Soror Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Hey all have we had one since the board change? There has been a lot of threads about lc lately so I thought it might be nice to have an official thread since the official groups aren't happening right now. I just finished my 30 days of Whole30 and am trying to be a bit stricter w/ lchf. I think I'm actually going to start tracking my food as well. My goals are 1800-2000 calories a day w/ 60-70% fat. It seems I've been having days where I'm not as hungry and eat little and then inevitably I end up super hungry and eating a ton after that for a few days. I'm hoping with tracking I can keep on a more even keel. I'm also going to be allowing some chocolate(dark- soy/dairy free) now and again now that I am done w/ the Whole 30. Any awesome new meals or such? Successes? Challenges? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I just finished 30 days of no gluten, no sugar with very little high carb foods (rice, potatoes). My down fall was NUTS! I had them almost everyday. I got on the scale for the first time since I started and only lost 2 lbs. I'm starting today logging everything I eat with Fitday which worked well for me in the past. And I'm cutting out my almonds and walnuts for the month of February. This looks good: http://www.paleomomrx.com/2013/01/11/crockpot-breakfast-pie/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Oh, that does look good and easy! I ate more fruit then I should have in the last month. I ate some nuts but not a ton- they can sure add up fast though, it is crazy. I'm using dailyplate.com as I already have an account there already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I've been doing a modified version for several months and have lost 22lbs. I have 28 lbs. to go by summer. I'm starting full force on Monday...after the superbowl ;) . I'm going to stick to my meal plan and continue with couch25k. Thanks for starting this thread! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 That's great Tammy on your weight loss! I have 13.6 pds to go, my goal is April 15th, when the baby is 5 months and right before dd's 6th b-day(looking nice for her b-day party is a little goal). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I'm excited about going LCHF because I've had some early success. :) In early January I started "dieting" using the traditional low-fat, whole grains, etc. I was exercising a lot, too. After 13 days of ups and back downs, I was EXACTLY where I started! I know 13 days isn't much, but honestly, the only variations were ABOVE my starting weight during that whole 2 weeks. You'd think on any diet I should have at least lost some water weight at the start. So I switched to LCHF. I've lost 3# in 4 days! I'm on day 5 now and am totally motivated to stick with it. I didn't take any measurements to begin with, but my dh and I can tell my midsection is less bulky (distended? yuck). Oh, and I've been less hungry & headache-y than when I was going low-fat, even though I think my calorie count is just slightly higher. I wanted to try the Whole 30 but switched over to Atkins and plan to do that for at least the recommended 2-week induction. I didn't think I could cut butter/cream/cheese for a month, and the fruits & sweet potatoes on the Whole 30 seem to be too much carbs to start out. I'm using Sparkpeople to track my food & exercise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Hi everyone! I have been in and out of lc/hf for a while, but never did a very good job at sticking with a plan. I finally decided to try Atkins and so far, so good! I just started week 2 of induction and so far I am down 6 lbs. I also thought about doing Whole 30, but I couldn't give up the butter/cream/cheese for a month either. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I am a weight I like but am going back into lchf more as a healthy life style choice. It does inevitably make me thinner, though, not that I mind! I eat a ton of vegetables and fat, but I am trying not to eat mountains of meat. I love my dairy products, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Atkins works the best for me when I follow the plan STRICTLY. I bought a food scale several months ago but didn't use it much because I wasn't ready to get strict again. Now after one month of loosely following LCHF, I'm back at weighing and logging every food item into FitDay. I've made some chicken broth from a chicken thigh, left-over ends of onions, carrots and celery and plan to sip on that when I get the afternoon urge to eat. More fat instead of nuts should help me get through the afternoon. On eating more fat on Atkins and plateaus & diet stalls: http://www.carbsmart.com/the-atkins-diets-missing-phase.