My Low Carb Journey - Page 3

[JTA Mom]

Good to know I don't need extra carbs for workouts, chiromamma. Maybe I can get my rear in the gym during induction.

Week 2/Day 13

So far so good. Yesterday I was SUPER hungry. As in, my 'acid test' of asking myself if I'm willing to eat *another* egg was answered yes more often than no. Stayed within carbs. Thought, what the heck, let's enter everything into fitday. Just to see where my nutrients are.

Good news? Other than vitamin d & e and calcium, I surpassed all my other vitamin & mineral needs. With real food. Mmmmmmm. All on 20 carbs a day. So it can be done! The vit. d I need to get out and get some sun, the vit. e I need to eat some nuts. As for the calcium, I don't think fitday counts bone broth, and my 'intolerance' to dairy doesn't help that. Oh well, a pill for that.

Bad news? I eat 2900 calories!!! 2900. In one day. O.M.G. I nearly passed out! 70% of it was from fat (lots of it due to olive oil usage). The previous day was 1600, so it's not like I'm eating nearly 3000 calories every day.

I have no clue what to do. Should I try to keep my calories low today & tomorrow? Just forget about it and move on?

Also, anyone have any good hunger killers?

Ami

[chiromamma]

Originally Posted by JTA Mom

Bad news? I eat 2900 calories!!! 2900. In one day. O.M.G. I nearly passed out! 70% of it was from fat (lots of it due to olive oil usage). The previous day was 1600, so it's not like I'm eating nearly 3000 calories every day.

I have no clue what to do. Should I try to keep my calories low today & tomorrow? Just forget about it and move on?

Also, anyone have any good hunger killers?

Ami

Are you eating lots of salads and above the ground veggies? I know there are so many low carb programs...SB, Atkins, Fat Flush, Primal/ Paleo. Some emphasize fats and proteins above all else, others emphasize heaps of veggies. The fats/ protein ones can certainly lead to excess calories. I tend to do best when I grab a veggie before anything else.

[Jennifer Z]

Hi all! I am happy to find this thread! I have been doing low carb/low glycemic load/primal type eating since August/September, added in moderate exercise in October. I started at 275 and am now between 240-245. I don't count carbs or calories, largely because I see weight loss and improved health, so I don't feel the need to tweak it yet. I eat mostly giant salads (seriously, we got the "serving bowls" that matched our wedding china just to have a nice big bowl for salad) that include lots of protein, usually vinegar and oil (although we do Bleu cheese and Ceasar sometimes too), and I make sure to get enough fat in my diet. I didn't cut out dairy at this point because I LOVE cheese, and right now, being able to eat cheese makes it a lot easier to drop all the grains.

My three standard meal types are: omelet, soup, and salad. I take the pizza and sandwich topping combination I like and put them into these three venues and it makes for much easier meal planning since I still prepare food for people not following the plan. I keep bone broth in my freezer so that I can just heat that up and throw ingredients in when I want something warm and am tired of omelets.

[claybear]

Made it trough thanksgiving but then my whole family got a vomit bug and low carb was out the window. Tomorrow I am back on the wagon!

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by chiromamma

Are you eating lots of salads and above the ground veggies? I know there are so many low carb programs...SB, Atkins, Fat Flush, Primal/ Paleo. Some emphasize fats and proteins above all else, others emphasize heaps of veggies. The fats/ protein ones can certainly lead to excess calories. I tend to do best when I grab a veggie before anything else.

Currently doing atkins. I ate almost all my carbs in the form of eggplant, cauliflower, zucchini & spinach. I'm wondering if I need to tweak it a bit for the 'hungry' times. Not sure how, though. I'm trying to keep the calories low today and subbing in a lot more protein than fat. Still a bit hungry, but nothing like yesterday. Maybe the fat just was too much?

Originally Posted by Jennifer Z

My three standard meal types are: omelet, soup, and salad. I take the pizza and sandwich topping combination I like and put them into these three venues and it makes for much easier meal planning since I still prepare food for people not following the plan. I keep bone broth in my freezer so that I can just heat that up and throw ingredients in when I want something warm and am tired of omelets.

Welcome, Jennifer! And I'm going to steal that idea, if you don't mind. Pizza/sandwich combos in my eggs, soup and salad. Mmmmm. Do you have any specific examples of doing that? Do you still make the 'regular' versions for everyone else?

Originally Posted by claybear

Made it trough thanksgiving but then my whole family got a vomit bug and low carb was out the window. Tomorrow I am back on the wagon!

I hope everyone feels better soon!

Ami

[chiromamma]

JTA Mom...I think I've done every low carb diet but Atkins.
Can you eat celery w/ nut butter? What about almonds? Hard boiled eggs?
Fat Flush integrates 100% cranberry juice into the low carb plan. I frequently have a FF smoothie for breakfast or a snack.

