Low Carb Diet Plans

Discussion in 'Diets & Dieting' started by Yvonne Smith, Dec 31, 2015.

  1. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    I am on a low-carb plan that I have worked into through trial and error, and just watching and observing what works for me. I think that each person has different requirements for a diet that works for them, and there seems to be all kinds of diet plans out there that all work for somebody.
    When I had the heart procedure, I wanted to help my body heal, and I started eating an anti-inflammatory diet, either eliminating or greatly reducing my consumption of all inflammatory foods.
    This was basically the Paleo Diet, which also happens to eliminate the foods that are inflammatory. I was feeling better; but still not losing any weight, and , in fact started gaining weight. This turned out to be because I had been taken off of Amioderone since my heart was no longer in a-fib.
    Amioderone is chuck-full of iodine, which helps stabilize heart rhythm , and also regulates the thyroid.
    When I stopped the Amioderone, I then became iodine-deficient, and thus, low-thyroid.
    Now, I take Armour thyroid , plus iodine supplements and thyroid supplements, and I am starting to lose the weight that I gained when the thyroid went whacky.

    I discovered that I have all of the symptoms of carbohydrate addiction. If I stay away from sugars and other refined carbs; I do not crave them; but if I eat them, then I can't get enough.
    So, I modified the Paleo Diet to include less fruit, and more veggies, and when I do that, I have energy, nothing aches, and I feel great.
    It is somewhere between Paleo and Atkins Diet.

    I have been indulging over the holidays; but I know that this was just a temporary setback. I didn't gain any weight; but I didn't lose any either.
    But still......... Life is for enjoyment, too, at least up to a certain extent.

    Bobby and I are going to the fitness center several times a week and I swim and exercise for an hour; and I can feel that my muscles are toning up again, which makes me happy.
    Since muscles weigh four times as much as fat does; part of the weight is fat turning into muscle, and it will eventually start moving back in the right direction again.
     
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    Last edited: Dec 31, 2015
  2. Lara Moss

    Lara Moss Supreme Member
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    I too am doing a personalized low carb, high protein, no white sugar, no flour plan and have come up with foods I love.

    8am Breakfast…Spanish Omelet, extra sharp cheddar cheese, smoked paprika, ground pepper, and fresh salsa, Coffee, Almond Milk (unsweetened unflavored)

    10:00am Snack…..1/4Cup fresh Blueberries (antioxidants for immune system)

    12noon Lunch……fresh organic green raw/steamed salad (just learned not to eat raw kale everyday as it inhibits thyroid function; steamed is ok)
    additions to my BLT salad are kale, romaine, tomato, 3 slices crisp bacon crumbled, roasted sesame seeds (gives a toast flavor without the bread), and a balsamic vinegar/garlic/olive oil sale dressing (i mix a little mayo in that if doing the BLT salad)

    3pm Snack……1/4 frozen banana for potassium (high in carbs thus small portion)

    6pm Dinner…Broccoli, Meat or Fish (chicken is my preferred meat, salmon is my preferred fish)

    Nothing after 6:30pm and nothing in the middle of the night

    Exercise: 45 minutes of swimming…goal is everyday but ends up more like 5X a day
    Daily Supplements: Complete Omega3,6,9 (unless I'm having salmon), D3/VitC combo, and B-12
    I think my Supplements need tweaking because I don't take a daily multi-vitamin
     
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    Last edited: Jan 2, 2016
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  3. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    When at home that is my way of eating, it's not my diet...it's the way I always eat and have for years now

    There hasn't been flour or sugar in my pantry probably since my husband died. There are also no chips or cookies or anything like that either.

    I never eat later than 5 PM ....my addiction is sugar free popsicles. I always have those on hand. I drink plain water.

    Most of my meals consist of a protein and a veggie.

    I just take D and when I remember an omega.

    When I gained weight after quitting smoking 8 yrs ago the diet that worked for me was South Beach and the 17 day diet...both are low carb but not as strict as atkins.
     
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  4. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    I don't know what you'd call what I'm doing. I was on a low carb for a while back in 2014 but it didn't achieve what I wanted so I started counting calories. I 'm not counting calories now but I do watch what I eat and I'm trying to eat less. Eating more fruit and more salads and trying to limit high fat calories. dieting is hard and what works for one will not necessarily work for another.
     
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  5. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    Well, I did gain a couple lbs so for the next 2 weeks at home I'm dieting.

    For breakfast I'll have an egg white omelet with Swiss cheese and spinach....it will be less than 200 calories.
     
