Need Help Starting and Sticking with a Low Carb *Lifestyle Change*

My hubby and I have done low carb a couple of times and it is hard to stick with but it can be done.

My suggestion is to look for Low Carb Cookbooks or recipes on-line.

Family orders pizza, you just eat the toppings not the crust. Family wants sausage biscuts for breakfast, you have sausage and eggs. You can make it work.

Good Luck,

M

Put everyone in the house on the diet-they will benefit, as well, and cheating will not be an issue-good luck!!

Do NOT dwell on counting carbs. This s coming from a 43-year-old thin, athletic woman who has always had a very difficult time staying thin, but I've FINALLY mastered it and can now EASILY lose weight and maintain healthy weight with good lifestyle eating. It's not about trying "not to eat carbs". Don't let anyone tell you that. NO, you can't eat MOSTLY carbs every day, but you can eat healthy carbs in proper proportion to your daily intake.

You need to eat 75% fresh, raw food. Fit everything else into your 25%. You can have a gigantic salad with a couple of small pizza slices. As long as you are having way more salad than pizza.

When I strictly followed the "Fit For Life" method (book from 80's your library will have-author, Diamond) I not only got so much healthier and full of energy, I dropped 15 pounds in three weeks and had to relax a bit in order not to lose weight so fast for the last of the 20 pounds that I've never gained back. Just by eating fruit all morning (unlimited amount), a giant salad and with 25% carb or protein for lunch, a fruit or veggie snack at 4pm, and another giant salad (no limit on salad size) with 25% carb or protein. NO food after 8pm. But during the day, you CAN eat as much as you want as long as you stick to the ratio. And you can slack off some days as long as you're on track MOST days. I've fallen into a pattern where I sort of relax my eating on the weekends but I'm strict on weekdays. Anything too strident you will not be able to maintain and you'll fail and/or gain the weight back.

The last thing you want to do is cut carbs because veggies have carbs and you NEED those healthy carbs to enable your body to burn fat effectively. I can also eat good fats like avocado and olive oil and coconut oil and dark chocolate and I don't gain weight. you need healthy fats. you need some healthy grains like multi whole grain breads, quinoa, brown rice, etc, you just don't want a HUGE PLATE full of carbs with a small side salad, or to eat chips and bread all day. You CAN have a huge salad with some pasta, but you can't have a huge plate of pasta with a tiny salad.

Keep your proportions in check and nourish yourself with lots of fresh food and you WILL lose weight as a by-product of healthy, energy-producing eating.

And exercise too of course. But diet is key, You can't outrun your fork as they say.

Morning
A few things that have worked for me.. One, I joined OA, which helped me discover what triggers my anxiety eating (As I call it).. it's free.. you can go to the oa website and answer some question and see IF the program would be a good fit for you..

two... It's important to learn what foods bring on your cravings. For me, SUGAR.. whenever I have eater sugar, I then crave carbs... when I lose the sugar, I lose the more of the carb cravings.. Also, despite seldom EVER drinking, when I do, even if it's one or two glasses of wine, BAM.. cravings.. there comes a point when I have to say, does eating this sugar taste better than abstinence... now, sometimes I still eat the sugar and sure enough.. CRAVINGS come along for more junk.... but other times I do not... I am still learning to manage things, but am doing much better..

Lastly, yes.. water is good.. because as you break down fat and such, you help cleanse your body of it.. plus, it helps your kidneys and liver do their job.. To me, water is to the body, what fuel might be to a car.. you need it... and the cleaner the fuel, the better the vehicle runs)...

there is a lot of good info on mercola.com in terms of carbs raising insulin and high blood pressure.. you may want to check it out..

best to you !!! :)

Try books by Geneen Roth. She talks about all the other factors that effect our weight such as belief systems and lack of self-care. We focus 90% of our attention on food and exercise, when we look at weight issues, when that is only a small part of the bigger picture. There really is a mind-body connection.

Lissa Rankin, MD, author of Mind Owen Medicine, now asks all of her clients: "What does your body need to heal?" Her clients answer with: "Leave my abusive relationship", "Chang jobs", "Say no more often "etc. Sometimes we don't take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What are the stresses in your life? Do you have permission to have boundaries and care for yourself? Do you believe the vicious voice in your head that is constantly beating you up and telling you what a terrible person you are? Are you constantly worried about others: what they think or how they will feel? Are you able to ask for and receive help? Have you healed your childhood wounding? Are you in an abusive or painful relationship? Do you have safe, appropriate ways to feel your feelings?

