How do you low carb?

[wannabe]

Bacon. All day errday.

[usuallylurking]

Did your doctor have a suggestion of how many grams of carbs would be sufficiently "low carb" for you? I am typically below 20 g/day, on high carb days I am still below 50 g. I've seen some people say they are ok up to 100 g/day. I think that is when they are in maintenance mode though. The key for me is that I do not count calories. I mean, I have a general idea, because I track with myfitnesspal so I am aware of my macro intake, but I don't obsess over the calories. I also do not eat low fat anything. Full fat, low carb, high protein.

[kirby]

Jul 5, 2015 10:49:14 GMT -5 usuallylurking said:

Did your doctor have a suggestion of how many grams of carbs would be sufficiently "low carb" for you? I am typically below 20 g/day, on high carb days I am still below 50 g. I've seen some people say they are ok up to 100 g/day. I think that is when they are in maintenance mode though. The key for me is that I do not count calories. I mean, I have a general idea, because I track with myfitnesspal so I am aware of my macro intake, but I don't obsess over the calories. I also do not eat low fat anything. Full fat, low carb, high protein.

Do you mean total carbs or "net carbs"?

[dexteroni]

We try to keep things as normal as we can, so we just eliminate and replace as needed. For dinners, we'll skip a grain side, and just have a protein and one or two veg sides. We just make sure to have more of them so we aren't hungry afterward. For lunches, salads or soup or dinner leftovers instead of a sandwich. Or even a plate of cheese, meats, and (some) fruit is a good lunch. Breakfast is the hardest for me - I feel like toast is a must with eggs for me, and I'm addicted to avocado toast. So I do sometimes still have Ezekiel bread, which a least has a lower glycemic index than most bread. But you can do smoothies, eggs with no toast, plain yogurt, etc. For snacks, stuff like cheese and cured meat, nuts, a diced avocado and a handful of tomatoes. I still eat fruit, sometimes as a dessert replacement, sometimes as a midday slump refresher. I'll protein when I can, e.g. apple slices with almond butter or grapes with cheese.

I don't worry about small stuff, like bread crumbs on a piece of chicken or croutons on a salad, as long as I'm not relying on them daily. I figure eliminating most of the 3 - 4 daily servings of grains I was having before is enough, and the scale definitely supports that theory. When I'm sticking to it, nothing helps me lose weight faster than low carb.

For the grumpiness, I would start slowly. I started reducing carbs at lunch first, then dinner, then breakfast. And make sure to have plenty of protein and fat to keep you satisfied. Add good fats in the form of avocado, nuts, and animal protein.

We don't really pay much attention to how many grams we're getting of each nutrient anymore unless we think something is off, but it's not a bad idea to track your intake with MFP to see how much carbs, protein, and fat, you're getting now and once you begin to adjust - not just to limit your carbs, but to make sure you're getting enough protein, fiber, and fat to keep you satisfied. Once you're where you want to be, you won't have to track it as closely if you don't want to.

[usuallylurking]

Jul 5, 2015 10:53:51 GMT -5 kirby said:

Jul 5, 2015 10:49:14 GMT -5 usuallylurking said:

Did your doctor have a suggestion of how many grams of carbs would be sufficiently "low carb" for you? I am typically below 20 g/day, on high carb days I am still below 50 g. I've seen some people say they are ok up to 100 g/day. I think that is when they are in maintenance mode though. The key for me is that I do not count calories. I mean, I have a general idea, because I track with myfitnesspal so I am aware of my macro intake, but I don't obsess over the calories. I also do not eat low fat anything. Full fat, low carb, high protein.

Do you mean total carbs or "net carbs"?

Total for me. I know there are others who focus on net.

I count my macros because I need to know how much protein I'm getting. For a less formal low carb approach I would do it exactly the way dexteroni described.

[mmmomof2]

Increase fat and protein to keep satisfied and full. I don't count calories and it still works for me. I also eat unlimited veggies.

