How Can I cut out Carbs

ColleenB1980
ColleenB1980 Posts: 31 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
I am really struggling with how to cut down on carbs with my main meals, every meal idea I come up with contains either pasta or potatoes, could anyone please give me some ideas .

Thanks
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Replies

  • skullkrusher22
    skullkrusher22 Posts: 29
    try whole grain pasta and use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Stay away from cheese and creamy sauces and try not to cook your veggies in them as well. Think whole grains. Rice, fruits, veggies, oats and kidney beans are real good sources.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I don't understand the question, are you asking for ideas on things you can add that have less carbs but taste like a carbohydrate? I mean, if you want to cut down the carbs, you don't make the potatoes or pasta with the mean, or less of them.
  • ColleenB1980
    ColleenB1980 Posts: 31 Member
    I don't understand the question, are you asking for ideas on things you can add that have less carbs but taste like a carbohydrate? I mean, if you want to cut down the carbs, you don't make the potatoes or pasta with the mean, or less of them.

    I struggle for meal ideas without pasta or potatoes (which are high in carbs) I am asking for ideas on meals I can make that have less carbs in them.
  • ColleenB1980
    ColleenB1980 Posts: 31 Member
    try whole grain pasta and use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Stay away from cheese and creamy sauces and try not to cook your veggies in them as well. Think whole grains. Rice, fruits, veggies, oats and kidney beans are real good sources.

    Thanks for ideas I wasnt sure if rice was ok lol and I can def put in more veggies with my meals, are there any veggies I should limit ?
  • NHBourque
    NHBourque Posts: 19
    try spaghetti squash! yummy under spaghetti sauce
  • rajivdubey
    rajivdubey Posts: 382 Member
    Avoid every thing in WHITE like breads, rice, Pasta, Potatoes, Red Meat.

    Add-Whole wheat, lean Chicken, Proteins like Whey etc.

    It surely has worked for me!
  • kellyh2
    kellyh2 Posts: 64
    I love Turkey Mince Shepherds pie with swede and carrot mash on top (instead of potatoe) or crack pot stew minus the potatoes and serve with a variety of veg :-) :-)
  • Lorleee
    Lorleee Posts: 369 Member
    One thing I do is restrict my starch servings to 4 per day. I eat them at breakfast and lunch but never for snacks and never at dinner time. Dinner is always lean meat and non-starchy veggies.
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
    One of my mainstays is stir-fry. You can stir-fry beef, pork, poultry, shrimp, etc. Add in any non-starch veggies you want. I buy various bags of mixed frozen veggies (just veggies with no sauces, etc., in the bag) and toss 'em in when the meat is about half-way cooked through. Where I live I can find lots of different bags with a wide-variety of vegetables. Sometimes I use a little bit of butter in the pan, sometimes olive oil or coconut oil, and then I mix up the seasonings I use. Garlic is always good but it's amazing how different seasonings and cooking oils can change the flavor. So it's never boring.

    Once in awhile I do add in some cooked rice. It kinda depends on how I feel. If my exercise performance is suffering and I'm eating enough calories and getting enough rest and sleep, I figure my glycogen stores might be getting a tad low so I add just a small bit of rice. Or I might have some whole-grain toast or a small bit of potato on the side.

    You can do similar with salads. Just a few different veggies in the salad, different cut-up meats seasoned different ways when cooked, different dressings, and a few different toppings can give you quite a variety of big salads to nosh on.
  • brett1117
    brett1117 Posts: 208
    eat a lot of chicken and egg whites
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    It is unrealistic to cut out carbs, count calories and eat a balanced diet. Cutting carbs is just another Yo Yo diet....You are not going to omit carbs for the rest of your life. Just start eating right.
  • kriskaryl
    kriskaryl Posts: 120 Member
    I was thinking the same thing! Spaghetti squash is a wonderful option. It takes on the flavor of whatever you are serving with it. I love it with a no-sugar added marinara sauce and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. The cheese is good because of the protein content. :happy:
  • misscristie
    misscristie Posts: 643 Member
    Uh...There are no carbs in cheese. REAL cream is also OK carb wise.

    Rice is high carb. If you want to avoid "bad" carbs, avoid white carbs - sugar, white flour, white rice, etc. If you want to reduce your carbs all around, not just the "bad" carbs, watch your fruit intake, starchy veg (potatoes, corn, peas), bread, pasta and sweets.

    Lots of meat. Cheese (watch fat). Green vegetables (peas don't count).

    Some folks do OK with eating lots of carbs though, so do what works for you. I'm diabetic so carbs are the enemy.

    Good luck.
  • RonnieBigGunz
    RonnieBigGunz Posts: 52
    Mashed cauliflower (like mashed potatoes) and avocado fries are a couple of good low carb substitutes for potatoes.
  • suttercm
    suttercm Posts: 189 Member
    I use steamed cauliflower in place of potatoes and pasta. For many people (more and more every day) cutting carbs is not a "fad" or "Yo-Yo" diet it is a life-saving way of life. As a diabetic it is essential that I limit daily carbs, there are many ways to do it if you make the effort.

    :smile:
  • ready2beme
    ready2beme Posts: 151 Member
    It is unrealistic to cut out carbs, count calories and eat a balanced diet. Cutting carbs is just another Yo Yo diet....You are not going to omit carbs for the rest of your life. Just start eating right.

    She said cut DOWN not out.

