Desperate for advice!!

[Aoife12]

Hi guys,

Just found this form il find it very useful on my low carb journey.
So here's my story ( if I'm posting in the wrong place sorry) I'm 165cm and I weigh 83kg so got a lot of weight to loose! I was travelling around Asia and just managed to put on about 10kg!

Iv been eating low carb for 25days now here's my meal plan

Morning 6am- lowcarb celebrity slim shake

10am- bowl of prepared fruit salad ( strawberries, peach, nectarine, blueberries, apple)

12pm- small salad (lettuce, tomato, onion, avacado, red pepper, salami , cheese, cucumber

2pm- protein fx low carb Choco bar (2g of carbs) low fat as well about 4-5g

6pm - steame veg ( broccoli , cauliflower , peas , corn , snow peas, pumpkin, Brussels sports) meats would be steak , kangaroo , turkey fillets, chicken or lean pork.eat all cooked on the BBQ with a spray oil with no carb and low fat.

Drinks- no alcohol except for one or two gins at the weekend. No wine
2liters of water and one can o caffine free diet coke a day!

Exercise I have started a week ago, I'm doing the C25k programe. Currently on week 2! Running/ walking 4 times a week for 32mins !

So I didn't weigh myself till 14days in because I was in denial. Since day 14 I have fluctuated between the 1kg .

What am I doing wrong???

During the week days I'm in an office job so pretty stationary hence why I thought if I started the exercise it might help... But after a week exact same weight!! I walk to the train station as well which is 1km walk very fast pace ad back as well so about 3km walking a day as well as the exercise I do...


Can anyone tell me what else I should be doing??

Thanks guys I'm prob missing out on a lot of info

[Erin57]

How many carbs are you aiming for in a day? Have you logged into a site like ****** and tracked them?

[Darkginger]

Hiya (takes a deep breath) well...erm..here we go

The following are not low carb: peach, nectarine, apple, peas, corn... and there are few other dodgy (ie, carbs need to be counted) things in your menu like onions, snow peas, pumpkin, even Brussels sprouts (allowable, but I count them as 1g carb each).

DON'T try to eat low fat at the same time as low carb. Fat is your friend. Decide on a low carb plan (Atkins, LCHF, whatever) and get the book, or research the allowable foods online. Decide on your daily carb limit.

For what it's worth, I think the Atkins induction list of allowable foods is a great place to start. You should be able to find it easily with a bit of Googling (Dunno if a link is allowed). If you can read Gary Taubes 'Why We Get Fat' that would be a real help in understanding how and why low carb works, and once you have that understanding, it's pretty easy to create your own menus and define your own limits.

Don't think you have to go nuts exercising to lose weight, either - it's great for overall health, but its effect on weight loss is minimal (unless you devote 8 hours a day, every day to it, like they do in the Biggest Loser).

The best bit of advice I can give you is to make sure you're enjoying what you eat - don't feel you have to suffer or feel deprived - add butter to your veg, make creamy sauces, indulge yourself in exotic meats (which you seem to be doing anyway!) - and if you get hungry - eat something!

Hope that helps!

[creseis]

More fat, no fruit. Have eggs in the morning, or sausage. The fruit is not allowing you to be in ketosis. It doesn't look like you're eating nearly enough calories. You need to forget that fat is bad for you and eat as much of it as you need to stave off hunger.

[Gabby1]

Originally Posted by Darkginger

Hiya (takes a deep breath) well...erm..here we go

The following are not low carb: peach, nectarine, apple, peas, corn... and there are few other dodgy (ie, carbs need to be counted) things in your menu like onions, snow peas, pumpkin, even Brussels sprouts (allowable, but I count them as 1g carb each).

DON'T try to eat low fat at the same time as low carb. Fat is your friend. Decide on a low carb plan (Atkins, LCHF, whatever) and get the book, or research the allowable foods online. Decide on your daily carb limit.

For what it's worth, I think the Atkins induction list of allowable foods is a great place to start. You should be able to find it easily with a bit of Googling (Dunno if a link is allowed). If you can read Gary Taubes 'Why We Get Fat' that would be a real help in understanding how and why low carb works, and once you have that understanding, it's pretty easy to create your own menus and define your own limits.

Don't think you have to go nuts exercising to lose weight, either - it's great for overall health, but its effect on weight loss is minimal (unless you devote 8 hours a day, every day to it, like they do in the Biggest Loser).

The best bit of advice I can give you is to make sure you're enjoying what you eat - don't feel you have to suffer or feel deprived - add butter to your veg, make creamy sauces, indulge yourself in exotic meats (which you seem to be doing anyway!) - and if you get hungry - eat something!

Hope that helps!

What Darkginger said.

[abby!]

