Low and lower carb ways of eating

[hummingbirdkiss]

I just found out I am grossly anemic! I am shocked! ..I mean I am a nurse know the symptoms .. I would flip out at the numbers I have if I saw them on one of my patients!

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Do you know why your counts are so low? I hope your doctor is taking a look.

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thanks for your concern ...it is

Motrin abuse

Thank you Roxie I am going to get some and try it (agave nectar)

I feel like I am working with a chemistry set when I bake low carb ..but sometimes I just have to have chocolate ...or I will toss myself on a sword!

Edited January 8, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[Roxie]

I just found out I am grossly anemic! I am shocked! ..I mean I am a nurse know the symptoms .. I would flip out at the numbers I have if I saw them on one of my patients!

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Do you know why your counts are so low? I hope your doctor is taking a look.

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thanks for your concern ...it is

Motrin abuse

Thank you Roxie I am going to get some and try it (agave nectar)

I feel like I am working with a chemistry set when I bake low carb ..but sometimes I just have to have chocolate ...or I will toss myself on a sword!

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I know that chocolate urge so well. When it comes, I eat a piece of a small square of dark chocolate. How bad can that be? Have you ever used King Arthur's White Whole Wheat Flour? I am about to travel for a couple of weeks, but when I get back I want to start experimenting with some dinner rolls that are South Beach friendly.

[lucylou95816]

I have some sharfenberger (sp?) dark in my fridge, cut into small hunks (maybe the size of a little larger than a pea). The past couple of nights, I have had a couple bites, and I am still in ketosis (since that is how I measure my weight loss.) Those small pieces, really give me the craving that I need and I don't feel the need to inhale the whole thing.

Tonight's dinner:

Chicken fajitas...marinated chicken breasts with peppers and onions in lime juice, a little tequila, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, cumin, s&p. I'll have one carb controlled tortilla that is 7 grams per tortilla. If I am still hungry, I'll go the chicken/stuff alone. I'll top with salsa, sour cream and avocado. I do have to be careful of the tortillas, since sometimes they knock me out of ketosis.

I am hungry and looking forward to dinner.

P.S. I just got my big bag of carbquick bake mix today (ran out of my box)...really wanted to make impossible cheeseburger pie (from bisquick) with it this week, but the damn oven is broken until maybe the 17th. Still waiting on that book.

Edited January 9, 2008 by lucylou95816 (log)

[dockhl]

Stephanie~

Do you use those little pee strips to gauge ketosis? It really matters?

K

[lucylou95816]

Stephanie~

Do you use those little pee strips to gauge ketosis? It really matters?

K

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Yes, I do. I guess the main reason I do now is that when I introduce a new type of food, like last night the low carb tortillas, I'll check several hours later to see if I am still in ketosis, and then know if that food product is too carb heavy for me or not. I am also a "results" person and the theory of the strips is that if you turn it pink, then you are allegedly burning fat, so it's encouraging me to keep eating this way, since I am "burning fat" when I turn the stick pink. I know that there are many opinions of the strips, they aren't 100% accurate, but you can see that when you eat alot of carbs (ie: Thanksgiving, Christmas, I ate alot) they weren't turning pink, so I know to back off. Maybe others can give their opinions about the strips as well. Hope that helps.

[dockhl]

Thanks ! How did the low carb tortillas react?

[Mary Lou]

re: agave nectar

Be careful with this stuff - although the source is natural, it is comprised of 2 sugars: 90% fructose and 10% glucose. Fructose is considered low glycemic because it doesn't cause insulin spikes. It is instead digested in the liver and releases tryglycerides into the system. FYI there is a high fructose corn sweetener (HFCS90) is also a 90/10 fructose/glucose blend.

After reading Gary Taubes book I was convinced that agave has no place in my low-carb diet. I'm only using splenda and very occasional sugar alcohols (erythritol and diabetisweet) now.

[lucylou95816]

Thanks ! How did the low carb tortillas react?

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When I checked this morning, I was still in the pink! I only had one tortilla too. One thing that I have noticed on this diet with regards to adding in carby foods, is that the first time I add something back, like the tortillas, I went out of ketosis, same with the first time I drank wine. Now that I've had those items I don't seem to fall out again. I don't know if there is a correlation or not.

