The Unbelievably Good Low Carb Diet Thread

[QueenStromba]

The previous thread was getting a bit full so I thought I should start a new one while we could still link between them.

Righto, will have a rummage in my local Holland & Barrett. I love almonds!

This is definitely a way of eating rather than a diet for me now. I've had the shittiest few days imaginable. I've been ill for the last week but still went to look after my granny on Wednesday. She misinterpreted something I said on the the phone to my DP on Thursday night so was pretty off with me on Friday and Saturday. My DP came on Saturday so my sister took over and then I got a phone call from her telling me that my granny thought I was just looking after her for her money because I'd been moaning to my DP that work hadn't paid me and she'd got the wrong end of the stick. I spent the three days that my DP was here either sleeping or being cranky with him because I was ill and upset about my granny which was really hurtful for him. Then today my DP went home and I got a load of crap from my sister for needing another day off because I'm ill and even daring to suggest that I might want to see my DP this weekend. I'm so upset by her attitude that I've actually booked myself a flight home for this evening. She lacks empathy to such an extent that she doesn't realise how much harder it is for me having to stay in what is now a strange city to me since I've been away for so long that I don't have any friends here anymore. At least when she gets a day off she can sleep in her own bed with her DP and if things got really bad for her then her DP can be with her in 30 mins. I feel horrible for going home but I need my DP and friends after her upsetting me so much. Anyway, sorry for the major off topic there, if this was just a diet I'd be tucking in to my second tub of ben and jerry's by now but the worst I've done this weekend is eat 60g of Lindt 90% in a sitting.

queen that sounds like such a horrible situation to be in but well done for not resorting to comfort carbs.

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between Atkins and IPD?

IPD is better.

I may not be checking in much for the rest of the week. I have to drive up to Scotland tomorrow, go to a funeral on Thursday morning and be back sometime over the weekend.

Thankfully DH can work from home so can sort out DC and dogs.

Atkins has much more of the theory and science behind low carbing - it's an important book to read so that you understand what you're doing.

IPD is great from the psychological/emotional side of the coin - written by two women who also did the diet themselves and each lost 5 stone. They truly understand the ups and downs - the reality of dieting. But there's much less in there about the whys and wherefores. It's similar to Atkins in that it is a phased approach.

I love the fact that IPD feels more of a warm and cuddly "RL" diet, and it's a diet you can happily follow even if you are not so bothered by the science/ketonic side of things.

Sorry you are having a bad time, QS; hope your time at home recharges your batteries.

have a safe journey Jax

I have the atkins book so I understand the science. I was just wondering wether it was worth spending the money to get the IPD book to see if it was an easier diet to follow (not as much weighing etc, getting a tad bored of weighing my veg all the time). If it still works the same and I would have to still weigh stuff then it probably isn't worth me spending more money.

Anyway, official WI today and I am down 1/2 lb. Not alot but at least its going down. Scales reported a 0.2% loss in body fat.

I am trying the bootcamp theory from today but not sure how I will manage without cheese to snack on but it will be interesting to see if it makes a difference

I have never bothered weighing my veg, vnmum! (Until I set up the Carb Counter spreadsheet for the bootcamp, that is!)

IPD is definitely worth a read - and the recipe book is fab. (Although it doesn't give carb counts for anything, and I suspect some of the recipes might be quite high in carbs).

I never weigh anything either, vnmum. In fact, the bowl of my scales is a dumping ground for loose change, keys, elastic bands etc! I figure you'd have to be eating absolutely massive amounts of veg to be eating 'too much' iyswim...

I love IPD; I do think it's easier and more straightforward than Atkins. It feels more 'real'.

Having said that, it's TOTM and I'm having trouble with the bagful of leftover Easter choc I've banished to a dark spot behind the door. But I know it's there - it's calling meeeee. I won't though. I won't. I put on the 2lb I lost over Easter, grrrrr, so I'm not falling off the wagon again.

So far today:
water and herbal tea ++++
Breakfast- salmon and philly rolls, few slices of avocado, a few almonds
More waterrrrrr
Am going to reheat last night's leftover cauli cheese for lunch now and have a frittata for dinner.

I'm in self-imposed solitary confinement for the next 48 hours as I have an essay to write. But I'm BORED and snacky and have no-one to cook for...

