I Need High Fat, Low Carb Help

[JumpyTheFrog]

I think I have insulin resistance and I want to try a high fat, low carb diet. However, I can't eat dairy, which makes it much harder. I did a high fat ketogenic diet for about two weeks last year, but now I'm finding that having a coconut milk smoothie for breakfast sometimes leaves me feeling nauseuos. Any ideas?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I just do smoothies with almond milk.  

[Soror]

What is in your smoothie? Most smoothies are too carb heavy for me to eat on an empty stomach for breakfast. You need to look at things like coco oil, animal fat (especially from grassfed animals), olives, eggs and avocados for fat. Nuts can be ok, although it is not good to eat a ton as they are generally high in Omega 6s and also tons of calories.

[Lara in Colo]

Try having a "bullet proof coffee" in the mornings with a small breakfast of bacon or sausage,--- just leave out the butter or use something else high fat.

Basically 1 cup of coffee, 1T coconut oil 1T butter (or ???, or nothing and use 2T coconut oil)   Blend in a blender until frothy. 

 

My breakfast combo -1egg, 1 slice of bacon, 1.5 C coffee---- keeps me going for hours and I don't feel hungry or get any sugar ups and downs.

 

The only thing I have real issues wit, with  a LCHF diet,  (at least for me) is that when you run out of fuel, it isn't gradual you are out of gas and done-- I have have to be better about  making sure I eat on a schedule and have lots of easy to make fast food/snacks-- I usually have some sort of cooked meat in the fridge for a fast and easy snack,

[Chocolate Rose]

I've been doing LCHF for about 19 months now. If you're just looking for breakfast ideas, here is what I've been eating every morning for several weeks now:

a small handful of macadamias (about 1/4 cup) (about 6:30 am before leaving for work)

Then, a few hours later (around 10 am), Bullet Proof Broth. This is basically the bulletproof coffee idea using bone broth. I don't drink coffee, so this works for me. I add Kerrygold butter or coconut oil and cream. You could do this with just co.

[Ellie]

I think I have insulin resistance and I want to try a high fat, low carb diet. However, I can't eat dairy, which makes it much harder. I did a high fat ketogenic diet for about two weeks last year, but now I'm finding that having a coconut milk smoothie for breakfast sometimes leaves me feeling nauseuos. Any ideas?

 

Don't forget the high protein. High fat, high protein, low carbohydrate. You need the high protein.

 

What about an omelet for breakfast, with a couple of eggs, some ground beef, and some spinach or mushrooms? Doesn't take long to cook, there's no dairy. You could cook the beef the night before.

 

Check out some of the paleo recipes/web sites.

[jenn-]

I do smoothies with unsweetened almond milk.  I use a scoop of ground flaxseed (mine is golden flax), some sweetener, and a handful of frozen strawberries/and or blueberries.  On adventurous days I use some spinach as well in it and often use a whey protein powder (which I assume would be a no no if you are sensitive to dairy).  I have also been enjoying this baked egg and spinach recipe.  I have about a 6 inch cassolet dish that I throw a handful of raw spinach into (I gave up on the wilting part after the first one) and then 3 eggs on top.  It makes for a filling meal.  We all like these egg and ham cups and I am sure they would be just fine without the cheese on top.  I haven't tried the scrambled version as that just seems like an extra step to me.  On both recipes, don't forget to spray your things with Pam or they will stick (ask me how I know).

[Susan C.]

Which coconut milk are you using?

[LibraryLover]

Avocado and almonds for breakfast.

Tuna or egg salad with arugula wrapped in red leaf lettuce

Greek salad ; feta, hard-boiled eggs, olives etc

The other half of the avocado ;)

Veggie-cheese eggs (bell peppers, spinach, onions, mushrooms etc) Have fun with different cheeses, if you can. I am enjoying brie these days. (Trader Joe's.)

