Advice: Low carb lifestyle?

[cjcouple]

The last couple weeks I started a low carb "diet". Lots of meat, fruits and veggies. 

How long was it before you saw some weight/body changes? Do you think 1 coffee that contains caramel syrup will hold me back? I know I need to get rid of this but taking baby steps.

After my 7am coffee  - I drink water the rest of the day. Usually plain and sparking (no sweeteners). 

So for example:
Today I had my coffee 
Greek yogurt with nuts/granola

Snack 1 cup of fresh fruit: Watermelon, Cantaloupe and pineapple

Lunch is left over dinner: half a baked sweet potato topped with lean ground beef, black beans, salsa, corn and Mexican cheese

Afternoon snack - plain almonds (1/2 cup maybe?)

Dinner: Grilled chicken breast (dry seasoning only) over a garden salad with homemade dressing (dry seasonings mixed with vinegar, olive oil and water.  Just a little maybe 2 tbsp   

I put it all in my food diary on My fitness pal and am under my calories but are there any "hidden" red flags you see?

Also, most days I am skipping sweet potato, starches etc.  I usually am doing a protein (chicken or fish) with veggies only. (Zucchini, squashes, tomatoes, broccoli, greens, etc)  
 
Thanks






 

[Deleted]

Well, I think if you want to kick start it, possibly consider cutting back on sugary fruit like pineapple. Melon is low on the glycemic index so it's not too bad carb wise.

Be careful with granola too, it's usually sugary and high in carbs.

I avoid starchy veggies like corn and potatoes and that helps. The stricter you are starting out, the faster the changes and then you can gradually add things back and see how your body responds.

Hit reply too soon! Wanted to say gl and good work on the changes. Cutting back carbs helped me get the last stubborn pregnancy pounds off.

[cjcouple]

Jan 13, 2016 11:08:37 GMT -5 @itsbritt said:

Well, I think if you want to kick start it, possibly consider cutting back on sugary fruit like pineapple. Melon is low on the glycemic index so it's not too bad carb wise.

Be careful with granola too, it's usually sugary and high in carbs.

I avoid starchy veggies like corn and potatoes and that helps. The stricter you are starting out, the faster the changes and then you can gradually add things back and see how your body responds.

Hit reply too soon! Wanted to say gl and good work on the changes. Cutting back carbs helped me get the last stubborn pregnancy pounds off.

Thanks for the tips - I have a lot to lose :-(  

 

[usm]

I am doing a very loose low carb. I don't think your syrup in your coffee is going to be a deal breaker. I think it's important to make realistic changes vs cutting everything because it's "bad". Your diet looks good to me if that is what you enjoy eating.

I am still eating carbs that I really enjoy in small quantities. We had beef stew the other night, usually I make rice but realized I don't really care one way or the other about it so I didn't eat it. Sandwich bread is just a vessel for ham and cheese to me, so I just eat that for lunch vs a sandwich. I have just been really thinking "do I really love this or is it just what I'm used to eating?" And it has really helped. I have lost some weight, even over the holidays, without a huge change in lifestyle.

[usm]

Jan 13, 2016 11:08:37 GMT -5 @itsbritt said:

Well, I think if you want to kick start it, possibly consider cutting back on sugary fruit like pineapple. Melon is low on the glycemic index so it's not too bad carb wise.

Be careful with granola too, it's usually sugary and high in carbs.

I avoid starchy veggies like corn and potatoes and that helps. The stricter you are starting out, the faster the changes and then you can gradually add things back and see how your body responds.

Hit reply too soon! Wanted to say gl and good work on the changes. Cutting back carbs helped me get the last stubborn pregnancy pounds off.

Watermelon is also a high glycemic index food.

[Deleted]

Jan 13, 2016 11:20:26 GMT -5 usm said:

Jan 13, 2016 11:08:37 GMT -5 @itsbritt said:

Well, I think if you want to kick start it, possibly consider cutting back on sugary fruit like pineapple. Melon is low on the glycemic index so it's not too bad carb wise.

Be careful with granola too, it's usually sugary and high in carbs.

