Struggling with Low Carb Diet! /KETO ADVICE?

Bacon, eggs, lean meats, veggies, berries, nuts, seeds, healthy fats like olive oil. Bascially just stay away from the starch and sugar and keep your carbs under 100.

I follow the paleo diet and if you stick with it it will work.

Some food items in MFP need to be corrected, so feel free to edit them. Also, have you tried keto before? It's a quick way to lose weight, but not very filling. Also, you have to watch out for keto fever.

correction: keto flu*

If you're dead set on doing low carb you really need to go back to basics and learn more about where carbs are in food. My advice would be to go to the official Atkins website and download the Quickstart guide for free: http://uk.atkins.com/program/the-new-atkins-quick-start-guide.html

If it looks like something that would fit with your lifestyle then buy one of the books (you can get them for pennies secondhand on eBay). It really is something you will struggle without without learning a little bit about the science behind it.

Pasta, pizza and bread are out, meat, fish, eggs and low carb veg are in. On the whole most fruit is not allowed at first as it contains sugar. Same goes for a lot of veg (so no sweetcorn, peas or potatoes but small amounts of leafy greens and salad are fine). Bottom line is you have to have fresh food and get rid of anything processed.

You also need to include fat which, along with the protein, will help curb your appetite (which is why low-carb works for me - it stops me eating as many calories).

For me a typical day is:

* Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, egg omelette or a MIM (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/453964-low-carb-muffin-in-a-minute?hl=muffin+minute)

* Lunch: Tuna or salmon salad (simply tip a tin of fish on top of some chopped lettuce and cucumber with a drizzle of olive oil, white wine vinegar, mustard and some dried oregano). Other alternatives include cold Spanish omelette, sliced ham, hard-boiled eggs, soft-boiled eggs with asparagus to dip in etc etc.

* Dinner: Roast chicken or steak with broccoli, cabbage, spinach, cream sauce etc etc.

For snacks I have small pieces of cheese, slices of cooked ham, ricotta with Splenda and lemon rind stirred through (tastes like cheesecake).

This group might be helpful: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-group

And there is a blog here with some fab recipe ideas: http://blog.pittsburgh-diet-guru.com/

lots of meats cheese and eggs

Last night I had cauliflower and sprouts with a homemade cheese sauce - loads of it and filled me up a treat!!

Mmmmmmm... why do we only ever have sprouts at Christmas?

Yup, been there and done that.
These were the diets I tried and failed and did the diet yo-yo with for 15 years:
Low fat high carb, Slim-Fast, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Organic, Weston Price Diet, The Schwarzbein Principle, Eat Fat Lose Fat, The Ultimate PH Solution, The Makers Diet, A friends diet from a personal trainer/dietician
I finally just got sick of it all and made up my own diet with healthy foods I enjoy and smaller portions.
I ate my meals from small desert plates and bowls. I stopped eating in the evenings. I started calling what I did mini-meals and mini-fasts and I lost 40 lbs. Then I found Eat Stop Eat and learned why it worked and everything took off for me at that point.
Eat what you want, eat what you like, mostly healthy. Don’t deprive yourself of foods you love unless there is a serious health risk. Depriving yourself of food you love and creating extensive good food and bad food lists at some point borders on a mental disorder. It will drive you insane.

I cherry pick from all the diets. One meal might be no carb or low carb, but never again will I deprive myself of carbs. Sure you will lose, but it's not sustainable.

I have been successful at low carb in the past and am currently doing semi-low carb.

When I am doing low carb a sample diet for me is

Breafast-eggs and sausage or bacon, coffee with half and half

lunch-grilled chicken salad (vegetable salad, cheese, grilled chicken, eggs, full fat/low carb dressing)

Dinner-a meat (grilled chicken, pork chop, steak, etc along wth vegetables (non-starchy veg such as broccoli or kale)

Snacks-string cheese, atkins bars/shakes, low carb yogurt, occasionally berries, celery with cream cheese, etc.

If you follow something similar to this you will not be hungry. All that protein fills you up a lot faster than carbs. Doesn't mean it's easy but you won't be hungry between meals

No pastas, pizza, rice, bread, potatoes, bananas.

All fruits are pretty high in carbs. Mostly you would only want to eat berries if you are going to eat fruit, at least to start.

Also, if you have a trader joe's near you they sell their brand of sprouted wheat bread. It was 4 NET carbs a slice. I always keep a loaf in the freezer for when I want a toasted sandwich. That is about the lowest carb bread you will find.

Good luck!

I recommend you research BEFORE starting!!