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Low-carb diets

Share advice and experiences of following a low-carb diet.Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Week 4 - Summer Low Carb Bootcamp - Wherein we totes commit

440 replies

BigStickBIWI · 19/05/2013 23:49

OK. It has come to my attention that there has been a lot of slippage going on over the last few days

Low carbing is not a very forgiving way of eating. It isn't like following a low calorie diet, where one meal or one day can compensate for another.

If you're low carbing then you have to commit to low carbing all the time.

Once you reach your target weight, then this isn't necessarily the case, but whilst you're losing weight, you really do have to keep your carbs low. If you don't, then all you're doing is constantly messing with your blood sugars.

And, if you have a massive increase in carbs, you are constantly re-filling your glycogen stores, which means your weight could go up by as much as 7lbs. And you're stopping your body shifting from carb-burning to fat-burning, because you're having to deal with all those pesky carbs.

So, here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to confess all

Let's make sure that we really commit and get shot of that weight.

OP posts:
MaryBeardfanclub · 22/05/2013 06:56

just found this amazing looking comfort food - loaded garlic baked faux potato wow
I think I've got to try that!

I've just been watching fat families this morning, these poor lads put on a low fat diet and exercise regime, they were absolutely miserable and using will power alone to stick to it. Felt so sorry for them with the crap advice they were given. The food on this woe is sensational, I feel like I'm in a restaurant every night!

food for today:
B: courgettes fried in butter, slice meatloaf
L: left over curry and cauli rice
D: salmon and veg

hope all have a great day Smile

TreeLuLa · 22/05/2013 07:01

Gosh this thread moves so fast!

Haven't been hungry the last couple of days and so haven't been eating much. Back down to my lowest weight Grin and two people at work said that I was looking slimmer yesterday Grin

I've become slack at eating breakfast recently but this morning have made myself a one-egg smoked salmon omelette, which was delicious.

Lunch is an avo with some mayo
Dinner will be salmon fillets and broccoli

WillieWaggledagger · 22/05/2013 07:30

eating breakfast at my desk now of hard-boiled egg with mayo. fortunately no one else in yet to object to my eating egg in an open plan office

lunch - tuna mayo with lettuce
supper - gammon steak with buttery wilted greens

ZimboMum · 22/05/2013 07:37

morning losers Grin

Haven't weighed yet as up at the crack of dawn with DS but hoping that the scales will have gone down rather than up.

Today will be
B: left over fish pie from last night
L: steak with asparagus and brocolli in butter
D: mozarella stuffed chicken wrapped in ham with swede chips and some other veg.

Water water water.

Have discovered that fennel and nettle tea = ok and fennel tea = ok but nettle tea= bleugh!

Keep on keeping on y'all Grin

LackaDAISYcal · 22/05/2013 08:24

snacks whilst working last night....2 babybel cheeses and a pepperami

I'm all out of pepsi max. Going cold turkey today. Wish me luck.

B: left over spag bol sauce with an egg on top; sort of huevo rancheros without the spice.

Mantella · 22/05/2013 09:02

Ahem ... Hello. I hope I'm welcome to join. BIWI enticed me over with her scary spreadsheet. I'm going to lurk on this thread for a while before I jump straight in to try and get the hang of this low-carbing. Smile

JaxTellerIsAllMine · 22/05/2013 09:15

yesterday I did quite well, wasnt particularly hungry in the evening but did have some belly pork with grilled courgette and asparagus which was lovely.

Ive got some stirfry steak for tonight with salad. steak marinaded in soy and ginger.

NewStartNewStory · 22/05/2013 09:39

I have slept 12hrs straight. tbh if i didnt have to get up i could probably have slept another 12. Strugglin with being awake today. I am procrastinating with breakfast atm. I know i need to eat it but am being stubborn again. Will go eat like a good NewStart just to avoid BIWI's big stick. Another early night is needed. Also at 73kg not sure if that is a loss or not so i suppose i should tiptoe over to the spread sheet and figure it out.

MrsCoyote · 22/05/2013 09:42

So, yesterday
B slice of brawn
L butter fried radishes
D minced turkey with mayo rolled in salad leaves

today
B butter fried radishes with scrambled eggs
L roast chicken with salad
D something with celery fries (any ideas, please?)

NewStartNewStory · 22/05/2013 09:43

kilos to lbs on the conversion tab is not working. formula is missing. :(

Ooo 2 kilo loss. Bonus. I will get to be under 70kilos!