Grilled Roasted chicken (I like bone-in breast) with a Dijon sauce, sauteed kale wi/ butter or olive oil, & mashed cauliflower (I add some grated cheese)

Grilled or baked fish (brush with olive oil, salt, pepper),  giant green salad. (I make my own dressing with olive oil, a small amount of balsamic vinegar, mustard, crushed garlic, salt, pepper. I put everything in a small mason jar and shake.)

Stir fry without rice or pasta

I know many folks are not eating tofu, but I like to slice the extra firm kind in little slabs and broil or saute w/ coconut oil or milk in the pain until crispy around the edges...it's good in a stir fry as well

Stews or soups without pasta or white potatoes. I do use sweet potato in these at times (which might not be ok for you).

[Snickerdoodle]

I can get Myer lemons easily now;

 

WAAAAAH!

 

So not fair. 

 

[LibraryLover]

WAAAAAH!

 

So not fair. 

 

I know. I can't believe it.

[Scrub Jay]

Try having a "bullet proof coffee" in the mornings with a small breakfast of bacon or sausage,--- just leave out the butter or use something else high fat.

Basically 1 cup of coffee, 1T coconut oil 1T butter (or ???, or nothing and use 2T coconut oil)   Blend in a blender until frothy. 

 

My breakfast combo -1egg, 1 slice of bacon, 1.5 C coffee---- keeps me going for hours and I don't feel hungry or get any sugar ups and downs.

 

 

I can't imagine going for hours on just that.  Is it because of the bullet proof coffee?

[LibraryLover]

  The avocado holds me for quite awhile.

 

I love carbs- crusty breads, bagels, noodles etc. I don't deny myself  for prolonged periods of time. At least once a month I will eat the pizza crust with the toppings, and part of a bagel.  I denied myself nothing over the summer- I ate grilled potatoes and corn on the cob etc. But I gained weight.

 

OP, I know you're talking about insulin, and I don't mean to derail.

[wapiti]

I can't imagine going for hours on just that.  Is it because of the bullet proof coffee?

 

It's the lack of carbs, using fat for energy instead.  Once a certain amount of carbs are eaten (which may vary individually) the insulin gets going.  When that happens, there is going to be hunger at some point.

 

For me, BPC made trying LCHF a realistic possibility.  It's hard to explain, but it just made it so much easier, especially when I first switched.  I started last January and I'm still going.  Oddly enough, the insulin action gets going for me if I eat protein for breakfast without the BPC (or similar amount of fat) - this is not a big deal if I plan on a LCHF snack (say, nuts).  I usually only eat protein for breakfast when I'm travelling though I sometimes eat some breakfast sausage links for a mid-morning snack.

[Mnemosyne]

I'm not as strictly low carb now as I was in the past, but when I was that breakfast would have held me for hours too.  Low carb just totally curbs my appetite for some reason.  In fact, I rarely felt hungry.  The hunger signal feels totally different too.  It had nothing to do with coffee.

 

I had bulletproof coffee this morning. Love the stuff.

 

I have not eaten anything till dinner many times after having my BP coffee. I'm just not hungry after having it.

[kitten18]

I think I have insulin resistance and I want to try a high fat, low carb diet. However, I can't eat dairy, which makes it much harder. I did a high fat ketogenic diet for about two weeks last year, but now I'm finding that having a coconut milk smoothie for breakfast sometimes leaves me feeling nauseuos. Any ideas?

How many days have you been off carbs?  Sometimes you get that nausea when you need more sodium.  Try a cup of chicken broth and see if that helps. 

[wapiti]

:iagree:  with Amy - consider supplementing with electrolytes if necessary.  I still need to do that once in a while even now.

[Scrub Jay]

There seems to be a few recipes out there for BPC.  Anyone mind sharing your favorite?

 

I'm definitely going to try this out.  Can you also have some more regular coffee after the BPC or is that not recommended (asks the mother of a 9 month old having very early wake ups because of teething)?

[Mnemosyne]

There seems to be a few recipes out there for BPC.  Anyone mind sharing your favorite?

 

I'm definitely going to try this out.  Can you also have some more regular coffee after the BPC or is that not recommended (asks the mother of a 9 month old having very early wake ups because of teething)?

