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Low carb diet menu – A meal plan of low carb diet and menu that can save your life. A low-carb diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates, such as those found in sugary foods, pasta, and bread. It is rich in protein, fat, and healthy vegetables. There are many different types of low-carb diets, and studies show that they can cause weight loss and improve health.
This is a detailed meal plan for a low-carb diet. What to eat, what to avoid, and a low carb menu sample for one week.
Low Carb Diet Menu – A Low Carb Diet Meal Plan
The foods you should eat depend on a few things, including your health, how much you exercise, and how much weight you have to lose. Consider all of this as a general guideline, not something written in stone.
The basics
Eat: Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, high-fat dairy, healthy fats, oils, and maybe even some tubers and gluten-free grains.
Do not eat: sugar, HFCS, wheat, seed oils, trans fats, diet and low-fat products, and highly processed foods.
Food for E
avoid
You should avoid these 7 foods, in order of importance:
- Sugar: soft drinks, fruit juices, agave, sweets, ice cream and many others.
- Gluten grains: wheat, spelt, barley and rye. Includes breads and pastas.
- Trans Fats: “Hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.
- Superior Omega-6 and Vegetable Oils: Cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, grapeseed, corn, safflower and canola oils.
- Artificial sweeteners: aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, cyclamates, and acesulfame potassium. Use Stevia instead.
- “Diet” and “Low-Fat” Products: Many dairy products, cereals, cookies, etc.
- Highly processed foods: If it looks like it was made in a factory, don't eat it.
You MUST read ingredient lists, even on foods labeled as “health foods.”
Read Also:
Jaquei! And now, what about the Low Carb Diet?
Low carb sweeteners, a guide to the best sweeteners for you
Low Carb Fruits, Guide to the Best Fruits to Eat on a Diet
Low Carb Food List – Foods to eat
You should base your diet on these real, unprocessed, low-carb foods:
- Meat: Beef, lamb, pork, chicken and others. Grass-fed is best.
- Fish: Salmon, trout, haddock and many others. Wild fish is best.
- Eggs: Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.
- Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and many others.
- Fruits: Apples, oranges, pears, blueberries, strawberries.
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
- High-fat dairy products: Cheese, butter, sour cream, yogurt.
- Fats and oils: coconut oil, butter, lard, olive oil and cod liver oil.
Note: If you need to lose weight, be careful with cheese and nuts, because they are easy to overeat. Don't eat more than one piece of fruit a day.
Maybe eat
If you are healthy, active and don't need to lose weight, then you can eat a little more carbs.
- Tubers: Potato, sweet potato and some others.
- Gluten-free grains: Rice, oats, quinoa and many others.
- Legumes: Lentils, black beans, kidney beans, etc (if you can tolerate them).
- You can have them in moderation if you want:
- Dark Chocolate: Choose organic brands with 70% cocoa solids or higher.
- Wine: Choose dry wines without added sugar or carbohydrates.
Note: Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and can have health benefits if you eat it in moderation. However, be aware that both dark chocolate and alcohol can hinder your progress if you eat/drink too much.
To drink
- Coffee
- Tea
- water
- Unsweetened carbonated drinks, such as sparkling water.
Low Carb Diet Menu – A Sample Low Carb Menu for a Week
This is a sample menu for one week on a low carb diet plan. It provides less than 50 grams of total carbs per day, but as I mentioned above, if you are healthy and active, you can go beyond that.
Monday
Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.
Lunch: kefir yogurt with blueberries or strawberries and a handful of almonds.
To have lunch: Cheeseburger (no bun), served with vegetables and sauce.
Third
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Leftover burgers and vegetables from the night before.
To have lunch: sardines with butter and vegetables.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.
Lunch: Shrimp or tuna salad with a little olive oil.
To have lunch: Grilled chicken with vegetables.
Thursday
Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.
Lunch: Smoothie with coconut milk, red fruits, almonds and protein powder.
To have lunch: Steak and vegetables.
Friday
Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs.
Lunch: chicken salad with a little olive oil.
To have lunch: pork chops with vegetables.
Saturday
Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables.
Lunch: yogurt with fruit, coconut flakes and a handful of nuts.
To have lunch: meatballs with vegetables.
Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs.
Lunch: Smoothie with coconut milk, a little heavy cream, chocolate flavored protein powder and berries.
To have lunch: Grilled chicken wings with some raw spinach and tomatoes.
Include plenty of low-carb vegetables in your diet. If your goal is to stay under 50 grams of carbs per day, then there’s room for plenty of vegetables and one piece of fruit per day.
Again, if you are healthy, lean and active, you can add some tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes, as well as some healthier grains like rice and oats.
Low Carb Diet Menu – Some Healthy Low Carb Snacks
There's no health reason to eat more than 3 meals a day, but if you find yourself getting hungry between meals, then here are some healthy and easy-to-prepare low-carb snacks that can fill you up:
- A piece of fruit
- Whole Yogurt
- A boiled egg or two
- Roasted carrots
- Leftovers from the night before
- A handful of nuts
- Some Cheese and Meat
Low carb diet menu – Eating in restaurants
- In most restaurants, it is relatively easy to make your meals low-carb.
- Order a main course based on meat or fish.
- Ask them to fry your food with real butter.
- Get extra vegetables instead of bread, potatoes or rice.
- A Simple Low-Carb Shopping List
- A good rule of thumb is to shop around the perimeter of the store, where you're most likely to find fresh food.
Organic foods are the best, but only if you can easily afford them. Even if you don't buy organic, your diet will still be a thousand times better than the standard Western diet. Try to choose the least processed option that still fits within your price range.
Meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, bacon)
Fish (fatty fish like salmon or sardines)
- Eggs
- Butter
- Coconut oil
- Lard
- Oil
- Cheese
- Milk cream
- Cream
- Yogurt (full fat, unsweetened)
- Blueberries (can be purchased frozen)
- Nuts
- Olives
- Fresh vegetables: greens, peppers, onions, etc.
- Frozen vegetables: broccoli, carrots, various mixes.
- Parsley sauce
- Condiments: sea salt, pepper, garlic, mustard, etc.
I recommend clearing your pantry of all unhealthy temptations if you can: chips, candy, ice cream, soda, juice, breads, cereals, and baking ingredients like wheat flour and sugar.
Low Carb Diet Menu – Where to find more?
I recommend a list of 101 low-carb recipes that are simple and delicious. You can find them here: 101 Low-Carb Recipes That Are Amazing.
