Author: lindasdd

Simple Tips for Beginning a Low Carb Lifestyle for the Whole Family

When you begin living a low carb lifestyle, it is often a necessity to incorporate your entire family in the diet plan with you. While this isn’t always appealing for the other people who live in your household, there are many benefits to doing so. Not only does it prevent you from having to purchase two different types of most foods, but it also eliminates many temptations. By only purchasing low carb, healthy food options, your chances of sticking with the diet plan are much higher than if you had a variety of unhealthy food selections available at all times. But getting your family to welcome a low carb lifestyle with open arms can be tricky. Read on for a few tips: 

Consider the existing diet – If your family is already accustomed to eating healthy foods, switching to a low carb lifestyle might not be as difficult as it otherwise would be. If, however, your family regularly eats a lot of high carb pastas, breads and potatoes at every meal, the switch will be very shocking. By considering the current eating habits of your family, you can approach the change accordingly. If their daily diet is high carb, slowly incorporating low carb foods and eliminating those with high carbs is the best plan. By doing it slowly, the change won’t seem as drastic, and they will have time to adjust, making the transition into a healthier low carb lifestyle a much easier one for your entire family.

Use substitutions – If your family members love a lot of foods with high carb counts, simply eliminating those food options can make your family despise the diet from the beginning. Instead, stock up on low carb replacement versions of their favorite foods. In many cases, they won’t notice the difference in taste, and they will still be able to eat their favorite snack and meal items. For cooking, you can use low carb sauces and

dressings to create meals they love without such a high carb count.

Allow for some cheating for family members – It is difficult for anyone to switch to a low carb lifestyle, but this is especially true for children who are exposed to a lot of treats that are unhealthy at friend’s houses, school, etc. If you allow them to eat some unhealthy foods periodically in their mostly healthy diet, it can prevent binges that might otherwise occur when they are exposed to those types of foods.

Thanks for reading our blog! Are you ready to stock up on great low carb foods to change your family’s diet? Visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites to find everything you need to make the switch as easy as possible!

 

Real Low Carb Diet Tips from Our Followers for Our Followers!

Any time you begin a new dietary lifestyle, the change can be difficult. This is particularly true when it is a complete overhaul of your existing eating habits, such as when you switch to a low carb diet. For those of you just beginning a low carb diet, you may have cravings that are hard to battle, you may not know how to make proper substitutions, or you may have a variety of other questions related to staying on track and achieving your low carb goals. Last week, we reached out to our dedicated followers and asked experienced low carbers to provide any advice they might give to those just beginning a low carb diet. The response was wonderful, and we have a lot of advice to impart to you given by those who have been in your shoes. Read on to get some of the best real-world advice you will find on low carb dieting:

Ignore negative comments – Cindy Loving pointed out that there will be people who will try to dissuade you from the lifestyle, telling you it is unhealthy or not the best option. As she said, “if you do your research and follow the principles, low carbing can be life changing.”

Be prepared – this was a recurring comment made by many of our low carbers. Preparing snacks and other foods in advance of traveling so you aren’t tempted to stop at a store and purchase foods that don’t adhere to the low carb lifestyle is one great tip. Three great items to keep in the car, according to follower Cheryl Burns Perkins, are water, pork rinds and peanuts. Another way to be prepared is by planning for meals in advance and making purchases for the week based on your low carb list. As Mary Ann Galvin Anderson stated, “If you don’t buy high carb junk food, you can’t eat it.”

Know your substitutions – Learning about substitutions for sugars (such as splenda) and finding ones that work for you can be key to sticking to a low carb lifestyle. The same is true with substitutions for flour (such as ground oatmeal) and bread crumbs (oat bran is a great option). Learning about, and using, substitutions when cooking can make sticking to a low carb diet much easier.

Take advantage of available foods – As Haroon Jawadi points out, with the low carb diet gaining more popularity over the last few years, there are more commercial products available that allow you to enjoy the foods you love without ruining your low carb diet. With these available options, unlike even 10 years ago, you are able to “eat breads and pastas and sweets and still be low carb,” as Haroon says.

