A Short Introduction to Low Carb High Fat

 Note: I have written this based on my reading and personal experience. I have never studied medicine or nutrition.

It turns out that what gets marketed as a healthy diet in the west actually leads to an increase in weight, heart disease and other health risks. More recent research has shown that dropping carbohydrates from your diet can deliver great benefits. Hence, the Low Carb, High Fat Diet.

Following the LCHF diet

No Carbohydrates

Avoid sugar and carbohydrates like the plague that they are. So, that means no grains, rice, or potatoes, as well as no sweets of any kind. Remember to check for added sugar, if you have an ingredient list.
While I have tried some very tasty LCHF sweets, I would recommend introducing them once you get used to eating this way. 

Lots of Healthy Fats

If you have followed conventional dietary wisdom, you have probably learned to fear fat. You will need to let go of this fear, and eat a lot of saturated fats, such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, lard and so on.

Medium Protein

Make sure that you eat enough protein. Since you want to eat a lot of fat, do not worry about cutting it off, or choosing the low-fat variants. 

Real Food 

Try to eat food that has had a minimum of processing, this will help you know what it contains, and generally result in better health effects.

Drink Water 

You have heard this one before… Make sure that you drink enough water. Keep a glass or a bottle near you, and sip from it as you do other things.

Benefits

• Better Skin - I suffer from eczema, and I noticed that it gets better when I stick to an LCHF diet. I did not expect this result when I started, but I did welcome it. I have heard accounts of other people seeing improvements in skin condition on this diet.
• End to Diabetes - Following an LCHF diet may lead to a cure for type 2 Diabetes. I have read about numerous cases in the literature, and met people who have cured it this way (including my own wife). Just, do not stop any medication you take before consulting a doctor.
• Clear thinking - I found that I could concentrate better, and my mood improved in general. I found myself stressing less, and dealing with the events of my life more easily.
• Weight-Loss - Probably the major reason why people start with this (or any other) diet. It does deliver. If I stick to strict LCHF, I tend to lose close to about 1kg per week. 
• More Energy - A couple of weeks after I started with LCHF, I noticed an increase in energy. I felt like moving more, and generally found things easier to accomplish.

Exercise

While most recent research indicates that exercise has at most a minimal impact on weight loss, it still has a lot of cognitive and health benefits. You can follow the LCHF diet with no exercise, although I would recommend doing some. I would recommend starting with the diet, and taking advantage of your increased energy and mood, and start exercising once you feel better.

Recommended Reading:

Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It by Gary TaubesThe Real Meal Revolution: The Radical, Sustainable Approach to Healthy Eating by Tim Noakes, Jonno Proudfoot  and Sally-Ann Creed
Fat Head Movie