Yes, food and movement need to be addressed. But, maybe, these aren't the main issues preventing you from having the healthy body you desire.

Why do you have to have a certain start date? Why not gradually make changes and adapt to the new lifestyle. This is why so many diets fail and sometimes people even get sick.

Our bodies are used to getting certain foods. When we suddenly stop eating those foods and add something it's not used to then we set ourselves up for revolt. Upset stomach, diarrhea, dizziness, and more.

By changing gradually over a short period of time, not like years but more like incorporating a new food maybe every couple of days, should have longer lasting effects.

It is admirable that you want to make a lifestyle change that will have positive effects on your health overall, & not just weight loss.

My husband & I just were talking about going wheat free (all other carbs still fair game) based on information in a book called Wheat Belly.

One thing we know we need to do in order to be successful is to have a number of meals planned that appeal to us. Healthy alternatives to what we are used to eating.

For example, I know that spaghetti squash can taste like angel hair pasta in a rich thick marinara sauce. I know that a rich, thick pea soup with ham hocks tastes fabulous & becomes a meal of its own. I know that I love grilled salmon & asparagus, and I KNOW that nothing beats a good steak & potatoes!!

But, if I don't have it ready on hand to prepare, then I will fall to my old stand-by & grab a pizza @ PapaMurphy's.

If you aren't prepared going into this, you WILL set yourself up to fail. Don't just plan to have snacks on hand... plan meals that you will look forward to, that your family will eat with you, & get their input on different things to help you be successful.

I don't know how old your kids are, but if they are old enough, maybe they can cook with you. You can experiment with taking traditional recipes & modifying them to be low/no carb.

Gluten free pizza crust - make it from scratch, & do a "build your own" night. Thin slices of eggplant can take the place of noodles in a lasagna.

Also, I know all about the "I'm not perfect (or even where I should be) since my last Dr. appointment, so I won't go until I XXX" whether that be lose a few pounds, improve my eating habits to get better cholesterol scores, exercise to drop my blood pressure, etc.

It's hard to feel like you failed, & the internal dialogue you can have with yourself can be extremely hurtful & damaging to your own self esteem.

So for now, start an affirmation journal. Write down one thing every day that you did RIGHT. That you planned ahead for, & stuck with, even when you thought you would be tempted otherwise. Even when the rest of the day went to hell in a handbasket, come out ahead on SOMETHING.

Set realistic goals. Instead of saying "I want to lose XX pounds" by a certain date, instead say "I want to have 2 no-carb & 3 low-carb dinners every week this month". Make it something tangible, that you can control, & the rest will come along.

If you are on Facebook there are a few pages you might want to check out that have recipes & ideas on gluten-free. One I like is "Living Without Magazine".

Granted, there are other carbs out there, so this may not completely fit the profile of the lifestyle change you are looking for, but sometimes cutting back on carbs is hardest because we don't know what to do without bread...

Good luck to you, get your family on your side, & just keep a positive attitude!! Do what you can, continue to make small changes you can live with, & the rest will follow. T. =-)

What carbs you do eat make them complex carbs - steel cut oatmeal, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, etc.
Let yourself have a treat once in awhile (once a week) so you don't feel deprived.
Pizza in itself is not that unhealthy - just stop yourself at 1 piece then have a salad.

Since... you are borderline Diabetic, AND have high blood pressure... THEN the appropriate thing to do is:
TELL your Doctor, you want to be referred to a Nutritionist.
THEN, the Nutritionist..... per YOUR health issues, will personalize a dietary analysis for you. AND a list of foods that you can/cannot eat etc.
My Dad, had the same, health problems you have.
His Doctor, as a matter of protocol and routine, SENT him to a Nutritionist. THEN that way, he did not have to 'guess' at it or try fad type "diets" and then, WE knew, how to cook for him and he then knew, how he should be eating.

AND the Doctor, also told him, what activities he can or cannot do.
Per HIS health conditions.

