Getting Started: Low Carb Newbie Tips

Just starting out? Thinking of low-carbing? Listen to the Goddess, Sparkster, and you'll find your path is much, much easier. Get the book (aka DANDR), get my advice, and get going! Here's a few thoughts on what to expect, and some pointers that will fast-track you to the winner's circle.

Don't rely on rumors, your cousin's niece, your roomate's ex, whoever for your facts! Many, many things you hear about low-carb are simply not accurate. Veggies? That’s where you're supposed to get your carbs! Fruits? Later on, after the two-week induction phase, yes, you can start adding fruits back in to your menu. Water? It’s recommended you drink 1/2 your body weight in oz. of water a day. (You can work your way up.) Exercise? Great!

If you haven't been eating too well up until now, i.e. lots of white flour and sugar, and you don't ramp down on this, expect to feel crummy for about 3-4 days when you start. This is sugar detox, a necessary evil, and while it stinks, when it's over you'll feel GREAT!

That’s when most people experience energy surges that make 'em feel 10 years younger. That’s also when your body starts burning fat, and all kinds of cool things start to happen. You appetite goes down, cravings disappear, and within a week or two, your tastes actually start to change. You don't want the carbs any more, and when you do eat too many carbs, you feel yuck! It’s nothing short of amazing.

Goddess's favorite newbie tips:

• This one bears repeating (and I do and do and do): Pick a plan, get the book and read it! This often makes the difference, from my observations, between success and giving up.
• Getting a low-carb cookbook helps. You’ll be able to eat a wide variety of foods, but it takes practice and imagination to learn to cook low-carb. With a little practice, though, it becomes second nature.
• When you're hungry, eat! You should never go hungry on low-carb. However, when you're not hungry, stop eating. Don’t wait until you feel kind of fullish or bloated. This helps a lot.
• Avoid low-fat foods. Usually, they replace the fat with something you don't want: carbs. The fat in foods is also what makes you feel full. This is weird at first if you've ever done low fat, but I believe it's the combination of high-fat high carb that's the problem for many, not the fat specifically.
• Don’t worry about calories, especially at first. Some folks find that towards the end, they do have to be more aware of calories, but in the beginning, it's most important that you're not hungry and switching your body into fat-burning mode.
• By all means, exercise! As you'll learn from DANDR, exercise is actually more effective when you're low-carbing. Your body doesn't have the glucose to burn off before the fat, so it does more good quicker. What’s not to love about that?
• Measure yourself. Odd but true: many times when the scale is not cooperating, you will lose inches even as you're weight stays the same. You’d think they'd come off at the same time, but don't. Having measurements, pictures, and clothing fit to go by helps you know you're progressing even when that %(^*%^$ scale lies.
• If immediate gratification is an issue for you, don't weigh daily. If you do, be prepared for normal, daily fluctuations, even if you are eating on plan. The trend is what counts.
• That water makes a difference! Coffee, diet soda, or tea does NOT count as water intake. In addition to helping with losses, it's great for your skin and overall health.
• Get a good multivitamin supplement, and take it daily. Your body is under a lot of stress when you're losing, and that helps.
• Avoid the low-carb "convenience" foods. The bars, which Atkins says are ok, are the number one source of mysterious stalls I’ve noted. While some of the quickie foods you can get by with—people usually have fewer problems with an occasional shake than the bars, for example—the more natural the food, the better you'll do. And many "treat" foods feature sugar alcohols, which they subtract from the carb count. For some people, those are processed just like sugar and can be problematic. Safest way to figure "net carbs" (what you use for Atkins): subtract fiber from carbs. In addition, many sugar alcohols can have some nasty, gastrointestinal side effects, if you catch my drift.
• Stay positive and congratulate yourself for all progress. The attitude is a HUGE factor in determining who "makes it" and who moves on. Keeping your head in the right place is vital.
• Check in with a supportive community regularly! (My favorite low-carb community is here, by the way. ) The support is great, and the knowledge I’ve gathered here has made a huge difference in my success.

That's it: my favorite newbie tips. She's been doing this awhile now, and you can take her word for it that the most important changes you're making are not in the kitchen.

The most important changes are in your head. Peace out and happy losing to you all!