I am back, but finding it hard to get into the swing again.

tishball

Ok I was in this group early last summer,. I had got myself to under 20 carbs a day, and was doing pretty ok. However stuff happened, two close family sudden deaths, then other things less sad, but I found it very hard to a, remain focused on cutting carbs, and b, just keep logging food, and checking in here. The result was that my way of eating went back to it's old self, lots of carbs . I am back now, and the problem is , I intended my first week to be fairly easy so am trying to stick to under 45g of carbs a day. I keep fluffing it, I get caught on carbs hidden in cheeses, on carbs hidden in some veggies, and while I am doing ok and staying under goal. I am wondering how in hell I managed to do some days 0 carb. What was I eating besides bacon and eggs? I suppose I am asking you folks to help remind me of the foods I should eat plenty of, I know fats, but I always need something with the fats, iukwim. I love butter, last night I had lots and lots of broccolli with butter, with home made taco, served with lettuce, ( Instead of a tortilla) I thought when I logged my meal it would say 0 carbs, but I got 12........ grrrrr, red peppers and kidney beans, and onions seem to have added the carbs. Can you tell me your favourite no carb vegs. ( I love carrotts, parsnips, turnips, Tomatoes, all carby...... and who knew iceburg lettuce was carby too..... grrrrr)
Anyway I am back, I intend to stay this time, and intend to get as savvy with this as the rest of you are.

wabmester

Welcome back! Sorry to hear about those sad events in your life.

I'm not going to offer any food ideas because I eat most of those things that you list as "carby."

But I'm fascinated by "falling off the wagon," so I have to ask. What did you eat? Did you binge on carrots? Cheese? Onions?

Just curious, but those aren't the foods I associate with cravings or binges. So if you love that stuff, keep them in your carb budget. Find the real evil culprits that caused you to gain weight, and avoid them.

daylitemag

I always look at net carbs. From what you've described I will bet your net is too bad.

Shrimp are good protein and no carbs.

Raspberries are a good option.

nvmomketo

A LCHF diet's carbs will usually come from veggies. Any veggies that grow below the ground (root veggies like potatoes, yam, beets, parsnips, carrots and onions) will have more carbs than other above ground veggies. To me it seems that green veggies are the lowest carb (lettuce, spinach cucumber (a fruit technically), celery, green beens and snap peas).

Beans are higher carb. I mostly skip them or have it in very small amounts. For example, the other day we had "tacos" and I added a single teaspoon of refried beans to my ground beef, cheese, sourcream and spinach plate.

Here's a list of veggies and their carbs : http://www.ruled.me/best-low-carb-vegetables-ketogenic-diet/

Grains are basically high carb. Anything with flour, quinoa, rice, and corn will have a lot of carbs.

Fruit is usuallu higher carb. Berries are the lowest carb of the fruits but it is higher carb than most veggies.

Meat has almost no carbs unless you are eating it raw. Processed foods may have sugar added; label reading can help with avoiding that. Some seafood has small amounts of carbs.

Eggs have a very small amount of carbs in them.

Hard cheeses have almost zero carbs. Same for heavy whipping cream.

Nuts, avocados and olives have some carbs but lots of fats. That's my go to produce and snacks. Coconut has some carbs too. It's my dessert.

My favourite no carb (or close to it) meals are bullet proof coffee, bacon and eggs, burger patty with cheese and a side of veggies with cheese/sourcream dip, can of tuna with mayo and avocado, cheeseburger pie, fish, pepperoni sticks with cheese, coconut with nuts and cacao nibs, pulled pork minus the bun with roasted veggies.

baconslave

All veggies have carbs. There are no zero carb veggies. Some veggies get pretty darn low if you are counting net carbs. But all plants have sugars in them. Non-starchy veggies are good sugars. Starchy sugars and table sugar aren't so good. You'll only get zero carb if you eat nothing but butter and meat. Even eggs have a little less than half a carb each. So does some bacon have a tad.