Originally Posted by Darkginger

Hiya (takes a deep breath) well...erm..here we go

The following are not low carb: peach, nectarine, apple, peas, corn... and there are few other dodgy (ie, carbs need to be counted) things in your menu like onions, snow peas, pumpkin, even Brussels sprouts (allowable, but I count them as 1g carb each).

DON'T try to eat low fat at the same time as low carb. Fat is your friend. Decide on a low carb plan (Atkins, LCHF, whatever) and get the book, or research the allowable foods online. Decide on your daily carb limit.

For what it's worth, I think the Atkins induction list of allowable foods is a great place to start. You should be able to find it easily with a bit of Googling (Dunno if a link is allowed). If you can read Gary Taubes 'Why We Get Fat' that would be a real help in understanding how and why low carb works, and once you have that understanding, it's pretty easy to create your own menus and define your own limits.

Don't think you have to go nuts exercising to lose weight, either - it's great for overall health, but its effect on weight loss is minimal (unless you devote 8 hours a day, every day to it, like they do in the Biggest Loser).

The best bit of advice I can give you is to make sure you're enjoying what you eat - don't feel you have to suffer or feel deprived - add butter to your veg, make creamy sauces, indulge yourself in exotic meats (which you seem to be doing anyway!) - and if you get hungry - eat something!

Hope that helps!

So well said! To add, I'd also ditch the shakes and choc bars for now. Eat whole foods, vegetables and fish/meat /fats - only minimal fruits except maybe a few berries. you'll get the hang of it if you read up. It's counter intuitive to think fruit sets you back because of what we've been tought but it does. Sugar is sugar whether it come from a candy bar, wheat or a melon. We're rooting for you! WELCOME!

[Aoife12]

the thing is im not actually hungry that much im finding what im eating to be more than plenty! at 6 am in the morning i need something quick so thats why the low carb celeb slim shake workds for me. i just take it out of the fridge and two seconds later breakfast is gone!

dont know how many carbs a day im aiming for i reckon about 30-40grams..

not tracked the amount of carbs.. thought my meal plan was ok but i aint lost any weight so must be doing something wrong! im trying to eat low carb fruit and veg

[Aoife12]

Originally Posted by Darkginger

Hiya (takes a deep breath) well...erm..here we go

The following are not low carb: peach, nectarine, apple, peas, corn... and there are few other dodgy (ie, carbs need to be counted) things in your menu like onions, snow peas, pumpkin, even Brussels sprouts (allowable, but I count them as 1g carb each).

DON'T try to eat low fat at the same time as low carb. Fat is your friend. Decide on a low carb plan (Atkins, LCHF, whatever) and get the book, or research the allowable foods online. Decide on your daily carb limit.

For what it's worth, I think the Atkins induction list of allowable foods is a great place to start. You should be able to find it easily with a bit of Googling (Dunno if a link is allowed). If you can read Gary Taubes 'Why We Get Fat' that would be a real help in understanding how and why low carb works, and once you have that understanding, it's pretty easy to create your own menus and define your own limits.

Don't think you have to go nuts exercising to lose weight, either - it's great for overall health, but its effect on weight loss is minimal (unless you devote 8 hours a day, every day to it, like they do in the Biggest Loser).

The best bit of advice I can give you is to make sure you're enjoying what you eat - don't feel you have to suffer or feel deprived - add butter to your veg, make creamy sauces, indulge yourself in exotic meats (which you seem to be doing anyway!) - and if you get hungry - eat something!

Hope that helps!

thanks a mill for the advice really appreciate it... iv googled the list having a look at it now..
i know th efruit i was eating wasnt the lowest in carbs i will need to cut them out and try replace with something else...

i dont feel like im suffering with my dinner i like eating just veg and meat its actually nice.. just dont think i can give up on my pumpkin its my favo part of the day! i only have a few pieces cut a night anyway!

[Leo41]

You can't eat low carb without tracking carbs.

As others have suggested, you would do well to read an actual low-carb plan (like Atkins) even if you don't follow it exactly.

On this board, you can find good information about low-carb plans.

[Aoife12]

i have a general jist of whats low carb and what snot... i do look everything up and check how many carbs are in it. i know im having about 30-40grams of carbs a day..

[mom23kids]

Get plugged into an actual plan. More often than not trying to do this on your own, without any guidelines/parameters is not going to work (some have success but a lot fail doing it that way, including me). There's lots of plans represented on this forum and lots of info on them. Just start reading and you'll find one that fits your lifestyle

Second, like others said you have to start tracking-you'll be shocked at all the things that creep in, especially in things like condiments, veggies and fruit, gum, mints etc. It's easy to cut out that bag of cookies, but what about ketchup and salad dressing, both which are loaded with carbs?

