Fennel Salad

Cut up a fennel bulb into 3 or 4 cups of thin slices, combine it with some red onion, olive oil, parsley, and some toasted almonds for a colorful, delicious, and low carb salad. This dish makes the perfect treat either by itself or complimenting a main course at dinner. It’s extremely easy to make and perfect for those on the go at lunch time.

Blue Cheese Burgers

Blue cheese is known for being extremely low in carbohydrates. Find yourself the leanest ground beef possible, and top it off with some crumbled blue cheese rather than the usual cheddar or American cheese. If you want some additional taste, feel free to add on some mayo – just make sure you’ve checked the label for carbs as not all mayos are made equal! Serve with a side of salad (no bun) for a truly summery dish.

Cucumber Pickle Salad

Another amazing summer salad that’s perfect with another dish. Use 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced radishes, some red onion, salt, Splenda, and a little bit of white vinegar for flavor. Heat up the vinegar, some salt and Splenda and bring it to a simmer in a medium saucepan to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour this over your vegetables and toss it in the fridge for a few hours for the perfect appetizer at your next family barbecue.

Jerk Pork

While we love to cook outside in the summer, the oven can create amazing low carb dishes for you. Preheat the oven to around 350 degrees. Create a rub for about 4 pounds of boneless pork loin, using 2 tablespoons of jerk seasoning and canola oil. It not only tastes delicious but has zero carbohydrates.

Grilled Basil Marinated Chicken

We saved the best for last. Whisk together one tablespoon of olive oil, one tablespoon of red wine vinegar, one tablespoon of finely chopped red onion, two teaspoons of salt and a chopped clove of garlic. Soak about 2 pounds of chicken in this delicious marinade for about 12 hours and top with basil to let the flavors infuse. Toss it on the grill for one of the finest summer chicken recipes that has almost no carbs and all the taste.

For more delicious recipes, check out CarbGenie’s Low Carb Recipes page.

More and more I’m seeing acronyms and buzz phrases creep into the low carbohydrate diet communities.

In my opinion, they are extremely negative – they alienate newcomers and create an unnecessary barrier for those who just want to drop into a conversation from time to time.

In a way it causes exclusivity and a “them and us” environment. So this post aims to break down those barriers and explain what all these acronyms and buzz phrases actually mean.

Killing Acronyms

SKD – Standard Ketogenic Diet

This is where you just restrict carbs, go into ketosis, and stay there for long periods until you’ve reached your fat loss goals, sometimes going back on carbs for a couple days or a week at a time.

Source: Keto.org

CKD – Cyclical Ketogenic Diets

Still not sure what that means? I don’t blame you – I had to dig deeper myself the first time I heard the phrase.

A cyclic ketogenic diet (or carb cycling) is a low-carbohydrate diet with intermittent periods of high or moderate carbohydrate consumption. This is a form of the general Ketogenic diet that is used by bodybuilders as a way to maximize fat loss while also building body muscle.

Source: Wikipedia

TKD – Targeted Ketogenic Diet

The principle behind this diet is very similar to that of a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet only you consume carbohydrates right before and after your exercise or weight training workouts in order to deal with high intensity effort put in.

NSV – Non Scale Victory

This acronym is appearing more and more, and every time I see it used there is an inevitable “what does NSV mean?” reply or question. This is a perfect example of acronyms disrupting conversations for newcomers to diet conversations.

All it means is that something happened to make a person feel good about their diet which didn’t involve a lower weight showing on their scale. An example of a non scale victory is meeting up with an old friend who is amazed by your weight loss and gives you a compliment.

SV – Scale Victory

Remove the acronym and suddenly it all becomes clear – a scale victory is when you reach a landmark goal for your weight, measured on a scale.

Blasting Buzz Phrases

Cheat days

We’ve all fallen off the diet wagon at one time or another, but a cheat day is when you plan to go off your diet. The idea is that rather than fall to temptation because there is no end in sight, you plan to eat something high carb to keep you on track in the short term. Whether you agree with this approach or not is a topic for another blog post!

