Support and ideas for those on low-carb diet

Not talking about you jingl but I'm not thin skinned I'm just sick to the back teeth of certain people.

That sounds yummy Mamie

I think it works well when you are eating out too Anya. Glad you will keep popping back on this thread.
We have been KOKO and even flogging ourselves in the garden we haven't suffered from hunger pangs.
I have been making lots of different salads at lunchtime and enjoyed being creative. We particularly enjoyed the goat's cheese, walnut, prune, leaves and bacon bits combo in a warm nut oil dressing and today was ham (we bought a whole jamon de serrano last time it was Lidl's Spanish week which was maybe a bit over-ambitious) egg, leaves, toms, cucumber and mustard mayo.
Tonight is cold chicken with aubergine parmigiano.
We have also noticed that our food bills have dropped quite a lot, not sure exactly why. Should get even better when we start cropping our own salad again.

Flip me Anya! When did you get so thin skinned?!

Just logged in to say I've been on holiday and found this really easy to stick to Mamie, Merlot et al even though been staying with friends and family and eating out.

I've not logged into GN for some time as, to be frank, I'm sick of being attacked for having a view that doesn't tally with some. I'll pop in now and again to this thread for ideas and support and to share recipes.

I think maybe the quantity of each veg is just as important - chillis and garlic are very high, but only minute quantities are eaten.

I think Granjura, I probably meant "you can't have chickpeas and beetroot if you do the first phase of the strict bootcamp way of doing the diet," (the bit we never did!)
I think I do look a bit thin in the face at the mo but the rest is ok. Definitely a bit of saggy flesh at the top of my arms too, but the "gym douce" teacher gave us a heavy workout with weights last night and gardening should do the rest.
The think is that I am back to where I always was before the menopause hit, so it feels right for me (and I have always done a lot of ballet).
I absolutely think this diet is about finding a way of eating that is right for you. There is a strict way of doing it, but it is also very adaptable.

Hmmm - pumpkin is a better option, but not available! I'm surprised that carrots come out lower than peppers. And that cabbage is so high.

Thank you, anya. I used to have a very handy little book but DBH took it to school so that he could look up the meals there, and it has never been seen again since and we can't remember what it was called.

Butternut squash

This is my favourite 'go to' site for nutritional information Jane

How bad are butternut squashes?

It's hard to cut back on carby veg, isn't it. And where is the line drawn? I suppose it could also depend on how much of any one veg you eat. 1 small carrot could equal a whole pepper?

Cutting beans and chickpeas out is tough on vegetarians, too. It limits their choices drastically.

Sweet potatoes... sob...

Great and thanks for support.

This was in reply to your 'can't have chickpeas or beetroot' in first phase post- which seemed to indicate much more drastic carb cutting than your last post.

I couldn't imagine getting back to a size 12, I have to say- don't think it would actually suit me. I have friends who lost huge amounts of weight (and yes it sounds like sour grapes, LOL) and they really did look haggard and actually unhealthy- few can do this well- but I am sure YOU look fabulous. I'd love to get back to a comfortable 14, or 16 even (now 18/20) but never look 'fat' just strong and bulky. When I go to doctors they are always amazed to see I weigh a lot more than they expected, due to being fit and strong.

Can't wait for better weather to get more encouragement to go out more and feel less hungry for carbs.

Merky bucket ;)

I can't cut carbs out altogether, with DBH&Son here for a while, but I can when they go back.

Tonight we are having chicken curry, they will have theirs with rice, I shall have quinoa.

I have cooked them each a pile of sausages as snacks, I thought that might satisfy their carb cravings. Apparently not. I caught DS making a triple-decker for lunch - pork and sausages in the top layer, crushed falafels and salad in the bottom layer. I wish they gave better nutrition information at school!

I can understand it must be very hard if you cannot have that extra protein to stave off hunger pangs. I've just have my favourite lunch which is 3 quails eggs wrapped in a little smoked salmon. I find that keeps me going all afternoon.

Tonight it's scallops, bacon and spinach. A recipe I rediscovered when delving through my old recipes in search of inspiration.

It sounds as if you are doing just fine Granjura. We never cut carbs out completely, having small portions of low GI carbs like pearl barley or chickpeas a couple of times a week and (our own) muesli with full-fat yoghurt and a small slice of spelt toast with butter every day for breakfast. We have lost weight gently over 15 months as we also didn't think drastic loss was a good idea. As you will see from my earlier posts, wine and fruit were always there. However when we felt hungry we would have a lump of cheese rather than carbs. I think very dark chocolate is fine too. Gradually we found that our appetites shrunk and portion sizes got smaller. We have also found that after a winter plateau we are losing weight again as we have started heavy work in the garden.
You absolutely don't have to do anything drastic and if you are losing weight then it is working!
On Mumsnet they say, KIKO - keep on keeping on....
Tonight's dinner here is shepherd's pie with cauliflower mash!

I am finding this very very hard. And I'm afraid Mamie I just am not, and neither is OH, able to cut out carbs totally as it makes us permanently starving and make us vulnerable to snack attacks.

So we are trying very hard, to cut carbs drastically but not totally. So today we had a small portion of basmati al-dente rice- with the vegetable and lamb (only a small amount of lamb, mainly ratatouille veg) and boiled chicory. Yesterday we had the same stew with chopped green cabbage and a very small portion of pearl barley. We are cutting down carbs slowly but surely- and sugars too- although we never have sugary drinks of any kind, and don't drink alcohol when on our own. Still having 2 squares of 70% Lindt with sea salt in the evening- and I am continuing to have porridge with linseed and sunflower seeds in the morning. If I didn't I'd be starving by 11 ...

I've lost 1 kg in last 10 days- and that will do me- hopefully will manage to cut more carbs- but for health reasons cannot go for high protein. But thanks for the inspiration- I'll keep reading for ideas.

You can't have chickpeas or beetroot in the first, strict phase of the diet but they are fine later on.

I did it to wind them up actually - because of course they are deep pink. I keep on scaring them with threatening to do the sitting room in pink one day when they are out. I like to keep my males on their toes.

That's what I had to keep telling them!

It was different. I think I shall stick to normal falafels in future - the chickpeas are a good source of protein so I forget that they are also carbs.

I imagine there's carbs in chickpeas and in beetroot (it being sweet) but sounds delicious and healthy

I'm not sure how bad chickpeas are, but I made falafels only using half chickpeas and half grated beetroot, with lots of minted drained greek yoghourt and salad with olives and tomatoes and feta.

First day of the holidays. Couldn't be bothered to cook the meal planned for tonight so sent DH round the corner for a Chicken Shashlik. No carbs and totally wonderful

Leeks and carrots, bay leaves, herbs, now in the pressure cooker and aroma suggests that the soup will be tasty.

Made carrot and coriander soup for lunch.
Tonight we had cold duck, green salad and a salad of pearled spelt, cold roasted veg from yesterday, preserved lemons and pistachio nuts. There will be enough of the spelt salad to add feta, beetroot and toms for lunch tomorrow.