Muffin Tops

[MuffinToptheMule]

I've just read this article on the BBC News website. I was aware that being overweight, (especially if you carry it around your middle) is very bad for your health but this has really brought it home to me.

I think I need to change my lifestyle, get rid of the muffin top and then I'll change my Mumsnet name.

Does anyone else want to join me?

Kerry/Riven - I have the Rose Elliot Low GI Veggie book and she lists suitable proteins as pulses, eggs, cheese, tofu, soya yoghurt, quorn, soya proteins and nuts. Which is what you have listed.

I have low fat greek yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, with a little (and i mean little) granola.

I don't know if that helps?

Riven - I am doing sensible/smaller portion size, and trying to keep carbs low, but am not dedicated enough to cut 'em out

So... am doing normal cereal for lunch (usually porridge) or fruit salad; salads for lunch (no carbs, but not sure how long I'll last with nothing...) and then just trying for sensible in the evening. Had stir fry veg with small helping of noddles yesterday, and lentils with onions and left over gravy (yum AND no carbs) day before - today will be probably brown rice with chicken & loads of carrots (I lurrve carrots)

I work on the policy that - for me - cutting anything out just makes me want to eat it. So I'm better off keeping it in but being sensible

I have big bum & thighs too - apparently it's healthy

so that that balance out my fat tummy do you think?

What I really really need is regular exercise - but when?

downdog - DVDs? Depends on how many DCs you have, but some of them can be done with kids around (like pilates), thereby not having to do it late at night when motivation wanes. I also have a cross trainer I can manage 30 mins on when dd is busy drawing etc. Alternatively I run at 6 30 am before work, and visit the gym round the corner from work once a week (they have a pay as you go deal.)

You can fit it in, but isn't easy is it?

Oh no I've been away, Riven come back into the zooone. The advantage of carb free diet is you can eat as much as you want so teoretically no hunger

Are you sure you haven't fallen victim of hidden carbs?? Carbs in unlikely places like milk (your yoghurt), nuts, tomatoes (your salad), fruit is also a no no no no. You need to make sure no carbs otherwise you won't go into ketosis.

I don't weigh myself but definitely begining to feel lighter and tummy going down. Today I've had about 5 cups of tea (Rooibos = no caffiene/herbal) with sweetener and milk (but not much milk and probably my only source of carbs, maybe 6 grams total), tin of sardines, steak and green leaves (salad) with dressing, stick of pepperami, 4 slices of cheese.
Am ravenous now and looking for something to eat....

Must be v hard as a veggie, what would you eat??? Is testing for ketosis something "even I could do?" If so how?

I am born n raised Catholic. When I was 17 I decided to become a Hare Krishna and was a veggie for a year. My parents were , but at least they had the sense not to try and dissuade me

Wow, about DD's diet.
I've been on MN for 9 monthsissh (wasted so much time on bloody babycentre and hope you don't mind me saying Riven, I admire you greatly for your strength and grace you show in managing with caring for your DD.

I've now had my 3 fried eggs , bacon and a leetle mushroom (can't believe even the humble mushroom has carbs) and ready to face the day.

8g???? OMG. That is hard.
Not sure about GI diet but I think happy cow has carbs.

Riven, if you've gone back to having healthy carbs then what about falafels, chickpeas and stuff.

When I cut out carbs as a veggie, halloumi was my lifesaver.

I've cut out bread, potatos, pasta etc, but I still eat lots and lots of veggies.

Buckwheat is good for low GI. It's not wheat, it's the kernal of something or other so is high in protein. I cook up a load and mix it with loads of herbs, lemonjuice, fresh chillis and squares of grilled halloumi. It's so good.

I'm joining you all ladies! I've developed into a munter.

Quinoa for protein?

I did low carb for a while as a vegan and the weight dropped off. Ate a lot of seeds - pumpkin, sunflower, sesame. If you cba and soak them in water for a few hours before you eat them it makes them more digestable, apparently.

Also ate lots of avocado and made a porridge out of ground flax seeds and hot water. There's a low carb sweetener called xyliotol which is quite good. I'd forgotten about buckwheat, Bighairy. I used to have that as a sort of porridge too.

Trying to cut carbs again now ds2 is 9 months and belly still big. Eating cheese this time round, but weight not shifting much at all.

I'm begining to feel really good about this, I've definitely shrunk a bit this week and hopefully will continue for another week and half...and then review. Will start introducing v small amounts of commplex carbs, plus running should do the trick.

discovered today that splenda (the zero calorie sweetener ) has carbs I've been keeping the bloody company afloat. So no more tea for me as I need sugar in it. Will pick up some coke zero tomorrow to help with my sugar cravings....

Looking for more no carb foods (aside from meat, eggs, cheese, fish, lettuce} to break up the monotony. Any ideas?

Riven, Halloumi is cypriot/turkish cheese. Gorgeous in pastry deep fried. mmmmmmm

barbabelle what else have you been eating in addition to cheese?

Thank you lord Riven. where where where!!! I need it, desparate for sugar

Halloumi? seen it in Tesco.

Did the first few weeks on a very strict regime. Ate salad and veg for breakfast. Made a lot of pate from soaked seeds. Blended up soaked pumpkin/sesame/sunflower with a bit of oil,water and garlic. Quite nice. And made lots of dressings for salad/veg from coconut oil/tomatoes/red peppers/celery/garlic.

Made a sort of fudge from flax seeds/coconut oil/stevia/ bit of vanilla which was pretty revolting but filling.

I think I need to get back to this at some point - but still breastfeeding and don't want to get too extreme. Though I think all the EFAs are good for breastmilk. At the moment I'm having loads of seeds again/veg/cheese/eggs/goji berries/some almonds/ superfood powders/ ground flax seeds.