Spalsh of 100% cranberry juice
Water to equal 1 cup.
Handful of berries (blue, straw or both)
Scoop of whey protein powder (unsweetened or stevia sweetened)
Squirt of flax oil.

I realize this is not pure Atkins, Primal or SB but it is quite satisfying, very low carb and cranberries are so good for the liver and kidneys.

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by JTA Mom

Welcome, Jennifer! And I'm going to steal that idea, if you don't mind. Pizza/sandwich combos in my eggs, soup and salad. Mmmmm. Do you have any specific examples of doing that? Do you still make the 'regular' versions for everyone else?



I hope everyone feels better soon!

Ami

I often do this as well!!! Not just with sandwiches or pizza, but with every meal. I find that I can easily just eat the sauce/toppings etc without the pasta/bread/rice.

Sandwich as a salad is my fave though! I often have a giant salad with small cubes of cheese, ham, chicken, tomato and cucumber on a bed of mixed greens and baby spinach. Yum! With homemade ranch dressing, homemade cesear, homemade bacon mayo...

My absolute fave salad is BLT salad. I chop up bacon, fry it, make a bacon mayo and add some fresh lemon, worchestershire, a bit of anchovy paste, garlic and onion, and a dollop of sour cream and puree in the blender. I thin it down a bit with some cream and drizzle over the greens, grape tomatoes sliced in half and bacon. ZOMG I could eat this every day.

I love egg salad Salad. I make up egg salad and mix in baby spinach and mixed greens, add some chopped green onion or purple onion. I've also done this with crab salad!

[Jennifer Z]

I started the sandwich as a salad idea after finding out that you can do that at Subway restaurants...any one of their sandwiches you can have put on a bed of lettuce instead. The idea bloomed from there. Then I realized that it could be applied to omelets, and, to a degree, soup (although soup also lends itself well to "grab whatever you have and dump them in the broth").

I think the oddest one I tried was a Ruben with sauerkraut & cheese. That one would have been better in an omelet or soup though. A lot of sandwiches have already worked out interesting and complimentary flavor combination that I wouldn't have though of...like a Monte Cristo...ham, swiss, chicken and raspberry on a salad, or a mushroom & bacon bits omelet or salad, or those great greek-style pizzas with feta, good olives, capers, tomatoes and maybe some sardines or anchovies thrown in over salad.

Also things like making "fajitas", except just piling all the stuff on a bed of lettuce and being generous with the avocado and sour cream. With almost every meal you can often just remove the starch and put it on either salad greens, chopped steamed cauliflower, or tucked in an omelet.

And the bacon wrapped, cream cheese stuffed jalapenos on Mark Sisson's Daily Apple site are TO DIE FOR great. Plus, most people have no idea it is "diet food" and I get the "ah, you gave up on the diet, huh" comment every time I make them for somebody.

[JTA Mom]

Chiromamma, that smoothie sounds yummy! No fruits allowed yet (too low in carbs for that right now) and no nuts for a while. I've eating an ounce of almonds a few times though. Sometimes I really do need something small to nibble on that isn't meat.

Mmmm, Jennifer, I think I'm going to have to pick your brain for recipes! I totally had forgotten about using lettuce leaves for the wrap/tortilla part. That one is so going to get a workout this week!

Week 2/Day 14

So far so good. Made a yummy sandwich as salad for lunch/dinner. Mmmm, how I've missed you, roast beef. I also had dh cook up a bunch of bacon (had 5 slices for breakfast). Dunno why but I have been craving it for 3 days! I restocked the pantry/fridge today (aka grocery shopping). It's amazing how having a full fridge makes me feel good. I know that whatever I'm craving, I can make *something* from the stuff I have. I also broke down and got some Oberto Pepperoni sticks. All the shops were out of the regular pepperoni 'chub'. I know, I know, how will I survive!

Other than the one super hungry day, this way of eating really suites me. I get in enough veggies on 20 carbs a day to fulfill most of my nutrient requirements (vitamin d, e & calcium being the low items). It really surprised me too, because I usually eat more veggies and fruits normally. Then again, I get fuller faster without grains/starches. So a little goes a long way.

How is everyone else doing today?

Ami

[crunchy_mama]

hey all jumping in here. I try to keep lower carb all the time, but just had a baby so wasn't going super low in pregnancy- just following my body's cues. Anyway, baby is 1 wk old now so trying to get back on track, not sure what that is going to be for me right now w/ a little nursling, but am trying to play it by ear. I have 20 lbs of baby weight to lose- gained 35 but lost the first 15 pretty easy. Anyway, will be here for support and motivation.

[wendyland]

HI, I'm jumping in, too. I've been tossing around the idea of going low carb for awhile. There have been some great recipes and ideas so far on this thread. A friend of mine lost around 50 lbs this year doing low carb. She kind of loss momentum after 6 months. I think that making food interesting and trying new recipes often helps.

I also have candida problems, so I'll probably wean off of dairy eventually. I'm going to follow the diet on healingnaturallywithbee.com.