I never weigh veg either. If you are sticking to the right veg, then I don't think you need to.
I have IPD & quite like it. I think India's brutal analysis of comfort eating is excellent and that overall the issues that women tend to have with food are well addressed.
From a low-carbing perspective I found it more confusing than atkins. I think it is also worth remembering that India & Neris had alot of weight to lose. I'm not sure the slightly more relaxed approach works so well when you have less weight to lose.
If you are unsure about whether to buy the book & would just like to use some of the recipes, have a look at their website: www.pig2twig.co.uk/

They have a pretty active forum there, I think. You may find some good recipes over there.

(I didn't really like their site tbh - too pink for me!)

Well i thought it would happen and it did .... i fell off the wagaon in spectacular style.

A huge amount of wine from Thurs - Mon but i managed to stay 85% on target regarding my food intake, ie, Steak and salad with no chips, duck without the fondant potato!!!

So i suppose its no surprise that as of this morning i was 2lbs up on last week, but i'm back with a vengeance on the diet and cutting back on booze again - will buy gin not wine!!! Trying to drink gallons of water to compensate but only managed 1 glass so far today!!

I would like to add though that i have had NO easter eggs!!! Thats got to count for something surely?!

Sounds like my weekend too!

Well done on resisting the chocolate.

thanks for the link PBB
I have been weighing my veg because i've been trying to do Atkins properly and stick to 20g per day then was going to increase in 5g increments when in OWL as per the book. The book says, this way you will know how many carbs you can eat to maintain for rest of life but to be honest, the prospect of still having to weigh and count carbs in 10 years time is a bit off putting. I suppose I am also scared of gaining weight if I eat a few too many veg and end up out of ketosis. I only have probably a stone max to lose now so am a bit concerned that if I relax a bit the weight loss will stop, but on the other hand weighing is very tedious, thats why i thought of IPD

Have just had a Nairn's cheesy oatcake - 3.6 g of carbs per oatcake and I'd been looking forward to trying one for the crunchiness.

Anyway, it tasted sweet. Weirdly sweet, and not very nice. Go figure

Teandthorazine - I had a similar experience when in absent mindedky nibbled a crust of Vogels bread which I used to leave. Strangely sweet. Killed any mega craving right away.

Weigh in this morning - 12.4 so another 1lb off despite the Easter blips. I've lost 10lbs off my start weight in 5 weeks, although its actually 14 as I also lost the 4lb I put on when I was away. Off for a run this morning as the children have the morning at nursery. My aim for the boot camp is to break through 12 st - that will be an official stone off, and the start of getting into the 11s which is my next aim and a big milestone for me as I haven't been there in almost a decade.

Gah! I meant "Used to love" - makes zero sense otherwise!

Also down again here, now 10.5 and 3/4, so only .25lbs off my first stone! Woo hoo!

It's a funny old diet this one though - I stuck for almost four weeks going up and down by the same 3lbs, and then suddenly, despite not doing anything obviously different (and after drinking way too much wine over the Easter weekend) it suddenly drops again!

Anyway, I'm now nearer the scales starting with 9 than 11, which makes me very, very pleased.

Sorry if I missed the reply to this question but fizzy water - yay or nay?

A big yay from me! Apart from coffee and wine, it's all I drink.

I know that various people say fizzy is no good, but frankly I find still water so boring that I couldn't bear to think that would be all I could drink!

The wine is an issue for me too BIWI . But good to hear that fizzy allowed!

No weight loss for me this week. I didn't think there would be as I was force fed carbs at the weekend. However, I haven't gained even though TOTM is imminent again, so that has to be good.

But, I do need to do a bit of shameless bragging. I had a date last night & I went to put on the skirt that I'd worn in January and had been quite a snug fit and ....................... it wasn't that it fit - it literally hung off me like an empty sack!!!!!!! Obviously, I was thrilled to bits, but then had a massive wardrobe crisis about what the hell I was going to wear on the date!

Pfffft, am still hovering around the 11st mark - a pound off here, a pound on there. Frustrating. It is TOTM though so probably I shouldn't even be weighing myself. I have a party on the 5th May that I want to look slinky for... hmmm.

Having said that I think I might be losing inches. I didn't measure before I started, so I have no idea really but this morning I definitely looked like a slimmer version of me! And I think I've lost it in my face too. This diet is weird sometimes.

Well done BIWI and lem!

And how did it go, Bugsy?!

Well, he took me to dinner - had delicious roast lamb, black pudding & spinach & left the potato dauphinoise - so managed to stay low carb!

May see him again. Think he liked me, think I liked him. Wasn't kind of instant love at first sight, bolt out of the blue stuff - but we got on well and he had a nice smile.