Low-carb eating: reporting in

[Catnapper]

OK, my turn to report.
I am a long time fan of the low carb way of eating. When I eat low carb meals I feel better. Somehow though, through the years I have fallen back to eating more carbs again for extended periods, even though I recognize the negative results of that style. I have been doing this off and on business for about 7 years.
On January 19 I started low-carbing again, but this time I hope I continue forever. So here I am one month later, feeling better, but not losing weight. For this entire month I have not eaten any kind of anything made of any grain, no sweet anything – not even artificial sweeteners, and no high carby vegetables. My meals have all been homemade so I can control the ingredients. They consist of meat or fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, green and leafy vegetables, some onions, peppers and tomatoes, and occasionally a few berries. My typical day’s meals would be: breakfast – eggs and either bacon, sausage, ham or cheese, decaf coffee with cream; lunch would be green salad (homemade dressing maybe) and some protein, or homemade soup; supper would be meat or fish with a green vegetable. No snacks or desserts, but I wouldn’t have had those anyway, no sodas as I don’t like them. My husband and I will frequently have an alcoholic beverage before our evening meal such as bourbon and water, but only one. I have not kept an account of the carbs from the vegetables.
Blood sugar measurement is another issue. Those little strips are expensive, about $1 each. I check twice a day and have noticed nice improvements there. Did you know that the meters only are within 15% of accuracy either way? For example if it reads 200, your blood sugar might be anywhere from 170 to 230. That kind of accuracy does not impress me.
My primary goal is to establish and maintain healthy levels of blood glucose. I was hoping to lose some pounds along the way. I want to be motivated to exercise daily, but so far, that has not been attained either. I am slightly crippled, and my favorite exercise, which is walking, hurts. I have a recumbent exercise bike that I don’t particularly like and a treadmill, not much better.
Where do I go from here? I suppose I should start actually measuring and counting the carbs from the vegetables as it appears I need to be at a very low carb count to lose weight. I hate to give up the broccoli and green beans and the lettuce. I would really miss the flavor of the onions, peppers and tomatoes. Perhaps I can strictly limit those things and not eliminate them completely. Should I begin counting calories also? Obviously I need to increase exercise. Any other suggestions?

Catnapper - Joanie

[MoneyGal]

Joanie - I don't have any specific suggestions. I'm just piping up to say I think you and I are going to be in a very similar boat. I still have not weighed myself (because I am too durn scared - what if the scale hasn't moved?). I will be your buddy in figuring this out.

[BlackSpinner]

OK, my turn to report.

I was hoping to lose some pounds along the way. I want to be motivated to exercise daily, but so far, that has not been attained either. I am slightly crippled, and my favorite exercise, which is walking, hurts. I have a recumbent exercise bike that I don’t particularly like and a treadmill, not much better.

Friends and family that had walking/knee/ hip issues did their exercise in water. Here there are classes given by the local Y in the warm kiddie pools that use the buoyancy of water as well as its resistance for cardio exercise. These are usually referred to as seniors classes.

My eating is still just grazing the cupboards. I am looking forward to being healthy enough next week so I can get some shopping done. Right now the antibiotics are causing my stomach to be upset but the sinus infection is going down so I am just marking time and eating toast with cinnamon and drinking ginger tea. I can't face meat or fish right now or anything with fat.

[Muse-Inc]

...meters only are within 15% of accuracy either way?

It's even worse than that; it's actually 20% except for Abbot's FreeStyle meters which were and still are within 10%...outrageous to me that 'they' tout blood sugar control then leave most with meters that only 20% accurate unless you're using the FreeStyle models. I get annoyed with a legally-blind friend's doc who want tighter control but give her these inaccurate meters; she's on insulin and doses according to her pre-meal readings...possibly 20% off! This is nuts. Abbot bought these meters from TheraSense if you investigate. There's a data management app (free I think) where you can download the readings...my other diabetic friend who just had a kidney transplant showed it to me a few yrs ago...pretty impressive. He emails his readings weekly to his diabetic specialist, been doing that since the data mgmt app was available.

...I was hoping to lose some pounds along the way.

Joanie, some do better with low carb & high fat while others on a low carb low-ish fat plan; some do best switching between the 2. Others like Moneygal seems to be do great on a low carb intermittant fasting (IF) plan. Try experimenting and see if changing to high or low fat initiates wt loss. Atkins insisted that if you're low carbing & drinking enough water and still not losing, to lower (not eliminate) fat (cheese and nuts mostly). Some need to add coconut oil to help the T4-->T3 conversion to increase thyroid activity.

