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26 Most Common Low-Carb Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Medically Reviewed on 7/13/2022
Disease and Condition: Weight Loss
26 Most Common Low-Carb Mistakes
Learn the twenty-six common low-carb mistakes that people make and how you can avoid them.

Many individuals struggle with the transition from the standard American diet, which normally includes 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrates per day, to a low-carb diet, which is generally about 100 grams (if you're on the keto diet, it's under 50 grams). However, this struggle can be fixed with a few modifications.

Although a low-carb diet might be difficult, with proper planning, you will offer yourself the best chance of success.

  • Consult a health professional to check that the low-carb diet is appropriate for you, your health objectives, and any preexisting illnesses.
  • They will assist you in developing a diet, determining an acceptable macronutrient intake, and providing some excellent low-carb substitutes.

Learn the twenty-six common low-carb mistakes that people make and how you can avoid them below.

26 low-carb mistakes

  1. Giving more preference to protein:
    • When you consume more protein than your body requires, some of the amino acids in the protein are converted to glucose through a process known as gluconeogenesis.
    • This can be an issue on very low carb, ketogenic diets, preventing your body from entering full-fledged ketosis.
    • Solution: A well-planned low-carb diet should be low in carbs, rich in fat, and moderate in protein. Aim for 1.5 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or 0.7 to 0.9 grams of protein for each pound of bodyweight.
  2. Ignoring carbs totally:
    • Most individuals forget that eating a low amount of carbohydrates does not mean avoiding carbs entirely. Carbohydrates are included in almost all of our diets even from vegetables to fruits.
    • Furthermore, you may abandon this food plan in the first few days owing to a carb crash, which is a condition induced by low carb consumption.
    • Solution: The primary goal of a low-carb diet is to limit carb intake but not fully eliminate it. You can consider simple adjustments that can help in the long run of the dieting process. Include complex carbs within permissible limits such as vegetables and whole grains instead of processed or simple carbs such as sweets, sweetened beverages, and refined grains.
  3. Limiting or ignoring vegetables in diet:
    • Dieters frequently overlook the fact that vegetables and fruits are essential components of any low-carb diet. This diet blunder might lead to the failure of your dietary regimen.
    • Solution: Veggies include trace levels of starch (although not all), and you should always include them in your diet. For your dietary plan to be successful, you must include some micronutrients so that the food not only shrinks your waistline but also assists you in maintaining a healthy and fit physique.
  4. Limiting your fat intake:
    • If you attempt a low-fat variation of the low-carb diet, it may appear to be a smart idea at first because your body will consume the fats you currently have. However, after a few days, you will begin to crave more food than before.
    • As a result, you will consume more food than ever before. Nothing will derail your dietary goals faster than hunger. 
    • Solution: A little fat in your diet is not a diet crime. It will go a long way if you want to keep your physique in shape while still eating the proper quantity of meals. Try to avoid trans fats and prefer healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids.
  5. Not exercising regularly:
    • A low-carb diet is not an excuse to give up on your physical activity and regular exercises.
    • Although dieting may result in considerable weight reduction, consistent exercise can help you retain a stronger and healthier physique. 
    • Solution: Although you may have tired days, plan your schedule to fit in moderate exercises at least three to four times a week.
  6. Limiting or ignoring sodium:
    • Limiting salt intake may help relieve fluid accumulation that may be seen as a loss in weight. Along with water, sodium is eliminated from the body.
    • However, sodium is an important electrolyte. When your kidneys remove too much of it, a low amount might become troublesome.
    • This is one of the reasons why people experience dizziness, exhaustion, headaches, and constipation.
    • Solution: The easiest method to avoid this is to season your foods with a bit of salt. Drink a cup of broth every day to avoid fatigue throughout the day. Do not, however, include salt in excess.
  7. Quitting too early:
    • By drastically lowering carbs, our systems must shift to burning fat from the body's stores. It may take a few days for your body to adjust to burning fat rather than carbs, during which time you may feel disheartened and quit the diet.
    • Some people may experience unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, headache, irritability, and fatigue known as "keto-flu."
    • Solution: You may be tempted to forsake your diet if you are feeling ill for a few days. Keep in mind, however, that it may take three to four days for your body to acclimate to your new routine, with full adaption requiring several weeks. Motivate yourself because, according to research, low-carb diets may provide a potential remedy for some of the world's most serious health issues, such as obesity and type II diabetes.
  8. Dieting with the same food options:
    • One of the faults that many diets make is a lack of variety. 
    • This is frequently the outcome of a restricted choice of fat alternatives and a very small quantity of carbohydrate consumption in low-carb diets. 
    • This restricts the number of foods that contain that macronutrient.
