Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

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.

Low carb for those of us who aren't hardcore enough for Bootcamp/Atkins induction etc

679 replies

QueenStromba · 06/07/2012 22:02

This is a thread for anyone who wants to eat fewer carbs but has either failed on plans than start out really low carb or just doesn't want to eat very low carb for whatever reason. I'm of the opinion that the high carb diet recommended by the government is the cause of obesity and related diseases and that any reduction in carbs will boost health.

While the Bootcamp threads are fantastic, I think a lot of people find it difficult to dive straight into eating very low levels of carbs which leads to giving up by day five. I did this myself when I first tried low carbing last April. I wasn't even trying to eat induction level carbs, just cut out the obviously high carb elements of my diet (rice, potatoes, pasta, bread etc) and I still nearly killed my housemates. It was about six months before I tried low carbing again and I went about it in a completely different way and have ended up eating induction level carbs through preference.

First I cut down my carb portions slightly in each meal, waited a week or two then cut down the portions even further so I was only eating about half the starch element that I had been in each meal. The next thing I did was completely remove the starch from one meal - I think it was breakfast I did first. I had been eating a poached egg on a slice of toast with a slice or two of lean bacon and some mushrooms or spinach - all I did was cut out the slice of toast and replace it with more veg or an extra egg depending on how hungry I was feeling. Once I was happy with that I started on dinner. Instead of rice I had cauliflower rice, instead of potato mash I had cauliflower, swede or celeriac mash and instead of noodles/pasta I had either shirataki noodles or thin ribbons of courgette. For the first while I still mixed in half a small portion of e.g. rice with my cauliflower rice. I normally made enough dinner to have leftovers for lunch the next day. I lost really well on that without worrying about how many carbs were in veg and I still had milk in my tea and berries with yoghurt. I also had a couple of beers a week and the odd slice of cake or whatever. I only went very low carb after doing a lot of reading and deciding that eating a diet very low in carbs and high in fat (including saturated fat) is the healthiest diet for us.

OP posts:
HecTob · 07/09/2012 20:35

Hello, I've been lurking on here for a few days.... It's made very interesting reading but I still don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I've been doing the Briffa diet for 5 weeks. In the first 2 weeks I lost 5.5lbs but since then I haven't shed a single 1lb. I feel better; I'm not bloated, I don't feel sluggish but I still have 1 stone to lose and I can't shift it.
Today I have had...
Brekkie - 50g Total full fat greek yoghurt with 4 strawbs and 3 raspeberries
Lunch - Some roast chicken (half a breast) with 2 handfuls of spinach, rocket and watercress salad with olive oil and a boiled egg.
Snacks - a babybel, a boiled egg, 5 almonds
Supper - 5 mushrooms in butter, a smoked mackerel fillet and 1 handful of salad with some mayo.

If I'm honest, this is a big day. I'd normally not have had the snacks and am sitting here feeling stuffed.

I haven't been excercising, but perhaps I should.

I feel like I'm following the rules so why aren't I shifting anything - can anyone tell me?
I drink about 3 cups of peppermint tea a day, could that be it? I drink 2+ litres of water and I haven't eaten sugar, or any form of obvious carbs for 5 weeks...

bbcessex · 07/09/2012 21:40

Hi there hectob.. I'm definitely not an expert but it seems to me that you're not eating enough... your supper in particular doesn't seem substantial. I'd try and add more oil / butter, and maybe try a different breakfast. Eggs & bacon (with butter) might be worth a go as an alternative.

Weight loss is usually the thing we measure as success (I know I do!) but maybe you've dropped some inches as well as the pounds?

It is a huge plus that you feel better as well - don't forget about that.. I've been doing the Low carb for around 6 / 7 weeks - I've lost just under a stone, but have had a holiday / wedding / many nights out and wine in that time too, so I'm delighted just to be on an even keel..

MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe · 07/09/2012 22:00

Hectob - it's quite normal to stall during weeks 3, 4 and 5, I know I did you just need to stay with it and keep eating/drinking.

MrsHoolie · 07/09/2012 22:50

Hi Hectob,a friend of mine has been doing the Briffa thing for months and months. She said it can take time but you will start losing again (after the initial bit).
It seems a bit strange but I think just stick with it,especially if you can feel the benefits keeping blood sugar levels stable etc.
I am only on week 2 and don't seem to be shifting any this week.
Also something to consider is taking measurements rather than getting on the scales.

squoosh · 07/09/2012 22:52

Weigh yourself once a month, not once a week. Much less likely to get demotivated that way.

topsi · 08/09/2012 16:10

Be patient Hec, you shed alot very quickly at the beginning so don't be surprised if you have slowed down now. My average daily diet is very similar to yours and I have been loosing about a pound a week. So a pound a week sounds ok to me just you lost yours very quickly at the start. Don't give up it's great that you are feeling better so just stick with it!

HecTob · 08/09/2012 20:50

Thanks for all the encouragement - I'll keep going with it :-)

quirkychick · 08/09/2012 21:31

Squoosh speaks sense, don't weigh yourself too often. Gyms etc. only monitor weight/body fat quarterly (though you might want to do it more often Wink). Water retention can seriously affect your weight too and of course, if you are exercising muscle weighs more than fat. Inches and muscle/fat ratio are more important.