 

What I do is add 2 tbsp of Kerrygold (grassfed) butter (I like the salted, a lot of people don't and use unsalted. It's really your own choice). Make sure to blend it, otherwise the oil will just rise to the top and it's disgusting. When you blend it, it'll end up nice and frothy.

 

Some people add some coconut oil or MCT as well.

 

If I'm in the mood for a sweeter coffee, I'll add some sugar and sometimes a little extra creamer.

 

If you want more coffee, I don't see why you couldn't. I definitely would try the BPC first, though, it tends to keep me awake much longer than regular coffee does.

[Snickerdoodle]

BPC is also nice with a sprinkle of cinnamon if you like that sort of thing.

[Lara in Colo]

I sometimes change things up by making hot cocoa

 

1C milk

1T cocoa

1T Coconut oil

1T butter (or heavy cream)

1 tiny tiny scoop of stevia

 

heat up in a pot (I usually make 3 cups worth at a time)

 

Great for an after dinner treat

 

I also will use any leftovers the next morning  50-50 with coffee, blended.

[justamouse]

It's really easy to make your own almond milk, and it even tastes better than store bought. 

 

1 cup of soaked almonds (they need to soak 8 hours in water, change the water at least two times)

 

then, into your blender put the almonds, 4 cups of water, a dash of cinnamon, and about an inch of vanilla bean. Blend it all up. Then filter out the nutmeat (don't throw it away! Make something with it!) and you have some really good almond milk. 

 

I have an old flour sack I use to strain out the milk, but you could use an old tea towel (not the fluffy kind, but the linen kind. I would wet it first so that the towel doesn't soak up all of the milk. 

 

I quadruple the recipe. 

[justamouse]

How many days have you been off carbs?  Sometimes you get that nausea when you need more sodium.  Try a cup of chicken broth and see if that helps. 

:iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:  :iagree:

 

VERY important to up your sodium intake. Try and use the best salt you can, not just iodized salt. 

[JenniferB]

Ginger tea gets rid of my nausea every time. I drink it daily. Boil ginger root for 5 minutes add honey, drain and drink. It's sweet and spicy.

[JenniferB]

Also recommended for low carb high fat is making your own chicken broth and drink it daily. Boil a chicken for 4-5 hours, strain saving the meat and store in fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in portion sizes.

[marbel]

I can't imagine going for hours on just that.  Is it because of the bullet proof coffee?

 

I'd never heard of bullet-proof coffee before this. For a while I put a little coconut oil in my morning coffee but it seemed to make my GERD worse, so I stopped.  I might try blending it though to see if that helps. (Coffee with half and half doesn't affect the GERD.  Weird, I know.) 

 

Last spring I went through a weight-loss program that advocated eating only when truly physically hungry, and not to eat just because it was a typical meal time.  I was skeptical but quickly discovered that I don't get hungry till about 11 am or even noon.  Many people reported that they had their first meal of the day at 1 pm with no ill effects.  I drink water, diluted orange juice, and coffee in the morning and do great.  I don't overeat when I do get hungry.

 

That blew my mind as I've always been a "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" person.  But it has worked well for me, and apparently for others.  (Not advocating it for everyone and not giving medical advice.)

 

Don't mean to derail the thread.  I am also trying to eat high protein and fat, low carb so thanks to the OP for starting it.

[Moxie]

Those of you who do the BPC, what kind of blender do you use? How do you keep your coffee HOT? I tried with my hand mixer and, after I cleaned up the GIANT mess I made, the coffee was cool and the coconut oil was floating on top--not tasty! I've told DH I want the big $400 mixer for my birthday but that is a ways away.

[Snickerdoodle]

Just a regular blender.   Just add enough for one cup at a time.   If you're worried, put a dishtowel on top of the cover of the blender, but honestly, we've had no problems.

 

BTW, if you're going to use MCT oil, just a pinch.   It can give you diarrhea if you consume too much at first.