    • Solution: When it comes to fats, it is critical to include fats from a variety of sources, such as nuts, seeds, meat, and fish. Include high-quality polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats to provide your body with a healthy amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. You should acquire the majority of your carbs from vegetables, low-glycemic fruits, and unprocessed whole-grain meals. This will help you satisfy your vitamin needs, and the fiber will help minimize blood sugar spikes, which may contribute to cravings and fat accumulation.
  9. Missing out on key vitamins and minerals:
    • When carbohydrates are restricted, it might be difficult to get enough quantities of certain nutrients. This may lead to many nutritional deficiencies and health problems.
    • Low carbohydrate consumption may not be the ideal long-term approach without adequate monitoring and vitamin supplements.
    • Solution: Incorporating a variety of nutritious carbohydrate options such as vegetables and low-carb fruits will ensure that you consume a diverse mix of vitamins, minerals, and other essential phytonutrients. 
  10. Not hydrating properly:
    • Water is necessary for almost every metabolic function in our body.
    • Hydrating is an important part of any diet, and it helps reduce cravings.
    • Solution: Carry a water bottle with you always and make a note of everyday hydration. When you pick a low-carb diet, it becomes even more crucial to get salt, potassium, and other trace minerals. You can get them by having soups, broth, and electrolyte drinks.
  11. Not fueling before or replenishing after a workout:
    • One of the most common mistakes made by people on low-carb diets is improper fueling before and after exercise. 
    • During vigorous exercise, the body requires extra food to maintain intensity and output. Many people who do not ingest carbohydrates before a workout feel weaker and lethargic throughout the exercise.
    • They then try to boost their performance with caffeine and stimulants, which deplete them more and put additional strain on their central nervous system. 
    • Solution: Consuming carbohydrates before a workout can enhance performance and allow the body to train longer and harder. Following the activity, the body needs glycogen replenishment. Any carbohydrates taken after an exercise will help fuel the muscles and aid in recovery. By recharging your body during this period, you set the tone for your next workout.
  12. Not tracking food intake:
    • If you don't track your carbohydrate consumption, you will almost certainly overeat carbohydrates later. 
    • Tracking your food intake is an important step in a low-carb diet. This will help you understand when and what types of carbs to eat to avoid low-carb side effects.
    • Solution: Keeping a food diary is the easiest step you can take if you want to gain the advantages of a low-carb diet or achieve any health objectives. 
  13. Lacking preparation:
    • One disadvantage of a low-carb diet is that it makes eating on the go more difficult.
    • Eating unhealthy carbs from fast foods or restaurants may disrupt your weight loss goals.
    • Solution: If you haven't planned ahead of time, eating on the run may necessitate some ingenuity or better choices. Don’t give in to carb cravings during this time.
  14. Including too much-processed meat in the diet:
    • Although processed meats may taste delicious, you should be aware that they include nitrates and nitrites. These are preservatives linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer.
    • Even if you have strong cravings for processed meat, seek products that are free of nitrates and nitrites.
    • Solution: Focus on consuming unprocessed meats such as fresh chicken and fish that are suitable low-carb diet foods. Your diet should include as many unprocessed and fresh foods as possible, or else your efforts will be futile.
  15. Depriving yourself too much:
    • Depriving yourself of your favorite foods may do more damage than good.
    • People who cut their favorite foods out of their diets tend to want them more over time. 
    • As a result, people resume consuming them, and their low-carb diet attempts fail.
    • If you do this regularly, it can lead to a dangerous cycle of desires and binging. 
    • Solution: According to health experts, it is preferable to reward yourself with a few calories from your favorite food item every week or two without overdoing it.
  16. Including unhealthy fat:
    • When you are on a low-carb diet, you shouldn’t consume foods with unhealthy fats as an excuse. There’s no way you will lose weight after including them in your diet.
    • Unhealthy fats are the cause of many chronic diseases.
    • Solution: The best solution is to use healthy fats such as nuts, fatty fish, seeds, and olive oil. This will boost your enjoyment of the dish without negatively affecting your diet. 
  17. Not calculating net carbs:
    • Limiting total carbohydrates while neglecting net carbs isn't the best approach. Net carbohydrates are carbs that the body absorbs and uses for energy.
    • Solution: Calculate net carbs on all foods that you include in your diet. This can be done by subtracting fiber from total carbs. By measuring your carbohydrates in this manner, you will be able to identify the carbs that might cause your blood sugar to increase. It can help you keep track of your dietary fiber consumption.
  18. Forgetting fiber:
    • When we are on a low-carb diet, we generally focus on protein and fat and overlook fiber. According to health experts, our bodies require at least 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day to sustain digestive health and satiety.
