Low Carb Support - Week of 8/10

[tbb113]

Just wanted to start the new thread and see how everybody is doing. I've been doing this so long now its starting to be second nature. Only problem is that I really want pizza...so I think I'm going to break down and either make one of the 'meatza' recipes or else go order ONE slice for lunch and just deal with very low carbs for the rest of the day (or the next few days).

How is everybody else doing?

Tyra

[TamiKnight]

I'll finish the third week of Induction (I extended the original two weeks to four) tomorrow. The scale hasn't moved much this week, but I'm working out harder and expect that to some degree. I've had some powerful cravings. DH wanted to take our granddaughter out for ice cream last night. I just looked at him and said, "You've got to be kidding me, right?" Just the thought of ice cream (we didn't go--we brought her home and let her eat all the peanuts she wanted :D ) set me up for about 3 hours of wanting it really, really bad. I'm missing dairy and fruit tremendously right now. We also had a low-carb candy bar yesterday (DH and I shared it). I think that was worse than not having it at all; it tasted good, but seemed to start some sugar cravings again.

I got three new low-carb cookbooks: 500 Low-Carb Recipes, Low-Carb Comfort Food, and The Good Carb Cookbook. DH stole The Good Carb Cookbook as soon as it arrived and read the first few explanatory chapters. Now he's grilling me on everything I do and why I do it, and asking me how what I do measures up against the info in that book. I have to keep telling him I don't know...he hasn't let me read it! He's also doing a lot of Internet research on low-carbing. It may be helpful, but it could just prove to be annoying! :p If I ever get to try any recipes from my new cookbooks, I'll post them!

I have a 45-hour class this week: 8-5, Monday through Friday, no lunch breaks. I'll be packing food with me big-time. Then, next Monday, it's back to school for three days of paid prep before the kids get back. This is going to be a crucial time for me to wedge in my workouts and stay true to my eating plan. The exhaustion and stress of those first couple of weeks can be really dangerous. One of my good friends, who teaches with me, is also doing SBD, so we can hold each other up.

Hope everyone else is doing well!

[kwormann]

Hello all

Ive been having some craving and cheats, but Ive managed to maintain my weight, no gain, no loss.

Im getting tired of meat, to a certain expent (used to eat mainly veggie), so Im thinking after the freezer is cleared out a bit, I might cut out red meat and stick to chicken and fish and eat more veggie proteins.

Today for lunch Im not haiving much protein, but it is sooo yummy.

I roasted zucchini and sliced tomatoes, spread them out and layered them with fresh mozzarella, homemade pesto and some sun dried pesto:) Im so in love with my lunch that IM devoting a whole thread to it:)

Im glad to be back to work...routine and schedule will stop the cravings, since they have been mental not physical. Packing a lunch will be good, also:)

I WANT IT TO COOL DOWN HERE!!! I want to take long walks outside, but Im NOT a heat person. Im hoping I can convince DH to move to the mountains of NC or TN in a few years so I can be in MY kind of weather,.....:)

[helios7]

And it was soo good. Blueberries and raspberries and Dannon light strawberry yogurt Oh MY!

Yum.
I had 2 glasses of wine last night. That was soo good too!


Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until DBF moves to phase 2 next weekend for the new recipes and more wine, but I'll have my fruit in the meantime!

YUM!

The scale is still stuck though. 8-13 pounds my foot!

[tbb113]

I realize most of you are doing SBD instead of Atkins. However, I didn't see a weight stall for at least a month (and then I think I cheated). You might want to make sure that you aren't increasing your daily carb counts more than you think. Atkins suggests adding 5 net carbs a week until you stop losing and then decreasing by 5. I still can't eat that many net carbs a day. Fruit varies in carb count quite a bit...on the high end are pears (25.1 carbs, 4 fiber) or bananas (23.7 carbs, 2.5 fiber) to the low end of cantaloupe at 3.3 carbs, .3 fiber). Nectarines have more carbs then peaches.

From what I saw of SBD (the Prevention article) the guidelines aren't as strict. That might be part of the weight loss slow down.