[wambam]

Structure your meals around 1-2 palm sized servings of protein, add plenty of fat, and have at least a cup (or more) of vegetables. Sometimes add fruit.

The biggest thing is to not be afraid of fat and to get get enough fat, protein, and vegetables that you're not hungry. However, the first week or so may be uncomfortable regardless if you've been eating a very high carb diet.

[namasteak]

I always find I need to make sure I'm getting enough fat & protein when eating lower carb.

[dexteroni]

Jul 5, 2015 11:13:47 GMT -5 toledo said:

No bread, pasta, rice or potatoes (or the last two in very limited quantities). At least 100 g of protein a day, and below 100 g carbs. High-fat. Basically all carbs come from veggies and fruits (and only 1-2 fruits a day).

We do eat rice and potatoes in very limited amounts. We just really try to avoid grain flours.

[eb777888]

I basically just cut out grains, I still allow myself a couple servings of fruit a day, usually apples and strawberries. Fruit is not low carb but I'm still able to eat it an lose weight on low carb. I allow myself about 75-100 carbs a day and I still keep an eye on my calories. I allow myself corn tortillas on my cheat day because they aren't super carby and they do have a lot of fiber.

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2015 11:31:37 GMT -5 @rumpshaker said:

I eat high fat, high protein. I very rarely eat bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes.

Ditto this.

I pretty much don't ever eat those things at home. My boyfriend did buy potatoes the other day, so we had them for dinner, but that's probably the first time I've had potatoes in awhile. If I do have potatoes I do sweet potatoes.

I save splurges for eating out. 

[Queen Mamadala]

Jul 5, 2015 10:49:14 GMT -5 usuallylurking said:

Did your doctor have a suggestion of how many grams of carbs would be sufficiently "low carb" for you? I am typically below 20 g/day, on high carb days I am still below 50 g. I've seen some people say they are ok up to 100 g/day. I think that is when they are in maintenance mode though. The key for me is that I do not count calories. I mean, I have a general idea, because I track with myfitnesspal so I am aware of my macro intake, but I don't obsess over the calories. I also do not eat low fat anything. Full fat, low carb, high protein.

30g total for me. 100g is maintenance. For fruit, usually one serving of frozen berries or half a grapefruit. Lots of veggies, quite a bit of fat and moderate protein.

[sapphireblue]

The last time I dieted I did low carb--sort of. Dr. Atkins would not have considered what I did low carb.

I cut out bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. I allowed carbs that came in the form of fruits and vegetables (but avoided the starchiest veggies like corn and peas and potatoes).

I ate full fat cheese, mixed nuts, and legumes, which obviously have a lot of carbs but I allowed them. I had one recipe I modified. It was a crock pot dish with chicken, salsa, corn, and black beans. I cut out the corn and I purchased low-carb tortillas. I would eat that a LOT.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs and turkey sausage, lunch was usually a salad with grilled chicken and full fat dressing. Dinner was that crock pot dish or some form of meat with vegetables. I did still drink alcohol though! It was MY version of low carb, I guess. It worked well though.

[usuallylurking]

Jul 5, 2015 12:19:49 GMT -5 chinchillafiesta said:

Thanks everyone. I didn't ask my doctor to go into more detail because I frankly didn't want to hear it at the time. I've been thinking about it a lot recently so I guess it's time to get serious.

Does anyone have any favorite recipes I can start with?

What are you looking for? What do you like? My absolute favorite thing right now is a frittata I make with red bell pepper, sausage, onion and cheese. I'm so obsessed with it I even mentioned it in the food obsession post, lol. I eat it with sour cream, it tastes like a breakfast burrito!

