Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Starting a low carb diet - anyone interested in going for it with me?!

989 replies

RatherBeOnThePiste · 02/09/2011 08:56

I did this very successfully indeed for about 6 weeks in the run up to the summer break. I have been trying to lose weight for a while and was doing OK but then reached a plateau which was when I decided to try something new. And I easily lost a stone doing this.

It was hard in the beginning, for about the first week, then I sort of settled in to it and it just became how it was. And I like the rules of it, because you just can't cheat on it. But it was sometimes hard juggling what the family were going to eat.

I have been cutting down since Tuesday, but will be going for it completely on Monday 5th. I want to lose a stone. Is anyone interested??!!!

OP posts:
Spamspamspam · 07/09/2011 21:27

Rather if you google Idiot Proof Diet Cook Book Download to iPhone you will find several links, you can get it from itunes which is were I think hubby got it.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 07/09/2011 22:01

fab thanks - I will have aloof in iTunes

OP posts:
RatherBeOnThePiste · 07/09/2011 22:02

Buggery bollocks. Not aloof - I mean A LOOK!!!!

OP posts:
angelinterceptor · 07/09/2011 22:05

Thanks for lunch ideas the lettuce wrap sounds interesting.
Agree I have to be organised otherwise I don't take lunch with me and then when I get home at 3pm it's too easy to eat something 'bad'

I am trying to do a 30 min walk every day too which is not enough I know but I have an Achilles problem which is hampering me.

Gincognito · 08/09/2011 09:07

Hello all, may I join?

Actually inspired by BIWI on my thread about needing paracetamol in the mornings - and I see she's here! Thank you for the kick up the arse I needed.

I'm currently a stone overweight - usually more but I'm currently breastfeeding my 10mo, which has allowed me to overeat and still lose some of the baby weight. My main reasons for wanting to low carb are not so much cosmetic (although that is part of the reason!) as for health reasons. I feel terrible when I wake up, need coffee and sugar to get going and often need to eat immediately. I get a lot of headaches. I get hypos where I start shaking. I often feel down. And you know what, I know it's the carbs. But I'm completely addicted. Like, secret toblerone in my bedside drawer that I stuff into my mouth when I wake up thinking about bagels addicted. Pretty bad.

I'm going to use the pig-2-twig book, and also the Low Carb Gourmet cookbook, which I highly recommend. There's a fab recipe for sausage and egg muffins that defrost quickly for breakfasts on the go.

kotinka · 08/09/2011 09:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Spamspamspam · 08/09/2011 11:02

One thing I will say about ketosis and a low carb diet is that so many people give up when they are going into ketosis. Not sure if you all know this but thought I would post!!

When you go into ketosis you can get shaky, headachey, feel generally weird with a fuzzy metalic taste in your mouth. A lot of people mistake this for needing carbs and they can't cope anymore on a carb free diet but if you give it a couple of hours the feeling will pass, you will be in ketosis and then you are on a roll. I have seen so many threads/heard from so many people who said they couldn't possibly continue with a low carb diet because it didn't suit them, made them weak and shaky with headaches etc which I am pretty sure was just the start of them going into ketosis - if they had continued for a few hours more they would have made it into ketosis and started feeling great!

Getting into ketosis depends on how much glycogen you have in your body but usually for someone who has been eating carbs regularly everyday it takes 3-4 days, glycogen is an energy store contained in the liver. When you start a carb free diet your body uses up the available carbs first, then it uses the glycogen which can weigh 5-7lbs and then when it has used up all the glycogen the body starts working on the stored fat in your fat cells.

Many people have an amazing first week when they start a carb free diet as they lose the 5-7lb of glycogen, however you have to bear in mind that the minute you eat carbs again you will regain the glycogen as it is not really fat lost. Therefore it is best if you aim to go 5lbs over your target weight in order to compensate for the glycogen that will be replaced later.

For myself and my husband we have had carbs over the last 4 months, we might have a carby weekend and then back to no carbs on a Monday, because we are generally no carbs if we do eat some and knock ourselves out of ketosis we can get back in within half a day or so.

The pig to twig guide is 20g of carbs a day in phase one, however I know I can eat a lot more than that i.e. 60-80g of carbs and still stay in ketosis. However another thing I have noticed is that I can stay in ketosis but if I eat too many calories I still will not lose weight so being in ketosis alone is a bit of a myth hence why a lot of people failed at Atkins, they were eating too much protein, calories fat etc. Personally for me to lose weight effectively I keep an eye on calories as well as carbs. Pig to twig do say not to worry to much about calories so I don't think you should be counting religiously but just thought I would share my experience.