[helios7]

While I agree with everything said, I also think its different for every person. I'm doing the same thing (exactly) as my DBF but he's lost 10 and I've lost 3. Now, I'm also very close to what I think is my body's setpoint. I took 25 pounds off with WW early this year, and was using this to try to get those last 10 off.

Throughout the first phase, I have repeatedly not seen the weight peel off the way it has for DBF but I think its related to the amount we both "need" to lose. I know I don't need to lose much, and have been happy with the muscle tone I have accumulated.

Which is why I've moved ahead because its just not worth it to me to live without fruits when I'm losing at a rate consistent with the next phase anyways.

Long answer ... just trying to explain what I meant.... :)

[kwormann]

PLUS, men lose a LOT faster then women, even if they had LESS to lose....

[TamiKnight]

I also wonder if the stalled weight loss has to do more with the "belly fat" thing. If belly fat comes off first, it's going to take me longer--not that I don't HAVE belly fat, but my fat is more evenly distributed throughout my body, whereas DH, for instance, only carries it in the gut. I choose to believe that's why he lost more than I did the first two weeks.

However, I also think it's important to look carefully at what I'm eating to be sure I'm NOT letting extra calories/carbs creep back in. While I haven't "cheated," I realize I've let my portions grow a bit and I haven't been as generally careful. I'm working hard at staying very close to what I did the first few days on the program to see if that accelerates things.

On a positive note, though, I am fitting into some clothes I haven't been able to wear for awhile. Also, I found an old set of measurements, when I was on a high carb, low protein diet, where I was tracking the inches I lost. When I started SBD, I was at almost exactly the same measurements as I was when I started the high-carb diet a year and a half ago. What was interesting, though, is that after 3 weeks on SBD, I've almost replicated the measurements that I had after two months on the high carb diet. There are a few measurements that have a little bit to go, but not much. That was encouraging for me today. And I STILL want ice cream! I'm thinking of having a little bit of yogurt, just to satisfy the sweet/creamy thing I have going on.

[newtricks]

Hi everyone -

Well I'm back from a trip to Hershey, PA - the sweetest place on earth. The amount of chocolate available there is not even funny! I did OK I thought but did have a few chocolate kisses and one stress-induced run-in with some kettle corn. But the scale -which I think I have to hide - said that I gained 3.5 pounds! I'm trying not to freak out and just keep on doing what I'm doing without obsessing.

I went to a birthday party yesterday and didn't eat any chips, only veggies, and no cake. But I did have a piece of fried chicken. As I'm writing this post I'm realizing that although I've improved my eating dramatically, I'm still not exactly following the diet.

But I think I have to live with that for now. Does everyone/ anyone else have "diet baggage"? Mine includes beating myself up and having an "all or nothing" mentality. So I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and try to up the exercise.

OK, just a little vent. Nothing negative about the diet at all. I think this is a great way to eat. And being at Hershey and seeing *a lot* of obese people/families (that kills me)/ kids really makes you realize that there is something very wrong with the modern american diet and lifestyle.

Tami - I think the doctor says exactly that about the belly fat. People who fit that profile and have insulin resistance issues are going to be the ones who respond most dramatically to the diet. And darn those men!!

[linsleyd]

I am one of those with the belly fat problems. It's where I gain weight and it's also where I just lost 10pds in the last two weeks.

I was a bit bad this weekend, esp. last night but that'll change today. I am going to put in a few carbs this week and see how I do. I may just go back to adding one carb a day, probably at dinner. Not counting the peice of fruit I'll add for a snack. I think that will probably help me better.

Glad everyone seems to be doing good.

[LauraBL]

Well, I can't believe I've made it to phase II. I've been dreaming about chocolate and ice cream. I think I'll have to be bad and have some today. I'm eager to have oatmeal and yogurt and fruit. Heck, I need to get off the computer and go grocery shopping! I feel like the Phase II is a lot more doable for me even for a long term eating plan. I've just gotten bored with the Phase I food! I don't have a home scale so I'll have to check measurements and see what's happened. I do feel like I've lost a bit of jowliness in my face and some weight around my waist. I'll report back!

