Support and ideas for those on low-carb diet

Anya what a bother. How did the fire start? We had two floods in two years and that was hard going towards the end, but we did end up with work done to the house so it looked nice eventually. We were able to stay in the house, but whilst it was drying out it the sight of the state things did get us down a bit. Our insurance company was Norwich Union and it was great. How are you getting on with your insurance company? I suppose it's early days yet, but I hope you are not have a hard time with them. Your DD being away will give you a chance to relax a little bit, having the house to yourself. {{{HUGS}}} I have some summer fruits to use with Greek yogurt which will be a treat. I am used to eating a banana at breakfast time, but I won't be doing that now.

Estimate the work will take 3-4 months Wilma

I eat fruit for breakfast - usually berries in season when I can, but anything really with a dash of double cream to slow down digestion. Yes, they contain sugar, but it's intrinsic sugar and I feel breakfast is best for fruit as it gives you a chance to work it off during the morning.

Found Gram flour (chickpea) OK for thickening, and it's gluten free. Remember this isn't NO carbs, just much, much fewer than usual. Worked fine on the sauce for cauliflower cheese anyway and as stillhere said, many sauces can be reduced or thickened in other ways. I use ground almond to thicken curries.

I've been a bit better today as DD is away with family until tomorrow. Not as 'good' as usual but much better than lately.

It is very like huevos ranchers stillhere but with slightly different flavours like the garlic. The problem I had was no being able to reduce the liquid because of doing it in the oven, but I could always drain the tomatoes next time. I am not very confident with a frying pan or a skillet, but I might try it that way. Just need to make sure I have something else to cook if it doesn't turn out well!

I'm reading lots at the moment to get ideas for eating a the different times of the day and finding out I am always a couple of items short for recipes. Starting from scratch means our regular shopping list will change quite a bit and some items which I think will become staples like coconut and almond flour are not even available where we shop. We've made a start and enjoying the challenge.

Blodwyn I do know what clean eating is because I had been reading about going back to basics when it comes to food. It's very big in the USA and I think it's because organic food has never really had the same high profile we have in the UK - probably because of the power of the agricultural industry over there.

I was interested to read you have continued to eat fruit. We've been thinking about doing this too, although being careful with our choices and quantity.

What does everyone one else do about fruit? How do you include it in your diet?

That looks like the huevos rancheros that I make an awful lot of. I simply don't add too much tomato, and if it is too thick, I cook it for longer to reduce it. Most sauces and gravies really don't need much thickening with flour, an egg or some cream or add lots on onions and veg then blitz it, and lots of reducing will do it.

Anya I am so sorry to hear about the fire. Will you be out of your home for a good while? I always find staying away from home difficult when it comes to food, especially when you're not in control of the cooking.

We're just getting started with the lchf approach as we use up food that doesn't work with the diet. So it's a bit mix and match at the moment as we find out what store cupboard bits we need.

Our main meal yesterday was Shakshuka with feta cheese and loosely based on this recipe

Shakshuka

I wanted to do it in the oven and although the taste was good, but the sauce didn't thicken up quite enough. What do you use as a thickener instead of cornflour?

We had it with a bag each of mixed vegetables you steam in the microwave. The mix was green beans, baby carrots and sweetcorn which was not ideal, but that's some more space in the freezer now.

www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/4-reasons-the-quinoa-grain-can-help-you-lose-weight.html

This is really helpful information about eating quinoa, it may not appear to be low in carbs but your body uses it in different ways, it behaves like eating protein and veg and is good for diabetics. Far better than couscous.

I had the Awful Warning about pre diabetes several months ago. I was not a happy camper as I walk usually 10,000 a day, eat brown rice/pasta/bread and generally ate a healthy diet,. I had to admit I'd been eating more cake/chocolates and have cut those out. My GP confirms the pre diabetes is due to age and auto immune problems rather than 'lifestyle' but whatever it's due to I have to ' do something' This thread has been inspirational and for the first month post AW I kept to a low carb diet. We then had a longish holiday and several weekend breaks when I let things slide. My jeans are now tightish again and I'm going to try and get back to slightly smaller portions and less carbs because only a month made a big difference to how clothes fitted and less tummy. My weight didn't change (I'm weighed regularly at hospital) but my shape did.
Anya - I do hope your insurance company gets organised and you can find a suitable rental property before too long.

It took a year to lose most of it, then a little more over the next few months and no change now for about 6 months.
We grow a lot of fruit and most of our veg as we have a large garden deep in the French countryside. We both cook and we eat out very rarely so it isn't difficult for us to stick to the diet.
We have drunk wine all the way through too.

I totally agree with you that eating lower carb is better for all of us really. I don't want to put you to too much trouble but how long did it take you to lose the 3 stone? Sorry if I have missed you saying it. Im glad you eat fruit though.

Blodyn we have eaten fruit all the way through too. We don't have floury potatoes but have pretty much all the other veg.
We really started the diet for my OH who despite eating very little sugar all his life, was in pre-diabetes. He has lost four stone, is now completely out of pre-diabetes and off statins after a huge drop in cholesterol (despite eating butter and cheese).
I think we both feel that we have a new lease of life, which is why I am a bit evangelical about low-carb.

