How to seriously reduce carb intake - suggestions appreciated!

[sheryl]

This is out of control for me.    I must have been ahead of my time when I was in college (no bragging intended) because I ate then (late 70's) like what would be considered today to be "very" low carb.  I was pretty thin (thinking back on it) but I didn't think so.  No, not anorexic.  Not pencil skinny. 

 

Surely age "redistributes" our assets so to speak....don't know how else to say this!   LOL!  Now, 35 years later, I'm overweight and a mess.  Yes, metabolism slows down with age.  I do want to be realistic about that but also do not want that to be an excuse.

 

I've heard soooo many people say that losing weight is 80% food intake and 20% exercise.  I've exercised "fairly" well over the years (once someone suggested I teach an aerobics class). 

 

I still exercise but know the extra weight gives me less zip/energy and motivation.   Surely it seems I should make serious changes in my food intake but HOW to do that so I don't resent my cravings. 

 

Does any of this make sense?    Any suggestions?   What is the daily max for carbs anyway?   HELP!

[AK_Mom4]

I need to eat 30g of carbs at a meal or less (ideally) as I am diabetic and need to keep my blood sugar level. For me, that means no grains, no starches, very little fruit. Some beans are ok, as are meat, tofu and above-ground veggies, cheese and nuts.

 

It's not a really exciting diet but it's not hard. I use sparkpeople.com to track everything I eat. Track and find out what you are really eating is a good start.

 

ETA I think normal people can eat more than 30g carbs at a meal. That's just my limit on what I can handle without increasing insulin doses.

[Reefgazer]

If I limit carbs to 4-5 servings a day, I don't resent the lower-carb diet and I lose weight.  I do this by measuring portions, having one meal a day (usually lunch) be carb-free, and having half sandwiches and not whole sandwiches.

[freesia]

I found that once I was eating LC my cravings disappeared. Apparently higher levels of blood glucose make us hungry and give many folks cravings.

[Um_2_4]

I had a friend who went low carb in stages (it wasn't her original goal, but she saw big improvements so she went  on ahead). First she eliminated anything made with wheat (bread,macaroni,cakes, etc) and then cut out any corn products, then rice, then sugar (that was her hardest one :lol: ) then fruits and then she cut out root veges (potatoes, carrots, etc.). (she never ate much with other grains, but I guess those could be phased out also). I don't think she ever counted grams.

[Katy]

The real answer to your question is that no one knows how many carbs you can tolerate, because it is genetically highly individual.  Scientists have determined that some people have almost no amylase in their saliva, and others have a great deal.  It seems to be an indicator of genetic adaptation to a high carb diet.

 

I've found that even after months of low carb diet, I NEED to eat at least one potato or two pieces of fruit per day, or I don't have enough energy to do a hard workout.  Some people can go 8 weeks on less than 20 grams of carbs per day and have MORE energy than they ever did before, probably because of genetic differences in mitochondria and ketone adaptation.

 

I lose weight even eating plenty of carbs, as long as I make sure that in every meal I'm getting more calories from fats and proteins than I am from carbs.  IE: Whole milk is okay, skim is not; fruit with cream is okay, plain fruit is not; Snickers bars are okay, jelly beans are not.

 

I also notice that generally if I eat eggs for breakfast for a week I'll lose weight even if I feel like I'm pigging out all the time.

 

Anyway, to determine what works best for you, Dr Atkins used to start everyone out on two weeks of induction, then keep to moderate carbs while losing weight, and slowly add more carbs when trying to maintain so you could figure out exactly how many carbs you can tolerate until your insulin levels get out of control.

[sheryl]

These are all good!

AK - do you mean 30 each day? 

Reefgazer, can you give me an example of a day's menu?

freesia, you win the jackpot!  I do believe this is it.  True, once you eat less you crave less.

