Low(er) Carb Real Food

Crisseyda
Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
Looking for open-minded, thoughtful mfp friends who are on a weight loss journey that focuses on mainly eating real, unprocessed, low(er) carb foods... no added sugars or grains! I'm not ketogenic, but I might be on certain days here and there.

And of course, realistically, we all cheat at times.
«134567

Replies

  • WolnaDusza
    WolnaDusza Posts: 28 Member
    edited October 2014
    Hi! I share your philosophy! Today was probably my best dietary day (check out my diary) and I'm looking to reduce carbs a bit more.

    What are your stats? I'm 5'6" 190 35 yo female looking to get to 165. I started out at 210. I've been 165 before (size 8) and as low as 130 (size 6)....got that low doing strict Atkins but it was too hard to maintain so I'm looking to go a little higher in carbs and build more muscle. Send me a friend req if you like and good luck on your journey.
  • ViolaLeeBlueberry
    ViolaLeeBlueberry Posts: 182 Member
    Hi there, I've stopped all grains too ... well, except at restaurants, for pizza, holidays, etc :smile: ... which ought to be impossible since I live in Asia, but isn't really because my husband has done it for (drum roll please) four years. Yes, even rice. He feels it's made a huge difference in various ways (though he has no idea if he has an allergy or anything), but a major aspect is simply that it eliminates empty calories. I'm finding the same thing now too. I do think it would be a lot tougher to keep to my calorie limit (1200) if I wasn't doing that.

    I've never eaten much processed food and pretty much always cooked from scratch -- lots of Trader Joe's and Whole Foods when we lived in the States -- but going no-grain definitely helps banish that evil seductive processed snack food!

    Will be in a "cheat phase" for the next few days since it's the Diwali holiday, but am usually pretty low-carb and all that. Sending a friend request, feel free to add me!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Real food? Is this opposed to pretend food?
  • I am beginning to do the alternate day diet with reduced carbs. Just starting so nothing amazing to report. I'm 5'4" and have about 60 lbs to lose. I plan on taking my time, doing gentle exercise due to a disability and being patient with myself when I have 'off plan' days. Good luck with your journey.. feel free to friend me :)
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Real food? Is this opposed to pretend food?

    By real food, I mean largely unprocessed. No seed oils high in omega 6 fatty acids. Nothing what I would term "hyperpalatable." Nothing with added sugar, HFCS, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, preservatives, food dyes. Real grass-fed dairy, meat, pastured eggs.

    Of course, all of that is an ideal situation, but it is a goal.

    If I am going to cheat, it is going to homemade with real ingredients! Take a look at processed cookies on the shelf and see if you can find a single package without soybean oil instead of real butter.

    I'm super excited for the holidays... I'm already planning some homemade egg nog!
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    Look girl. Don't go low carb..low fat...low anything......just go calorie deficit....honestly honey it works. I eat everything...just calorie deficit...omg...it works.....trust me....
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    edited October 2014
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    Look girl. Don't go low carb..low fat...low anything......just go calorie deficit....honestly honey it works. I eat everything...just calorie deficit...omg...it works.....trust me....

    I say low(er) carb because I just mean lower than the standard American diet. I just get my carbs from fruits and veggies... maybe potatoes and legumes once I get to my goal weight. I'm opting to prevent diabetes before it happens, as it is rampant in my family of origin.

    I'm not truly ketogenic, but there a lots of benefits to going into Ketosis here and there (maybe with some intermittent fasting... ketogenic is just too strict of diet for me to maintain for more than a day here and there). Heck, it can even starve cancer cells!

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120626131854.htm

    I'm definitely not low fat!

    http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/nutrition/why-experts-now-think-you-should-eat-more-fat-20141020

    http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014-10?IR=T
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    I think you're looking for "whole food," not "real food."

    I eat about 80% whole foods, but I include lots of whole grains in that. I do make a lot of my own breads and pastas, but I have whole-grain healthy prepackaged alternatives for when I'm feeling lazy.

