Low Carb

Limiting carbs is a good thing. Taking it to the next level nutritionally the way you are, is a great thing! Cutting carbs and eating all the meat and cheese you want is anti-health.
Cutting carbs was the 1st step to my getting healthy. It's the 1st step to cutting processed foods. Once you start looking at the lables for the carbs, it's not a big jump to check the ingredient list. You don't want anything with trans fats, or high sodium. Soon, you will find yourself opting for a more clean, raw food list. Processed deli meat is out! You free yourself to eat so much more real food, once you drop white carbs and processed food. The calories naturally drop and you really dont even have to cut portions, if you are ating the right foods. Your hunger and cravings subside. It's great!

For the 1st 2 weeks, cut all carbs, but after 2 weeks, add in vegetable carbs. Maybe even a little whole grain bread. Just no white carbs, sugar, or processed foods. You will see. I look better, feel better, have more energy, and am in a better mood when I don't eat processed food and carbs.

Maybe check the American Heart Association website. Their nutritional guidelines follow a low carb style. Not the Atkins or South Beach diet extremes since they are unrealistic for anyone to follow for life. But AHA site should lead you in the right direction. Also, check out websites for diabetes since you will find low carb suggestions there as well. Good luck!

I would avoid trend diets like low-fat, low-carb like the plague. They are not sustainable and you deprive your body of much-needed nutrients.

Commit to eating CLEAN rather than eliminating a certain food group. Carbs are your body's primary energy source and many people find themselves miserable on a protein-only diet bc they don't have the "lift" that carbs provide.

Here are the things you should be steering clear of:

artificial colors / flavors
WHITES: flour, sugar
chemical / artificial sweeteners
preservatives (most are chemicals)

You see, when you eliminate things that are artificial, your body can recognize what you're eating as real food and it knows how to use it to function efficiently. When you're pumping your body full of chemicals, it short circuits its function, effecting your skin, weight, digestion, energy level, fertility, etc...everything!

When something is billed as "low fat", chemicals have been added to help it taste appealing to you. In the meantime, your hair, skin, nails and cell membranes are being robbed of what they need to thrive - fat!

Don't be "fat" or "carb-phobic".

In addition to avoiding most processed foods, try to supplement your diet with B vitamins, probiotics and enzymes. Enzymes help us to digest proteins and they greatly influence your digestion. Gross fact for the day: Most people have, on average, 15 POUNDS of waste in their system that they aren't passing. In addition to blocking the body's natural purifiers (elimination, etc) this is also contributing to excess weight.

I would avoid replacing everything with soy. The virtues of soy have been long touted over the dangers, but the truth is that unless the soy is fermented (as in the cases of natto and misso) it is NOT advisable to consume regularly. Soy contains phyto (plant) estrogens that mimic estrogen in your body. As you may know, an excess of estrogen is the cause of early puberty in children, and infertility, endometriosis, and breast cancer in women.

A baby being fed soy infant formula is ingesting the estrogen equivalent of 4 birth control pills a day!

All of that said, if you want to jump-start your weight loss I would advise the following:

1. Begin with a candida cleanse to rid your body of sugar, yeast and toxins. This will also stimulate your digestion.

2. Check out a market like Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or Wegmans to scope out more natural alternatives to the foods you already enjoy. This is a lifestyle change, not a diet, and is more sustainable.

3. Eliminate the additives listed above in all of their forms.

4. Exercise - even a walk each day will help to stimulate your metabolism and digestion

5. Give yourself at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Lack of sleep is tied to weight and overall health issues

6. Avoid unfermented soy

Good luck to you both!

I eat a somewhat modified Paleo diet which is not Grains, beans, dairy. I am not that strict but have used almond flour to create a pizza dough and make waffles. I eat a lot of almonds and other nuts (not peanuts because they are a bean) for snacks.

