Low-Carb - No alcohol 30 day diet. Anyone want to join?

[SpringFollows]

Does anyone want to join me on my quest to eat low-carb and ban alcohol for 30 days? I am transitioning to vegan, so my 'low-carb' version REALLY means no bread, pasta or potatoes, but I will keep rice in and fruit and veg.

I have all these great intentions, but have a glass or two of wine and fall off all the wagons! I think i need support!

I am considering joining WW next week, but in my heart of hearts i know that my issues are - enjoying wine - and eating like it is Christmas every day. Sigh.

If anyone wishes to join- starting tomorrow, I would be so pleased! Mutual support guaranteed! :)

Me- I am 5 ft 5, 40's, weigh as of this morning 10 stone 12. (I know it is more- I was really dehydrated this morning- i suspect really 11 stone).

Goal weight- ultimately 9 and half stone. Not sure where I will get after 30 days!

Hope to see you!

Hi ever, well done for keeping at it! The first week is always the hardest, after that it's a lot easier.

Being cold shouldn't last too long, but a mug of boiled water with a bit of lemon juice sorts it out (and exercise!).

how are mushrooms at the beginning? a no no? I just had a green salad and chicken breast but I wouldve loved some raw mushrooms!

Common mushrooms are fine. I think it's shitake mushrooms that are quite carby.

Probably a silly question - but what are beige foods - potatoes, rice and pasta?

I include bread/potatoes/rice and pasta in beige foods. I exclude cauliflower and white chocolate.

Please can I join too? I'm also on a kind of low carb as I'm having a go at Holford's low GL diet. I do eat a little fish, but I'm mainly going to be eating vegetarian.

Having finally got my book yesterday and looked properly at the food choices, I suspect I will be eating mainly beans. He does say not to eat cheese (except cottage cheese and other low fat ones), but I think I might need the variation.

As somebody who subsists mainly on carbs, it is going to be interesting. I've been doing my own version for a week, and so far so good. I have about 3st to lose.

So, breakfast this morning was chopped banana with low fat greek yogurt and almonds. Lunch might be caprese, and I haven't decided tea yet. I'm also attempting to ditch caffine (as Holford strongly recommends you do). this might finish me off... .

Welcome Marian!

I love caprese. MMmmm. I am afraid i simply could not ditch caffeine... it is my only remaining vice!

I had a good day yesterday.

yoghurt and nuts for breakfast, devilled eggs (yum) and sliced cucumbers for lunch and halloumi and salad for dinner. Hopeing to build on it today.

have good days!

(I have lost track of what day i am on, but am planning to just keep going until i am 9 and a half stone. )

I did have a coffee...

Apart from that, caprese(ish) for lunch with some borlotti beans and an avocado slung in for measure, then made quorn bolognese with cannellini beans for tea and had mine with courgette ribbons.

The hardest part is not weighing myself as I've vowed not to step foot on the scales until I've been doing it a while. I usually get really excited about a diet, then get on the scales and feel crushing disappointment that I've not lost what I hoped I would, then I give up.

You watch, I'll do it for 3 months, weigh myself and discover I've gained half a stone...

I cant ditch the caffeine, the wine was bad enough.

Dukan says you can have it anyway. Are you having meat? today I was was going to roast a chicken and have greeen salad.

I dont know what Im doing really, it seems to be a mixture of dukan and atkins. I feel better for it though.

I'm doing low GL as Dukan or Atkins would kill me (I don't eat red meat or chicken). I had a seriously horrific headache today that I suspect might be caffeine withdrawal. I need coffee to plug the gaps where crap food should go! Where will the joy be in my life if coffee has to go too???

I had hummus and carrot sticks for lunch as I was out, and a tofu and chickpea stir fry for tea. Everyone around me is having pizza. It's like the third circle of hell.

I'm back!!

Had a fabulous time at my brothers wedding. Got lots of compliments on my weight loss and dress fitted beautifully. Ate some carbs and lots of fry-ups and my water consumption went out the window and was replaced by wine . I came back feeling fat, bloated, crampy of tummy and with serious wind/diarrhea. Honestly couldn't wait to get back to my low-carb routine. Feeling this way has confirmed for me that it's a long-term change I'm making rather than a faddy diet.

Was quite relieved to step on the scales and see only a 4lb gain. It must have been partly PMT bloat too as it's shifted in just over a week. Plus another 2 lbs .

So I started at 12st 7lbs on 1st April and today am 11st 4lbs!

Woo! So how are we all doing then??

Bunny Your weight loss is amazing! I would be so pleased with over a stone in that time.

can I join?
I started on Monday so 5 full days so far. And have lost 3lb according to scales but too early to be sure. It's so difficult not to jump on scales every morning. I have 2st to lose.

I've got DH on board which helps a lot; he needs to lose a bit of weight too.

I'm not following a specific diet- I've read South Beach, Zoe Harcombe and been lent the Dukan book . I'm just avoiding carbs and refusing to countenance the existence of refined carbs!!!!

