Low carb vegetarian? Rose Elliot specifically.

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Hi all! In my never-ending quest to finally shift the last half stone of baby (well toddler now really) weight, I am finally set on starting to low carb. I am a vegetarian, and whilst I have been lurking on the bootcamp threads, I have struggled to actually get my head around what I can actually eat on that one, though others success has been very inspiring!

I lost 2 stone on slimming world, but then stalled, and have been losing and regaining the same half stone for at least 6 months doing calorie counting on mfp, trying various calorie allowances, various nutrient ratios, various forms of exercise etc etc. I was running quite long distances not long ago, but an operation followed by a string of minor illnesses has scuppered that!

I have been inspired this weekend as I have been away with a couple of good friends who are complete foodies, been have lost lots of weight and look fab low carbing. We have been staying in a kosher vegetarian house and they have still managed to eat amazing food.

I am torn on the merits of low carb, but i really want to shift this weight now. I have just broken up from uni for summer, and want to go back a new woman! I have just ordered the two rose elliot veggie low carb bookson amazon, so hopefully they will be with me not long after I get back. They seem to essentially be atkin's adjusted for vegetarians.

I realise I am appealing to a small demographic as there are not that many vegetarians, let alone those that want to low carb, out there, but nevertheless it would be lovely if any of you out there would like to join me, or through in your two pennies worth! I don't want to distract from the other great threads running ATM as they're doing a gret job, but I do feel it would be nice to have one better suited to us veggies!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Oh and just a couple of things to add, I also plan to start couch 2 5k and start doing some heavy weights at the gym. I was regularly running 10k + before the op, but my health has been a bit off since, nothing major but I had a post-op infection plus a cheat infection, then another cold that I'm just getting over etc. Also, I am taking into account that I may feel a bit yuk for a while in the beginning and not have much energy for pushing myself? Is this the case for low carb diets? That has been one thing that has put me off low carbing before, I have always liked doing a lot of exercise - but a bit of googling has thrown up accounts of people still managing to be runners whilst low carbing.

I am planning to join a gym just for the summer and really try and lay down some muscle. I am feeling so loose and wobbly since turning 30 and having dd, and losing weight just seems to make it worse! I can get a special student package that will just see me through the holidays as I know historically I never make it to the gym when I'm back at uni full time.

I also know that quick fixes aren't really the way to go, but actually this has just been dragging on for almost a year now when I think about it, and I just want to give it a big blast and see if I can't transform myself over the summer!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Ok, so it seems there aren't that many veggie low carbers out there! I'm just going to carry on babbling away to myself as I want to stay motivated. If anyone has any hints/tips on low carbing in general or wants to make any comments/suggestions then please do.

I got back from holiday yesterday. My books still have not arrived. I weighed in this morning 2lbs heavier than when I left, but that is quite good considering we did nowt much else apart from eating and drinking! I am eager to start despite not getting the books and have stumbled across the Atkins website where they basically have all the rules and meal planners/ recipes. I have decided To start on phase 1, even though they suggest starting on 2 for veggies. I have found a recipe for a cheese omelette that I can have for breakfast as I have the ingredients in, and then I can go shopping in the morning.

I will post in the morning with all the gory details of my starting weight etc!

Again any advice or encouragement from anyone else that has managed veggie low-carbing would be lovely!

[Ungratefulchild]

I'd like to give this a go too. i've just ordered the book and would like to lose about a stone.

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Yay a response! Welcome! I'm still waiting for the books but going to do my best to start tomorrow. I remember having a good flick through them in water stones years ago and being tempted, but was put off as I'd read so much bad stuff about low carbing. But as I mentioned up thread some friends of mine seem to have been doing well with it so I have been converted. I am fed up of eating bland low fat food, so I hope this works. I figure summer is the time you'll miss carbs the least as well.

So are you a veggie then? Have you got much to lose?

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Doh! Sorry you said about a stone!

Probably about the same for me. I still have about half a stone of baby weight but would like to lose a bit more than that.

[HalfSpamHalfBrisket]

Hi Suddenly, I've lost nearly 5st veggie low carbing and have kept it off for nearly 2 years now. I was on BIWIs thread a few weeks ago but am trying to avoid MN as I need to finish writing reports.

Rose Elliot books are great - really good recipes, also 'The Carb Conscious Vegetarian' is another good one. They were really useful in the first stages; now I tend to eat loads of green veg stir-fries with tofu (which is such a useful low-carb ingredient (if you are not keen, just keep on trying it in lots of ways until you are!)). I have protein shakes for breakfast as I cannot be faffed with cooking, or eating solids that early.
Anyhow, good luck... I'm now going back to pretend I'm working...

[beanandspud]

My Rose Elliot books arrived yesterday so I will join you!

I am a fish-eating veggie (so feel free to boot me off the thread) but need some low-carb veggie meals as I can't exist on fish/salad or prawns/salad permanently which is all Atkins seems to suggest. I did about a month of low-carb post-Christmas, lost about 10lbs but then got sidetracked and bored and the weight just crept back on.

[BorisJohnsonsHair]

I'm low-carbing but would love to have more veggie recipes as I don't like the idea of eating meat every day. Well done halfspam, that's fantastic. Good luck suddenly!

