LCHF Diet in Australia: Basic Principles and a Sample Meal Plan for 7 Days

Most of us grew up believing that high-fat foods are the main cause of excess weight. Doctors and nutrition experts suggested the following: “If you want to lose weight, give up fat”. But today, the world of nutrition has turned upside down, and much of what used to be inviolable is now in question. LCHF lifestyle, which involves eating a lot of fat, is one of such cases.

If earlier fat was the main enemy of health, experts have a different point of view today. According to many studies, food fat does not cause obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Instead, it will help you lose weight and get healthier.

What is LCHF diet

What is LCHF’s meaning? This abbreviation stands for “low carb high fat”, and this eating style implies a rejection of carbs in favor of fats. What will happen if you eat low-carb and high-fat foods? It turned out that such a diet has many health benefits. According to a study, it contributes to metabolic changes and increased stamina, improves body composition, and helps with weight loss. And that’s not to mention general health improvement.

Many low-carb meals fit the definition of an LCHF diet. In low-carb-high-fat diets, the percentage of fats is 50%, and the percentage of carbs varies from 5% to 20%. At the same time, there are no strict limits on the content of nutrients, which gives a lot of freedom in choosing foods for your meals.

LCHF diet for weight loss

Contrary to popular belief, a low-carb diet is more effective than a low-fat diet. Many studies support this. Specifically, one of them demonstrated that people on a low-carb diet lost more weight than those on a low-fat diet. In the first case, weight loss was 7% of body weight in 6 months, and in the second case, it was only 3% over the same period. So, a low-carb-high-fat diet for weight loss is very effective.

How does an LCHF diet work? The advantage of such diets is that they provide a feeling of satiety on account of fats and reduce appetite. Also, they increase insulin sensitivity and improve metabolism. In the long run, weight loss with a low-carb diet helps lose more weight than any carb-restricted diet.

What to eat on a high-fat-low-carb diet

What are the principles of LCHF eating? The main rule is to reduce the amount of carbs and increase the amount of fats in the meals. Avoiding sugar and carbohydrate-containing foods will help reduce carbs. What can you eat on an LCHF diet?

• Any meat and meat products that do not contain carbs (beef, pork, lamb, sausage, jamon, and bacon);
• Rich meat broths;
• Any poultry with skin (chicken, duck, turkey, partridge);
• Fat sea and river fish (lox, hake, tuna, trout, salmon, catfish, and carp);
• Eggs (duck, chicken, goose, and quail ones);
• Dairy and fermented milk products with a high fat content;
• Unrefined vegetable oils, better virgin ones;
• Cereals and low glycemic grains (quinoa, amaranth);
• Whole grain pasta, bread (in small amounts);
• All kinds of vegetables;
• Berries in limited quantity;
• Nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews);
• Green and black olives and peanuts.

The good news is that you don’t have to cut calories. The main thing is to eat when you’re hungry and not eat when you don’t want to. Eating enough fat will naturally reduce carb cravings, so you will not have to fight yourself. You can lose weight while staying full. What could be better?

What not to eat on an LCHF diet

High-carb foods are under a ban. Avoid the following foods:

• Sugar, sweeteners and honey;
• Fat-free foods;
• Cereals, grain flakes, high glycemic muesli;
• Starchy vegetables;
• Snacks and bakery products;
• Pasta;
• Fruits and fruit juices;
• Alcohol;
• Sweet drinks and fast food.

There are also conditionally permitted foods you can sometimes eat without exceeding the allowable amount of carbs. They include:

• Berries and some fruits;
• Some root vegetables;
• Baked products from alternative kinds of flour (almond, coconut, sesame).

Since the diet is flexible enough, you can adjust the amount of conditionally allowed foods depending on your condition and goals. Each of us has a different sensitivity to insulin, so someone will have to cut the amount of carbs to 5%, and for someone, even 20% will not slow down their weight loss. Everything is very individual.

If you do not have serious health problems, you can draw conclusions and limit refined carbs in your meals as much as possible, keeping the complex, slow carbs. This will be your kind of an LCHF diet.

A sample LCHF diet for 7 days

It is rather simple to create a menu following the rules of a low-carb diet. Select allowed products following your preferences. You should pay attention to high-fiber foods, as significant carb reduction can disturb the digestive tract. Also, remember to drink more water. Here is a sample meal plan for a week:

Who should not follow a low-carb-high-fat diet

An LCHF diet is suitable for almost everyone since it has relatively flexible principles, and everyone can practice this type of nutrition, focusing on their individual preferences. At the same time, you should not “dive deep” into the diet, limiting carbs as much as possible from the very beginning. It is wiser to introduce these restrictions gradually in order to reduce body stress.

Are there any reasons to avoid such a diet? We recommend being careful:

• If you take insulin. In this case, you should regularly check the insulin level because it can decrease on an LCHF diet, and you will have to adjust the drug dosage.
• If you take high blood pressure medications. This diet naturally lowers blood pressure. So, if you continue to take your medications, you may have all the signs of decreased blood pressure. To avoid this, check your blood pressure regularly.
• If you are breastfeeding. The diet can lead to such a dangerous condition as ketoacidosis. Although the risk is low, it is best to stop breastfeeding first and then change your eating style.

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