Set realistic goals and stick with them – Any time you try a new diet, it is important to set realistic goals so you aren’t tempted to give up when you don’t reach a goal that was set too high in the first place. By doing so, you will be better able to stick with your low carb plan. Even on the hard days, it is important to try to stay on track to reap the benefits of a low carb lifestyle. As Josephine Sooknanan said, “Don’t give in or give up…the lifestyle is so worth it!”

If you want to take advantage of the available low carb products that make the lifestyle easier than ever, be sure to visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites! Thanks for reading our blog, and we would like to say a special thank you to all of our Facebook fans that took the time to offer their advice to new low carbers! 

 

Diabetes Prevention – 4 Tips in Addition to a Low Carb Diet

Many of our customers have chosen to live the low carb lifestyle because they are diabetic and they want to manage or potentially reverse the disease. Many others do so because they are either prediabetic or may have a history in their family of diabetes, and they want to prevent the disease from ever presenting. It’s no wonder people are afraid of developing the disease – according to the International Diabetes Federation, one in ten adults will have diabetes by the year 2030. A low carb diet is one of the best things you can do for your body to help manage diabetes as well as prevent the disease. There are, however, additional things you can do in addition to maintaining this healthy diet that can benefit those who are diabetic or those who want to avoid the disease. Read on for a few things to incorporate into your daily life along with a low carb diet:

Limit alcohol intake – although most low carb dieters already do this, thinking consciously about limiting your alcohol intake can help you reduce your chances of acquiring diabetes even further than a low carb diet alone.

Stop smoking – studies have shown that smoking can be a contributing factor to the development of diabetes. Lessen the chances of a diabetes diagnosis by quitting as soon as possible.

Get regular exercise – some doctors recommend walking two miles per day several days a week. It doesn’t have to be walking, though. Getting at least 20 minutes of exercise at least three times a week can work well in conjunction with a low carb diet to reduce the risk of diabetes.

Maintain a healthy body weight – for those on a low carb diet for an extended period of time, this is often a naturally-occurring side effect. For those who have not yet begun the low carb lifestyle, doing so in order to achieve a healthy body weight (between 18.5 and 24.9 BMI) is a great start to the prevention of diabetes. Even if you don’t adhere to a low carb diet regularly, losing enough weight to achieve a healthy body weight can help in preventing diabetes from developing.

Thanks for reading our blog! Whether you choose to solely use a low carb diet as a prevention or for management of diabetes, or you opt to do so in combination with any of the above, be sure to visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites for some great low carb foods!

 

 

Can a Gluten-Free Diet Help Migraine Sufferers?

There are many side effects of having Celiac disease, but one of the lesser-known sufferings is migraine headaches. In a recent study, researchers determined that sufferers of Celiac disease and those with a gluten sensitivity are more likely to have migraine headaches than those who don’t have either of the conditions. Read on to learn more about the study and what researchers have to say about a gluten-free diet as a way to fend off migraines:

About the study relating Celiac disease to migraine headaches –
According to the study, 30% of all patients with Celiac disease reported experiencing chronic headaches and  56% of those with gluten sensitivity reported the same. Although there were more people with gluten sensitivity reporting chronic migraine occurrence, the severity was opposite. Among those who said they suffered headaches often, 72% of those with Celiac disease graded them as severe, while 60% of those with gluten sensitivity also said theirs were severe in intensity.
Did switching to a gluten-free diet reduce migraine headaches?
The study did conclude a certain decrease in the amount or intensity of headaches that patients experienced when they switched to a gluten-free diet. However, many patients did report positive results. Although more studies would be necessary in order to determine if a gluten-free diet could work to reduce the frequency and pain of migraines in those who do not suffer from either of these conditions, doctors say it can’t hurt. Since many people opt for gluten-free diets without harm, regardless of whether or not they have a gluten sensitivity, it might be a diet to consider for those who suffer migraines frequently. For those who suffer migraines often, it is common to try a variety of home remedies – anything to help prevent or relieve the pain. A gluten-free diet is one possibility that could potentially have an effect on the frequency of migraine headaches.
Future studies may be possible –
Given the connection between migraines and gluten sensitivity in this study, it is possible that in the future, those who suffer migraines may be tested for this type of sensitivity or other related conditions. In addition, there may be studies performed on whether a gluten free diet can help those who suffer migraines but do not have Celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.
Thanks for reading our blog! If you opt for a gluten free diet in order to combat migraine headaches, visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites to find a wide selection of foods to suit your needs. 

