Vegetarian low-carbing - calling all veggie low carbers for moral support!

[ghosteditor]

I'm going back on the veggie low carb bandwagon after putting back on 8-10lbs in the last few months, following an injury. I lost 30lb+ last year (post-natally) but could do with getting rid of this sneaky half stone.

I need some more recipe inspiration so please share!

Wow chipping you are a hardcore low carver! I'm still feeding my daughter which is my excuse for never going full phase one .

I was maintaining my weight quite well on 70-100g per day, which was a nice balance for me and enabled me to train hard too.

Ghost you've mentioned dry mouth... I was coming on to ask about that, if you don't mind answering.

I am a first time dabbler with low carbing, have just cut out all bread, potatoes, pasta & rice, for which I am normally greedy. I felt really achey yesterday, not so bad today, but am so thirsty, it reminds me of the early weeks of breastfeeding. why does this happen? I am drinking pints and pints of water, which is a good thing I presume?

Ghost maybe I need to borrow a baby to BF!!

Can you see why I am frustrated at putting weight on!! Gahhh.

Downfall - drinking lots of water is good for you, so I wouldn't worry too much. It's weird though isn't it - you'd think it would go the other way.

I think I've read that if you're in ketosis you need to drink lots - if your body is breaking down fat then maybe water is part of the process; vaguely remember something about it but I may have it the wrong way round.

I know some people get bad breath in ketosis...

Yes, I've just found BIWI' s guide on the talk section. She explains, as far as I understand it, that when dehydrated the body produces less ketones, and thus fat burning stalls. But, yeah, weird that your body craves the water!

I'm only veggie of 6 months, and don't want to change that, but am really uncertain what to eat. I do eat eggs, albeit a bit uncomfortably, so don't want them every day. I really like nuts, legumes etc. I do like tofu, and Quorn, so thanks for those tips chipping

Meal plan ideas for me this week are lots of cheese salads, stuffed tomatoes with spinach, feta and pine nuts (4g per 100g?), creamy mushroom stroganoff with, er, nothing. Buttery scrambled eggs for breakfast, and I've bought some total Greek yoghurt - but no idea what to eat with it for flavour?

God I'm hungry now, but due to DC swimming etc I won't get to eat with DH until 8ish. I've already snaffled a a handful of almonds. I might go and try mama's curious sounding peanut butter celery..

Water flushes out the ketones when you are in ketosis, but I'm not sure that causes a dry mouth. I've had the opposite, I'm not drinking as much as I was before (but that's more to do with my diabetes diagnosis I think, now my blood sugars are more under control I'm not getting the excessive thirst).

It is expensive low carbing as a vegetarian. Just got back from the supermarket - again! Sheesh!

What else are you all eating for protein?

Downfall just check the carbs per 100g because some of the products are very high, the two I buy are only 1g per 100g :)

Courgette pasta is really good with things like mushroom stroganoff - but I love it by itself as well - looooooooove mushrooms, thank god!!

Peanut butter on celery is very good!

Wow, I'd forgotten how much this way of eating works for me. 4lbs off since Saturday! And no bloating of any kind.

Hope I can survive the weekend too!

Can I come here to grump? I am feeling the effects of low carbs, even though I'm not boot camping. It was my birthday yesterday. Stuck to the plan except for one solitary chocolate and a small biscotti with my coffee. Er, and a gallon of wine, oops, well! But, lost 4lbs and tummy flatter, yay!

But tonight my dh and mum have decided it's ridiculous for me to not eat meat, fish and carbs (which admittedly does sound extreme), but for them to say it after I have dealt with the carcass of the chicken I cooked them and served up chocolate cake for all has pissed me off.

Grumble grumble

Well done downfall and happy birthday for yesterday!

I know it sounds restrictive but you can be veggie for life, low carb to lose some weight, and then figure out a balance of low carb in the long run - it's not forever!

Thanks ghost. Yes, you're right, I can do it!

Lost you for a bit

How are you all doing?

After 4 birthdays and s holy communion I have gained 7lbs in the last month. My gosh I have eaten some cake! I lost 3 stone over a year or sowith weight watchers but cannot bear to go back to counting propoints. So I've dabbled with 5:2 which I enjoyed and found helpful but have really struggled with it this time round. Anyway low/carving was done thing I thought was out of my scope with being veggie. Since carbs are my greatest downfall cutting them out seems like the obvious solution to this last 10lbs. So I'm hunkering down and giving it a go!

I've bought the rose Elliott book but until it arrives I'm just counting carbs on MFP. I must confess to some scepticism - not about it working because I cannot see how I couldn't lose weight if I remove all my very favourite foods from my diet - but whether I have the guts to go for the glory! Anyway, halfway through day 1 and we'll see!

Marking place as hope to start low carbing next week.....

I'm new to this thread. I've lost my way a bit with the Dukan diet. I initially lost 22lbs, but since then, I've put back 6lbs. Life got very stressful for a while which didn't help.

I've been using Quorn products since the start and I have to have All-Bran every day (blame DS for that), but I just can't seem to shift the last 10lbs. I'm running 20 miles a week, doing Shred 3-4 times a week, yet nothing is shifting.

I just need some inspiration or a change from the Dukan, I really miss fruit and veg!

