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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:
Badvoc · 26/07/2012 13:19

Agree completely!

My mil has used SW and WW and has spent a fortune on both...I have to be very careful at her house as most of her stuff is WW..sausages etc and they are VILE

squoosh · 26/07/2012 13:19

I'm going to go through this thread and make a note of all the low carb snack ideas. I'm fine at mealtimes but I do need my snacks in between. That's the chink in my armour.

squoosh · 26/07/2012 13:21

The sight of WW frozen meals make my stomach do a mini hurl. How can people look at those horrific looking purple boxes and think 'Mmmm, yummy, that's what I'm having for dinner'.

FunnyLittleFrog · 26/07/2012 13:24

I know. I feel like grabbing them out of people's trolleys and replacing with a steak and some butter!

FunnyLittleFrog · 26/07/2012 13:28

Interesting!

Really like this blog.

obrigada · 26/07/2012 14:36

Gammon with salad for lunch, really want to get to grips with this WOE:)

Badvoc · 26/07/2012 15:12

So, lunch is over.
I had roast chicken and salad and a hard boiled egg and mayo..was delicious.
Hen had some strawberries and blueberries and whipped cream.
For dinner am thinking meatballs in tom sauce.
Looking forward to reading the rest of the book!

squoosh · 26/07/2012 15:45

Has anyone tried these roasted cauliflowery things? After making an amazing pizza base with cauliflower and now this it would seem I have in the past been unfairly dismissive of the humble cauliflower.

Sorry cauliflower!

www.delightedmomma.com/2012/01/baked-cauliflower-poppers.html

CrunchyFrog · 26/07/2012 16:25

Ok, is this usual? Day 4. I would actually kill for a donut right now. DS1 is eating a double decker NEXT TO ME. Mean.

Have had 3-egg, cream cheese and ham omelette, olives (in chilli oil, yum!) and a few nuts and seeds. I WANT SUGAR.

I'm not hungry, though. I just want something.

Blush

Doesn't help that I got AF today, normally an excuse to say fuck it and eat everything I can find.

Badvoc · 26/07/2012 18:11

Ugh...dont do cauliflower...it looks like brains!

Thats my thing atm crunchy I am not craving bread at all which amazes me! Would gnaw my own arm off at the wrist for some sugar though :(

Am dreading AF tbh...I feel that I am sort of ok atm but I know when AF comes its usually a carb and sugar blow out....will be very interesting/terrifying to see how I cope this time...

Badvoc · 26/07/2012 18:11

Can I ask?...what nuts can you have and how many?

captainmummy · 26/07/2012 18:19

squoosh - I quite often roast cauli in the oven when i do roast veg, it's lovely. You do need to use fresh, tho not frozen. Broccoli too.

Bad - i eat brazil nuts and walnuts - walnuts on the basis that i don't actually like them,so don't eat the entire packet!

Badvoc · 26/07/2012 18:29

ew..i dont like walnuts either....I am guessing peanuts/hazelnuts etc are banned? Can you have nuts and raisins?

Badvoc · 26/07/2012 18:38

can you have peanuts?????.........and how many?

QueenStromba · 26/07/2012 19:02

Nothing is banned! If you get into that sort of mindset early on then it will make it harder to stick to long term. If you really want a rule to follow though make it "Don't eat anything carby unless it's going to be really worth it". I had a dessert in a restaurant a couple of weeks ago, the rest of the meal had been lovely so I knew that the dessert would be really nice. I ate it slowly and enjoyed every mouthful and if I didn't like it I would have left it. I've also had sushi in a really nice restaurant a couple of times but wouldn't even consider cheap sushi.

Anyway, peanuts and raisins are both pretty high carb so would fall into the category of things to not eat often in any great quantity and to only eat if you think you're going to really enjoy it. 10-20g won't kill your diet if that's the only high carb thing you have in a day though - avoid if you're likely to trough the whole packet though. Hazlenuts aren't too bad I think, you could have about 50g of them without it getting too carby. I get snack sized packets of nuts from Tesco to help me avoid eating vast quantities in a sitting.

