How to go Low Carb without feeling over sacraficed?
soldiergrl_101
Posts: 2,205 Member
I recently switched to a lower carb higher protein diet to help effect my weight loss. That being said, I didnt really understand how much I loved carbs till I saw how much I ate a day without even trying. How do you lessen your carb intake without feeling like your giving up everything? How many grams do you aim for a day? I was in taking about 400g a day now I am trying to keep it below 100g. One cup of Pasta or even some of my favorite water drinks are carb overload
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Don't sacrifice anything. Eat what you like that also happens to be low carb. For me, that's just about everything else after I leave sugar and grains behind. Eggs, meat, veggies, berries, nuts, cheese, etc. After a few weeks, you may not miss the carbs at all.0
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You need to replace the carbs you've removed with fat. That will both expand your options for things to eat, and help your satiety to keep the carb cravings at bay.0
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The trick is adding fat and being patient. I found that when I added butter and coconut oil, avocados, olive oil, cheese, etc it made it easier to get over the carb cravings and not feel like I was missing out. That's the physical part. Be patient because it will take your mind and body time to adjust. Its not just a different way to eat you have to think differently too. You'll see how different at the next holiday/picnic/baby shower, etc. Carbs are everywhere and they're cheap and convenient. I'm to the point where I let myself have the tastier carbs on rare occasions and when I do I'm reminded why I've cut them mostly out. I don't want them most of the time. Also, unless you have a serious medical condition and the doc says to cut down to a certain number like yesterday, it is okay to back down slowly from the carbs if it means you're able to stick to it in the long run. When I started my goal was 100 tops and sometimes I went over. My current carb intake is now below 20 without much effort - this felt impossible 6 months ago.0
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When I first started I, too, aimed to stay under 100g carbs and then the more I learned (mostly from this board!) the lower I set my carb goal. I went about it differently, though. I just decided one day that I had allowed myself too many indulgences and would thereafter avoid bread, pasta, tortillas, rice, and all sugary foods. I haven't had any of the above since--except one weekend when old friends from graduate school visited and I allowed myself chips and a quesadilla at a Tex-Mex restaurant on Saturday and some pizza on Sunday--and I have not missed those things one bit. Not even ice cream. But I have replaced them with healthy fats. Full-fat cheese, real butter, coconut oil, heavy cream... higher fat and lower carb meals keep me satisfied much much longer than the carbs I ate almost exclusively before. In fact, just this past weekend I "fasted" from 8pm until 6pm the following day, which was previously unheard of for me. Every time I make myself a meal consisting of meat with all the toppings a girl could ever dream of I laugh inside thinking how foolish I was to think I would feel deprived on this WOE! It takes a little getting used to for most, but once you realize fats are not the enemy it's pretty easy.0
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I too started aiming for 100g, because I was eating well over 250g on a daily basis and was always hungry. I believe the first week going LCHF I was around 90carbs a day (netting less). I have decreased that quite a bit, because, well, fatty foods are yummy! haha0
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I just suggest going to a lower carb intake for two weeks then adding 5 a week to find your on going weight loss level. This does two things: stops your cravings and jumps your body into ketosis (fat burning not sugar burning). It also makes you not hungry. Try diet drinks, sugar free candies (not too many), and allow yourself (if you are able to jump back into low carb eating) cheat meals every once and a while. Once you see the scale moving, it is also motivating to keep it up! Meal planning is also helpful so you know what you will be eating. Good luck!! you can do it!0
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I also noted you said lower carb, higher protein. As others here have said, you want the fat to go up, not the protein! The idea with protein is to eat enough to maintain your muscle tissue re/generation. The Fat is where your energy will come from. Make friends with the fat! It's tasty and more satiating. Your body will thank you.0
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I understand the desire to go lc and high protein. But you're going to have some unpleasant bathroom sideeffects if your protein is very high and carbs and fat both low.0
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sweetteadrinker2 wrote: »I understand the desire to go lc and high protein. But you're going to have some unpleasant bathroom sideeffects if your protein is very high and carbs and fat both low.
