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28 A Few Extra Credit Tips From Dr. Mark ‣ Drink according to thirst. Beverages that you can drink while following a low-carb diet include water, tea with no sugar added, and coffee. Tip: make your water more tasteful by adding cucumber slices, lemon pieces, mint, or ginger parts. ‣ Cook extra for leftover day! Meals that have more than one portion can be enjoyed on other days. ‣ If you remain hungry, then add more fat and protein to your cooking (i.e., additional cream/ butter/meat/fish/egg) to help you feel full. You may also eat more vegetables. ‣ Try not to eat snacks in between meals. But if you feel the need, then choose hard cheese or salami, snack on a handful of nuts, or a hard-boiled egg. ‣ Stop eating when full and eat only when hungry. You are welcome to skip meals if you don't feel hungry and to eat larger portions at other meals if you are hungrier. Save any leftovers for your next meal. ‣ Drink your food and chew your drink (this means chew and enjoy the foods, and drink slowly). ‣ The portions given in the recipes are just guidelines. Everyone is different and may need more or less to feel full. ‣ Prepare low-carb meals in advance. That way, you will not be tempted to buy any snacks/meals that are not low-carb friendly. Low-carb Tips from Lance Paul King who lost 150 pounds and no longer has diabetes 1. Record your BMI (a simple calculation you can do with weight and height). 2. Know the difference between being hungry and being thirsty. 3. It takes about 5 weeks to break a habit and about 5 weeks to form a habit. 4. Measurements are important because you may lose inches and not weight at times. 5. Non-Scale Victories (NSV) are important. Good for moral support. 6. Don't let the scale get in your head. Don't worry too much about the scale. Follow the program for maximum benefit. 7. MYTH: You cannot do low-carb without a gallbladder. I have heard this from hundreds of people and have been asked lots of times. FACT: You can. You may need an ox bile supplement at first, but not always. 8. Exercise is not a must initially; however, once you start losing weight and/or regaining your health, you will feel more like doing activities you did before (exercising, hiking, roller-skating, etc.). 9. Pickle juice and mustard are good for muscle cramps. 10. Magnesium is good for constipation. 11. Keto flu for beginner: use bouillon twice a day or a pinch of salt. 12. Community is important. Reach out to a local low-carb group on social media. 13. Be cautious about portion size on trigger foods, such as nuts.