    I don't see the point in cutting out food groups that I know I'm going to want to eat later. Whole grains, pastas and winter squash are my staple foods right now. Is there a point to going into keto "sometimes" or cutting carbs "sometimes"? I mean, are there studies to back up any proposed outcomes? Just curious.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Real food? Is this opposed to pretend food?

    By real food, I mean largely unprocessed. No seed oils high in omega 6 fatty acids. Nothing what I would term "hyperpalatable." Nothing with added sugar, HFCS, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, preservatives, food dyes. Real grass-fed dairy, meat, pastured eggs.

    Of course, all of that is an ideal situation, but it is a goal.

    If I am going to cheat, it is going to homemade with real ingredients! Take a look at processed cookies on the shelf and see if you can find a single package without soybean oil instead of real butter.

    I'm super excited for the holidays... I'm already planning some homemade egg nog!

    hmmm so you are saying the rest of us eat "fake" food…?

    You do realize that all food has chemicals in it, right?

    oh and there is no different between "added" sugar and "natural" sugar, they are all the same and treated as your body as such….
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    Look girl. Don't go low carb..low fat...low anything......just go calorie deficit....honestly honey it works. I eat everything...just calorie deficit...omg...it works.....trust me....

    no, no ..we all know that weight loss is extremely hard and you have to climate 99% of the "bad" foods and only then will you lose ...
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    edited October 2014
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Real food? Is this opposed to pretend food?

    By real food, I mean largely unprocessed. No seed oils high in omega 6 fatty acids. Nothing what I would term "hyperpalatable." Nothing with added sugar, HFCS, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, preservatives, food dyes. Real grass-fed dairy, meat, pastured eggs.

    Of course, all of that is an ideal situation, but it is a goal.

    If I am going to cheat, it is going to homemade with real ingredients! Take a look at processed cookies on the shelf and see if you can find a single package without soybean oil instead of real butter.

    I'm super excited for the holidays... I'm already planning some homemade egg nog!

    hmmm so you are saying the rest of us eat "fake" food…?

    You do realize that all food has chemicals in it, right?

    oh and there is no different between "added" sugar and "natural" sugar, they are all the same and treated as your body as such….

    LOL, yes, I'm aware of how the body reacts to sugar, yes, I know all food has "chemicals" in it

    If you're not sure what I mean by real food, you are welcome to ask....

    per my original post, read *open-minded* as code for humble, critical-thinking, not assuming you know it all, not afraid to go against the grain (no pun intended)...
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    Is it just me, or does it seem like the people with the largest number of posts are the biggest haters???
  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    there's a board for keto, you'll probably get more help there. less haters.
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    crisb2 wrote: »
    there's a board for keto, you'll probably get more help there. less haters.

    Thanks, maybe I'm not looking in the right places. All I see are the main forums under message boards. There are only 11 of them?
  • ViolaLeeBlueberry
    ViolaLeeBlueberry Posts: 182 Member
    I'm wondering why some people are so very bothered by someone else using a phrase like "real food." Pretty obvious what it means, really.

    And of course anyone can lose weight without going low-carb. You can lose weight living on Wonder Bread, astronaut ice cream and Budweiser. It's just a choice. For me, being fit is also about being more healthy, not just being thinner, and if I don't feel like allocating some of my daily calorie amount to companies that provide "food" that has empty calories and was made with what appears to be the shopping list for a chemical lab, why should this be controversial? Those who want to eat the shopping list are welcome to it, if they enjoy it. But why rag on folks who make different choices?

    Hmmm, maybe they're paid by Wonder Bread et al ... but that's OK, everyone's gotta make a living :smile:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I'm wondering why some people are so very bothered by someone else using a phrase like "real food." Pretty obvious what it means, really.

