How to stay motivated and reach low carb success

The beauty of a low-carb approach is that it’s so flexible. All this week, we’ve given you a guide to how it works — but there’s no one version that you must stick to. Instead, you can adapt it to suit your lifestyle and goals.

So how can you obtain the best results? here are some key points to consider.

First of all, it’s important to enjoy your food. This helps if you stick with the eating plan long term. By now, you’ve probably tried some of Katie Caldesi’s tempting lowcarb recipes published exclusively in the Mail this week, so you will have already experienced just how good the food can be.

Affordability is important, too. Low carb does not have to cost the earth, as my patients often tell me. You’ll save cash on sugary drinks, crisps, chocolates and takeaways. Green veg is cheap and frozen veg such as spinach or broccoli is an affordable, nutritious option.

Frozen berries are a fraction of the cost of fresh; you can buy a 350g bag of frozen raspberries for £2.

Look out for cheap protein sources such as mince, tinned fish or eggs. Dairy is also good value, with 300ml of double cream costing just over £1, two pints of milk 80p and a pack of British butter £1.50.

Another important factor to establish is your baseline statistics. These will help you monitor how the new approach is working for you, and can be very motivating. The measurements include:

WEIGHT: The latest figures from my GP practice in Southport, Lancashire, show that 339 people who’ve gone low carb have lost an average of 24lb (11kg) in an average of 28 months. Our ‘greatest loser’ is down by 10st (63.5 kg) in just a year. A few people have not lost weight — yet have reduced their waist size, as they’ve lost belly fat while gaining muscle elsewhere.

WAIST: Measure your waist at the fattest part. You’re aiming for a waistline less than half your height.

BLOOD PRESSURE: Many patients find their blood pressure improves a lot by cutting carbs. If this is your goal, you can buy a blood pressure monitor to track progress. They cost about £30 from pharmacies or online. Just check the cuff goes round your upper arm.

BLOOD TESTS: Another key way to get feedback on your progress. having these done on the NhS will depend on your doctor’s opinion of the need and if you’re on prescribed medication. If possible, ask for a full fasting profile that includes triglyceride as there is more to heart risk than cholesterol.

The next thing to consider is the backbone of diabetes monitoring, a blood test called the glycated haemoglobin level, or hbA1c. This is different from the standard finger-prick blood test which just gives you the blood glucose level at that instant. The hbA1c test tells you how ‘sugary’ your blood has been over the past few months. So cheating is much harder!

Or, there is the Freestyle Libre, one of the new blood sugar monitors. It has a sensor the size of a pound coin, usually worn on the arm, which sends minute-byminute blood glucose results to a phone app, giving rapid feedback on what foods you’ve had and which raise blood sugar.

Some type 1 diabetes patients on insulin can get these on prescription. But many with type 2 diabetes could also benefit, and some buy their own. each sensor lasts two weeks, but costs about £50. But for people with type 2 it can be good value if used to learn where the sugar is coming from in your diet — and change it.

One patient found through her Freestyle Libre that the problem for her was beetroot and sweetcorn; for another, cornflakes.

Finally, there is how low carb you want to go. This depends on what your health and weight-loss goals are, but this could help:

LIBERAL LOW CARB: Up to 130g (4½oz) carbs a day. Suitable if you have a good metabolism, are active and not struggling to lose weight. It will ensure consistent energy levels and a varied, nutritious diet. You can afford to be more flexible with your carbs, eating carrots and parsnips and some wholegrains — particularly if you are exercising a lot.

MODERATE LOW CARB: 75 g to 100 g (2¾ oz to 3½ oz) carbs a day. If you’d like to lose weight, feel sluggish and often hungry between meals, then this is a good starting point — and encourages you to base your meals on protein and non-starchy veg and eat some fruit and starchy veg, too.

STRICT LOW CARB: 50 g (1¾ oz) carbs a day. This effectively eliminates all starchy carbs — grains, most fruit and starchy veg. Focus instead on protein and vegetable-based recipes. A strict lowcarb diet can help you improve a sluggish metabolism, lose weight and improve energy, but you may find it easier if you’ve tried moderate low-carb eating first.