A Farewell To Carbs

[BonitaApplebum]

Welp, the time has come for me to take a break from delicious carbs. I've indulged too much over the holidays, and I need to turn things around. Eating low carb seems to be the most reliable way for me to lose weight (although nothing is a slamdunk  now that I'm older and fatter, I'm afraid).

I do okay with low carb diets at first, but after a while I get bored -- NOTHING looks good to me, and then I wind up cheating because I feel like carby goodness is the only thing I really want to eat.

Some things that help me stay on track:

- prepping food ahead of time so that I have easily accessible protein options
- meal planning in general
- getting processed carbs and other temptations out of the house (easier said than done when you aren't the only resident)
- having new and interesting recipes to keep me interested
- soup

Any other thoughts or suggestions? As you all know, I'm fucking horrible at staying on track because I have the attention span of a flea.

[Run Amok]

Low carb means different things to different people. Can you tell us more about what's on the ok list and what's off the list all together?

I can't do anything that calls itself low carb because I find the cravings (which aren't normally a problem) take over my life and all I can think about is FOOOD. But, if I do something that is low carb and don't call it low carb. It's dumb. I know.

Things that work for me:
- stay ahead of the hunger and eat a little every 2-3 hours. Cluster most of my meals in the early part of the day so I feel satieted already at dinner time.
- eat lots of fiber
-when I'm craving sugar in the afternoon eat something protein + fat (a handful of almonds or two string cheese and an apple or two hardboiled eggs are good)
- I can't eat stuff that is a substitute for pasta but yes to things that are vaguely similar in taste profile. Like spaghetti squash for spaghetti is a nfw. But these, minus the eggs and topped with tomato sauce? Hit the italian tomatoey food thing for me. http://www.stuffed-pepper.com/rosemary-spaghetti-squash-egg-nests-graindairy-free/

And, yes-- planning out my meals so that I get to eat something yummy and on-task is the ONLY way I succeed. Otherwise, I get hungry and eat whatever sounds good. Which is never healthy.

[Run Amok]

I've also had good luck just skipping the carbs in some of my favorite meals. Like-- roasted veggies plus pasta and parm. SO yummy. But, turns out, still yummy and pretty satisfying as just a plate of roasted veggies. Maybe add beans (if allowed ). A fried egg works too. Or a veggie sausage if I have one. You could do regular sausage of course.

[BonitaApplebum]

Low carb means different things to different people. Can you tell us more about what's on the ok list and what's off the list all together?

I can't do anything that calls itself low carb because I find the cravings (which aren't normally a problem) take over my life and all I can think about is FOOOD. But, if I do something that is low carb and don't call it low carb. It's dumb. I know. 

Haha, no, I get it.

I would say that what seems to work for me is:
- No pasta, bread, white rice, potatoes
- No processed/refined sugars
- No alcohol
- Very limited servings of grains and beans

[Dagstag v 2.0]

How low carb are you going? I'm trying to stay under 20 net per day.

Also edited to say that I have the same sort of "restrictions" you have, but no grains or anything. No fruit except berries, and those rarely. Whenever I go low carb, I remember how crappy carbs make me feel. I wish I could be like normal people who don't pass out after eating a bagel.

Tips...
Replace noodles with zoodles or spaghetti squash (LOL I just saw your squash comment on my second read of your post)
I have not tried shirataki or kelp noodles, but those are low carb and are supposed to be a good stand in for noodles in Asian dishes (instead of rice noodles)
You can make fake breads with almond, coconut flour, etc.

Check out reddit/keto, regardless of your carb limit there are a lot of good tips, recipes, and support posts there.

Also, there is a school of thought that says, NO SUGAR so your cravings die. I think, I want this to be sustainable, so if I can eat some sugar free jello (fake sweetener) or high cocoa % chocolate, I'm less likely to go astray.

I can post some good recipe blog links later, when I get home, if you check out the reddit forum, there are links to some of the blogs on the sidebar.

[BonitaApplebum]

I'll definitely check out that subreddit, thanks.

I try to target around 30 net. And I try to be pretty strict about grains, and save them for the weekend. I still eat some fruit.

I don't really get tons of sugar cravings, to be honest. Sugar is not my weakness. My weakness is comfort foods like mac and cheese.

