Low carb boredom

nadean1980
nadean1980 Posts: 50 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What are your go to meals and snacks that are low carb? I feel we are getting bored and when this happens we usually quit even tho it’s helping us lose weight. And I don’t want to quit again. Please help, TIA!

Replies

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,928 Member
    So why are you eating low carb then? I can understand medical reasons, but just for the sake of it and getting bored doesn't sound good.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Then how do you feel low carb is helping you lose weight?
  • freedomjoy
    freedomjoy Posts: 10 Member
    hmmmm.. many moons ago.. I was low carb for 2-3 years. I know sometimes eating the same recipes gets old. Think of what you like and crave and make a low carb alternative to it. That helped me. I loved getting creative with meals when I was low carb. I only went off when I was pregnant with my child and needed to add dairy and other food items to my diet.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    What is it that you "quit" exactly? I just want to clarify because it makes a difference to the answers that might be helpful.

    In reading between the lines I get the impression that you may mean that you quit trying to lose weight because you're bored eating low carb?

    Do you want to keep eating low carb and are trying to find some things to add variety?

    I guess I'm asking are you talking about quitting dieting or quitting a low carb diet? You can certainly quit eating low carb but still eat a calorie deficit to continue losing weight.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    If you're already bored, how are you going to carry it on as a lifetime style of eating?

    If you're not planning on eating this way forever, what's your plan when you reach your goal weight? Are you going to switch back to your old diet? How are you going to ensure you don't gain the weight back?

    Just some important things to think about. I lost weight with keto then regained it all when I returned to my normal eating preferences. Now I'm losing the weight again just calorie counting and it's going just as well, but it's way more sustainable.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited January 2018
    Low carb is "helping" you lose weight because you are eating fewer calories because of it. Low carb is an elimination diet. You eliminate calories because you eliminate food choices.

    That said, you could add back those eliminated foods and still lose weight. You just need to keep your calories the same as they are now.

    Add back things you have more control over. Other things (you can't control as much) ....you may need a coping strategy. Say, go out for ice cream once a week instead of keeping a gallon in the house. Use these same strategies during maintenance, because managing calorie intake shouldn't end when the diet does.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Low carb is "helping" you lose weight because you are eating fewer calories because of it. Low carb is an elimination diet. You eliminate calories because you eliminate food choices.

    That said, you could add back those eliminated foods and still lose weight. You just need to keep your calories the same as they are now.

    Add back things you have more control over. Other things (you can't control as much) ....you may need a coping strategy. Say, go out for ice cream once a week instead of keeping a gallon in the house. Use these same strategies during maintenance, because managing calorie intake shouldn't end when the diet does.

    And IMO, eliminating food choices makes for a rather boring diet...that said, I'm pretty big on variety...
  • nadean1980
    nadean1980 Posts: 50 Member
    My fiancé and I are on low carb because it’s the only thing that has helped us lose weight. I was just wondering how to spice it up a little. Maybe put different low carb meals in rotation or different ways to have the same meals..thanks
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    The only thing you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit, and learning to eat foods you actually like within a calorie limit is the only way to keep it off for good. Unless you want to be low-carb forever (and I can tell you don't), you will keep having to go on low-carb diets every time you gain the weight back that you just lost.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    nadean1980 wrote: »
    My fiancé and I are on low carb because it’s the only thing that has helped us lose weight. I was just wondering how to spice it up a little. Maybe put different low carb meals in rotation or different ways to have the same meals..thanks

    ALL weight loss methods "work" by helping you lower your calorie intake below maintenance. Low carb is not better or faster (for fat loss). Unless you have medical issues, low carb is just about eliminating food choices.

    When people start low carb they can expect a fair amount of water weight loss (glycogen stores) in the beginning. Google low carb flu. BUT, this water weight returns when you start eating carbs again. This is not to be confused with fat loss.

    Your method of "dieting" should have something in common with your method of maintenance. People with medical issues have added incentive for being low(er) carb forever. Losing weight is just the first step................
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    nadean1980 wrote: »
    My fiancé and I are on low carb because it’s the only thing that has helped us lose weight. I was just wondering how to spice it up a little. Maybe put different low carb meals in rotation or different ways to have the same meals..thanks

    I know there are low carb cookbooks out there, and I'm sure there are recipe websites dedicated to low carb eating...If it were me, I'd start there and just work in a variety of recipes that look good.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    nadean1980 wrote: »
    My fiancé and I are on low carb because it’s the only thing that has helped us lose weight. I was just wondering how to spice it up a little. Maybe put different low carb meals in rotation or different ways to have the same meals..thanks

    I know there are low carb cookbooks out there, and I'm sure there are recipe websites dedicated to low carb eating...If it were me, I'd start there and just work in a variety of recipes that look good.

    This. I'm sure if you googled "low carb snacks" and "low carb meals" you will get tons of yummy results. There are probably thousands of blogs dedicated to publishing individuals low carb recipes and meal ideas. I eat pretty high carb, so I don't have any suggestions myself!
  • gvizzle74
    gvizzle74 Posts: 123 Member
    Low carb isn't helping you lose weight, a calorie deficit is. If you don't want to eat low carb - don't. I lost 143 pounds in 11 months eating carbs with every meal. Don't do anything to lose weight you're not willing to do forever. So if you don't expect to be low carb forever, don't be low carb now. Time spent losing weight is also time spent building new habits - you're not building habits if you're just doing a thing to lose weight that you don't plan on making your lifestyle.
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    There are tons and tons of websites and blogs dedicated to low carb recipes. One of my go to sites, low carb or not, is SkinnyTaste. I've had some great recipes from that site (and some real misses, but that's a given for any recipe site or cookbook). There is a dedicated section of the site where you can find all the low carb recipes: https://www.skinnytaste.com/recipes/low-carb/

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