Weight Loss the Old Style Way! Part 7. Please read posts 1 and 2 before posting.

TrixieB

Caterina I am trying to do low carb/low GI but also low fat too. I am having sweet potatoes or cauliflower instead of potatoes, brown wholegrain rice instead of white, no white bread/pasta/cakes/biccies etc but generally trying to have not many carbs at all aside from my morning porridge as I know personally it doesn't affect me in the way others do. Also having the odd dark rye ryvita or oatcake here and there.

Am going to try cauliflower rice this week!

Had a weekend of party food, pizza, breaad, chips and feel disgustingly bloaty.

Rose_Wood

Evening All,

Just got in from work so a quick post before I go off to bed.

B: Toast with blackcurrant jam.
L: Spinach and mushroom lasagne. Apple
Prawn salad wrap. Raspberries with Greek yoghurt.

Exercise: 6 mile walk this morning and about 1/2 mile later on with DGD who I looked after for a few hours this afternoon.

Rose

CCP

Morning all.

Yesterday wasn't a particularly good day for me: I've given myself a stern reminder this morning that one treat a day is fine, but more than that is likely to lead to me putting back on all the weight I've worked so hard to lose.

Today goes:

B - summer fruit cereal with SS milk
S - banana
L - don't know yet as I ate the last of the bread - which was meant for my sandwiches - with my dinner last night. :doh:
S - apple
D - fishcake with roast veg in pesto sauce

Exercise - I'll try to get in a brief walk at lunchtime but I've got a meeting so it may end up being a very brief walk if I want time to eat lunch as well

Have a good day, all, and hello Caterina! :wave:

ragz_2

Is anyone doing low-carb on this thread?

Caterina, welcome to the thread.

Low carb diets - it is very important for anyone considering a low carb diet to do your research and understand enough about nutrition and how our body uses nutrients like carbohydrates, before you try to cut them out/reduce them. Carbs are important for energy, which you will need plenty of when losing weight because you should be exercising and also if you have low energy you will want to eat more.

There are different types of carbs, so if you are cutting down make sure you have more of the complex carbs (wholegrains etc) and less of the simple ones (sugar, white bread) so you are getting the best out of the carbs you do have.
A major problem with any restrictive diet is that you are only ON it until you lose weight, so when you stop your low carb diet and return to carbs you are likely to put the weight back on again, or struggle maintaining while eating 'normally'...
I won't say low carbing is always bad, many of us have far too many carbs in our diet than we need, so reducing consumption may help but there should be a balance. Healthy weight loss (and certainly Old Style Weight Loss) should involve simple, sustainable lifestyle changes that you aim to keep for good, not faddy quick fix ones.

Do some research (it is especially important for vegetarians to have a good understanding of nutrition as it is easy to miss out on some vital nutrients), have a look at the NHS site on healthy eating and see what a balanced diet should look like. With exercise and a reduction in overall calorie consumption it is possible (and advisable) to lose weight steadily and sustainably while not missing out on anything.

Personally, I have certainly reduced carbs... instead of having a sandwich/toast for lunch I have soup with half/one slice of bread (or none if there's carbs in the soup). I have less pasta/rice/potatoes than I would have had with my meals as mine were always carb heavy. The carbs are still there but there are less of them, however I would say that nearly half my overall calorie intake most days is from the carbs in my diet - which is as it should be.

LittleMoog

Morning all

Today's meals:
Breakfast: fruit corner
Lunch: houmous and rocket wrap, satsumas, apple
Dinner: macaroni cheese, broccoli, peas

Exercise: going to try out a step class with my friend

dinner disaster last night, the coriander (use by date today) had liquefied in it's pack, so decided to have chicken pesto pasta. Got the kettle on to boil and looked in the pesto jar, and it was mouldy, so had to do a last minute change to fajitas instead!

Had gym induction 1 last night, my bingo wings are hurting today . Feeling very positive though, as DH has really committed to going to the gym etc, I was feeling like I'd have to force him into it, but he's all enthusiastic :j (I'm hoping it's not just because you can watch TV on the cardio machines, fancy new gym!) Induction 2 on Thursday, and then we have to make an appointment to get a personalised workout set up.

Caterina

Hi all

Thank you for the welcomes! Also thank you for your concern about the low carb diet. I have done one already since 1st February and feel that it suits me and my body (no more bloating, no more hunger pangs or low blood sugar dips in the afternoon!). However doing it too strictly would not be good for anyone, you are right Ragz about doing research and looking into nutritional values etc.!

My current state of affairs is that during the summer I went to Italy and scoffed lots of sugary things, so I have got myself a renewed addiction to sugars (simple carbs) so I really need to re-break that addictions. This means a couple of weeks really really careful, just protein and vegetable carbs and no starches even the good ones.

Once I am back on course I shall re-introduce the good carbs, such as porridge oats, oatcakes, brown rice and pulses, as well as occasional slices of good quality wholemeal seeded bread. This way of eating has worked for me and it is just a matter of breaking the pudding habit again. I have a good knowledge of nutrition and would not embark on a crazy extreme diet! I am also being careful to drink plenty of water, decaf and herbal tea and to take a good quality daily multivitamin and mineral supplement (will not need this once I go back to maintenance diet).

Today's food:

Breakfast: Scrambled egg with smoked salmon
Lunch: Mixed salad of rocket, cress, tomato and peppers with crumbled Lancashire cheese, small handful of mixed nuts (some also to be used as snack)
Dinner (planned): Sauteed greens, steamed cauliflower, cod in tomato sauce, Greek yogurt.

Hope you all have a good day x

sparrer

Morning all, hi Caterina :hello:

B - Slice of melon
L - Chicken/veg casserole
D - Tomato & herb soup, ham sandwich with 2 slices of WW wm bread
Snacks - toffee Muller, banana, satsumas and a sliver of Vic sponge

Exercise - Beautiful morning but very ccccold here today, so lots of warming exercise like ironing, polishing, changing beds and possibly mowing the lawn if it dries out a bit more

Happy Tuesday

TrixieB

I've run out of porridge, how can I have not noticed !!!!!!?! Well I know how I can have but that's not the point am annoyed at myself now and I was all keyed up too!
So had 3 ryvita, 3 ex lite laughing cows and 3 slices ham for my breakfast instead

Rather chilly here today! Snuggled under a woolly blanky watching River Cottage Veg for some inspiration have got a pumpkin that I was going to make into soup but am now thinking I might roast it whole and then stuff it with leftover veggie fried rice from tonight hmmmmm.....

pollys

Evening

Not sure how I've managed it but I have lost another 3.5lbs.:j The only thing I have done differently is cut out bread and weetabix. I was starting to feel really uncomfortably bloated and someone suggested to cut them out. I now have porridge made with skimmed milk for breakfast (no sugar - I'm getting use to it) and take soup to work for lunch. I do miss bread and it does mean I have to plan my meals a bit better but if it helps my weight loss It's worth it.

Well done everyone

Pollys x

TrixieB

Had lentil and veggie soup at lunch and just had frylited fish with a splash of soy and chilli, some edamame bean salad from Asda and a couple of tortillas - bit naughty but needed a bit of a carb fix.

Pollys, well done!