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I'm on Day 29 of my Whole 30. I actually had to weigh yesterday because I bought a FitBit and wanted to put my numbers in to get started. As of midday yesterday I've lost just over 9 pounds this month. Pretty cool, particularly since I didn't think I'd lost any (as you heard me bemoan on the other thread, Soror)! I'm not stopping. I'm loving the FitBit after just a day because it shows my goals and my progress toward them very clearly. It also lets me compete against my husband, and I definitely like that! I'm going to have some dairy on Friday to see how I do (Day 31), and also a glass of wine. I have a cruise in April, though, so I plan to keep up my gym activity and my LCHF eating. DH said he'll do it, too, as long as I do. Our plan is to do another Whole30 when we get back from our cruise because I have no intention of monitoring my intake while on vacation. We have another trip planned to an all-inclusive in Jamaica in July, so I have something else to keep me motivated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Does anyone have some higher fat snack recommendations that DONT have dairy? My protein is higher than I want but I'm having a hard time getting higher fat w/out carbs, dairy or some artificial/processed foods. Chanticleer on the W30 you eat as much or as little fruit and sweet potatoes as you want, it is not necessarily high carb. Q that is GREAT on the weight loss!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I've been doing LCHF for about 5 months and have lost somewhere between 12-16 lbs. My home scale was reading lower than the doc's scale but keeping that in mind, I do believe it's in that range. I wasn't losing much at first but I think it was due to my B12 issue. Just in the past month, I've dropped 8 lbs. That's after 1.5 months of daily B12 shots. I was very good about getting rid of the sugar and grains and now have been able to allow a few sweet treats in moderation w/o going into major crave mode. As to snacks, I like to make larger dinners and have that around as leftovers. I also keep avocados on hand which really help to crush the afternoon cravings. Doing things this way has helped me to eat, rather than skip meals. If I'm good about eating enough, I don't feel like snacking much. I also try to drink a big glass of water before going for any food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I hope y'all have room for a few confessions from me, a total rookie. I've been considering LC for a long time (my dad was a type 2 diabetic, I have PCOS, etc. - it's clearly in the genes). Finding out about Bulletproof Coffee was just what I needed. I started the coffee on Monday and it has gone pretty well as a "breakfast." I even ditched the sugar in the coffee completely (major hurdle). (editing out the rest of my vent - feeling better already.) Happy to join you all on the dark side :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 At the moment, I don't have anything to add. But, just wanted to say thanks for starting this. I miss the group we had before the board change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaAkins Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I started this journey in mid-September, when my labwork showed that I was pre-diabetic (a1c of 5.6) with moderate-high cholesterol. I immediately gave up my only vice--Coca-Cola. I have had nothing but water to drink since then. (I don't like tea or coffee). I have slowly been cutting back on other carbs and have been exercising, 3-4 times per week. At the beginning of January, I started the C25K. I've finished Week 4, but am not quite ready for Week 5. I have lost 24 pounds so far. I began a more strict low carb, high fat diet on Monday. I had a really icky headache by Monday evening, but have felt better yesterday and today. I have 6 more pounds to lose, but may try to lose an additional 5 beyond that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Jenn, I gave up my Pepsi too. Though I have indulged one can about 5x since September. Pretty darn good after 20 years of several cans per day! Way to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Does anyone have some higher fat snack recommendations that DONT have dairy? My protein is higher than I want but I'm having a hard time getting higher fat w/out carbs, dairy or some artificial/processed foods. Seconding the request for snack recomendations. I've been eating a lot of avocados and I love them, but they'll get old soon enough. I do eat nuts and nut butter (almond, primarily) but the carbs are a bit high in the nuts and the sugar too high in the nut butter. I'd like to find something else. I don't quite understand how to make that butter/coffee thing (name escapes me). If anyone wants to enlighten me, including what the benefit is supposed to be, I'd appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'd love to join. I'll probably mostly follow than post. I'd love it if everyone would share how their tracking their food. I always do much better when I'm tracking. I tried one several years ago (now I can't remember) and I just didn't like it. The food diary was clumsy so I just wrote everything down. Non-Dairy snacks: I love having those pre-cooked turkey sausages on hand. They're really easy to heat up and snack on. I can't have nuts, so these are a nice alternative for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 Jenn- CONGRATS- you