    And of course anyone can lose weight without going low-carb. You can lose weight living on Wonder Bread, astronaut ice cream and Budweiser. It's just a choice. For me, being fit is also about being more healthy, not just being thinner, and if I don't feel like allocating some of my daily calorie amount to companies that provide "food" that has empty calories and was made with what appears to be the shopping list for a chemical lab, why should this be controversial? Those who want to eat the shopping list are welcome to it, if they enjoy it. But why rag on folks who make different choices?

    Hmmm, maybe they're paid by Wonder Bread et al ... but that's OK, everyone's gotta make a living :smile:

    all food has chemicals in it…

    I just take offense at having what I eat be called "fake"…sorry …

    no calories are "empty" they are all an energy source…there are no bad or good calories, just ones you use for energy...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Real food? Is this opposed to pretend food?

    By real food, I mean largely unprocessed. No seed oils high in omega 6 fatty acids. Nothing what I would term "hyperpalatable." Nothing with added sugar, HFCS, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, preservatives, food dyes. Real grass-fed dairy, meat, pastured eggs.

    Of course, all of that is an ideal situation, but it is a goal.

    If I am going to cheat, it is going to homemade with real ingredients! Take a look at processed cookies on the shelf and see if you can find a single package without soybean oil instead of real butter.

    I'm super excited for the holidays... I'm already planning some homemade egg nog!

    hmmm so you are saying the rest of us eat "fake" food…?

    You do realize that all food has chemicals in it, right?

    oh and there is no different between "added" sugar and "natural" sugar, they are all the same and treated as your body as such….

    LOL, yes, I'm aware of how the body reacts to sugar, yes, I know all food has "chemicals" in it

    If you're not sure what I mean by real food, you are welcome to ask....

    per my original post, read *open-minded* as code for humble, critical-thinking, not assuming you know it all, not afraid to go against the grain (no pun intended)...

    yes, please define "real" food …?

    If you know that all sugar is treated the same by your body, then you are you advocating avoiding "added" sugar….
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Is it just me, or does it seem like the people with the largest number of posts are the biggest haters???


    the biggest haters of?!?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Is it just me, or does it seem like the people with the largest number of posts are the biggest haters???


    the biggest haters of?!?

    apparently it is hating to question why someone would classify other people's eating as "fake food" and to inject a little common sense into the discussion. ..
  • Captaincove
    Captaincove Posts: 26 Member
    Try looking at the Primal/Paleo Support Group listed under Groups.
  • NextPage
    NextPage Posts: 609 Member
    I totally agree that people who don't like low-carb shouldn't be so negative about other people's choices. However, I don't think insinuating that those of us who don't eat low carb are into "Wonder Bread, astronaut ice cream and Budweiser" helps makes things more respectful. It is good for all of us to make as many healthy choices as possible and for many of us this includes carbs in the form of fruit, vegetables, legumes, oatmeal etc. These are all very healthy foods with good micro-nutrients and of course, you have lots of good healthy choices for fats and proteins too. I have no problem with someone choosing low-carb but it isn't the only healthy "real food way". There isn't any connection at all unless the only carbs you used to eat were things like "Wonder Bread, astronaut ice cream and Budweiser" and you eat too much of them. Of course, if you have any of those things and still have a calorie deficit you will lose weight but most of us, regardless of which macros we stress, know the difference between a treat and the healthy choices that make up the majority of our diet.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I've been doing carb cycling for the last couple of months. I just thought I'd try something different to shift the baby weight this time! I've lost at a calorie deficit, with just 'normal' heathy eating before, after my other two babies, but decided to just give this a try.

    I agree that you don't need to eat low carb to eat healthily. The biggest change for me is cutting out fruit on low carb days. It's rare I eat processed foods anyway, low carb or not.

    You're welcome to have a look at my diary and/or add me as a friend.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    crisb2 wrote: »
    there's a board for keto, you'll probably get more help there. less haters.

    Hater of what? Nonsense? Unscientific based info? Companies pitching any and all diets to make a profit? if you mean any of those I agree...if you don't then I'm not sure I would agree that they are haters....

