Anyone want to join me? Low carbing anyone?

[chloeandj]

Also anything that is low fat is higher in carbs. They take out the fat and add sugar.

Like lowfat peanut butter has more than double the carbs as regular peanut butter. I like to get a teaspoon of peanut butter every now and then when I want something sweet.

[bren]

Originally Posted by Breny

Ok so I've been ready recipes and meal plans for Atkins and South Beach. Do you have to follow these meal plans or can you just eat low carb and get the same effect. Half of these meals I've never even heard of!

When I was on south beach, I just used the aproved list of foods and made recipes that contained the approved list. I didn't follow the meal plans because I like variety so I just made sure the foods that I was eating were on the approved list. I'm not sure about atkins but south beach is extremely strict about what foods you need to eliminate during the first 2 weeks (all fruits, some veggies (the starchy ones--carrots, corn, peat, potatoes, milk, all sugar, etc.) to cleanse yor system to decrease your cravings for sugar.

[Breny]

Thanks for answering all my questions!!!!

I thought of another....

What about a grilled Chicken Ceaser Salad from McDonalds?

[chloeandj]

Originally Posted by Breny

Thanks for answering all my questions!!!!

I thought of another....

What about a grilled Chicken Ceaser Salad from McDonalds?

Yes! But throw out the croutons! When I'm out running around and get hungry I get a salad at fast food places. OR I eat the burger and toss the bun. Whoppers are messy this way, but pretty tasty

[Breny]

GREAT! Yeah, I won't do the croutons but I love the salad! So this will be ok in the "introductory" 2 weeks?

Today was alittle hard

Breakfast was bacon and scrambled eggs.

Snacks:
I think I've had 3 cheese sticks all day
2 pickles (so far)
1 hard booiled egg

Dinner was a little bit of Corned beef and a salad

[chloeandj]

Sounds like you are off to a very good start! Another day or two and it won't be that hard, I PROMISE!! Did you have a headache today?

I had an atkins protein bar for breakfast with my coffee, Tuna and pickles for lunch, bacon and eggs for dinner. 3 bottles of water, going on my 4th here in a minute.

[Breny]

I did have a headache!!! didn't like that at all! Did I eat too much?

[chloeandj]

I think everybody gets the headaches. It's our body withdrawaling from sugar. I take excedrin first thing in the morning for 2 days when I start on this diet. It really helps to treat it before it even starts.

[SweetCuteness]

I can't do low carb diets because they're hard on your heart and I've already got heart problems.

I have a question though - what's your energy level like after a couple of months on a low carb diet?? I'm a nursing student and carbs are 60% of your energy source, so I'm curious as to how that affects it.

[chloeandj]

Originally Posted by SweetCuteness

I can't do low carb diets because they're hard on your heart and I've already got heart problems.

I have a question though - what's your energy level like after a couple of months on a low carb diet?? I'm a nursing student and carbs are 60% of your energy source, so I'm curious as to how that affects it.

I have lots more energy. But it could also be that I'm not all bloated and feeling crappy from the overeating I usually do.

[SweetCuteness]

Originally Posted by chloeandj

I have lots more energy. But it could also be that I'm not all bloated and feeling crappy from the overeating I usually do.

Yeah, plus the water intake also helps increase your energy. Maybe I'll half-way join you. I'll cut down on my carbs (I LOVE pasta and bread, so I'll try to cut those out). I've got about 10-15 pounds I'd like to lose, but everything I've tried is not working.

Good luck to everyone that decides to diet for their New Year's resolution!

[Breny]

What happens when you get past 2 weeks? Can you ever have pasta again? How do you maintain? I just want to lose a couple pounds and maintain that

[bren]

Originally Posted by Breny

What happens when you get past 2 weeks? Can you ever have pasta again? How do you maintain? I just want to lose a couple pounds and maintain that

you're supposed to gradually add carbs back to your diet but not a lot of them and they are supposed to be ones that don't have as much of an impact on your blood sugar (such as whole grains, foods higher in fiber, etc.) Refined sugars are a no-no
The idea is that you gradually add small amounts of carbs back to your diet so that your weight is not affected. If your weight increases, than you are adding back too many carbs. South beach diet also has a list of foods that are allowed on phase 2 of their diet, which is the time following 2 weeks. During that phase, you are able to re-introduce some fruits, milk, and whole grains but you still can't have a lot of them or you may gain the weight that you lost back. It's a balancing game--how many carbs can you eat without gaining the weight back--it varies from person to person

edited to add--you can have pasta again at some point in limited quantities, but whole grain pasta is recommended, which can taste a bit "grainy." I'm 100% italian so I missed the real, homemade pasta, which I did NOT make with whole grain flour

[Breny]

I have the south beach book, so I'll look at Phase 2. I know I read on Atkins that your oly allowed 20 grams of carbs right now, is that for the two weeks? What if you go a little over? Is it still ok?

I have my husband trying this with me too

[bren]

I can't remember how many grams of carbs are allowed during the first 2 weeks on the south beach diet. I just ate what was recommended on the list so I didn't calculate how many grams during the first two weeks. 20 grams is low so that might be ok.