I did have a few carbs for lunch today. I went to Fresh Choice, had a monster salad, a few spoonfuls of a flavorless soup, 3 of their meatballs in tomato sauce, couldn't resist trying their macaroni and cheese (maybe had 3 forkfuls, small) and then when I went to get my sugar free jello that was labeled low carb, I saw some warm gingerbread squares, that were just really needed a small taste...so I couldn't resist. I ate about a third of the square, which was really small. And it was really good. Still in ketosis!

[misstenacity]

Has anyone tired the AirForce carbonated drinks at www.nutrisoda.com??? Kinda pricey but I love them. Diet Coke killeth me. My little system cannot abide the effects of my lifelong love affair with all things sugar and carbonated any longer. But this stuff is fabulous. It is made from fruit and no sugar, no aspartame or carbs. Some of it is sweetened with guava. Cool huh. Plus they add nutrients so it's actually beneficial in whatever way. Like they have a Slender for weight conscious, and a Focus to help you mentally focus and a Radiant for nice skin. They add herbs or whatever to enhance those specific areas positively. They say it's good for you. And it doesn't hurt me, so...hurray!

I really like those, too. My hometown (over xmas) grocery had the 4 and 6-packs for $1.99, so I loaded up. Should have cleaned them out!

I normally don't like carbonation, though, so I partially de-fizz them before drinking - kind of wish they were "lighter" on that like Red Bull.

These are also good, but pricey:

http://www.functiondrinks.com/lightweight.php

...they only have 2 flavors that are calorie-free, the rest are more like Vitamin Water with their 50 cal per 8oz "problem".

Andrea

[dockhl]

For those of you who check to see if you are staying in ketosis, how do you respond to the Dreamfield's pasta? I got some and tried it last night; like it quite a bit and love the 5 gms of carbs thing. Sometimes I just need that texture with saucy meat, so I can imagine eating very small potions on occasion. What I am reading , tho, leads me to believe that most people are using it as a rare treat. Why, if it is only 5 carbs?

Thanks for helping me understand.

[lucylou95816]

Kathy,

The last time I had the dreamfields, I was okay. The first time my BF had it, he was out of ketosis. But then, he didn't really look at the "serving size" and ate nearly half the box. When I had it last, I ate the serving size.

I too am confused how the figure out the carbs on that..by going on nutritional guide, it would appear that there are more, but they have some formula for figuring it out. I know on some of the low carb boards, there is much debate over that.

I think if you were following the true Atkins plan, you should not eat that pasta until you are in "maintenance" mode. But I agree, its great for a treat every now and then.

I've been really bad this weekend. I went to bunco on Friday night, she had steak and salad, great! no problem. But then she had this and well, I couldn't leave well enough alone. Make that with dreamfields, since everything else is legal, and that would be good!

Then last night I went to a girlie dinner that we do with our friends and of course, they had Martha Stewarts mac and cheese, which is another one of my favorites. I don't feel too bad, because I enjoyed every little bite ful of carbs that got stuffed in my mouth. I'll just get right back on the horse today and this week.

[misstenacity]

The last time I did Atkins induction I could not get into ketosis. Those darned little strips turned no color at all.

I was doing everything right insofar as the carbs - 1 cup of salad greens daily and that's it.

However, I suspect that I'm efficient at turning protein into energy and was eating too much of that relative to fat. My ratios were probably 50/45/5 instead of fat being 80% such that would really kick-start the ketosis.

Atkins actually talks about this and recommends that you eat 1000+ calories of macadamias for a multi-day stretch (because they are 90% fat) to see if you get into ketosis. Hmph.

I will also pile on the rueful nodding in the "carbs beget carbs" theory....

Andrea

[hummingbirdkiss]

I have to sadly admit I was in hormonal Hell last week and caved ...so much sugar I am disapointed in myself that is for sure ....

absolutely the worst thing to do ..talk about begetting!!!!

anyway Monday is the classic day to say "begin again" so I am

no sugar or white food this weight has to come off I feel like crap!

there is lots of curried lamb in the fridg and will take that and a salad for lunch today ...dinner I dont know perhaps eggs .....

I need to force myself to sit and make a grocery shopping plan I am in such a state of disorder in life I feel like I just can not get a grip!

Edited January 14, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[K8memphis]

Y'know. HBK, this is such an issue. We KNOW we feel better, we look better, we sleep better, we think better, but that resistance is futile tractor beam lock onto sugar especially and the crack cocaine lure of carbs is just effin remarkable, insurmountable sometimes. I mean I've gone many months over a year 'being good' and then dot dot dot

Why why why why why why

why?

Is not that thought so intriguing?