Food porn

You’ll see this phrase crop up regularly across all sorts of diets – it’s basically a photo of a meal that someone has prepared or eaten that will make everyone everyone drool. Usually it is specific to a given diet being talked about – what constitutes food porn for someone on a low carb diet won’t be the same for someone on a low calorie diet.

Carb Cycling

See CKD

SIM – Something I Missed?

These are the most common phrases and acronyms I see, but if there are others you hear all the time that you think should be listed here, leave a comment!

Let’s face it, our ancestors didn’t always get it right when it came to scientific discoveries and breakthroughs, and diet advice was just as susceptible as any other field. I’ve been digging through some old diet advice posters and I thought I’d share some of the best ones with you.

EAT! EAT! EAT!

"FAT, the ENEMY that is shortening Your Life. BANISHED! HOW? With sanitized TAPE WORMS. Jar Packed, Easy To Swallow!

Tape worms not working?

Perhaps it’s time to try the next weapon in your arsenal; low fat soap

"Surprising results." No doubt.

Still not convinced? I’ve got the perfect thing for you

Look classic chic AND lose weight – is it really as simple as Lucky Strike want us to believe?

Feeling Lucky? Try the all new strike diet.

Don’t forget, it’s never too early to start dieting

I’ve got to admit, I’m having a hard time believing this next one is genuine. After 5 minutes of squinting, I’ve managed to discern this text:

“How soon is too soon? Not soon enough. Laboratory tests over the last few years have proven that babies who start drinking soda during that early formative period have a much higher chance of gaining acceptance and “fitting in” during those awkward pre-teen and teen years. So, do yourself a favor. Do your child a favor. Start them on a strict regimen of sodas and other sugary carbonated beverages right now, for a lifetime of guarunteed happiness”

Always coca-cola

But wait! It wasn’t all wrong

Back in 1863 William Banting got it almost right through trial and error – you could say he was the original Atkins. To quote Wikipedia (yes, I know that’s lazy writing, but it’s 11pm where I am at the moment!):

“Banting accounted all of his unsuccessful fasts, diets, spa and exercise regimes in his past, then described the dietary change which finally had worked for him, following the advice of a physician. His own diet was four meals per day, consisting of meat, greens, fruits, and dry wine. The emphasis was on avoiding sugar, saccharine matter, starch, beer, milk and butter. Banting’s pamphlet was popular for years to come, and would be used as a model for modern diets.”

Source: Wikipedia

Good night and enjoy the rest of your weekend! Just remember to do your research when you’re choosing a diet, as the accepted truths aren’t always accurate.

For some real diet advice, I’d recommend watching these videos.

So here’s a run down of the top 4 low carb blogs – if you haven’t heard of them before, you’ve been missing out on some great information and entertainment!

1. Get Scientific with the Diet Doctor

All too often the science behind a diet gets forgotten and we’re left with anecdotal evidence, rumors and tall (or wide) tales. It is therefore with great pleasure I introduce Andreas Eenfeldt, MD.

Dr. Eenfeldt is a Swedish doctor specialising in family medicine and his blog is all about his journey to discover how to be as healthy as possible using natural methods.

It turns out that what he found matches the low carb diet approach. You can watch a fantastic lecture he gave on one of my previous blog posts: 5 Essential Videos For Low Carb Dieters

In case you’re wondering what he is reading in the photo, it is “Matrevolutionen” (“Food Revolution”), authored by the good doctor himself. Unfortunately I couldn’t find an English version of the book.

Quick Links

• Visit the Diet Doctor blog
• Subscribe to the RSS feed
• Visit the Swedish version of the blog
• Follow the Diet Doctor on Facebook
• Follow the Diet Doctor on Twitter
• Follow the Diet Doctor on YouTube
• Recent post at time of writing: Stupid fear of cholesterol and obesity

2. Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb

One of the most popular low carb blogs out there, Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb is the brainchild of Jimmy Moore.

