Diet Tips for a Healthy Life Blog 2: Low Carbohydrate Diets for Losing Weight

Most people these days want to be lean and shredded and your diet is the best way in order to achieve this want. In this blog I will show you the most effective way in order to lose fat while at the same time ensure you keep your lean muscle mass. This is through the "Low Carbohydrate Diet". This diet comes in many shapes and forms you may have heard about such as the Atkins Diet or South Beach Diet, however some of these can be unsafe and even unhealthy. I will show you the best way to undertake a low carb diet.

The basic principle of the low carb diet is to significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake to reduce the amount of glycogen that your body recieves in your blood. Remember, glycogen is what carbohydrates break down to in the blood and is your bodies preferred energy source. Basically, when your body is depleted of glycogen it will look other forms of energy such as fats. This is where you can lose those stored kilos on your body! However, the problem with many low carb diets is they reduce carbs way too much and  do not include enough emphasis on nutrition. My low carb diet plan ensures carbs aren't reduced to dangerous levels (after all your body does need them) and vitamins and minerals are not sacrificed.

Breakfast

• 4 eggs cooked to your liking with olive oil (scrambles, fried, boiled etc.)
• 1/8 medium melon, such as rockmelon or 50g of blueberries
• 30 grams almonds – either slivered on cereal, or whole – can save as a mid-morning snack if preferred

Lunch

• Throw It Together Salad: Bag of salad greens – about 6.5 oz or 4 cups, tossed together with half a sliced avocado, 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds, 150g of whatever protein you like (I used deli turkey for the analysis, but egg, beef, chicken, fish, or tofu would be fine), and 2 Tablespoons of balsamic dressing and olive oil.

Snack

• Swiss and Ham Roll-Up: 50g sliced ham and 25g sliced Swiss cheese, with sugar-free mustard if desired, rolled around a medium dill pickle 

Dinner

• Basil Chicken with Vegetables
• Dessert: ½ cup ricotta cheese with desired flavorings, such as Sugar Free falvoured syrpus, coffee and sweetener, unsweetened cocoa and sweetener (check carbs), or mixed berries

Nutritional Analysis: This menu provides 49 grams effective carbohydrate plus 36 grams fiber, 101 grams protein, and 1569 calories. It contains at least the minimum requirements of all essential vitamins and minerals.

Following a plan like the one above is the perfect way to lose those extra kilos while at the same time remaining healthy and storing that lean muscle.

James Hallab

Layout

We have decided to create a blog about fitness. We will be posting about 5 different topics; diet, body transformations, motivation, supplements and workouts. We have chosen to do this topic as fitness is imperative in maintaing a healthy physical, psychological and emotional part of our lives. As a group we have discussed our use of colours, backgrounds, logos, tags and the layout.

For colours, we have chosen to base our blog colours on blue, as it a uni sex colour and represents a free, healthy spirit.

Layout and template wise, we have chosen to do something simple and easy to read yet will still attract the readers. We have done this by creating a image of person in a yoga pose with a background of a lake. The colours range from many blues to yellow sunset. This allows the reader to interact with the blog and get in the mood.

The tags we will be using will mainly relate to our post, but everyone will include 'fitness' as this is a fitness blog and our aim is to get a continuous amount readers viewing our blog.

The logo we have chosen is a simple black image of female running and a male lifting a weight with the word 'Fitness' below. This relates to our blog as it a fitness blog and is simple as our layout is.

Below is a image of what we intend out layout to be, thing may be altered through the weekly posts.

Annalise Dracopoulos.