Lowcarb+CC, need some suggestions regarding food please?

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cassandranken
cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi again everyone. I'm back on the keto wagon, but this time around I'm actually counting carbs -- and calories. It's only been 3 days that I've been counting everything, so I haven't quite gotten the hang of it yet, especially since it's been years since I counted calories. The problem I'm having lately is I'm hitting my carb allowance way earlier than I think I should. I add my lunches into MFP in the morning when I make them, and I'll have 6 carbs left. I didn't think I was eating that many, so maybe I need some lower carb suggestions that will help keep me full, especially because with my pre-logged lunch I'll still have a little over 900 calories left for the day. I work night shift, so I usually only eat once a day, maybe twice. I eat "dinner" at 1-3AM, then if I'm still hungry/awake enough sometimes we have eggs and bacon when I get home, around 7AM.

I think my food log is public if anyone wants to take a look. I know it's not very good yet but I've been working a lot of overtime and having trouble with sleep so doing as little cooking as possible. Things will be better next month.

Can anyone offer any suggestions for me? Maybe it's just because a lot of what I'm eating right now is pre-packaged foods?
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Replies

  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
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    if you want low carb, high fat you need firstly focus on oils ( coconut oil) and also incorporate fiber
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    Looks like you have your goal set for 17 g of carbs. That's really low, even for keto. The other thing that stands out as what might be a little too carby for your goals is the peanut butter (nothing wrong with peanut butter, small amounts may even be keto friendly, but that is something to watch). Most keto people I know just try to stay under 50 g, maybe under 30 g. 17 g is low, even if you subtract out fiber. Just a thought.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
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    That is a lot of processed foods! A lot of your carbs seem to be coming from added sugars (notably your honey turkey and peanut butter). Add in more fresh, whole foods. Avocados, nuts, pre cook a bunch of chicken or turkey breasts and then eat those for the week rather than buying sandwich meat, more fresh vegetables.
  • cassandranken
    cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
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    tlflag1620 wrote: »
    Looks like you have your goal set for 17 g of carbs. That's really low, even for keto. The other thing that stands out as what might be a little too carby for your goals is the peanut butter (nothing wrong with peanut butter, small amounts may even be keto friendly, but that is something to watch). Most keto people I know just try to stay under 50 g, maybe under 30 g. 17 g is low, even if you subtract out fiber. Just a thought.


    I had it set to 17g because I couldn't find a 20g. That's what the ketocalculator had me put it at. So it says 17, but I always add up to 20. Do you think that's too low, even? I really am curious because I keep getting told to keep it 20g or under. Now I'm wondering. I have a big social event in 6 months and I'm trying to lose weight healthily. I don't want to sabotage myself by under eating or not getting what I need.

    And yeah, definitely peanut butter. I need to cut that out. The jar is almost gone, I'm trying to finish it lol.
  • cassandranken
    cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
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    punkrockgoth wrote: »
    That is a lot of processed foods! A lot of your carbs seem to be coming from added sugars (notably your honey turkey and peanut butter). Add in more fresh, whole foods. Avocados, nuts, pre cook a bunch of chicken or turkey breasts and then eat those for the week rather than buying sandwich meat, more fresh vegetables.

    I agree, it is. I'm working mega overtime right now (12 days straight at the moment) so I literally have no time to cook. I used to do bulk meals and will start again at the beginning of the next month when I have time. (we had 3 people quit where I work so I had to pick up days, but next month we'll get more so things will be fine again)

    I really want to get some avacados though! I really really love them <3

  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    I've always seen between 30 and 50 g for keto. Maaaaaybe you could do 20 if you are doing net carbs (track fiber and subtract that out). That said, three days is too soon to tell anything. I was just suggesting giving yourself a tad more leeway because it would be very hard to keep the carbs so low all the time. And, yes, the peanut butter and lunchmeat are giving you extra carbs that you might not get with less processed foods. Try grabbing a rotisserie chicken and a bag of salad for quick easy meals. Eat whole nuts rather than nut butters. If you do get deli meat, opt for deli meat that isn't "honey roasted". Hard boiled eggs are a great low carb snack, and if you cook a bunch at once they are very quick and easy.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
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    cassandranken wrote: »
    punkrockgoth wrote: »
    That is a lot of processed foods! A lot of your carbs seem to be coming from added sugars (notably your honey turkey and peanut butter). Add in more fresh, whole foods. Avocados, nuts, pre cook a bunch of chicken or turkey breasts and then eat those for the week rather than buying sandwich meat, more fresh vegetables.