[wapiti]

I use a magic bullet-style blender.  I often soften the butter by defrosting it in the microwave for a bit (eek!) though how necessary that is depends on how hot the coffee is.  I use about 2 to 2.5 tbsp unsalted Kerrygold with a smitch of coconut oil.  If you're just starting out and may not necessarily be ready to digest a whole bunch of fat at once, I'd start with 1 tbsp.

 

For the PP who asked about having more, when I have more coffee - usually after lunch, about a quarter cup - I usually use heavy cream and don't bother with the blender (lazy!).  Oddly, sometimes that makes me sleepy, so it's even better when I throw a smitch of coconut oil in there too, in which case I will often use the blender.  The coconut oil gives me a clearer mind :)

[justamouse]

Also recommended for low carb high fat is making your own chicken broth and drink it daily. Boil a chicken for 4-5 hours, strain saving the meat and store in fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in portion sizes.

 

 

I just throw mine in the crockpot and let it simmer for 24 hours at least. (if you boil it, it gets cloudy and gunky). 

[Ravin]

Eat food instead of drinking breakfast?

[Soror]

I just throw mine in the crockpot and let it simmer for 24 hours at least. (if you boil it, it gets cloudy and gunky).

Also, a lit vinegar or acid of some kind helps draw the minerals out of the bones.

 

I've been having broth soup for bfast here lately. A cup of broth w/ some coco oil in there and a bit of dehydrated veggies- and sometimes chopped meat, all depending on my mood.

 

Personally, I think the coco milk is better than almond due to the fatty acid profile but some people don't react to it well.

[Scrub Jay]

Last spring I went through a weight-loss program that advocated eating only when truly physically hungry, and not to eat just because it was a typical meal time.  I was skeptical but quickly discovered that I don't get hungry till about 11 am or even noon.  Many people reported that they had their first meal of the day at 1 pm with no ill effects.  I drink water, diluted orange juice, and coffee in the morning and do great.  I don't overeat when I do get hungry.

 

That blew my mind as I've always been a "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" person.  But it has worked well for me, and apparently for others.  (Not advocating it for everyone and not giving medical advice.)

 

I know so many people like that but I often wake up with a growling (from hunger) stomach.  :/

[Lara in Colo]

I use a magic bullet for my morning coffee.  It doesn't make the mess that a blender does and it has it's own cup (with a handle) and a lid for storage if I don't finish it all. 

I have come to really love my magic bullet!!  -- of course I got it at Goodwill for $5 so I didn't have to really make too much of a decision to purchase it!

[Jerico]

Those of you who do the BPC, what kind of blender do you use? How do you keep your coffee HOT? I tried with my hand mixer and, after I cleaned up the GIANT mess I made, the coffee was cool and the coconut oil was floating on top--not tasty! I've told DH I want the big $400 mixer for my birthday but that is a ways away.

I use a mason jar with lid. If I pour in the coffee right away and add whatever fat (butter or coconut oil) and sweetener it melts and I use a kid and shake it. After pouring my first cup I put the lid back on and the coffee stays pretty warm. Bonus is its quiet and it doesn't wake my kids (not that it matters as 5:30 is the new 6:30 around here.)

 

I haven't made it in forever because I wasn't losing on lchf :/ and I don't know why.

[arnold]

A half an avocado with a poached egg, and a little salsa if you like it spicy.  Also works as lunch too! 

[momacacia]

Yes to the broth. Make it at home from good quality bones (with a  little fat on them), don't skim the fat and make a nice soup out of it. Another meal I find helpful for my hypoglycemia is ground beef cooked in a broth then add a ton of vegetables and whatever seasoning you like (Mexican, Italian, TJs 21 seasoning salute). You can add fat to this meat/veggie mix also and it's very filling and stays with me a long time. It's okay to eat for breakfast. ;-)

 

You might want to incorporate more avocadoes into your diet (and smoothies) as well. I do well with nuts/seeds also. But there's nothing quite like that meat mix or a good broth-based soup.