To quote the man directly: “[I] lost triple digit weight on low-carb and I’m now livin’ la vida low-carb!”

The frequency of which this blog is updated is astounding, especially considering the depth and breadth of information that is covered in each post.

Jimmy brings you a lot more than a blog – with regular podcasts that are jam packed with up-to-the-minute science, interviews and opinion pieces, you’re sure to be able to keep yourself entertained for hours (or months if you’ve just discovered this blog and are trawling through the archives!)

If all that isn’t enough for you, he has also authored two books: LIVIN' LA VIDA LOW-CARB: My Journey From Flabby Fat to Sensationally Skinny in One Year and 21 Life Lessons From Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

Quick Links

• Visit Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb
• Subscribe to the RSS feed
• Follow Jimmy on Twitter
• Follow Jimmy on Facebook
• Recent post at time of writing: Low-Carb Life Lessons From Watching Television–October 2011 Edition

3. Go Primal with Mark’s Daily Apple

This regularly updated blog, authored by Mark Sisson who also wrote “The Primal Blueprint“, is tailored towards those on primal diets.

For those of you unfamiliar with primal diets, they are focused on the consumption of organic foods which are uncooked and unprocessed.

Low carbohydrate diets tend to naturally lean towards the primal way of eating, so there is a lot of useful crossover information that can be found on this blog for primal and low carb dieters alike.

Quick Links

• Visit Mark’s Daily Apple
• Subscribe to his RSS feed
• Follow Mark on Twitter
• Recent post at time of writing: A Primal Take on Body Image

4. Hold the Toast

This regularly updated blog has been going since 1999 – yes, over a decade (and then some). This leads me to two conclusions:

Dana Carpender knows a thing or two about low carb diets and she is dedicated to running her blog and believes in the diet.

The low carb topics she covers are varied; from ADHD to recipes and viagra (if that doesn’t stir some interest in her blog, I’m not sure what will!)

With all these years of being on low carb diets, she’s has amassed quite a collection of recipes, and they’re all available in her books such as 300 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes and 500 More Low-Carb Recipes – you can see all her books on her Author Page.

Quick Links

• Visit Hold The Toast
• Subscribe to her RSS feed
• Follow her on Facebook
• Follow her on Twitter
• Recent post at time of writing: Why I Don’t Rely Solely On Nutrition To Treat My ADD/ADHD

Honorable Mentions

“Always give them more than they expect” (if that quote doesn’t exist, you heard it here first folks). With that in mind, here are some more blogs that are worthy of a mention. A number of them are written by people on the journey to losing weight and act as journals, head over and give them some love!

• Dan’s Low Carb Journey
• Kyle’s Low Carb Blog
• Kickin’ Into Keto

Have I missed somebody that deserves a mention? Leave a comment and a link

Although, who knows, there might be something of use for you in here also.

1. Knowledge

If you jump straight into a low carb diet without a good grounding of the potential side effects and a knowledge of what makes a low carb diet balanced, then you’re going to find the diet more difficult than it needs to be.

In addition, people will tend to ask you a lot of questions when you are on this diet, so having a good base knowledge will start you off on the right foot when a discussion arises.

I’d recommend watching these 5 great talks as well as reading Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It by Gary Taubes.

2. Ketone Urinalysis Strips

Check whether you're are burning fat

Commonly referred to as “ketostix“, Urinalysis Strips are used to measure Ketone levels in your urine – if you’re in a state of Ketosis, then you’re using fat stores as energy (and are losing weight).

They are essential to check whether your low carb diet is working, and to find out your limits when it comes to consuming carbs.

You only really need to check once per day, but when you first start out using them you might find that you throw that advice into the trash!

3. A reliable and accurate set of scales

Don't let your scales surprise you

This might seem like a no brainer, but when I first started out on my low carb diet I dusted off the electronic scales in the bathroom and just took what I saw on the display as gospel.

It turns out that when I started going to the gym a month or so later my scales were off by 7 pounds – fortunately in the right direction.

