can anyone help this pasta/rice loving family to reduce carb intake please

easy

Hi everyone.

I have been surfing the web for some tips but can't see anything particularly inspiring, so I thought I would ask you wise people.

My lovely husband (lh) is rather .. erm .. fat (his words), and I'm heading that way too. 15 year old computer games mad, inactive son has a touch more padding than I would like. Over the last few months, we have played that silly game of "cutting down a bit", where we all fool ourselves that we are making an effort, and although we haven't gained any weight over that time :T, we haven't lost any either .

Soooo we have to DO SOMETHING.
I read a brilliant article in the Times last Saturday by Daniel Finkelstein, who has lost 3 stones in 37 weeks healthily. He eats less & moves about more. But among the less he eats is he now doesn't eat pasta. As a family who LUUUURVE pasta, and also eat rice a couple of times every week, I want/need inspirational recipes to help us feel less deprived.

Any suggestions eagerly accepted by lh and I, who really do want to lose weight

p.s. we tried the 5:2 for 3 months-ish last year, which worked for me, but lh didn't get on with it at all, just in case someone was going to suggest it.

purpleshoes_2

Theres a site called nom nom Paleo that has some very good recipes.

lulalola

Would your family eat wholewheat pasta? Fewer calories, carbs and sugars, and higher fibre, so better for digestive health. I switched a few years ago and now much prefer wholewheat pasta/spaghetti and bread. Brown rice is good with chillis, savoury stirfries, and tomato dishes too.

ViolaLass

I eat pasta and bread all the time and am not overweight. Just get some exercise and portion sizes sensible. Carbs are not the enemy.

xbrenx

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

The above link is brilliant for following a Low Carb, High Fat eating plan.

cte1111

I think you need to find a healthy eating plan that does allow you to eat your favourite foods, but makes other changes that should help you all lose weight. There's no point trying to give up everything you love, you are much less likely to stick to it, you might lose for a short time but then will be more likely to give up and put it back on.

I've been doing slimming world, (lost 3 stone since last July), which allows you to eat as much pasta and rice as you like, but limits other foods, such as bread, sugar and fat. You could adapt your favourite sauce recipes to cook without (or much less) olive oil, for example, but use more spices to add flavour in that way.

I'm sure there are other plans that would also let you do something similar too.

fairy_lights

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoodle-Chef-Vegetable-Spiralizer/dp/B00LBGOX5U
Buy one of these and make courgette pasta, you can also make 'rice' out of cauliflower.

ciderwithrosie_2

It's more likely your portion sizes that are out of whack. Pad meals out with salad/veg so you don't notice a smaller portion of pasta or rice. It also takes longer to eat and fills you up more. Pasta and rice don't take much chewing and slip down easily, so before you're full, you've eaten a large amount.

Have a look online for suggested portion sizes and find something to measure it in. I use my American measuring cups for dishing up rice etc. and/or use the scales.

globalds

A simple start is to the change the ratio of carbs on your plate.

A simple rule is no more than a hand full of carbs each meal .
so a potato is hand full , a small bowl of rice is a hand full not really sure about spaghetti.

So imagine a Sunday dinner ..a coule of roast potato's then start loading the plate with cabbage . cauliflower cheese and carrots then meat ..nearly the same ..just a heap more vegetables and probably not a Yorkshire pudding.

Try changing the ratio of the carbs you use as a simple way of seeing if there are any results.

It can be quite hard at the beginning if you are used to eating lots of carbs ..There is a kind of feeling of satisfaction after a meal full of carbs that is hard to replicate ..eating fats helps ..cheese or butter... Oh and be careful of hidden carbs ..like the breadcrumbs in sausages.

Good luck

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Measure out your usual amount of dry rice or pasta.

Then put half of it back into the bag and half into the water.


Use a smaller plate and fill the perceived space with salad vegetables.

meer53

I'm another fan of Slimming World, 2 and a half stones lost in 6 months eating pasta, rice and potatoes whenever i like. It won't be the pasta you're eating which is affecting your weight, it's what you eat with it. Pasta is fat free.