily intake is 120-150 g, then for weight loss the figure gradually and gradually decreases to 50-70 g per day. Protein foods are a substitute for energy sources and maintain muscle tone.

A low-carb diet lowers insulin levels, which suppresses appetite. Ketone bodies, which come from animal and vegetable protein and fat, block the flow of information about hunger.

Following a few principles will help you achieve your goals:

• exclude products with a high glycemic index from the diet;
• take additional vitamins and minerals;
• Preferred cooking methods are stewing, braising, grilling, steaming. Fry the ingredients without adding oil or with a little;
• do not skip meals and do not reduce calories;
• get rid of complex carbohydrates in the first half and before training, in the second - protein foods;
• be sure to have breakfast;
• observe the drinking regimen: at least 2 liters of clean fluids.

Do not forget that the correct calculation of daily energy requirements for weight loss is the first step before starting any diet.

Approved Products

The list of products for maintaining a low-carb diet is extensive, which diversifies the menu and will not leave you hungry. It is important to study the information about the components using the food calorie table or on the label.

Allowed product table

Diet implies certain restrictions. With the help of the table, you can familiarize yourself with products suitable for low-carbohydrate nutrition.

Product group	Approved Products
Meat	Lean pork, veal and beef, poultry, offal
Fish and seafood	Seafood: salmon, salmon, cod, mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut Seafood - no limits
Dairy products	Cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, natural yogurt without additives - all with a low fat percentage
Egg	Chicken and quail
Vegetables, raw and canned	Everything but high-starch vegetables: potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes
Mold	No limit by any means
Fruits, berries	Oranges, unsweetened green apples
cereals	Long cooked oatmeal, brown rice and buckwheat
Nuts and seeds	Without limit
Oil	Unrefined vegetables
sauce	Balsamic vinegar
Sweetener	Free from sorbitol and fructose
Drink	Coffee, tea - no added sugar, mineral water, vegetable juices

Prohibited Products

If your favorite product isn't on the allowed ingredients list, it's most likely on the banned list:

• bakery and confectionery products;
• refined cereals (white rice, instant oatmeal, semolina), premium whole grain pastas;
• potatoes, corn;
• semi-finished products, smoked products;
• foodstuffs (mayonnaise, soy sauce and sauces, except soybeans);
• chocolate;
• sweet fruits (bananas, grapes);
• sugar and sugar products;
• packaged juices, fruit drinks (due to added sugar);
• soda;
• alcoholic beverages.

It is necessary to abandon the above product for the first time, and after 3-4 weeks, gradually introduce it back into the diet in small portions.

Sample menu for this week

At first glance, it may seem that low-carb diets are not very diverse, however, after preparing the menu for a week in advance, you can be sure that the diet is saturated.

Table: sample low-carb diet menu for 7 days

The table contains possible combinations of breakfast, lunch and dinner, which can be taken as a basis and replaced with your favorite food. Do not forget that it is important to correctly calculate the calorie content of the finished dish in order to meet the daily energy intake. Product replacement and repetition is possible.

Day	Breakfast	2nd breakfast	Dinner	afternoon tea	Dinner
1 day	Sugar-free cottage cheese casserole + tomato/cucumber	Pomelo	Brown rice porridge with vegetables	kefir 1%	Steamed fish + coleslaw + bread
2 days	Scrambled omelet or two eggs + chicken	Fat-free cottage cheese	Mushroom soup with low fat sour cream + bread	Kefir 1% with chopped cucumber and herbs	Braised beef + cucumber and tomato salad
3 days	Boiled vegetables with grated cheese	Apple	Vegetable soup with chicken stock	milk 1. 5%	Boiled breast + boiled cabbage
Day 4	Oatmeal with grated apple	Pomelo	Buckwheat porridge + beet salad	Fat-free cottage cheese	Beef or chicken ragout with vegetables
Day 5	Cheese + boiled egg	Apple	Boiled brown rice + seafood	kefir 1%	Vegetable salad + lean beef steak
Day 6	Cheese + boiled egg + bread	Natural yogurt without sugar 1. 5%	Grilled meat + vegetable salad	Kiwi	Boiled vegetables + boiled fish
Day 7	Milk buckwheat porridge	Fat-free cottage cheese	Fish grilled with vegetables	kefir 1%	Grilled breast + fresh vegetables and spices

Long-term (from 30 days) low-carb diets should include cheat or refeed foods to avoid slowing down the metabolism.

Get off the diet

Low-carb diets are effective and affordable, but after 2 months you should return to your regular diet. The discharge is carried out gradually to minimize stress on the body and not to restore the previously lost kilograms.

Return to normal diet in 3-4 weeks:

• in the first and second weeks, the number of fruits and vegetables (not containing starch) increased;
• the third week - reduce protein foods by adding cereals;
• the number of calories also increases every day.

What can be cooked during the weight loss period - delicious recipes

A hypocarbohydrate diet is no reason to limit yourself to just chicken fillet. The list of allowed products is extensive, so you can cook time-tested or fantasy dishes based on the available ingredients.

Chicken fillet in slow cooker

Recipe #1

Cooking method:

• Rinse the chicken fillet, removing excess fat. Cut into arbitrary pieces, sprinkle with salt and spices, put in the bottom of the multicooker bowl.
• Pour water, add bay leaf.
• Cook for 1. 5 hours in "Extinguishing" mode.

Total carbohydrates: 0 g

Material:

• chicken fillet - 250 grams;
• water - 150 grams;
• salt, ground pepper - to taste;
• bay leaf - 1 pc.