So. Non-starchy veggies like green leafy veggies, green beans, broccoli are ok. Cauliflower is ok. Green and growing above ground are fine in general. Tomatoes, onions, carrots, and parsnips are ok too in smaller amounts, but they tend to have less fiber to counteract their sugars. They have less carbs raw than cooked.

Some nuts are ok in moderation, like almonds, pecans, filberts, macadamia, and peanuts (even though they are technically legumes).

Starchy veggies like potatoes and corn and grains, and also other starchy plants like beans, are going to be higher in carbs, period, and almost impossible to keep you under your 45g. So I recommend avoiding them altogether.

The cooked beans, peppers, and onions (particularly the beans and onions) are what got you last night. Cooking caramelizes the sugars in veggies making them higher. So you can have raw onions, but cooked ones you have to watch like a hawk.

Most non-starchy vegetables are low in carbs. Choose organic vegetables or grow your own to avoid pesticide residues. Avoid the starchy vegetables such as corn, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and most winter squash as they are much higher in carbs. Limit sweeter vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and summer squashes. This list is by no means comprehensive, so if there is a green vegetable you like that is not on this low carb food list, feel free to include it.

Alfalfa Sprouts
Any leafy green vegetable
Asparagus
Avocado
Bamboo Shoots
Bean Sprouts
Beet Greens
Bell peppers*
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots*
Cauliflower
Celery
Celery root
Chard
Chives
Collard greens
Cucumbers
Dandelion greens
Dill pickles
Garlic
Kale
Leeks
Lettuces and salad greens (arugula, Boston lettuce, chicory, endive, escarole, fennel, mache, radicchio, romaine, sorrel.)
Mushrooms
Olives
Onions*
Parsnips*
Radishes
Sauerkraut (watch for added sugar)
Scallions
Shallots
Snow Peas
Spinach
Sprouts
Summer squash*
Swiss chard
Tomatoes*
Turnips
Water chestnuts

* Limit amounts of these vegetables, as they are higher in carbs.

Can anyone think of anything else to add to the list.

You can google "veggie carb charts" and find a million different charts to have a look at.


I eat mostly: chicken, pork, beef, and fish; butter and lard; hard cheeses (3oz daily or less), cream cheese, and half&half.
I eat less of: nuts, cottage cheese, green beans, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, turnip and mustard greens, pork rinds and sour cream, and avocados.
I occasionally add in very small amounts of: carrots, onions, salsa, tomatoes, coconut flour and cocoa powder, only when I have the room as they are more carby.

I don't eat eggs. They only have half a carb each, but I pretty much hate them now. Everyone else can eat them all.


I'm sure I forgot something. I have a house full of teens/pre-teens in addition to my regular brood today. Lord help us all...

tishball

Thanks a lot folks, I was googling and finding out lots of stuff. I will save 0 carb days for an odd time. I suppose it was " thinking" I was very low carb, then discovering I wasn't that prompted me to post. It will take me a few more days to sort out ways of having less of the veg ( root) that I love. Good point on above and below the ground. webmaster,

wabmester wrote: »

Welcome back! Sorry to hear about those sad events in your life.

I'm not going to offer any food ideas because I eat most of those things that you list as "carby."

But I'm fascinated by "falling off the wagon," so I have to ask. What did you eat? Did you binge on carrots? Cheese? Onions?

Just curious, but those aren't the foods I associate with cravings or binges. So if you love that stuff, keep them in your carb budget. Find the real evil culprits that caused you to gain weight, and avoid them.

I really fell off the wagon, started by not being careful with the carb contents in veg, then added the fruit, then of course the pasta, rice, spuds, all got reintroduced, and I did the whole ah I will be better tomorrow lie to myself. I was even starting to eat sweets in disturbing quantities, and as for crisps, ( chips in the usa) lord I was pigging out on those. So I decided enough is enough, back to basics. I miss toast though, not eating sugar isn't bothering me, but the potatoes, ( Im irish, lol) I miss those, and bread, I love bread. I was better today, no tomatoes, no red peppers, no fruit,. Lots of green leaves. I couldn't cut out veg and fruit altogether as I love both of them. I love this forum, you lads are great support, and full of information.