Um, wheat - I've heard this is a nutritional culprit.  Corn - why?  Is it b/c it's high in veggie sugar/carbs, right?  Same with fruits and root veggies?  But, fruits and roots are healthy for people.  I really don't understand this part.  I'm also thinking about meat and too much is acidic and not good for people.  HELP!  When does it stop? LOL!

 

[sheryl]

Katy,  Wow.  I get what you're saying.  My concern with the high fat is just that - the high saturated fats in foods which contributes to high cholesterol.   But, I'm guessing there this is in moderation.   So, a small daily amount. 

 

That's interesting that each person requires a different amount of carbs.  

 

Isn't all of this South Beach too?

[Katy]

Katy,  Wow.  I get what you're saying.  My concern with the high fat is just that - the high saturated fats in foods which contributes to high cholesterol.   But, I'm guessing there this is in moderation.   So, a small daily amount. 

 

That's interesting that each person requires a different amount of carbs.  

 

Isn't all of this South Beach too?

 

Well the link between cholesterol and heart disease is more correlation than causation, and even that is most clear in men under 55.  Inflammation seems to be more the cause.

 

I'm pretty sure I also read recently that in women, the higher the cholesterol the longer you are likely to live.

 

But if you're concerned about cholesterol, the lowest mine ever was was when I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I could still eat eggs and cheese every day for breakfast and it was low, and there were plenty of combinations of fat and protein calories higher than carb calories that worked for me. I ate a lot of cheese, eggs, nuts and beans back then.  When I started eating meat again my cholesterol went up much more than when I switched out cereal for eggs (I was in college and frequently donated plasma so there was a visible difference in my plasma at the time).

 

Also, spending time with bare skin in the sun turns cholesterol into Vitamin D.

[AK_Mom4]

These are all good!

 

AK - do you mean 30 each day? 

 

Nope.  That would be very very low carb - almost no carb - and I have not moved to that level.  30g or less at a meal is just about right for me.  Truth is that just about everything plant-based has carbs in it.  I'm not willing to give up all vegetables yet.

 

Really, the easiest way to reduce carbs (if that's what you want to do) is to first track what you are eating NOW.  Once you can recognize where the big carbs are, it is easier to cut back.

[Annie G]

Some people do really well just going low carb all at once. For me, that was just too hard. I took a week to get my breakfast in tune- usually sautéed veggies and an egg or two. The next week I moved on to lunch. Either a large salad or more veggies and a piece of protein like a baked chicken thigh or breast.    By week three I was ready to tackle dinner, which for me is either eating what my family does minus the starch, or having a large dinner salad with protein. 

 

To add some bulk for teen meals, you can add some butter and maybe some kind of sauce to rice or veggies, and make a biscuit. Pillsbury makes frozen biscuits that have several hundred calories and it's easy to make one at a time. Yeah, I know it's carb heavy and not healthy, but assuming the teen is eating decent protein and a good veggie, adding a biscuit is an easy way to bulk up with another 300+ calories. 

[sheryl]

Thanks to everyone.

 

Anne, do you eat fruits?

OK, I'm not getting this part - reduce or eliminate "all" fruits and "most" veggies or just root veggies?  Sauteed veggies for breakfast - which ones? 

 

So, is this going back to a high fat diet to compensate for the reduced carbs?

[Susan in TN]

Pickles. Eating a dill pickle completely kills any urge in me to eat sugar or carbs. (I do like pickles.)

[umsami]

There's a calculator online that can give you some idea as to what a good level of carbs to try for your body/goals:

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com

 

 

I've had great luck by switching to almond and coconut flour to bake with.  There are lots of good keto/low-carb/paleo type recipes out there.  Pinterest is a good place to start.

 

For bread, there are low carb bread recipes out there, but also relatively low-carb wraps/tortillas and pitas.  

 

I like her recipes:  http://www.satisfyingeats.com

 

[bolt.]

I am lower-than-average on carbs (but not low carb) by following these general ideas:

 

1. I'm only trying to limit grain, starch and added-sugar carbs. I'm ignoring the carbs in fruit, veggies and dairy.

 

2. I eat breakfast without breads or starches most days. Usually that means an apple, another fruit, and a protien (or two). If I really want a starch, I try to eat half as much as used to seem normal.

