Living Low-Carb Diet Review: How It Works (2024)

The Promise

Cookbook editor and writer Fran McCullough struggled for many years to lose weight, and she's shared her solution: a low-carb diet.

In her book, Living Low-Carb, McCullough sums up low-carb diet plans, from Atkins to Paleo, and explains how each can help you lose weight. She also includes a collection of recipes to make low-carb living easier.

To help you avoid typical dieting pitfalls, the book includes how-tos for traveling, and tips to make weekly grocery shopping easier. You'll also find success stories from other low-carb dieters.

What You Can Eat

If you want to go low-carb, McCullough suggests doing this:

  • Limit carbs to between 0 and 30 grams a day. How low you go depends on how much weight you want to lose.
  • Avoid white foods. That includes potatoes, rice, bread, flour, and sugar.
  • Makeproteinpart of every meal. Eat about half a gram of protein for every pound of yourideal body weightdaily. That works out to about 60 to 85 grams for an average-sized person.
  • Drink 8 to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water a day to flush toxins from your body.
  • Eatwhole foods-- organic and raw, if possible.
  • Choosehealthy fats. Olive oil, avocado, and nuts are smarter choices than butter and cheese.

Level of Effort: Medium to high

Following McCullough’s recipes and suggestions will make it easier to stick to a low-carb way of eating, but you will still need to count carbs and protein.

Limitations: If you don't want to give up every slice of white toast or baked potato, you’ll struggle with this approach. McCullough admits it's not for everyone. Anyone with kidney damage shouldn't do this diet, since eating too much protein can overwork the kidneys.

Cooking and shopping:Living Low-Carb has tips to help you navigate the supermarket, and 175 recipes for meal planning.

Packaged foods or meals: No.

In-person meetings: No.

Exercise: Recommended.

Does It Allow for Dietary Restrictions or Preferences?

Vegetarians and vegans: The diet is already restrictive, so vegetarians, and especially vegans, will need to make an extra effort to find enough foods to eat because fruits, vegetables, and grains are all generally high in carbohydrates.

Gluten-free: Going low-carb isn't necessarily the same as going gluten-free. You would need to read food labels to look for possible sources of gluten.

What Else You Should Know

Cost: None apart from your food.

Support: You do this diet on your own.

Side effects: A low carb diet may have side effects which include:

  • Headache
  • Bad breath
  • Weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Constipation or diarrhea

What Brunilda Nazario, MD, Says:

Does It Work?

Yes, both low-carb and low-fat diets have been shown to be effective at weight loss.

Studies have shown that diets that are higher in protein can make you feel fuller.

Is It Good for Certain Conditions?

It can work for anyone, but if you havehigh blood pressure ordiabetes, ask your doctor how well yourkidneysare working. A diet that is high in protein may dangerous for you.

Also talk to your doctor if you take diuretics ("water pills"). Any high-protein dietcan lead to an increase inketonesor ketosisand a well-known side-effect,bad breath. It can also spark a flare-up ofgout.

The Final Word

This diet can help you lose weight, but it's not a comprehensive approach toweight management. As with any restrictive diet, if you choose this approach it should only be used short term with your doctor’s OK. To keep the weight off, you also need to make other lifestyle changes.

The upside to this approach is that it's simple. But like any diet, it may be more challenging if you live with people who aren't on the same plan.

Living Low-Carb Diet Review: How It Works (2024)

FAQs

How much weight can you lose in a month with no carbs? ›

How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month on Keto? Individuals on a keto diet can lose an average of 10-12 pounds in their first month if they stay consistent with the diet and maintain a calorie deficit. However, weight loss can vary depending on starting weight, age, and activity level.

What are the results of the 1 week no carb diet? ›

Anecdotally, people report losses within the first week of anywhere from 1 pound (0.5 kg) to 10 or more pounds (5 kg). The larger you are, the more water weight you're likely to lose after starting keto. Although, it's unlikely that much of this initial weight loss is fat loss.

What foods do you eat on a low-carb diet? ›

Eggs: whole eggs, egg whites, egg yolks. Non-starchy vegetables: spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, tomatoes. Lower carb fruits: oranges, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries. Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pistachios.

