7 Good Reasons to Switch to a Low-Carb Diet

This past year, I lost 40 pounds—nearly 20% of my body weight. I look and feel better and healthier than I have in my entire adult life, and the difference is pretty noticeable.

Not surprisingly, people frequently ask me how I lost the weight.

But I tell them I switched to a ketogenic, low-carb diet, the response is almost always the same. It’s something to the effect of…

“Oh, I could never do keto. I just like bread and pasta and french fries way too much! I’ll have to figure out something else.”

And honestly, I get it.

Because the truth is that over the course of the past ten years, I’ve probably tried everything out there in my quest to get a handle on my weight.

Literally everything.

Green smoothies. Juice cleanses. Cabbage soup. Weight Watchers. Noom. The F-Factor. The Mediterranean Diet. The South Beach Diet. The Fat Flush Diet. Meal delivery services like BistroMD and Sunbasket. An app that pairs you up with a personal coach who was supposed to hold you accountable by having you send photos of everything you eat. (I ended up ghosting her.)

I hired a personal trainer and worked out 3 days a week.

I started running.

I even paid thousands of dollars at a local medi spa, hoping maybe I could freeze off the extra fat.

With every new attempt I’d lose a few pounds–sometimes even 10 or 15–but then I’d get busy or have to go on yet another work trip, or have some sort of party or event or gathering to attend, or we’d go out to eat for the umpteenth time that week, and I’d struggle to stay on track. 

Or worse yet, I’d get so hungry that I couldn’t focus, and I’d just give up. 

Because the truth is, like most women I know, I’ve got a lot going on. Life never stops.

And for me, that was exactly the problem.

I just didn’t have time to be hungry all the time.

My turning point happened when a neighbor shared a photo they had taken of me on the Fourth of July. It was the heaviest I had ever been. I weighed more than I did at 9 months pregnant. Even worse, I weighed more than my husband. 

I didn’t even recognize myself. 

It was the moment I realized something needed to give.

But after SO many previous failures, I also knew I’d have to figure out a solution that would actually work for MY busy life. 

I took a deep dive into the science of sustainable weight loss, and I learned how to reset my metabolism and change the way my body burns fuel by switching to a low-carb diet. Within 6 months, I lost 40 pounds and completely transformed my body.

Not only that, I was never hungry. I ate out all the time. I continued to socialize every weekend. I got to eat delicious food. My kids never saw me dieting. And I never felt deprived. 

It was a way of eating that worked SO well that now I can’t help but shout it from the rooftops. In fact, I literally started this entire company just to be able to talk about it more!

Suffice to say, I’m a low-carb enthusiast.

But just in case you’re NOT one quite yet, I thought I’d share a few really good reasons you should consider switching to a low-carb diet.

Losing weight is almost effortless

The first—and to me the most compelling—reason to switch to a low carb diet is that losing weight becomes almost effortless.

For so many years, I thought weight loss meant being hungry all the time, feeling deprived, and having to pass on all of the foods I love. I was totally bought in to the “calories in, calories out” paradigm that has dominated our psyche for the past 40 years.

Now I understand that not all calories are created equal, and that managing your weight is so much more about managing your insulin than about how much food or how many calories you consume.

When you eat carbohydrates, your blood sugar spikes, which in turn raises your insulin. That’s a bad thing, because when your insulin is high, your body can’t burn fat for fuel, because it is too busy burning glucose instead. Thus, the higher your insulin, the more fat will accumulate in your cells.

When you eat a low-carb diet, your insulin level stays low, which then forces your body to draw energy and fuel from your fat cells, rather than from the glucose in your blood. That means that you can essentially eat as much as you want and still lose weight, as long as you are not eating foods that will raise your blood sugar.

It’s a sustainable lifestyle, not a diet

A second compelling reason to switch to a low-carb diet is that it’s not a “diet”, per se. It’s more of a sustainable lifestyle change that you can easily maintain long term.

When I was yo-yo dieting, I was always thinking about food—what I could and couldn’t eat, what I should or shouldn’t be eating. It was all I could think about, and it completely consumed me. Until, of course, I got busy (or hungry) and fell off the wagon (yet again) and gained back any weight that I had lost (yet again.)