 

Eggs- A Low Carb Dieter’s Best Friend

When on a low carb diet, it can sometimes be difficult to make a wide selection of foods. When this happens, you may feel like you are stuck in a food rut, and you will be more likely to splurge on a food that doesn’t fit into your low carb lifestyle. One way to prevent this from happening is to get creative with common staples in your low carb diet. A simple protein food, such as eggs, may seem boring and lose its great flavor after a while. But the ways of preparing an egg can vary so widely, it truly can be the low carb dieter’s best friend. Read on for just a sampling of the ways you can prepare an egg to add variety to your meals and help you stick with your low carb plan:

Variety in Fried Eggs – A fried egg can be boring if you make it the same way every time, but there are actually many ways to prepare a fried egg that will make it seem like a different type of food every time. You can fry it over easy, over medium, over well, break the yolk or leave the yolk intact. Changing up the type of grease you use can also change the flavor. An egg fried in butter will taste different than an egg fried in olive oil, for example. You can also use bacon grease as a great way to change the flavor of your fried egg.

Egg Salads – While many people make egg salad with ingredients that aren’t low carb, there are many ways you can make an egg salad without interfering with your daily carb count. A quick search on the Internet will turn up many different types of egg salads, and you can expand on them to create your own special recipe that is low in carbs and adds variety to your weekly meal selection.

Poached Eggs – If you have never poached an egg, it is definitely worth trying – you essentially boil an egg without the shell. But the egg can be boiled in a variety of liquid options, each of which adding their own twist on the egg. Serving it atop a slice of low carb toast will give added flavor.

Boiled Eggs – While boiled eggs are typically only made one of two ways – hard or soft – making your eggs this way periodically can help prevent you from getting bored with other methods of preparing your eggs. Boiled eggs also work great in certain types of salads, or they can be eaten on their own.

Scrambled Eggs or Omelettes – This is a type of making eggs in which there really are virtually no limits. You can add in other low carb friendly foods, including cheese, ham, bacon, turkey, sausage, spices, and much more. Create different combinations and it help you achieve a new appreciation for the egg.

Thanks for reading our blog! To find great additions for eggs that are low in carbs, such as sauces, dressings and more, visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites! 

Low Carb Shopping on a Budget

The cost of foods are steadily increasing – particularly fresh and healthy foods. If you are buying foods for many people in a household, it can seem nearly impossible to maintain a healthy lifestyle without going broke. There are ways you can continue to eat healthfully without breaking the bank, however. Read on for tips on maintaining your low carb lifestyle on a budget: 

Purchase in bulk – If you evaluate your diet and determine the types of foods you eat most often, you can pick the foods that are consumed the most and purchase them in bulk to save. Eggs, for example, are a staple of any low carb diet, but can be quite expensive. By joining a local bulk store club, you can purchase these by the case and ultimately save money. In order to truly capitalize on buying in bulk, however, you only want to purchase food items your family consumes regularly or those that are nonperishable. If you purchase items in bulk that go bad before your family can eat them, you won’t be saving any money overall. 

Purchase fresh – Certain vegetables can be an important part of a low carb diet, and these can be quite expensive, particularly during colder months of the year. Consider purchasing in-season vegetables from local farmers to save money. You can visit your local farmer’s market to find great deals on vegetables. The same holds true on some types of protein, such as eggs. If you can find a local seller in your area, you can save on farm fresh eggs that will offer you nutrition and great flavor on your low carb diet. 

Purchase online – Big grocery stores typically have a limited selection of low carb foods available, and the prices can be outrageous. Online stores have more competition for customers, so you can often find the same great low carb staples on your list at an online store for a much lower price than at your local physical grocery store. Although you may have to pay extra for shipping, you can typically still save money by purchasing your low carb items this way. In addition, many online stores selling low carb foods will offer periodic discounts on select items, saving you even more.  

Thanks for reading our blog! Are you ready to start saving on your low carb foods so you can eat on a budget but still enjoy your healthy lifestyle? Visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites!  