Third-make sure you're measuring, especially those dressings/condiments. It's a pain to do, but haul out the measuring spoons/scale etc. and make sure you're following serving sizes, and not underestimating what you're eating.

This forum is an awesome place to get information and support

[Aoife12]

thanks guys fro advice! really in usefull

im not using any sauce or condiments on anything everything i eat is plain as only thing i add is dried chilli flakes from which i gather is ok...
I'll try find a plan that suits me thought i was doing ok but obviously not with no results haha

[Darkginger]

Also be aware that not every source of carbs is equal - our aim is to even out spikes in blood sugar levels (and consequent insulin production). If you eat something which is easily converted to glucose ( forgive me if I'm at all off here, am not a professional, this is just how I understand it!) like, say, a cupcake (or corn, nectarine etc!) - then it gets rapidly converted into glucose, your blood sugar goes whoom, insulin floods out, and rushes the sugars off to your fat cells for storage.

What we need to be eating is stuff that tiptoes past the insulin secretors so they stay quiet and don't start marching up and down our blood vessels. I think of them as stealth foods, and imagine them creeping, ninja-fashion, past my dozing insulin. So yes, we eat carbs that lurk in green leafy veggies, but we shun the flamboyant sugars that do a Mardi Gras parade through our veins, which makes the insulin come out and dance.

I'm not sure that was terribly helpful, or even rational, but anyway, it's how I visualise it all

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Aoife12

the thing is im not actually hungry that much im finding what im eating to be more than plenty! at 6 am in the morning i need something quick so thats why the low carb celeb slim shake workds for me. i just take it out of the fridge and two seconds later breakfast is gone!

dont know how many carbs a day im aiming for i reckon about 30-40grams..

not tracked the amount of carbs.. thought my meal plan was ok but i aint lost any weight so must be doing something wrong! im trying to eat low carb fruit and veg

If you don't feel like eating breakfast in the morning, then don't eat it. I have coffee with half-and-half or heavy cream in the morning, and nothing else.

I agree with others' comments. Do track the amount of carbs you are consuming; some things have way more than you would expect. Cut the fruit; eat whole foods instead of bars and shakes and things with lots of chemical ingredients; pick a plan, read the book, and follow it to the letter.

If you want to eat low carb, forget about fruit except small amounts of berries, at least for the first few weeks. You can eat quite a few vegetables, but you have to pick ones that are low in carbs, such as leafy greens, radishes, cauliflower, celery, broccoli, zucchini, etc. Look up carb counts for food and amounts and, ideally, use an online tracker for your food intake; just guessing what is low carb isn't going to work. I suggest eating healthy fats (NOT vegetables oils except olive oil) and protein, too, for satiety and to preserve lean muscle mass. You want to be losing fat, not muscle, and you need some protein to keep muscle during weightloss.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Darkginger

Also be aware that not every source of carbs is equal - our aim is to even out spikes in blood sugar levels (and consequent insulin production). If you eat something which is easily converted to glucose ( forgive me if I'm at all off here, am not a professional, this is just how I understand it!) like, say, a cupcake (or corn, nectarine etc!) - then it gets rapidly converted into glucose, your blood sugar goes whoom, insulin floods out, and rushes the sugars off to your fat cells for storage.

What we need to be eating is stuff that tiptoes past the insulin secretors so they stay quiet and don't start marching up and down our blood vessels. I think of them as stealth foods, and imagine them creeping, ninja-fashion, past my dozing insulin. So yes, we eat carbs that lurk in green leafy veggies, but we shun the flamboyant sugars that do a Mardi Gras parade through our veins, which makes the insulin come out and dance.

I'm not sure that was terribly helpful, or even rational, but anyway, it's how I visualise it all

I love how you put this, Darkginger! I'm going to remember that metaphor; it's very helpful to me as a seasoned lowcarber, and it will help me pass by the fruit aisle, thinking about shunning that sugary Mardi Gras parade through my veins! And I'll enjoy my time with the green veggies all the more as I think of them as creeping ninjas fooling my dozing insulin!

[vilanteira]

Originally Posted by Darkginger

Also be aware that not every source of carbs is equal - our aim is to even out spikes in blood sugar levels (and consequent insulin production). If you eat something which is easily converted to glucose ( forgive me if I'm at all off here, am not a professional, this is just how I understand it!) like, say, a cupcake (or corn, nectarine etc!) - then it gets rapidly converted into glucose, your blood sugar goes whoom, insulin floods out, and rushes the sugars off to your fat cells for storage.