We are all around better better better for eating the way we flat out know is right for us and yet oddly squared (oddly x oddly) we don't do it.

Intrigue of intrigues

[hummingbirdkiss]

Y'know. HBK,  this is such an issue. We KNOW we feel better, we look better, we sleep better, we think better, but that resistance is futile tractor beam lock onto sugar especially and the crack cocaine lure of carbs is just effin remarkable, insurmountable sometimes. I mean I've gone many months over a year 'being good' and then dot dot dot

Why why why why why why

why?

Is not that thought so intriguing?

We are all around better better better for eating the way we flat out know is right for us and yet oddly squared (oddly x oddly) we don't do it.

Intrigue of intrigues

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I love to eat and just want to do it like a "NORMAL" person!!!!

I now really just need to knock off this bit before it becomes more and more and more debilitating !!!..

we have been in a state of grief since November 11 and while I will probably grieve for the rest of my life over my horrific loss....I have to not let this affect my health so much ...seriously I have deteriorated more than I could have imagined in these short months... and it does not make sense...it can not change things...

so on the wagon again and really there are so many wonderful things I can eat ..why on earth do I think they must be 183% sugar?

yes it is a drug for me and in small amts when my life is stable I did fine but if anything is out of kilter and I try it just snowballs

no more excuses ..bring on the low carb recipes please!!!!

[lucylou95816]

I just ordered this book from Amazon:

"A Complete Low Carb Lifestyle: An Executive Chef's Low Carb Lifestyle Culinary Guide"

Gregory Pryor C. E. C.; Hardcover; $14.99

I guess he was the exec. chef for Atkins.  He's also the guy that moderated the forums sometimes regarding Crabquick bake mix.  I haven't received the book yet, but when I do, I'll let you all know how it is.

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Hello all. I just received the book, and have skimmed it. My initial impression is that it has some good recipes, some are repeats from Dana Carpenter and the Atkins site. I am a little leary of his carb counts. From the few that I looked at, the most was 5 grams per serving. Not to say that it isn't true, since I didn't really digest everything fully.

I would not (am glad that I didn't) pay $33 or $35 for this book. I am happy that I got a new/slightly used copy for $15 even though it took 2-3 weeks shipping. Over the next few days, I'll look it over and give better impressions of it. For now, it seems worth the $15 and 2 1/2 weeks shipping to get some different ideas for low carb cooking..

[hummingbirdkiss]

thank you for sharing that Lucylou I am looking forward to hearing more

I had never purchased an actual "low carb" cookbook until a few months ago when I bought Karen Barnaby's book click here

it is a very nice book with a lovely variety of low card dishes you can make for a mixed group of eaters ....she herself has lost a lot of weight with low carb eating .....my only disapointment with it is ..I already make most of the recipes in there .....but lots of good ideas.....I would for sure and will buy this as a gift for a new low carb eater who loves good food ...and even for a non low carber who loves to cook and wants to do more with out sugar and starchy stuff ...

the hormonal moon passed and I feel much calmer about food ...but now my detox headache has started again ...if sugar is ok then and not like crack why on earth do I get such a viscious headache every time I give it up??? it is worse I have to say than the one time I tried to give up caffeine!!!

oh well lots of water today ....scrambled eggs and Tillamook cheese with a tomato for breakfast and salad for lunch with all the trimmings...

dinner ..more leftover curry ....curry is my low carb salvation!!!!

[lucylou95816]

thank you for sharing that Lucylou I am looking forward to hearing more

I had never purchased an actual "low carb" cookbook until a few months ago when I bought Karen Barnaby's book click here

it is a very nice book with a lovely variety of low card dishes you can make for a mixed group of eaters ....she herself has lost a lot of weight with low carb eating .....my only disapointment with it is ..I already make most of the recipes in there    .....but lots of good ideas.....I would for sure and will buy this as a gift for a new low carb eater who loves good food ...and even for a non low carber who loves to cook and wants to do more with out sugar and starchy stuff ...

the hormonal moon passed and I feel much calmer about food ...but now my detox headache has started again ...if sugar is ok then and not like crack why on earth do I get such a viscious headache every time I give it up??? it is worse I have to say than the one time I tried to give up caffeine!!!

oh well lots of water today ....scrambled eggs and Tillamook cheese with a tomato for breakfast and salad for lunch with all the trimmings...

dinner ..more leftover curry ....curry is my low carb salvation!!!! 