This knocked my faith in electronic scales and since then I have gone back to the older style; at least I know the batteries will never run out!

4. A way to track your weight loss (that works for you)

This one is down to personal preference – what you want to track might not be the same as the next person. Fortunately there are loads of tools available out there to track your weight, measurments (e.g. chest size, waist size) and food intake.

They’re fantastic motivators when you’re losing pounds, and can help you track down where you went wrong if you plateau or gain weight.

Here are a number of suggestions to get you started:

• FitDay
• MyFitnessPal
• StartYourDiet
• LiveStrong (this site is very much focused on calorie tracking, but you might find some of their tools useful)

5. A Support Network that can Motivate and Guide You

Dieting can be a lonely activity and it can be especially easy to succumb to peer pressure on low carb diets, simply because a lot of people are uneducated about them and can tend to be overly critical (and for some strange reason, forceful).

Finding a few people or a community who are taking the same journey as you can make your diet easier, more enjoyable and more effective. Shared knowledge and support can really make a huge difference.

Below are my top low carb communities:

• Keto – a community focused on being in “ketosis” – the goal for any low carb diet
• LoseIt – a general community dedicated to losing weight on a wide range of diet plans
• Fitness – great for learning how to tone up after losing weight
• Low Carber Forums – a huge forum and community with thousands of members discussing low carb diets

I’ll start with my top pick and work my way down:

1. The Food Revolution (2011)

Run Time: 54 mins. This lecture by Dr. Eenfeldt about nutrition was brought to my attention yesterday by a thread in the Keto community on Reddit (I’d highly recommend joining this community) - it’s great to see new material like this appearing which is to the point and logical.

2. Gary Taubes Lecture At Google (Authors@Google)

Run Time: 1 hour 27 mins. Gary Taubes, author of the tome “Good Calories, Bad Calories” and the more popular (and more readable) “Why We Get Fat, and What To Do About It” gives an insightful lecture about his journey and the science behind discovering the truth behind diet and nutrition.

3. Enjoy Eating Saturated Fats: They’re Good for You

Run Time: 53 mins. An interesting lecture by Dr. Miller who is a professor of surgery at the University of Washington in their Cardiothoracic Division.

4. The Trouble with Fructose: a Darwinian Perspective

While not as focused on a low carb diet as the previous videos, this one dives into the world of fructose and discusses the links between rising rates of obesity, diabetes and a whole host of other negative health side effects and the consumption of fructose. If you’d like to read further on the topic of what we have evolved to eat, I’d recommend having a look at An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage.

Apologies for the Vimeo video below – no YouTube alternative was available.

5. Fat Head

Run Time: 1 hour 44 mins. Directed and produced by Tom Naughton in what I can only call a mockumentary of the famous “Super Size Me“.

I was in two minds whether to include this one – it’s a bit childish at times and a lot of it is just mindless drivel and character assassination. Having said that – skip to the 40 minute mark where the documentary should have started and you’ll discover some useful information.

Note: Only the trailer below is available and I’m not going to suggest that you do a Google search for “watch fat head online”

Alternatively, you can watch a talk which discusses Fat Head and gets the same point across (Run Time: approx 1 hour):

Bonus Video: Why We Get Fat

Run Time: Approx. 1 hour 40 mins. Gary Taubes is a name we hear all the time when talking about Low Carb Diets and he’s produced some great lectures, but I wanted to provided a broader scope in my top 5. This second lecture by Gary is another excellent introduction:

Something I’ve Missed?

If there is a great video that I’ve missed off, leave a comment!

As with any diet, if you don’t keep it balanced, there will be side effects. Outlined below are 3 of the most common Low Carb complaints and their remedies.

1. Constipation

Well, I may as well get stuck in with the most disgusting side effect.

Constipation on a low carb diet is seen by some as an inevitability (especially by those people who say – “Ohhhh, you’re on THAT diet”), and it does happen from time to time.