...want to be motivated to exercise daily

Not likely help much with wt loss BUT it powerfuly reduces insulin resistance which helps in many, many other areas! Gotta so some every 36 hrs to keep up this effect. Limited mobility sucks! When I was in phy therapy (broke both leg bones in one ankle & tore ligament in the other), the orthopod had me walking 3 times/wk for 45 mins in at least waist-deep water...it worked as I walk without a limp today and all the pins were successfully removed.

[timbalionguy]

Sleepytaz, from what I am reading here, you might be one of those people who are closer to a 'carb type'. You are doing the right thing for your body type, and your body is responding appropriately. I would gain weight rapidly on that diet, plus I don't like fruit that much. I'll let my 'prey' eat the fruit for me

Kiralynx, tell us more about your homemade pork sausage. Sausage is something I really like and eat a lot of. But a lot of sausage out there is full of 'unnecessary' ingredients. The really good sausage that is also made from 'good' ingredients tends to be expensive. If I could find a good sausage formula that was practical to make, I would consider getting the equipment needed to make it. (One thought I have had is to make a 'whole animal' sausage that includes muscle meat, 'guts', and miscellaneous connective tissue in the proper proportions to their amounts in an animal's body. I bet this could be something that is very good, and would be liked by most people.) There are commercial preparations like this that are made for zoo carnivores, and I have served thousands of pounds of it over the years to my 'kitties'. (We now use a program that 'recycles' outdated supermarket meat).

Catnapper, don't give up the vegetables you listed. From what I know, those are the 'good' vegetables (which I only like in Chinese cooking). They also help keep you regular. You might consider a week-long high fat diet. Dr. Atkins recommends this for breaking plateaus. Of course, it can be all the 'yummy' animal fats, cream, butter, etc.

One book I can recommend to everyone here is 'Protein Power' by the Eades. This book explains in detail how low carb diets work at the biochemical level, but in a manner most people can grasp. (I, too have extensively studied biochemistry.) Near the end of that book, he talks of a patient who ate a dozen eggs a day for years, and was very healthy at age 70. Another group of patients did very well on untrimmed beef rib steak as their principal food (yum!)(wish I could afford that more often!).

Just devoured a chicken here. One local supermarket sells a baked chicken preparation they make themselves. It is not as low carb as simple chicken, but low enough that I easily lose weight eating it most days. It is very tasty, and I can eat 8 pieces as a total meal, and 12 if I ma really hungry.

One last thought: Someone mentioned that they had cut out red meat because they found it so tempting and would tend to overeat it. Yes, you might do this at first. And I have found that I will have to eat extra 'snacks', and larger portions when first going on the low carb diet. But that will eventually go away as your body adapts. I bet once I get about 60 pounds down, 4 pieces of baked chicken will be enough most nights. And if it isn't, I will just cook up some brautwurst, etc. and eat that until I am not hungry. There is a lot of margin for error on a low carb diet. So if you do overeat a little, it is generally not going to hurt you that much.

[Catnapper]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I tried high fat for breakfast. 2 eggs scrambled in butter with lots of bacon bits and cheddar cheese. Wow, I couldn't eat all of it! Then I had righteous indigestion.

I went shopping and found some coconut oil which I will use in whatever I cook tonight. There is a recipe in that low carb book people have recommended here that uses pesto and cream cheese to roll up in flattened chicken breasts which are then dipped in parmesan cheese and paprika. Maybe I will make that and fry them in the coconut oil. Is that high fat enough? I will steam some fresh green beans to go with the chicken and put butter on them. If I can still manage to hold a spoon, I will whip some cream and add a few berries to it for dessert. On second thought, I may skip the dessert. There is always tomorrow.

My husband told me it doesn't make sense to him to eat extra fat to lose weight. I'll never convince him. Of course, he is skinny naturally. So, we will be like Jack Sprat and his wife.

I took a long walk in the grocery store. Will that count for exercise? At least I was not sitting still.

Thanks again everyone. If this high fat week doesn't work, I will try the low fat. I doubt if I will try the fast because it could mess up my blood sugar.

Any more suggestions?

Catnapper - Joanie

[MoneyGal]

I think you are on the right track. I love how supportive this thread is.

[BlackSpinner]

One of the things I love about this diet is that I can shake my poverty mentality up bring about sandwiches and other food. 2 sardines does not a sandwich make anymore. It is not something sinful to prefer the innards to the sandwich. Though I have been back to eating bread this week, I am at half rations - sin full open face sandwiches. The tasty stuff is not a table spoon or so on top of rice, potatoes or bread. Has anyone else noticed that most carbs have no flavour? That is except for the worst ones like real croissants or bagels. Bye bye potatoes, rice, pasta!

