Low carb: losing weight made easy

Light enjoyment without sacrifice: low carb stands for varied dishes that are filling and full of flavor. From crunchy salads to creative snack ideas - discover how varied this diet can be!

02.04.2024

in Nutrition

Hand hält Cashewkerne vor frischen Avocados, Limetten und anderen geschnittenen Zutaten auf Holztisch.

Low carb rules

With a low carb diet, you can not only lose weight wonderfully, but also improve your mental and physical performance. Potatoes, cereals, corn and products made from them such as pasta, wraps, baked goods and pizza dough, as well as sugar in its free form, are completely taboo. Products such as low-starch vegetables, salad, nuts, fresh fruit, eggs, fish and meat, as well as dairy products or vegan milk alternatives such as almond milk, etc., will be included. The aim is to consume only around 150 g of carbohydrates per day. Valuable proteins and fats are now available for satiety and nutritional needs.

Gefüllte Avocadohälften mit Tofu, Brokkoli und Tomaten, auf Papier in einem Korb.

Dos

Starch-free vegetables and salad
fruit
Nuts, pulses, beans and lentils
Eggs and meat, as well as dairy products & vegan alternatives
Water, tea, black coffee, infused water
Linseed, coconut, chia and soy flour
Little: Stevia and xylitol
Important: Healthy fats are important for satiety and nutrient balance, such as avocado, butter/ghee, vegetable oils and nuts.

Auberginen, Walnusshälften und andere Zutaten liegen dekorativ auf einem Tisch neben einem Basilikumstrauch.

Don'ts

Sugar in free form (household sugar, date syrup, maple syrup, rice syrup, apple sweetener, honey)
Juice & juice spritzers
Soft drinks (cola & co.)
Cereals
baked goods
Rice
Rarely: Starchy vegetables, e.g. potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, peas and brown rice.

Auberginenscheiben mit Belägen ruhen auf einem Korb, umgeben von frischem Basilikum.

Guidelines

Drink plenty (at least 2-3 liters a day), e.g. water, infused water, herbal teas, black coffee - no alcohol
Eat regular meals. Tip: A breakfast rich in protein and fiber is ideal to start the day
Eat few but correct carbohydrates with a low glycemic index: Pulses, sweet potatoes
Protein and fat-rich dishes - use healthy, unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, avocado, nuts and seeds
Plan a refeed day. This will prevent your body from shutting down your metabolism. Don't confuse a refeed day with a cheat day! It's about filling up your carbohydrate depot with high-quality carbohydrates such as brown rice, potatoes or cereals.
Plansimple snacks. This will make it easier for you to stick to your diet. Small and nutritious snacks give you an energy boost, but don't affect your metabolism unnecessarily.

Frisches Gemüse, Samen und Nüsse liegen auf einem Holzbrett neben einer Schüssel.

Forms of low carb nutrition

There are many forms of low carb diets. The best known are these three forms:

0-50g carbohydrates per day: Ketogenic diet
50-100g carbohydrates per day: Strict low carb diet
100-150g carbohydrates per day: Moderate low-carb diet

The changeover is not about losing weight quickly, but about making a long-term healthy change to your diet. This leads to the loss of unnecessary pounds and positive effects on performance. Feeling good all round and identifying with a nutritional concept is the top priority. The change should be brought into harmony with your fitness in order to positively influence your weight loss success.

Tacos gefüllt mit Gemüse und Guacamole, dekoriert mit Limetten und Koriander auf Holztisch.

Low carb forever?

Everyone has to make the decision for themselves. There are certainly people for whom this form of nutrition is very well tolerated . For others, it is more difficult to give up potatoes, cereals, oatmeal and starchy vegetables in the long term. However, the low carb diet is an extremely effective weight loss principle. In our magazine you will find some recipes that will help you shed those extra pounds without losing the fun of cooking.

Eine Person praktiziert Kopfstand im Freien auf einer Yogamatte, umgeben von Bäumen.

How important is sport to you?

The best question to ask yourself here is: Do you want to lose weight with the low carb diet? Then exercise - after diet - comes second and helps you to accelerate your weight loss success. Of course, it's no secret that dietin combination with sport and exercise has a positiveeffect on our health. We recommend a combination of two workouts (cardio & strength) in combination with sporting activities such as swimming, running or yoga. The basic rule here is: Choose the sport that is easiest for you, is fun and fits into your everyday life. Only then can it become a long-term routine. Sport also helps you to switch off and take your mind off a stressful day.

Frau macht Yoga-Übung auf Matte, auf einer Wiese, umgeben von Bäumen.

How important is relaxation?

Our mind plays a major role in losing weight, which is why relaxation is so important. Sports that not only challenge you physically but also relax you will be the healthiest choice for you in the long term. The switching of our autonomic nervous system can be extremely important for our metabolism. While we perform at our mental and physical best when we are in an active state- the sympathetic nervous system -(among other things, adrenaline is released), our parasympathetic nervous system - which is activated when we relax, e.g. during sleep - takes care of our digestion and metabolic and hormonal processes. Body brushing, fascia rolls and massages can also be part of fitness. They can "unstick" our lymphs and make it easier for our body to absorb nutrients and improve the body's own cleansing processes.

Frau sitzt meditierend auf Yogamatte im grünen Garten.

What difference will I feel?

You will feel lighter, more motivated and fitter. Especially after lunch, we often fall into the so-called midday slump. When we think about the lunch menu, we quickly realize why. It's usually pizza, pasta etc., foods that are full of carbohydrates. Instead, you'll be reaching for a big salad, lots of vegetables and high-quality fats such as avocado, eggs, fish, meat, nuts and seeds. If you can't quite do without a slice of bread to start with, then reduce your carbohydrate intake in the long term. As soon as you feel the difference in your mental performance and physical condition , you will automatically reduce your carbohydrate intake at some point.