    Look at your plate in sections OP. You have your main protein and 2 sides and normally one of those sides would be pasta or potatoes right? So take that side out and add an extra veggie. Or just double portion your 1 side. Stir fry is a great suggestion as well! Mashed Cauliflower is just as yummy to me as mashed potatoes (or mashed sweet potatoes!) If you still want to incorporate them use the healthier versions (sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, whole grain brown rice)

    Weight loss is really about portion control and eating smart! That's why I really like the Eat This, Not That series. It makes smart choices easier :)
  • ready2beme
    ready2beme Posts: 151 Member
    Mashed cauliflower (like mashed potatoes) and avocado fries are a couple of good low carb substitutes for potatoes.
    OMG Avocado fries?! I need a recipe for this, it sounds awesome!
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    meat + veggies is always a solid meal
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Even vegetables are carbs (not as much but carbs none-the-less). If you want to cut carbs, then you need meat or eggs. It's that simple.
  • LadyKT
    LadyKT Posts: 287 Member
    This site is my fave for low-carb: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/
  • RonnieBigGunz
    RonnieBigGunz Posts: 52
    This website has some cool recipes. Here's one for avocado fries:
    http://sinorslim.com/sides/baked-avocado-fries/#more-1141
  • ready2beme
    ready2beme Posts: 151 Member
    This website has some cool recipes. Here's one for avocado fries:
    http://sinorslim.com/sides/baked-avocado-fries/#more-1141

    Thanks <3!
  • GA_Gyrl
    GA_Gyrl Posts: 25 Member
    grilled chicken breast and ANY beans is perfect! Eliminate those pastas and stuff! SUPER bad!
  • rosebushqt
    rosebushqt Posts: 3 Member
    A trick you can try that I've found really helpful is replacing breads entirely with a head of lettuce. Instead of putting your sandwich meat in between some bread, try wrapping it up in the lettuce! It still tastes great and cut out a ton of calories while avoiding the carbs all together!
  • ColleenB1980
    ColleenB1980 Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks everyone, going to have a look at those websites when i get home from work tonight,

    I know it is unrealistic to cut out carbs completely I just want to cut back, I have already stated eating wholewheat pasta but think i need to eat more veg for def .
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I'm glad to read "cut down" in your message as opposed to "cut out" in the title.
    Cutting OUT any macronutrient group seems unwise to me, but I guess you already know that.

    My personal opinion is that the easiest way to go about change is not by cutting something out altogether, but looking at the ratios you are eating, and making some substitutions. Some examples of what I mean:
    - I make fried rice with lots and lots of stirfried veggies, a bit of meat, about 1/2 cup of rice per person and serve it with a poached egg on top. This works out to be a really balanced meal with some carbs, some protein, some fat and lots of goodness from all the veggies. It's yummy with brown rice or white, whichever you prefer.
    - I make pasta sauce with lots of veggies and some meat and serve a whole lot of sauce on top of about half the quantity of pasta I used to eat. We might have salad or avocado on the side which makes it more filling without so much pasta.
    - instead of a salad sandwich for lunch, I often have a salad with veggies, tuna or chicken, boiled egg and one piece of bread (usually with peanut butter or cheese and vegemite) on the side. Half the bread, twice as much flavour!

    I know that lots of people don't agree with my "moderation" approach, but it works for me - as you can see, I'm not a carbophobe!
  • 321payne
    321payne Posts: 26
    There is nothing wrong with carbs. you just need too watch your serving size just like every thing else. your body needs carbs to function right completely removing carbs from your diet is not healthy. your body is designed to rum on carbs. these no carb diets work because they make your body obtain energy in a different way than is efficient. I think you need to eat what you want but in lesser amounts count calories not carbs because this will make you happier and more likely to stick to your plan. thats my plan anyway I am more happy doing this than anything else I have tried and I am losing weight . this is just one persons opinion.
  • sophsw
    sophsw Posts: 81 Member
    Thanks for asking this question, i have been asking myself the same thing over the last couple of days. I have not lost any weight since i joined the site yet i exercise well, so i have been going over my food journal and i have notices i have been eating too many carbs. I thank all the people who have offered advice and i realise i need to make smarter choices and substitues in my food so hopfully the scales will start moving in the right direction for me.
  • misscristie
    misscristie Posts: 643 Member
    I'm glad to read "cut down" in your message as opposed to "cut out" in the title.
    Cutting OUT any macronutrient group seems unwise to me, but I guess you already know that.

    My personal opinion is that the easiest way to go about change is not by cutting something out altogether, but looking at the ratios you are eating, and making some substitutions. Some examples of what I mean:
    - I make fried rice with lots and lots of stirfried veggies, a bit of meat, about 1/2 cup of rice per person and serve it with a poached egg on top. This works out to be a really balanced meal with some carbs, some protein, some fat and lots of goodness from all the veggies. It's yummy with brown rice or white, whichever you prefer.
    - I make pasta sauce with lots of veggies and some meat and serve a whole lot of sauce on top of about half the quantity of pasta I used to eat. We might have salad or avocado on the side which makes it more filling without so much pasta.
    - instead of a salad sandwich for lunch, I often have a salad with veggies, tuna or chicken, boiled egg and one piece of bread (usually with peanut butter or cheese and vegemite) on the side. Half the bread, twice as much flavour!

    I know that lots of people don't agree with my "moderation" approach, but it works for me - as you can see, I'm not a carbophobe!

    I have used your second suggestion when I go to an Italian restaurant. You'd be amazed how accomodating they are. I ask them to sautee up some tomatoes, mushrooms and onions and put that on 1/3-1/2 of their normal pasta serving size and add some meat sauce to the top. I end up barely touching the pasta.

    I'll have to try your fried rice trick! Sounds nummy num nums!
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
    bump
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