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I've been wondering about that book. Can you give me a couple of examples of recipes that are in there? I have a feeling that I probably already have some adaptation of some of them too. The one thing I made last night was cauliflower, mashed up (which I have done before) but this new book, suggested horseradish in them, which was good.

[hummingbirdkiss]

Actually a lot of her recipes are posted here so you can get an idea of what is in the book... and they are great recipes I have to say easy to follow lots of fresh foods

Karen's book and recipes

Edited January 15, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[K8memphis]

This is a bit of preaching to the proverbial choir but there's a new study that speaks to the carbs beget carb cravings dealie we've been discussing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080118/hl_nm/diets_dc

That's the link and here's the gist of it.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Diets high in protein may be the best way to keep hunger in check, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a study that offers insight into how diets work.

They found that protein does the best job at keeping a hunger hormone in check, while carbohydrates and fats may well deserve their current nasty reputation.

The study, which will appear in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, looked at the effectiveness of different nutrients at suppressing ghrelin, a hormone secreted by the stomach that stimulates appetite..."The interesting findings were that fats suppress ghrelin quite poorly," Cummings said in a telephone interview. They fared the poorest overall.

"Proteins were the best suppressor of ghrelin in terms of the combination of the depth and duration of suppression," he said...

They also found that eating carbohydrates resulted in a strong ghrelin suppression at first, but ghrelin levels rebounded with a vengeance, rising to an even higher level.

Basically, the carbohydrates eventually made people even hungrier than before they had eaten.

So there's a study being published that supports the carbs begat carbs dealie that we knew was true all along.

Edited January 18, 2008 by K8memphis (log)

[prasantrin]

I get emails from Women's Health (and other health or fitness-related websites), and one article said this:

The amount of this sugar-regulating hormone you secrete may dictate the diet you should follow. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that high insulin secretors dropped about 13 pounds on a low-carb diet but only about 3 on a low-fat/higher-carb diet. Look in the mirror: If you store fat in your belly (have an "apple" body shape), you're more likely to secrete excess insulin and benefit from fewer carbs.

I'm wondering, for low-carbers who have tried other methods (WW, etc.) that didn't work, do you think you might be high insulin secretors? Or do you have the body shape they suggest indicates high insulin secretion?

[lucylou95816]

I can only speak for myself, and how this diet has worked for me. I don't really know how my personal insulin system works. I've tired WW and I've tired low fat, I've tried phentermine with 1000 calories a day and stayed under 26 grams of fat. The latter worked for me to lose many pounds, but obviously, I've gained it all back and then some. This diet that I am doing keeps me satisfied, which is the big thing here, so I don't have the urge to snack. I don't get hungry between meals, I am full easier and don't necessarily crave sugar, except chocolate at TOM, and I just have a few very small hunks in the fridge and that usually helps. I can't believe I was skeptical of this so many years ago. I also think that its easier to follow than WW IMO, since when I go out to eat, I can have a big salad, forgo the bread and eat some meat and I'll be good to go.

[hummingbirdkiss]

I get emails from Women's Health (and other health or fitness-related websites), and one article said this:

The amount of this sugar-regulating hormone you secrete may dictate the diet you should follow. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that high insulin secretors dropped about 13 pounds on a low-carb diet but only about 3 on a low-fat/higher-carb diet. Look in the mirror: If you store fat in your belly (have an "apple" body shape), you're more likely to secrete excess insulin and benefit from fewer carbs.

I'm wondering, for low-carbers who have tried other methods (WW, etc.) that didn't work, do you think you might be high insulin secretors? Or do you have the body shape they suggest indicates high insulin secretion?

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I think there are times my brain responds to sugar like crack (I have never tried crack but you get my point I am sure)...and it is most likely hormone related as well ...but I know is my brain that is the main offender ..it is those pleasure receptors!

Edited January 20, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[hummingbirdkiss]

I forgot I had this link ..in my frenzy to empty my "larder" I was looking at some recipe sites to try to use things up in a creative and reasonably "healthy" manner...

and found this...

I have not used it much...however my friend swears buy it so I thought I would share with you...

the bakery recipes look the best ..girlfriend says the tiramisu was a hit with her family and she considered it very good

low carb recipes

[dockhl]

I posted this in the Dinner topic, also, but it got me thinking about " Somersizing". Has anyone had any success with this? I am so eager to find a method that I can not have to think too much about

This is from a Suzanne Sommers recipe.

FLOURLESS CHEESE SOUFFLE