Getting Started on a Low-Carb Diet

By Laura Dolson, About.com Guide to Low Carb Diets

These resources are for people who are starting out or want a refresher. Included are descriptions of diets, dos and don'ts, food lists, and necessary information for beginners.

1. Low-Carb Basics
2. Popular Low-Carb Diet Plans
3. Your Low-Carb Pyramid
4. Low-Carb Food Lists

5. Food Lists for Specific Diets
6. Menu Help
7. Special Ingredients in Low-Carb and Sugar-Free Foods
8. Low-Carb Foods to Have on Hand

Low-Carb Basics

Before starting to cut carbs, it's important to have an idea of what you'll be doing and why.

• What is a Low-Carb Diet?
• Is a Low-Carb Diet Right for You?
• Seven Myths About Low-Carb Diets
• 7 Steps Towards Low-Carb Eating
• 20 Benefits of Low-Carb Diets

• How Low-Carb Diets Work -- It's all About Blood Sugar
• Five Steps for Low-Carb Beginners
• Top Ten Low-Carb Mistakes
• Getting Through the First Week

Popular Low-Carb Diet Plans

Quite a few different authors have written books about low-carb diets, and they all have different ideas about how best to go about it. Here are some of the main authors of low-carb diets. Each section tells the basics of the diet, pros and cons of each, and most have food lists and other information.

• Atkins Diet
• South Beach Diet
• Protein Power Diet
• Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Diet

• Sonoma Diet
• Sugar Busters Diet
• Paleo Diet/ Caveman Diet

Your Low-Carb Pyramid

So, how much should you eat of which types of foods? If you are following one of the popular plans, you will follow the guidelines of that diet. Here is another way to look at it. Although there is individual variations, there are some guidelines you can follow, as well as steps to take if you want to change your diet gradually rather than all at once.

• Low-Carb Food Pyramid -- Illustrated Version
• Low-Carb Food Pyramid -- Text Version
• How Much Carbohydrate is Right for You?
• How Much Protein do you Need?
• Seven Steps Towards Low-Carb Eating

Low-Carb Food Lists

Wondering which veggies have the least carbs? What's the difference in carbs between regular and nonfat milk? These lists will help you out.

• Low-Carb Vegetables
• Low-Carb Fruit
• Low-Carb Meats
• High-Protein Food List (with protein counts)

• Carb Counts in Dairy Foods
• Alcoholic Beverages on a Low-Carb Diet
• Yogurt on a Low-Carb Diet
• Carbs in Coffee Drinks

Food Lists for Specific Diets

Here are food lists for some of the poplar low-carb diet plans.

• Atkins Diet Food List
• South Beach Diet Food Lists
• Dr. Bernstein Food List

• Paleo Diet/Caveman Diet Food List
• Sonoma Diet Food List
• Sugar Busters Diet Food List

Menu Help

Can't think of what to have for breakfast, lunch, or Thanksgiving? Here are some menu suggestions for different meals, as well as 12 complete menus which are low carb and contain all basic vitamins and minerals (except, in come cases, calcium and vitamin D).

• Breakfast Menu Ideas
• Lunch Menu Ideas
• Dinner Menu Ideas
• Holiday Menu Ideas
• 12 Complete Low-Carb Menus

Special Ingredients in Low-Carb and Sugar-Free Foods

If you're cutting carbs, you're probably reading food labels. And you may be seeing strange words like "oligofructose" and "maltitol." What are these ingredients? It's actually pretty important to understand them. And any time you see "Net Carbs" on the front of the label and a different number on the back, it's time to look pretty carefully.

• What are Net Carbs?
• What are Sugar Alcohols?
• The Problems with Maltitol
• What is Erythritol?

• What is Inulin?
• What is Oligofructose?
• The Dangers of Fructose
• Sugar's Many Disguises

Low-Carb Foods to Have on Hand

Out with the old, and in with the new! When you change your way of eating, it’s best to have food in your home that supports you in your new endeavor. These guides will help you know what to keep and what to get rid of.

• Stocking Your Low-Carb Pantry
• The Low-Carb Refrigerator and Freezer
• Low-Carb Canned Foods

• Low-Carb Packaged Foods
• Low-Carb Condiments
• Special Low-Carb Ingredients for Cooking and Baking