WillieWaggledagger · 22/05/2013 09:50

it is fixed now

please please try not to touch the blue cells, and if you do and can't fix it please let me know

kiwigirl42 · 22/05/2013 09:51

morning everyone. Be careful with coconut cream. As Biwi said earlier, Blue Dragon is 1.8g carbs/ 100g. I bought a small tin of Waitrose Essential Coconut cream - its 9.5g carbs/ 100g!!!
thats a hell of a difference, isn't it?

NewStartNewStory · 22/05/2013 10:05

Thanks Willie!

JaxTellerIsAllMine · 22/05/2013 11:07

I had cauliflower soup for breakfast - or chowder, chowder sounds more filling. And it was. Very delicious. I just sort of made the recipe up as I went along last night, some garlic, stock, bag of frozen cauli, chives, dried herbs, some philadelphia cheese, cream and some grated nutmeg and a dash of cumin powder. Grated some manchego cheese ontop and I cant wait to have it again.

QueenofDreams · 22/05/2013 11:32

Feeling rough here, kids and I have a cold. This means DS gets croupy at night and sleep goes out the window. So I'm shattered and feel half dead. Just ate some yoghurt with cream, cinnamon and a few mixed seeds. no idea what else I'll be eating today.

ToomuchIsBackOnBootcamp · 22/05/2013 12:10

Welcome mantella yes I am stalking you! Grin as I said on the other thread from whence we lured you, please do read as much info as you can, as if you understand Why/how this works, it really helps. There is a ton of info on the "resources" tab and others on the s/sheet, plus I always recommend Dr John Briffas book "escape the diet trap" as a really good intro to the science behind LC.

Go go daisy remember to drink loads of water and if you feel hungry, eat something! (allowed, of course). You may have withdrawal symptoms, like "carb flu" if you have been addicted to the sweeteners for years, but it should hopefully only be a few days at most. And then you will feel AMAZING!!

I would like to second mrs HP post about not always trying to find "carb like" substitutes. When I am in the LC zone, I just think "I don't need, don't want, and don't eat bread/pasta/rice/cakes" etc. and I don't, I truly don't miss them as I think your tastes change and you start to really appreciate the flavours of all the wonderful foods we can eat. Bread now tastes plasticy to me sometimes, pasta is a bit claggy in the mouth. Refined white carbs rarely have the "flavour" of proper fresh food. I actually prefer the crunch of little gem lettuce wraps for tuna mayo, or the zing of spicy courgette ribbons under chilli.

However we all still have our moments. I am still an emotional eater and have struggled these last 2 weeks (not posted much). FIL passed away, there was a PM and then the funeral. Lots of driving between appts, looking after guests, family meals, meals provided by well meaning friends when we were rushing around, food picked up on the go at odd times. Yes, very stressful but I still could have made better choices, I made some very bad ones and I am feeling the effects now - my digestion is struggling, I am more tired and grumpy, I feel "heavy" inside again. So, I am here to declare I am back on it like a car bonnet and I KNOW in 2/3/4 days I will feel SO much better for it! Physically and mentally, which to me are always inextricably linked. Phew, I'll shut up now Wink

Mantella · 22/05/2013 12:23

Thanks TooMuch! It may take me some time to take everything in so I'll start annoying you with my posts when I'm ready to start.

Sorry to hear about your FIL.

middleagedspread · 22/05/2013 12:46

I'm struggling a bit.
The first 2 weeks were great; lots of previously forbidden food & a quick weight loss kept me motivated.
I've lost nothing in the last 10 days & beginning to lose motivation.
If I have smaller meals (in the hope it might speed things up) I start feeling hungry & then snack on nuts/baby bel/ 80% choc.
Looking at other people's food diaries I think I eat too much.
Winge over.

prettybird · 22/05/2013 13:00

I was going through a few of my summer clothes (which I still haven't got out! Shock) yesterday as I was looking for a particular pair of jeans.

I came across a pair of M&S linen cropped trousers in a Size 12 that had been packed away as they were too small for me, so I tried them on. They fitted! :) Last summer I had to buy myself some Size 16s as a stopgap measure ShockSad!!

I did find the pair of white cropped jeans I was looking for: Size 12 Boden ones that my mum had bought me for my birthday 6 years ago and she had her accident in between buying them and my actual birthday (so it was my dad who found them and gave them to me - but I remember squeezing in to them to visit her in hospital). Unfortunately, although I can get into them, there is a very bad case of muffin top (they are cut quite low and I have a very high and very defined waist). But if I keep going, I will get back in to them! :)

captainmummy · 22/05/2013 13:04

Middle - do you have much to lose, tho? Weeks 3/4/5 are tough (as BIWI said, several times) and 10 days is not a stall! The whoosh fairy comes when she wants to. Sometimes it's hormonal, sometimes carb-creep, sometimes - just because. But eventually it will work. Don;t lose heart, think ofd the lovely food you can eat! I've been maintaining now for about 4 months - no way would i go back to processed, low-fat high-carb junk. This is a WOE, a way of life, not a diet.