- 1 lb breakfast sausage (I used chicken!)
- 1 diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 c grated Parmesan (I used shredded)
- 1 c shredded cheddar (I used Colby Jack)
- 3/4 c whole milk (originally called for 1/4 c half-and-half + 1/2 c skim milk, but we have whole milk here!)
- salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425*
Brown sausage in skillet, breaking up as it cooks. Once no longer pink add pepper and onion and sauté. Drain if needed (my chicken sausage didn't have any grease needing to be drained).
In a separate bowl, combine cheeses with sausage mixture and stir to combine, then pour into pie dish.
In that bowl crack the 3 eggs, whisk with the milk and salt and pepper, pour over the sausage mixture in the pie plate.
Bake at 425* for 20 min, then reduce temperature to 350* and bake for an additional 10-15 min until center of frittata is no longer runny.

[namasteak]

Jul 5, 2015 12:19:49 GMT -5 chinchillafiesta said:

Thanks everyone. I didn't ask my doctor to go into more detail because I frankly didn't want to hear it at the time. I've been thinking about it a lot recently so I guess it's time to get serious.

Does anyone have any favorite recipes I can start with?

I am currently obsessed with recipes from this blog: theclothesmakethegirl.com and her cookbooks are awesome too!

These 2 recipes are also in our current rotation:
everydaypaleo.com/sausage-n-cabbage-noodles-with-fried-apples/
ourfullplate.com/recipes/paleo-pork-and-butternut-squash-stuffing/

[wambam]

LOL forever and ever @ koosh 's "crabs"

[Amy]

I do under 20 for 2 weeks then under 40 from then out if possible. (I've lost 18lbs and DH 45lbs in 2/3 months). The thing about the first few weeks is that you will feel like crap, it's just part of it. Once you get past that you'll have more energy and less appetite but the beginning sucks

[noodleskooze]

EAT ALL THE FAT. Seriously, there were days I had less than 10 carbs, and as long as I had a ton of fat, I felt perfectly fine, more comfortable than usual, even. Protein didn't seem to be as important to my body as fat.

[wambam]

Jul 5, 2015 15:42:19 GMT -5 chinchillafiesta said:

How do you decide what your goal carbs per day is?

I would start at 50-75g and see what happens. Figure out your TDEE and subtract 15-20%, figure out what 0.8-1 g per lb bodyweight protein is and then do the remaining calories as fat. I can help you if you'd like.

Disclaimer: not an RD or medical professional

[wambam]

Jul 5, 2015 16:44:47 GMT -5 kooshball said:

Jul 5, 2015 16:40:21 GMT -5 wambam said:

I would start at 50-75g and see what happens. Figure out your TDEE and subtract 15-20%, figure out what 0.8-1 g per lb bodyweight protein is and then do the remaining calories as fat. I can help you if you'd like.

Disclaimer: not an RD or medical professional

well I don't agree with this. I would be eating 200 grams of protein a day which is nuts.

Mine TDEE doesnt matter either. I never look at calories.

I would start with 110 g of protein, 100 total crabs and 30-40% fat. This is what my health care provider does for her patients.

There are definitely multiple approaches to this that could work. Choosing a min protein and max carb number to hit and then eating fat to satiety is for sure a valid approach.

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2015 15:16:53 GMT -5 noodleskooze said:

EAT ALL THE FAT. Seriously, there were days I had less than 10 carbs, and as long as I had a ton of fat, I felt perfectly fine, more comfortable than usual, even. Protein didn't seem to be as important to my body as fat.

So what exactly does this look like? Less than 10 grams of carbs but lots of fat. Fatty meats? Olive oil on grilled veggies, sour cream on eggs?

[trafficgirl]

Originally I was trying to keep under 100 net carbs. And also have up grains, save for an ear of corn every once in a while.

I'm on the tail end if a Whole30 and that has been even lower carb for me. But I know it's not sustainable for me long term. Too restrictive.

I agree with PPs about making sure you're eating lots of protein and fat. That will help keep you satiated. And make sure they're good fats like avocado, coconut oil, and olive oil.

