The Foods You Should Be Eating

One of the hardest things about changing your diet and choosing a healthy lifestyle is knowing what’s good to eat and what’s not. I shared a post the other day with a whole list of things that you should avoid eating if you’re choosing a low carb lifestyle so today let’s talk about what you SHOULD eat. :)

There are SO many great foods you can enjoy with a low carb/high fat diet. That’s one of the best things about it - you don’t feel deprived and you get to enjoy great tasting food. I know when I’ve done other diets - specifically ones that just cut calories and tell you to cut out all the fat - they left me feeling hungry and nothing tasted that great.

With this there is no need to count calories (which I’ll go further into detail about in later posts) and you can eat till your full. The great thing is, when you’re eating these types of food, it won’t take as much to make you feel full because it’s not just empty carbs - it’s real food.

Remember, a good balance of your macros for promoting weight loss and health is 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% healthy fats. So pick a protein, add in some good veggies, and then add some great tasting, healthy fats and you’ve got a great, healthy meal.

This list is by no means a full and complete list but it’s a great start and will give you a good idea of things you can use to build healthy meals for yourself.

Meats

• Beef- ground beef, steak, ribs, and roasts

• Pork- chops, ribs, bacon, loins, sausage

• Chicken/turkey- thighs or wings w/skin are the best

• Fish- tuna, salmon, cod, haddock, etc.

• Shrimp/lobster

• Pepperoni

Eggs

• Cook eggs any way you like them and eat them in abundance - they are one of the best foods as they fit macros well.

Cheese

MOST are no carb, almost all are low carb ( just check labels to make sure)

• Mozzarella

• Cheddar

• Colby jack, pepper jack, monterrey jack

• Taco style, Mexican style

• Parmesan, Asiago

• Ricotta

• Cottage cheese

• Cream Cheese

Vegetables

Get your carbs from above ground veggies as much as possible

• Leafy greens- spinach, spring mix, kale, romaine

• Zucchini- (also great for a noodle substitute!)

• Eggplant

• Brussels sprouts

• Yellow squash

• Cucumber

• Broccoli

• Asparagus

• Cauliflower

• Celery

• Cabbage

• Green beans

Fruits

Many fruits are high in sugar and should be avoided but berries are lower carb. Eat these sparingly (no more than ¼ cup a day)

• Strawberries

• Blueberries

• Raspberries

• Blackberries

• Lemon/ Limes- Adds great flavor!

Nuts/Seeds

Just watch carb counts because not all nuts are equal and it can add up quickly.

• Pecans

• Brazil nuts

• Macadamias

• Hazelnuts

• Walnuts

• Almonds

• Pistachios

• Flax seeds

• Hemp seeds

• Chia seeds

Oils/Fats

• Coconut oil

• Avocados

• Animal fat

• Butter - not a spread or margarine - only real butter

• Ghee

• Heavy whipping cream (HWC)

• Olive oil

• Avocado oil

• Bacon/sausage grease

• MCT oil

• Nut butters (almond butter or peanut butter) - read labels and check for added sugar -organic is best

Dressings/Condiments

It is very important to always read labels for these as tons have added sugars.

• Ranch, Blue cheese, Cesar, Thousand Island, Balsamic- just read labels to make sure they’re low carb (generally 2g per serving or less) and full fat.

• Mayo- natural/organic is best - many are made with vegetable oils and that isn’t healthy

• Sugar Free Ketchup

• G. Hughes brand sugar free sauces

• Mustard

• Hot sauce (read label for added sugar)

Snacks and Desserts

Always try to limit snacks. If you eat until you’re full and get enough fat in your meal, you shouldn’t be hungry in between meals.

• Pepperoni

• Homemade cheese crisps

• Cheese

• Pork rinds

• Vegetables

• Nuts

• Olives

• Dill pickles

• Sugar free ice cream - Rebel and Enlightened are our favorite brands

• Choczero chocolate

Drinks

• Water

• Crystal Light or Mio

• Tea - unsweetened

• Coffee- black or with heavy cream (avoid store brand creamers as those are mostly vegetable oils)

Sweeteners

• Stevia drops

• Erythritol (this is what I use for most anything)

• Truvía

• Monkfruit

Other Good Foods

• Almond flour

• Coconut flour

• Almond milk

• Coconut milk

• Sour cream

• Greek yogurt (read labels)

• Pink Himalayan salt - very nutritious - try to use this instead of table salt

Again, this is not a full/complete list but hopefully this gives you a great starting point so you can plan your meals and choose well so you keep your carb count low.

Remember to be generous with the fats. And also check out labels on your food so you can see that lots of the other things - even though they’re not listed under fats - actually do have a good amount of fat too - like eggs, cheese, nuts, etc. Those are all great for your health as well.