Here’s All You Need to Know About the Slow Carb Diet

Healthy weight loss is a tough nut to crack. While the easiest way to do it is to go on a binge diet, cut down on calories, and lose weight fast, the pounds come back soon. What you will need is a sustainable diet plan which helps you lose weight and maintain it consistently. Here’s how you can lose weight the right way!

What are slow carbs and fast carbs?

Going on a no-carb diet is the instant weight loss approach that everyone takes up. However, that’s not the right way always. Your body needs carbohydrates for effective function. And slow carbs, as the name suggests, are the carbohydrates that take a while to digest and release energy into your body. Similarly, carbs that digest faster and release energy fasters are  Foods that have a higher glycemic index or GI tend to absorb faster and release energy faster.  However, this means your body uses up the energy fast.

Does Slow Carb Diet Help Lose Weight?

The slow-carb diet has a strict list of foods that you can have during the six days. On the seventh day, you can eat anything that you choose to eat. Research shows that rigorously following this diet will effectively help you lose weight and make sure there is no relapse. Research shows that a person can lose around 14 pounds with this diet in just 30 days. A study on over 3500 people, showed that 84% of the subjects lost about 8.6 pounds, while 14% of the participants were able to lose more than 14 pounds.

The Slow-Carb Diet Rules

No white carbohydrates – This means you will have to refrain from eating rice, flour, cereals, or just anything that is a source of carbohydrates and is white.

Follow the meal plan – You will have to follow the strict meal plan for all six days. You could mix and match the dishes in the meal plan to avoid boredom in your meals.

Cheat day – You will need to leave a one-day break in your diet plan, and that would be the seventh day of the diet.

No beverages – Do not consume any beverages that have added sugar. While you’re on the slow carb diet, you must have lots and lots of water, and refrain from caffeinated drinks.

What Could You Eat?

This diet has five food groups, which are protein, legumes, vegetables, fats, and spices. While these food groups have a  lot of foods that you can consume, the diet allows only a few foods. For instance, for proteins, you could count on egg whites, pork, chicken, and beef. And for legumes, you can include lentils, red beans, soybeans, and black beans. Vegetables like spinach, green peans, beans, broccoli, and asparagus are a great addition to your diet. You can get your fat supplements from ghee, butter, almond oil, and olive oil. Similarly, you can include salt, herbs, and garlic salts in your diet. You could make multiple combinations of these meals.

What to Avoid?

Dairy, fried foods, and fruits are a big no-no while you’re on a slow-carb diet. While refraining from friend food is always advisable, it is best to stay away from it if you’re trying on this diet. One of the reasons for this is the fact that a lot of fried foods have bread crumbs in it, which is a white carbohydrate, something that you’re not supposed to have in this diet period.

Dairy products, on the other hand, have a  detrimental effect on weight loss, so if losing those pounds is the goal, you should refrain from it. However, fruits are an exception while you’re on this diet. Meaning, you cannot have them on days of the diet. However, you could grab a  fruit on the cheat day or the seventh day if you wish to!

Should You Try the Slow-Carb Diet?

This diet form increases the metabolism in a person and reduces fat storage in the body, which leads to weight loss. The major advantage of this diet is that it is easy for everyone to follow. And the recipes are easy to make too. Similarly, it also promotes eating healthy. However, if you are an athlete or someone with high nutrition requirements, you should avoid this diet. That’s because this diet does not let you consume fruits and dairy, which are high sources of nutrients. So, if you think this diet plan is doable for you, talk about it to your dietician and start on the weight loss journey!