Anyone 16st+ and low-carbing?

[Macloveswill]

Hi, I started on 1st Jan at 18st 10lbs and I have so much to lose, it would be lovely to share my journey with others who have over 6 stones to lose.

I know it's going to be a really long slog and I'll need help staying on the straight and narrow. I have to do it this year, no excuses!

So far I have lost 8.4lbs in first 11 days, but that seems tiny when I've got nearly nine stones to lose altogether. My goal is 10st.

Anyone out there? All buddies welcome

Hi Letme, welcome along to our supportive little thread congrats on your upcoming nuptials. You will soon be able to buy a much smaller wedding dress!

Many of us have a similar amount to lose as you and we're all on very similar journeys. It's interesting that you say you lost it all and then gradually put it all back on...it seems most of us are in that boat too. Most of us are also habitual yo-yo dieters. So you've come to the right place. We've all decided that this is our 'once and for all' year.

I agree with Yulelog about low carb and high fat reducing the appetite. I've literally never been hungry since I started this diet on 1st Jan, which is unheard of for me. I'm pretty sure I must've been insulin resistant (watch the YouTube vids talked about below) because a couple of hours after eating My blood sugar would crash and I'd feel shaky until I ate something else. A sure way of sabotaging any diet, noone's willpower is so strong that they can resist that kind of temptation for any real length of time and so each diet has eventually crashed and burned. Until now!

Letme...of course you're welcome even if not LCing....it's the support and encouragement that's important here, not what you're eating

Let me, I totally get you on the clean eating. After 6 months of low carbing last year, I did 6 of clean eating, and maintained very well ( and that was eating lots of fat, just no sugar).

Ooh lemon garlic chicken was really lovely, esp with the double cream stirred into the gravy at the end. The roasted garlic cloves just squeeze out of their skins and taste so good..yum!

Strawbs and full fat Greek yog for dessert.

This really doesn't feel like a diet

Hi - can I join in too? I've been doing Atkins since 5th Jan, lost just over a stone but still got a way to go. I lurk on the bootcamp thread for ideas sometimes but don't join in as I'm not actually following their plan.

The roasted green beans are really nice. I found the idea on pinterest as a recipe for 'Ugly Beans' (and the blogger took 500 words to say 'roast them with olive oil and salt'fr) I wouldn't say they're exactly like chips but certainly addictive - and I normally hate green beans!

Hi letme, welcome to our little thread, lots of support and advice here, along with chat and the occasional moan ( from me mostly!!). Congrats on your impending wedding, how exciting, thats a goal for sure. I lost 3 st for my wedding as i def didnt want to waddle down the aisle. I found it easy to be very focused, the time will just fly. I love a wedding, wish i could have my day again. Do keep us updated on your planning.

On the low carb bootcamp section there is a fab recipe thread. I posted (towards end of it) a fab recipe for lemon grass chicken - its amazing and now a staple in our house, sorry cant remember it off the top of my head.

I make, burgers with cheese, bacon and salad
Fish pie - made with cream and cream cheese
Pork belly slices
Sausages with with swede mash and veg
Parmesan and garlic roasted cauli - lush
Cauli and broccoli cheese with bacon lardons
Shepards pie with swede mash
Bologniase which i serve with broccoli
Courgetti with pepper and tomato sauce and cheese
Curries esp thai
Salads with roasted fatty meat - breast of lamb and rolled pork

There must be other stuff but thats all i can think of! Oh one more brussels sprouts - roasted, amazing! Same with broccoli.

We are all doing it differently so whatever works for you, i have to be hardcore and do the bootcamp on here as if i am not strict enough it doesnt decrease my appetite enough and i cant stick to it. When i get to maintenance i am def looking into clean eating and paelo. Carbs and sugar are def off the menu - FOREVER, mostly.

Tooth is killing me and i need it removed as it will just flair up again but need to see tooth surgeon person and they will decide if its hospital or dentist chair job. I have antibiotics and i hope they kick in soon as i am in agony. Cant eat so living off of BPC and cheese and pepperoni

Hi Prof! another new person joined whilst i was typing war and peace-yay. I didnt get shopping but def trying the green beans asap. Well done on the weightloss. Atkins, bootcamp its all very similar. I hate green beans but as i have discovered everything tastes better smothered in fat!