[TSSleepy]

Has anyone else noticed that most carbs have no flavour?

When I was low carbing 11 years ago (before untreated sleep apnea dragged me back down), I made that observation about potatoes. Have you ever baked a potato, with zero fixins, and placed a big forkful in your mouth? Just hold it there and chew it for a minute and really "taste" the unadulterated potato...blech, tastes like dirt.

Of course, when I'm in the thrall of carbohydrates I will down 1000's of calories of french fries, potato chips, or mashed potatoes at a sitting with all the yummy fat/butter/salt. Glad to be rid of it!

I think tomorrow's official weigh-in will have me down ~6 more lbs this week (for a total of ~43 lbs in 9 weeks)! Only ~100 more to go!

[BlackSpinner]

Have you ever baked a potato, with zero fixins, and placed a big forkful in your mouth? Just hold it there and chew it for a minute and really "taste" the unadulterated potato...blech, tastes like dirt.

Or my mothers favourite - boiled potatoes - naked on the plate with some naked canned beans and a hunk of under done meat which I detested. And her baking was worse. She really had no interest in food or cooking. No wonder I was skinny as a teenager - eating just wasn't any fun until I taught my self to cook.

[Huffer]

I found out about 3 months ago that I'm a type 2 diabetic. I was having to relieve myself every 20 minutes, and went to the Dr. to find out why. I'm around 250 lb. and I thought fairly active, but it seems I was wrong. The wife immediately put us both on a low carb. (less than 100 gram) diet, as well as lower fat intakes. We now eat nothing that is white, such as sugar, white flour, white rice, and potatoes. We avoid white bread and white pasta as well. We eat lots of salads, pumpernickel bread if we want sandwiches, and lots of fibre. We are losing about a pound or 2 a week, and supplement our diet with walking at least 3 hours a week. Something that seems to help is taking about 2 tablespoons of unpasturized apple cider vinegar before every meal. I know, harsh but it is making the weight come off. Something that curbs your appetite and gives you needed energy is hemp seed, which is full of omega 3 and all sorts of other goodies. No, there isn't any thc in it, we just sprinkle it on our morning cereal. My glucose numbers are nice and low, and my blood pressure is down as well. No more donuts and pie, but the sacrifice is worth it!

[BlackSpinner]

pumpernickel bread if we want sandwiches, and lots of fibre.

Watch the pumpernickel. Many bakeries cheat and add molasses to give it the colour and it is really white bread with some flavour added. Make sure you get the real thing

[Paul56]

Have you ever baked a potato, with zero fixins, and placed a big forkful in your mouth? Just hold it there and chew it for a minute and really "taste" the unadulterated potato...blech, tastes like dirt.

Potatoes are meant to me thoroughly mashed and mixed with gobs of real butter and cream to make them creamy and smooth. Add a touch of salt and pepper.

oops... wrong thread.

[DoriC]

Something that seems to help is taking about 2 tablespoons of unpasturized apple cider vinegar before every meal. I know, harsh but it is making the weight come off. !

I've been hearing a lot lately about ACV. I know it's been around a long time but does anyone else use it and can explain the pros and cons of taking this and how it might affect IBS. Also can it be mixed with something to make it more palatable? Thanks.

[BlackSpinner]

Sausage is something I really like and eat a lot of. But a lot of sausage out there is full of 'unnecessary' ingredients. The really good sausage that is also made from 'good' ingredients tends to be expensive. And if it isn't, I will just cook up some brautwurst, etc. and eat that until I am not hungry. There is a lot of margin for error on a low carb diet. So if you do overeat a little, it is generally not going to hurt you that much.

Fresh Bratwurst:
3 lbs lean pork
1 lb fatback
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons pepper
4 tablespoons chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage


Mince all together using a mincer or food processor

well washed intestines soaked to remove most of the brine/salt

stuff into intestines
OR

roll into cylinders, flour lightly and fry

Have a basin of cold water beside you to keep hands from getting covered in sausage stuff

These can be smoked if you have the equipment.

From: The Old world Kitchen: the rich tradition of European peasant cooking by Elisabeth Luard

For other historical interesting recipes:

http://www.coquinaria.nl/english/recipe ... recept.htm

There are some really good meat recipes on this site - no short cuts taken though. The pea soup recipe (high carb... sigh) is just like my grandmother used to make it. I have a big container in the freezer.

I have made Haggis for a historical re-enactment meal - It is not difficult to make your own saugage just messy and time consuming. Stuffing a sheep's stomach en group made for jokes about the Jolly Green Giant's endowments. Haggis however is really oatmeal with some organ meats for flavouring. I will dig through my 3 shelves of cook books for more recipes for sausage.