I think “low carb, low carb, low carb” is a great way to lose weight quickly and a great short-term way to eat. I do think it is a very hard way to eat long-term.
I’ve read a lot of books, magazines, articles and here is the theory I’ve chosen to abide by (in a nutshell)…
- Eating as clean as possible (foods as close to natural as possible).
- I look for minimally processed foods as well. I always read labels and buy the foods with the least amount of ingredients. I also always look at serving size, calories, sugar, fiber, and protein.
- I try to combine healthy protein/healthy carbs at every meal/snack
- I drink TONS and TONS of water
- I basically eat meat (mostly lean), eggs, fruits, veggies, and very high quality, carefully selected whole-grain breads.
- I try to eat 4-6 smaller meals a day (keeps the metabolism up!)
This way of eating just seems to make the most sense to me. I think it is a lifestyle and not a quick fix or a diet. Even though I eat carbs, I know it’s important to choose carefully and wisely. You can’t just think, “Oh, that is a healthy carb so I will eat it!” It’s still important to balance the amount of carbs you eat with protein.
Here are some of the books/programs/theories I try to incorporate in my life…
Southbeach Diet: I’m sure you’ve all heard of this diet. I think this is the best “mainstream” diet I’ve seen. It starts with “no-carb” at first, then moves on to “low-carb”, then finally “good, carefully selected carbs”.
Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet: This lady is amazing! This diet is all about eating as clean as possible. She is an ultra ultra ultra clean eater, so I found it a little overwhelming, but I love it! Lots of great ideas!
Jillian Michaels: I’ve read several of her books and I really like her theories. I especially like her books, Master Your Metabolism and Making the Cut.
Kristi Approved: Live the Life: This is a local (Lehi based) company that is amazing!! I really really love all of their theories/recipes/exercises. One thing I love about this company is they teach you to spend one day preparing all of your meals/snacks for the whole week. You also eat the same thing every day for a week (this gets a little old, but it’s very easy and convenient).
There are other books I love too, but these are my favorites. I’m always checking new stuff out at the library. I’ll blog in more detail about these sometime.