Now that I’m eating low-carb, food is no longer a preoccupation for me. I don’t have to think about it all the time, because I’m not depriving myself of anything. If anything, I’m enjoying my food more, because I’m not constantly feeling deprived or restricted.

It’s also much easier to maintain long term, because you’re not constantly struggling with cravings or hunger. Once you get used to eating low-carb, it becomes second nature and you don’t even have to think about it.

You’ll have more energy

Another great reason to switch to a low-carb diet is that you will have more energy. When your body is running on glucose, it’s like running on empty all the time. You’re always tired, because your body is constantly searching for more fuel.

When you switch to burning fat for fuel, however, you will have a constant source of energy. You will no longer feel tired all the time, because your body is able to efficiently use the fuel you are giving it.

You’ll also find that you have more mental clarity and focus when you’re running on fat. That’s because ketones (which are produced when your body burns fat for fuel) are a much more efficient source of energy for your brain than glucose is.

You’ll be healthier

Even if you’re not that interested in weight loss, yet another great reason to switch to a low-carb diet is that you will be healthier. When you eat a high carbohydrate diet, your blood sugar and insulin levels are constantly fluctuating. This can lead to all sorts of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.

A low-carb diet, on the other hand, stabilizes your blood sugar and insulin levels, which leads to better overall health. You’ll find that you have more energy and vitality when you’re eating low carb, and that you’re less susceptible to colds and infections.

You’ll also be pleased to know that a low-carb diet can help to improve your cholesterol levels and blood pressure. So if you’re concerned about your heart health, a low-carb diet is definitely something you should consider.

It’s easy to stick to on the go

Another great benefit of a low-carb diet is that it’s easy to stick to on the go. When you’re eating out, you don’t have to worry about what you can and can’t eat, because there are always low-carb options available.

I used to find it SO hard to stick to my diet at restaurants because, quite frankly, the “diet friendly” options just weren’t all that appetizing. Not anymore! Now I can order the biggest steak on the menu and know I’ll leave completely satiated—without one ounce of guilt.

Plus, there are all sorts of low-carb snacks you can take with you on the go, so you’re never left feeling hungry or deprived. Nuts, seeds, and cheese are all great options that will tide you over until your next meal.

There’s no need to count calories

The sixth reason to switch to a low-carb diet is that there’s no need to count calories. When you’re eating a high carbohydrate diet, you have to be very careful about how many calories you’re consuming, because they can add up quickly.

On a low-carb diet, however, you don’t have to worry about counting calories, because you’re not eating any (or very few) carbohydrates. This means that you can eat until you’re satisfied without having to worry about going over your calorie budget.

Plus, when you’re not counting calories, you’re free to enjoy all your favorite foods—without feeling guilty. That’s because on a low-carb diet, you can still eat all the fatty, delicious foods you love—you just have to limit your carbohydrate intake.

The food is delicious!

The last (but certainly not least) reason to switch to a low-carb diet is that the food is flat-out DELICIOUS. I used to think that healthy food was boring and bland, but I was so wrong! Low-carb does not mean low flavor, and the fact that you can cook with real butter and oil and cheese and heavy cream means that the food you get to eat is deliciously rich and satiating.

I’ve had so much fun challenging myself to recreate my favorite carb-laden recipes such as bread and lasagna and sloppy joes. I also always make sure I’ve got sweet treats such as these chocolate snack bites or cheesecake fluff on hand any time a craving strikes.

There are so many delicious recipes you can make on a low-carb diet, and honestly, once you start to eat and enjoy this way of eating as a lifestyle choice, you’ll never have to feel like you’re missing out. From chicken Parmesan to chocolate cheesecake, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Even my kids love what we eat!

If you’re thinking about making a change to your diet, I urge you to consider a low-carb lifestyle. It has so many benefits, and it’s easier than you think to stick to. Give it a try—you won’t be sorry!

So what’s the best way to get started?

We recommend starting with our Thinlicious™ 28-Day Metabolism Reset, which is designed to introduce you to the Thin-Adapted System and help you retrain the way your body burns fuel in just four weeks. Get it HERE.

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