Making a High Fiber Low Carbohydrate Diet Work for You

Non-starchy vegetables (think nearly all green veggies) and low-sugar fruit (most of the citrus fruits) suit a diet high in fiber and low in carbohydrates perfectly.

They provide a good mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates; convert well in combination with high fiber foods; and induce stored fat to burn off in their conversion.

Remember, when starting a diet high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, the carbs from high fiber foods usually are not counted.

It’s best to discuss this diet with a doctor or nutritionist (as you should any significant lifestyle change) before beginning – they can help you determine specifically what carbohydrates you should be counting.

The carbohydrate count will play another role in your low carbohydrate high fiber diet.

The Institute of Medicine has set the fiber intake at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women.

For men and women over 50 years the intake is 30 grams and 21 grams respectively (again, per day).

They have also suggested five servings of fruit and vegetables each day.

As with other diets, steady water consumption throughout the day increases the productivity of a low carbohydrate high fiber diet.

Eight glasses a day is recommended.

These serving counts will help you better structure your high fiber low carbohydrate diet.

As sample daily meal plan includes:

Breakfast:

Glass of tomato juice, cup of milk with a high fiber cereal, blueberries.

Mid-morning snack of spicy pumpkin seeds.

Lunch:

Glass of lemonade, pine nut and parsley salad with diced chicken, blueberry yogurt.

Dinner:

Glass of 1% milk, roast chicken with green and black olives, asparagus with a balsamic drizzle, slice of melon.

This example of a day on the high fiber low carbohydrate diet shows that wise diet choices and tasteful food can go together.

Preparation and portions will vary the nutritional facts, but the Institute on Medicine says this easily meets the daily intake requirements they feel are needed for a healthy lifestyle.

One of the factors to watch for in a high fiber low carbohydrate diet is that you are including high fiber foods in each meal.

This helps slow the digestive process down.

This in turn helps burn stored fat, allows the body to operate more efficiently and with steady energy levels, and even helps the body eliminate “bad” cholesterol.

One tool that might help in a high fiber low carbohydrate diet is that one gram of carbohydrate yields four calories.

So if your diet is set at 1,500 calories a day, it’s best to keep around 225 of these calories coming from carbohydrates.

This sets a good level of energy reserves for the day (allowing for a moderate exercise program) while still encouraging the body to burn fat reserves.

You can also burn more fat by following the proven weight loss steps below.

• Incorporate a proven, complete nutritional program into your daily life.
• Enhance your nutritional program with a complete mutivitamin supplement because no nutritional program is perfect.
• Use a behavior modification and motivational program that will help you stay on track with your nutritional plan.
• Exercise at home with your own:
  Treadmill

  Stairstepper

  Exercise bike

  Elliptical trainer

  Hand weights or

  An aerobic video.

• See what kinds of weight loss aids your health insurance covers such as:
  Hypnotism

  Gym membership discounts

  Nutritional counseling.

If you want to lose weight then a high fiber low carbohydrate diet might just be your ticket.

So, go ahead. Follow the proven steps above and start losing weight today. You can do this. You really, really can!

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