Finding it hard to low carb

Nicki

I signed up for a weight loss programme at the gym a few weeks ago but am finding things hard going because their approach is paleo/low carb and I find that hard to fit in with my lifestyle.

The problem is that my job sometimes requires me to eat out with clients and my social life also sometimes involves eating food prepared by friends. So maybe 1 or 2 meals per week break the rules but this seems to be enough to stop me losing weight. In 4 weeks I have only lost about 3lbs in weight

I don't have masses to lose. I am about 7lb over the top weight in the range for my height and ideally maybe would like to lose a stone in total. I am working out 3 times a week cardio and weights.

With a reduced calorie diet if I had a high calorie meal I'd cut back for the rest of the day and maybe even the next day but what do low carvers do if they end up having a higher carb day or horrors some bread which the trainer seems to think is the devils food.

The trainer himself is no help with this. His great idea was that when entertaining clients who tend to be senior corporate types I should bring a Tupperware of my own food to the restaurant!

Mojisola

Nicki wrote: »

In 4 weeks I have only lost about 3lbs in weight

I don't have masses to lose. I am about 7lb over the top weight in the range for my height and ideally maybe would like to lose a stone in total.

About a 1lb a week is a reasonable loss when you have so little to lose.

Are you taking measurements as well? If you're working out, you might be building muscle which will weigh more than the fat you're losing.

Edwardia

As a low carber since 2012 because I have diabetes, I know that it is difficult to eat out. I also sympathise with you because your trainer's attitude, frankly, stinks.

Starters could be smoked salmon or avocado or pate with a few crackers not toast. Ask about soups because they can be floury if made there or have hidden sugar in if bought in.

Steak with a salad and freshly made French dressing not sweetened bottled/sachet stuff. Or vegetables any style - you really only need to stay clear of potatoes and any sauce with a lot of flour.

Some hamburgers/beefburgers/meatballs will be low carb others not - ask Qs.

Mixed grill provided high meat content sausages and no hash browns, barbecue/baked beans with the steak/chops.

Grilled or pan fried fish, omelette, any veg dish which doesn't contain spuds, pasta, bread. Moules mariniere - if a cream sauce find out if it has a lot of flour some are made with wine rather than cream.

Instead of bread, see if there is anything like olives or nuts or deli sliced meats which would go with what you are eating, for example Mediterranean style.

Chinese food often has sugar added, ask if they can do yours without and have veggies not rice or noodles. Italian food is difficult cos mostly pasta based. If you see konjac or shirataki noodles these are really low carb.Obviously rice is a no but if you read menu and ask Qs you may find something in Japanese restaurant.

A FEW crackers with cheese won't harm. Puddings are out unless you find a dark chocolate mousse made with cream and high content cocoa chocolate, without loads of sugar.

Fruit and cream as long as it's not in syrup/juice. A couple of small note small scoops of a fairly low carb ice cream like Kelly's of Cornwall clotted cream ice cream would be OK.

If you do go to a chain restaurant, look up the menu on their website beforehand. I have found that places like Wetherspoons will sub salad for chips or potatoes at no extra charge, always.

HTH

lessonlearned

Some great ideas there Edwardia.

maddiemay

Nicki
You have received some great replies here, FWIW here are my thoughts.

I agree with Mojisola, take a few key measurements, bust, waist, hips, tops of arms and thighs perhaps, doing weights and cardio will promote muscle which weighs more than fat.

Half to one pound per week of weight loss is realistic for the amount of weight that you want to loose and there is more chance that you will keep the weight off if it comes off slowly.

Your trainer is probably (and not being at all professional) geared up to working with heavier people who would loose weight more quickly, boot camp type of stuff.

Great ideas from Edwardia, I eat lowish carb to keep my weight in check (BMI 22-23) and because "normal" carb consumption bloats me and slows me down, also because I just do not like potatoes/chips, I always ask for them to be left off my meal, or just leave them on the plate. I prefer savoury over sweet so will always look for a starter and a main, or just a main.

MrsRogers

Don't be afraid to ask the waitress to amend your meal. You are the paying customer so they are generally really helpful.
Eg DH took me for lunch and I ordered the Chicken burger (chicken breast) I asked for it with no bun and a larger salad instead of chips.
They brought out and it was gorgeous.

Friends is slightly harder as you don't want to put people out... However if they are good friend why not mention you are on low carb.... Or offer to contribute and take something low carb with you.

SeduLOUs

Low carbs is absolutely not for me. Rather than go on about it though, I'll let David Mitchell explain because he's far more articulate and funny than I am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttMrSCnQnnk

terra_ferma

I think you need to decide if low carb is for you, rather than just do it because that's what your instructors is telling you to.
A lot of people love it because it suits them, while other people feel it's not for them.
I would be wary of working with someone with such a one-size-fits-all approach.

Edwardia

Re: friends, my mother was wailing abt feeding me. I buy pre-cooked seafood in her local supermarket plus a jar of sauce under 10g carbs per 100g and konjac boodles/pasta. Stir fry veg, add sauce, drain and rinse noodles, stir in then add seafood, heat through and serves both of us.

That's absolutely right that one way of eating doesn't fit everybody, Whether it's tracking the amount of calories or carbs you eat, or cutting out particular things or becoming an exercise fiend - they all take discipline.

Some diets are unsustainable long-term because they are weird or too restrictive.

The only thing which really works is changing the way you eat so that it's healthier. For example, I won't eat anything that's not organic or wild - or at least additive free. That excludes a lot of processed food so I end up eating more veggies - which aren't as fattening as cream cakes, macaroni cheese or pot noodles.

notanewuser

Nicki wrote: »

I signed up for a weight loss programme at the gym a few weeks ago but am finding things hard going because their approach is paleo/low carb and I find that hard to fit in with my lifestyle.

The problem is that my job sometimes requires me to eat out with clients and my social life also sometimes involves eating food prepared by friends. So maybe 1 or 2 meals per week break the rules but this seems to be enough to stop me losing weight. In 4 weeks I have only lost about 3lbs in weight

I don't have masses to lose. I am about 7lb over the top weight in the range for my height and ideally maybe would like to lose a stone in total. I am working out 3 times a week cardio and weights.

With a reduced calorie diet if I had a high calorie meal I'd cut back for the rest of the day and maybe even the next day but what do low carvers do if they end up having a higher carb day or horrors some bread which the trainer seems to think is the devils food.

The trainer himself is no help with this. His great idea was that when entertaining clients who tend to be senior corporate types I should bring a Tupperware of my own food to the restaurant!

When I was hard-core low carbing I took my own food to a wedding!

A one off blow out will knock you back, and you'll need to drink plenty of water and have extra fat and protein to dilute the overall effect of the carbs. But put simply, you either low carb or you don't. You can't have bits of carbs here and there. I managed for 3 years to do it. Mess with menus, warn friends in advance, take your own food if you have to. But only if you're committed to it - if it's not something you want to do you're not going to manage to do it properly. (I was veggie so it was even harder. It just takes some thinking about.)

(PS - stopping low carbing while pregnant/breastfeeding has left me with some liver damage. Having done more research low carb is something you need to commit to for life. You can't dip in and out without risking your health.)

Gloomendoom

terra_ferma wrote: »

I think you need to decide if low carb is for you, rather than just do it because that's what your instructors is telling you to.

Very true. I lost a fair bit of weight low carbing but I found it a pretty miserable existence.

As others have said, the less you have to lose, the harder it is to lose it. 3lbs in four weeks is pretty good going.