are so close to your goal!!!!! Here is the coffee/cream info, it is called bulletproof coffee. I've never made it because I don't do dairy or coffee: http://www.bulletpro...ur-morning-too/ thanks for the snack recommendation Debbi- I haven't seen those around here but it sounds good! re: tracking I'm just putting my food into mydailyplate. I've used it here and there in the past when I want to get an idea on macros and such so I already had it set up and it's pretty easy and seems to usually have what I'm eating. So, I guess I don't know how much food I need with nursing. I want to continue to lose some weight. I tracked yesterday and ate 2100 calories and exercised 200 calories(I know that is just rough figuring). Anyway, it was not enough food I snacked and snacked and that is not like me. I was just starving and usually I feel pretty satiated. Maybe I've been eating more than I thought. another question re protein, I'm eating 100+ grams a day. I don't think I should be eating that much it seems and I don't even feel I'm eating that much. Actually I thought yesterday I was careful not to eat too much. How much protein do you eat? If you track what are your macro break downs? I was at 67% Fat, 23% Protein 10% Carbs yesterday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 How much protein do you eat? If you track what are your macro break downs? I was at 67% Fat, 23% Protein 10% Carbs yesterday I just started Atkins, where you are only supposed to have 20g of carbs a day. I hate tracking food...I mean I detest it! But I decided that I would track it yesterday just to get a feel for how I'm doing. Yesterday, I was at 65% fat, 24% Protein, and 11% Carbs (wow...pretty close to you!!!). I did eat 30g of carbs for the day (or 24g if you take out the fiber). I think I will make it a goal to track once every two weeks or so, just so I know how I'm doing. Or if I start to stall, maybe I will track. I tend to become obsessed with tracking which ends up derailing my diet. I am working on my grocery budget with this WOE and I would love it if I could get back to going to the grocery just once per week (since I've started, I've gone several time and spent too much!!!). I know some veggies won't last through the week, so I am looking for some yummy meals that use frozen veggies. I don't really like frozen veggies cooked on their own (unless I'm doing it wrong and someone can tell me a great way to cook them), so I am thinking I'd like a few recipes (stir fry maybe?) that I could use the frozen veggies in at the end of the week. As for snacks, I have been taking pepperoni slices and toasting them in the toaster oven to make them crispy. I know that pepperoni isn't good for me, but this is an option for me now as I learn to NOT reach for the crackers/chips/etc. when I'm feeling snacky. I wonder if there is a "healthy" pepperoni? Or am I just dreaming? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 ...So, I guess I don't know how much food I need with nursing. I want to continue to lose some weight. I tracked yesterday and ate 2100 calories and exercised 200 calories(I know that is just rough figuring). Anyway, it was not enough food I snacked and snacked and that is not like me. I was just starving and usually I feel pretty satiated. ...How much protein do you eat? If you track what are your macro break downs? I was at 67% Fat, 23% Protein 10% Carbs yesterday Have you tried to calculate how many calories you need? I estimated that based on my current weight & activity level, I have a baseline of 1700 calories to maintain my weight. I get to add 100 calories for every mile I run. :) Then I'm trying to eat 350 calories less than that. So, if I run 5 miles that day I can eat 1850 calories. Yesterday I didn't run so I was more careful with the calories and was right at 1450. I'm sorry I don't remember what website I used...you could google for different calculators, and of course you get to add calories for nursing! Yesterday, I was at 65% fat, 24% Protein, and 11% Carbs (wow...pretty close to you!!!). I did eat 30g of carbs for the day (or 24g if you take out the fiber). ...I know some veggies won't last through the week, so I am looking for some yummy meals that use frozen veggies. I don't really like frozen veggies cooked on their own (unless I'm doing it wrong and someone can tell me a great way to cook them), so I am thinking I'd like a few recipes (stir fry maybe?) that I could use the frozen veggies in at the end of the week. Stir fry (in coconut oil) would be a great way to use this. I've also found that I like some frozen veggies better than others. I always have french green beans from Trader Joe's in my freezer. So delicious! Just steam & serve with butter. Or defrost and saute in a bit of olive oil with onion, then simmer in diced tomatoes and add a splash of balsamic vinaigrette. Yum. I realize both green beans & tomatoes are limited under Atkins induction, so I've only had them once in the last 5 days. :( I'm using Sparkpeople to track my nutrition. I just ran a report for the last 3 days, and am averaging about 60% fat, 30% protein, and 10% carbs (they don't calculate net carbs, so although it's showing 35-40 g carbs I have been at about 25 g net carbs the last 3 days). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Seconding the request for snack recomendations. I've been eating a lot of avocados and I love them, but they'll get old soon enough. I do eat nuts and nut butter (almond, primarily) but the carbs are a bit high in the nuts and the sugar too high in the nut butter. I'd like to find something else. I found that macadamia nuts were my best choice with nuts. Costco carried them for a long time, but doesn't have them available now and I won't pay regular store prices for them. I do keep nuts in my purse for times when there's nothing else available I can eat. If you do eat dairy, the fat bombs are great. You can also make higher fat protein drinks, too. If you eat processed food, pepperoni, salami, or other sausages are good. You can splurge on high quality items if you'd like to add these. I was checking out the sausages at one of our more upscale stores the other day, and they had a sausage that was kind of dried and that hikers/campers used. It had good quality ingredients but was quite pricey. I bought one to try, but haven't tasted it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 According to calculators I should be at 1800-2000 to be losing a pound a week, which has been my rate of loss. But the math doesn't match me and me appetite and experience, hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarlaB Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Another LCHF here :) About 6 months and 24lbs down...probably at goal weight as I'm a runner and now training for marathon- still eating 100% LCHF, just not losing anything ) Yesterday was 70% fat (121g), 21% protein (83g), 9% carbs (35g), 1900 calories- which is pretty dead-on average for me...a smidge high for carbs and somewhat low on calories (I ran 5 miles and burned 500+, so a low net) Snacks: -Sunflower seeds, pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds -Hard boiled eggs w/ mayo or deviled eggs -Summer sausage & cheese -broccoli & cauliflower & high fat dip -guacamole & a spoon :) -86% dark chocolate & peanut butter (sparingly) -Cheddar cheese chips w/ salsa (melted in a circle, flipped & cut in triangles) -mock chocolate mousse (Heavy whipping cream, diet hot chocolate mix- whipped w/ immersion blender) -sugar free jello w/ whipped cream -carrots & peppers & cucumbers w/ hummus -cucumbers or celery w/ cream cheese Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Thanks for the great ideas, LarlaB! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 ...Chanticleer on the W30 you eat as much or as little fruit and sweet potatoes as you want, it is not necessarily high carb. I know, but I was excited to see they were allowed but then shocked to see how high in carbs they were. :eek: Another LCHF here :) About 6 months and 24lbs down...probably at goal weight as I'm a runner and now training for marathon- still eating 100% LCHF, just not losing anything ) Yesterday was 70% fat (121g), 21% protein (83g), 9% carbs (35g), 1900 calories- which is pretty dead-on average for me...a smidge high for carbs and somewhat low on calories (I ran 5 miles and burned 500+, so a low net) Hi again, Larla! I'm having a hard time running the last few days...hitting a wall at just 4 miles or so. This morning at mile 4 I started fantasizing about orange juice, and when I got home (after stumbling through mile 5) I ate a half a grapefruit and felt SO much better. I haven't done the reading yet that you recommended, so I think until Sunday (my half marathon) I'm going to have to add back a little bit of fruit/carbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarlaB Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I know, but I was excited to see they were allowed but then shocked to see how high in carbs they were. :eek: Hi again, Larla! I'm having a hard time running the last few days...hitting a wall at just 4 miles or so. This morning at mile 4 I started fantasizing about orange juice, and when I got home (after stumbling through mile 5) I ate a half a grapefruit and felt SO much better. I haven't done the reading yet that you recommended, so I think until Sunday (my half marathon) I'm going to have to add back a little bit of fruit/carbs. LOL about fantasizing about orange juice. Ok, not funny but so classic- that is your brain screaming (!!!!) for sugar- and it doesn't feel good. :( I think that's a wise plan to just continue on as normal until after your half-marathon :) I've talked to 4-5 different runners (Including Alenee here on WTM/up-thread) about their transition, and the universal experience is that it takes a while to adapt and feeling better-than-ever for running- for some its 2-3 weeks, others (like me) closer to 8-9 weeks. And its awful for short/fast runs as well as long/slow runs- equally terrible- LOL Its a sophisticated adaptation that takes place and takes time, but is very much worth it. :) I talked with a guy who just ran a marathon as a LCHF and his adaptation was similar to mine- he felt terrible while running for weeks and it was hit or miss energy wise, and then all of a sudden there was this auto-pilot mode where he just kept going. Its certainly not always like that (training still takes a toll) but I've noticed a distinct change in energy reserves in running... and I LOVE it :) I stay very low carb ALL of the time- don't add extra carbs before/after a run....but some carb cycle or supplement before/after and it works for them. :) Good luck Sunday!