No way can anyone stay on deli meat and cheese for any length of time. My husband keeps a low carb diet and that is the only way he keeps his weight down but he doesn't do nutty stuff like soy flour. Don't try to substitute for the most part. It is never as good. I do eat Barilla Plus and Dreamfields instead of regular pasta and it really is pretty good. Really try to stay away from refined sugar, baked goods, cakes, ect. If you must have a treat then make it a small one and make it good quality. Also, try to eat a lot of veggies and soups. My husband also eats "sprout bread" and quinoa. That helps him stay full. I also think cutting out fruit is not a good idea, especially in the summer. Also, do not drink your calories. So no soda, juice, smoothies, coffee drinks, ect.

I just make sure that everything is whole wheat and limit carbs. I have a carb thing at everymeal, but just one and then up the meat and veggies. For example, when I eat a sandwich, I use only 1 piece of bread and make 1/2 sandwich, but then really load on the meat and veggies, so it's almost 4 inches tall! LOL but less bread. For things like burgers or hot dogs, we sometimes do a "scrambled" version. This means tearing the bun into bite size pieces, then topping that with the chopped up meat/cheese, then topping that with tons of veggies and sauce etc. This enables you to limit the bread and have as much veggie toppings as you want without being restricted by the size of your bun. Just last night we had scrambled chili cheese dogs and mine was topped with diced tomato, pickle, onions and peppers!

I have been using spaghetti squash and shirataki noodles for a pasta replacement. My regular grocery store carries shirataki noodles in the refrigerated section of the produce dept. It is VERY easy to make - basically, you just drain it, rinse it, parboil or microwave it for 2 minutes, and then drain it again. We made it for the first time last week and my husband LOVED it. It kinda tastes like Raman noodles, before you add seasoning, but it is only 1 net carb, and has a good dose of protein.

For pizza crust, I have seen some interesting recipes utilizing pulverized cauliflower. I also have made mashed cauliflower, as a substitute for mashed potatoes. Even my kids don't know the difference with it.

I have a great South Beach Diet cookbook. My favorite recipe in it is for Chicken and Red Lentil soup. FANTASTIC!

You can get low carb wraps that are only like 3 net carbs per wrap. They are very good, and my kids eat them too.

Another easy grain to replace rice is bulgur. It is cheap, EASY to make, and very versatile.

Quinoa - YUM! Google "Chicken Quinoa Stew with Spinach and Feta" YUMMY!! You can also make sweet recipes with quinoa, making them into great breakfast meals.

Crustless zucchini quiche, substituting low-fat cottage cheese for the heavy cream. If you can't find the recipe online I can dig around and try to find mine.

For breakfast I usually shred a zucchini and 1/2 an onion, sautee it, add chopped spinach & mushrooms, and then at the end I crack 2 eggs into it. I either put it in a low carb wrap, or on top of whole wheat toast (no butter). Fills me up for HOURS and takes me to lunch with only veggie or fruit-based snack in between.

Now, if I can just add more consistent exercise I should be good to go. Hope this helps & good luck!

Hi M.,
You have received so much good info! I have to share my story about this topic. Hopefully some of this info will be useful for you.

Background....I had an eating disorder in my late 20's...a little over 10 years ago. The bad part lasted less than 5 years. I went to through an intensive outpatient program in Northern CA where I learned alot about mind/body/soul and I had a great nutritionist. Just mentioning this so that you know that my current eating habits are a result of what I went through and what I learned.

How I eat now....I avoid "white carbs" / refined grains. Examples of refined grains is white bread, white flour, white rice, grits, pasta, corn tortillas, pretzels, crackers. Foods that I do eat which contain carbs are all fruits/vegetables, brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat breads. When I make a sandwich, about once per week, I use the Flat Out Light (someone mentioned Flat Out) flat bread. I eat alot of protein like fish, chicken, beef, and pork. I love cheese...especially white fresh cheese. I eat alot of vegetables, fresh or frozen. I eat alot of salads, especially if I buy lunch at the office cafe.

