LOW CARB MENU PLZ

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  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
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    I also have PCOS, and discussed diet and reviewed a lot of research with an endocrinologist. She was happy with my weight loss on restricted calories while eating a variety of food, and since I didn't have issues with insulin resistance suggested that I continue with what I was already doing. (And keep up with regular moderate exercise, which I was already doing.) I don't go over 120g of carbs on most days naturally and cut out most refined sugar (soft drinks, candy - I don't have much of a sweet tooth, fortunately), but I'm not purposefully limiting carbs in any meaningful way. I regularly eat whole grains and potatoes, which keep me full from higher fiber content.

    I am not in any way suggesting you not go low-carb, just demonstrating that the syndrome presents in a number of ways and people respond well to different diets. I definitely recommend finding a reproductive endocrinologist who treats PCOS if you haven't already. They can be a great help with diet and lifestyle support that suits you and give you guidance on restricting carbs.

    But some lower-carb, easy meal ideas that I just happen to like:
    fritattas with your favorite combo of veggies, meat, and cheese (good leftovers!)
    taco salad - seasoned meat, romaine lettuce, salsa, avocado - crunch up a few corn tortilla chips or some toasted nuts on top
    beef stew with mushrooms, green beans, onions, and carrots
    curries and stir fry over smashed cauliflower instead of rice
    pizza toppings baked in a mushroom cap or stuffed in a pepper (I love this when I want pizza but don't have a ton of calories to spend - also happens on a high fiber English muffin)
    roasted brussels sprouts and ham topped with a fried egg (toss in some sweet or white potato if you can spare the carbs)

    Check out the recipes section for more low carb threads!
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    Some relatively inexpensive LC foods- eggs, canned tuna, chicken thighs/drumsticks, 80/20 ground beef, pork shoulder (Boston butt), all manner of fibrous veg (especially crucifirous veggies, leafy greens, celery, green beans). Quality fats can be pricey (butter, coconut or palm oil, good quality olive oil), but well worth it in terms of flavor and satiety (and keep in mind you will be buying less (or none at all) of the junky carbs (chips, baked goods, cereals, ice cream, soda, etc) which tend to be extremely expensive. Buying certain items in bulk allows for savings - seeds and nuts are much cheaper in larger quantities, stocking up in cheese and butter when it's on sale (they freeze very well), buying frozen berries (read labels - look for no ingredients other than the berries!) saves money especially when fresh aren't in season. Eating low carb doesn't have to be more expensive.

    As for missing sweets - first, carb/sweet cravings will diminish, or even subside altogether in due course, and your tastes will change allowing you to taste the natural sweetness in foods that you may not currently perceive as sweet (seeds and nuts, dairy products, etc). Soon enough you will find berries to be cloyingly sweet and a sweet potato will knock your socks off!

    Some menu options that don't require too much cooking-

    Breakfast -

    eggs, any style, either by themselves or with bacon or sausage or a "salad" of avocado and tomato, drizzled with olive oil

    Cottage cheese (full fat) with tomatoes and sunflower kernels

    Berries and walnuts or pecans, mixed with either heavy cream or full fat yogurt, and a sprinkle of cinnamon

    Lunch -

    A tin of tuna with a tbsp or two or real mayo, with a small green salad (feel free to put cheese, avocado, nuts/seeds, hard cooked eggs, and/or full fat dressing on your salad)

    A bun-less burger with a small green salad

    Leftover meat and veg from last night's dinner

    Deli meat and cheese roll ups

    Dinner -

    Eat the same meat, pork, poultry, or fish as your family (beware breaded things - some people swear by subbing crushed pork rinds for breadcrumbs), plus extra veggies (non starchy); skip the starchy side dishes, or take a very small portion if your carb count allows it

    For mixed dishes you may have to be more creative - put your taco meat and fixings on a bed of lettuce rather than a tortilla, on spaghetti and meatballs night skip the pasta and just eat meatballs and salad, for pizza look into low carb crusts (there are many recipes out there) or try putting pizza toppings on a portabello mushroom cap