What is Carb Cycling? – The Basics

There are many different types of diets out there to choose from, including many that restirct or regulate carbs. If you have tried a traditional low carb diet, but you have a hard time eliminating carbs altogether and typically end up stopping the diet, there is another option. Carb cycling is a type of low carb dieting that doesn’t cut carbohydrates out of your diet completely, but instead regulates how many you take in each day. Carb cycling is often a method used by body builders that want to achieve the health a low carb diet can provide, but need those carbohydrates for fuel for pushing weights. You don’t have to be a weight lifter to get the benefits of carb cycling, however. Read on to learn about carb cycling to decide if it is a good low carb diet option for you.

Carb cycling diets consist of exactly what the name implies – you cycle your carbohydrate intake. There are a few different ways to do this, however. For some, they have low carb days and high carb days and these are rotated equally. For others, they will have no carb days, moderate carb days, and high carb days. When this type of carb cycling diet is followed, the days can be rotated equally, or you can opt for more low carb days than high carb days. 

The carb cycling diet is good for those who exercise a lot (particularly those who lift weights), and the higher carbohydrate days can be beneficial on days that training is strenuous. For off days or light days of working out, the low carb/no carb option is the best. If you don’t typically do strenuous workouts, but you are interested in carb cycling because you think you might be able to stick to this type of diet longer than a completely low carb diet, it is best to have fewer of the higher carb days. You may want to opt for one no carb day, followed by two low carb days, followed by one higher carb day. Repeating this cycle for carb intake can allow you those “cheat days” you may need to help you stick to a prominently low carb diet. 

When you opt for carb cycling, your protein intake stays consistent throughout and is not limited, but many will opt for lower fat foods on the days that they allow a higher carb intake. Traditionally, carb cycling diets are based on eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of just a few larger ones. This helps aid digestion and keeps the metabolism at a high level, which prevents those higher carb days from causing unwanted weight gain or fat storage. Many carb cycling dieters will consume 6-8 small meals throughout the day, and they do so on low carb days as well as the higher carb days.

 If you decide to try carb cycling, you can find a wide selection of great-tasting low carb foods that will make those low carb days easier than ever by visiting us at Linda’s Diet Delites! 

Healthy Kids, Happy Parents – Tips for Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthy

Whether you are trying to get your children to follow a low sugar diet, or simply eat their vegetables more often, it can be a difficult endeavor. Anything that has the word “healthy” in it might immediately lead a child to believe they will hate it and even refuse to eat it. Many children don’t like change, so even switching noodles to a different type can be enough to cause them to not want to eat the healthy food you feed them. This doesn’t have to mean that getting children to eat in a healthier way is impossible, however. Read on for a few things you can do to encourage healthier eating in children.

Make healthy eating fun – 

Carrots, broccoli, and other sugar-free snacks for kids are boring and many kids simply hate the way they taste. Presenting these types of healthy foods in a unique and fun way, however, can lead them to actually want to try it. By organizing fruits or veggies in a unique way, it becomes more fun for kids to eat it – so much so that they won’t even realize you have taken the sugar out of their snack time! The pictures to the left and below show some great options and another fun idea is to do “ants on a log.” This healthy snack is made up of celery sticks filled with peanut butter. Placing raisins periodically on the peanut butter makes them appear to be ants walking on a log, which may entice a child who otherwise hates celery to actually eat the snack. 

 

Make a gradual change – 

If your child eats a lot of unhealthy sugar-filled foods, it’s not necessary the best idea to simply eliminate all sugar intake one day. Instead, you can gradually make the change by first replacing one unhealthy snack in your cabinet with a healthier option, or one sugar-filled drink a day with a healthier option of water or sugar-free juice. Over time, you can incorporate more sugar-free foods into their diet, or other types of healthy foods, until they have an overall healthier diet without even noticing it happened. 

When all else fails, count on trickery – 

There are many cookbooks available on the market that offer recipes for sneaking in healthy foods where kids least expect them. In addition, you can replace their unhealthy snacks with healthier versions. If they know you are offering a sugar-free chocolate instead of their favorite, they may balk at it. But if you put it in the same container as their favorite, they may never notice the difference.

Getting kids to eat healthy can be difficult. Finding foods that are healthy but actually taste good is one key step to success. Visit us online at Linda’s Diet Delites to find some great-tasting healthy options your kids are sure to love!