Linsley-I can't believe you lost 10 pounds. That is amazing.

Glad to hear everyone else is doing so well.

Laura

[d_ferrero]

I'm hanging in, in the slower weight loss no-gain-no-loss this week category. I'm not having an wild carb cravings and I haven't added back much fruit -- I guess my body is just adjusting to this particular change. I'm going to try adding some exercise in this week and see how that impacts things.

[LauraBL]

My DH has been going through the SBD with me. I'm trying to explain to him what we can eat now that we are in Phase II. BUT, I'm not sure that I have a really good handle on what is a good amount of starch type carbs to have in any one day. I've typed up the suggested menus but I guess I need to just look over it a little more.

How is everyone else doing on the phase II? Are you sticking to Phase I type meals and just incorporating some fruit? Alternating with starchy carbs? Both?

Laura

[tbb113]

Originally posted by LauraBL
My DH has been going through the SBD with me. I'm trying to explain to him what we can eat now that we are in Phase II. BUT, I'm not sure that I have a really good handle on what is a good amount of starch type carbs to have in any one day. I've typed up the suggested menus but I guess I need to just look over it a little more.

How is everyone else doing on the phase II? Are you sticking to Phase I type meals and just incorporating some fruit? Alternating with starchy carbs? Both?

Laura

Laura:

I think if I was doing SBD I would add the carbs in following Atkins guidelines of ONE new food a week and see what it does to my weight loss. If you add too many new foods at once, you won't know which one is affecting you if cravings starts or weight loss slows down. So I would add the ONE food you are missing the most and see what happens...

Tyra

[linsleyd]

Laura I'm not quite sure either what the exact amount is on phase II. Today I had high fiber cereal with blueberries for breakfast and that will be my only carb for the day. That's just how the menu worked out for today, though. Tomorrow I'll do eggs for breakfast and an openfaced turkey, cheese and tomato sandwhich and dinner will be parmesan chicken.

I think, in my own mind, adding one carb a day somewhere as long as it's wholegrained is good. Try that for a week and see how it affects you, whether you're still losing or gaining.

Hope that helps a little !

[sneezles]

Well, I'm in week 2 of Phase 1 and haven't lost a pound but then I've been dieting for over a year now so I guess my body is toughing it out!

As for the carbs in Phase II (which I haven'te read thoroughly since I won't be doing that for another 3 weeks) one serving is 15 grams according to the ADA which isn't very much when it comes to fruit.

This is the list from the online site:

Fruit Choices (with suggested serving sizes)
1 fruit serving allowed daily (with meal). Gradually increase to 3 total servings for the day.


Apples, 1 small

Apricots, 4, or 7 dried apricot halves

Blueberries, 3/4 cup

Cantaloupe, 1/4 or 1 cup chunks

Cherries, 12

Grapefruit, 1/2

Grapes, 15

Kiwi, 1

Mangoes, 1/2

Oranges, 1

Peaches, 1 medium

Pears, 1 medium

Plums, 2

Strawberries, 3/4 cup


Starch Choices and Carbs (with suggested serving sizes)
1 starch serving allowed daily (with meal). Gradually increase to 2 or 3 total servings for the day.


Bagel, small, whole-grain, 1/2 small

Bread, 1 slice, multigrain, oat and bran, rye, whole-wheat

Cereal, 1/2 cup

Fiber One

Kasha, cooked

Kellogg's Extra-Fiber All Bran

oatmeal (not instant)

other high-fiber

Muesli, toasted

Uncle Sam

Couscous, 1/2 cup

Muffins, bran, 1, sugar-free (no raisins)

Pasta, whole-wheat, 1/2 cup

Peas, green, 1/2 cup

Pita, 1 small, stone-ground, whole-wheat

Popcorn, 1/2 cup

Potato, small, sweet, 1 small

Quinona, cooked 1/2 cup

Rice, 1/2 cup, brown, wild

Wheat germ, 3 Tbs.