[RioG]

low carb diets include eliminating fruit?  I had no idea.

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[Run Amok]

low carb diets include eliminating fruit?  I had no idea.

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Very strict ones do.

[BonitaApplebum]

I'm not a crazy fruit eater, so it doesn't impact me much one way or the other. One or maybe two pieces a day, max. Some days none.

Unless clementines are in season, and then all bets are off!

[merigayle]

I eat half my calories in fruit probably, lol! I am however on a gluten and grain free diet!

[Dagstag v 2.0]

low carb diets include eliminating fruit?  I had no idea.

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Yeah, for those really needing to rein in the sugar intake.

I will not get to salmon and ghee routine, though.

[BonitaApplebum]

Yeah, for those really needing to rein in the sugar intake.

I will not get to salmon and ghee routine, though.

This isn't the carbo canteen!! 

[RioG]

i need to rein in my sugar intake!  but my only saving grace is replacing chocolate with grapes and Clementine!

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[radial]

I can't do anything that calls itself low carb because I find the cravings (which aren't normally a problem) take over my life and all I can think about is FOOOD.

Me neither.  Might as well be trying to cure alcoholism by limiting yourself to one drink per day.  I'm either eating carbs or not.  When I get to feeling particularly fluffy, I just stop eating carbs altogether.  Works great for me.  There is a week or two while your metabolism makes the adjustment, but after that it's smooth sailing.  The carb cravings pretty much disappear when you stop teasing yourself with little dollops of the stuff.  By the time I get bored with the monotony of a no carb diet, all the excess fat has melted away and I'm ready for another round of indulgence. 

[BonitaApplebum]

Months and months after I get bored with the monotony of a no carb diet, some of the excess fat has melted away but most of it is still stubbornly hanging on and I'm ready for another round of indulgence.

^ FIFY (if "you" = a forty something woman)

[Ice Cream]

Replace noodles with zoodles or spaghetti squash (LOL I just saw your squash comment on my second read of your post)

This practice caused me to overeat. Vegetables don't leave me satisfied very long, resulting in numerous snacks after dinner.  Way too many.

I find that cutting down on carbs and increasing protein makes me lose a lot of water initially... lots more trips to the bathroom.  It also affects my running negatively.  I have stopped cutting carbs.

[BonitaApplebum]

My running already sucks, no danger there!

[Dagstag v 2.0]

This practice caused me to overeat. Vegetables don't leave me satisfied very long, resulting in numerous snacks after dinner.  Way too many.

I find that cutting down on carbs and increasing protein makes me lose a lot of water initially... lots more trips to the bathroom.  It also affects my running negatively.  I have stopped cutting carbs.

Wow, really? I have never had this happen.  It's so weird how people react differently to the intake of the same foods. 

There is some water weight lost at the beginning, but that tapers off.  I'm low carb but not super high protein.

And my running already sucks, too Part of why I am doing this is because after my hip/foot issues for almost the past 2 years, I have put on weight, and I need to get some more off before I can pound the pavement.

[hally]

Haha, no, I get it.

I would say that what seems to work for me is:
- No pasta, bread, white rice, potatoes
- No processed/refined sugars
- No alcohol
- Very limited servings of grains and beans

This seems like a doable approach.

For me, I find that I do not like to cut out any food groups. The loss from that only comes right back as soon as you eat them again.
I try not to eat white rice, bread. Pasta I weigh 2oz before cooking and that is my portion. I would say I only eat it once a week normally.
I eat oatmeal all the time and brown rice/barley or quinoa often.
I like a sandwich sometimes, and I like toasted light rye or light english muffin with my eggs so I am not cutting that out altogether.

I think being accountable by keeping an accurate food journal be it WW or MFP or some other app or web page and weighing and measuring rather than eyeballing portions. 
There is no magic bullet.                               

[Dagstag v 2.0]

I think being accountable by keeping an accurate food journal be it WW or MFP or some other app or web page and weighing and measuring rather than eyeballing portions.                         

Yes!  I use MFP to stay accountable.  And I weigh measure everything too, and thus have gotten a better perspective for when I do have to eyeball something (social eating situations.)