Didnt make my bone broth either as i realised i had but the bones in the freezer, so they are currently defrosting and will have a go tom.

Tonight I made risotto using cauli rice, mushrooms and cheese.

Other things - halloumi and chorizo baked with swede chunks

Crust less quiche

Chicken stuffed with cheese wrapped in bacon

Stuffed mushrooms

Wraps using lettuce leaves

"everything tastes better smothered in fat!" can't argue with that!

Welcome along Prof! Sounds like you're going great guns on the weightloss! It feels good to be almost two months in and still going, doesn't it? We've had a few join us in last few days....the more the merrier. I'm not following a particular diet either, just trying to cut out carbs wherever I can and trying to embrace the fat.

I agree with you Mrs...Paleo definitely sounds like the cleaner diet. I would like to end up in that direction. I've only just got used to cutting the sugar, so cutting the dairy would be a wrench, but I certainly aspire to it. It would be good to eat clean in the long term...I would one day like my body to be a temple....just not just yet haha!

I'm currently trying to peel myself off the sofa for a later than usual walk...buddyless again, so motivation is in short supply

Yulelog...I'd not thought about making a risotto with the cauli rice. What a great idea, thankyou! Risotto is one of my faves . Thinking a chicken and prawn one might get made over the weekend!

Kick, get off MNs and just do it! Give in, give up or give it your all - your little mantra got me through the hill climbs in spinning today. Let us know how you got on when you get back. Xmas dress fabulousness wont be achieved by sitting on the sofa - says she sat on the sofa!!!! lol

"It feels good to be almost two months in and still going, doesn't it?" It certainly does, this is the first 'diet' I've been on that genuinely feels like a WOE rather than a diet. It's similar to when I was vegetarian as in 'this is how I choose to eat' rather than an external set of arbitrary rules iyswim.

You're so right Mrs...hung with my own petard. Give up, give in or give it your all...it's a keeper isn't it?!

Ok it's worked....hauling my fat ass off the sofa as I type! Thanks for the kick. Can't give up or give in now can I, so better give it my all, eh?!

Sending toothache hugs x

Totally agree Prof....I feel in control for the first time in such a long time and I feel I can actually get it all off this time.

Anyway, must dash...walking now!!!

I did it....and knocked nearly 5 minutes of last night's time for the same route. Thanks for the kick Mrs! Now for a soak in the bath with candles, courtesy of DH!

WELL DONE Mac, have a fab soak in the bath, what a sweetheart your DH is.
Now you can wallow whilst feeling all smug

Thank you for all the warm welcomes

I had a chicken & mixed pepper risotto with a side salad tonight. Was bloody hungry when I went to waitrose after work to buy dinner stuff, but managed to resist the temptation of getting something nice to snack on in the hour or so before dinner was ready. So, still on track!

I think the choice of risotto was also a marked improvement. Usually I would favour a chicken, bacon and pea pesto risotto with sour cream stirred in - not a great choice for clean eating (but perhaps better for a low carber with cauli rice?)

All in all, I'm keeping on track, but the weekend beckons so I better not get too smug!

Mrs, I really feel for you with toothache. Hoping the antibiotics work for you. If not, rinsing with salt water and dabbing toothpaste on the tooth can bring temporary relief. Or, if you're really desperate, clove oil numbs it (you have to be really desperate as it tastes disgusting!)

Thanks letme - i have to syringe corsydol (sp) under the flappy bit of skin - bloody hurts and tastes disgusting and then brush it with a micro tooth brush - which also bloody hurts. I have to do this four times a day but the pain is so bad if it works i dont care!

Well done for avoiding the carby snacks on way home, thats a good couple of hundred cals saved. As i am a strict low carber i would have had the second risotto and made it with cauliflower instead of rice and stirred in loads of sour cream and butter - off to google clean eating as i obvs havent grasped it.