What we need to be eating is stuff that tiptoes past the insulin secretors so they stay quiet and don't start marching up and down our blood vessels. I think of them as stealth foods, and imagine them creeping, ninja-fashion, past my dozing insulin. So yes, we eat carbs that lurk in green leafy veggies, but we shun the flamboyant sugars that do a Mardi Gras parade through our veins, which makes the insulin come out and dance.

I'm not sure that was terribly helpful, or even rational, but anyway, it's how I visualise it all

I love this image! I, too, find that I have to shun those flamboyant Mardi Gras parade sugars.

[Arctic_Mama]

Yikes honey, log every bite and quantity because if your day is in the amounts I'm guessing, that would be more like 60-80g carbs per day, minimum! As already noted, most of what you're eating is higher carb fruit and veggie choices. Tracking is a MUST, and following a specific plan is a more reliable path to success than just making it up as you go and spinning your wheels. I wish you the best, the advice given here is spot on and you'd be wise to heed it

[DressageLover]

I think the very best, simplest thing you could do is commit to 4 days of just eating meat, eggs, green vegetables, small amounts of cheese, and butter, mayonnaise, or other types of fats as need for flavor and fullness. Drink water, black coffee, or tea. No sodas, no artificial sweeteners, just keep it simple.
Find foods within these parameters you enjoy, plan ahead, and stick to it for 4 days and see what happens. I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised!
Good luck. You can do it!

[Gretalyn]

These boards have been so helpful to me, and I hope they will be for you too. Nice to "meet" you!

I'll give you some feedback on your menu based on the way I eat and what works for me. But realize that there are as many low-carb diets out there as there are people who are low-carb dieting. You have to find what works for you, and I do think that reading several low-carb books can really help you. My favorites are Life without Bread by Allan and Lutz and Protein Power by the Drs. Eades. I'm reading The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Phinney and Volek right now and it is wonderful so far.

Originally Posted by Aoife12

Morning 6am- lowcarb celebrity slim shake

I sometimes eat a protein shake for breakfast too when I'm in a hurry or just not in the mood for a big breakfast. I find that this works, for me, much better than skipping breakfast, because if I skip breakfast, it's like my body tries to make up for it for the rest of the day, and my appetite is huge.

I'm not familiar with that particular brand of shake, but make sure it's low-carb and high-fat. I make my own shakes with whey protein. There have been other threads here with recipes and suggestions for homemade protein shakes. They're very quick and easy to do, and if you make your own, you can add more fat to them.

10am- bowl of prepared fruit salad ( strawberries, peach, nectarine, blueberries, apple)

Okay, I absolutely never, EVER, eat carbohydrates in isolation like this. If I did, two hours later, I'd be a blubbering mess curled up in the fetal position on the floor, shaking and crying. That's reactive hypoglycemia. Even if you don't have that problem, eating carbohydrates alone causes your insulin to spike more than it would if you ate the same amount of carbohydrates with protein and/or fat. Insulin is the fat-storage hormone, so that is the last thing you want! Also, be aware that prepared fruit often has sugar added.

I'd switch to fresh fruit, keep the amount small, and add some fat. Have some apple slices dipped in peanut butter, or some berries topped with creme fraiche or sour cream. Something like that. Or if you really want to lose weight faster, skip fruit entirely for awhile. Have a handful of nuts instead.

12pm- small salad (lettuce, tomato, onion, avacado, red pepper, salami , cheese, cucumber

As long as the salad is heavy on the salami and cheese, so that you're getting plenty of protein and fat, that sounds good to me.

2pm- protein fx low carb Choco bar (2g of carbs) low fat as well about 4-5g

6pm - steame veg ( broccoli , cauliflower , peas , corn , snow peas, pumpkin, Brussels sports) meats would be steak , kangaroo , turkey fillets, chicken or lean pork.eat all cooked on the BBQ with a spray oil with no carb and low fat.

Just remember that fat is your friend when you are low-carbing! If you've dropped your carb intake, that's great. But you need to up your fat intake to give your body the fuel it needs to function. You cannot survive on protein and veg alone. You must eat fat. Don't be afraid of it - eating fat in the absence of carbs will "teach" your body to burn fat as it's primary fuel source, so that it can access your fat stores and burn them away!

Drinks- no alcohol except for one or two gins at the weekend. No wine
2liters of water and one can o caffine free diet coke a day!

That's great! I drink dry red wine - I just do so in moderation and I count the carb grams (there aren't that many, but sweet wine is another story).

So I didn't weigh myself till 14days in because I was in denial. Since day 14 I have fluctuated between the 1kg .

What am I doing wrong???

Well, even if the scale hasn't changed a gram, it may be that your body has converted some fat to muscle. So consider the way your clothes fit, your waist circumference, things like that and not just what you weigh. Also, give it some time, and do work on boosting your metabolism by eating more fat.

Good luck, and check in often!