Please tell me I don't have to "no carb" to lose weight!

[classifiedinformation]

I could not bear the thought of having no cereal and basically eating eggs and meat most of the time to end up being thinner but having clogged up arteries instead!

Please share your "normal" low fat diets with me, want to lose at least a stone. Thanks. :-)

[cathan]

Low carb will NOT give you "clogged up arteries" - if you don't believe me, read some of the MN information on low carb (in Diet & Fitness section). Apart from being a great way to lose weight without constant hunger (I lost 50 lbs and have kept it off easily) low carb eating is in fact MORE healthy. My cholesterol levels are much better now and my blood pressure is in the normal range after years of being high. If you "can't bear the thought of having no cereal" it's probably because your body is addicted to carbs and the effect they have on your blood sugar. "Low fat diets" have only been "normal" for about 40 years and in that time we have grown fatter and fatter as a nation - that should tell you something about how badly most people fare trying to lose weight on "low fat". Do at least read up the science of low carb before you decide on what diet to use to try and lose weight. Hope this helps.

[HeySoulSister]

Hot on your heels here.. 48 pounds lost low carbing!!

Not 'low' carbing op, not 'no' carbing!! Also, cereal?? Which one? As cereal is full of sugar and one of the worst things you can eat

Clogged arteries?? From what?

[BikeRunSki]

I lost nearly 3 stone recently, following Slimming World green plan. Pasta and spuds are "free", and I had a (measured ) amount of cereal for breakfast most days. Bread is limited, but perfectly allowed.

[HeirToTheIronThrone]

I'm afraid I think Cathan is right - have a look for the low carb bootcamp threads. And it's low not no carb - so yes, meat and eggs, but also fish, cheese, some nuts and berries after a while, and masses of salad and veg. I've lost a stone since January following the threads on here, even with occasional blips with booze and chocolate...

[HeySoulSister]

Anything labelled 'low fat ' should be avoided

[HumphreyCobbler]

you don't have to low carb if you don't want to but I think you should probably get your facts straight about it. There is nothing 'normal' about a low fat diet.

low carbing gave me the most fantastically varied diet, with loads of healthy veg, cured my fatigue, binge eating, pms and made my skin look wonderful. All that and I was also thin.

You can lose weight by low fat dieting, just join slimming world or weight watchers.

[HeySoulSister]

Slimming world say pasta and potatoes are 'free' and unlimited?? Jeez that's gonna mess your body up.

[Rycie]

There are definitely alternatives to low-carb, which is not something I could face either. The thing that is really working for me which is an approach to eating in general as opposed to a prescriptive diet iyswim, is the alkaline diet. There is lots written online about it and it's really easy to understand. It's about balancing the amount of acidic and alkaline foods you eat, and once you read about the theory behind it it seems so intuitively common sensical that I've found it's made a change in the way I see food without me having to force myself if that makes any sense. There are no foods that are banned, it's all about balance. I also feel very energised, and much much helathier. Hope this is helpful.

[soontobeslendergirl]

I'm with Life of Po - it's simple eat less calories than you burn up = fat burned and weight lost.

i've used my fitness pal too and lost 2 stone in 3 and a half months - steady loss - 1-2lbs a week. Just had less of some foods, cut out alcohol (empty calories!) and adapted some recipes. It's sustainable, i've not been hungry and not craving anything as I haven't denied myself anything- except the wine but I can take or leave that anyway.

So I have basically retrained my eating habits - I will just up the calories slightly when I get to my target. I've gone out for meals and just been a bit careful too.

[LondonJax]

I'm losing 1lb to 1.5lbs a week at the moment (I need to lose 1.5 - 2 stone in total) on weight watchers. I have toast for breakfast, a teaspoon of butter and same of jam or marmalade - I can't do breakfast without toast, a huge salad or a sandwich for lunch, fruit as a snack but, I drop the carbs at night unless I'm having a pasta dish or a curry where I HAVE to have rice {curry without rice is just not right IMO). I just have extra veg then have fruit again or, if I've saved enough points, I have a little ice cream. I've not got into an exercise routine yet so that loss is food changes alone.

A friend of mine, just dropping the carbs at the evening meal, lost pounds over the course of a couple of months.

[HeySoulSister]

How do you 'save points' ??