MrsHoolie · 09/09/2012 07:43

I forgot to say I lost 3lbs on my first week and nothing this week.
Going to try and step away from the scales. I think my body is changing though,unless it's wishful thinking!
Tbh I thought it would drop off after all I was eating bread/pasta and milk chocolate every day.

topsi · 09/09/2012 10:14

Got asked several times yesterday if I had lost weight! Feel so good about it! Keep going everyone it definately works! (even had take away curry last night sans rice and naan)

topsi · 09/09/2012 10:36

www.theiflife.com/the-inuit-paradox-high-fat-lower-heart-disease-and-cancer/ interesting
Looks like Omega 3 is good Omega 6 bad?

quirkychick · 09/09/2012 12:28

topsi I think with all the health advice to eat polyunsaturated fats our omega-3: omega-6 ratios got in favour of omega-6. We need some but need more omega-3s. Also, omega-6 is more stable and so used in processed foods for longer shelf life.

The health advice came before omega oils were understood, shows how careful you need to be about "health" advice as often there are factors we don't know. Michael Pollan (Defence of Food) says we should take whole lifestyles into consideration rather than isolate nutrients.

topsi · 09/09/2012 14:29

yes sorry maybe bad was the wrong word to use

quirkychick · 09/09/2012 20:25

Well you are right too much omega-6 is bad, but I think it's the ratio that's way off in the modern diet. Not sure what it is supposed to be but I think if you end up with 1:1 you are lucky. queenstromba talks about it upthread.

Lifeisontheup · 10/09/2012 10:01

I've just got back from holiday where I didn't low carb and it has shown me that I can't cope with a high carb diet. I've felt dreadfully bloated and had stomach pains and wheezing, all of which I had at home before I started low carb.
I've also put on 8lbs, hopefully some of that is bloating and will go reasonably quickly. Up to holiday I had lost 12lbs in about a month.

BIWI · 10/09/2012 12:06

For all you Briffa fans:

Mumsnet Academy are running a course led by him

HecTob · 10/09/2012 12:24

Hey, lifeisontheup - I gained half a stone on holiday and lost it all low carbing when I got back within 1.5 weeks. However, I've stayed there now for 3 weeks! How did you lose 12lbs in a month?
Can you give me an idea of what you were eating? I just don't seem to be shifting anything. Infact I can feel my jeans getting tighter.... HELP.
A sample menu would be great to see.
xx

Lifeisontheup · 10/09/2012 12:35

Hi HecTop I have never eaten so much in my life!

Sample menu from before holiday:

Egg, bacon and mushrooms all fried in butter, coffee with cream,
Cheese salad with french dressing and avocado
Pork chops in cream and mustard sauce, I use a little white wine and stock then stir mustard and double cream in served with green beans.
I drink green tea, ordinary tea with a splash of milk and coffee with cream.
If I want a snack I have cubes of cheddar or raspberries. If I want chocolate I have a couple of squares of dark chocolate.
About 3 litres of water per day.

I was really shocked to see the weight drop off, my DH is doing the same and he dropped over a stone but has more to lose. Smile

I was 12 stone 1lb and dropped to 11 stone 3lb, am now 11 stone 8lb Sad

quirkychick · 10/09/2012 16:24

Thanks BIWI.

Lifeisontheup we went to a food festival at the weekend and I had some (admittedly only 1/2) sausage on Saturday and on Sunday and the rusk in it must have upset my stomach Sad.

geranium72 · 10/09/2012 17:48

Hi everyone

I started off here on the 5;2diet but heard about John Briffa and read everything I could get my hands on. It suddenly seems to make sense

I have started primal eating today - cutting out all grains and processed food and sugar. I am keeping dairy in the form of cheese, cream and butter, and yogurt but dropping milk

I weigh in at 230lbs and at only 5 3 am hoping I will lose quite a bit. I am a real apple shape with lots of weight around my middle and my face

Today I had
3 scrambled eggs with butter and mushrooms and a small slice of carvery ham
avocado, tomato, feta, olives with a few pecans and a drizzle of avocado oil and balsamic
snack- coffee with a splash of double cream, a few macadamias and a small piece of cheese
tea will be steak with garlic butter and broccoli, and then some raspberries and cream with a square of dark chocolate tonight

Everything really delicious- I haven'[ felt hungry and I am sure that this way of eating has to be better for me- I just hope that weight loss is a nice side effect

Looking forward to posting with some great results I hope

quirkychick · 10/09/2012 20:26

Welcome geranium. I started on eat more to lose weight and trying to eat low gi and gradually cut out starchy carbs. I'm currently reading The Primal Blueprint atm.

MrsHoolie · 10/09/2012 23:03

I have only lost 3lb in two weeks so have been looking online into why I'm not losing. Apparently something to do with fat cells filling with water,after a few weeks the body should release the water and then the weight loss will show on the scales which maybe why some of us aren't losing numbers on the scales yet even if we are feeling slimmer.
Sorry,that is not technical at all!

topsi · 11/09/2012 08:09

3lb in 2 weeks is not to be sniffed at!

herbaceous · 11/09/2012 09:15

Hello!

I seem to have found my spiritual diet thread. I've been doing a low carb thing for about a month now, missing out carbs for two out of three meals, and only having a small amount for the third. I've also been trying to stick to around 1,200 calories a day, and not go more than 1,600. I've also been exercising, but only mildly - wii fit most days, the shred when I'm feeling lively.

However, I am getting disheartened. In the first week I lost two pounds, then it's been up and down like the proverbial whore's drawers but without really losing any more. I have had the odd bad day, involving friends, wine and ice cream, but 80% of the time I'm boringly good.

Is it my age? I'm 46, no doubt perimenopausal, and lacking in muscle. Or is it Mrs Hoolie's water theory?

MrsHoolie · 11/09/2012 09:52

Herbaceous-How does your body look and feel?Perhaps you are building muscle so not losing 'weight' but fat?Many of the low carb gurus say to ditch the scales and to measure yourself instead.
Intermittent Fasting is supposed to kick start a plateau in weight.

I seem to be good at not doing what I preach on this thread!