Carbohydrate Counting
If you wish to succeed at a low carb diet, carbohydrate counting is a must. For those who have never succeeded at dieting, the concept of tracking everything that you eat and scoring the food based off of nutritional values may seem daunting. However, there are a lot of ways that you can get into the habit of carbohydrate counting without having to do a lot of work.
The first step is to identify what foods you eat most frequently and learn their scores. This will greatly simplify things for you, as many people eat the same foods over and over again. This is the repetitive use of a single score, which is much easier for those new to carbohydrate counting. However, as you get more advanced with your diet, you will need to learn how to use carbohydrate counting, and learn how to record your numbers in as logical a manner as possible.
For those just starting out, or those who do not have great memories for the foods that are eaten, you can carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil with you. Write down the serving size and what foods you ate. This is the basis for the carbohydrate counting you will need to do later. As your day progresses, make certain your write down everything you eat. If you leave anything out, you can go wrong on your diet. Water, juices, and beverages should also be noted down. Once you have noted down all of the different foods that you have eaten, it is time for you to use a carbohydrate chart to determine how many carbs you consumed in that day. When you first start a low carbohydrate diet, it is very likely that you will fail at meeting the demands of the diet. Do not be discouraged, as adjusting your diet does take time.
It might be an idea to consider carbohydrate counting before you begin your diet to see how much of a difference the diet will make for you. Doing this can demonstrate just how much the new diet can help your weight and your health. When you do carbohydrate counting, you may wish to do calorie counting as well, as both are believed to make a significant difference in your weight.
If you have any health issues, such as diabetes, you will want to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a carbohydrate counting diet. Do not change your diet if you have a known medical condition without first consulting your doctor, as this may have negative impacts on any medications that you are taking.