[Lizzylou]

Op, as you can see people get quite evangelical about their weightloss plans
I firmly believe that there is a weightloss plan for everyone, no one size fits all approach.
LOTS of different diets and experts with books out, just pick what appeals to you, what you think you'll stick to and "enjoy" best.
FWIW I use MFP and low carb, I also exercise a lot. MFP is good for portion control.

[Fairygen]

I'm following slimming world too. There are 3 plans,
Green, more carbs, less protein
Red, more protein, less carbs
Extra easy, everything in moderation
All have limited amounts of dairy, bread and treats allowed too

For me processed food is the enemy! You never know whats in it.
I cook almost everything from fresh so I know what I'm eating.

There are loads of threads on here, on SW, WW etc.

[Lizzylou]

Oh and I lost the first stone just by eating within calories on MFP, not low carbing. I did watch carbs though. Not low fat.

[teaandthorazine]

OP, you're hilariously misinformed about low-carb eating, but hey ho.

You could always try the Special K diet, I guess?

[HeySoulSister]

Lol at Special K diet!!!

[tak1ngchances]

This is what I eat on a daily basis:
Breakfast: boiled egg/scrambled egg/smoked salmon on multigrain gluten free toast
Snack: banana
Lunch: avocado and chicken or avocado and prawn salad, hummous, packet of popcorn
Dinner: Meat or fish with piles of veg and a sweet potato
Dessert: v dark chocolate (2 squares)

I have kept my weight stable doing this for 2 years, I have loads of energy and I have a good digestive system. Cereal, bread etc are full of sugar and crap.

[teaandthorazine]

Which ones, LifeofPo?

[Sleepwhenidie]

There's a difference between low carb and very low/no carb diets. I am not advocating either but it is certainly true that processed carbs have little to recommend them nutritionally, play havoc with your blood sugar (and therefore appetite) and most of us, given free rein, eat far too large portions of them, often accompanied by high calorie sauces/lots of sugar etc. The reason low carb diets work is tied up with all that immediately being eliminated, together with the fact that protein keeps you feeling full for longer, so it is easier to eat less and stick to your resolutions.

Rather than going on a diet, which implies a short term fix, try cutting out just processed carbs as much as possible, maybe include a portion of healthier carbs at breakfast and lunch but have none at all, other than veg, with a source of lean protein, at dinnertime. Cereal is 90% of the time full of sugar, Porridge , wholegrain toast, eggs, yoghurt and fruit or fish (eg smoked salmon/kippers/sardines) make much better breakfasts.

Example of my day yesterday (not trying to lose weight but I exercise quite hard almost every day)

Breakfast - 2 poached eggs on buttered granary toast and tea with milk

Snack - skinny latte and an "eat natural" bar

Lunch - Bowl of spicy lentil soup with 1/2 roast chicken breast followed by a couple of squares of dark chocolate

Snack - 1/2 pot of spicy butternut squash dip with celery and peppers, 1/2 an avocado. Also stole a few of the kids oven chips and baked beans

Dinner - 3 large slices parma ham with steamed asparagus, butter and lemon followed by 2 pan fried sea bass fillets and a big pile of roasted veg (courgettes, peppers, red onion, tomatoes) then a bowl of greek style (full fat) bio yoghurt with raspberries, blueberries, sprinkling of hazlenuts and almonds and a drizzle of honey.

Usually we eat out once a week and most weeks get a takeaway one night, then I eat and drink whatever I fancy, rice and naan with an Indian, pasta, chips or whatever I feel like at a restaurant (tbh I rarely fancy pasta anymore but I do love chips ).

If I was trying to lose weight I would cut down the portions and be stricter with the "nights off". This to me is a healthy way of living that keeps my weight where I want it and most importantly, I feel great.

[soontobeslendergirl]

Heres what I have had today on the eating less and moving more plan :o

Breakfast - small bowl of cereal (sainsburys balance) with semi skimmed milk and an apple (was having porridge and banana in the cold weather)
lunch - bowl of lentil and carrot soup with a petit pain
afternoon snack - grapes and strawberrys
dinner will be piri piri pork drumstick with roast carrots, home made potato wedges and brocolli

Probably have enough calories left over for a wee treat later too. - Official weigh in tomorrow but according to scales yesterday i's lost a pound a half this week. I'm on about 1200 cals a day at the moment.