What is the Best Weight Loss Dietary Supplement for You?

Just as there are consistently new fad diets popping up, there are always new discoveries being made about dietary supplements as well. The recent news on the benefits of coffee beans and raspberry ketones are just two examples. Another newly touted dietary supplement for health and weight loss is saffron. Similar to other all-natural dietary supplement, saffron extract is thought to help reduce appetite and curb cravings to help lose weight. If you have been debating on whether to begin using a dietary supplement, and you aren’t sure what kind would work best for you, read on to learn about the benefits of choosing all natural dietary supplements. 
When it comes to weight loss aids, there is no limit to the selection available. You can find those that help flush the system to lose water weight, and these are typically available in the form of diuretics or cleanses. This type of weight loss supplement is a great option if you need a quick boost that will not only help reduce water retention but also help you lose a few pounds in a short amount of time. 
Another type of dietary supplement that is a great option for many people is the daily multivitamin. When taking a multivitamin, you will receive many daily vitamins and minerals needed to achieve overall health. These can include vitamins that boost energy and help control appetite, as well as any vitamins you may be lacking in your diet. This can help curb cravings you might otherwise have for foods containing those vitamins. 
Many people have a preferred dietary supplement in the form of extract of an all-natural product. Saffron extract, green coffee bean extract, raspberry ketones, and green tea are all recommended options for a healthy weight loss dietary supplement. Any of these options are believed to increase metabolism and reduce appetite. These are often available in pill form or liquid form, and either can be taken daily to help give your weight loss efforts a daily boost. Some of those available are individual supplements, while others are a combination of two or more supplements in one. For example, raspberry ketones are often combined with green tea in order to achieve optimal benefits.
Thanks for reading our blog! Are you ready to start shopping for great dietary supplements? If so, browse our selection of multivitamins, diuretics, and other supplements to find the perfect one for you at Linda’s Diet Delites!

Low Carb Diet Vs. Food Combining

There are many factors to consider if you are debating between a food combining diet and a low carb diet. If you are changing your dietary habits due to a health issue such as diabetes, the food combining diet will not help control blood sugar levels, because carbs are not limited. There are also no substitutions allowed within a food combining diet. On a low carb diet, you can find low carb substitutions of your favorite foods and eat them in the place of the traditional, allowing you to eat the foods you love but lessening the number of carbs you consume. On the food combining diet, however, even the low carb varieties aren’t allowed to be eaten in combination with a protein.

When you decide to change your diet to achieve a healthy lifestyle, you will quickly learn that there are many different types of diets that offer healthy benefits. With so many to choose from, including a gluten free diet, a low sugar diet, and many more, it can be difficult to understand the differences to be able to make the best decision for you. This week, we compare the traditional low carb diet with the food combining diet. Read on to learn the differences and similarities between these two types of diets.  

Overview of a low carb diet:

A low carb diet traditionally sticks to a very basic plan. During the first week or two of a low carb diet, carbohydrates are strictly limited, which puts the body in a state of ketosis and allows it to use its own fat as fuel. Once this time period has passed, the carb allotment for the day is increased, but it is still a limited number each day. There is no set time that carbs are allowed, and the types of foods eaten with these limited carbs are not restricted in any way. With a traditional low carb diet, calories and fat are not typically factored into the diet, as the entire diet is based on counting carbs and keeping them to a set limited number per day. 

Overview of a food combining diet:

There are no limitations on the types of foods that can be eaten with a food combining diet. Instead, this diet works on the basis that the body can process certain types of foods more easily if they are not combined with other types. Proteins and carbohydrates are both allowed without limitation, but they are not allowed to be eaten together. The theory of this type of diet is that the body will process proteins more efficiently if starches aren’t eaten at the same time, and vice versa.  

Similarities between low carb diets and food combining diets:

While the principles of the two diets are very different, they are similar in the manner that they use the science of the body’s food processing capabilities to help achieve weight loss goals and better overall health. 

Choosing which type would work best for you:

For some, a combination of the two diets might be the best solution. Limiting when carbs are eaten as well as the number consumed in a day can help control blood glucose levels and help you achieve weight loss goals at the same time. 

Thanks for reading our blog! Check out all of our great low carb options available to make any diet taste great at Linda’s Diet Delites!