    I'll need some clarification on what you mean here.
  • jellybeanhed313
    jellybeanhed313 Posts: 344 Member
    Good morning! I have similar food and weight loss goals. Send me a request. I am gluten sensitive so, I've been gf for over a year now. I make almost everything from scratch due to these restrictions and in an effort to eat more whole foods. I'm 5'7" and 235 right now. Looking to get to 180-190ish. That's the goal for now.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited October 2014
    I'm wondering why some people are so very bothered by someone else using a phrase like "real food." Pretty obvious what it means, really.

    Exactly. I looked at the post, being open-minded and thoughtful I still didn't meet the 3rd condition so I didn't comment since she is asking for people following a specific type of diet. She can eat mud for all I care (yes, I did meet someone who did that). If she feels good about doing it and if she's convinced by her research, it's no one else's business bash her choices. She is looking for people who are going the same route she is. Those who are not (myself included) need not be bothered by it or by word choices. It's a friend request thread, not a discussion thread. If it was a discussion thread I would have had much more to say. I'm not bothered by people calling what I eat "fake", either. It calls their personality into question, not mine.
  • ViolaLeeBlueberry
    ViolaLeeBlueberry Posts: 182 Member
    NextPage wrote: »
    I don't think insinuating that those of us who don't eat low carb are into "Wonder Bread, astronaut ice cream and Budweiser" helps makes things more respectful..

    Next Page, it was a joke, and there was a context -- e.g., a comment that pointed out that it's not necessary to be low-carb to lose weight. It's definitely not meant to imply that eating high-carb means living on astronaut ice cream. Trust me, most of the folks in my own world (in Asia) eat high-carb and have never heard of any of those things I mentioned. So it just means that, yeah, you can lose weight eating anything you feel like (if it's under the calorie count) ... but it wouldn't always be healthy. Sorry if it offended you.

    Incidentally, I'm pretty negative on processed food, but I personally would never go without jelly beans. Ideally the real type. By Brach. With the black ones included :smile:
  • Icandoityayme
    Icandoityayme Posts: 312 Member
    I don't stick to restrictive diets. I stick to my calorie goals I have set as best I can, keep a deficit as best I can, and try to stick to 30 minutes or so of cardio. I log everything I put in my mouth every day. I agree healthier type foods are the better way to go, but, healthy isn't always in the budget and I am not the only one who eats here. I do what I can the best I can and while it isn't the way some people may do things, at least I have managed losing nearly 30 lbs in 130 days and that is no less an accomplishment than than those who cut everything out that they normally love. It's just not something I can stick to.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    crisb2 wrote: »
    there's a board for keto, you'll probably get more help there. less haters.

    Thanks, maybe I'm not looking in the right places. All I see are the main forums under message boards. There are only 11 of them?

    There's a "Groups" item under the Community tab (when you're in the forums section, just look for it in the blue bar). You can then search for groups that might interest you.

    I second the recommendation for Primal/Paleo Support Group. The Low Carber Daily Forum...The Group, Keto, and Reddit Keto groups are also good (even if you don't exactly follow their ways of eating, they're great resources for a number of things). The general forums are unfortunately not particularly friendly toward ways of eating that emphasize anything other than calories.
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    I cringe when people use terms like 'real food' like they're better than other people who choose to eat food that doesn't fit into their limited range of what they deem to be acceptable. There are of course food types that are more nutritious than others, but there is no such thing as fake food. If you can eat it, it's 100% real. Demonising certain foods just isn't healthy. And no food is bad for you unless you eat too much of it.
  • johnnylakis
    johnnylakis Posts: 812 Member
    IMO, I dont understand why the anti-carb, anti-grain campaign. I will say this, if your grains are not organic, and your carbs are processed food, then you arent getting nutrition and you will always be hungry. The GMO stuff is crap. I dropped 30 pounds on a 50% carb, 20% protein and 30% fat. I am now on maintenance and do 65% carb, 15% protein and 20% fat. You'd be surprised how little protein you need and how protein is in almost everything