OP posts:
Badvoc · 26/07/2012 19:30

Its hard to get into that mindset isn't it? That you can have anything? Today I have eaten ( by my standards ) a lot.
I am not exactly hungry but would like something to munch on iyswim?
Not had any wheat since Sunday!! Any cheating i have done has been with GF stuff so it's not too bad...
I told my brother today and he didn't believe I had had no bread since Sunday :)
I hope I can keep it up...
Had about 12 pcs of GF penne, Tom sauce and meatballs...was yum.

jollymary · 26/07/2012 22:08

Hello, I have been doing the John Briffa thing for three days, sick of feeling run down, insomnia, etc. Was recently diagnosed with PCOS, also would love to lose a stone. So far, really impressed by how much better I feel, with much sharper concentration at work and more energy. Just find it so hard to believe I will ever lose my flabby tum eating cheese, eggs, bacon, cream...... Can it really be true?!! And if it is, can it be sustained in the long term? Also slightly concerned about the cost, seem to have been going to shops daily for more supplies.....

Badvoc · 27/07/2012 08:17

Jolly...yes I have spent a lot in the last few days!
However, I then remember that the big food corps have spent many years packing carb food with cheap stabilisers and fructose and corn syrup which are all really cheap as they have no nutritional value at all.
Then I feel better :)
I am doing briffa light...I still have lacto free milk 2 a day in my decaf coffee and will have GF pasta and potatoes 1 per week too.
Have had no wheat since Saturday!! Longest I have ever gone I think!
For me no wheat is what I am hoping will make me feel better.
I will also try and have 2 pcs of fruit per day, just not baanans!!

topsi · 27/07/2012 09:12

Yesterday I had:
greek yogurt, strawbs and 1/2 teaspoon honey for breakfast
edam cheese and cucumber cubes as a snack,
Salad with feta cheese, avocado, seeds for lunch,
Tea steak, broccoli and sweet potato
banana and weetabix last thing.
had coffee with sugar first thing but then only water and mint tea.
How does this look?
I am going for low carb not no carb as feel I need some carb last thing or a wake up hungry.
I will have to work on the sugar in coffee but it was just the one, also know the banana ans weetabix is not great but had no sugar with it.
Have done low carb before and lost weight but felt funny.
This time I don't feel funny or hungry but don't feel like I am loosing.
Any advice please??

NCIS · 27/07/2012 09:13

Weighed myself today and have lost 3lbs!!!! Can't quite believe it. I finished nights yesterday and normally just want to eat and sleep but this time I had loads of energy.
I love not having to look at labels to see how much fat things have.

CrunchyFrog · 27/07/2012 09:35

I had celeriac wedges last night with chicken and goats cheese salad. The celeriac killed the carb craving, so glad I didn't have that donut!

Added salt, don't normally like it but was craving.

5lb off since Monday! Shock

Badvoc · 27/07/2012 09:48

One Robles I have is that I am allergic to cheeses and yoghurt :(
Any ideas/ tips for breakfast and snacks that's aren't egg based??
I like eggs but it's getting a bit boring now.....

Badvoc · 27/07/2012 09:48

Only problem....sigh...bloody iapd

quirkychick · 27/07/2012 10:29

Badvoc can you have a smoothie with almond or coconut milk, flaxseed/ground almonds and berries? You could also add protein shake, vanilla or almond essence to taste. Make it the night before, put in the fridge for a quick drinkable breakfast.

Or bacon and mushrooms/tomato, a little melon or avocado with ham/smoked salmon. Leftovers?

Whoever it was that talked about waist measurements - that's me too. I have waist of 31" and hips 36", so although I am not overweight my waist:hip ratio is not so good. Classic up and down figure, really.

QueenStromba · 27/07/2012 11:07

topsi I'd be surprised if your carbs are low enough to lose weight to be honest - I just did a quick tot up on MFP and the banana, weetabix and sweet potato on their own probably came to at least 80g of carbs. The Primal Blueprint is generally regarded as being quite high carb for a low carb plan and under that you're supposed to stick to less than 100g of carbs plus avoid processed food, wheat and legumes and limit your dairy.

Also, by eating something really carby last thing at night you're losing a lot of time where your insulin is low enough for you to burn fat overnight. What's so bad about waking up hungry?

How did you feel funny when you low carbed before? I reckon 95% of the time when people don't feel fantastic on low carb then they are low on electrolytes and will feel better if they start putting loads of lo-salt on their food. Have a look back through the thread - I posted a list of the common symptoms of low electrolytes a couple of days ago. If this thread survives long enough to need a second thread that list is going in the first post because I think it's that important.

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