Closet Low Carbers Unite!

[Rouge]

Yesterday was my first fog free day! This is what I call the first day I realise how tired and lethargic I was when on carbs (due to PCOS). Yesterday I had so much energy, and things actually LOOK clearer. Happens when I'm on full strength Metformin, but its a nicer cleaner feeling when on LC. I feel great today!

I use Zucchini grated and steamed or stir fried instead of pasta, and finely diced cauliflower nuked (I do it my tupperchef) as rice (I use this for risotto and fried rice too). And that doesn't seem to break the budget. This time I'm buying the empower products and I am finding because I'm not eating as much protein I'm not spending as much even though the loaves work out to be $5 for 15 slices (inc crusts). Last night I made Zucchini Fritters and whizzed up the crusts as bread crumbs and it worked PERFECTLY! I was sooo thrilled, so TBH this time its feeling like apart from the sugar reduction side of things I'm eating fairly normally. The other thing I like about the empower products is they are not only high in fibre but also protein and they really fill you up, and are slow energy releasing.

I forgot to mention I also make lasagne sheets from riced cauliflower, mozzarella and egg. I got a lot of my recipes from cleochatra's blog (google her) she's awesome. And I now make sure I have a bag of mozza and a few bags of frozen cauli for emergencies.

ETA: PB thats because everyone automatically assumes you replace carbs with high fat animal products. Which isn't true. Sure I don't freak out if I have cheese or a piece of bacon, but I'm not have 10 pieces of bacon and half a block of cheese by midday, everything in moderation is fine. Most people who don't have metabolic issues (like PCOS) tend to lose weight VERY fast with LC, which is great for them. For me its I guess no different than what any diet would be for most people. But that doesn't bother me because I find it easy and it actually works. But as DH keeps reminding me its not about the weightloss its about the energy and healthy lifestyle that comes for me with LC.

[Pretty Butterfly]

Thats soo true Rouge!!

I had almost forgotten how much better I feel while on it! I generally am a sugar-a-holic, so get the headaches and feeling run down for 2-3 days, but once I get over the hump, I feel amazing. I dont slump in the arvo's, or fall asleep on the lounge at 8.00pm!

I think maybe feeling so well helped get the last 2 babies!!!!

[Astrid]

Arggh - lost my post.

The whole eating buckets of fat impression people have of low carb annoys me. I do eat fat, but not everything is dripping in it. I try to stick to food in their least unprocessed form, so the generally means the high fat version and frankly I do not believe there is a problem with fats in their natural form. It is the added, messed with fats that are the problem. Also I find fats help me a lot with hunger. So I will grab the natural whole egg mayo to have with my salad for lunch and enjoy it.Oh I also eat the chicken skin. I do find though that it is hard to add a lot of extra fats. With no potatoes or bread (can't be bothered with the low carb one), there is not much to spread butter on. As I am not using breadcrumbs, so there is no crumbing and deep frying.

I to here am struggling with the budget at the moment. It is hard not to go for the easy option or rice and pasta for bulking out, the kids love stuff and so does DH. Have tried growing cauli's a couple of times without success and the zucchinis are out of season. Over summer we had a plague of cucumbers, so I was using slices of cucumbers like rice crackers and spreading them with cream cheese for snacks.

[~Saram~]

Yes buget here is blowing out big time! I really need to get to some growers market or something as the grocery store prices up here are waaay too high.

I wouldn't say we overdo it on the protein side of thigs either, I'm not a big meat eater so generally stick to things like eggs, cheese, nuts etc.

Like the idea of cucumber with cream cheese - sounds good! We also make up mashed avacardo - can't spell that mexican word meaning mashed avacardo - don't think I'm even spelling avacardo right with celery and just slices of tomato with a teeny sprinkle of salt make a super snack

We used mashed cauliflower with cream cheese and garlic instead of rice or potatos and even the kids love it!

[Vixstar]

We too are on one income and throughout the week I will eat things like and not limited (just what I can think of this mo -

~ MASSIVE mixed salad with tuna, boiled egg, cold chicken, ham or turkey in it. Salas usually is carrot, red onion, capsicum, tomato, Cheese on the weekends only (have high chlosterol at the same time!), beetroot, pineapple, sometimes wedges of mandarin or orange for just a little something extra plus lettuce.