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  6. Sheldon Scott

    Sheldon Scott Supreme Member
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    The most simple diet to lose weight works best for me....Eat less, exercise more.

    I don't count calories, eliminate anything or stress anything. There are two important steps to follow.

    !. Eat small amounts several times a day

    2. Variety. Eat as large a variety of foods as possible. No one food or group of foods has everything your body needs.

    I don't get as much exercise as I used to, so I have to eat less.
     
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  7. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    I also think the less weight you have to lose the harder it is. When I was losing the 25+ lbs I gained after quitting smoking , the weight came off faster. Now it will take me a month to lose these 3 -4 lbs.

    Well if I did 900 calories or less it would come off faster but it would go right back on. Slow is better.
     
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  8. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
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    I think the lack of exercise might be part of why I have gained weight the last year. I used to work out with hand weights and elastic bands. I have not been doing it recently. Note to self (OK, Missy! Get back to it!) I started back this morning.

    I am also thinking of reducing carbs. I won't do the very low carb diet because I would have to eliminate so many of the fruits and veggies that I like. For instance, sweet potatoes are one of my favorite veggies. I refuse to give them up. Ditto corn, beets and bananas. I can do without desserts and most bread. So, I will try to find ways to cut as many carbs as I can.

    I like yogurt for breakfast. I bought Dannon Light and Fit Greek yogurt Friday because it has less carbs than the Food Lion brand. This morning, I checked the labels and Dannon Light and Fit has 80 calories & 8 g of carbs in 5.3 oz. The Food Lion brand has 100 calories and 19 g of carbs in 6 oz.. I much prefer the taste of the Food Lion brand. So, will I save enough carbs by buying the Dannon yogurt to make it worth while?
     
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  9. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    I also like sweet potatoes and all the squashes and do eat those.
     
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  10. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
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    Chrissy, I just noticed you live in the raisin capital of the world. Add raisins to my favorite foods list. :) When I cook oatmeal, I put raisins in it.
     
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  11. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
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    How many carbs can you have per day and still consider it a low carb diet?
     
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  12. Lara Moss

    Lara Moss Supreme Member
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    17 - 19 grams of carbs a day is considered low and appropriate if you are trying to lose weight. To maintain, you can gradually up that to, I think it's 55 grams? No less than 17 grams though.
     
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  13. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Today, I weigh just over 5 lbs less than I did last Saturday. This is good; but there are several factors that figure into this.
    Part of the issue is because of the heart failure, I gain or lose several pounds on a regular basis, depending on whether my body is holding water, or whether the lasix does its job and I am shedding water.
    So, even if I have done nothing different, I can gain or lose several pounds overnight.
    The other factor (and this is a positive one) is that I am exercising several times per week, and I can feel my body toning up and the muscles getting stronger. However, muscle weighs four times as much as fat, so even if I am actually losing fat; but gaining muscle, I will still weigh the same, or even gain weight.
    All in all, part of the difference IS fat loss, I am sure; and I am feeling great about this part !
     
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    Last edited: Jan 9, 2016
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  14. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    Good for you, Yvonne. Hoping your efforts continue to be positive. And I hope mine do, too.
     
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  15. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Thank you, @Bill Boggs , and I hope the same for you in your weight loss efforts !
    This has been a long time in coming for me.
    In 2000, I weighed 145, and was in good physical shape. I lived in the country, had farm-type chores to do after work each evening, and then walked with my dog 3-4 miles each night. On my days off, I rode horseback most of the day, when the weather permitted.
    In the summer, I rototilled the garden, and raked and burned brush, clearing the property. In the winter, I shoveled snow. A LOT of snow !
    Then, my a-fib got a lot worse, and the heart failure developed, and I went from all of that exercise to not being able to even walk out the front door to the mail box.
    It was discouraging.
    For the next 14 years, my heart and my health continued to deteriorate,until the heart was only functioning at about 23%EF. I huffed and puffed just walking through the house.

    Last year, my doctor recommended an operation on my heart, which stopped the a-fib, and since then, even the heart failure has gradually gotten better.
    I am finally able to exercise again; but I know that it will take a while to lose the weight and also to build the muscle tone back up to even close to what it once was.
    Being able to go to the fitness center and swim has helped me tremendously, and even if I never make it to that goal of being 145 again; I know that I will at least be better than I am today, and that is what counts most.

    Me in Virginia (visiting Robin) in 2000. image.jpeg
     
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