Low-carb diets support thread

Buttonmoons

It does suck, truly......Hah.

Oh I don't feel the need to scoff crisps and whatnot since being on the diet I did have some pork scratchings earlier, as I couldn't be bothered making anything - Lazy

Just had some leftover curry + cauliflower for breakfast :rotfl:

Lunch I think will be 2 haggis sausages, 1 poached egg, baby leaf spinach.

Dinner - Not sure yet, I have a fridge full of meat, so inspiration or meal ideas would be great

Of top of my head, I have a whole duck, loads of packets of lamb chops, mince, frying beef, cubed beef, hamburgers (though, I dunno the carb content of those as I put them in freezer bags to save space when I bought them a while ago)


Maybe I'll make beef fajitas, and use a lettuce leaf as my "tortilla"

DEBTMONKEY1A

Hey all! THANKS SO MUCH for keeping me motivated during my stall....! Ok...anyone that doesn't know me or any newbies 'lurking'....I'm a lad in my mid 40's (feel 21!)..at 14 st 2 I thought time to lose weight. Dabbled in LC 2 years ago but gave up after 3 days (the key to LC is READ READ READ-articles online, books, forums etc). I was 11 stone when I met my GF 12 years ago. Allways been slimish....in fact in my late teens/early 20's I could just about fit in a 28 inch pair of trousers! In fact I remember weighing myself at around 18 & I was 9 stone 12 (too thin!). Usuual story-weight slowly crept on. Very fond of big pizzas...etc & lived off sandwiches. never a huge sweet/cake eater though. My mate came up in November with his twin toddlers & I looked more like an overwight Phil Mitchel (sorry Phil!) so spurred myself into action. I've also never been a fan of pasta particularly.

My vice however....is good neat Vodka (not for breakfast ! but I do like a few when I finish work at 10-I'm in sales...crap excuse & am cutting back now!).

So...started LCing on 6/12. Lost a few kgs quickly (down to 85.5-86-cheap crap scales!)...then...NOTHING. No gain as such for 2 weeks. I'm afraid the old voddie count was high over xmas/new year...(!). However....I was shocked to have put on som kgs...ended up just 1.2kgs under my original weight-which disheartened me a bit (did have a curry takeout 2 nights in a row-1/2 chappati each day..maybe that was it-but ketostix still showed pink/purple) No slips really...I aim at 20-25 carbs a day (30 absolute max at mo)...initially I lost on 30-35 gms (I was subtracting fibre from carb counts on labels-not knowing in uk it's deducted...d'oh!) then once I'd discovered my carb counting error I reduced to 20-25. I follow no particular plan (sorry Atkins fans but I think cutting out berries etc & the odd ryvita is too restrictive & not for me) & make sure I have low carb veg/fruit daily. I also make my own 'bread' from flax & almond-A LIFESAVER for quick snacks/meals-also full of fibre (i think bread is a big stumbling block for people so a substitute i good to have to hand). I've recently (9 days ago) started going to the gym again. 20-30 mins cardio-weights as well-not hardcore weights-just to tone-I go 3 times a week.

I went on the Tanita TBF-300 body analyser..with the help of a personal trainer. I was SHOCKED TO BE TOLD MY BODAY FAT % WAS 25.3 % (just into top range of 'healthy' for my age/height)...yet scales showed otherwise...hence my despondant posts earlier. However...on reading the links kind members posted on here it was just water weight-(after the initial water loss the body stores WATER in the fat cells as initially it thinks it's being starved-however at some point-anything I understand from 4 weeks to 2 months the body realises that fat buring/ketosis is it's primary source of fule & whoosh....the water starts going!)-so I was really motivated by the readings. My fat 'mass' (total weight of fat) was 22.7kg on Saturday-on Monday it was 21.9kg & yesterday was 21.1kg! Every day since Saturday I've lost..in fact I'm 0.7 kg ( I know weighing daily is not advised but could not resist) down today compared to yesterday! I'm now at 87.4 kg but look MUCH slimmer...the scales are starting to move & I can see FAT is being burned. So any newbies...anyone on a stall-take note-patience is the key! I KNOW that a lot of my weight now is water....& this combined with fat now is coming off. Even had a curry on Saturday iwth one chappati (yum-cos I'm anal I wweighed it & guess around 40gms carbs??-however eaten with high protein/fat I guess it dosn't raise blood sugar much?).

Some cynical folks (!) might think it's purely the gym making the weight come off....but its impossible to lose weight that fast. However it may have been the 'kick-start' I needed......!

AND-my skin is better than ever-mood improved greatly-slight wrinkles gone!

So.......to anyone thinking of trying LC'ING here are my tips

1)-READ/READ/READ-research it...read books on WHY its good for you & how the weight loss works.

2)-BREAD. Either have just one ryvita a day or make a bread substitute (better to make it)-my recipe is easy & takes 15 mins & is cheap.

3)-Bookmark sites with carb counts. http://www.low-carbdiet.co.uk/carbcount.asp?id=19 is great & UK orientated.

4)-BE PATIENT. it does work.

5)-Look on it as a new way of eating. Sure..you can increase the carbs a bit once target weight is reached but if you understand how carbs make you fat you won't go overboard!

6)-WATER WATER WATER. 3 litres a day. Strangely water helps flush out the water in the fat cells. You could allways have zero carb squash (aldi blackcurrent is good). I have 8 pints a day.

7)-FOOD. ENJOY IT! Cheese...cream etc is not off limits. Your body will convert to burning FAT-so mayo, etc fat on meat is fine. If (Like my gf) you're a bit squemish about eating loads of fat on meat-use olive oil, mayo, etc.