Being "low carb" is not the only way to go.
Carbs... are NOT all the same. There are many types... of, Carbs.
AND the "glycemic" index of foods/starches/carbs... are NOT the same. Either.
Thus, you need to see, a Nutritionist. To learn that.
Tell your Doctor to send you to one.
And I am surprised, your Doctor has not done that, yet.
My late Dad's Doctor, sent him to one, right away.

The best thing you can do for yourself is breathe....

Now, look through your cabinets...do you have a lot of junk food in there? You might want to consider throwing it out.

Your family MUST be on the same page with you. Tell them that you need their help and cooperation in order to get and stay healthy. Hit home the fact that you do NOT want to be on medications nor die early because you aren't healthy.

There's nothing wrong with carbs. Your body needs them...there are GOOD carbs out there. Whole Grain breads are better for you than "white bread".

Exercising.
Drinking water. Cutting out carbonated drinks. Kool-Aid.
If you eat smaller meals every two hours - it will help you. If you have to set a timer - do it. Read the labels on food. Know what you are putting in your body.

Do you have a glucometer? You can buy one at your grocery store pharmacy, Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, etc.

Do you have a blood pressure monitor? Again - buy one at your grocery store pharmacy.

Get a composition book and write your blood sugar and blood pressure BEFORE you eat...EVERY DAY...
Then keep a journal about what you eat...are you eating because you are hungry or upset?

keep healthy snacks around...carrots, celery, dill pickles - yes - dill pickles, nuts - walnuts, cashews, almonds...

I've lost 18 lbs since October. Not as fast as I want to. But the weight didn't get there in one week. I'd rather lose 2 lbs a week than 10 and gain back 5...

Hope this helps!

Well I am right there with you! Just wanted to share this awesome book I just got, it's called Trim Healthy Mama. It isn't all low carb, but the main premise is that you don't mix fuels. Like if you eat fat, you don't eat carb, if you go for carb, you go low fat. My mom got me on it bc it isn't a diet it's an approach to eating that is healthy and natural. You don't count calories etc, which I think is great for busy moms. Anyway, check it out if you like :
http://www.amazon.com/Trim-Healthy-Mama-Pearl-Barrett/dp/...
I am like just getting into it, but seeing my 62 yr old mama with a flat tummy was good enough fir me to check into it. I have a lot of weight to lose, but I am hopeful that changing my eating habits and exercise, will get me there. Good luck!

1) Substitutiary Schtuff.

Meaning... If you're going for low glycemic index, first substitute favorite carbs with OTHER carbs (like bread for potatoes or tortillas, or blueberries instead of strawberries, or frozen yogurt for ice cream) that don't lower your glycemic index at all. Aka... Something that's similar, that you just don't like or care about that much. Keep the switch for a month or two. THEN start phasing out the things you don't like as much, anyway.

A lot of smokers do this by switching brands to the yucky one, or using Nicorette. Still gives your body what it wants, but takes away the purr factor of totally enjoying it.

2) Replace.

This is when you replace sugar rich fruit with low sugar veggies, or dairy, or meat, or whatever. Or replace bread with shish kabob skewers. Like instead of putting fresh fruit in your breakfast, use bacon crumbles or coconut. Avocado instead of jam.

3) Check out diabetic info.

Carbs, technically, are found in almost everything (from milk, to carrots, to oatmeal, to squash, to grains) Sometimes in HUGE quantities, sometimes in tiny quantities.

We NEED carbs, or our brain doesn't function correctly (ketoacidosis = bad = seizures & death). Hence the problem with fad diets. Diabetics, otoh, have to be very careful about limiting carbs while still,maintaining a high enough level of them for their brains to function well. Hence GREAT balanced / low sugar nutrition.

4) True lifestyle change = a slooooooow process. It's what, 7,000 times for something to become a habit? I think so. As such, DO try things often, but phase them into your life.

One of my favorite weight loss tricks (100lb in a year kind of trick) is walking 5miles a day. How to not have to block out hours of your schedule?