 

3. I do eat grain or starch at my lunch, but I try to limit it by the 'half if what used to seem normal' principle -- an open-face sandwich, a 1/4 cup of a pasta side dish (not the main dish) etc.

 

4. At supper I try for protien and 3 veggies, with a fruit after-course. If I really feel that the meal calls for a starch or grain, I put it in, but in small servings. (ie: Tacos need shells, so I'm not going to quibble my way into lettuce. I'm just going to do normal tacos. But I don't need to have potato or grain side dishes for no reason. I try to mostly skip them.)

 

5. For dessert I try for potent sweets like dark chocolate. I also serve fruit before dessert most days. If I want another type if sweet, I serve it in small dishes with tiny spoons.

 

6. For salty, starchy, snacks, I buy the trick-or-treat packs, and only eat one of those absolute minuscule packets per craving.

 

7. Most days I eat an odd schedule that involves a "second breakfast" around 10:00am that is very protien focused, and I delay lunch until about 2:00pm. This prevents me from being so hungry that my ability to eat a wise meal goes out the window.

 

8. I often succeed in refusing to snack after supper & dessert... Sometimes I "save" my dessert.

 

9. I rarely drink sweets. I have many successful strategies to flavour water with combinations of stevia, spices, hot and chilled teas, and small amounts of fruit juice. These are not carb-free, but 1/4 tsp of sugar per serving is fine with me.

[fraidycat]

I'm starting the Whole30 tomorrow if you want to join in. ;)

[Katy]

Opinions vary on whether you should replace carbs with protein or fat.

 

Protein tends to be more filling, but it might cause premature aging, and some people's kidneys don't tolerate it.  Generally fitness models eat high protein moderate carb moderately low fat diets though.

 

A lot of people feel a ketogenic (high fat, low carb, moderate protein) diet is best, although it's hard to stick to it fixes metabolic issues (it turns out that many diseases might have metabolic components), and starves cancer.

 

I can't handle high protein intake.  It tends to make my sweat smell like ammonia, and if I eat too much I start to feel like I have the flu.  But then I have a history of kidney infections and one doctor I had thought I have Lupus, so again I think it's something individual.

 

One thing to be aware of, if you do want to go on a ketogenic diet, one common mistake is eating too much protein.  Your body can break protein into glucose and that can prevent you from entering ketosis.

 

I actually recommend you listen to your body. With a little experimentation you'll find where you feel best, where you're eating enough carbs to feel good but low enough to lose the weight you want, and what sort of protein you feel best on.

[Katy]

One more thing- with my experiments with real food and paleo I figured out that foods are MUCH MORE filling if fatty foods are made with actual animal fat (tallow, lard) rather than vegetable oil. 

 

We started buying fractions of a cow from a butcher and I had a lot of fat.  I rendered it into tallow following instructions on pinterest and made french fries with it.  I hardly ever even like homemade fries, but these were not only the best fries any of us had ever eaten, less than a handful left us all stuffed.  Literally less than one potato worth per person. Typically if we go out to eat we could eat fries until we're stuffed but still not be really satisfied. The whole experiment with the cow (I also made stuff like bone broth that is really nutritious) really convinced me that the switch from home-rendered fats to processed vegetable oils, corn syrup, and other frankenfoods is what has caused the obesity epidemic.

 

Our brains are made from saturated fat.  I think we all need a certain amount and until that need is satisfied our hunger does not get turned off.

[redsquirrel]

my first introduction to a lower carb (not low carb) was the south beach diet. There are lists and recipe sites all over the place. Don't pay for anything because there are just so much info out there. I found it a great introduction and very manageable.

 

You go on a 2 week 'phase 1' where you learn to deal with cravings etc, then a longer phase 2, then when you reach a goal weight you are at phase 3. But, phase 3 isn't really a phase because by then you are so familiar with what does and does not work for you that it is just life, lol.