There are a number of different ways to ensure everything keeps flowing smoothly:

• Increase dietary fiber with leafy greens such as spinach and lettuce
• Almonds - a couple of handfuls a day will unclog the plumbing (1.7g net carbs per 25g serving)
• Coconut Oil – lube those tubes!
• Probiotics – those billions of bacteria in a bottle can help your digestive system flourish and push things forward
• Take Magnesium supplements
• Take Psyllium husk supplements
• Make sure you’re getting enough water

Be warned, don’t try them all at once – or do, and post the video of the aftermath on YouTube for the rest of the world to enjoy. Just remember to hold on to your ankles, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

2. Body Odor

YOU SMELL! Ahh, if only we could go back to the care-free days of being children where honesty prevails in such simplicity.

Often you need a third party perspective on whether you smell or not, but for some people who are on low carb diets, the body odor question doesn’t require another persons nose.

Here are some quick and effective methods to alleviate your BO:

• Use alcohol wipes on your smelly areas
• Shower with unscented soaps and gels
• Drink plenty of water
• Use an anti perspirant rather than a normal deodorant which simply tries to mask the smell
• Speak to your doctor about getting a prescription anti-perspirant such as Drysol (it’ll basically stop you sweating where you apply it – be warned though, read up about the side effects)

By the way, the body odor is caused by your body being in ketosis (burning your fat stores as fuel) so it’s actually a good indicator that your low carb diet is working.

3. Bad Breath

Now, I’ve never experienced this one myself (hang on a minute, does that mean I just admitted to having dabbled in the previous two problems?!) but apparantly it can happen. One person colorfully described “keto” breath as “farts, sewage … [and] the garbage disposal on our sink”. Nice.

The cause of bad breath on low carb diets is being in a state of ketosis – i.e. burning your fat stores. Ketones get released on your breath, skin and in your urine.

If you are in a high level of ketosis, then your bad breath may be much more noticeable.

So what can you do to stop giving people sucker punches every time you open your trap?

• Drink more water (and swish/gargle) – it will dilute the amount of ketones
• Try a  long lasting mouth wash – I’ve been told this one works well for ketone breath
• Chew some fresh parsely
• Take a probiotic supplement (those little bacteria are coming in handy!) – sometimes bad breath is a sign of of oral thrush/candida

If the bad breath is bothering you (and probably more likely, those around you) try slightly increasing your carb intake to slightly reduce the amount of ketones your are producing. Be careful not to knock yourself out of ketosis though!

Share Your Tips

Alright smarty pants – think you’ve got some tips which I’ve missed? Leave a comment, go on I double dare you.

Or just tell me how much I smell – but be warned, playground rules will be enacted.

Lastly, this blog is brand new and I’d really appreciate your help spreading the word!

How about if I said that some of the government guidelines used to describe a healthy diet have been proven to be incorrect?

Join me as we go down the rabbit hole and explore recent scientific studies that deny the status quo – be warned, once you open Pandora’s box there is no turning back!

“You should eat plenty of starchy foods such as rice, bread, pasta and potatoes”

It looks healthy - but is it really?

It is common wisdom in today’s modern world that fatty and high calorie foods should be avoided in favor of healthier options such as pasta, rice, wholegrain breads and cereals.

But did you know that these foods are very high in carbohydrates and studies show that high carbohydrate foods are a major contributor to weight gain?

In addition, these foods can increase the risk of long term health problems such as cancer and diabetes.

On the flip side, studies show that diets low in carbohydrates increase weight loss, slow the growth of cancer,  reduce the risk of diabetes and can even be used as a treatment for managing epilepsy.

This raises the obvious question: why are we given this incorrect advice?

The answer is simple: politicians who pretend to be scientists

The War on Fat

To use modern terminologies, the “war on fat” was advocated and approved by US Senator George McGovern’s and his Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs in the 1970′s.

In 1977, it issued a new set of nutritional guidelines for Americans that sought to combat leading killer health conditions. Titled Dietary Goals for the United States, but also known as the “McGovern Report”, it suggested that Americans eat less fat, less cholesterol, less refined and processed sugars, and more complex carbohydrates and fiber. Source: Wikipedia

Get in My Belly!