Anya poor you. Horrible to not be in your own home. I have found since eating paleo that my aches have gone too as have hot flushes and bad headaches. IBS much improved too. Wheat and dairy is inflammatory I believe so cutting them out has helped me.
Mamie your weight loss is so inspiring. I have lost a stone and 5lbs since end of June. Not quick but it is slowly coming off and staying off. I havnt eaten quinoa but there are some lovely bread recipes using it which I may try with seeds in. I am eating lowish carb and eating fruit and veg as to me the nutrients are very important and the sugar in fruit combined with the natural fibre means it reacts differently in the body than sugar on its own.

You shouldn't really have quinoa or couscous on a low-carb diet mcem. Cauliflower rice would be a common substitution. I tend to use aubergine a lot as a side dish with middle eastern food.

The mention of quinoa prompts me to ask about couscous. Both ok for low-carb eating or not?
After 6/7 weeks of cutting carbs I've lost about 6" from the tummy/ waist area and yesterday discovered that a couple of last winter's dresses which were too clingy for comfort now look fine. A pair of tight jeans were removed without undoing zip or button!
I credit this gn thread for putting the idea into my head and my dipping into it has kept me going.
I am sorry to read of your problems anya . Isn't odd how the indirect results of your rotten fire experience can cause further stress?
My sister had a similar experience after a flood but, once settled into their smaller but cosier temporary accommodation, felt so much better and coped well for 5/6 months while her house dried, was re-plastered and decorated.

Oh Anya. How awful for you, it's bad enough to have to be out of your house, but not to be able to control what you eat as well is miserable. I know because I am finding it so hard with DBH being off work for so long. He is going to stay in MiL's holiday cottage for a couple of weeks, and I am really looking forward to returning to my preferred quinoa and roasted mixed veg and salad meals, with the odd bit of fish and chicken thrown in. I was hoping to have lost far more weight by now, for a start I know I don't really want three meals a day, I really want a few snacks and one main meal.

Thank you. I just wish these insurance companies would move more quickly.

Was thinking I can add to this thread by describing what happens when you go back to eating too many carbs. I've had to regress because firstly healthy eating was the last thing on my mind and DD is feeding us and I haven't the energy or will to decline what she has lovingly cooked for us.

Almost straight away a vague tummy ache reappeared, and my reasonably flat stomach became bloated. I've started to suffer from wind which is new.

A couple of days on and my arthritis, which had been much, much improved flared up to the extent I couldn't walk from the pain in my left knee. This is unheard of.

I'm noticing my jeans are harder to get into and do up in the morning. This might be because I'm having to shower and dry off quickly so it's a bit like getting dressed after swimming when clothes stick a bit. I can't weigh myself as DD is one of those stick insects who doesn't have and doesn't need scales.

No sign of heartburn returning yet (that's gone completely since going LC) happily.

Of course this may all be due to stress rather than poor diet but still these are irrirations that had been largely overcome.

I hope you find somewhere suitable (and dog friendly) to rent soon Anya. 3 months sounds about par for the course - that'll mean you move back in the new year I expect. It isn't easy to eat well away from your own home imo.

Goodness Anya, I didn't know about the fire. Poor you, how difficult. Bon courage.

We are currently living with DD until we find some other accomodation following the fire on the 19th. My best guesstimate is it will be about 3 months before our house is ready to live in again. I'm doing my best under the circumstances but it's not easy when you don't have your own kitchen.

Three stone and am now just under nine stone, BMI 21, down from dress size 16 to 10. I have basically lost all the weight I piled on in ten years of menopause. At stable weight now for over 6 months.
How is everyone doing with the eating régime? Is the book helping, Wilma?

I wish...

I have gone down a whole size, but haven't got any scales so I don't know. I am at that stage where my favourite clothes look wrong. I thought all my clothes would just drape more becomingly, but it appears that my bust (now 36D instead of 38D) doesn't want to be in the same places as the darts in my tops, and all my jeans are baggy at the backs of my legs. I had to go out and buy a whole load of new bras a couple of weeks ago.

hundredweights!

So how much weight have people lost on this?

stillhere Its great to hear that your hot flushes stopped when removing dairy too. I had read a lot about lactating cows and all the hormones in dairy being too much for us at certain stages so thought I would give it a go and hot flushes just went. Mine only return on the odd occasion if I get stressed. I use olive oil, walnut oil and coconut oil. I will have coconut yoghurt and drink other milks like almond, rice, coconut, hazelnut etc.

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

Tonight - I am slipping on here in between making apple cheese and tonight's beef casserole. The casserole is basically beef and onion and squash and carrot just slowly stewed for hours, but I have yet to pick the mangetouts and purple sprouting broccoli to go with it, I have just finished preparing the pseudo-spinach that will also be on the menu.

I am keeping the kale for when the pseudo-spinach has ended. It is finally making a good recovery after its caterpillar attack, which is good because we start the winter every year with nice new leaves.