Sustaining Your Low Carb Lifestyle

Congratulations! You’ve made the stellar choice to board the low carb rocket ship to a universe of self love, compassion, and dietary wellness. If you’re plugging away and feeling better than ever without any hiccups, that’s great!

 

But if you’re finding it tough? That’s normal—and Carbonaut is here to help.

 

To retain those new low carb habits and make it a lifestyle, you may have to power through what’s commonly referred to as the 6-week crash. But in doing so, you’ll fall in love with the benefits of your new routine and learn a lot about your body and how it functions optimally on a low carb diet.

 

Building upon the insights shared in our January newsletter, ‘Starting Your Low Carb Transformation,’ this article is a continuation that invites you to explore and implement sustainable practices for long-term success. If you haven’t read the first installment, be sure to catch up on the foundation of your journey before diving into these essential sustaining principles.

 

Let’s launch deeper into your transformative journey of loving the low carb life.

 

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Part 4: Fine Tune Your Understanding of Low Carb Living

 

Unveiling the Mystery of Macros

 

At the core of a low carb lifestyle is the understanding of how macronutrients (macros) work. This is how you’ll learn to optimize your body for better performance, appearance, and mental clarity.

 

The main goal of a low carb diet is to decrease overall body fat and improve metabolic health. By significantly reducing your carbohydrate consumption and increasing your fat and protein intake, you’ll be able to induce the metabolic state of ketosis¹. This is where the body uses fat as its primary fuel source instead of carbs. In addition to losing weight, research associates a low carb diet with numerous potential benefits in reducing the risk of certain diseases, including hyperlipidemia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers².

 

Macronutrients consist of three main types of essential nutrients: fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Oil, avocados, and olives are examples of fats. Tofu, lentils, and nuts

are examples of plant-based protein. Conventional bread, pasta, and cereal are examples of carbohydrates.

 

Let’s take a closer look at how balancing and tracking your macros can optimize energy levels and support your fitness goals within a low-carb framework.

 

Why Tracking Macros Matter

 

Finding a suitable macronutrient ratio that fits your preferences is key. Keeping track of your macros can support your overall metabolic health and ensures you’re consistently following a plan with higher fat, moderate protein, and significantly lower carbs. This is valuable as it allows for precise macro intake, leading to positive changes in body composition and sustainable weight loss.

 

Remember, the best macronutrient ratio is one that you can adhere to in the long run!

 

The breakdown of macronutrient percentages can vary between different low-carb approaches, such as strict keto, flexible keto, and general low carb. Keep in mind that individual needs may vary, and it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist for personalized advice.

 

Here’s a general overview:

 

Strict Keto:

Fat: Around 70-75% of total daily calories

Protein: About 20-25% of total daily calories

Carbohydrates: Restricted to approximately 5-10% of total daily calories, typically below 50 grams per day

 

Flexible Keto:

Fat: 60-75% of total daily calories

Protein: 15-30% of total daily calories

Carbohydrates: Adjusted to individual tolerance, but typically higher than strict keto, ranging from 20-50 grams per day

 

Low Carb:

Fat: 40-60% of total daily calories

Protein: 20-30% of total daily calories

Carbohydrates: Higher than keto but still restricted compared to a standard diet, typically ranging from 50-150 grams per day

 

Here are some suggestions on what to aim for, depending on how flexible or strict your low carb diet is:

 

• • Fats: 40-75%
  • Protein: 15-20%
  • Carbohydrates: 5-25%

 

Try this free online macro calculator if you’re interested in tracking your macronutrients.

 

Since conventional bakery items such as bread or buns are high in net carbohydrates, they are often the first foods, along with pasta and cereal, that are removed from a person’s diet when adopting a low carbohydrate eating plan.  For many folks, this is a very tough adjustment to make, which is where Carbonaut can help.  You don’t have to give up your avocado toast, your delicious bagel piled high, your juicy hamburger if you incorporate low net carb bread, bagels and buns from Carbonaut.  Carbonaut’s low net carb options will make it much easier to stick to your macros, have your bread and eat it too!

 

Also, remember to drink up. Water is your friend during this time of transformation. Aside from being necessary for actual survival, water plays an essential role in your digestive system’s ability to adopt your new low carb diet. You’ll want to keep everything a little more fluid, which is a good idea for most of us, anyway. Drinking water during and after meals helps break down food and prevent constipation³. 