    Snacks/dessert- nuts, full fat cheeses, bacon, berries with heavy cream, very dark chocolate (at least 75% cocoa), veggies with full fat dips or guacamole

    Beverages - obviously sugary drinks are out, diet is okay but some people find artificial sweeteners cause carb cravings so be aware of that, stick with water, unsweetened tea, coffee - either black or with half and half or heavy cream; strictly limit alcohol and opt for low carb choices - dry red or white wine, hard liquor with no mixers or chasers are your bet bets

    Most restaraunts will happily allow you to sub an extra veggie for a starchy side and leave off sweet sauces, and some burger places will swap lettuce leaves for a bun.

    It really is an easy and fun (and delicious!) way to eat, and many studies suggest it is helpful for PCOS. Good luck!
  • Miss_Mabee
    Miss_Mabee Posts: 119 Member
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    Well I might be the first one to offer you specific meal ideas here. This is what I can come up with on the top of my head but also check search "low carb dinners" or "breakfast" on pinterest

    Breakfast:
    Omelette filled with cheese and veg (mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, spinach)
    You can also make those in muffin cups for breakfast on the go (google egg muffins)
    Greek yogurt
    Cottage Cheese


    Lunch:
    Dinner Leftovers
    Big Salad with proteins like eggs, turkey, chicken, steak, bacon etc
    Homemade Soups and Stews loaded with meat and non-starchy veggies

    Dinner:
    Proteins plus a couple veggies
    Baked Chicken breast with a side salad and mashed cauliflower
    Steak w grilled peppers, mushrooms, onions
    Kabobs with your fav meats, mushrooms, bell peppers
    Meatloaf
    Chicken and broccoli casserole
    And sandwich or wrap in lettuce or low carb wraps instead of bread
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    mita271 wrote: »
    Thank u all
    I don't wanna go to "fancy " as my budget won't allow...
    Thats why i was looking for easy simply foods that are probably already being used in my everyday meals
    I have a sweet tooth sometimes
    I really looove a little sweet by my morning coffee... I noticed there aren't any sweets in low carb other than berries or maybe a fruit ?!...

    The easiest way to cut carbs is to skip the foods that are high in carbs without looking to replace them with a low carb version of that food. If I make steak, salad and mashed potato for dinner I would skip the potato. Instead of a sandwich, eat the meat and cheese wrap in the greens instead.

    Dropping sugar added foods, baked goods, and grains is an easy start. Limiting starchy veggies and sweeter fruits helps too.

    Liquid stevia like Sweetleaf will add sweetness to coffee and some foods.
  • Sarahb29
    Sarahb29 Posts: 952 Member
    edited February 2016
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    For low carb diets remember that you're not just restricting carbs, you're also restricting sweets and sugar. You're going to have to read labels.

    Breakfast: Scrambled eggs (2) with 1 tsp heavy whipping cream mixed in (instead of 2% milk) and 2-3 slices of bacon. Black coffee with heavy whipping cream and splenda if you need a sweetener.

    Lunch: Taco salad - Romaine lettuce, cooked ground beef, cheese, salsa and sour cream. Look for low carb counts on the salsa/sour cream but generally these aren't over 5g per 2 tbsp. Be careful of the carb counts on seasonings too, 1-2 tsp of taco seasoning on the ground beef may be enough.

    Supper: Chicken Caesar Salad, no croutons. 1 chicken breast, crumbled bacon, and 2 tbsps of a low carb Caesar dressing.

    Snacks: Sugar free jello pudding, mozzarella stick, small handful of almonds or 90% dark chocolate (1 serving)

    There's a ton of Keto cookbooks out there that might help you in understanding low carb as well as give you recipes.
  • Untilproud11
    Untilproud11 Posts: 297 Member
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    Wow tons of great info ... Thank you all for sharing , I really appreciate it

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