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Low Carb Vegetarian

PKM0515
PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
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Is anyone here actively following a low carb, vegetarian lifestyle? I would love to hear your tips, experiences, suggestions, etc.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    Me!!

    I kind of naturally gravitated to low carb (around 100g total) when I first joined MFP 6 (!!) years ago, so I think I naturally find it very easy to cut carbs, which helps. Recently (mid Oct), my 'usual' wasn't working and I was having massive hunger issues, so I dropped further and now am generally around 40-45g net carbs (I regained a ton of weight the last couple of years after developing a chronic illness - lack of movement + comfort eating :\).

    One of the trickiest things is probably getting enough protein without a heap of tag along carbs. I admit that I get a good whack of my protein from protein powder, but since I'm not having hunger issues I don't see it as a problem. I also have to limit eggs due to eczema (they're one of my triggers). My main protein sources are: low fat Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, reduced fat feta, hard cheese, halloumi, protein powder, occasional eggs (still working on how often I can have them), some from milk (mine is a higher protein one), plus all the tag alongs from veg. Planning to work tempeh back in. Tofu is also not bad on carbs if you like it.

    Main tips are: get plenty of protein (I recommend 0.6-0.8g per lb of goal/ideal weight, or 1g per lb of LBM if you know it), eat loads of non-starchy veg to ensure you're getting enough micronutrients.

    And depending on how low carb you are going, keep an eye on electrolytes. I have to be mindful to get enough sodium at my current carb intake, but at higher I didn't really (but with things like cottage cheese and halloumi I was always getting a decent dose of sodium anyway).

    Any other questions, please just ask :)
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    edited December 2020
    This is my pre-logged food for today, as an example (in kilojoules, that's just shy of 1200 cals at this stage)

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  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
    @Nony_Mouse

    Thank you so much! This is very helpful. (I'll post a more detailed response tomorrow.) 💕
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    No worries :). Feel free to flick me a friend request if you think it would be helpful, though I'll warn you I tend to be very same same on food, just eat the same few things on a short rotation :lol: Something I may work on in the new year.
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
    I've lost 90 pounds, but I'm struggling with hunger issues and I know I need to increase my protein. I'm a type 2 diabetic prone to anemia, and my doctor is always trying to get me to add some fish, etc., to my diet.

    I do need to get some more protein powder. I wish I could find a place that sold sample packs. I had some Sunwarrior chocolate protein powder, which a friend recommended highly, but I really didn't care for it.


  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I did vegan keto for a while before I was able to add meats back in (migraine food triggers with meat, long story) in any case, if you go for NET carbs, it's pretty doable because the high protein veggies are typically also high fiber like soy and beans and such...also, dairy and eggs are a great protein source if you are eating those...I had a pea protein powder that I would use when necessary, but I did mostly try to get my needed protein from whole foods as much as possible.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    PKM0515 wrote: »
    I've lost 90 pounds, but I'm struggling with hunger issues and I know I need to increase my protein. I'm a type 2 diabetic prone to anemia, and my doctor is always trying to get me to add some fish, etc., to my diet.

    I do need to get some more protein powder. I wish I could find a place that sold sample packs. I had some Sunwarrior chocolate protein powder, which a friend recommended highly, but I really didn't care for it.


    I'm not in the US, so can't recommend protein powder, sorry. I used to use Clean Lean Protein, which i believe is available there, and liked it fine. Just switched to a cheaper NZ made one recently. You could try googling 'protein powder sample'? I think that's how I've found places that did sample packs before.

    Are you in maintenance now, or still losing? If still losing, I'd suggest doing a diet break to see if bringing hormones like leptin, thyroid, and cortisol back in line helps. Increasing protein is definitely a good bet for increased satiety though.

    What are your current protein sources?
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
    edited January 2021
    Thanks for all the ideas!

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