The first thing I would offer is not to try to cut out carbs completely. I know people who have tried, and I don't think it's a good idea. You can't sustain it anyway, and it will make you miserable. It's not healthy either. Limit your carbs, of course, and choose "good" carbs. You need fiber. Drink lots of water. Protein will help you feel and stay fuller longer, so I think that's the best thing about this eating plan. I don't feel deprived very often, because I'm not walking around hungry all the time. Once I get past the cravings for sweets, I just have to deal with the occasional craving for something crunchy. What say you?
I'm a runner and tend to consume quite a few carbs as they give a boost where a meal full of protein might make me drag before running. When I want to cut down on carbs for awhile, though, I'll just opt out of eating sandwiches for a time. All that bread adds up before you realize it.
I never quite got the no-carb trend -- I understand that it has a lot of sugar and all, but I always felt that if I eat healthy in general, carbs would not really ruin me. Though I guess that to make a positive impact, cutting out refined carbs would be a good idea. Half of the plate fruits and veggies should be a good way to cut down anything bad, right? In America, there's this thing where half of the plate is meat (the star of the dish), and the other side is a small quarter of veggies and a big quarter of carbs (rice, pasta, potato, bread). Obviously, by letting veggies take over the plate, meat and carbs get reduced.
Eat a large pile of veggies at each meal. These will satisfy you quickly because they are nutrient dense as well as full of water and fiber. You will feel so much better when you eat lots of veggies that you won't have the carb cravings. Also, don't be afraid to eat healthy fats. That includes animal fats from animals that were fed a healthy diet. Fat from grass fed beef for example is perfectly acceptable. You can tell it is different from the fat of grain fed beef when you cook it; it has a much thinner consistency. Good fats from healthy meat, nuts, avocado, coconut oil ect. are good sources of fuel that keep your blood sugar much more stable than carbs will.
The best way is to eat carbs early on in the day and try to have low GI carbs instead. I eat eggs as they are low carb and high in protein. I do like carbs and don't think you should cut them out. Having a smaller portion of carbs with each meal also will curb any cravings.
I would perhaps consider purchasing a "spiralizer" - these come in many different designs and price points, but they basically turn stuff such as squash or zucchini into spiral sliced "spaghetti"-like strands. I've seen people steaming or sauteing these to use in place of a bed of pasta. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut also pack a lot of flavor and if you get the homemade variety, you get added probiotics with it as well, which are even better for you. You can slow roast just about any type of meat in kraut, along with some other vegetables. Lettuce wraps are a great alternative to your standard tacos, wraps or sandwiches.
