KnitOrMiss wrote: »

There is a fabulous group on this site that focuses on Low Carb ways of eating, in all it's glories and variations.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

Please check it out, and the launch pad in the intro in particular. It will tell you so much! I'm not exaggerating at all when I say finding that group of people has seriously changed my life.

The biggest thing is when you cut carbs, you need to fill in the difference with fats - they are what your body will use for energy. Most fruits, obvious grains/pasta, potatoes, starchy veggies, and sweets will all be limited for you eating this way, but I can tell you personally, this way of eating has improved my health in ways I can't describe...and this is only day 35. Good luck and enjoy the readings and the posts there to get you started!

The launchpad there will have more in-depth explanations, but basically -- the more it looks like a heart attack on a plate, the better.

When you cut carbs, you base your meals around fatty meats, fats, and non-starchy vegetables.

So, for example, a day may look like this:

Breakfast - Scrambled eggs in butter with a side of buttered steamed broccoli, both topped with a little cheddar cheese. (Or omelet with said veggies and cheese.) Or, if you don't do breakfast, you can do something like a) skip it entirely, or b) have some bulletproof coffee (coffee with heavy cream, butter, and/or coconut oil, blended to emulsify the fats; no, it's not oily or greasy, no, there's no oil slick as long as you use a blender of some sort).

Lunch - Skin-on roasted chicken (or steak, or ham...) on salad of various greens, with some cheese, olives, avocado, green peppers (and maybe a few other veggies), and an oil- or cream-based dressing.

Dinner - Steak (topped with butter or bone marrow, if you want), bunless cheeseburger, or pork chop with a side of grilled asparagus, green beans, or other non-starchy vegetable of choice (or by itself, if you're so inclined). Burgers can be lettuce wrapped and topped with other vegetables, maybe with a side of pork rinds or similar low-carb side.

Yes, ma'am. Adjusting the macros is pretty simple on the PC. Under goals, you just use the "custom" setting. Personally, my macros are 10% carbs (I stay closer to 7%), 15% protein, and 75% fats. The 10% for carbs was based on an absolute upper limit of 50 grams of carbs a day, and that was the percentage that got me there, based on my daily calorie allotment.

ShrinkingBerry wrote: »

Yes, your percentages was what I was looking for. I don't think I'm ready to go that extreme but I definitely want to up the fat and lower the carbs. Thank you.

You dont have to go into Keto or you dont have to do it all at once. Most of us have lowered it slowly till we find the right amount for us.

I was at under 100g total for awhile. Then I went 50g net for awhile, then 50g total. Now im at 20g net but it has taken me months to get to this level. YOu need to find what works not only for your body, but for your weightloss and your lifestyle.

Try lowering your carbs and upping for fats by 5 or 10% to start. See how it goes. Find new recipes or ideas for foods that work for you. Then once you are comfortable there, move them again. Tweaking things is how you are going to find what works for you.

My endocrinologist recommended I start at 25% carbs, 35-55% fat, and the balance in protein - and tweak as needed. Me personally, I just went from horrible eating to full on this program. I don't do well with gradual steps. You know yourself and your patience levels and all that, so do what you can. I found that I could NOT control my carb cravings without majorly upping my fat and lowering my carbs. It did not take long to figure that out. Also, be sure that if you get any "carb flu" symptoms to fat load and salt load yourself..(it kills the headaches and misery quickly). All that is on the other groups in the launchpad section! Good luck.