 

But google 'south beach phase 1' and you will get a ton of hits and lists of 'approved foods' and recipes and etc etc.  Then, if you live through phase 1 (I am kiddding!) move to phase 2.

 

One of my fave ways to cut carbs is to substitute unsweetened almond milk for any dairy in my tea/coffee/cereal.  And I use romaine lettuce leaves instead of bread for any sandwiches. Well...not peanut butter, lol. Dairy is full of carbs. Oh, and I limit fruit to 1 small piece a day, and no juice ever.  Wine and beer and alcohol are, sadly, all carbs.  :thumbdown: 

 

You just need to cut the sugar.

[sheryl]

Thanks to everyone.   DD and I are going on a quick get away.  When I return home I'll need to reread all of these replies to FULLY understand.

 

I think I'm getting in the way of myself.  In other words, a few of you were basically saying to get started and I'll learn to listen to my body and what it needs.  That's what I need to do.   Don't worry about it.  Many of you said lower carb vs. low carb.  This would probably be good for me.  Cut back to a lower amt. but not low.  Cutting out the sugar and potatoes will probably heap big results, do ya think?!?!  :)

 

Bolt, Katy, Redsquirrel - thanks for the specifics.  I'm wired that way - need to know details.

 

Bolt - am I understanding you correctly when you say you still eat fruits?  Is it in moderation.  Aren't there low glycemic fruits?  Peaches, I think.  But, they are sadly going out of season unless they are imported. 

 

 

[Joanne]

I would not necessarily jump to a "low carb" lifestyle if your body hasn't lead you there. If I could be healthy and eat in moderation, I would. If I could be healthy and have a few whole grains (brown rice, 100% ww bread), moderate starchy veggies, a serving of fruit daily, a serving or two of dairy, I would create a balanced diet around that with other veggies and meat and eggs.

But MY body can't be healthy on that.. Not now; maybe never.

 

Right now, I am eating a spinach/swiss omlette and uncured bacon. Today, I've had 2 salads, a burger with lots of sandwich veggies but no bun. Since i am new back on low carb, I won't be having fruit for a while, and when I do, it will be berries. If you do decide to to low carb, or discover you have to, I suggest you read some of the science behind it. I've personally changed the ideas I had about "dietary fat." What I learned in the 70's, 80's and 90's was not accurate, especially for MY body.

[mom31257]

I lost 25 pounds earlier this year and have kept it off. I kept my 3 main meals under 20-25 carbs each. I tried to keep snacks very low carb or no more than 15, so I basically was under 100 for the day. Since then, I just try to keep as many meals as possible like this, but I haven't been super strict and have kept it off. I didn't exercise much at all during the time I lost it, and I've not exercise consistently since. Our family does clean a 10,000 sq. ft building 3 times a week (2 times then), but we were doing it before I lost weight.

 

Here are some foods I ate, and I can't have dairy.

 

Breakfast:

1-2 eggs, fried or scrambled, 1 piece of whole wheat toast (lowest carb I can find) with margarine (use non-dairy versions) and cinnamon

Special K Protein Cereal with unsweetened almond milk (lowest carb cereal I could find)

Protein/Green Smoothies (use vegan protein powder)

oatmeal with alternative sweeteners, cinnamon, pecans

coconut flour or almond flour pancakes or muffins

 

Lunch:

wraps made with Xtreme Wellness Hi-Fiber (5 net carbs) and a variety of fillings

quesadillas made with the same wraps (use a non-dairy cheese)

homemade chicken or tuna salad

big salads

 

Snacks/drinks:

nuts

apple slices (1/2 with peanut or almond butter and 1/2 with cinnamon)

coffee with sugar free creamers

herbal teas with stevia sweeteners

homemade chai lattes (chai tea with soy creamer)

 

 

Dinners:

usually tried to eat what the family was having and just skip any starchy side

 

 

I know several ladies who have faithfully done Trim Healthy Mama and lost a lot of weight and kept it off, too. 