How long does it take for a low-carb diet to work? ›

In the first 1-2 weeks of low carb eating, people tend to lose weight very quickly. The main reason for this is reduction in water weight. The mechanism behind it is two-fold: Insulin: When insulin goes down, the kidneys start shedding excess sodium from the body.

How fast can I lose 20 pounds on low carb? ›

Keto Weight Loss Results After 90 Days on Keto

“If the patient can maintain a steady calorie deficit, I expect them to lose one to two pounds per week,” says Dr. Seeman. So after 12 weeks, her clients are usually down around 20-25 pounds.

What happens after 2 weeks of no carbs? ›

Glycogen helps your body retain water. You may also lose some salt along with the carbs you cut out. When you start to eat carbs again, the water weight comes right back. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for ketosis to rev up and start to burn fat.

What is the most filling low-carb food? ›

36 tasty, low-carb foods that will keep you full and satisfied
  • Avocado. A whole avocado has about 15 grams of carbs, but you're unlikely to eat the entire thing in one sitting, so it's more realistic that you'll get 4 or 5 carbs in one meal or snack. ...
  • Broccoli. ...
  • Coconut oil. ...
  • Eggplant. ...
  • Eggs. ...
  • Grapefruit. ...
  • Greek yogurt. ...
  • Green beans.

What snack food has no carbs? ›

Zero Carb Snacks:
  • Cheese: A savory and satisfying snack, cheese is low in carbs and high in flavor. ...
  • Hard-Boiled Eggs: Packed with protein and virtually carb-free, hard-boiled eggs make for a portable and nutritious snack. ...
  • Pork Rinds: Crispy and carb-free, pork rinds are a savory alternative to traditional snacks.

Is peanut butter low-carb? ›

Peanut butter is moderately low in carbs and contains both fiber and healthy fat. Its composition makes peanut butter a balanced food that can be added to keto diets, depending on how it's made. This chart reviews some different types of peanut butter and their carb content in a 2-tablespoon (32–37 gram) serving.

How can I speed up weight loss on a low-carb diet? ›

To achieve effective weight loss on a low-carb diet, you'll need to:
  1. Keep carbohydrate intake low.
  2. Protein intake moderate.
  3. Fat intake high.
  4. Avoid snacking.
  5. Exercise regularly.

What is the 30 30 30 rule for weight loss? ›

The 30-30-30 rule involves eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, followed by 30 minutes of low-intensity, steady state cardiovascular exercise. Beyond these steps, the 30-30-30 method doesn't require any changes to other meals or behaviors, restrictions or counting calories.

Does low-carb flatten stomach? ›

Research indicates people who followed a low-carb diet had a smaller waist circumference in five years than those who didn't. To reduce abdominal fat, try lowering carbohydrates and increasing protein and fiber intake. Also, eat gut-friendly foods and plenty of healthy fats.

What happens when you stop eating carbs for 30 days? ›

Low energy: Carbs are your body's primary source of energy. Therefore, a no-carb diet may lead to low energy and fatigue. Insufficient nutrients: A no-carb diet may not provide enough vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, B vitamins, and vitamin C, which are abundant in fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods.

Will I lose a lot of weight if I stop eating carbs? ›

Low-carb diets, especially very low-carb diets, may lead to greater short-term weight loss than do low-fat diets. But most studies have found that at 12 or 24 months, the benefits of a low-carb diet aren't very large. Cutting calories and carbs may not be the only reason for the weight loss with low-carb diets.

Can you lose belly fat by not eating carbs? ›

Reducing your carb intake can be very beneficial for losing fat, including abdominal fat. In fact, low carb diets may cause belly fat loss in people with overweight, those at risk for type 2 diabetes, and people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) ( 31 , 32 , 33 ). You don't have to follow a strict low carb diet.

How much weight can you lose in 2 weeks on a low-carb diet? ›

The most common result is losing between 3 and 6 pounds (around 2 kilos) during the two weeks. Pretty good results when you can eat as much as you want, no hunger required. Even though some of it, of course, is likely water weight. One person in ten lost more than 9 pounds (over 4 kilos) in the two weeks.

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