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm in! I've done South Beach for about 3 years and been pretty happy with it. SB is low-fat. Curious what the change to high-fat will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Seconding the request for snack recomendations. I've been eating a lot of avocados and I love them, but they'll get old soon enough. I do eat nuts and nut butter (almond, primarily) but the carbs are a bit high in the nuts and the sugar too high in the nut butter. I'd like to find something else. I don't quite understand how to make that butter/coffee thing (name escapes me). If anyone wants to enlighten me, including what the benefit is supposed to be, I'd appreciate it. Can you eat cream cheese? My favorite low carb snack is a slice of ham (or turkey ham, or roast beef) with a little cream cheese spread on it, then wrapped around a kosher dill pickle spear. Sounds wierd but is really delicious. Also takes away my cravings for sweets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Can you eat cream cheese? My favorite low carb snack is a slice of ham (or turkey ham, or roast beef) with a little cream cheese spread on it, then wrapped around a kosher dill pickle spear. Sounds wierd but is really delicious. Also takes away my cravings for sweets. Last night for a snack I ate a piece of cheese wrapped around a pickle slice. :) My family thought it was very strange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Hey, a social board that fits me! :D I am a big believer in HFLC (or the other way around? :tongue_smilie: ) In early 2011 I lost a bunch of weight and went down almost 2 sizes of pants, to an 8. I felt great, tons of energy, slept less but soundly, no brain-fog....the whole thing. Then, in Sept of 2011 we spent a month in France. I knew I would have a hard time being there for a month without eating bread/croissants, so I figured I'd just eat it and not worry about it, and then get strict again when I got home. Well, that was the plan. The reality? After eating bread for a month, I was addicted again, and had no inclination to stop. Up went the weight, up went the pant size! Now, in January 2013 I'm finally ready to get serious again. A 16-month hiatus was not in my best interest! I'm tracking through an iPad app called Calorie Counter. It lets me save food and brings up my "most eaten" to make entering the info easier. It tracks exercise, has a weight graph, and a recipe section that I haven't used. The only thing I wish it had was a water counter, since I struggle with getting my 80 ounces (or so) a day. Meanwhile, I'm still getting my daily email from Mark Sisson (I'm always been Primal rather than Paleo), and I'm trying a phone app to help track my exercise and motivate me to do it more faithfully. I've only been doing it for 4 days, but I already feel better and am sleeping less. I'm also taking time to make bone broth and following some of the principles and suggestions in Perfect Health Diet. I'm excited - let's do this thing!! :thumbup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 What do you all plan to do for Valentine's Day? :bigear: :bigear: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 I've got some grassfed chicken thawing now for supper and broth. Does anyone else find that drinking broth bloats them though? I love it and think it is great for you but it makes my stomach poochy for a day. Perhaps I have too much at once or something. Elinor- I've noticed that certain cheats really derail me. Dairy and icecream, not good for me. I remember several years back iirc I decided to indulge on vacation. I ended up in a depressed funk the whole summer. I finally went 100% gluten free after that. I try to keep cheats now to naturally higher carb real foods, no dairy, gluten or soy. eta: Valentine's Day- I'll probably make a nice steak and seafood dinner at home and some kind of chocolaty treat. Elana's pantry has some awesome candy recipes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaAkins Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I appreciate you all posting your break downs--that helps a relative newbie like myself. I am using the myfitnesspal app on my phone to track my food/water/exercise. Yesterday, I consumed: 1787 calories - 225 exercise = 1562 net calories. My goal is closer to 1230 net calories, since I'm trying to lose weight, but I had to cut my workout a bit short due to time constraints. My breakdown: 119 g total fat. 69 total carbs-30 dietary fiber = 39 net carbs. and 110 g protein. I realize that the carbs are still a bit