As I have my carbs before midday (not included in lunch) morning tea is normally a cuppa with fruit, diced fruit with yoghurt and museli, vita-weets with vegemite, cereal or toast/muffin/crumpet with Flora Pro-Active (again for the darn cholesterol).

Breaky - almost every weekday morning it is oats cooked with water and honey drizzled over it with some skim milk to cool it down.....only a month ago I went cold turkey on the cooking my oats with milk and adding brown sugar and adding more milk! Was almost like giving up coffee for me!!! On Sundays, DH will cook bacon and eggs with tomato on toast with cheese! I was embarrissed to tell my PT this but she said it was actually a very good breakast!

Afternoon tea - cup-of-soup such as tomato, small tin of tuna or slice of ham etc with a peice of fruit (weird combo I know!), handfull of nuts with sultanas.

Dinner - normall a meat (red, white, fish or chicken) plus my vegies without the spuds or salad. Last night I made rice with mixed frozen vegies through ir to go with dinner and I allowed myself a spoonful of rice - I find if I deprive myself of something...I then crave it really badly and then fall off the wagon! I felt guilty putting the rice on my plate last night but reminded myself it is far less then I used to eat and I have been sick too so I am just fueling my body to get better....iykwim!

Dessert - whatever is going around...normally icecream on Sunday night or yoghurt and fruit if the kids HAVE to have dessert!

Supper - Caro or sometimes milo.....but oddly enough Milo stops me from going to sleep. Mind you I can drink coffee all day and still be able to have a cat nap. Strange. Lately I have noticed I am craving sweet stuff at about 9pm so allow myself a naughty Freddo Frog! lol *smacks hand*Sometimes I feel like I am starving (like a board 5 yr old) and will have a protein like a slice of ham, chicken wing.....

Water - 2l minimum! No if's no buts!

Hope that helps give some of us ideas.

WTG!

xxxx

[Rouge]

I just had one of my empower chocolate muffins (with cream cheese chocolate filling) and OMG sooo yum! I freeze them wrapped in glad wrap and then nuke them on a plate for 30 seconds, great mid morning snack and if I have one for dessert I'll have it with a dash of cream of low carb ice cream. And because I make 12 instead of 10 out of the pack it works out to be 2.5 carbs per muffin

For lunch today I'll be making Chicken and Cheese Toastie with Parmesan Crust and herbed Mayo YUM! I'll make a side salad too and for dinner we're having Pan Fried Blue Grenadier with my sesame soy Broccoli & Zucchini. Everyone else will have steamed rice as well.

I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, I love my sweeteners, I NEED my low carb breads and cake mixes/cookies etc. I even buy the atkins bars for snacks or treats too. But I have strawberries or Melon nearly every day. I eat LOTS of vegetables and apart from diet coke and light lemon green ice tea I drink plenty of water. I try hard not to steer too far from a normal diet otherwise I find it just doesn't work for me. I need substitutes its the only thing that works for me.

WOW Vixster I think if I ate half that i'd be way over my carb budget. I am so jealous you can do LC that way and still lose weight, thats AWESOME!

[~Saram~]

Rogue - yep I like my subsitutes too - where do you find these empower things - they sound yum!!!

And it's great they have Stevia now to use as artifical sweetner rather than the other ones on the market

Vixstar - for dessert we have jelly, the Tony Fergerson one we still have tonnes of has fibre in it as well so makes you feel fuller.

[Sammiejane]

Hi guys,
Great thread guys.
I have been TRYING to convert for months but keep stumbling as i have a DH that is stick thin, eats loads and needs his carbs +++
Anyone got any suggestions, i really dont want to cook multiple meals, but it looks like i may have to

I forgot to mention I also make lasagne sheets from riced cauliflower, mozzarella and egg. I got a lot of my recipes from cleochatra's blog (google her) she's awesome. And I now make sure I have a bag of mozza and a few bags of frozen cauli for emergencies.
.

GREAT site - checked out the recipes, going to have a sit down later - problably on the weekend and figure how i can make this work... for me at least

ETA - Tennykins - i have fruit for breakfast. on the weekends we have eggs and i have that with no toast - sometimes i have it with steamed or blanched spinach and or half an avacado