Low-carb support thread number three (2017)

Welcome to the new thread. Well done Anno on the weight loss and ready to support grannyactivist in getting back to the low carb way of eating.
I am now in my fourth year and still enjoying this way of eating; my weight is stable (up a kg in the autumn and down again in the spring) and I have never felt healthier.
How is everyone else doing?

Thank you for the new thread Mamie.

For the past two weeks I've been back on the wagon with a vengeance - low carb, 1200 calories, no alcohol and daily 2-hour walks.

10.2 this morning, so that's seven pounds down.

Blimey, it's so easy for the pounds to creep on and such hard work and discipline to get them off!

Well done, Riverwalk. I think the only thing is to keep weighing very regularly, otherwise, yes it can creep on.
I also get fluid retention when travelling and that seems to take days to come off.
I tend to eat too much fruit in summer. ?

I am doing absolutely fine. Went to the GP in August for test results and she said I am no longer considered diabetic. Still eating and enjoying low carb, and my weight loss has remained constant. Love it and recommend low carb to anyone I can .

River walk, What book are you working from? I really have to get back to low carb as from tomorrow.
DH lives on carbohydrates and I find it difficult to do my own thing.
Rule no 1 is having suitable food to eat in the kitchen. Must stock up tomorrow.
Any other tips?

Loopy I don't follow any books. In the main, I just avoid as much as possible, bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. I don't have a sweet tooth so find it easy to not eat cakes and biscuits.

Yes, you must stock up so that you're prepared and have suitable things to eat - while your husband will have potatoes with say roast chicken, make sure there are plenty of interesting vegetables for you, such as roasted mixed peppers, red onions, garlic, etc.

If I have something like meatballs in a sauce they're served on a bed of wilted spinach or mashed celeriac, instead of pasta or rice.

Most of the supermarkets do packets of Black bean or edamame spaghetti now. Useful to have in the larder and of course there is always courgetti . Shepherd pie has a topping of mashed cauliflower and you can easily make cauliflower couscous.

I don't use a book either, but have heard good things about the Tom Kerridge one.
We do a lots of gratins with sliced courgettes and tomatoes baked with parmesan, cauliflower dauphinoise with cream and cheese, cauliflower or celeriac mash, celeriac chips in the oven. We grow a lot of squash and whilst you have to be careful with these as they are a bit carby, we normally have one or two vegetables from roast squash, onions, jerusalem artichokes, beetroot etc with a Sunday roast.

Just as an aside. Tom Kerridge lives in our small town and as well as following his own food regime he has a personal trainer. I see them meet up early on a Monday, when I go to Keep Fit, and no doubt they go running. I think he said he had given up alcohol too. He must have lost about 3 stone+ I wish I had that resolve to lose weight.

I do have the Tom Kerridge book. Lovely recipes, but lots of special ingredients and preparation. Use it for special suppers etc. Otherwise I use and adapt to LC ' The Hairy Dieters'

Hello all. I think Tom Kerridge lost over 10 stone! I am struggling. Has anyone heard of alcohol stall, when you drink (alcohol) it stops the body metabolising fat and holds up weight loss even if diet is low carb? I have done well for about 20 months, losing (and maintaining) weight loss at about 1stone 4lbs. Recently I've had lots of stress since my mother had a bad accident and have been drinking the odd beer about 4 nights a week. I now find I have put on about 4lbs although diet mainly low carb. I know it sounds rather pathetic but feel in need of treat when problems overwhelm and don't want to substitute wine (too many alcohol units). Any tips?

Would a small glass of wine be many more units? Four units a week doesn’t sound much. If not, then maybe dark chocolate?

A small glass of wine sounds ok Mamie but once the bottle's opened...............I think I should abstain for a month or two. I know Anya did for several months, I just haven't the motivation right now BUT I don't want to get back into the diabetes zone.

Another thought is to skip breakfast for a few weeks to lengthen fasting time. I have small bowl of porridge most days.

Could you cut the porridge and go with yoghurt or eggs to avoid a few more carbs? Anya is very good at going without wine; I would fail miserably. ?

It's nearly four weeks since I've been on my bootcamp regime and down to 9.13 so that's 10 pounds off.

I'm 'psyched-up' and not finding it hard, although having had only three glasses of wine and one cocktail in all this time is a bit of a bummer!

Well done Riverwalk. ? Are you doing the Mumsnet bootcamp?
Tonight we are having pork and mushrooms with cream and sage (cooked in prosecco that went flat when the bung blew out) and a cauliflower gratin. There are lovely cauliflowers in the markets at the moment here.

No it's my own 'bootcamp' Mamie, i.e. really being strict about being low-carb, max 1200 calories, daily brisk walking and of course practically no alcohol.

When possible I have my main meal for lunch then early evening just 3 crispbread, 30gs cheese, chopped salad and about 40g of M&S chicken liver pate, or similar. When finished, the kitchen is out of bounds apart from cups of tea. Eating out is a challenge but so far I've had no lapses - last night I had a pre-theatre supper with just one glass of wine and none during the interval!

Your pork dish sounds lovely - it's given me an idea of what to do with chicken breasts that I have in the freezer.

Mamie You should do a low carb cooking programme in place of Nigella. Your meals always sound so delicious. Need plenty of slinky outfits. Well done Riverwalk. I need a bit of a boot camp, will certainly be an incentive if my latest blood test doesn't look good BUT have still kept a stone off over 18 months.

? Lazigirl I am cooking tonight but more often than not it is OH.
Not sure slinky outfits are his thing.....
I agree about the brisk walk Riverwalk. I have started doing the Michael Mosley daily walk very fast uphill thing, as work in the garden has eased off.
I am drinking fizzy Prosecco and Amazon brought some new bungs today....

You are all an inspiration. Went to Pilates this morning then went and had a Cornish pasty in a little bakery. They really had absolutely nothing that was low carb. Grrr should have walked home .

I think your OH in slinky would go down a storm Mamie ?

A spattered t-shirt would be more like it. ? I am a huge Madhur Jaffrey fan and always admired the fact that she could cook in such beautiful saris.

You are up early Mamie We are having a little break in N Wales at the moment. Sadly I had a sponge pudding last night at dinner. Thought to treat myself. Wrong decision as I have had indigestion all night. I really can't eat any sugar or very many carbs now.
Damp and cold here .