8)BE PREPARED. If you can-batch cook low carb soups/casseroles etc & freeze. Burgen Linseed & soy loaf is 11 carbs approx a slice-so if you must have a daily sandwich use ONE slice cut in 2 & stack high!

9)-SUGAR. Ditch completely. Use splenda or sucrolose based sweeteneres. 0.5 gm carb/tsp (£1-20 aldi).

10)-FRUIT. A controversal one as ATKINS says no fruit 1st 2 weeks, other plans say you can. Frozen berries are cheap. 5.4 carbs/100gm fruit. Raspberries/blackbeerries/strawberrys/small apple/small satsuma. I have mine with LIDL full fat yoghurt (1.5kg tub-2.7 carbs/100g). Or...in sugar free jelly. If you have it AFTER a protein/fat meal it shouldn't have much impact on your blood sugar (never knocked me out of ketosis). LIDL have reduced sugar blackcurrent jam-28gms carbs/100gm jam-a 10 gm spoonfull on ryvita/lc bread is a real treat if you fancy something sweet!

11)-ENJOY THE FACT that you don't really need to weigh food!

Anyway....thats it from me. God I do go on! Hope this post helps any newbies/stallers & hi to the regular gang!

Minihauk

sofababe wrote: »

Also, I'm not going to the loo everyday. I'm not taking anything as I thought the psyllium husk capsules seemed rather pricey (I'm on a budget), is there something else you would suggest, what do you take? If the psyllium is what I need then I'll get it.

Thanks

If you have an asian grocers near you, they sell it in packets. I bought a box (grown in India) for £1.99 that will last at least 6 months (you only need a little at a time), instead of the capsules, you just sprinkle a bit onto food, but make sure you increase your water intake as is soaks up liquid.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Minihauk wrote: »

If you have an asian grocers near you, they sell it in packets. I bought a box (grown in India) for £1.99 that will last at least 6 months (you only need a little at a time), instead of the capsules, you just sprinkle a bit onto food, but make sure you increase your water intake as is soaks up liquid.

.

Agreed. Worth a day out even if a ddrive away for you...linseeds (flax)-£1-20 for 500gms (Holland & B-£3+!)....almonds super cheap...cashews..etc-worth stocking up!

sofababe

DEBTMONKEY1A wrote: »

.

Agreed. Worth a day out even if a ddrive away for you...linseeds (flax)-£1-20 for 500gms (Holland & B-£3+!)....almonds super cheap...cashews..etc-worth stocking up!

I have heard of using linseed. Don't you soak them overnight and then swallow them in the morning? Or am I making that up? How much should I take a day?
I've read your earlier post Debtmonkey, really helpful as I'm stalling on week 2 (day 14 today), haven't lost since last friday despite having finally been to the loo.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Sofababe...grind them-otherwise they'll 'pass straight through' (!). Cheap coffee grinder from argos...& again many asian shops sell them. Either make bread with them (check out my easy recipe)-or sprinkle over, say yoghurt with splenda & berries, etc etc. Easiest way to eat is is deffo bread! I'm sure at the start of this thread there are '2 minute' microwave recipes for bread etc. You can buy it ready ground at h +barrett but its expensive! I was mortified when weight went back ON but stick with it..!

Buttonmoons

I don't have any ketostix, but think I may go buy some, deffo think I'm in fat burning mode though as my mouth is just rank! It was slightly ming yesterday but its full on disgusting breath.....EW!

This will be my revenge when I go for a scale & polish at gum butcher dentists on the 30th, he can sit and inhale my rank KETO BREATH......(dislike him immensely)

I am at a burns night on Sat, its free wine and beer and a free meal, I think, its haggis stuffed chicken, with roasties etc. As much as I love wine, and especially, FREE wine, I won't drink it, will stick to the £1 vodka's and will eat my chicken haggis and veg, but Ill give my friend the roasties.....

No pudding for moi

Skymist

:j glad to see you're one happy monkey again DM :rotfl:

As you said, reading and gathering information is SOO important, as is remembering that each one of us is physiologically different, so what works for you might not work for me....unless I do some tweaking to make it fit my physiological make-up!!

Nice going with the weight/fat "release" people...but,remember if you "lose" something, you, or your body, will be looking to find/replace/get it back again, and you certainly don't want that fat being found and adhering to you again, do you?!!!

S

nuttybabe

hiya

debtmonkey - thats similar to my hubby. he is 36 and when we met nearly 13 years ago he was 28 inch waste. he is now 19 stone. but refuses to lc. he did years ago and lost 1 stone in the first week but couldnt keep going. he is now 'healthy eating' but the sweets he was eating last night certainly were not healthy!

hannoja - well done on the wi fit. i love it when mine says i am younger!

Buttonmoons - if you do drink wine red has less carbs, then dry white (champagne is low carb as well) are best. red and dry white and not stalled me unless i have drank a stupid amount of it! :rotfl: cant afford champagne

Pink Princess - if you dont mind sharing, how do you make egg fried cauli rice?

todays menu

b - omelette
l - spicy mince and salad
t - cauli cheese with ............. some sort of meat, need to take something out of freezer. maybe chicken. everyone else is getting pasta in a cheese sauce.

tomorrow is going to be difficult as its pizza night. might make a lc pizza parmo instead for me or a very very very thin base.

Mojisola

nuttybabe wrote: »

debtmonkey - thats similar to my hubby. he is 36 and when we met nearly 13 years ago he was 28 inch waste. he is now 19 stone. but refuses to lc. he did years ago and lost 1 stone in the first week but couldnt keep going. he is now 'healthy eating' but the sweets he was eating last night certainly were not healthy!

As he lost so much so quickly, he probably wouldn't need to go hard-core lc to gradually lose the excess weight. Would he be able to cope with just reducing the worst carbs in his diet?