Starting low carb two week induction type thing - tomorrow - anyone in??

[mrsmalumbas]

Have just bought and read the India Knight book and have been reinspired to restart my low carb ways - Anyone care to join me?

I do know this way of eating suits me, I have done it before, I don't get hungry after the first few days and I do lose weight. I was "sort of" doing this for a couple of weeks before easter and lost about 4lbs, felt good but fell off the wagon over the weekend with easter eggs, wine, simnel cake etc!

Am planning a 2 week induction type event starting tomorrow morning (I am loathe to call it a "diet") to get me back into the swing of things. It would be good to have a buddy or two.

[SugarBird]

Hi. I'm through the induction stage (on Atkins, which is similar) but just wanted to say good luck with it. It's a good way of eating, very healthy, and it's great not being hungry!

[mazzystar]

I think I ought to join you. Lost just over 2 stone between August and Christmas loosely following that book, but have been right royally off the wagon since xmas, and need to get back into it.

It will be nice to do it in company and have the shame of fessing up as motivation.

[mrsmalumbas]

Hi - thanks, and great! 2 stone founds like really good going, mazzy. Slightly disconcerted to realise I have promised DH I will cook a prawn curry tomorrow night, but am wondering if I could do it low-carb by serving with something like a vegetable side dish, no rice obviously, and staying away from the poppadoms or mango chutney? I have bacon and eggs for breakfast but do need a trip to Tesco to stock up on the other essentials. I have pigged out a bit today, lots of bread, and about half a bar of green and blacks tonight. But that is it - no more! Onward and upward. (or should I say downward!)

[Katisha]

Mrsmalumbas - I could have written your first post. I am with you! Need a kick up the wotsit as am sleep-eating Easter chocolate at the moment.
I know it sounds odd but when low carbing I have my curry on shredded (cooked) cabbage and rather like it!
Have just had my standard low carb breakfast (rather late ahem) of defrosted blueberries and greek yogurt - not hugely induction-y but I shall get back into the swing.

[SugarBird]

With the curry you could always try mashed cauliflower - delicious with a bit of cream cheese mashed in. I use this when I feel the need for a carb-like segment of a meal and it's induction-friendly.

[mrsmalumbas]

Thanks SugarBird - in the end last night I made a Prawn Dhansak at DH's request with loads of lentils which is not at all induction, so have instead decreed today officially day no.1! Am trying the mashed cauli tonight with my chicken BTW. The good thing is that DH also wants to lose a stone so he is joining me which should make it a bit easier. Haven't had any caffeine for two days now and have had a cracking headache - am drinking lots of water and redbush tea to try and shift it. Went to bed early last night and re-read the Pig to Twig book to get myself in the right frame of mind. I weighed myself this morning - 11st 11lb which is awful for my height (5ft 4). I am now at the heaviest I have ever been.

[SugarBird]

Hang in there mrsmalumbas! The headache shouldn't last more than a day or so (as you prob already know) and then you'll be feeling much better. And the lbs will start melting away, which will make you feel much more motivated.

When you do the caulimash, it works best if you cook it till it's really soft first. Lots of people recommend putting it in a blender to get it really smooth but my blender couldn't handle it so I stick with a hand-held masher...

I haven't read the Pig to Twig book but I've been on the website and it sounds very similar to Atkins. The PtoT website's more fun, tho!

[mrsmalumbas]

Hi all - how are you doing??

Officially started this two week induction thing last Sunday so now it is Day 6, and I have lost 6lbs! Am not too excited yet though as I know that is mostly water. Had a cracking headache for the first few days, and have a wierd taste in my mouth all the time, but I gather that is normal. Am drinking loads of water. On the upside I am finding I now do not really feel hungry, and have a lot more energy, also my eyes are clear and the whites are really white, which is odd, but nice. Friday night tonight which is normally a bottle of wine night, but I am not having any alcohol until this 2 week period is up. Have booked a Toni and Guy appointment for tomorrow as a treat. I love the food, very tasty, but struggle slightly for variety - a bit bored already of ham - need to do big shop this weekend for olives and pate and other stuff to liven things up a bit. How is everyone else doing?

[SugarBird]

Hi, congrats on the 6lbs - that's great! Yes, the headache and taste in the mouth are normal. The headaches should pass and the taste in the mouth isn't so bad if you keep drinking loads of water. I have the occasional piece of sugar-free gum if the taste is too horrible, but this does have carbs so it's best kept to a minimum. Check out these for a bit of induction-friendly variety. I also cracked after the first week and added in a few raspberries, as I was craving fruit, with no ill-effects (they are pretty low-carb).

Enjoy your appt at Toni & Guy and keep going - you're doing really well.