But I'm so bored with egg for breakfast, and occasional smoked salmon. Anyone got a more exciting breakfast idea?

Bunny- that's brill weight loss
Marian- what's caprese?

OK- just googled caprese- yummy indeed

Hi everyone! Hi Bunny! Glad you had a great time, it must have felt fab to get compliments in your new dress. Well worth the effort put in

I'm only losing a pound a week at the moment. Time of the month is due imminently though, so I guess not gaining is good at the moment. I finally found a celariac, so I am going to do battle with it tomorrow for my Sunday lunch. Today will be some mixture of broccoli mash, tuna and chicken korma for dinner.

You can pretty much have anything you fancy for breakfast, I never ate cereal before anyway so found it quite easy to have bits and pieces - a bit of salad some days or I make almond bread and have philly or meat with it. I quite like making wraps out of lettuce leaves, quick and easy.

I fell off the wagon last night . Those cocktails were hard to say no too. Loads of people asked if Id lost weight though and, Ive only been doing it since Monday!!

I need to step up on Monday though as I will have exactly a week until my holiday. Ive been buying bottle water so I can see how much Im drinking.

Which yoghurts do you tend to buy? they seem my only pleasure some days.

Kitkayta it's nice that people have noticed so quickly - it must give you a boost.

FGM I'm not doing strict protein diet, more Low GL, so I don't know if these suggestions will be of use to you, but some breakfasts I have include plain yogurt with bashed up almonds and some fruit; porridge oats with soy milk and almonds; eggs in various forms; you could also have continental style ham and cheese. I'm also allowed things like rye toast with nut butter (unsweetened), but on Low GL you are allowed restricted portions of 'good' carbs.

Spots thanks for lettuce leaf wraps; never thought of that!

Just had strong coffee. Ditching caffeine has not gone well. I think I need to get the food in check first before I start stressing about coffee too. I'm one of those that likes to have a psychological crutch, and given I haven't smoked for years, I don't (can't) really drink anymore and I have to give up pizza unless I want to continue to grow in girth, coffee is staying for now.

Coffee is now my exciting thing. Sigh.

If only I could become addicted to exercise. Sadly, I don't think that will ever happen.

Im starting on the green tea as well today. I find it helps.

It's very quiet on here - do most people post weekly?

How are people getting on?

I've been fine with the food, but as not much is going on in my life and I'm pretty housebound, interesting opportunities to go out and be crazy with the pizza and wine are few and far between. My biggest issue is trying not to get stressed or fed up so I avoid comfort eating.

I do need to make more of an effort with exercise, but my birthday cross-trainer finally arrived (two weeks' late), so I have no excuses. It is huge and imposing and looks like it means business. It certainly gave DH a work out as it took him 3 hours to build it! I'm surprised I'm allowed on it; it's like the ultimate monument to his flat pack skills .

Hi there,
i have been off low carb for 3 weeks as have new kitchen fitted so lots of crappy take aways eating out done! feels really bloated and to be honest unwell and im sure its the carbs. so here i go again. please can someone give me the recipe for almond bread, or any other thing that you can spread stuff onto, is ther a low carb crisp bread? and how do i make cauli rice? thanks in advance

Hi, I have been quiet for a while as i fell off the wagon so badly and felt ashamed.

I went to a WW meeting last night- first time ever. So I am trying that approach for now, but hoping I can combine with low-carb. But the no-alcohol things is a nonstarter for me I am afraid. I just felt depressed as having a glass of wine in the evening is a major source of pleasure.

Can I still check in though even though I am crap at my own thread?

Ah, give yourself a break though Spring. If you are doing something that doesn't work for you then it won't be sustainable. I've heard great things about new WW (it has been years since I was a member) and you can tailor their plans to your way of eating, so you'll probably be able to keep up low carb. It's also nice to have the support of a class and a leader. I find it quite odd that I'm going it alone this time (SW veteran) which is why I'm so needy on threads . It helps to keep me on the straight and narrow!

Thanks Marian. I have read the WW magazines on and off for years and always tried to go it alone, but last night I feel was really a turning point. I like the new system they have (although I never really did the old system) but so far I feel pretty enthusiastic. [even though their scales registered me a full 6 pounds heavier than mine did- cue freakout!]

But, going on my meal plan for today, it looks like I can have two vodka and slim tonics tonight at a friend's leaving do, and still come under my allowance so I feel pretty happy about that!

I have also decided that I need to get my head out of the 'you have to lose weight really quickly for the family wedding in June' as I go so anxious about it. Now I am telling myself that if I lose1-2 pounds a week, then that is fine and not to worry. It still means I am slimmer and this is a long term thing for me to get down to my goal weight and to stay there.

I have never tried SW though but also read the magazines. I think the new WW plan though, with their 'weekly extras' allowance have been inspired by the SW syns though.... I think, anyway.

I shall enjoy looking in on this thread though!

Hi everyone, not doing too well this end either. I am very disheartened with not losing as much weight as I think I should have considering the effort I have put in. I am still limping on but am sick of being obsessed by food.