low carb questions

[AnInterestingBabblement]

hi there, I hope that one of the resident low carb experts might be able to help me please.

I want to make some changes to my life, and diet and health is a big part of that. having lost a chunk of weight via reducing calories and some carbs I have a better understanding of some of my problems around weight and how I eat, I think this way of eating syncs fairly well in terms of how I would be happy to eat long term.

I downloaded BIWI's low carb spreadsheet a while ago and have today properly started low carbing. it's been a straight forward day, but I have some questions and would appreciate some guidance on getting my head around them.

initially, my goal is to lose the excess chunk, this bit I see as doable but struggle to compute what happens afterwards in terms of maintenance

1. i'm struggling to come up with ways to fill my diet with good fats, I've always used butter, and olive oil, I'm fairly unlikely to ever cook with coconut oil (this is a taste/texture thing). I'm happy to lose weight slightly slower if I can retain dairy, so cheese, milk, cream, greek yoghurt. My problem is that I tend to eat two meals a day not much of a snacker and so there is only so much I can consume within that. today I've added a little double cream to my one cup of proper coffee, is this okay?
   
   
2. there is veg on the allowed list that are fairly high carbs eg carrots, I like lots of diversity in my diet and so would prefer to be able to eat some of them, although completely get the focus on most of the veg I eat being low in carbs but how much of the others can I have? also what about lemon or lime juice for seasoning salads etc?
   
   
3. does following this lifestyle mean no fruit ever? or will I be able to incorporate say apples or grapes later on? I find even a small portion a day keeps me sane. this is something I'm really struggling to get my head around, also will there be a point where I can incorporate some nuts into what I eat, and how much is okay?
   
   
4. how much a piece of protein should I be eating in a meal? does it matter as long as there is some? does it have to be every meal?
   
   
5. eventually will I be able to add a little chocolate back into my diet? assuming I otherwise follow the plan, once my weight is off all I would want to maintain rather than stay in ketosis, I could live with no chips, pasta or sausage rolls, but the prospect of not being able snaffle a couple of squares with my coffee would be sad.
   
   this is a bit longer than expected and so I'm grateful if you've got this far, all help would be very much appreciated.

[BIWI]

1) i'm struggling to come up with ways to fill my diet with good fats, I've always used butter, and olive oil, I'm fairly unlikely to ever cook with coconut oil (this is a taste/texture thing). I'm happy to lose weight slightly slower if I can retain dairy, so cheese, milk, cream, greek yoghurt. My problem is that I tend to eat two meals a day not much of a snacker and so there is only so much I can consume within that. today I've added a little double cream to my one cup of proper coffee, is this okay?

If you don't like it, you don't have to eat coconut oil! The other thing to do is to make sure that you add butter to your veg, and eat plenty of salads with oily dressings. And make sure you choose fattier cuts of meat wherever possible. So when you have chicken, choose thighs rather than breasts, or have a roast chicken, and eat the skin. Belly pork rather than pork fillet, and a high percentage fat mince, for example.

2) there is veg on the allowed list that are fairly high carbs eg carrots, I like lots of diversity in my diet and so would prefer to be able to eat some of them, although completely get the focus on most of the veg I eat being low in carbs but how much of the others can I have? also what about lemon or lime juice for seasoning salads etc?

There's nothing to stop you eating higher carb veg like carrots, but just keep an eye on how much you're eating. And there's plenty of diversity amongst lower carb veg! Yes, you can use lemon or lime juice for salads - but please ensure you're using this with a good oil"

3) does following this lifestyle mean no fruit ever? or will I be able to incorporate say apples or grapes later on? I find even a small portion a day keeps me sane. this is something I'm really struggling to get my head around, also will there be a point where I can incorporate some nuts into what I eat, and how much is okay?

You will be able to eat some fruit - but remember that even though fruit is natural, and has fibre, it is sugar. And that's what we're trying to cut from our diets as much as possible. Nuts you will be able to eat as well - but be careful because they do get very carby very quickly. Almonds and macadamias are the best.

4) how much a piece of protein should I be eating in a meal? does it matter as long as there is some? does it have to be every meal?

It doesn't really matter - just as much as you want to eat. Remember that this is a high fat diet - we're supposed to be eating food in the following proportions - fat:protein:carbs. Fat and protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

5) eventually will I be able to add a little chocolate back into my diet? assuming I otherwise follow the plan, once my weight is off all I would want to maintain rather than stay in ketosis, I could live with no chips, pasta or sausage rolls, but the prospect of not being able snaffle a couple of squares with my coffee would be sad.