 

 

Part 5: Make it a Lifestyle, Not a Resolution

 

Setting Sustainable Goals

 

Goal setting is necessary to develop a long-term plan and shooting for the stars is an admirable feat—but when you’re first starting out, it’s just not realistic. Most New Year’s resolutions are not sustainable, which is why you’re better off thinking of your new diet as a lifestyle. Whether you’re taking it one meal, one day, or one week at a time, you’ll want to break your goals up into bite-sized pieces. These small, sustainable goals are what lead to maintainable habits and long-term success. 

 

Here are some ways to help you stay on track and focus on your stellar low carb outcomes:

 

• • Define realistic and achievable goals that align with your long-term vision for health. For example, instead of committing to meal planning seven days a week, start off with committing to three. Once that becomes sustainable, try for four.

• • Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable steps for continued success. Instead of aiming to lose ten pounds a month, try setting a reasonable goal of losing one or two pounds per week.

  

• • Celebrate little victories along the way, reinforcing your commitment to the journey. Every time you make a goal a reality, treat yourself to bubble bath or a new low carb cookbook! Know that there is reward for staying committed to your low carb lifestyle.

 

Movement for the Mind and Body

 

Let’s explore the connection between physical activity, mental wellbeing, and the sustaining power of low carb living. By incorporating mindful movement and mental wellness practices and into your daily and weekly routines, you’ll have better success with aligning your fitness goals with your dietary ones.

 

Here are some ideas to bring movement and mental wellness into low carb lifestyle:

 

• • Go for a walk after every main meal. Whether its 5 minutes or 45 minutes, moving after eating is essential for optimal digestion.
  • Try to consume protein after working out, and never start your day with a carb-heavy meal.
  • Take a few minutes to close your eyes and breathe deeply before consuming a meal. This is calming and will enable you to eat your food more mindfully.
  • Take note on how these new low carb foods make you feel. Do you notice anything interesting of different?

 

Prioritizing Rest and Recovery

 

Just as movement is healthy and necessary, it’s important to understand the role of rest in achieving your health goals and preventing burnout. When it comes to exercise, more is not necessarily better—especially when you’re trying to incorporate a new diet into your wellness plan. Start low, focus on the food, and commit to listening to your body. If you’re tired, rest. If you have energy, move.

 

Keep it simple.

 

In addition, explore restorative practices such as quality sleep and relaxation techniques to enhance the overall impact of your low carb journey. Whether it’s a nightly stretch routine, a 5-minute conscious breathing practice, or a restorative bedtime routine that calms your body and mind, remember to be kind to yourself and listen to your body.

 

This lifestyle change is not an overnight transformation—it’s slow and steady, quality over quantity.

 

Part 6: Enjoy the Low Carb Ride

 

Culinary Wellness

 

When it comes to planning low carb meals, there are several ways to make it fun and exciting while maintaining a stress-free environment for yourself. New routines can be hard, but also incredibly rewarding. Have a sweet tooth? Try our new recipe for Low Carb Chocolate Coconut Cannoli!

 

Here are some ideas on how to slow down and be mindful about what food you choose to eat while navigating your new low carb life:

 

• • Meal plan with purpose and enjoyment. Be curious and explorative. Try new things, but also remember to feed yourself what you know you love while keeping within the low carb realm.
  • Incorporate stress-relieving cooking techniques into your routine, turning meal preparation into a self-care ritual. Food preparation can be cathartic, relieve the stress of what to eat the next day, and put you in better control of your low carb food choices.
  • Uncover the therapeutic benefits of cooking for yourself, exploring the mindfulness that comes with preparing nourishing meals. Start a new routine of batching several meals on the weekend to help sustain you and your new lifestyle well into the following week.

 

Seasonal and Local Eating

 

Another way to make low carb meals interesting and fun is to embrace the benefits of seasonal, locally sourced produce to enhance nutritional value of your low carb meals. Aside from the economic advantages of supporting your local community, there is actual value in eating food grown close to you.

 

Here are some benefits:

 

• • Plants that are harvested and consumed within a few days retain more nutrients.
  • Local food doesn’t travel as far to get from the farm to your fork, which minimizes exposure to possible contaminants⁴.
  • Food produced and consumed within the same climactic zone matures longer on the plant, which makes it more nutrient-dense⁵.

 

Have fun with your food and remember to set small goals that lead to sustainable outcomes. Your focus on low carb living has never been better and remember—this is YOUR life to style. Fall in love with a world that is shaped by YOU!

 

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