higher than I'd like, but this is all still very new to me. I did get in 80 ounces of water too. So, how does that look to the more seasoned LCHF gurus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melik Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm in!!!!! I've missed checking in with the old LCHF social group. In fact yesterday I hit my first major goal since I went LCHF 6.5 months ago. I've lost 33 lbs and have gone from 168 to 134.5!!!! I have not been below 141 in the last 12 years. It was like this invisible wall that I could not get past. But LCHF busted through! I would like to see if I could get under 130. That would be like a dream come true!!!! Usually I eat around 75-85% fat, 10-20% protein, and 5-10% carb. Total calories tend to sit around 1200-1400. But I will say that when I first started I ate a lot more. I tried to always eat when I was hungry. I ate HUGE steaks......Now my portions have regulated themselves. I eat much less with out even thinking about it. So my advice to beginners is do't worry too much about the amount of food your eating. Get plenty of FAT! Always eat when your hungry. Your body will start really telling you when it need something and when it doesn't. LCHF has been an answer to prayer for me. I really don't know what would have happened to me if I had not really stuck to it. Oh and I did feel like garbage for 3 weeks! I was totally addicted to carbs. It was awful. But sooooo worth it!!!! Can you tell I'm a fan? Best wishes, Meli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm in!!!!! I've missed checking in with the old LCHF social group. In fact yesterday I hit my first major goal since I went LCHF 6.5 months ago. I've lost 33 lbs and have gone from 168 to 134.5!!!! I have not been below 141 in the last 12 years. It was like this invisible wall that I could not get past. But LCHF busted through! I would like to see if I could get under 130. That would be like a dream come true!!!! Usually I eat around 75-85% fat, 10-20% protein, and 5-10% carb. Total calories tend to sit around 1200-1400. But I will say that when I first started I ate a lot more. I tried to always eat when I was hungry. I ate HUGE steaks......Now my portions have regulated themselves. I eat much less with out even thinking about it. So my advice to beginners is do't worry too much about the amount of food your eating. Get plenty of FAT! Always eat when your hungry. Your body will start really telling you when it need something and when it doesn't. LCHF has been an answer to prayer for me. I really don't know what would have happened to me if I had not really stuck to it. Oh and I did feel like garbage for 3 weeks! I was totally addicted to carbs. It was awful. But sooooo worth it!!!! Can you tell I'm a fan? Best wishes, Meli Thanks so much for your post Meli! :) I never lost the baby weight I gained...and DS is 16 yo! It is encouraging to read your story. I also hope to lose about 35 lbs, eventually. I am on week 2 of Atkins type induction. Some days I am alarmed by how much food I am eating. I feel hopeful it will be the avenue for better health and weight loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Meli - that's fantastic! :hurray: One of my biggest problems used to lie in thinking everything was a "special occasion". Oh, I'm out to lunch with a good friend, so it's a special occasion! I'll have a piece of bread! Or, hey, it's the most beautiful sunshiny day outside, so I'll invite some people over to hang out by the pool, and I'll make flatbread pizza and margaritas! Or...you get the picture. Now, I'm trying to realize that the occasion ITSELF is the reward. Lunch with the girls? Yay! That is fun in itself - I don't need to celebrate it with bread. Having a party? A skinny margarita, vodka/club soda, or wine will do, along with meat skewers and salad. This year's month in France? Help...sigh. Foie gras or some heavenly cheese without bread just doesn't seem right. But I am determined not to make the same mistake I made last time. I'm just afraid I'll cave in when I see everyone else eating my favorite things. Mussels or escargot without using bread to soak up the garlic/wine sauce? Oy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Your body will start really telling you when it need something and when it doesn't. Awesome job, Meli!!! To your quote above, this is SO true. I used to be able to go for long stretches w/o food because I couldn't tell that my hunger pangs were not cravings for a Pepsi. Now I KNOW when I'm hungry and I have to eat right then or I'm in big trouble. This is why I have to make sure I have things prepared ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm not strict carb free. I've gone to a LCHF diet for health reasons. I'm not looking to lose weight but dh is. I'm going to ask for suggestions for my ds. He is underweight and needs to put on at least 10-15 lbs. His doctor wants me to add Duocal to his meals so I need to go buy some. The thing is, and why I'm asking here, is that people, including the doctor, tell me to feed him high fat so he'll gain