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Low Carb Diets Support Thread

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  • Can I ask you knowledgeable people a couple of questions please?

    I've gone from having 300-400g carbs a day (I didn't know I had about 100g carbs just for breakfast!) to around 40g. Is this low enough? I tried going lower but it's really difficult.

    Is around 40g low enough to lose weight? My stats on MFP are set at 10% carbs, 70% fat and 20% protein. Is this a good ratio or does it need tweaking?

    I really don't want to calorie count but do I need to if I'm not going as low as 20g carbs?

    Thanks for the great thread :)

    VB x
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 11,003 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I've never counted carbs, or calories, I just reduced them as much as I could by cutting out carby foods, spuds, pasta, bread, rice, peas, beans, bananas etc. There are still carbs in what I eat, but nothing like the amounts I used to eat - my previous diet was practically all carbs!

    For me this was enough to start burning fat and losing the weight.
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  • WantToBeSE
    WantToBeSE Posts: 7,729 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped! Debt-free and Proud!
    Can I ask you knowledgeable people a couple of questions please?

    I've gone from having 300-400g carbs a day (I didn't know I had about 100g carbs just for breakfast!) to around 40g. Is this low enough? I tried going lower but it's really difficult.

    Is around 40g low enough to lose weight? My stats on MFP are set at 10% carbs, 70% fat and 20% protein. Is this a good ratio or does it need tweaking?

    I really don't want to calorie count but do I need to if I'm not going as low as 20g carbs?

    Thanks for the great thread :)

    VB x

    This question cant really be answered, as every body is different.

    For my body, i do the same as Slinky and it works fine for me. I dont eat any obviously carby or high sugar foods, and i am losing weight.
  • Thanks both of you. I'm going to carry on as I am and see how it goes. I'm certainly not hungry so that's good!

    VB x
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,571 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The cheap breath alcohol testers you can buy will register ketones.
  • Hello! I'm starting a low carb diet tomorrow. I'm not going to count carbs, just start by cutting out the obvious ones!

    How do you keep this low cost given the high cost of meat? And do you still include pulses as a cheap source of protein?
  • Allotrope wrote: »
    How do you keep this low cost given the high cost of meat? And do you still include pulses as a cheap source of protein?

    I have to admit that since I started this way of eating my grocery spends have increased, due to the increase in meat. I know people do it, but I'm not sure I could if I were vegetarian. Meat is the centre of all my meals and I'm sure it keeps me from being hungry.

    I don't eat pulses as I believe they are more than 5% carbs (generally my limit).
  • pamsdish
    pamsdish Posts: 2,585 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Hi Allotrope, I am a serious carnivore, meat every day, with the occasional fish meal.
    I am also a pensioner, if you eat steak every day, which some appear to, it will be expensive, chicken/turkey is good, thighs, breast, pork I love a nice crispy slice of belly pork, a nice pork chop, with cauli mash and other leafy green veg of choice. lots of other cheaper cuts of meat.
    I also avoid pulses as carb heavy.
    Do I need it or just want it.
  • Allotrope wrote: »
    Hello! I'm starting a low carb diet tomorrow. I'm not going to count carbs, just start by cutting out the obvious ones!

    How do you keep this low cost given the high cost of meat? And do you still include pulses as a cheap source of protein?
    No pulses or grains or legumes of any kind for us in Pirate house.

    If you start by cutting out all those obvious carbs such as bread, cakes, flours, pastries, grains, potatoes etc and take it one step at a time. Further research will show you which fruits and veg are carb heavy (Peas are, for example) and you can reduce these whenever you're comfortable with the diet.

    We try to eat organic, grass fed meat and wild caught fish which does work out a lot more expensive, but that is for other health reasons.
    You can stay HFLC on a budget although knowing how to cook the cheaper meats does help a lot and not all meals need to contain a lot of meat.
    Belly pork, pork ribs and mince beef are fairly cheap. As is a chicken. We use every part of a chicken and I can usually get around 3 main meals and 3 lunches from one chicken without wasting anything, including the nutrients from the bones. (more respect to the bird too)

    Make 'friends' with a decent butcher and ask for bones. Pork bones especially have a lot of meat on them. We get a bag full every couple of weeks which I then boil up for a good 12 hours with some veg and make pork stock.
    When I pick the bones, I end up with a lot of meat which I then use to throw into a couple of egg lunches or something like that.
    The stock is then used as a base for Pho for lunch. I add veggies, ginger, garlic, lime, a little meat (one small steak cut thin will feed us both) coconut oil, The stock is rich in fats and collagen and all the nutrients from the bones.
    Or you can use it for anything that needed a stock cube, so for savoury mince as an example.

    Oxtail isn't expensive and can make a great base for soups.

    Research, experiment and asking is the best way to go. Whenever you have any spare stock too, add a bit to the freezer so you always have the base in there for Pho, so if you don't feel like a lot of cooking you have a standby.
  • WantToBeSE
    WantToBeSE Posts: 7,729 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped! Debt-free and Proud!
    Allotrope wrote: »
    Hello! I'm starting a low carb diet tomorrow. I'm not going to count carbs, just start by cutting out the obvious ones!

    How do you keep this low cost given the high cost of meat? And do you still include pulses as a cheap source of protein?
    I have to admit that since I started this way of eating my grocery spends have increased, due to the increase in meat. I know people do it, but I'm not sure I could if I were vegetarian. Meat is the centre of all my meals and I'm sure it keeps me from being hungry.

    I don't eat pulses as I believe they are more than 5% carbs (generally my limit).

    About 90% of my diet is vegetarian/vegan. Again, you have to make it work for you. I include pulses, legumes and beans in my diet, but am still losing weight.

    This has to be sustainable long term for me, so it has to fit in with how i already eat.
    I'm doing what i am happy with, and thats what matters to me.

    Plus, processed meat has now been proven by the WHO to be carcinogenic and if doing this for health reasons (like many people are) then i would avoid bacon, sausages etc.
    However, i know there are staples for some people.

    Again, it's all about it being maintainable long term for you and your body.
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