Low Carb Diet

[Aidensmom]

Also, I eat hard boiled eggs dipped in ranch dressing. Taste like deviled eggs....another

That sounds good, I'll have to try that!

 

[Nette]

I run http://sweettalkplus.com which is one of the official Sugar Busters! message forums. I've run it for nearly 7 years now. SB is a LOT like South Beach, but it doesn't have the induction phase. You just start out cutting the sugar and the white junk, but you can still have bread, etc for the first couple of weeks.

I found this pretty easy to do when I lost 40 pounds a few years ago. I STARTED by just switching from white to wheat and white to brown, and after I got used to that I started cutting back the number of times per day I would eat starchy foods.

Oh! And that's one of our differences from Atkins/SouthBeach ... We aren't low carb, but low starchy carb. Carbs are VERY important (in veggies/fruits and other fiber rich sources).

For me, trying to eat all the low carb substitutes just made me feel crappy. It's much better anyway to just eat whole foods. Try to avoid the pre packaged junk.

Yep, I've had a few pounds creep back on. When I was pregnant I wasn't gaining any weight and had to add some junk back in just to gain the 26 lbs I did. Unfortunately, that got me out of the habit of eating good. Also when I was nursing I lost all my pregnancy weight plus another 17 lbs and I was eating non-stop. Now, I was mostly good during that time, but I did eat a LOT of oatmeal cookies trying to keep my milk up for my ravenous little one.

So here I go again...

This morning I had a container of yogurt (vanilla, w/ splenda) will probably have an apple later this morning, Fish and green beans for lunch and not sure about dinner yet. But dinner is often just a lean meat (chicken/bison/fish) and some green veggie. And occasionally we'll fry that meat (like the fish I'm eating is lightly crusted in panko --- YUUUUM).

I probably would have had toast this morning too, except I forgot to buy butter and so we're out. Yuck to dry toast!

OH!! One more thing. The South Beach frozen dinners are AWESOME. The chicken actually has a chicken texture! That shocks me from a frozen food. And I mostly consider them "whole" because they're really quite simple. WW Pasta, Veggie and protein. Yum.

 

[Southern4sure]

That sounds good, I'll have to try that!

You'll get hooked like me.......

 

[cybrkitn]

Yes it is satisfying to me which I usually make 2 ata time. I have also added a slice of cooked bacon... My oldest ds who is 17 and eats like a horse loves them too!

Sometimes it can be messy if the lettuce splits but I dont mind that. Dont make it up before you need it because the lettuce sometimes gets soggy. I take what I need and assemble it when Im ready to eat. Also, I eat hard boiled eggs dipped in ranch dressing. Taste like deviled eggs....another

Thanks! I gotta try that next time! It also sounds like it would make a great snack, too.

 

[Princess89]

I did low carb strictly about 2 years ago, and lost a ton of my baby weight. I went off of it, gained it back and then some. I started again mid-March lost only 10 pounds. I cheat though, I'm only looking to loose a few pounds so I'll have certain foods every now and then. I hate eggs, seafood, and turkey some of the things they have on the low carb diet. So I cut out ALL sugar. I use sugar free french vanilla creamer to sweeten my coffee and half and half to lighten it. The french vanilla is about 1 carb with the amount I use, and the half and half is another 1 carb. That is breakfast. Lunch is usually a salad, and dinner is usually a meat of some kind, plus veggies. I have been known to make a burger for myself minus the bread. If it had bread previously, I just do it minus the roll. I love steak, so I'll grill myself a steak for dinner. Feed the kids and DH a steak and potatoes, and I skip on the potatoes. I have become fond of Crystal Light as well. So have the kids. I did notice in the grocery store that they have low carb ketchup. More low carb stuff on the shelves than there used to be. Once I get through all the parties etc, I will go back on it strictly, and then cheat here and there and loose the rest that I want to loose. I try to maintain what I have lost right now.

 

[annej]

You guys are inspiring me! I lost 45 lbs 2 years ago on Sugarbusters due to some health problems and hypoglycemia. Well, of course as soon as I started feeling better I gained a lot of it back. Went back on it this Monday but am stuggling already. I am 40 and I know the weight has got to come off NOW! Reading all of your hints has inspired me! Thank you!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I wish carbs didn't taste so yummy.