 

 

[DesertBlossom]

The only way I ever stick to a low carb diet is to stock the house with low carb snacks I know I'll eat. Like pickles (the good kind!), garlic stuffed olives, sauerkraut, lots of veggies, nuts, etc. I have to have a house full of really enticing low carb stuff that I like. Otherwise I just feel like I'm starving myself.

[Berta]

We stick to around 20 carbs per day. Low carb/high fat. No grains, no sugar. Lots of veggies, meats, healthy fats and keep fruits to a handful of berries, usually with breakfast or a late night snack.  My DH has lost 34 lbs since May. No hunger, no cravings and blood tests came back after 3 months with lower cholesterol and he is no more pre-diabetic.

[bolt.]

Bolt - am I understanding you correctly when you say you still eat fruits? Is it in moderation. Aren't there low glycemic fruits? Peaches, I think. But, they are sadly going out of season unless they are imported.

I eat fruits, all that I can get, indiscriminately. Having more fruit is a way that I feel like I'm getting full and rich meals without many grains, starches or *added* sugars. I'm focusing my limits only on those 3 targets, because that's my goal. Maybe it's my version of "listening to my body".

 

It's also in line with my other idea that "good nutrition forever" is the only worthwhile goal. I don't deal well with phases or short-term-limit style dieting. I'm shifting my whole style of eating in healthy small steps, sitting on each step until each step feels normal. One touchstone question is, "Is it ok for kids and teens to eat my way, or to grow up and feed their kids this way." That means fruit is a big "yes" for me.

[Reefgazer]

Breakfast:  2 eggs (fried/hard boiled, scrambled), fruit, 1/2 avocado

 

Lunch:  Half a sandwich (egg salad, tuna, sandwich meat, cheese), fruit, salad or veggies (2 servings) 

 

Dinner:  Chicken/fish/meat with a starch, double-serving of veggies, and fruit **or** spaghetti with sauce, large salad, and fruit.

 

Snack:  Half a bowl of cereal with nuts and celery and peanut butter (for example)

 

So, that's an example of a day, but I vary it up a lot.  The one thing that has worked for me is reducing carbs but not eliminating them, and I need my starch, LOL.  So I guess you could call this "low starch" and not exactly "low carb".  But I have found a happy medium in reducing the starch and replacing it with fruits/veggies.  All carbs aren't created equal, IMO.

These are all good!

AK - do you mean 30 each day? 

Reefgazer, can you give me an example of a day's menu?

freesia, you win the jackpot!  I do believe this is it.  True, once you eat less you crave less.

Um, wheat - I've heard this is a nutritional culprit.  Corn - why?  Is it b/c it's high in veggie sugar/carbs, right?  Same with fruits and root veggies?  But, fruits and roots are healthy for people.  I really don't understand this part.  I'm also thinking about meat and too much is acidic and not good for people.  HELP!  When does it stop? LOL!

 

[MBM]

This is out of control for me.    I must have been ahead of my time when I was in college (no bragging intended) because I ate then (late 70's) like what would be considered today to be "very" low carb.  I was pretty thin (thinking back on it) but I didn't think so.  No, not anorexic.  Not pencil skinny. 

 

Surely age "redistributes" our assets so to speak....don't know how else to say this!   LOL!  Now, 35 years later, I'm overweight and a mess.  Yes, metabolism slows down with age.  I do want to be realistic about that but also do not want that to be an excuse.

 

I've heard soooo many people say that losing weight is 80% food intake and 20% exercise.  I've exercised "fairly" well over the years (once someone suggested I teach an aerobics class). 

 

I still exercise but know the extra weight gives me less zip/energy and motivation.   Surely it seems I should make serious changes in my food intake but HOW to do that so I don't resent my cravings. 

 

Does any of this make sense?    Any suggestions?   What is the daily max for carbs anyway?   HELP!

