Carbophobic: Love food, fear carbs

Low-carb food blogger and recipe creator. #Lowcarb #Keto #Gluten-free

[carbophobic]

Have you already tried cauliflower mash? The basic recipe is self-explanatory - cook some cauliflower and mash it. Simple, right? You could just do that and get an adequate Keto side dish. It might be a bit watery and not taste of much, but at least it will be low in carbs. But what if you want a dish that’s light, fluffy and scrumptious? An equal companion to your delicious meat, fish or sausages? A dish that's not just tolerated for its low carb content - but actually enjoyed for its taste? Сauliflower can deliver! You just need to know a couple of simple tips. Here's how to make perfect cauliflower mash: https://www.carbophobic.com/cauliflower-mash-tips/

[carbophobic]

Do you worry about getting enough vitamins on your Keto diet? You have cut out vitamin-rich high-carb foods like fruit and grains. But you know that vitamin deficiency is not good. And some people still go on about Keto being unhealthy. So can you get enough vitamins from low-carb Keto foods? The answer is yes, absolutely. You just need to spend your carbs wisely. Eat the most vitamin-dense Keto foods regularly and get the best of both worlds. Here's our list of vitamin-rich Keto foods. Read this blog post for more details: https://www.carbophobic.com/low-carb-vitamin-rich-foods/

[carbophobic]

You get home after a long day at work, feeling tired and hungry. You know the healthiest way to eat is to cook from scratch. But spending hours in the kitchen is the last thing you need right now. Not to worry – there are plenty of quick ways to throw together a healthy low-carb dinner! Here are some simple dinner recipes you can make in 20 minutes or less. https://www.carbophobic.com/quick-low-carb-keto-dinners/

[carbophobic]

Do you know exactly what to expect when starting Keto diet for the first time? The truth is, Keto is not all plain sailing – especially in the beginning. For most people, it has to get worse (temporarily!) before it gets better. Here’s an honest guide to what you can expect on Keto. https://www.carbophobic.com/keto-diet-expectations/

[carbophobic]

Are you on Keto - but still struggling with sugar cravings? It’s a common problem, especially in the beginning. For some of us, sugar cravings continue to persist after weeks – or even months – on Keto. There are several ways you can fight sugar cravings. One possible solution is nutritional supplements.

How to fight sugar cravings with supplements: https://www.carbophobic.com/sugar-cravings-supplements-keto/#first

[carbophobic]

Almond flour, ground almonds, almond meal… Are they all the same? Unfortunately not. As I have discovered through trial and error, there are a few points you need to be aware of, especially if you are an enthusiastic low-carb baker who uses almond flour all the time.

The one to watch out for is defatted almond flour. It's similar to ground almonds, but most of the natural oil is removed during processing. So the end product has less fat and more carbs per 100g of weight. It also has less moisture, which can really mess up your baking results.

Read more about the differences between ground almonds and defatted almond flour: https://www.carbophobic.com/almond-flour-ground-almonds/

[carbophobic]

Sweeteners have adverse effects on some of us, but none whatsoever on others. So ask yourself – how is your diet going? 

If your weight loss is progressing well and you feel good overall – then you have nothing to worry about. But if your weight loss is stalling, if you keep falling out of ketosis, or if you are struggling with strong sugar cravings or tiredness – it’s time to evaluate what’s going wrong.

The cause of several common low-carb diet problems can be traced back to sweeteners and other artificial low-carb substitutes.  The Dark Side of Sweeteners: https://low-carb-support.com/sweeteners-dark-side/

[carbophobic]

Reasons for strong sugar cravings on a low-carb diet, and how to cope with them all.  In-depth article: https://low-carb-support.com/carb-cravings/

[carbophobic]

Sugar is a pure 100% carbohydrate. On a low-carb diet, sugar is the first ingredient you must kick out – never to return. Good riddance! Sugar is highly refined, addictive and can harm your health and well-being in many ways.

But sugar is sneaky and devious. It obscures itself under innocent-sounding names. It creeps into other products where you would least expect it. And it comes in so many forms.

Don’t let sugar trick you! Read our guide to most common traps sugar sets for those who try to cut it out: https://low-carb-support.com/hidden-sugar-names/

[carbophobic]

Have you just started a low-carb diet? Is it harder than you thought? Low-carb fans praise the diet as the easiest way to lose weight. Generally, it's true.