My weight has settled and while I'm not losing much (still going but very slow as I've added in some higher-carb veggies, gluten-free muesli etc), I'm not gaining either, even though I treat myself yummy dark chocolate a bit too regularly

[Katisha]

6lbs! Good going, even if water loss!

OK well I didn't really get round to starting again (for the umpteenth time) until yesterday. I can flip back into low carb quite easily, and lost a couple of stone a few years ago doing atkins properly. I do like it as a way of eating and it suits me.

BUT...I know what will happen. I will get stuck at a certain weight - OK let's not beat about the bush - it'll be 12st, when I should be 11st max. (I am tall). And then it won't budge. And then I'll get fed up. And the cycle will start again...

[oggsfrog]

Think I might have to join you all and clamber back on the wagon
Need to lose about three and a half stone.

[Katisha]

Ooh hello Oggs! I was wondering whether to crash your chat thread and ask where you'd left the wagon! (I was Crotchety for most of our old low carb thread, which I rather miss, despite the fact that none of us actually lost any weight and spent too much time in the Last Carb Saloon!)

[oggsfrog]

Sadly the wagon is no more. It had woodworm and lack of care meant it collapsed into the dust. You should see the Last Carb Saloon - doors hanging off, dust everywhere. The campfire is no more and an empty pan with crusted remains of mashed potato stuck to the sides sits next to the skeleton of the horse .

[Katisha]

Feel bad about the horse.

Anyway am low carbing away today. Ham and cream cheese mostly so far, wil have cold beef later on.

[mrsmalumbas]

Hi all, well I'm still here and still on thw wagon - so far! Slowly dawning on me though that this won't really work without doing any exercise. Hmmph. Feel good about the pounds lost (and look better especially around my face) but slightly daunted at the realisation that I can't lose my excess 2 stone in a week, and that actually this might take a while! For now though I am happy with it, I like not being hungry and I like being able to EAT without counting points etc. I don't really miss the carbs although I am missing fruit. I am promising myself a nice big bowl of raspberries for breakfast on Sunday which will be the end of my 2 weeks "super strict" phase. I can keep it up I think but I do need a bit of fruit, just for a change.

[Katisha]

Hi MrsM. I low-carbed on and off for a couple of years before I eventually reached the same conclusion about exercise. So I joined a gym last year but couldn't quite manage to low carb it as well. So I need to restart the gym now and low carb at the same time and hopefully bingo! I haven't been for over a month as work got a bit hectic (excuses) and also it's really really boring and takes longer than I feel it should. But MUST GO.

[oggsfrog]

The exercise is my sticking point too MrsM. I used to do daily 2mile walks up the hill track, and occasional exercise vids but my knee isn't up to it. Could try hopping I 'spose .

I'm spending today eating the last of the grapefruits I had in (2 down 3 to go ). Then tomorrow I will be back on sort of induction. It's always fruit that I crave in the early stages that's why I'm removing the temptation today.

[SugarBird]

Hi MrsM. Good that you're still on track. I agree with you about the exercise.

I also haven't been to the gym at all for nearly a month. Did the classic thing of stumping up for a gym subscription after Christmas and being really good for several weeks, then not so good...

I craved fruit massively during induction and started having raspberries after the first week. And grapefruit - usually hate them, but any port in a storm...

[Katisha]

Sugarbird shall we make a gym pact? I shall go on Friday. Oh yes I will...

[SugarBird]

Sounds good to me Katisha. I'll go at the weekend. I will go at the weekend. Or maybe Monday... I was doing a class on Mondays, which I really enjoyed until I got too lazy - I'm better at doing exercise with somebody shouting instructions at me than I am pounding away on the treadmill!

[Katisha]

OK have been to the gym. Feel slightly smug but I just wish it wasn't such a slog. I'm not a sporty person and don't like classes or swimming much either. Left to my own devices I would be completely sedentary.

[SugarBird]

Yay! Enjoy your well-deserved smugness and just think of the toned-up-ness to come... I'll be in the gym on Monday for sure.

Have just had a lovely dinner of roasted (low-carb) veggies in olive oil with crispy bacon on the side. Also discovered today that Starbucks do a gluten-free sandwich using bread made from rice and soya flour. Not as low carb as Pret's bread-free sandwiches but good once you're a few weeks past induction. Much more filling than a normal sandwich too.

[SugarBird]

Have also been to the gym now - well to a class that's half cardio and half weights - so am also feeling slightly smug and did actually enjoy it once I got there. Now we just need to go again...

[Katisha]

Well done SB! Yes it's going again that's the tricky bit...This week I can't go until Thurs/Fri - seems a bit pointless to go on consecutive days after a long burst of nothing...

[lilacclaire]

Hi, can I join in.
Decided yesterday to restart my own low carb ways and feel 'lighter' today for it.
Have just scoffed my lunch of turkey, broccoli and cauliflower, dunno if the gravy was strictly 'low carb' tho