 

[Southern4sure]

Sunday, Im starting back on low carbing. I did really well but now I think it is going to be harder this time around.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Thanks for all of these great tips and more motivation!

Just wanted to say that South Beach does allow good carbs such as legumes, fruit, veggies, and whole grain breads and pasta...the program just does not allow them in the first 2 weeks so that your body gets adjusted.

Thanks again!

 

[1DISNEYLVR]

I started low carb about a month ago. Lost 7 lbs so far. I have a little over 50 lbs to lose. I do find I get sick of eating the same things all the time. For breakfast I usually eat 3 slices of bacon (the precooked kind you only have to microwave 15 seconds), a low carb yogurt & some melon. Lunch is either a salad with chicken or tuna or a sandwich on a low carb wrap. Dinner is the toughest part because I don't really have time to cook everyday. Last night I had chicken & asparagus. I made pasta to go with it for the rest of the family. For snacks I eat nuts. I also usually have a Slim Fast shake everyday. It works, but I find it just gets boring.

 

[HayGan]

I started low carb about a month ago. Lost 7 lbs so far. I have a little over 50 lbs to lose. I do find I get sick of eating the same things all the time. For breakfast I usually eat 3 slices of bacon (the precooked kind you only have to microwave 15 seconds), a low carb yogurt & some melon. Lunch is either a salad with chicken or tuna or a sandwich on a low carb wrap. Dinner is the toughest part because I don't really have time to cook everyday. Last night I had chicken & asparagus. I made pasta to go with it for the rest of the family. For snacks I eat nuts. I also usually have a Slim Fast shake everyday. It works, but I find it just gets boring.

I really find that variety is a necessity in doing low carb. Mix it up a bit. Some mornings I have cottage cheese (mixed with splenda and vanilla flavoring) other days I will have some strawberries with the cottage cheese or other days I will have a breakast wrap. For dinner, make enough stuff to have for 2 or 3 meals. I love to make carribean jerk/shrimp or chicken. Super easy to make and really tasty. I also like to make Asian lettuce wraps with grilled chicken, roasted veggies and a special asian sauce. I always have sliced turkey and hot dogs on hand to make a quick meal if I don't really have time to cook. The sliced turkey can be used for a turkey/bacon lettuce wrap or a Turkey Devonshire. Really tasty and quick to make!

Mix up your snacks as well! Have cheese, pickles, low carb wraps and dip available! I love to have some cheese with pepperoni. Have sweet snacks like sugar free candies around. Be careful with the nuts because nuts tend to slow down weight loss in a lot of low carbers! I know it does with me but some days I just have to have them! Another good snack are soy crisps. Snyder's came out with some that are soooo good (parmesean, garlic & olive oil.) Breyer's Low Carb almond ice cream bars are super yummy as well.

 

[beattyfamily]

I love this thread because it's giving me more ideas. That was the tough part in the beginning; variety! My toughest meal was breakfast.

Thanks for the info on Snyder's soy chips! The parmesean, garlic & olive oil ones sound GREAT!

 

[1DISNEYLVR]

I really find that variety is a necessity in doing low carb. Mix it up a bit. Some mornings I have cottage cheese (mixed with splenda and vanilla flavoring) other days I will have some strawberries with the cottage cheese or other days I will have a breakast wrap. For dinner, make enough stuff to have for 2 or 3 meals. I love to make carribean jerk/shrimp or chicken. Super easy to make and really tasty. I also like to make Asian lettuce wraps with grilled chicken, roasted veggies and a special asian sauce. I always have sliced turkey and hot dogs on hand to make a quick meal if I don't really have time to cook. The sliced turkey can be used for a turkey/bacon lettuce wrap or a Turkey Devonshire. Really tasty and quick to make!

Mix up your snacks as well! Have cheese, pickles, low carb wraps and dip available! I love to have some cheese with pepperoni. Have sweet snacks like sugar free candies around. Be careful with the nuts because nuts tend to slow down weight loss in a lot of low carbers! I know it does with me but some days I just have to have them! Another good snack are soy crisps. Snyder's came out with some that are soooo good (parmesean, garlic & olive oil.) Breyer's Low Carb almond ice cream bars are super yummy as well.

Thanks for all the great ideas! This is just what I need!

 

[petchie]

I found a GREAT site with menus and recipes!

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html

 

[Southern4sure]

www.trulylowcarb.com is a great site!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I found a GREAT site with menus and recipes!