The rose Elliott book has arrived and veg is permitted, as is fruit in the later stages. I had her cauliflower mash last night (with seriously strong cheese spread instead of milk/cream) and I have to say it was treeeeemendous. I had been feeling quite glum about the lack of jacket potato but not once I'd started eating. And I had more than enough energy for my Taekwon do training - something I'd been anxious about.

Anyway I'm not completely sold yet but that mash has made me feel a lot more positive!

Have you thought about trying 5:2? Sometimes you just need to try something different. Or, if exercise is your thing, shape magazine online have done a post about shifting the last 10lbs. It mostly involves burpees....

Hey all! Am very interested in this way of eating as I once did LL and felt amazing on it! Such energy AND the weight fell off too. It's crept back over the years though and I'm keen to lose this baby weight for a wedding later this year. My main worry is monotony. The only vegetarian food I don't eat is mushrooms shudder but can't envisage a week's worth of meals. I bought a vegetarian low carb book years ago and gave it to charity as it just seemed to have kale for each meal so am reluctant to buy another until I'm reassured I can cope with similar lunches or breakfasts, just need interesting evening meals. So far I've seen there's hallumi skewers and an egg pizza which sound great. Any other great meals?

There's an ace recipes thread in the low carbing section. I'm new myself so I 'm not much help. Cauliflower mash is seriously good though!

Hello all. Popping back to fess up and hopefully get back on track. Anyone still around?

So, i caved. After 6 months of a veggie diet, one month LC, we went to France camping, and it was sooo tricky, I just gave up. Been eating meat and copious amounts of bread.

Outcome - bloated belly, constipation, and spots. I think the skin is the meat?

I had lost half a stone and had a slimmer belly with LC. And the one thing I really noticed was my nails, very strong and healthy cuticles, with no splitting at all - they normally split high up the sides...and are doing so now again - could this be high wheat diet of the last 3 weeks?

I really dislike the idea of meat, although admit the first few BBQ pieces of steak were enjoyable to eat. So, for moral and health reasons Im going back to veggie diet, as LC as I can make it.

Off to look at the recipe thread for inspiration. Then we are out for DS2 birthday treat today. He's asked to go to either a tapas restaurant or macdonalds...think I'll steer him for tapas!!

Non meat-eater here marking my place and will read the thread later. Naturally reined in my carb abuse since doing 5:2 since January but still eating more than what I'd like.

I need to put this thread on 'Watch' then remember to check my watched threads as it keeps 'falling off' my Threads I'm On!!

Downfall :( Never mind

It is not ridiculous not to eat meat or carbs. Why on earth would one want to eat animals?

Thanks for the hand up, Chipping!

That's a very helpful way of putting it. DH is much more supportive now, I have read more and better able to explain that it is healthy to cut out processed refined carbs, and just get them from natural sources i.e. veg.

How are you doing - up thread about a month ago you were gloomy about stalling weight loss, I think?

Hi just thought I would introduce myself. Started Low carb yesterday. Need to lose a lot of weight. I am a veggie of 30 years but cannot eat wheat or dairy because of a skin problem.
Just looking thru at the recipes and think I am going to manage with the food aspect but am addicted to my cups of tea. Cut it down to 1 cup per day with 1 sugar. Woke up this morning absolutely gasping. Water just does not do it but am being strong.

Downfall I'm glad DH is being a bit more supportive. Have you read Dr Briffa's Escape the diet trap? It's well worth getting a copy for you both to read, interesting, factual - but an 'easy' read all the same.

I am still pretty much stalled on the scales. It's frustrating. Though I have had two friends comment on how much more weight I've lost (and one of them in particular is not the sort to comment normally (it really surprised me that she said it, even if she thought it, it's not 'her' at all to be complimentary to anyone, about anything!!)). I don't understand how I can be 'shrinking' but not losing on the scales - it makes no sense to me?!

Doing it as a non egg eating vegetarian is bloody hard - but it's quite possibly low carbing that is keeping my blood glucose levels in the 'normal' range, not the diabetic range which they were pre low carbing - so weight loss isn't my only 'goal' with it - though it would be bloody good!!!!!

Hi MillyMollyMandyMax (good program that was!!). I gave up milk when I was vegan for 3 years & I stopped drinking tea as I couldn't stand it black. Eventually I caved in for a cup and had it really really weak - I prefer it that way now. My friends mum made me one & forgot and I couldn't drink it with the milk in it - bleurghhhhhhh (even though I now drink milk in lattes). The dash of milk in one or two cups isn't the end of the world... but the sugar - that really does have to go! Tea doesn't hydrate you - water does - so that's a purely mind over matter thing Well, that and I bet you didn't drink as much water as you would normally drink tea

Hi Ladies

Can I join you? Been a veggie for 30 years (omg) have low carbbed twice but both times found out I was pregnant and then consequently miscarried and have managed to put on 20lbs to my already very overweight status! Hoping having some veggie friends might help as found I got bored of the same things omelette for bf cheese salad for lunch and caulk rice and veg for dinner - need some more exciting options!
Love the falafel recipe but not sure if I can get coconut flour (not in the uk) would znother type. Work?

Such great ideas on here! I'm not a veggie but always looking to find ways to make veg more interesting. Thanks all!