Veal with cheese in the oven

Recipe #2

Cooking method:

• Rinse the meat in cold water, cut lengthwise, beat.
• Grease a baking sheet with oil, put the veal, pour the milk.
• Send to the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Immediately after that, salt the meat, add salt and seasonings to taste.
• Cut the cheese into thin slices, spread evenly over the meat, return to the oven for 30 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 7. 7 g

Material:

• veal shoulder - 400 g;
• cheese - 100 grams;
• milk 1, 5% - 100 ml;
• vegetable oil - 20 ml;
• salt, pepper, spices - to taste.

Soup with wheat bran

Recipe #3

Cooking method:

• Cut turkey fillet into cubes, boil in 1 liter of water for 20 minutes.
• At the end, add the chopped onion and bran.
• Boil the eggs, cut into small pieces and add to the broth.
• Finely chop the vegetables, send to the soup.

Total carbohydrates: 24 g

Material:

• turkey fillet - 150 g;
• water - 1 liter;
• onions - 60 grams;
• eggs - 58 grams;
• wheat bran - 25 g;
• chopped dill - 10 g;
• green onions - 5 g;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Chinese cabbage salad with fruits

Recipe #4

Cooking method:

• Peel the orange from the peel, removing the white layer.
• The fruit is cut into cubes.
• Finely chop the Chinese cabbage and onion. Mix all ingredients.
• Add salt to taste to the salad, season with lemon juice, mix.

Total carbohydrates: 16. 5 g

Material:

• Chinese cabbage - 150 g;
• apples - 50 grams;
• orange - 60 grams;
• green onions - 5 g;
• lemon juice - 20 ml;
• salt to taste.

squid salad

Recipe number 5

Cooking method:

• Boil two eggs, peeled. Cut into medium cubes.
• Rinse the squid carcasses, peel and entrail, dip in boiling water for 15-20 seconds, no more! Otherwise, they will become "rubber".
• Cut seafood into rings or thin strips.
• Cucumber cut into thin strips.
• Mix all ingredients.
• Garnish the salad with juice and olive oil, mix.

Total carbohydrates: 3. 5 g.

Material:

• chicken eggs - 116 g (2 pcs. );
• squid - 150 grams;
• cucumbers - 70 grams;
• lemon juice - 15 ml;
• olive oil - 15 ml.

White fish with vegetables

Recipe #6

Cooking method:

• Clean the fish, remove the fins. Cut into medium pieces, season with salt and pepper.
• Coarsely chop the vegetables.
• Spread all ingredients evenly on the baking sheet.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 8. 7 g

Material:

• cod - 500 grams;
• eggplant - 80 g;
• tomatoes - 120 grams;
• pepper, salt.

cheese soup

recipe number 7

Cooking method:

• Boil chicken fillet until tender, remove meat and let cool. Cut into medium pieces.
• Grate the cheese on a coarse grater, add the broth, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until a homogeneous consistency is obtained, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread chicken fillet in each serving. Decorate with greenery.

Material:

• chicken fillet - 300 grams;
• processed cheese - 100 g;
• water - 1, 5 liters;
• salt, pepper - to taste;
• fresh herbs - to taste.

Milk dessert

recipe number 8

Cooking method:

• Pour milk into deep forms for whipping, put in the freezer until an icy crust forms.
• Pour gelatin with water, cook according to the instructions, add gelatin. Calm.
• Remove the milk, beat in a submersible blender, pour in the gelatin and continue beating.
• Remove to freezer for 20 minutes.

Total carbohydrates: 9. 9 g

Material:

• milk 0. 5% - 200 ml;
• jelly - 10 grams;
• water - 40 ml;
• sweetener - to taste.

Salad with canned tuna

Recipe #9

Cooking method:

• Finely chop the onion into half rings, pour over the vinegar, mix and leave for 15 minutes. After draining excess fluid.
• Boil hard-boiled eggs, grate with cheese on a coarse grater.
• Cut the cucumber into strips.
• If the tuna is too large, crush the pieces with a fork.
• Mix all ingredients, season with oil, add salt and pepper to taste.

Total carbohydrates: 7. 5 g

Material:

• canned tuna - 1 can, about 180 g;
• eggs - 58 grams;
• hard cheese - 100 g;
• cucumber - 100 grams;
• onions - 40 grams;
• vinegar - 5 ml;
• olive oil - 15 ml;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

diet cutlet

Recipe number 10

Cooking method:

• Rinse all types of meat, dry on paper towels, finely chop or chop with a blender / meat grinder.
• Onion cut into small cubes.
• Add eggs, onions, salt and spices to the minced meat. Mix well, form bread with wet hands.
• Steam for 20-30 minutes or fry in a non-stick frying pan without adding oil on both sides.

Total carbohydrates: 7 g.

Material:

• beef shoulder - 200 g;
• lean pork - 400 g;
• chicken fillet - 250 grams;
• onions - 60 grams;
• chicken eggs - 58 grams;
• salt, spices - to taste.

Raffaello low carb

Recipe #11

Cooking method:

• Curd should be dry. Grind part of the sweetened cottage cheese through a sieve, add sour cream, mix.
• Dry the almonds in a hot non-stick skillet for 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Roll out cottage cheese balls, flatten, put one almond in them, roll into balls.
• Roll the finished sweets in coconut flakes and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Total carbohydrates: 28. 1 g

Material:

• cottage cheese 1, 8% - 250 g;
• sour cream 10% - 40 g;
• raw almonds - 20 g;
• coconut flakes - 100 g;
• sweetener - to taste.

A low-carb diet is an effective way to lose weight with a varied menu. By following the recommendations, you can quickly achieve the desired result and not be afraid to return to the lost weight after abandoning the hypocarbohydrate regimen. Carefully study the contraindications, track your well-being and be healthy!