 

What I like to do is monitor my blood glucose levels. My goal is to be below 100, ideally 90, even after eating. My fasting is about 75. The idea is to keep it low, steady and stable. Blood sugar that gets too high, IMO, causes all kinds of health problems well before a person is diagnosed as being pre-diabetic or diabetic.

 

My diet is the right amount of protein (not more than I need because excess protein will break down into glucose), fat, and carbs mostly from veggies and a very small amount of fruit. I also eat two brownies every day, but they are made with nut flours and only a small amount of brown sugar. They taste sweet, though.

 

After breakfast, which is my biggest meal, my blood sugar is around 85. I then eat the brownies about 1/2 hour later, but to keep my blood sugar from spiking, I have to do 12-15" of high intensity interval training (HIIT). Today, for example, I had my brownies, did HIIT and my blood sugar was around 85. If I don't exercise, my blood sugar after brownies usually spikes above 100.

 

If I drink, I have a Mike's Light Lemonade.

 

Exercise is important because it creates more mitochondria which are the energy factories in our cells. I like to go for walks, do high intensity interval training and lift weights a few times per week.

 

Good luck!

[LibraryLover]

I eliminated bread that wasn't awesome (like great baguette or bagel). Then Cheerios. (Which is comfort food to me. lol. ) No potato chips. If I want good bread, I plan it. And then am generous with the butter or cream cheese. No corn (unless it's summer... Then I eat corn on the cob, get bloated and gain weight. But it's so delicious, if temporary). Pasta, rarely. So rarely. I've sort of lost my taste for it. My love for Italy and all things Cooking with Lydia has taken a hit. It's sort of sad. (Although there is more to Italian food that good pasta.) I'll eat pasta, but I plan it, and it has to be worth it, taste-wise. Rice is the same. I also no longer drink any soda or juice.

 

I know this has helped me lose and maintain. I'm not worried about my cholesterol numbers since my grandmothers lived well until almost the end into their mid 90's. Both had 'high' cholesterol. That's been shown; women with higher numbers tend to live longer. Same for women with a bit of fat. I'm never going to be willowy thin; that's not my body. But I'm not getting bigger, and weigh less since restricting my intake of rice, pasta etc. but I don't deny myself. It's not a hardship.i can live this way.

 

I eat eggs, avocados, salmon and other fish, grass fed beef, chicken, green veggies all I want; so salads, kale, stir fry with bok choy, mustard greens, etc I don't put rice or noodles in my stir fry. I use duck fat, tallow, coconut oil, and olive oil to flavor, sauté etc last night I made pasta with ground beef for the kids, and grilled a small steak for dh and I to share. If I had had more ground beef, I might have made burgers, but used portabella mushrooms instead of buns for dh & me. We all had sautéed spinach, a green salad with a few cherry tomatoes, chopped avocado, and sliced bell pepper. The dressing was homemade with olive oil, salt, pepper, a bit of mustard, and a bit of balsamic vinegar shaken in a little Ball jar.

 

Breakfast was scrambled eggs. Lunch will be tuna salad with lettuce and a bit of olive oil etc. I haven't decided dinner. I wish is would cool down. I feel like I want to roast a chicken.

[ScoutTN]

Suzanne Somers' books have some good low carb recipes.

 

Seconding good fats. We use lard from pastured pork and tallow from grass fed beef. These will cook at a higher temp without scorching than any vegetable oil. They add so much flavor! If you are satisfied you will not get the munchies.

 

I do best with no sugar, no grains and very few root veggies. I am okay with fruit and legumes in moderation.

If I have starches, earlier in the day is better. Sometimes I need some carbs in the morning to go with eggs - eggs on an empty stomach sometimes make me queasy. We do lots of eggs and veggies for breakfast.

Dinner is protein and 3 veggies. Eating after about 7 pm is bad for me, no matter what I eat.

 

Pickles! I agree with Susan in TN. Homemade dill pickles are totally addictive and do kill my carb cravings. I sometimes have them with a piece of good cheese, at room temp.