Milk Choices (with suggested servings sizes)
1 - 1 1/2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt)


Milk

Light soy, 1/2 cup

Fat-free or 1%, 1/2 cup


Yogurt

Plain, low-fat or fat-free, 1/2 cup

[TamiKnight]

Note to self: Do NOT, I repeat, NOT, read threads with the words "Oreo Chunk Cookies" in the title when you're in the middle of the third week of induction. Bad self, bad self.

So now, I'm craving like crazy. I think I'll just go to bed!

[kwormann]

Susan, arent you also working out quite a bit??? I was just wondering if you were losing but not showing on the scale because of the working out....:)

Tami, NO oreo threads for you!!!

[sage]

Hoping someone can clue me in here---

Am on Day 4 of week 1. Looking forward starting Phase II, I've started reading the nutritional information on some items that were pretty much staples pre-SBD and was wondering how would they rank with similar recommended items (i.e. do I need to do a whole-scale banishment on my pantry items...).

I know the non-whole wheat pasta (which is all of it) has to go.
A cereal I have liked (Back to Nature Ultraflax has 9 g of protein, 8 g fiber, 39 g carbs, 11 g sugar). Question to those of you that have done the cereal comparisons---how does this stack up? To my unpracticed eye, it seems high on carbs/sugars. Back to Nature has a new cereal (I'll have to see if anyone around here carries it) called HI-LO (12 g carb, 5 g fiber, 0.9 g sugar, and 14 g protein). This one (so long as it doesn't taste like straw...) looks like a much better choice. Any one have suggestions on the breakdown I should shoot for? For instance, look for a cereal with less than X carbs and Y sugars, at least Z protein and W fiber, because we know they are out there? Why the obsession with cereal? I like it---in my yogurt, out of the box, with milk. It the one sure thing I can reliable like/eat for breakfast.

In the same vein---I like(d) Nutrigrain Yogurt Bars. I could get 20 percent of my calcium here (and not being a big milk drinker, this was a good thing) but they have 27 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 14 g sugar, and 2 g protein. These probably have to go to make room for a choice that is less carby/sugary, yes?

I know there was a thread on cereal choices not too long ago---if anyone can point me there, I may be able to find something that will work. We have a Whole foods (small one) nearby but sometimes I have trouble finding some of the items I've seen referenced (can't find the Uncle Sam cereal yet). If nothing else, I think I can buy 6 boxes of the HI-LO on line...now if it tastes like straw, I'm in trouble.

Any and all information appreciated.

Thanks,
Shannon

[tmsl]

This should be my first week of phase two, but after a sudden death in the family during week one of phase one, we started eating carbs again. My husband and I had lost weight before the bad news and continued due to the stress. We have decided to go into phase 3 immediately and just try to eat healthy. I think Dr. Agaston's diet is one of the most sensible I have seen in a long time. One question to those veterans of this diet. What supplements do you take other than a vitamin pill? Since I quit eating bananas, I started taking potassium to help with cramps in my muscles when working out. We also started fish oil capsules after reading what Dr. Agaston had to say.

Laura K.

[sneezles]

Originally posted by kwormann
Susan, arent you also working out quite a bit??? I was just wondering if you were losing but not showing on the scale because of the working out....:)

Kim, I do workout 5-6 days per week and while I have lost tons of inches I've not shown much progress in that area in the past month either so I'm not sure what the problem is. I have dropped down 6 sizes which is wonderful. I am large boned (and I don't use this as an excuse because there's still plenty of fat on these bones ;) ). I wear a size 10-11 shoe (wide, no less). My head is larger than my DH's in circumference (24" :eek: :eek: ). The weight is all in the trunk so I'm thinking more cardio and less weights training. So I'll try that for the next month and remain on Phase I (whicih isn't much diefferent than my version of Atkins).

[d_ferrero]

Originally posted by TamiKnight
Note to self: Do NOT, I repeat, NOT, read threads with the words "Oreo Chunk Cookies" in the title when you're in the middle of the third week of induction. Bad self, bad self.

So now, I'm craving like crazy. I think I'll just go to bed!

I'm having the same reaction to the growning number of "blueberry muffin" threads out there. Ah well... this too will pass.

