10 friendly reminders for the low-carb dieter

Considering entering The Zone? Tempted by the shiny cover and celebrity of The South Beach Diet? Going low-carb to lose weight and get healthy is working for many. Here's what you should know.


1. Research your options
"Controlled carb is not for everyone," says Colette Heimowitz, a spokeswoman for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. "It's for those who have failed at low fat, low calorie. It should be a viable, healthy option, not the only option." Enough said.


2. Understand your plan
Translation: read the book. Most low-carb diets champion a balance of healthy foods. Yes, meat and fats are among them. But people who go it alone and consume high levels of these foods at the expense of other foods eventually endanger their health.


3. Eat high-quality proteins
There's no question that non-factory beef and chicken are healthier protein products. They're also more costly. At the very least, avoid fast food. "You don't want to eat this mystery meat road kill that's in McDonald's – you really don't," says Jonny Bowden, clinical nutritionist and author of Living the Low Carb Life.


4. Don't forget your vegetables
Let's shatter a myth: Low-carb equals high protein, which means meat, not vegetables. Uh-uh. Sorry, vegetables are a great source of…guess what? Low carbs. "Vegetables, vegetables, vegetables," says Georgia Kostas, director of nutrition at The Cooper Institute, for their incredible disease-fighting sources of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Again, go for organic if you can afford it.


5. Drink water
Lots and lots and lots of it. Protein breaks down into byproducts that should be flushed from your body for good health. Take your weight, divide it by two, and that's the number of ounces you need to consume per day, advises Bowden.


6. Be aware of electrolytes
Got leg cramps? If you're in the middle of the early, especially restrictive stages of a low-carb regiment you may well be depleted of vital minerals, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. The simple solution: Take a couple of potassium supplements with your meals. Or, if your diet permits, down a banana.


7. Check your weight-loss expectations
You may lose a significant chunk of mass in the first couple of weeks of a low-carb plan. But no diet worth its reputation promises the same speedy rate will continue. Experts agree paring one to two pounds per week is a reasonable expectation.


8. Move your body
Exercise is not a significant focus in many low-carb plans, yet its benefits for weight loss and as a cancer and heart disease deterrent are undisputed. "I've never known anyone who can keep the weight off if they don't exercise," says Kostas.


9. Keep up your commitment
The key to success is the ability to embrace low-carb as a lifestyle. Remember, you're not committing to a quick-fix way to zip up your jeans. The goal is to replace your old eating habits with the permanent consumption of whole foods. And that equates to a healthy weight for life.


10. Do you need your doc?
A physician's green light is not necessary for the average, disease-free person before embarking on a low-carb diet, assures Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at Weill Medical College.

By Susan Woodward