Low carb with family in tow.

[ParrotsForLife]

Hi all.

I’m hoping for some advice.

I’ve got PCOS, a toddler and a carb loving DP.

I’m fat and need to lose weight, I have a hba1c of 37, shit needs sorting.

I’m quite happy to go lower carb, but I need to make any changes that are all good for the family. I cook the majority of meals, and they’re usually relatively carb laden. I work part time and we’re veggie about 8 meals out of 10, we can go weeks without eating meat. That’s not something we’re willing to compromise on. We use quorn as a replacement when needed.

Please help with ideas/resources. I need to be able to cook meals which are relatively cheap, easy and quick that meet the nutritional requirements of two 30 off year olds and a 2 year old.

Also if anyone who has ways to get over sugar I’d kill for that info!

A PCOS diet is similar to a diabetes diet but also needs to focus more on fat and protein long term and wouldn’t necessarily be healthy for your toddler or husband. The way I managed my PCOS (I couldn’t eat more than 40-60g of carbs per day or eat more than 1850 cals with exercise per day) was by making a protein that the entire family would eat (usually seafood - salmon or sea bass but also egg / tofu / lentils etc), making a big bowl of vegetables laced with rapeseed oil and cheese for me and DN but with lemon juice for DH, and a carb option for DN / DH. I would often supplement my meals with chicken and nuts.

Going low carb has never been easier with so many veggie alternatives in the shops. We eat very similar to kind of things I think you want, such as:
Quorn stir fry (peppers, onions, mushrooms etc) with plenty of bean sprouts as a noodle replacements

You could batch cook for ease and have with different sides? Like having Spaghetti bolognese with courgetti/Spiralised veg and then the following night Stuffed marrow/courgete/aubergine with the bolognese mixture

Veggie chilli with broccoli and cauliflower rice

Rainbow Lasagne with butternut squash instead of sheets of pasta (loads of great recipes for this if you google rainbow lasagne)

Kidney bean and chickpea stuffed peppers with tender stem broccoli/asparagus

Spanish chicken/quorn with oven roasted veg and corn on the cobb

I think there are a few bits where I’m coming a cropper. We don’t eat fish, so that’s out and I’m not willing to make multiple meals.
I’m wondering if I just replaced the carb portion of my meals with veggies would that help? I can make spag bol and have extra salad on the side for example.

I think that's how I'd try and do it, at least at first and see how I got on. So quorn or lentil or mushroom curry, rice for the others, broccoli for me. Spag bol on a bed of wilted spinach. Lasagne made with aubergine or courgette instead of pasta, low carb cheese sauce on top.

I'd probably have more trouble thinking of low carb veggie lunches that aren't just salad or soup, and breakfasts that aren't Greek yoghurt!

Hi op could you sign up to the diet Doctor website. It’s £9 a month for full access and there are loads of great recipes and food plans.

Join Easy Keto Uk on Facebook. Loads of recipes and ideas.

Yeah adding veg for you should work as long as it’s a variety of coloured / rainbow veg.

Replacing carbs with veg has been my basic rule in your situation, and has worked well in general. I've had to challenge what 'feels' like a normal meal to me.

So....bolognaise, but I have courgette while others have pasta - fine.
Curry, but I have cauliflower while others have rice - fine.
Nachos, but I have lettuce cups while others have tortillas - fine.
Baked potatoes with fillings, but I have a big portion of green veg instead of the potato - feels weird but is actually a nice meal when you accept it, iyswim!

Ah brill thank you. I’ll deffo have a look at the diet doctor site and easy keto. Thanks for the advice. Knew I’d find some!

An hba1c of 37 is good I'm a type one and mine is 41

@ParrotsForLife if you head over to the Low Carb Bootcamp section you'll find several different recipe threads stickied at the top there. They should help to inspire you!