[LauraBL]

Well I really paid for my sins yesterday......
I had a bowl of oatmeal at breakfast and a low-carb lunch. For dinner we decided to eat out. We studied a menu for a local pan-asian place and thought that a few choices would be safe. We both ordered yakisoba thinking that the key word would be "soba" buckwheat noodles. Nope. Didn't appear to be soba at all. I ate about 3/4 of mine. Then a scoop of ice cream on a cone. Later in the evening I was feeling achy. Of course I've also started my period and having killer cramps.

Well, I think (I hope) I've learned my lesson about overdoing the carbs.

Tami-I hear ya! It's killing me to not look too much at the Great Food board. It's just too tempting to see what other people are making and want to make it too.

Sneezles-I've got a huge head too! Not sure of circumference but it's sure hard to find a hat that doesn't pinch my head. Also, thanks for the info on how much carbs to re-incorporate into our eating plan.

Laura K. I've been taking multivitamin and also Magnesium because it's supposed to help with leveling out mood swings. I don't know if this is really working but what's the harm? A fish oil tablet would be good for me to add in as well.

Shannon-I don't have a good handle on what foods to banish and what to enjoy. DH is grocery shopping as I write this. I wasn't even sure what to tell him about bread other than look for whole-wheat and possibly multi-grain.

Hang in there everybody! Ultimately, I think this is a good lifetime eating plan.

Laura

[aliwally]

Sage -

I can relate to the cereal challenge - I've swapped Honey Nut Cherrios for the Hi-Lo Cereal - it doesn't taste like straw and is quite enjoyable. It's not Cocoa Crispies, but with some Splenda sprinkled on top, a 3/4 cup serving is very filling and keeps cravings at bay. I recommend buying it and giving it a go - I get mine from my Whole Foods. Don't forget to subtract fiber count from carb count to get total net carbs.

I just bought a box of Keto Honey Nut Cornflakes from online - haven't tried them yet, but will post and let you know. They have even less carbs.

[kwormann]

Originally posted by LauraBL


Hang in there everybody! Ultimately, I think this is a good lifetime eating plan.

Laura

Ditto (she says in between writing the names of 28 kids (YES, I SAID 28!!!) on desk tags, clothespins, craft sticks....)

[eas11]

I like the hi-lo cereal. My breakfast is unflavored yogurt with divinchi sf syrup, the hi-lo and a bit more splenda and cinnimon. Yum.

I have to say that I think all of the Keto brand products taste vile. The only exception is the apricot spread, which I use to make apricot chicken. I'll be anxious to hear what you think, aliwally.

TJ's just started selling a few new lc products that are excellent- a pasta imported from Italy, brand is Bella Vita. Per serving: total carbs/18, fiber/8. This is good! I've tried a few really horrid lc pastas and we do like this one. LC chocolate chip cookies! They are very good, 2 carbs and individually wrapped (thank goodness)It's a very substantial cookie :)

Ellyn

[fci5767]

Originally posted by eas11
I like the hi-lo cereal. My breakfast is unflavored yogurt with divinchi sf syrup, the hi-lo and a bit more splenda and cinnimon. Yum.

I have to say that I think all of the Keto brand products taste vile. The only exception is the apricot spread, which I use to make apricot chicken. I'll be anxious to hear what you think, aliwally.

TJ's just started selling a few new lc products that are excellent- a pasta imported from Italy, brand is Bella Vita. Per serving: total carbs/18, fiber/8. This is good! I've tried a few really horrid lc pastas and we do like this one. LC chocolate chip cookies! They are very good, 2 carbs and individually wrapped (thank goodness)It's a very substantial cookie :)

Ellyn

Ellyn: Have you tried Darielle low carb pasta? I've heard it's good but I haven't tried it. What brand of chocolate chip cookie was it???

Beth

[eas11]

Originally posted by fci5767


Ellyn: Have you tried Darielle low carb pasta? I've heard it's good but I haven't tried it. What brand of chocolate chip cookie was it???

Beth

I didn't like the Darielle pasta. :(
The label on the cookies are weird. Called Chocolate Chip Cookies with some other standout words: "Carb Safe" and "*net effective carbs less than 3g", "sugar free". The back label says distributor is Jams Specialty Foods, Thousand Oaks, Ca. I've only seen them at TJ's. They are in a square plastic container, 4 large cookies for $1.89.