- Park at the furthest spot from the grocery store.
- Only carry 1 thing at a time (like 1 bag of geoceries from car to house, or one toy upstairs, or one dish to the table)
-'Walk to the ________ instead of driving.
- Walk in place while,watching TV (or watch TV only while on a treadmill)

Of course, once you already have all the extra minute here, 3 minutes there, 1 minute there, 7 here... DO add in a half mile, then .7 miles, then 1... Gradually. Until you're both parking in the great empty wasteland AND taking the kids (or dog) for a 5 mile walk after dinner, or a 3mi in the morning, 1mi in the afternoon, 1 mi after dinner. Where it's just habit to be constantly moving. Instead of sitting to sitting to sitting to sitting. KWIM?

.... These are all lifestyle things. We get used to parking close, driving kids instead of wrangling them, watching a movie on our tuckus / movie = rest.

But add one thing in... And you'll be surprised at the results (back when they weighed secretaries... They found the average secretary gained 8-15 pounds when stenography pools "upgraded" from manual to electric typewriters. Whoa! Right? Yet it's in medical textbooks.

Along those lines... AND in the lifestyle changes

- Sit up straight (most of our daily calorie expenditure is NOT used in exercise, unless we're an athlete. It's used in not being a newborn all puddle like and flopsy. Sitting up straight, and standing up,straight is something that sounds easy. Until you do it. Hint: If your back is touching the chair or couch, you're not sitting up straight. If ANY part of you is leaning on a wall, fence, etc.? Ditto. You. Will. Be. Sore. after even a few hours of sitting up,straight and standing straight if you aren't used to it.

- Chew Gum. Wiggle your toes. Keigles. Swing your arms. Small motions, constantly will burn more calories in a day than 20 minutes of exercise. Still DO those 20 minutes, different muscle groups, but add the "figetting".

Can you do weight watchers?

i ask because I think they have a good approach. There is nothing wrong with a slice of pizza, as long as you eat a giant salad with it. You need to learn how to eat in a healthy, controlled way. I think Weight watchers will teach you this, so you can enjoy the foods you love, while learning how to love more veggies. It's about changing your relationship to food. Once you've done this, you should have lasting effects.

The biggest thing my daughter wanted for Christmas was this vegetable slicer thingy, I will provide a link since my description sucks. She does the low gluten diet because it gives her more energy to put up with the reprobates she teaches.

Anyway, you stick hard vegetables in the end of it and it makes them into what looks like pasta. Then she adds some pasta sauce, cheese, and she has no carb, no gluten pasta that tastes an awful lot like pasta.

We like painless ways to diet in our family. Of course she isn't dieting, she is just strange.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026RMEK4/ref=oh_detail...

Make small changes every couple of weeks...don't try and "do it all at once".

Like for instance step one...do not drink or BUY any soft drinks...not even diet ones (your body reacts to them like the full sugar ones).

Then don't buy any "junk"/pre-processed foods...if it isn't in the house you can't eat it...and your family doesn't need to eat it either!!

Pizza is a sometimes food...we order it about every two months...I only order two slices for everyone...then we eat fruit and veg...maybe a salad or a side of broccoli. So you can have pizza just not every week. No one needs pizza every week.

Take it one step at a time and stick to your guns...you ate healthy for your baby when you had GD in your third pregnancy. Now you need to eat healthy for all your children, so their mom lives long enough o dance at their wedding, and play with her grandbabies.

Take a deep breath and know you can do this...if you have any questions you can PM me anytime...our household has been low carb for years...my husband has lost and kept off over 80 pounds...I have tons of substitutions for everything from mashed potatoes to Mexican rice...I have lots of great recipes I can send you the links to so you can try them.

Big hugs!! Go healthy, and your body will thank you!!

Oh...aim for 90/10 (90% healthy foods, 10% not healthy)...then if you hit 80/20 pat yourself on the back for a job well done!!

And sparkpeople helped me track calories when I was losing baby fat...but I think just changing the food choices should do wonders for you!!

start slow - i did a "lower" carb thing about month ago. i really just cut out the heavy stuff (starches) , bread, potatoes, pasta , rice........... i lost a pound a week. just limit those things, drink lots of water, etc - track your food. see what happens. start slow and gradual like someone else said. if you are TOO strict it won't work at the beginning.

The two things I have done and had a lot of sucess at is Weight watchers and Gluten Free.

My son had to go gluten free about a year ago, and with out trying, I have lost weight. I also feel better with out the gluten. Once you get it out of your system for a few weeks, and then put it in slowly you feel different (well I did) I do not like the way I feel.