    I agree, it is. I'm working mega overtime right now (12 days straight at the moment) so I literally have no time to cook. I used to do bulk meals and will start again at the beginning of the next month when I have time. (we had 3 people quit where I work so I had to pick up days, but next month we'll get more so things will be fine again)

    I really want to get some avacados though! I really really love them <3

    Overtime definitely blows hard. I found with chicken/turkey, it's super easy to put a bunch of breasts in the slow cooker in the morning before I leave and when I come home, they're done. I have dinner for that night as well as lunches and snacks for the following days. I've also been swearing by bags of veggies that you stab with a fork a couple times and pop in the microwave for a couple minutes.
  • cassandranken
    cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
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    Hmm. Maybe I should bump it to a happy medium between 20 and 30, like 25? and see how that works?

  • 2lisagibbs
    2lisagibbs Posts: 2 Member
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    Yeah, it's easy for the carb count to sneak up on you with pre-packaged foods. I don't cook much but have been trying to limit my carbs to <30 gr a day. I found some good snacks with decent protein (15-17 gr) at DietDirect.com in the WonderSlim line. I like their drinks; 18 gr protein and 0-1 gram carbs. Helps me feel full while I eat yet another salad. If you don't care for the shakes or don't like whey protein, there are some clear liquid concentrates available. The orange concentrate is my favorite because it reminds me of Tang.

    CarbRite has some good dark chocolate brownie-ish bars for 3 net grams of carbs. They also have a smaller bar at 100 calories with 1 net gram of carbs. They are very chewy, so eating one takes a while. I put one in my skirt pocket for about an hour to soften it a bit...a friend of mine nukes one for about 10 seconds for the same effect.

    I'm happy with take out Chinese food if I stick with the steamed veggie + a protein choice, like steamed broccoli with shrimp -- or an occasional egg foo yung (dip your fork into the gravy instead of slathering it on and it's an okay choice for once in a while), or broccoli beef is always okay if you skip the rice. The sauces can add a lot of carbs with some dishes, so I stick with pretty much the same things. Oh, here's one: Mu Shu chicken, just eat the filling, no crepes, and dip your fork into the hoisin sauce for a little taste. The shredded cabbage, scrambled eggs, mushrooms, and shredded bamboo shoots are all totally in a low carb plan and it satisfies me when I'm missing noodles.

    Good luck!
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    cassandranken wrote: »
    Hmm. Maybe I should bump it to a happy medium between 20 and 30, like 25? and see how that works?

    That would definitely give you more wiggle room, and would still be keto. If you do that, while focusing on more minimally processed low carb options, and be sure to incorporate more fats you'll probably be good to go!

  • cassandranken
    cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
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    punkrockgoth wrote: »
    cassandranken wrote: »
    punkrockgoth wrote: »
    That is a lot of processed foods! A lot of your carbs seem to be coming from added sugars (notably your honey turkey and peanut butter). Add in more fresh, whole foods. Avocados, nuts, pre cook a bunch of chicken or turkey breasts and then eat those for the week rather than buying sandwich meat, more fresh vegetables.

    I agree, it is. I'm working mega overtime right now (12 days straight at the moment) so I literally have no time to cook. I used to do bulk meals and will start again at the beginning of the next month when I have time. (we had 3 people quit where I work so I had to pick up days, but next month we'll get more so things will be fine again)

    I really want to get some avacados though! I really really love them <3

    Overtime definitely blows hard. I found with chicken/turkey, it's super easy to put a bunch of breasts in the slow cooker in the morning before I leave and when I come home, they're done. I have dinner for that night as well as lunches and snacks for the following days. I've also been swearing by bags of veggies that you stab with a fork a couple times and pop in the microwave for a couple minutes.

    Yeah, definitely. That's why I bought a bag of pre-boiled, shelled eggs. I know it sounds crazy but I'm awful at anything involving eggs-boiling, scrambling, omelettes, etc. I just wanted something I can grab and go. I also got these mini pickles I totally forgot about that I could probably bring for a snack! I usually do cook dinner, since my fiance and i both work night shift, and then I bring a snack. Usually an egg and some cheese/meat, or a P3 protein pack, or some lunch meat rolled up and stuffed with cream cheese and spinach.

    Once the peanut butter is gone I'll probably stop buying it for a while because it's my go-to when I'm craving something sweet. I think I'm just overwhelmed right now because I feel like I won't lose anything in 6 months and I'm dreading looking like a whale.
  • Tann19
    Tann19 Posts: 94 Member
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    pre-packaged foods will probably keep your carbs higher, especially with sugar. Carbs aren't going to keep you full, that what the fat will do. Maybe you can add fat to your pre-packaged food?
  • Tydeclare44
    Tydeclare44 Posts: 572 Member
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    As said above, I'd bump your carbs up to about 30 gs. Cheeses, coconut/olive oil, avocado, macadamia nuts/almonds are staples in the diet.