My activities.....I do not formally exercise. When I had the eating disorder, I ate next to nothing and worked out in a gym excessively. I prefer to maintain my weight/size by eating as I described above and by being active throughout the day......only taking the stairs, stretching when I am waiting for something/someone, when taking the boys to the pool I will swim laps underwater while playing with the boys, I love to do front handsprings and backbends at the house when the boys and I have some downtime. My six yr old boy can do a one-handed round off and is almost able to do a front handspring.

Other notes.....I love the book "Eat Yourself Slim" by Michel Montignac. I have to admit that when I first read this book, I was going through my eating disorder and took his words to "the next level" (not good). But after going through the eating issues and then subsequent therapy, I can read the book as a somewhat normal eater and I still find concepts that I like to use in my eating habits.

When you find what works for you and your husband, have it be your lifestyle and not just a diet...which I believe is what you are wanting.

Take care!
A.

Try Jorge Cruise Belly Fat Cure. It's a great book(s) that help you eat the right foods, fats, carbs, etc but limiting the carb and sugar intake. It is all about eating the right foods and not depriving yourself. It really works. The main thing is eating healthy "raw" type foods and not processed. You would be amazed at how many foods have high fructose corn syrup! We have started eating quinoa and it is good. When we make spaghetti I use the spaghetti squash and love it. Hubby and the kids still eat regular pasta. Me, I don't want the 200 calories and loaded carbs and the spaghetti squash works great as a substitute. Good luck.

Over the past few years I have tried to cut the carbs. Not totally, but here's a few examples:
-half a sandwich instead of full (about the same amount of meat, etc. but only one slice of good, whole wheat bread)
-only half a slice of toast with breakfast, or one small waffle or pancake, again whole grain whenever possible
-pasta no more than twice a week (this was hard!) and using fewer noodles, bulking it up with more sauce and roasted veges. I would like to go whole grain but haven't been able to get used to the flavor/texture :(
-and of course sneak veges into everything you can: soups, casseroles, stir frys, Mexican food, sandwiches, pizza, whatever, it will help fill you up without all the extra calories
I think cutting the carbs has helped and will continue to help me maintain my weight in the long run. I was initially able to lose ten pounds by doing serious calorie counting, and I have maintained my current weight for the past two years (yay!) Like any other lifestyle change it just takes some time getting used to. I no longer need all the bread/pasta to feel full, and actually if I eat too much of it I don't feel good. It's just a matter retraining your brain. Good for you wanting to eat better and good luck!

A couple of my friends on Facebook recently posted comments about tofu shirataki noodles. You can buy them at Asian grocery stores. Apparently, they are low carb, low cal, and don't taste too bad. I haven't tried them myself yet though.

I have recently discovered spaghetti squash. It's not half bad, as long as you have a really good pasta sauce with lots of sausage and mushrooms :-)

There is a flatbread called Flat Out that Costco carries. You can use it for your sandwiches and pizza to reduce your carb intake. It's quite yummy.

My husband has had great success by eating fewer than 100 grams of carbs per day. I have reduced my carb intake by default due to my husband's diet, but I just love my bread, crackers, tortilla chips, and rice. I have found that since I have reduced my carb intake, I have more energy and don't feel like I need a nap after my meals. I am not eating low-fat foods or cutting out dairy, and my weight is still stable.

Good luck to you! I hope other people post some yummy food alternatives. I'd love to find more good options.

Hi M., I don't know much about Low Carb diets. I know a lot about nutritional cleansing and super foods.
Deli meat - is NOT for the body. Please don't eat it.
Cheese, depending on how it was made, should be done in moderation.
There is nothing wrong with pizza crust / burger buns / pasta and rice - whole grain options are available.
SOY IS BAD. Sorry that is a fact. Please research effects of soy on the body. It has been linked to many cancers in women.

M., a healthy lifestyle is THE ONLY way to permanent weight loss and optimal health. Proper food, healthy nutrition, supplements and cleansing go a long way in your ideal health. Work with a good coach, and do it right.

B.
Family Success Coach