He might have had it right with the baby back ribs

This resulted in the promotion of low fat foods such as pasta, rice and potatoes, much to the dismay of the cattle, dairy, egg and sugar industries.

So – why do we get fat? I know what you’re thinking – “because we eat too much and don’t do enough exercise”. It’s boilerplate diet advice.

Unfortunately, this advice doesn’t hold up under scientific scrutiny.

A dangerous side of this is increased insulin resistance that can lead to Type-2 Diabetes.

The opposite is true when it comes to low carb diets which improve insulin sensitivity.

Not Convinced?

It’s good to be skeptical. I’ll be adding upcoming studies as I find them which are going to dig deeper into the questions surrounding the debate:

• The Eat Smart Study: A randomised controlled trial of a reduced carbohydrate versus a low fat diet for weight loss in obese adolescents

Chase The Rabbit

That restaurant dish that looks deliciously low carb might have a sauce which is full of sugar – so how do we stay on track?

I’ve spent the past 2 weeks in Hong Kong where rice, noodles and “mystery” dishes abound, so these are my top 7 killer tips to staying on track.

How many carbs are in shark?

1. You might end up eating High Carb Foods – deal with it

Maybe it’s because your host prepared you an extra special (but high carb) dish and you simply can’t say no for fear of being rude, or perhaps there are no low carb alternatives at the restaurant you’re dining at. Whatever, the reason, the key here is to reduce the impact – if you know you are going to an evening meal full of carbs, be extra strict with yourself for breakfast and lunch. This might be the perfect time to try fasting.

2. Educate the uninitiated and make the right choices

If you’re among friends you shouldn’t worry about taking your time when choosing what to eat – with a few choice questions you should be able to quickly determine which foods are safe to order. Don’t be embarrassed about explaining your diet to your fellow diners – once they know about your diet, they can help you choose the best dishes.

3. Can’t Escape? Put down your fork (or chopsticks)

Sometimes you will be stuck between a rock and a hard place – you don’t want to offend your host but at the same time you don’t want to go off your diet. If this happens, it’s time for a bit of sneakiness – focus first on the obviously low carb items in the meal, and then take a few bites of whatever remains – after that you can easily feign fullness (and anyone looking at your plate won’t be the least bit suspicious). Unfortunately I made the mistake of clearing my plate when I ate with a Chinese family – the result was an instant refill!

4. Eat slowly

This links with the previous tip – if you let other people finish eating before you they’ll feel as if you’ve eaten just as much as them. If it’s a meal where you share dishes, this works even better as the other dinner guests will probably eat twice as much as you!

5. Keep Active

Eating more carbs doesn’t mean that you’re going to instantly get fat – as long as you can burn most of it off, you’re going to be safe. Go on extra long walks, take the steps instead of the elevator, do a few extra lengths in the pool – and if you’re with a significant (or not so significant) other there are plenty of things you can do in the bedroom to burn off those carbs!

6. Do your research

The first few days of my holiday were tough – I’d never even heard of most of the food I was being given, let alone knew its carbohydrate content. Do a search for local supermarkets and restaurants and see the types of dishes and foods that are on offer – if you know what will be a safe bet, you can order and eat food without asking hundreds of questions and making yourself the odd one out.

7. Relax, you’re on holiday

Some people have “cheat days” on their diets where they fall so far off the wagon they’re rolling down a hill into the next valley. But the next day, they’re back on track and are still shedding pounds. In the worst case scenario you’ll put on a couple of pounds while you’re on holiday, but as long as you’re prepared and have a strong will you can get straight back to losing weight when you get back home.

Bonus Tip: Enjoy trying new things

So far on this holiday I’ve eaten jellied chicken blood, chicken feet, balls of meat with unknown origins and some pretty bizarre looking things. Sure, I might have kicked myself out of ketosis for half the time I’ve been here but my weight has been stable. Stop worrying about it and try something new, you won’t regret it!