Low carb high protein meal ideas

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Christinewray2013
Christinewray2013 Posts: 9 Member
edited May 2019 in Recipes
So my trouble is keeping my carbs low, protein high whilst sticking to my calories. Please help?? All this dieting to lose weight has me so confused. I hit the gym 6 days a week, twice 5 days a week.

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  • RunnerGrl1982
    RunnerGrl1982 Posts: 412 Member
    edited May 2019
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    Is there a specific reason you're keeping your carbs low?

    Depending on the types of exercising you are doing, could require a fair amount of energy replenishment. Especially, given the fact you are stating that you are exercising twice a day, 5 days a week and 6 times a week in total? (If I'm reading that correctly?)
  • Christinewray2013
    Christinewray2013 Posts: 9 Member
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    I’m on a four week challenge at the gym and they said to lose weight my protein should be high and carbs should be 20%.
    I don’t have to train everyday or twice a day like I do but I’m becoming so obsessed on losing weight that I choose to do this. 🙈
    I normally gym for an hour in morning and do a class on a night (spinning or bums and tums) xx
  • RunnerGrl1982
    RunnerGrl1982 Posts: 412 Member
    edited May 2019
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    Oh wow! A gym challenge? Now I'm beginning to understand a bit better... Yikes, well - good luck to you. I find recommendations from the gym very sketchy at best. Their word (or mine for that matter ) is not gospel.

    I'll be honest though, if I was cutting my carbs to that severe extend and exercising as much as you are, I'd be exhausted without more carbohydrates. I do know of endurance runners who have become fat adapted and run on a low carbohydrate diet, but it takes time - and I don't believe for your four week gym challenge is enough time for something like that. That's a lot of energy expenditure happening.

    It's not my place to suggest you to not do the challenge or provide advice in that area, but just keep aware of your energy levels as you are moving forward.

    Also, depending on how much weight you have to lose, will be a big factor as well. If you're already in a normal and healthy weight range, attempting to lose a fair amount of weight in a short period of time will be difficult without a severe calorie deficit most likely.

    Anyways....take my words with a grain of salt...

    As far as low carb/high protein meals, I'm sure there are plenty of low carb posters who can help you out!! There are many on this board, so just keep an eye open, and also feel free to use the search function for previous threads of low carb/high protein meals. There is a plethora of information on these forums for everyone.

    I wish you the best!

    EDIT: Also, this website has a lot of good recipes: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/18454/nutrient-focused-diets/high-protein/low-carb/
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    Christinewray2013 wrote: »
    So my trouble is keeping my carbs low, protein high whilst sticking to my calories. Please help?? All this dieting to lose weight has me so confused. I hit the gym 6 days a week, twice 5 days a week.

    Grill a steak...side of roasted or sauteed veggies. Grill some chicken...side of roasted or sauteed veggies. Have a salad with chicken or any other protein. Omelettes with meat and veggies...etc, etc, etc.
    Christinewray2013 wrote: »
    I’m on a four week challenge at the gym and they said to lose weight my protein should be high and carbs should be 20%.
    I don’t have to train everyday or twice a day like I do but I’m becoming so obsessed on losing weight that I choose to do this. 🙈
    I normally gym for an hour in morning and do a class on a night (spinning or bums and tums) xx

    You don't have to low carb to lose weight...I lost 40 Lbs not remotely low carb. Personally I think you're just going to burn out doing what you're doing, but good luck.
  • Christinewray2013
    Christinewray2013 Posts: 9 Member
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    I’m all new to this diet and exercising stuff 🙈 so this is why I’m so confused. Thank you so much for your input though and I’ll definitely take on board what yous have said. Thank you xx
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I'm finding, as I learn more about keto and my effort to keep carbs low and fat high, that keeping carbs low is really easy. You only have to remember a few vegetables: Green leafy veg, cruciate veg, and green beans.

    The high-calorie carbs such as bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta are pretty much incompatible with keto, but if you want to include small portions of these in your 20% carb plan, it's certainly possible.

    For the first nearly three years of losing weight, I wasn't trying to keep carbs low. A calorie deficit is the only thing you need to lose weight. Sufficient protein is what you need to maintain muscle. Sufficient fat is what you need to maintain good health.
  • Christinewray2013
    Christinewray2013 Posts: 9 Member
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    Thank you xx
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,606 Member
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    A couple of favourite asian meals, where I don't mind skipping the optional rice.

    https://importfood.com/recipes/sauces/recipe/201-spicy-pork-and-tomato-dip-with-veggies-nam-prik-ong
    https://refugeekitchen.com/2014/04/04/khmer-lok-lak/

    A couple more mains where I don't mind skipping the starch component. Google for recipes.
    bagna cauda
    salade nicoise
    grande alioli
    gado gado
  • Christinewray2013
    Christinewray2013 Posts: 9 Member
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    I could have that without the fish sauce 😂 I’m not keen on fish at all xx
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,606 Member
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    Anchovy averse people can replace fish sauce with soy sauce in Nam Prik Ong or Beef Lok Lak.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,606 Member
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    For bagna cauda, the anchovy averse can use finely chopped olives and capers. Salad nicoise can swap chicken breasts instead of tuna steaks.
  • gocallum
    gocallum Posts: 19 Member
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    Christinewray2013 wrote: »
    I’m on a four week challenge at the gym and they said to lose weight my protein should be high and carbs should be 20%.
    I don’t have to train everyday or twice a day like I do but I’m becoming so obsessed on losing weight that I choose to do this. 🙈
    I normally gym for an hour in morning and do a class on a night (spinning or bums and tums) xx
    Christinewray2013 wrote: »
    I’m on a four week challenge at the gym and they said to lose weight my protein should be high and carbs should be 20%.
    I don’t have to train everyday or twice a day like I do but I’m becoming so obsessed on losing weight that I choose to do this. 🙈
    I normally gym for an hour in morning and do a class on a night (spinning or bums and tums) xx

  • gocallum
    gocallum Posts: 19 Member
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    I can relate to this. I'm also trying to lower my carbs to less than 40% and increase protein to over 30%....
  • Buff_Man
    Buff_Man Posts: 622 Member
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    You're working out too much! You need to give your body time to recover. You also need carbs to fuel your workouts. As long as you're having equal amount of carbs and proteins that's fine. 4x or x5 workouts a week is more than enough, you need rest days to recover otherwise your body will get over exhausted. Then your weight will fluctuate more and cause other problems. The only way to lose weight is eat fewer calories than you're burning in a day. If you do this consistently you'll lose weight. But the more weight you lose the harder it gets because your body adapts. Then you have to try different workout routines, diet variations etc.
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    edited May 2019
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    Really not an advocate/one who practices high fat, low-moderate protein...
    For the volume of exercise you are doing, I would agree with other posters that it is excessive for textbook keto (high fat, sparing protein, low-zero carbohydrate).

    Higher protein & some carbohydrates are more practical for performing higher amounts of volume (weights & cardio). Protein does indirectly convert to carbohydrate albeit @ a very inefficient process (gluconeogenesis); fine for weight lifting and low intensity cardio but not efficient for high intensity activity (HIIT, high intensity weight lifting).

    I myself am more of a high protein, low-fat, low-moderate (~100g/day) carbohydrate bastardized keto person more fitted around my activity (mostly lower intensity higher rep range weight lifting & low intensity cardio; only perform a limit amount of low rep lifts per session - not my forte nor suited based on diet, but some variety is good).

    Not sure what is more important to you...your diet (in which you might want to better adjust your exercise to) or your exercise preference (in which you might want to better suit you diet to)

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