I avoid starchy veggies like corn and potatoes and that helps. The stricter you are starting out, the faster the changes and then you can gradually add things back and see how your body responds.

Hit reply too soon! Wanted to say gl and good work on the changes. Cutting back carbs helped me get the last stubborn pregnancy pounds off.

Watermelon is also a high glycemic index food.

Yes! You're right, I meant to say cantaloupe and honeydew melon.

[Kcthepouchh8r]

I think it looks great. I don't think sugar in coffee negates eating well and agree with taking small steps. I would say to gradually reduce the caramel syrup (think over the course of 6-8 weeks) you put in your coffee in favor of more milk. Honestly I lost 5lbs without changing any diet or exercise just by cutting that morning sugar drastically (though I still use a bit just less than before). The only advice otherwise is to not try to be super strict and dramatically change. I think you'll be less likely to keep the weight off long term and more likely to gain it back and then some. Create a plan that's realistic for your life. Remember that lots of little changes can really add up.

[thecheshirekat]

Can I give advice even though it's been a while since I've been able to stick to a diet? The syrup in your coffee, if it's a real sugar syrup, is not doing you any favors first thing in the morning. I would switch to a sugar free sweetener for your coffee for sure, because it's a pretty easy change to make. I'd also avoid the high-GI fruits for at least a few weeks and replace them with something like berries (they are low GI) and add something with them that's going to last you longer, like a little cheese or nuts or protein of some kind.

[NandaB]

I need to do something like this because carbs are my weakness. Bread, crackers, potatoes, rice, mmmmmmmmm. Lol. Also I have no self control. I would probably actually lose weight that way.

Good luck.

[lexus]

Jan 13, 2016 14:48:35 GMT -5 thecheshirekat said:

Can I give advice even though it's been a while since I've been able to stick to a diet? The syrup in your coffee, if it's a real sugar syrup, is not doing you any favors first thing in the morning. I would switch to a sugar free sweetener for your coffee for sure, because it's a pretty easy change to make. I'd also avoid the high-GI fruits for at least a few weeks and replace them with something like berries (they are low GI) and add something with them that's going to last you longer, like a little cheese or nuts or protein of some kind.

Yep! Or a half a banana and a tbsp of PB.

[cjcouple]

Thank you. I appreciate the advice.

I really hate the taste of artificial sweeteners in most things. I know I have to eventually ditch the syrup in the coffee but I don't know if I can do that right now. I was hoping to change the rest of my diet first.

I was a bit drastic at the start of all of this. i stopped eating pasta and rice, and all sweets (cookies, ice cream, candy, donuts etc) not that I gorged on the stiff but still,acookie or 2 after supper, take the kids for ice cream, donut at work when someone brought them in.

Luckily I just love food in general so removing pastas and rices and stiif, it's been easy enough to find healthy replacements I enjoy. I will definitely watch those fruits too.

I think i will keep going with what changes I have made so far, since they were pretty drastic for a while and give myself an end goal to make the coffee changes. Even if I can limit myself to a coffee twice a week it'll help I think.

Thanks for your help.

[Kcthepouchh8r]

Definitely do not do artificial sweeteners. The research on them shows they make you gain/hold onto weight. I can't recall the science behind it; something about their impact on your blood sugar level I think. The natural version of something in moderation is always superior than the chemical version; same holds true for reduced fat foods.

Best wishes in your weight loss goals!

[usm]

I can't do artificial sweetener at all. It tastes bad and gives me a headache no matter what kind I have tried.

I think you have a good, realistic plan. Good luck!

[arnegard]

I met with a nutritionist at the first of the year. He set up a plan for me to drop fat. I was 185 and he said to eat 2 meals with 20g protein, 40 g carbs and 10 g fat. 2 snacks of 20 g protein, 10 g carbs & 10 g fat. Dinner is 20 g protein and 20g carbs, 10g fat and bedtime is 20g protein and no carbs or fat.
It's working and I lost 7 lbs in 2 weeks.

The plan is also to burn 400 calories a day. He gave me macros to hit in pre and post workout fuel as well. I think as you are, there is a lot of sugar in it. I recommend tracking on My Fitness Pal or a similar website.

Good Luck!