Prettybird - fab!

middleagedspread · 22/05/2013 13:22

captain at the beginning I was hoping to lose a stone. Now I'd be happy with 10lbs. I need the whoosh fairy (fab name) to visit me very soon.
My summer clothes are too tight & I'm not buying the next size up.
Thanks for your support, I must stop wallowing in self pity.

MaryBeardfanclub · 22/05/2013 13:28

I found some inspirational words on a low carb blog, written by someone who has lost 60lbs low carbing and kept it off. I'm not going all hippyish on you but there are some words of wisdom:

Beating yourself up emotionally will not make you any thinner, healthier, or closer to your goals

The scale can only show you a number. The scale is not your friend. It is almost as unreliable as the B.M.I formula. According to the B.M.I model, Arnold Schwarzenegger would have been obese in his prime. How do you look? How do your clothes fit? Most importantly, how do you feel?

One day of bad eating is not a life altering situation. Nor is it something you should beat yourself up over. Just pick up and get right back on plan.

If you look at this as a diet rather than a way of life, it will always be hard.

My 3 P's are not power, property and prestige. They are perseverance, perspiration, and patience.

An unhealthy breakfast does not have to result in an entire day of unhealthy eating. Rather than using it as an excuse to "make a day of it", make healthy choices for lunch and dinner.

You have to want to change for yourself and no one else. If you don't truly want to make a change, your transformation will never happen

There is a fine line between reasons and excuses. Analyze your decisions and really ask yourself "Am I just making excuses?"

I can do it! YOU can do it!

Keeping a clean living space alleviates mental and physical clutter which in turn leaves more room for focus and drive.

No single day will be as hard as Day 1. It's all down hill from there. If you haven't already, make today Day 1.

Your favorite foods are not going anywhere. There is not going to be any "great pizza famine" All those things you love will still be there.

You should eat for sustenance and satiety, not for taste or cravings.

Exercise is free medicine. Invest in your future health. Think of healthy eating and exercise as a 401K and insurance plan for your body.

Inspiration is all around you if you just choose to open your eyes to it.

Set goals! Set small goals on the road to your ultimate goal.

It is okay to put yourself and your health first.

Your true friends will support you on your journey and in your healthy endeavors. They should bolster you, not be a hindrance.

Food should not be used as a crutch. It will not comfort you or boost your mood during rough times. BUT exercise will.

When you feel like you are lacking the energy to workout, remind yourself how much energy you will have after your workout.

Thin and healthy are not synonymous. Work towards getting the body you want by being healthy. Don't be skinny-fat.

Your body won't change overnight. There isn't a magic pill that will make you thin. It takes a lot more than one healthy meal or one long work out. This is HARD work. But it will be so worth it.

Stop saying "I'll start tomorrow... Or on Monday... Or on the 1st of the month" Just start now!! This is the only life you have and there is no guarantee of tomorrow. So, start living today!

Find a way of eating that works for you. Find something you can stick to and maintain. Do not let other people affect your food choices. You do not have to defend the food on your plate to anyone except yourself. If people do not agree with or understand the way of eating you have chosen, that is their problem, not yours.

Smile Smile Smile

WillieWaggledagger · 22/05/2013 13:45

mary, very true re "I'll start tomorrow... Or on Monday... Or on the 1st of the month" - i kept doing this (or choosing 'significant' dates such as the same day of the month as my birthday so it would be x months until my next birthday)

in the end i just woke up and started randomly on a thursday in february, thinking that i would get through the day at least without any disordered eating behaviour (starving/bingeing). nearly 18 months on, i suppose i'm still just getting through today at least.

couch25cakes · 22/05/2013 14:29

Well my travelling day has had a little hiccup but not too badly. Had breakfast at home and made ham and Philly wraps with peppers in a tub for lunch. And then when I got to my meeting they had laid on lunch - the full juice and sandwich platter! As they all waited for me to go first I grabbed some olives, a couple of blocks of cheese, some cucumber before the sandwiches were handed to me and they all waited. I took a gammon sandwich so have had a half slice of bread. I managed to leave the fruit, chocolate cake and juice. So not great but I'm feeling glad I didn't succumb completely.

I've since bad my ham wraps and very nice they were too :)

captainmummy · 22/05/2013 15:23

Fab post MaryBeard.

Couch - Sandwiches at work are always bad news!I've got a awork lunch on fri and am hoping there will be salad, not sandwiches/pies