Yes!

[AnInterestingBabblement]

Hi biwi! I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to reply to this, I probably went about the whole thing the wrong way round initially. after I'd written this, I found lots of your other resources which helped lots and I'm now well under way, it has finally clicked that it's a forever thing rather than a "diet" and this doesn't feel as scary as I expected.

Still have a long way to go and but I do now have the confidence/ knowledge to join in on some of the other threads.

Thank you again!

[AnInterestingBabblement]

Hi biwi! I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to reply to this, I probably went about the whole thing the wrong way round initially. after I'd written this, I found lots of your other resources which helped lots and I'm now well under way, it has finally clicked that it's a forever thing rather than a "diet" and this doesn't feel as scary as I expected.

Still have a long way to go and but I do now have the confidence/ knowledge to join in on some of the other threads.

Thank you again!

[AliceInHinterland]

I find pairing fruit with cheese or nuts keeps my blood sugar more stable (which I believe is important in making low carb work for me).

[BIWI]

Keeping our blood sugar stable is the whole point of low carbing. But eating fruit won't do that!

[AliceInHinterland]

How I combine foods does make a difference to my blood sugar levels though. So if I do want an apple as a treat, I need to have it with cheese or peanut butter. I appreciate that may not be strict boot camp but it can be useful for every day life.
Everyone is different though and I found monitoring by blood sugar a huge eye opener.

[MacaroonMama]

Hi there

Did BC (started anyway) last year and loved it but then fell pregnant and the nausea hit - so decided to wait until after baby was born to get back into it.

Baby now born! Am exclusively breastfeeding him (he's 5m old) and I am definitely hungrier than usual - do people tend to go straight onto BC Light when breastfeeding?

I have eased my way in over the past couple of weeks - no grains/sugar but yes dairy plus the occasional pear/square of black choc - and though using scales makes me go crazy, am looking much slimmer, clothes bigger etc. And my four year old said this morning 'Mummy, you are not fat any more!' (I bloody am. But tummy way smaller.)

So - sorry for waffle - will BC Light be ok while BF? Happy to lose weight more slowly if it means not feeling deprived as am much more likely to do this WoE for ever then!

Thanks xx

[BIWI]

yes, in general women who are breastfeeding tend to go to Bootcamp Light. The other thing I remember StuntNun saying was how important it was to have (low carb) snacks to hand, as she would get very hungry very quickly, especially when feeding/in the middle of the night.

[MacaroonMama]

Thank you BIWI, that is really helpful. I am carrying things like a few nuts, a piece of cheese and an avocado with me - and also seem to need masses of water! Heat + BF + LCing makes me thirsty! Will keep on keeping on then

[StuntNun]

Yes, I was breastfeeding when I first went low carb and for the first week I could barely get out of bed in the morning. In hindsight I should have had a snack by the bedside to keep me going until morning because I was feeding up to six times between dinner and breakfast. It passed pretty quickly though and then I was fine in the morning no matter how many times I had to feed during the night.

[MacaroonMama]

Can I ask long-term LCers

1. Did you eventually made the odd sweet thing (eg Leon's flourless choc cake which has v little sugar in) so you didn't feel you were on a diet? I know we need to wean ourselves off sweet things generally but for birthdays, for example.
   
2. How do you get into family LCing? My kids are good eaters so I can do a few tweaks and get them on plan more or less, but DH is quite another story! I have read the sciencey books which I thought would encourage him but he bloody loves carbs! I don't want him to feel he has to change it would just be easier sometimes for cooking. Also he shops/pays while I am being a SAHM so tricky for me to change usual list.
   

Any suggestions? Thanks everyone xx

[BIWI]

Macaroon:

1. I very rarely eat sweet things or cakes - don't have a sweet tooth! The exceptions are occasional squares of high cocoa content chocolate or, if I'm having a posh meal in a restaurant I might have a dessert. But day-to-day I simply don't bother. We often have cake at work for birthdays, and I just don't have any. It really doesn't bother me!
   
   
2. If I'm cooking, they have what I cook! Most of the time we all eat the same things. If I'm making something like bolognese or chilli or risotto then they have the carb element and I just have the meat component (with cheese on it) or if it's a risotto I have something else altogether. Which is why I don't often make risotto! I'd do meal planning, and then give him a list for those meals - make sure they're meals he likes, but that they don't all have a carb element. Otherwise, he can cook ...