weight. Well, according to everything I've been reading it's not the dietary fat that makes one gain weight it's carbs. So, I will continue to give him high fat foods as they are needed for health and growth, but I need to give him a boost in carbs/calories. The doctor told me to also give him a drink called Resource Breeze which is literally water, sugar, corn syrup, and whey protein. I really don't want to give him calories from sugar and corn syrup. Blech. I will make him a fruit smoothie each day with protein powder added. Now, help me think of carbs I can feed him......not empty carbs. Should I go back to flavor almond/coconut that has added sugar? Sweetened yogurts? I just switched to unsweetened products from our nut butters, yogurts, milks, etc. Now dh is arguing with me to switch back because ds needs the calories. I can't do many grains for him. He has to be gluten free. He is allergic to oats, rice, quinoa, beans, and peanuts, and possibly nuts. He is allergic to bananas and avocados. He's actually allergic to a lot of stuff and we're seeing an allergist in a couple weeks. So, while I'm feeding him protein and fats.....he needs to gain weight and needs carbs. Suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WistfulRidge Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I'm so excited to getting back to eating this way. We've spent the last 6 months living with my family and my mom is very carb-centered in her eating/cooking/grocery shopping. In preparation for next week's move I've finally allowed myself to make menu plans and shopping lists... who thought such a thing could be so thrilling?? I'm not even planning on doing anything "drastic", like getting rid of potatoes or bread... just the simple luxury of moving back to the "real food", high produce (especially vegs), high protein, high fat diet that has worked well for me in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Dh and I had a lousy dinner last night. We attended a fundraising event that we go to every year, so I knew the routine but I didn't think it would be so bad. When we go there, the tables were already set with a teeny-tiny dinner salad (honestly, maybe 2/3 cup of greens and that's it) and a piece of chocolate cake at each place setting. As soon as I could, I handed my cake to a server who didn't want to take it - he didn't speak English so I'm not sure what the problem was, but I finally made it clear "I don't want this!" So we ate our tiny salad with mystery creamy dressing. When the bread basket went around the table I placed a pat of butter on my bread plate but no bread - I wonder what the 8 strangers at our table thought? ;) Then dinner was served - literally half the plate was rice pilaf, then a tiny pile of mixed veggies (maybe 1/2 cup) and a piece of sauteed chicken breast covered with mystery creamy sauce. I added my butter to the veggies and scraped about half the sauce off the chicken (I figured it had some fat in it, but also probably lots of flour). Needless to say, when we got into the car 90 minutes later I was STARVING. Did I mention that I had done 70 minutes of hot yoga in the late afternoon, with barely enough time to shower & pretty up for the dinner? Lesson learned. Eat a big snack before attending a plated dinner. Here's the snack dh made when we got home, Spam Chips: Slice lower-salt Spam (still plenty salty!) using a cheese slicer - super thin. Heat a bit of lard/bacon fat in a non-stick skillet Fry the slices until they start to brown at the edges, then use a spatula to flip them and fry a bit longer. Remove to a paper plate lined with paper towels, until cool enough to pick up & enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Meli - that's fantastic! :hurray: One of my biggest problems used to lie in thinking everything was a "special occasion". Oh, I'm out to lunch with a good friend, so it's a special occasion! I'll have a piece of bread! Or, hey, it's the most beautiful sunshiny day outside, so I'll invite some people over to hang out by the pool, and I'll make flatbread pizza and margaritas! Or...you get the picture. Now, I'm trying to realize that the occasion ITSELF is the reward. Lunch with the girls? Yay! That is fun in itself - I don't need to celebrate it with bread. Having a party? A skinny margarita, vodka/club soda, or wine will do, along with meat skewers and salad. This year's month in France? Help...sigh. Foie gras or some heavenly cheese without bread just doesn't seem right. But I am determined not to make the same mistake I made last time. I'm just afraid I'll cave in when I see everyone else eating my favorite things. Mussels or escargot without using bread to soak up the garlic/wine sauce? Oy. The bolded part is totally me! Every time we'd leave town, it was a special occasion--though it IS hard to eat right when we're on the road. I seem to do fine with low carb when I'm home alone with the kids, but when hubby has a day off, I get derailed because we so love to eat together. My mistakes are mental first, and actions follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 So, while I'm feeding