No Carb Diet Menu Plan

Carbohydrates are the main culprit for weight gain. Although they are one of the most essential nutrients for the body, and your major source of energy, inordinate and incorrect consumption of carbs invariably leads to weight gain. The carbs that you consume on a daily basis are anything but healthy.

These carbs are mostly derived from refined, processed foods, which do absolutely no good to your body. The concept of a no carb diet menu is based upon elimination of undesirable carbohydrates from your diet, and replacing them with proteins. The Atkins diet is a type of no carb diet which has been widely popularized.

Your body needs a continuous supply of energy to perform various tasks. This energy is provided by glucose, a form of sugar which is derived from carbohydrates. When the intake of carbohydrates exceeds the required energy demand, the excess sugar is stored in the form of fat. This contributes to weight gain.

When you cut down your intake of carbohydrates, your body is forced to burn fats to satisfy its energy requirements. This eventually results in weight loss. When you go for no carb foods, your body is deprived of its usual source of energy. Without energy, it would be almost impossible to perform your day-to-day tasks.

Hence, in a no carbohydrate diet plan, carbohydrates are replaced by proteins to meet the energy requirements of the body.

Fruits and vegetables with fibers are also a source of carbohydrates. Hence, it is not advisable to omit them from your diet for a long time. If you do, make sure you take supplements or find other substitutes for it.

The first step of a low carb diet is to exclude all the 'white' foods from your diet, as they are rich in carbohydrates. Hence, the emphasis is more on whole or brown foods as they are low on carbs.

• Two poached eggs with smoked salmon with or without cream dill sauce.
• One low carb muffin and one hard-boiled egg.
• One cup of plain yogurt.

• Steak and pepper fajitas on low carb tortilla.
• Chef salad with olive and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
• Romaine and avocado salad with olive oil and lemon.
• Curried chicken salad.

• Protein bar.
• Nuts, such as almonds, apricots, walnuts, etc.
• Slices of cheddar cheese.

• Mixed green vegetable salad with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
• Grilled tuna with vegetable side dish.
• Zucchini and mushrooms skewers.

You have a limited choice when you opt for a no carb diet plan. Since staple food items, such as bread, are excluded from this diet, you may find it hard to follow this diet during the initial days. However, you can certainly buy or make your own low carb bread to go with your diet.

While replacing carbohydrates with protein rich foods such as meat, make sure you consume it in the right form only. Fried meat can do more harm than good to your body.