[JTA Mom]

Welcome crunchy mama and Wendy!

Today is weigh in for me. 198.0. Lost 1lb since last week. This is frustrating. I'm losing so slowwwlllyyy. While on Induction!!!

Argh. Argh. Argh.

The last couple days I've been having a hard time keeping up my water. We've been on the go a lot, and getting a bottle isn't on my radar. Must change that.

How is everyone else doing?

Ami

[gothnurse3]

Hi y'all!!! I hope everybody had a great holiday. I am happy to have lived through Thanksgiving...I am doing adkin's. I lost 10 pounds.. I never realized how I was pretty much living on carbs...I feel good. My DH and I have also been power walking every morning before the kids wake up. Makes the exercise more fun with company and we can talk without being interruptions.

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

Hi y'all!!! I hope everybody had a great holiday. I am happy to have lived through Thanksgiving...I am doing adkin's. I lost 10 pounds.. I never realized how I was pretty much living on carbs...I feel good. My DH and I have also been power walking every morning before the kids wake up. Makes the exercise more fun with company and we can talk without being interruptions.

Congrats on the weight loss!!!

Awesome about exercising together as a couple. Dh and I weight train together.

[JTA Mom]

Congrats, Angela!

Week 3, day 1

I feel like maybe I should start doing star date logs??

Still on track. Gotten over the annoyance of only losing a pound. Shoot, if I lose one pound a week for a year, that's 52lbs!!! Next year, I could weigh 146 at this time.

I'm really liking the eggs and bacon breakfasts. Still no hypoglycemic issues , and even though the weathers been changing like crazy, no migraines (quick changes in weather seem to bring them on).

Ds, of course, decided to get up 4 times yesterday night. As in, got up and was completely awake. As in, took at least an hour to fall back asleep. And I can't sleep if ds isn't sleeping. We're too synchronized that way. Dh worked graveyard, so I'm trying to do all the chores and keep the munchkin as quiet as possible. Thank goodness for Caillou!

Ami

[greenmom4]

Hmmm... I weighed in this morning, but I just can't believe the number. It was over 10 lbs less that I was just last week. That can't be right. I'm going to weigh at the gym (if there's noone around) when I go in a bit.

Random question - how does your weight typically fluctuate when you're on your period? I think I retain prior to, but I still can't believe that I was retaining 10 lb of water. I mean, that's over a gallon!

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by greenmom4

Hmmm... I weighed in this morning, but I just can't believe the number. It was over 10 lbs less that I was just last week. That can't be right. I'm going to weigh at the gym (if there's noone around) when I go in a bit.

Random question - how does your weight typically fluctuate when you're on your period? I think I retain prior to, but I still can't believe that I was retaining 10 lb of water. I mean, that's over a gallon!

I read between 5 and 7 lbs is normal, so 10 lbs wouldn't be too much of a stretch!

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by JTA Mom

Congrats, Angela!

Week 3, day 1

I feel like maybe I should start doing star date logs??

Still on track. Gotten over the annoyance of only losing a pound. Shoot, if I lose one pound a week for a year, that's 52lbs!!! Next year, I could weigh 146 at this time.

What an awesome attitude!!! Rock on! You'll get there!

[crunchy_mama]

Originally Posted by greenmom4

Hmmm... I weighed in this morning, but I just can't believe the number. It was over 10 lbs less that I was just last week. That can't be right. I'm going to weigh at the gym (if there's noone around) when I go in a bit.

Random question - how does your weight typically fluctuate when you're on your period? I think I retain prior to, but I still can't believe that I was retaining 10 lb of water. I mean, that's over a gallon!

I put dh on a really lc diet for a weight loss competition at work. He lost 15 pds in a week. Now, about 5 lbs of that was lost in the last day through getting rid of extra waste and he gained that right back(he needed to make it to a certain number by a certain date so used some means that I wouldn't recommend for long term weight loss). anyway, a month later he is still down that first 10 lbs.

[crunchy_mama]

Still trying to figure out lc and what it means for me right now. As much time as I have spent doing this over the last 4 yrs it seems it should be easy, but with things constantly changing it is hard to keep up. I am down 2.4 pds s0 far this week- hoping that the weight comes off relatively easy this time. However, I am also trying to be mindful that I get enough carbs and am finding that with my levels as low as I had them before this pregnancy are not enough for me right now.

I have been craving tons of fat though, so that is good. I have been LOVING coco oil- cooca- and stevia and dipping pecans in it.

My biggest obstacle now is not feeling up to doing lots of cooking. I really want to exercise as well, but know that I really need to take it slow and wait so I don't push back my healing, sigh it is hard to be patient.

Oh, and even more motivation to be low carb- I am feeling all yeasty this week, no doubt from that carb binge last week after birth- lots of OJ- and way too much sweets for T-giving- grain free and all that, but still way too much sugar!!!