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html

Thanks for sharing this...I already printed some recipes!!!

 

[HayGan]

I forgot to mention that if any of you have an Aldi's around that have some great things there for low carbers! Here are some of my favorites

chicken andouille sausage (not like I get in NOLA but pretty darn good!)
cheese: I just picked up 2 new ones yesterday: dill havarti and leek & mushroom monterrey jack. I find cheese is a great snack especially when it has some extra special flavor to it
Angus burgers: these are great to have and just throw on the Foreman grill for a quick meal/snack
Mild Italian sausage: great with some onion & peppers fried up in olive oil

Also, if you don't have a rotisserie consider getting one! I picked one up at Walmart for $40. I regularly pick up the whole chickens at Walmart for less than $4 a piece. I just rub the outside of the chicken in shallot salt, pepper and a little garlic powder. It goes in the rotisserie for about 1 hr. It is the best chicken I have ever had! Super cheap and yields alot to eat as is or in chicken salad etc

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

OP--Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread a little and asking some low carb questions to our resident experts........

I need to loose about 10/15 pounds. How do I get started on low carb? Is it as easy as---tomorrow I don't eat my bowl of cereal for breakfast and make eggs instead?? How strict do I have to be in this "induction" phase I've read about---and what the heck is that? How many carbs am I allowed a day? And, can those carbs come from anything---even white bread if I "budget my carbs" for it?

 

[Southern4sure]

OP--Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread a little and asking some low carb questions to our resident experts........

I need to loose about 10/15 pounds. How do I get started on low carb? Is it as easy as---tomorrow I don't eat my bowl of cereal for breakfast and make eggs instead?? How strict do I have to be in this "induction" phase I've read about---and what the heck is that? How many carbs am I allowed a day? And, can those carbs come from anything---even white bread if I "budget my carbs" for it?

To loose weight I stayed at 20 carbs a day. I cut out all breads, pasta, potatoes and processed sugars. For breakfast I would drink a Atkins shake or make an omelet with ham or bacon, onions, green peppers and cheese.

My lunch was my biggest meal, any meat protein like grilled chicken or steak with green beans, broccoli or asparagus. Dinner usually was a salad. I drank lots of water and walked every evening. I added walking at lunch time too and the pounds started shedding off quickly.

The first couple of weeks were the worse to get through..cravings are bad. But after that your not hungry or feel like your starving and dont miss the high carb food.

Low carbing is creative cooking.

 

[hydster]

OP--Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread a little and asking some low carb questions to our resident experts........

I need to loose about 10/15 pounds. How do I get started on low carb? Is it as easy as---tomorrow I don't eat my bowl of cereal for breakfast and make eggs instead?? How strict do I have to be in this "induction" phase I've read about---and what the heck is that? How many carbs am I allowed a day? And, can those carbs come from anything---even white bread if I "budget my carbs" for it?

I'll tell you how we started. We did/do Southbeach so we picked a day to start. Southbeach has 3 different phases. You start with Phase 1 which is a 2 week regimen.

On phase one there are NO carbs! You eat proteins and salads bascially. I don't like eggs so breakfast was REALLY hard for me! My husband makes omeletes in a bag on Sunday for the work week that he can take to work and heat up. It's easier for him because he loves omelets. For lunch it consists of things like Chicken Caesar Salads or something of that nature. NO breads, rice, pasta, carbs nothing. We snack on lettuce wraps or lunch meat wraps but no buns for any of it.

I do great for the 1st week but the 2nd week gets old for me. You can have Sugar free jello for your "snack" but also no fruits either during phase 1.

Once you move to phase 2 you can slowly add back some carbs and fruits BUT they have to be wheat carbs. NO whites allowed back into your diet. That means no white bread, pasta, rice....none of it. On phase 2 we had chicken Caesar wraps on wheat tortillas and stuff like that along with a few fruits that we added in like green apples with peanut butter.


Once you get through phase 2 and get on to phase 3 it's pretty lenient with eating whatever you'd like but in smaller portions and still no whites. We haven't had white bread or rice in almost 2 years and we do NOT eat any sweets ever. No cookies, cakes, doughnuts, candy, chocolate. We don't miss them and when we have tried one they are just too sweet for us now.

You can choose to start it anytime you like but make sure you clean out all of the bad carbs from your house because if you are anything like me they will tempt you constantly especially during phase 1.