One other thing, being in ketosis means your body is producing ketones which need to be flushed out so drink, drink, drink the water.

kotinka · 08/09/2011 11:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Spamspamspam · 08/09/2011 12:17

Kotinka, yes you will pee a LOT at first but gradually your body will get used to it. In answer to your question I personally don't think you are drinking enough, you should aim to drink 2 ltrs of water a day and then your tea on top. When I did lighter life which is a similar diet i.e. you are in ketosis but have a very low calorie diet as well, we had to drink 3+ litres a day, 4 ltrs would be considered good plus we had tea and coffee on top. You might find if you drink more water you will need less food as you might actually be thirsty.

kotinka · 08/09/2011 13:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Spamspamspam · 08/09/2011 13:30

Why make yourself eat 1800 calories then? When I am doing this properly I eat around 1200-1400 and sometimes I don't even feel hungry enough for that. As long as you don't go too low eating less calories will make you lose weight faster. 1800 sounds like quite a lot of calories to me on any diet, how much do you weigh and how tall are you?

RatherBeOnThePiste · 08/09/2011 13:46

Lots to read whilst I have my carb free lunch!!
Weigh in day tomorrow - we're just doing weight lost, am I right??!!

OP posts:
StickThemWithThePointyEnd · 08/09/2011 15:05

I'll be busy tomorrow and don't know if I'll manage to post, so I thought I would do my weigh in today, hope nobody minds.

IvySedai/StickThemWithThePointyEnd - weight lost so far: 6lbs
RatherBeOnThePiste - weight lost so far: 0lbs
BIWI - weight lost so far: 0lbs
Pie - weight lost so far: 0lbs
Eggy - weight lost so far: 0lbs
Snapespeare - weight loss so far 0lbs

Snapespeare · 08/09/2011 15:22

well done stick! good result!!

I managed to not get weighed by the gym, but I am going to the doctors today and they have a weigh yourself machine. Not sure if I have the courage to look at the printed ticket. gym induction yesterday (sweat sweat sweat!) amd yoga this lunchtime. :)

kotinka · 08/09/2011 18:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Spamspamspam · 08/09/2011 19:05

Kotinka, you are doing great Grin and if you continue on about 1500 or lower if possible you will soon shift it. Ketosis is an amazing thing, you might not be put off eating you might just not be hungry, I have days when I am doing this properly when I don't want to eat at all until 2.00-3.00pm in the afternoon, however I MAKE myself eat three meals a day.

Can we help you with some recipe ideas to boost your motivation? What sort of foods do you like, maybe we can suggest some alternatives. As mentioned upthread I bought the Idiot Proof Diet cook book and it has been an absolute godsend, there is no way hubby and I would have stuck to the diet without it, it has curries, casseroles, paella, shepherds pie, moussaka, chicken dishes, soups, salads, lunch ideas, quick snacks pages and pages of ideas I can't recommend it enough. I also bought a cheapy book from Smiths a few weeks ago it was low carb recipes for the slow cooker - great for the autumn/winter time.

FreeButtonBee · 08/09/2011 20:47

Man, i LOVE food on low carb. I eat better most of the time and DH loves it too. Even my dad (spuds with spuds is the order of rhe day in rural NI!) really enjoys it. Do let us know what you like, We can help.

Snapespeare · 08/09/2011 21:32

i weighed myself. it's not good, but it's not as bad as it could be. arguably 4 stone to lose :( I'll be happy with 20lbs by 5th November (fireworks party!)

Tortington · 08/09/2011 21:33

hello low carbers how the fucking hell are you?

FreeButtonBee · 08/09/2011 21:37

Yo vanilla based milk product! I am drunk on very much not low carb sancerre!

Today was okay (other than above white wine)

B: plain toghurt with raspberries
L: chicken salad, low gi choc mousse
D: spag bol with the spag, salad, one cracker eith cream cheese (fairly low carb ones and vv nice - will link)
Snack: 6 sq g&b 70% choc

I am full of period-y evilness so not expecting much in the way of loss tomorrow. Oh eell.

FreeButtonBee · 08/09/2011 21:38

Doh, spag bol, without the spag, i mean

Tortington · 08/09/2011 21:39

no spag bol rocks

FreeButtonBee · 08/09/2011 21:43

these bad boys 24g per 100g - and you get about 5 or 6 crackers per pack. They are properly crunchy but i limit myself to one a day. Good as a pre dinner snack.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 08/09/2011 21:51

Fab Custardo!
Still getting my head round what to eat. I get what not to.
I'm recording the weight lost here tomorrow morning and I am hopeful for something!

Am loving the description of the rural NI diet. That's where DH's mum comes from - somewhere the back end of Enniskillen, Kesh way.

Find the cuppa tea with no milk a pain in the arse. But will have to persue that. And looking forward to my wee stick things coming!

OP posts:
Tortington · 08/09/2011 21:55

if you like linseed aka flax you are insane

however if you get the powder verson and mix two tblsp of powder and two of water mix into paste

flatten on a plate

microwave for 30 secs

you get a fuck awful cracker