    Personally, I wouldn't worry so much about total calorie count; if you stick to your carb macro count, keep protein at a moderate amount and eat fats to satiety, then you should be golden. Restricting calories could lead to undernourishment/yoyo dieting. Again, this is just my opinion so do what you feel is best! Only you know your body.
  • cassandranken
    cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
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    Do my fat macros look off?
    Tann19 wrote: »
    pre-packaged foods will probably keep your carbs higher, especially with sugar. Carbs aren't going to keep you full, that what the fat will do. Maybe you can add fat to your pre-packaged food?

    Like what? Sorry that must sound dumb.

    I do a lot of cooking with coconut oil and butter, but was told to cut down on cheese and nuts by other Keto'ers. So I'm kinda lost. They said that's why I hadn't lost any weight, that I was overconsuming and not realizing it. Which might have been true. I'm not sure how to beef up pre packaged stuff. I'm used to cooking all my own food but I just don't have the energy or time right now. I should actually be asleep right now :(
  • cassandranken
    cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
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    @2lisagibbs That sounds delicious...I love Chinese food! I actually just bought some mushrooms for a stir fry I want to try and make this weekend.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
    edited April 2016
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    cassandranken wrote: »
    punkrockgoth wrote: »
    cassandranken wrote: »
    punkrockgoth wrote: »
    That is a lot of processed foods! A lot of your carbs seem to be coming from added sugars (notably your honey turkey and peanut butter). Add in more fresh, whole foods. Avocados, nuts, pre cook a bunch of chicken or turkey breasts and then eat those for the week rather than buying sandwich meat, more fresh vegetables.

    I agree, it is. I'm working mega overtime right now (12 days straight at the moment) so I literally have no time to cook. I used to do bulk meals and will start again at the beginning of the next month when I have time. (we had 3 people quit where I work so I had to pick up days, but next month we'll get more so things will be fine again)

    I really want to get some avacados though! I really really love them <3

    Overtime definitely blows hard. I found with chicken/turkey, it's super easy to put a bunch of breasts in the slow cooker in the morning before I leave and when I come home, they're done. I have dinner for that night as well as lunches and snacks for the following days. I've also been swearing by bags of veggies that you stab with a fork a couple times and pop in the microwave for a couple minutes.

    Yeah, definitely. That's why I bought a bag of pre-boiled, shelled eggs. I know it sounds crazy but I'm awful at anything involving eggs-boiling, scrambling, omelettes, etc. I just wanted something I can grab and go. I also got these mini pickles I totally forgot about that I could probably bring for a snack! I usually do cook dinner, since my fiance and i both work night shift, and then I bring a snack. Usually an egg and some cheese/meat, or a P3 protein pack, or some lunch meat rolled up and stuffed with cream cheese and spinach.

    Once the peanut butter is gone I'll probably stop buying it for a while because it's my go-to when I'm craving something sweet. I think I'm just overwhelmed right now because I feel like I won't lose anything in 6 months and I'm dreading looking like a whale.

    I'm all for low carb or keto for people who benefit from it, for example, if it helps with medical conditions or is a great way for them to get full and thus stay in a calorie deficit. Since it doesn't sound like either of those things are true for you, I'm wondering why you chose keto? Sounds like it's just stressing you out. You can lose weight on any plan in which you create a calorie deficit.

    South Beach sounded great to me, but since I was miserable on it, it wasn't a good match for me. Keto may not be a good match for you.

  • nuttynanners
    nuttynanners Posts: 249 Member
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    I would advise you to ask on r/keto... the reddit subforum. If you really want keto advice, and not "stop trying to eat keto" advice, then you will have better luck there. I eat low carb, but not Keto (because it's not feasible for me), and I browse r/keto and r/ketorecipes for ideas a lot.
  • nuttynanners
    nuttynanners Posts: 249 Member
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    Also, might I suggest doing a big batch of bacon in the oven on some parchment paper? It keeps in the fridge just fine. And then, ya know, there's bacon. Also meat in the crockpot requires very little effort.

    I've never tried it but some people swear by their bulletproof coffee. That is a ton of fat all in one go. Or you could try a protein shake and add oil/butter to that.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    I limit my carbs due to type 2 diabtes.

    Looking at your diary I ask WHERE are the VEGGIES? Seriously. Munch on a carrot, eat some peas or beans, add some turnip or brussel sprout or spinach.
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    meritage4 wrote: »
    I limit my carbs due to type 2 diabtes.

    Looking at your diary I ask WHERE are the VEGGIES? Seriously. Munch on a carrot, eat some peas or beans, add some turnip or brussel sprout or spinach.

    Yes! Okay, peas and beans are quite starchy, but adding fibrous veggies (leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, great beans, etc) will help keep you full, give you a good butter/oil delivery system, and provide some good micronutrients.

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