    • Solution: The easiest approach to do this is to consume various veggies, including fiber-rich alternatives. This will not only increase your fiber intake but also help you include additional anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids into your diet.
  19. Going overboard with low-carb shakes:
    • Many individuals are integrating smoothies, protein shakes, protein bars, and other processed foods into their carb-restricted diets as the popularity of these products grows. 
    • These drinks and bars offer advantages, but using them excessively might be dangerous.
    • According to experts, many of these products include potentially dangerous substances and provide deceptive information about their "net carb" amount.
    • Solution: Research well and limit eating in restaurants. Make your shakes and smoothies with ingredients of choice that fit in your low-carb diet plans.
  20. Believing low-carb food labels blindly:
    • A very basic and often ignored error we make while following a low-carb diet is possibly believing the “low-carb” labels on food products.
    • You may have been eating low-carb products for weeks and haven't dropped any weight because there might be more components in it that you overlooked. 
    • Solution: If a food indicates on the packaging that it is a low-carb option, don't believe it. Always read the “Nutrition Facts” section of the food label carefully. Despite being healthful, the dish may include more carbohydrates than you should eat, compromising your diet.
  21. Setting the wrong macros:
    • When starting a low-carb diet, you should select the three macronutrient levels. You may use a macro calculator to help you set some objectives and boundaries for yourself. It is critical to keep track of the level you currently favor.
      • Low carb: 50 to 150 grams of net carbs per day
      • Keto: Under 50 grams of net carbs per day
    • Solution: When beginning a low-carb diet, go slowly and steadily. Don't go directly to keto if you were previously on a high-carb diet. Instead, begin with a fairly low-carb diet and stick with it until you can regularly reduce your carb intake to less than 100 grams per day. Following that, you can transition to a low-carb diet (less than 50 grams of net carbohydrates per day) and become more stringent with your daily carb consumption. When you have good control over your hunger needs, you may experiment with keto. 
  22. Eating too many snacks within the day:
    • Excessive snacking negates the objective of adopting a low-carb diet because it interferes with your body's normal glucose and insulin response. 
    • This can prevent your body from entering fat-burning mode and undo all of your efforts for the day. 
    • Solution: Avoid eating too many snacks in a day, whether they are low-carb or keto-friendly. If you must snack, choose something that will not offer you unneeded carbs or simple sugars, such as a few nuts or veggies.
  23. Overexercising:
    • High-intensity exercise is not normally advised when restricting your carbohydrate consumption at least in the beginning days.
    • Solution: The good news is that low-intensity workouts such as walking, swimming, yoga, or tai chi can help you stay fit. Take enough time to rest and recover from exercise.
  24. Missing out on good sleep:
    • Sleep is something that many people take for granted. Sleep deprivation affects hormone levels and might put your metabolism out of whack. 
    • Poor sleep can lead to lapses in healthy eating and can frequently increase the probability of nibbling between meals or seeking unhealthy food options.
    • Solution: A good night's sleep is required for the body to rejuvenate and restore itself between days. Good sleep reduces inflammation, which has several benefits throughout the body, ranging from less stress to a low risk of heart disease. Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night. 
  25. Treat days:
    • Overindulgence during treat days or scheduling treat days every week does not help your weight loss goals, especially for people on a low-carb diet. 
    • Devoting a whole day to treating meals is asking for trouble, especially if you're trying to lose weight.
    • Solution: Treats are acceptable under specific restrictions. Treats are more enjoyable when they are small. Moreover, schedule high-intensity exercise sessions on the same day as the treat.
  26. Taking too much stress:
    • When it comes to weight reduction, stress plays a crucial role. Cortisol levels increase when you are stressed. This causes unhealthy metabolic changes such as an increase in blood sugar levels.
    • To deal with chronically high blood sugar levels, your body will generate more insulin. When this occurs, it will be tough to shift into fat-burning mode.
    • Excessive exercise, particularly prolonged cardio, increases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol elevation is associated with increased fat accumulation, particularly harmful visceral fat around the abdomen.
    • Solution: Know and understand your stressors and find a way to cope with them. Meditation, yoga, and strength-training exercises may be helpful.

QUESTION

Weight loss occurs in the belly before anywhere else. See Answer
Medically Reviewed on 7/13/2022
References
Image Source: iStock image

10 Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-mistakes

Low Carbohydrate Diet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537084/

5 common mistakes of lower carb eating: https://studylib.net/doc/6676795/5-common-mistakes-of-lower-carb-eating

These Small Mistakes Could Be Keeping You From Losing Weight on Keto: https://www.urologyofva.net/articles/category/healthy-living/3112449/04/29/2019/these-small-mistakes-could-be-keeping-you-from-losing-weight-on-keto

Balance, not carbs or fat, is the key to healthy eating: https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2017/balance-not-carbs-or-fat-key-healthy-eating
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