[trafficgirl]

Jul 5, 2015 12:19:49 GMT -5 chinchillafiesta said:

Thanks everyone. I didn't ask my doctor to go into more detail because I frankly didn't want to hear it at the time. I've been thinking about it a lot recently so I guess it's time to get serious.

Does anyone have any favorite recipes I can start with?

I've really like Nom Nom Paleo - both the blog and the cookbook. I make the kalua pig at least once a month, if not every other week.

[namasteak]

Jul 5, 2015 18:28:00 GMT -5 trafficgirl said:

Jul 5, 2015 12:19:49 GMT -5 chinchillafiesta said:

Thanks everyone. I didn't ask my doctor to go into more detail because I frankly didn't want to hear it at the time. I've been thinking about it a lot recently so I guess it's time to get serious.

Does anyone have any favorite recipes I can start with?

I've really like Nom Nom Paleo - both the blog and the cookbook. I make the kalua pig at least once a month, if not every other week.

It's so easy too! I recently ate it on top of mashed plantains (dusted with cinnamon powder, fried in coconut oil, mashed with coconut milk) and its one of my new favorite things.

[Deleted]

I don't think too hard.

Starchy? Sweet?

I don't eat it.

[Deleted]

I guess this question is one of my new pet peeves.

Low carb is exactly the term itself.  Low.  Carb.

How do you do that?

Avoid carbs.

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2015 19:15:52 GMT -5 kooshball said:

Jul 5, 2015 19:11:34 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I guess this question is one of my new pet peeves.

Low carb is exactly the term itself.  Low.  Carb.

How do you do that?

Avoid carbs.

or crabs.

Crabs have no carbs.

No need to avoid crabs.

[Deleted]

We can't joke in here.

People don't seem to know what carbs are.

They might actually avoid crabs if you tell them to.

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2015 17:37:16 GMT -5 @savestheday said:

Jul 5, 2015 15:16:53 GMT -5 noodleskooze said:

EAT ALL THE FAT. Seriously, there were days I had less than 10 carbs, and as long as I had a ton of fat, I felt perfectly fine, more comfortable than usual, even. Protein didn't seem to be as important to my body as fat.

So what exactly does this look like? Less than 10 grams of carbs but lots of fat. Fatty meats? Olive oil on grilled veggies, sour cream on eggs?

I'm going to post pics of what I've eaten (and not eaten recently).  Unless specified, I ate the whole item.

Airport lounge food

Caesar wedge (skipped croutons), kale salad, cinnamon-braised beef, ratatouille, one bite of rigatoni (did not eat entire portion), latte (no sugar)

Airplane welcome

Mixed nuts, Coke Zero (orange juice was husband's)

Airplane meal, first course

Salad (skipped poached pears), cheese (skipped apple preserves), grilled shrimp with pickled garnish

Peruvian lunch

One bite of Parmesan bread with butter, chicken causa (one bite of potato portion), trout ceviche (one bite of Peruvian corn and one bite of sweet potato), chicharrones (one bite of fried cassava), lomo saltado (one fry), one bite of each dessert, one nibble of each mignardise to taste

Peruvian dinner

Trout amuse bouche, Peruvian taste trio (ate entire fried cheese, one bite of potato, one bite of cassava), foie gras with elderberries (ate elderberries and sauce sparingly), braised lamb (skipped potatoes entirely), salad with fried Brie and strawberries, grilled alpaca and ravioli (ate half of one ravioli), one bite of each dessert, one nibble of each mignardise to taste

Amazing Peruvian breakfast buffet

Just got meats and cheese.

Accompanying hot Peruvian breakfast

Peruvian tamale (ate half), chicharrones, salchichas, bacon, papas (ate one), quinoa pancakes (ate half of one)

This is what my eating looks like.  You eat normally.  You just cut things out.  It's not hard.

[noodleskooze]

@savestheday I wouldn't recommend doing that few carbs on a regular basis, but the days that ended up that way were days I ate bacon, eggs, meat, and cheese. That's one day out of a handful though--veggies and fruits are good for you!