My friend did the Paleo diet, the redness in her face is gone the bloated feeling is gone and she feels so much better.

Too much processed foods. Basically anything that is not in raw materials is processed. Bread, boxed meals/sides, soups..

I use my crock pot a lot, and try a ton of different recipes. There are several websistes that have bag meals where you prepare them when you purchase foods, pull them out in the morning or the day before. Some are crokpot and some are pan, most are quick making. Also I make things like Meatloaf 2-3 at a time. I am good at making dinner every night, if I am prepared.

You have to want this! Weight watchers is great, because nothing is elliminated from your diet, everything in moderation. The first few weeks of any diet change is the hardest, you have the strongest cravings for X foods. Read up of foods that are healthy, but satisfy the same craving that will help.

Good luck!

I know exactly how you feel! The only time I lost weight was as a Freshman in high school when the doctor put me on a liquid diet. I went from a size 18 to a 12, but by the time I was 30 I was back at a 24. I have pretty much stayed there for the last 8 years, even after 2 kiddos. I have been on almost every diet out there, and let me tell you that low carb is not necessarily the best way to go. There are actually some risks with it as well.

I personally recommend that you go talk to a dietician or nutritionist and let them look at what your body is doing and see what is best for you. Keep an Accurate food log for 3-7 days and that will help as well...if you are honest they can help you know what you need to change and what you need to keep doing.

I finally went and they had me eating a whole lot more often and it worked! I actually started to lose weight! It was the first time since I lost those 10 pounds at Jenny Craig 15 years ago. (yes, I only lost 10 pounds, but oh, boy, did I lose a lot of money on food!). Also, if you have anything else going on, you may not be able to lose weight because your body needs to have something else to happen. We finally figured out that I have a gluten sensitivity and the differences I have had since going gluten free is amazing! But, I am not recommending that you do this, it has some risks as well, including malnutrition.
Anyway, I wish you luck, but don't beat yourself up for not doing it all already! it doesn't work and it will perpetuate the cycle of depression and losing weight. Also, there is nothing wrong with wanting pizza, have a slice, heck, have 2, just have 2 small ones and eat something else with it!

I wish you luck! I know we don't have the answers here, but I recommend talking to a professional, especially when you have had a hard struggle with weight like us.

Oh, also, this may sound completely off the wall, but were you deprived of fat in your diet as an infant or child? This is vital for the brain, but if the body doesn't get enough of it when it is needed, then the body becomes extremely good at hoarding it for when it is needed later. This is a new thing that many medical professionals have realized yet, but the research is there to support it!

It is all about calories. Until you truly decide you want to do it for yourself, it will not work. Do you want to see your kids grow up? Everybody can tell you you need to lose, but you have to want to do it for you. Hope that akes sense. I tried dieting many many times. Then one day I decided I wanted to lose weight. Went to WW and worked like a charm. 85 lbs. that was 40 years ago. Four kids n menopause n only 15 lbs heavier. I learned how to eat. The original plan is the best! Good luck

The Bill Phillips book "body for Life" helped me. Basically he said make a commitment to make a lifestyle change for just 12 weeks. You can do anything for 12 weeks. If at the end of the 12 weeks you can go back to eating what ever you want but he is betting you won't want to because you will like the results you are achieving.

He also talked about how horses are lean and are grazers... Bears are heavy and eat massive amounts of food at the beginning of the season...be a grazer.

I am rarely hungry. I eat lots of protein and as much fruit as I want. I now crave tea and apples or strawberries and homemade whipped cream.

You can do this!!!

Try Chris Powell's book "Choose More, Lose More For Life". It's really good and very balanced. So far I am picking and choosing what I do, but it's encouraging and he's kinda on that wave length. He wants you to start with small promises that you can make to yourself each day and build on them and then you're self esteem can soar. He promotes carb-cycling and has 4-5 different types. My friend has been very successful on it. It also allows you to not go all out Low Carb and feel bad. I found the book on half.com for $10. If you get it, get the book rather than the e-book. Much better.

My New Year's Resolution is to get rid of this back fat! I plan on walking more, drinking more water and daily exercising. Good luck to us both!