Group LLC (Livin Low Carb) - August 2010

Ok, first recipe post.

Muffin in a Minute - courtesy of the Atkins book

1/4 c flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 packet splenda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp butter

Put flax meal, baking powder, splenda, and cinnamon in a coffee cup and mix well. Then mix in egg and butter. Once it is of a batter-like consistency, put the coffee cup in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute (or maybe a little longer, depending on how strong your microwave is.) Remove from microwave, turn cup over on a plate, slice, and add butter while hot.

This has about the consistency and taste of a bran muffin. If you prefer it to be more moist, add a little sour cream to the mixture before microwaving. This actually helps control the carb cravings I still have cuz I'm not in ketosis yet.....

For those of you interested, I pulled this directly from the Atkins Phase 1 approved list:


All fish including:

•Flounder
•Herring
•Salmon
•Sardines
•Sole
•Tuna
•Trout
All fowl including:

•Cornish hen
•Chicken
•Duck
•Goose
•Pheasant
•Quail
•Turkey
All shellfish including:

•Clams
•Crabmeat
•Mussels*
•Oysters*
•Shrimp
•Squid
*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs so limit to about 4 ounces per day.

All meat including:

•Bacon*
•Beef
•Ham*
•Lamb
•Pork
•Veal
•Venison
Some processed meat, bacon, and ham is cured with sugar, which will add to the carb count. Also steer clear of cold cuts and other meats with added nitrates.

Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious creations. That’s why eggs are a staple breakfast in the Atkins Nutritional Approach.

Feel free to get creative with your eggs: Add mushrooms and onions, or even green pepper. Top the dish off with feta cheese or add basil, oregano and other herbs.

Eggs in any style, including:

•Deviled
•Fried
•Hard-boiled
•Omelets
•Poached
•Scrambled
•Soft-boiled
Keep in mind that cheese does contain carbs, about 1 gram per ounce. You may have about 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per day. An ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese or a 1" cube.

Cheese including:

Type Serving Size Grams of net carbs
Blue cheeses 1 oz 0.7
Cheddar 1 oz 0.0
Cow, sheep and goat 1 oz 0.3
Cream cheese 1 oz 0.8
Feta 1 oz 1.2
Gouda 1 oz 0.6
Mozzarella 1 oz 0.6
Parmesan 1 tbs 0.2
Swiss 1 oz 1.0

Vegetables:

You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 grams of net carbs per day in the form of vegetables, which is equivalent to several cups depending on the actual carb content of the veggies you select.

1 cup is roughly the size of a baseball. Measure the following salad vegetables raw.

Vegetable Serving Size/Prep grams of net carbs
Alfalfa sprouts 1 cup/raw 0.4
Arugula ½ cup/raw 0.2
Bok choy 1 cup/raw 0.8
Celery 1 stalk 0.8
Chicory greens ½ cup/raw 0.6
Chives 1 tablespoon 0.1
Cucumber ½ cup 1.0
Daikon ½ cup 1.0
Endive ½ cup 0.0
Escarole ½ cup 0.0
Fennel 1 cup 3.6
Jicama ½ cup 2.5
Iceberg lettuce
½ cup 0.1
Mushrooms ½ cup 1.2
Parsley 1 tablespoon 0.1
Peppers ½ cup/raw 2.3
Radicchio ½ cup/raw 0.7
Radishes 10/raw 0.9
Romaine lettuce ½ cup 0.2



The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbs than the salad vegetables listed above. They also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily foods. Make sure you stay within the 12-15 grams of net carbs. Unless otherwise noted, measure these veggies after you cook them.

Vegetable Serving Size/ Prep Net Carbs
Artichoke ¼ of medium 4.0
Asparagus 6 spears 2.4
Artichoke hearts 1 canned
1.0
Avocadoes 1 whole (raw) 3.5
Bamboo shoots 1 cup canned
1.1
Broccoli
½ cup 1.6
Broccoli raw ½ cup 1.0
Broccoli rabe ½ cup 1.3
Broccoflower ½ cup 1.4
Brussels sprouts ¼ cup
2.4
Cabbage ½ cup (raw) 2.0
Cauliflower ½ cup (raw) 1.0
Swiss chard ½ cup
1.8
Collard greens ½ cup
4.2
Eggplant ½ cup
1.8
Hearts of palm 1 heart 0.7
Kale ½ cup 2.4
Kohlrabi ½ cup 4.6
Leeks ¼ cup
1.7
Okra ½ cup
2.4
Olives green 5 2.5
Olives black 5 0.7
Onion ¼ cup (raw) 2.8
Pumpkin ¼ cup
2.4
Rhubarb ½ cup (unsweetened) 1.7
Sauerkraut ½ cup (drained) 1.2
Peas ½ cup with pods 3.4
Spaghetti squash ½ cup
2.0
Spinach ½ cup (raw) 0.2
Summer squash ½ cup
2.0
Tomato 1 (raw) 4.3
Turnips ½ cup
2.2
Water chestnuts ½ cup (canned) 6.9
Zucchini ½ cup
2.0


Salad Garnishes
Crumbled bacon 3 slices 0.0
Hard-boiled egg 1 egg 0.0
Grated cheeses (see above carb counts)
Sautéed mushrooms ½ cup 1.0
Sour cream 2 tbs 1.2


Herbs and Spices (make sure they contain no added sugar)

Basil 1 tbs 0.0
Cayenne pepper 1 tbs 0.0
Cilantro 1 tbs 0.0
Dill 1 tbs 0.0
Garlic 1 clove 0.9
Ginger 1 tbs sliced root 0.8
Oregano 1 tbs 0.0
Pepper 1 tbs 0.0
Rosemary 1 tbs 0.0
Sage 1 tbs 0.0
Tarragon 1 tbs 0.0


Salad Dressings - Any prepared salad dressing with no added sugar and no more then 2 grams of net carbs per serving (1-2 tablespoons) is acceptable. Or make your own.


