Carb Counts

So - for those of you who are new to this...carb count is essentially the carbohydrates minus the fiber (as your body can't digest fiber). You want to aim for approximately 20-25 carbs per day...seems crazy, I know...but once you start this and get well on your way, you'll be fine! Remember this is a goal...but you have to start somewhere.

I would encourage you to start reading labels when you are the grocery store...you will be amazed at things that you considered "healthy" that are actually horrible for you! Let me know if you have questions about any of the items below!

Here are the basic elements of a successful low carb diet

Eat as much as you want:

• Meat
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Green, non-starchy Veggies - brocolli, lettuce, spinach, peppers
• Mustards of all kind
• Mayo

Eat in Moderation:

• Heavy Cream (non sweetened)
• Higher Carb, non-starchy Veggies - green beans, onion, garlic, peas, tomatoes
• Soft Cheeses - cream cheese (get the 1/3 fat...it has the lowest carb count!)
• Nuts - almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts are the best...but watch your portion size, carb counts will add up quickly.
• Lower Carb Alcoholic Beverages - Wine,

Cut Out (or at least severly limit):

• Grains - bread, pasta
• Fruit - although it's not bad for maintenance, there is a lot of sugar in fruit...who knew?
• Sweets, Candy, etc...duh
• Milk - substitute with Calorie Countdown by Hood.
• Condiments - ketchup (unless no sugar added), relish, anything with sugar in it. Check your labels!
• Beans - although they are "healthy", 1 serving will equal your carb count for the day.
• Starchy Veggies - Potatoes
• Soda and Sugary drinks...drink diet, or even better water!
• Sugar Based Alcohols - Rum, Liqueors

See below for carb counts of some frequently questioned items

FRUIT
Portions are 1/4 cup. Carbs shown are effective carbs, the fiber count has been removed.
Apple - 17.3g
Applesauce, Unsweetend (check your Carb Count) - 6.2g
Apricot - 3.1g
Avocado - 0.5g
Banana - 21.2g
Cantaloupe - 3.0g
Cherries - 4.2g
Coconut, unsweetened - 1.3g
Cranberries - 2.0g
Grapes - 6.7g
Honeydew - 3.6g
Kiwi - 6.5g
Lemon - 3.8g
Mango - 6.3g
Orange - 12.9g
Peach - 8.9g
Pear - 21.1g
Pineapple - 4.3g
Plantain - 12g
Plum - 7.6g
Raisens - 31.0g
Watermelon - 2.6g

ALCOHOL - 1 Shot Serving
(Remember...while the counts are low, alcohol actually stops the body's ability to burn fat, it won't set you back in small amounts, but frequent drinking will definitely show up on the scale.)
Another side note - mixers are NOT included in these counts...see below for mixer counts.
Armagnac - 0g
Beer (12oz) - 12.5g...if you have to drink beer, please drink Michelob Ultra...
Bourbon - 0g
Brandy - 0g
Cognac - 0g
Gin - 0g
Rum- 3g (sugar based)
Scotch - 0g
Tequila - 0g
Vermouth, Dry - 1.4g
Vermouth, Sweet - 4.5g
Vodka - 0g
Whiskey - 0g
Wine, Red (4oz) - 2.0g
Wine, White (4oz) - 0.9g

MIXERS
There is only 1 good option listed below for a mixer...
Apple juice, unsweetened (8oz glass) - 29g
Coca cola (8oz glass) - 30g
Seriously...who only uses 8 oz? This is 1.5 days worth of your entire count!
Cranberry juice (8oz glass) - 36g
Diet soda (8oz glass) - 0g
Lemon juice (1oz) - 2.5g
Lime juice (1oz) - 2.7g
Maraschino cherry (1) - 2g
Olive (1) - .5g
Orange juice (8oz glass) - 26g
Pineapple juice (8oz glass) - 34g
Tonic water comes in a number of carb levels - check your bottle!

VEGGIES - Servings are 1/2 Cup...most people eat approximately 1 cup as a serving, so remember to double the count if that is the case!
Artichoke - 6.9g
Asparagus (6) - 2.4g
Beans, green - 4.9g
Bok Choy - 0.7g
Broccoli - 1.7g
Brussels Sprouts - 7.6g
Cabbage - 1.1g
Carrot - 5.1g
Cauliflower - 1.5g
Celery - 0.8g
Corn - 14.1g
Cucumber - 1.8g
Eggplant - 2.0g
Lettuce - 0.5g
Mushroom - 1.0g
Onion - 4g
Parsnip - 9g
Peas - 6.5g
Peppers, Green - 3.4g
Peppers, Red - 3.3g
Pickle (1 medium) - 2g
Potato - 14g
Potato, Sweet (1) - 28g
Pumpkin - 6.3g
Radish - 0.5g
Rutabaga - 4.0g
Spinach - 0.2g
Squash, yellow - 1.4g
Tomato - 3.2g
Turnips - 2.3g
Zucchini (green squash) - 3.3g