[Ungratefulchild]

I've been vegetarian for about 25 years and have been wheat free for about 6 months (possible coeliac). I've gradually put on about a stone or so over the last 3/4 years and have found it impossible to shift. I tried a bit of bootcamp a few weeks ago but think I need some more veggie food ideas.

[Ungratefulchild]

Hooray, more of us. I sometimes eat fish too (usually when out and there's no gluten free vegetarian option).

Well done halfspam :)

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Half spam - I love tofu so no issue there, and actually my meat eating dp loves it too.

Bean - no need to leave thread, I have nothing against pescatarians, in fact I did try to introduce fish to my diet in an effort to benefit from the omega 3s but I just couldn't do it - more from personal taste than being against it! I am not giving meat to dd but if we're out somewhere I will let dp give her some to try, just won't cook the stinky stuff!

I too have very nearly joined the bootcamp thread, but I think some of the rules really limit things for us veggies. I think just purely cutting carbs, and not worrying about processed foods etc is the only way I'm going to be able to do veggie low carb with enough variety.

Glad to hear many of you have enjoyed rose Elliot's books. I already have a couple of her others. Can't wait to get them now!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Oh and we'll done half! 5 stone is ace!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Oh and welcome boris!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Sorry correction, I don't give dd meat, but will let her have fish.

[ghosteditor]

Oooh, I'm always whinging that it's hard to diet as a veggie, and carbs are my nemesis . I have 9lbs of baby weight plus 10lbs of pre-baby weight to shift in order to get back to something reasonable.

I've been veggie for 15 years and DD is five months old now, and i've plateaued a bit. I now do a bit of running, climbing, hockey, yoga and Pilates, but I'm restricted a bit as DH works overseas a lot so I can't always do the exercise.

I'll check out those books. And resolve to stop eating so much cake. But I'm breastfeeding and I'm hungry!!!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Welcome ghost!

In the meantime whilst waiting for books, I would recommend having a look at the Atkins website

uk.atkins.com

There seems to be loads of veggie recipes on there if you join the community and it is all free. Can't quite work out what's in it for them or what the catch is, but I am going to take full advantage until books arrive!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Or bean could just share some recipes with us as her books have arrived!

[lilibet]

I'm interested in this. I have a lot to loose and struggle as I'm a bit of a greedy pig - dh going making cheese sandwiches as I type.

What sort of things do you eat?

[threetequilafloor]

I've not heard of these books but v interested, want to lose about 1/2 stone and although not veggie not a meat fan so mainly eat ..... carbs.... will look the books up on amazon....

[lilibet]

and - a VERY important point, can you drink?

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Lilibet - not sure, but I suspect no alcohol in the early stages. My pals that I was away with over the weekend have been low carbing (but with meat) for a while now and have lost tons of weight, and are now allowed alcohol, but they stuck to g&ts with slimline. No wine apparently, which sucks as Pinot grigio is my poison!

Though to be fair, I think it is also my biggest downfall. I can stick to any diet as long as I don't have a drink! Even if the drink itself is allowed, that evening and the next day is usually a write off food wise! Think I may need to cut out the booze completely for any diet to work on me tbh!

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

In terms of what we eat, I think it will be fats and proteins with only very low carb veg in the early stages, so no nuts or pulses? What does the book say bean?

[beanandspud]

Thank you for not evicting me .

The only recipe I've tried so far was a 'corn' bread made with eggs, ground almonds, butter and baking powder. It was a bit cakey but not unpleasant and perfect for breakfast with cream cheese.

I have about two stone to lose and I'm determined to shift it this time. We are abroad next week though so despite making a massive effort this week I can see next week being a bit more tricky finding veggie low-carb options apart from cheese!

Lilibet everything I've read suggests having two alcohol-free weeks to kickstart the weightloss and then only having small quantities of dry/red wine or vodka and soda or slimline tonic. I know I will find that quite hard as I do enjoy a glass or three of wine.

[SuddenlyMadameGlamour]

Basically, I'm going to go by the rules/recipes for Atkins phase 1 and just pick out the veggie recipes, that starts on 20g net carbs (total carbs minus fibre) a day. I'm going to keep count of carbs using my fitness pal app. Then I'm going to go by whatever the book says when it arrives!

I will post about what I eat in the meantime if that helps lili. As I said it's cheese and onion omelette for brekky as we have the stuff for that in, then we'll see how we go from there!

[beanandspud]

Ok, here is Rose's 300 page book summarised in a couple of paragraphs.

You need to count carbs so check packets, labels etc. until you get the hang of what's low-carb and what isn't. Her recommendation for the first two weeks is 20g carbs/day or up to 30g if you find it too difficult.

After the first two weeks you aim for 40-60g carbs per day until you reach your target. I haven't read phase 3 as it could be some time off.

You need to add fat and protein - not cut calories.

So, the good stuff is cheese, eggs, some nuts, tofu, veggie sausages, quorn products (as long as you check the carb count), Greek yogurt, tvp, soya beans, butter, cream, mayonnaise, most vegetabpart and salad, apart from potatoes, parsnips, carrots and sweetcorn. Fruit is out apart from rhubarb (and there is a low-carb rhubarb crumble recipe) and some berries in moderation.

Milk is not allowed (too carby), tea is ok and coffee is discouraged.

Does that help as a start?