 

I have found that I need to have protein, cheese and quick to eat veggies in my fridge at all times. I try to cook ahead and cook extra. I like the thin pork chops, chx thighs, and thin sliced steaks and good sausages for quick fix meats.

 

We eat TONS of veggies! I do not limit carbs from veggies much except for white potatoes because they are the only ones that bring on carb cravings. Fall is a little trickier because so many of the seasonal veggies are starchy, but I balance out with cuciferous veggies and greens, which also abound.

 

I don't count carbs.

I do have to be careful of nuts because they do make me crave carbs.

Dark chocolate is my dessert of choice, but I save it for the weekend.

No fake foods here, so no artificial sweeteners. We drink mostly water. I drink hot tea and occasionally coffee.

Milk, cream and butter from local grass fed cows is SO good! We will never go back to grocery store dairy.

 

Spices and seasonings are your friends. Experiment!

[Momof3littles]

You might like reading some of Gary Taubes' work, or looking at Dr. Eades' twitter feed for interesting articles about the fat-cholesterol-heart disease hypothesis.

 

There are lots of non sweet "fruits" like avocado.  I think in the beginning it is often helpful to cut fruit way back, but YMMV.  I have been doing this for years, and mostly stick to berries or small servings like half of a granny smith apple.  I also like pomegranate seeds in season :)  Those are lower sugar fruits in comparison to others.  What you can tolerate is quite individual, depending on insulin sensitivity and a host of other factors.

 

We do grassfed beef and pastured pork whenever possible.  Research is pointing to inflammation being a serious issue, veggie oils with less than desirable omega ratios may be an issue more than saturated fat in and of itself.  Look at some of the newer analyses of old data on margarine consumption and heart disease. Interesting stuff. 

 

We like and use avocado oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, some coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk.  I enjoy eating fats like olives and avocados.

[ScoutTN]

Yes, Gary Taubes' book was very helpful for me. I need to understand the whys!

[LucyStoner]

OK, I'm not getting this part - reduce or eliminate "all" fruits and "most" veggies or just root veggies? Sauteed veggies for breakfast - which ones?

 

 

I am not low carb. I'll give up fruits and potatoes and such when hell freezes over. Maybe.

 

But I am a veggies for breakfast person. My absolute favorite is a veggie hash with greens (I am partial to collards) topped with an over easy egg. Sometimes with a little breakfast meat. My hash most often includes peppers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, l/o green beans and the like. I also do a little potato and sometimes carrots in there but I am not low carb so you can leave that out. I usually use frozen greens when making a breakfast or lunch like this. Boil, drain and then sauté in the butter or fat you were cooking the hash in. Put those on the plate first, then the veggie hash with/out meat and then the glorious over easy egg. Obviously use whatever egg you want. My husband has his over hard or even scrambled.

 

Leftover roasted broccoli with garlic and cauliflower are also good breakfast foods for me. Cut up a little, sauté and then eat with some or all of the above.

 

I make extra veggies with dinner to ensure I have some ready for the morning a few times a week.

[mom31257]

My diet is the right amount of protein (not more than I need because excess protein will break down into glucose), fat, and carbs mostly from veggies and a very small amount of fruit. I also eat two brownies every day, but they are made with nut flours and only a small amount of brown sugar. They taste sweet, though.

 

 

Exercise is important because it creates more mitochondria which are the energy factories in our cells. I like to go for walks, do high intensity interval training and lift weights a few times per week.

 

 

 

I've never heard that about protein. How do you go about knowing the right amount of protein. I'm not a huge meat eater, but I LOVE peanut butter and nuts, so now I'm concerned that I might get too much. I'll make a protein smoothie, but I never use the whole scoop in the package to make it last longer. 

 

 

I am curious about the exercise creating more mitchondria. I have a nephew with mitchondrial disease, and wonder if it's even possible for him to create more. He has other issues and strenuous exercise is impossible. 