I weigh in monday so that helps strengthen my resolve but yes weekends are hard. Good luck

Oh that does sound nasty

I have some ketostix to play with this weekend. Tested this morning and got a dark purple (hoorah) I'm planning on having some wine on Saturday night (once a week treat) so will test again Sunday morning to see if it has an effect.

Sorry to say Prof but wine will have an effect - just ask Mac, she doesnt start loosing until the thursday after a tipple but you cant be so strict that it makes you miserable or we wont ever last the distance.

If your ketostix are very dark are you drinking enough? I drink nearly 4l a day and it does affect my losses if i dont drink enough. Whether you stay in ketosis might depend on how much you drink!! Have some lovely low carb nibbles in so if you fancy something you wont reach for the wrong thing, i love parmesan crisps.

I have apparently put on 4lbs - overnight. Lying scales, i think its to do with the exercise, it will be interesting to see what the scales say on monday - i knew i shouldnt have jumped on them!

It was the first wee of the day so bound to be strong. I do drink loads so no worries there.

What I want to see is the exact effect of the wine. I did dry January and lost tons then once I started drinking wine at weekends again it settled down to about 1.5lbs a week which is still reasonable. I'm attempting to find out exactly how long the effects of wine last for me so that I know what's going on and can manipulate things if need be. eg have some wine if it's a special occasion or just because I fancy it but then abstain for a week to counteract it.

As you say, if I didn't have wine at all I'd feel deprived. For a month or so it's OK but I'm here for the long haul so need a plan I can realistically stick to long term.

Hello thread alcoholic here yes drinking does seem to slow me down Prof....but Like Mrs said, you can't be miserable and this diet has to fit around your normal life or it's not sustainable. So bottoms up I'd say! Not this weekend for me though, I want to find out what I can lose without drinking for the first time since week 2.

I haven't tried wine yet, I thought vodka and slimline tonic/soda would be better, but dry white wine is apparently ok and I've already established vodka slows things down, so I'd be interested to know how you get on with the wine. The Paleo book recommends wine rather than vodka because it's potato based too. Also wondering if a dry champagne or prosecco will work in the same way as ordinary dry white.? Or maybe I'd be better with gin? We certainly need to establish which alcohol has the least effect on weightloss.

Your tooth regime sounds brutal Mrs, I hope it's working!

I'n wearing a fitted jumper today that previously was a bit tight and showed off my delightful under-bra back fat. Now it's pretty loose and no back fat is evident at all. Result! I seem to be looking slimmer around the upper chest/shoulder area in it too. Oh please return collar bones, oh how I've missed you! no real sign of them yet, but definitely a marked improvement. My bras seem to be fitting better too.

Morning all. I hope your toothache is a little better today are all that syringing and microbrushing Mrs!

I had a go on the scales this morning - I think I am 3lb down since Sunday, which I'm pleased with. I say think because when I weighed myself on Sunday I wasn't wearing glasses/contacts, so there's a fair chance I read the number wrong! Regardless, I feel better in myself, more energy, getting up a bit easier in the morning etc, so something is working.

I'm also considering wine in relation to weight loss. I don't have the issue of ketosis to think about, so I think I am going to continue to drink wine at weekends and see how I get on. After doing dry January, I find I'm drinking less anyway so will try the moderation approach.

I've already decided I'm going to be more relaxed about weekends. It worked for me when I lost the weight last time, so I'm hoping it will this time as well. When I say relaxed, I mean still sticking to no snacks, reasonably healthy meals and making sure I exercise but not worrying about things like having a roast potato with Sunday dinner or a couple of glasses of wine on Friday night.

As everyone has said, if this is for life, it needs to be realistic.

Good work Mac. It's really motivating to hear about noticable differences in your body and looser clothes from someone who's been at this for a couple of months. Hopefully that will be me at the end of April! I have so many clothes I can wear if I can get a few stones off.

If I feel wobbly over the weekend, I shall think about this summer and being able to wear some of my lovely tops which haven't seen daylight in a couple of years instead of covering up with cardigans etc even though it's bloody boiling!