Blue cheese 2 tbs 2.3
Caesar 2 tbs 0.5
Italian 2 tbs 3.0
Lemon juice 2 tbs 2.8
Oil and vinegar 2 tbs 1.0
Ranch 2 tbs 1.4



Fats and Oils

There are no carbs here, but keep in mind that the serving size is approximately 1 tablespoon.

1.Butter
2.Mayonnaise – make sure it has no added sugar
3.Olive oil
4.Vegetable oils – Those labeled “cold pressed” or “expeller pressed” are especially good and olive oil is one of the best.
◦Canola*
◦Walnut
◦Soybean*
◦Grape seed*
◦Sesame
◦Sunflower*
◦Safflower*
*Do not allow any oils to reach overly high temperatures when cooking. Use olive oil for sautéing only. Use walnut or sesame oil to dress cooked veggies or salad, but not for cooking.

Artificial Sweeteners

•Splenda – one packet equals 1 gram of net carbs
Beverages

•Clear broth/ bouillon (make sure it has no sugars added)
•Club soda
•Cream, heavy or light.
•Decaffeinated or regular coffee and tea*
•Diet soda (be sure to note the carb count)
•Flavored seltzer (must say no calories)
•Herb tea (without added barley or fruit sugar added)
•Water – at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day including...
◦Filtered water
◦Mineral water
◦Spring water
◦Tap water
* You may have 1 to 2 cups of caffeinated tea or coffee if you can tolerate caffeine without experiencing cravings or symptoms of hypoglycemia.
If you are truly addicted to caffeine, it's best to break the habit during the Induction.

Alcohol:

Alcohol is not allowed during the first two weeks of Induction. If you remain on this phase longer,
you can have a glass of wine, a low-carb beer, or a small amount of spirits mixed with water or club soda, but be sure to avoid mixers that contain carbs, including fruit juices and tonic water. Understand that consuming alcohol may slow your weight loss.

I would love to be able to follow a low carb diet as I eat far too much bread and potato and I have a really bad sweet tooth but I don't think I could do it! I bought the Atkins book and also the South Beach Diet book a few months ago but they look too strict for me. I work full time and don't have access to a kitchen so I usually take a sandwich to work. I do experiment with pasta and salads but I get bored very easily with the same type of food. I have thought about doing it my own way by limiting my carb intake but I wouldn't know what to lower this to. And would I be best cutting right back on carbs or doing it gradually?

Hi, Sim! It's hard to get started on a new WOE (Way of Eating) when you're working full time and no access to a kitchen! I work two jobs, and communite 35 miles to work every day, I'm all about easy and convenient! How about try this - instead of a sandwich, try making a wrap instead - with a low-carb whole-grain tortilla, or maybe lettuce leaves as the wrap. Or make a nice salad with all kinds of different veggies and sliced salad meat and cheese on top. Spend a little $$ and get yourself a nice lunch bag - I have one that actually looks like a purse - I hate those mini-coolers, LOL!

As for your last question - I've found the easiest way is to eliminate as many carbs as you can and eliminate all sugars completely - within 3-5 days, you'll lose your craving for them. Of course, those 3-5 days are REALLY lousy when you're a carb addict like me... And that elimination should also include avoiding full-sugar soda pop and fruit juices, except for ones you squeeze yourself - cuz most processed fruit juice has a lot of sugar in it, as do regular sodas!

I'm a carb addict, just like I used to be a nicotine addict. I kicked the smoking habit by going cold turkey, and that worked best for me with carbs too!

Maggie - I missed your reply - it slipped to page 2 when I was typing my answer!

I have a good friend at work who is following the LC way with me, and she has Celiac Disease. She eats completely gluten-free. In fact, she is so sensitive to gluten, that any exposure to it causes her physical pain. We've been working together to find recipes that will fit her WOE. She's trying a great muffin recipe this weekend, and is supposed to bring one in for me to try if it turns out well. I'll keep you posted! Welcome to the group!

Ok LLC folks, I have a question. I have been very encouraged today because it has been super easy to stay below my calorie intake (I still have 537 available and that is including my dinner!). My issue is that, although I haven't eaten ANY sugar or any starchy carbs, my carb count is a little higher than I would like it. I believe I am at 49 for today including dinner, and all but 4 of those carbs have come from veggies (lettuce, tomato, spinach, and green peppers). I am sure there are veggies out there that are lower carb, but these are some of the staple veggies in my house because we get them from our garden. I still seem to be losing weight, but would it be more beneficial for me to limit my veggies too?

Hockey Mom - ok, are those actual carbs or net carbs? If you've pulled that number from your MFP food diary, it's probably actual carbs. You need to subtract the grams of fiber from that - it's probably way less than that number! If you can't see fiber on your food diary, you can go into your settings and choose to show it as a column in your diary. Let me know if you need more detailed steps to change that!