[kwormann]

To those interested, Dr. A will be on Dateline tonight speaking about the South Beach Diet:)

[TamiKnight]

I decided to add back in some carbs today, three days short of the four weeks of induction I had planned. I just had a bowl of Total Greek yogurt with Splenda, chopped almonds, and a handful of blueberries. It tasted SO good!!! I've really noticed that my muscles are not recovering after my workouts. With school starting next week, I decided I need to give my body a little bit more to work with. If my weight loss slows down (hard to imagine that it COULD!) it just does.

Maybe some of the frustration many of us have expressed is because we've expected this to be the "miracle" that no diet can truly be. I had foolishly hoped that I could lose 20 pounds if I stayed on induction for four weeks. But that 20 pounds didn't GET on me in four weeks (although it seems like it sometimes :rolleyes: ). Right now, I'm down 11 pounds and a bunch of inches. Things are going slower right now, but I'm also working out really hard (giving myself 3 days off, though, with some carbs added in for muscle recovery). Maybe I won't lose weight any faster on this diet than WW or whatever other program is out there. However, I know that if I stay the course, I WILL lose weight. WIth SBD, I'm at least not hungry and I've totally eliminated processed foods from my diet. I know that good changes are taking place inside my body, even if the outward shape doesn't change as quickly as I'd like it to.

So tomorrow...a few more carbs. I'm going to go slow and add them in a little at a time. I got some low carb bread, but I'm afraid to eat it! Stupid, huh? I'm almost wondering if my weight loss will pick up if I start eating a little bit more. I know that, the 3 times I've done WW, I always started at the lowest points for my weight, and never lost a pound until I went slightly higher on points. My body goes into starvation mode really fast.

Have a great weekend everyone! (And I was grocery shopping and didn't get to hear Dr. A! :mad: )

[alicerh]

>> Tami says
I'm going to go slow and add them in a little at a time. I got some low carb bread, but I'm afraid to eat it! Stupid, huh? I'm almost wondering if my weight loss will pick up if I start eating a little bit more. >>

Tami - I know that feeling. I'm ready to start carbs but I'm scared too. Who whould have thunk it! I remember hearing that when eating very low calorie diets, the body recognizes it as starvation and starts to burn less so I'm thinking a few carbs aadded will actually benefit if I keep walking and exercising. Let's hope. I am dying for a piece of ww toast with cheese and half a grapefruit
Alice

[d_ferrero]

My weight loss definitely slowed (but has not stopped) since adding back carbs. I'm still steering clear of "grain" carbs (breads/pastas/rice/couscous - even of the whole grain variety) but have added summer fruits back in. The first week with these carbs I lost nothing, so I reevaluated. Now I try to limit to 1-2 carb servings a day, and only with a regular meal. That is, rather than having a plum or a peach as a snack, I may make salsa out of it and serve it with my dinner. That way (if I'm reading Dr. A. right), the fats, acids and fiber in the rest of the meal help slow the carbohydrate absorption. It's working in that it doesn't seem to have me running for snacks all evening...

[tbb113]

Originally posted by d_ferrero
Now I try to limit to 1-2 carb servings a day, and only with a regular meal. That is, rather than having a plum or a peach as a snack, I may make salsa out of it and serve it with my dinner. That way (if I'm reading Dr. A. right), the fats, acids and fiber in the rest of the meal help slow the carbohydrate absorption. It's working in that it doesn't seem to have me running for snacks all evening...

Dolores:

I think you are reading him correctly. When I was pregnant with my youngest I got gestational diabetes. The RD that I was working with told me that fat slows carb absorption (at least in regards to raising blood sugar levels.)

Tyra

[Molli526]

Hi ladies!

Just wanted to let you know that I will be starting SBD back up tomorrow. I already had carbs for breakfast so will start tomorrow. Yay! Can't wait to join you all.

I am fortunate? :rolleyes: :( :eek: that I gain weight in my mid-section so SBD is perfect for me :)