Too little calories/ Too much Carbs

lilo87437
lilo87437 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Social Groups
HI!

I am new to the calorie and carb counting lifestyle and I lost about 4kg within the first week. The problem now is that I am eating too few calories (less than 1200). Thus, sending my body into starvation mode and making it harder to lose weight. It has in fact become harder. I eat too few calories because before I even get to lunch time I have already exceeded my daily carb limit (60) and all I'd had to eat was 40g of cereal and a pear.

I am so scared of eating more carbs that I limit my food intaken, resulting in me not reaching my daily calorie goals, making it harder to lose the weight.

I have made the decision to change my life and health but I need some advice on which kinds of food, meals or recipe's are high in calories but super low in carbs.

Please Help.

:)

Replies

  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    edited April 2015
    Drop both the cereal and the pear. They're way too carby for your limit, as you've realized.

    Eat these kinds of things instead:
    Bacon and eggs
    Sausage and eggs
    Sausage and bacon
    Eggs and nonstarchy vegetables and/or avocado
    Coffee or tea with butter and coconut oil (aka "Bulletproof Coffee")
    Steak and salad
    Chicken (not just skinless breast, include the skin and dark meat) and salad
    Tuna salad
    Cook everything in butter, lard, or coconut oil
    If you drink coffee or tea with milk, switch to cream

    Base your meals around meat instead of starch. Add a non-starchy vegetable side or two, and include a fat with that vegetable (either brush them with butter, or make an oil or cream based dip).

    When you make salads, use just about anything except iceburg for your lettuce base. Romaine is a good one if you don't like the more "exotic" lettuces (you don't have to go with kale if you don't like it). Add things like cheese, avocado, nuts, seeds, cucumbers, cabbage, and whatnot. You can include more carby stuff, like tomato and carrots, but be mindful of their carb content and go easy on them. You can also add chicken, pork, or steak or whatever other meat you enjoy. Top it all off with an oil or cream based dressing -- none of this "low fat!" or "fat free!" stuff, get the real stuff -- Ranch or oil and vinegar in a pinch, or whatever your favorite full-fat dressing is.

    Also, check out the launch pad, at the top of the group. There are a ton of resources for you on how to reduce your carb intake, as well as a bunch of recipe resources.
  • lilo87437
    lilo87437 Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you so much :)
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    Welcome lilo.

    Learning how to replace carbs with fats did not happen over night for me either.

    What finally worked for me was I just quite carbs cold turkey. Thought I would die the first two weeks but did not. :) Seven month later of being under 50 carbs daily I have better health, lower weight and lost the mental fog and IBS as well as a ton of my arthritis pain. Feeling better than 20 years ago is awesome.

    Give yourself time to learn a new eating lifestyle. The rewards it can bring will help you keep a better eating lifestyle for life. :)
  • bluefish86
    bluefish86 Posts: 842 Member
    I would recommend starting out with a slightly higher goal of 100g of carbs.... you can always strive for less. That way you don't have to be scared of going over your limit. Once you figure out which foods work best for you at that level, you can start to go lower and lower with your carb intake. It's going to take some adjustments, but MFP is a great resource... this group in particular is very helpful if you're just starting out. :)
  • pkroyle
    pkroyle Posts: 33 Member
    It's easier to keep under your carb limit if you base your meals around "real" food and stay away from anything processed. This includes cereal or anything that comes in a package or box! You'll get all the carbs you need naturally from vegetables. Also limit your fruit if possible to one serving a day (which is about half a piece of fruit, depending on what it is). Eat eggs for breakfast and eat lots of fats to keep you satiated. Breakfast for me includes a boiled egg, two turkey sausages and 1/2 an avacado. I usually make egg muffins periodically to grab and go using ground pork, eggs, egg whites and cheese. Dinners should be meat and vegs, I always make enough for lunch the next day too. It gets easier as you get used to it!
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,436 Member
    Being a cereal eater (I thought I was being "good" eating it) for breakfast it has been a whole new way of looking at food now. I had to forget everything I was thinking was good for me! Drop the cereal and eat some eggs (with hwc mixed in scrambled) and bacon, or sausage and a serving of fruit. Cook your eggs in butter instead of nonstick sprays that offer no nutrition. You will feel completely satisfied and not feel like you are starving!
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