[MBM]

I've never heard that about protein. How do you go about knowing the right amount of protein. I'm not a huge meat eater, but I LOVE peanut butter and nuts, so now I'm concerned that I might get too much. I'll make a protein smoothie, but I never use the whole scoop in the package to make it last longer. 

 

 

I am curious about the exercise creating more mitchondria. I have a nephew with mitchondrial disease, and wonder if it's even possible for him to create more. He has other issues and strenuous exercise is impossible. 

 

Certain amino acids in proteins can be used to create glucose which sadly means I can't eat as much bacon as I want. Bummer! I aim for 50-60 grams per day. Here is a chart for women explaining how to calculate how much protein you need per day.

 

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410520,00.html

 

Generally, mitochondria will increase with activity that involves endurance or short bursts of intensity (like HIIT) or weight lifting. For something like mitochondrial myopathy, these two articles might be helpful.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15962332

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16331135

 

Another food I like is Shirataki noodles. They are low in calories, low in carbs, no fat, and have a bit of fiber. The two drawbacks are that they can be kind of pricey -- $3-4 for a smallish bag -- and they have to be rinsed, then boiled a bit to get rid of the funny natural taste. Otherwise, they're great! I like to make mine with butter, olive oil, mushrooms, garlic and parmesan cheese. If you want to try them, they are sold in plastic bags full of water and noodles, often in either the tofu or Asian sections of supermarkets.

[redsquirrel]

Yes, the shiratake noodles are great. I would like them even if they weren't low carb.  Yes, they are pricy so I have them as a 'treat'. I like them mixed with shrimp and veggies.

 

They aren't to everyone's taste, a bit rubbery, but I like them. I don't try to convince myself they are 'substitute pasta' because things like that never go well for me.

 

 

[Momof3littles]

I like the shiratake noodles that are just konjac flour based vs soy, and think they work best in Asian type dishes.  If I want something more like spaghetti, I use spaghetti squash, even thought it doesn't taste like spaghetti. 

[wapiti]

I will have to check out those noodles one day.  Lately, if I'm making spaghetti for the kids with browned ground beef and sauce, I will fry up, er, saute, a yellow onion in olive oil and viola, the onion strips (usually about half an onion, sometimes more :tongue_smilie:) are my "noodles" with a splash of sauce and a generous helping of ground beef.  (mmm, it's almost lunchtime - wonder if I have any onions...)

[wapiti]

I worry about my blood sugar so I feel better about eating fruit if I pair it with something like a fat or protein.

 

FWIW, I think this is a good idea if you are worried about your blood sugar.  I would also save fruit for lunch or later in the day rather than in the morning (the morning tends to be a more difficult time for some people to control blood sugar).

 

 I think when I put fruit in oatmeal it is a good compliment.

 

Just my two cents, it may be a tasty complement but I doubt that combining fruit with oatmeal is likely to blunt the affects of the fruit carbs with regard to blood sugar, as oatmeal is basically a carb food even though it may have a little protein.  For blood sugar affects, you may be better off with your idea of combining fat and protein with the fruit.

 

(also FWIW, for my metabolism, a carb is a carb.  Doesn't really matter if it's whole grain.)

[freeindeed]

I follow the Atkins food plan. It works well for me. There are four phases, and only the first phase (induction) IMO is extremely strict.

[sheryl]

We just returned home from a few days at the beach.  Our weekend is full but I plan on re/reading all of these messages (again).  I may have a few more questions and/or comments, so please check back.  THANKS!  I truly appreciate your replies!!

[SharonM]

Although I am not successful in the weight control... 244 and counting!  UGH!!!

I have found that when I have a craving for potato chips or candy/chocolate or doughnuts, if I eat anything at all, but mostly protein like a hard boiled egg, the craving goes away. Gone.  I still find it funny that I cant get potato chips off my mind, but eat anything else and I no longer want them. Weird. Still have to remember this every time! But trying to go lower carb. My brain is the big problem here.