If you are planning to start a diet, and want to start off on the right foot, keep reading. There are so many diets to choose from these days, and it’s hard to know which is best. But a low carb diet is a very popular choice, and for good reason. One big advantage of a low carb diet is that you can see results very quickly. Before you start any diet, check with your doctor to make sure you’re in good health. You should also understand how the diet works, which foods to eat, and which to avoid.

How does a low carb diet work? Foods are classified into three main types: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Your body uses carbohydrates and fat for energy, and stores energy for future use in the form of fat. Since your body can’t store carbs, it can convert excess carbs to fat for storage. Since both fat and carbs can be stored in the form of fat, eating too much of either one can cause weight gain. By reducing the amount of carbohydrates you eat, you can make your body start using stored fat, so you lose weight. One advantage of low carb diets is that the weight loss often starts quickly and proceeds rapidly.

Following a low carb diet is really pretty simple. You just want to avoid certain foods. Since the diet is low in carbs, you need to avoid all simple carbs, like sugar and sugary foods, foods made from white flour (like most pasta and bread), white rice, and potatoes. If you’re worried that you’ll miss bread and pasta, you can eat small servings of bread and pasta made from whole grains. So in summary, you should avoid refined sugars, refined grains of all kinds, including white rice and white flour products, and white potatoes. You should only consume small portions of whole grain products like whole wheat bread, whole grain cereals and pasta, and brown rice.

In addition to knowing what foods to avoid, you need to know what foods to eat. Most of your calories on a low carb diet should come from lean proteins. Choose your proteins from chicken, beef, fish, nuts and seeds, and dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. You can also eat fats and limited amounts of complex carbs like whole grains, plus fresh fruits and vegetables. You should avoid hydrogenated fats and try to get most of your fats from plant and dairy products. Vegetable fats include nuts and seeds, and vegetable oils like olive oil and safflower oil. If you experience hunger pangs when you start your low carb diet, try adding fiber rich foods like beans, whole grains, and fruit, to help you feel full.