But it’s not always easy immediately. The first several days – or even weeks – can be a struggle for some of us.

You could get strong sugar cravings, extreme tiredness, or the full-on “low-carb flu”. Constant checking and counting of carbs might get overwhelming. Or perhaps you just really miss your favourite high-carb foods like bread.

If this sounds like your experience, you are probably a bit disappointed. You didn’t expect your low-carb diet to be a constant struggle!

Please don’t give up. All of these difficulties are temporary. You just need to get through the first several weeks. That’s the hardest part, for several reasons.

Once you – and your body – get used to being on low-carb, it gets so much easier. You will get to eat fantastic food and lose weight without ever feeling hungry or deprived. Weight loss will be a breeze.

So please stick with your low-carb diet. Your hard work will pay off very soon! Here are 7 specific reasons why low-carb diets get easier with time:

https://low-carb-support.com/low-carb-gets-easier/

[carbophobic]

Do you buy low-carb bars and sugar-free candy? It’s great to have the choice. Unfortunately, not all these products are as good as they claim. Some might carry the “low-carb” or “sugar-free” labels – while containing sugar, in some form or another. There is one particular trick I see very often – incorrect labelling of sugar polyols: https://low-carb-support.com/polyols/

[carbophobic]

Weight loss is hard, even if you have found the right diet that works for you. You can educate and motivate yourself through diet books, blog posts, videos and online communities.

But you might still fail. Because it all comes down to one crucial factor – your impulse control. Can you ignore your sugar cravings? Or your desire to have a treat – right now? Or your temptation to give up for today, and restart your diet again tomorrow – or on Monday?

I really struggle with this – despite being a low-carb evangelist. I have written hundreds of blog posts about dieting. I know all the theory, all the best tips, all the right methods. And yet I still manage to mess it up – more frequently than you’d think.

I have recently discovered a simple mind hack for better self-control. The trick is to think of myself as two selves – a “parent self” and a “child self”.

This is just a metaphor to simplify and understand our complex behaviours. Inner-child work is often used in therapy. But you can apply it to dieting or any other personal challenge.

My parent self – let’s call her Margaret – is grown-up, sensible and practical. She wants to be slim, healthy and confident. She is focused on her long-term goals. Margaret knows what she is supposed to do in order to lose weight.

My child self – let’s call her Daisy – is probably about 4 years old (I think!). Daisy always wants to eat more. Daisy always needs a treat. Otherwise, she wails loudly and kicks up a fuss. Long-terms goals don’t exist for Daisy. She wants what she wants – right here, right now.

Margaret manages to stay in control most of the time. But sometimes Daisy also gets her way.

Margaret knows sweeteners can push her out of ketosis. But Daisy demands half a pack of low-carb ice cream. “It is low-carb, so why can’t I eat it!”

Margaret knows she should weigh her veggies and count the carbs. But Daisy is hungry. “I want to eat right now!”

Margaret knows her diet is a long-term challenge. But Daisy keeps demanding rewards for being good. Otherwise, “it’s not fair!”.

So Margaret gives in – against her better judgement...

How can Margaret manage Daisy? Read more here: https://low-carb-support.com/diet-mind-hack/#how

[carbophobic]

Brussels sprouts are full of goodness - but a bit boring. So let’s wrap them up in bacon! 2.5g net carbs  http://www.savorytooth.com/bacon-brussels-sprouts/

[carbophobic]

Low-carb breakfast: Poached Egg Avocado Boats, 4g carbs https://www.garlicandzest.com/poached-egg-avocado-boats/

[carbophobic]

Portable low-carb snacks you can buy on Amazon: https://low-carb-support.com/low-carb-snacks-to-buy/

[carbophobic]

Ooh - low-carb "tortilla chips" made from almond flour, flax and psyllium husk. Great idea! http://www.sprinkleofgreen.com/healthy-doritos-my-homemade-grain-free-tortilla-chips

[carbophobic]

Do you need to take supplements on a low-carb diet? In-depth guide to help you decide:  https://low-carb-support.com/supplements-on-low-carb-diet/