Kidney trouble, too!0 -
I went into this without a specific number of carbs I was going to aim for, just figuring I would cut back on the bread/rice/potatoes/pasta etc. and increase veggies. My SO is doing Atkins Induction so 20g for him. I have been landing typically 50-75g and even on a day where I feel like I goofed up I was still under 100g. Protein is typically about 100g, the rest fat. I haven't felt any cravings and don't feel like I'm missing anything. In fact, one day I did eat "regular" foods at a social gathering and felt like crap all the rest of that day and the next day, so just the though of how awful I felt keeps me from not wanting that stuff.0
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As someone else mentioned, there's a large mental component, too. Don't think about things in terms of what you "can't" eat, but rather think about the stuff you now can eat -- bacon, eggs, hamburger, butter, cheese, cream, rib-eye steaks, and so on, and you can pretty much eat them to your heart's content (because this way of eating is generally self-limiting -- you'll find yourself naturally eating less as long as you listen to your hunger/full signals). How long have you avoided those things, because of the "fat is bad" mantra? Now, you don't have to!0
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Weekends I eat more carbs than during the week. But never pasta, bread, chips, etc except today where I had a slice of cake at a retirement party. You wont miss them once theor gone, and if you get a craving, have a small portion of whatever it is. Its not about taking it all away and suffering. You habe to do whats good for you that will work long term.0
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I don't get the whole deprivation thing. I get to stop eating boring stuff like bread, and make delicious foods my best friends? Sounds like a huge win to me.0
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I do miss bread and orange juice at Sunday breakfast, and grilled cheese sandwiches. And corn tortillas.... Sigh. Ok. Special occasions0
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I don't get the whole deprivation thing. I get to stop eating boring stuff like bread, and make delicious foods my best friends? Sounds like a huge win to me.
I think some people must not have health issues or something. Carbs were depriving me of LIFE so sending them to hell felt like Victory.
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I do miss bread and orange juice at Sunday breakfast, and grilled cheese sandwiches. And corn tortillas.... Sigh. Ok. Special occasions
There is a substitute for everything you've listed. Google is your friend to find recipes you can use, bread, grilled cheese and tortillas, it takes some time to prepare but you will be better for it.
As for orange juice, squeez your own but use in moderation0 -
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http://www.food.com/recipe/best-low-carb-bread-bread-machine-102631
Delicious, replace half the water with yogurt for a less spongy texture. Makes wonderful toast, haven't tried a grilled cheese yet.0 -
It seems there is a low carb alternative to literally everything. I stumbled upon a low carb donut recipe. However, I think I'd get in trouble and want to eat them all lol. They looked too good.0
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Ooh, I've been craving a grilled cheese. I think I'll try the bread recipe. Donuts sound good too, but I think I'd eat the whole batch, also. Found a LC brownie recipe. I'll have to cut & freeze it & only have a piece as a treat every so often.0
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Not sure if you've heard of the GAPS diet which is meant to heal the gut (www.gaps.me) but it says to start eating pasture butter with a touch of raw honey as the fat soluble vitamins in the pasture butter are what your body needs when it craves carbs - works for me!0
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I don't get the whole deprivation thing. I get to stop eating boring stuff like bread, and make delicious foods my best friends? Sounds like a huge win to me.
That's how I was. There was a time when I kind of wanted noodles or bread, solely because I was getting overloaded with flavors and wanted something boring and rather tasteless.0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »I don't get the whole deprivation thing. I get to stop eating boring stuff like bread, and make delicious foods my best friends? Sounds like a huge win to me.
I think some people must not have health issues or something. Carbs were depriving me of LIFE so sending them to hell felt like Victory.
I feel better physically at lower carb levels, but I have IR/PCOS/Dental reasons to have to watch carbs/sugars. I think if I didn't, I'd miss the carbs more. Right now, I love LCHF, absolutely enjoy it, and I finally feel clear-headed for the first time in a LONG time.0 -
Physical improvements with this woe has given me a willpower that I've never known before!0
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I do miss bread and orange juice at Sunday breakfast, and grilled cheese sandwiches. And corn tortillas.... Sigh. Ok. Special occasions
There is a substitute for everything you've listed. Google is your friend to find recipes you can use, bread, grilled cheese and tortillas, it takes some time to prepare but you will be better for it.
As for orange juice, squeeze your own but use in moderation
I do.. just not the same, but it doesn't make me eat the things I shouldn't. I have made all kind of flat breads and pizza crusts (fat head, cauliflower). Still looking for "the one" I guess I am in this kind if "a glass of orange juice will kill me" mode.
I guess what gets me too is the CALORIES in the substitutes. but then again, I have no problem eating calories when it's pork rinds, so I guess I need to shut up and stop whining
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I do miss bread and orange juice at Sunday breakfast, and grilled cheese sandwiches. And corn tortillas.... Sigh. Ok. Special occasions
There is a substitute for everything you've listed. Google is your friend to find recipes you can use, bread, grilled cheese and tortillas, it takes some time to prepare but you will be better for it.
As for orange juice, squeeze your own but use in moderation
I do.. just not the same, but it doesn't make me eat the things I shouldn't. I have made all kind of flat breads and pizza crusts (fat head, cauliflower). Still looking for "the one" I guess I am in this kind if "a glass of orange juice will kill me" mode.
I guess what gets me too is the CALORIES in the substitutes. but then again, I have no problem eating calories when it's pork rinds, so I guess I need to shut up and stop whining
IMO, the substitutes aren't worth it, and just keep the cravings alive. If you're just starting, just eat until you're not hungry and don't worry about calories for a week or two.0