him protein and fats.....he needs to gain weight and needs carbs. Suggestions? Full fat yoghurt with sweetened fruits? Puddings/ice creams made with cream and eggs plus fruits? I didn't see dairy mentioned as an allergen for your son, but I know it is a common one so maybe those aren't options. My kids are skinny and tall; doctor generally comments on it and asks about their diets, but hasn't recommended weight gain. I think they need to gain weight though! When DS was very active with Taekwondo his appetite soared and he built a lot of muscle, giving him a more filled in physique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stayseeliz Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I've done LCHF offand on for years. This time I'm trying to do it without aspartame, meal replacement bars, etc. It's hard. I'm not eating enough because we're on the go all the time. any tips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I have lived a LCHF lifestyle for almost three years. I follow the Atkins plan. I also exercise at least four days a week on average. I would like to cut down on my Atkins bars and shakes consumption, but I am not quite motivated enough to do that yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 The bolded part is totally me! Every time we'd leave town, it was a special occasion--though it IS hard to eat right when we're on the road. I seem to do fine with low carb when I'm home alone with the kids, but when hubby has a day off, I get derailed because we so love to eat together. My mistakes are mental first, and actions follow. This is us, too, even the kids. We all love to eat good, real food. Last night we went out to dinner, and I knew I'd be indulging, as we had a friend visiting from Paris. That really IS a special occasion, right? :D So, I did well with the pork belly appetizer (although I slurped up the polenta, too), then had...paella! What? Why didn't I just get the steak? I never order paella. Sigh. Need I say that I had the crème bruleè? And the wine, several times. Well, on the bright side, it's not only a new day, but a new month. :tongue_smilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Lesson learned. Eat a big snack before attending a plated dinner. Here's the snack dh made when we got home, Spam Chips: Slice lower-salt Spam (still plenty salty!) using a cheese slicer - super thin. Heat a bit of lard/bacon fat in a non-stick skillet Fry the slices until they start to brown at the edges, then use a spatula to flip them and fry a bit longer. Remove to a paper plate lined with paper towels, until cool enough to pick up & enjoy. Okay, this sounds really good. I'd never had spam until we lived in Hong Kong a few years ago, and because of it's popularity there, we ate it in a breakfast noodle soup. Now I've developed a taste for it, and this sounds yummy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I'm not really LCHF any more (although I need to be). But whenever I see the thread title, I think "low carb high fructose" - that's weird. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I've done LCHF offand on for years. This time I'm trying to do it without aspartame, meal replacement bars, etc. It's hard. I'm not eating enough because we're on the go all the time. any tips? I'm new to this, so I hope others can chime in with advice. My dh and I are trying to do it without artificial sweeteners, too. I've read several times that people who diet without artificial sweeteners are more successful than those who consume them. So for us, no diet drinks, no sugar-free gelatin, etc. We are starting day 7 - so far so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melik Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I will agree that I wouldn't caught up in the bars and shakes! For me that stuff tastes terrible. Also I try to never cheat I read a while ago a couple things that really changed my way of thinking. First.....Going in and out or ketosis can be pretty hard on your body. It can up to two weeks to get over a cheat. Yikes! Well I'm not doctor but so I'm not sure this is completly true but even if there is some thruth to it it's worth it for me NOT to cheat. One bit can be a gateway drug....I'm hooked. The shakes and bar contain CRAP! Don't eat any artificial sweetner for a while then try it and you will taste it.....yuck it's horrible. Last.....food for thought. DO I really need a treat? Or do I need to get healthy? I read once that we really have no business cheating while we still have a significant amount of weight to lose. This really stuck with me. I owe it to myself to do the very best for me. Now that is much easier to say 6 months in. But now that I feel like I feel it's been totally worth it. I have been on this weightloss rollercoaster for years...12+. It was time for me to step off. So I made some pretty drastic changes. I pretty sure they will be for life. I DO NOT regret it at all. The way I feel far outweighs the sacrifice! I feel free! Meli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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