This year, winter came, and I packed on some extra poundage.
Enough where I felt like a bear who was hibernating in a dead whale, ensconced then not only in his wintery fat but also in an exoskeleton of pure blubber.
Now, as you may know, I am a writer (*spit-take* *ptoo* “No way!” you cry, your jaw unhinging from shock, your tongue lolling out, your eyes bugging). Writers lead lives that… well, to call them “sedentary” is a bit of an understatement. The other day, a tree sloth and his snail buddies came into my office and were all like, “You should really get up and do something. You’ve probably got diabetes.”
Thing is, I’ve actually been trying to purge the weight from forth my penmonkey frame. We had been going to the gym, but with a pregnant wife that became less of an option so we bailed on the gym membership and instead went for an elliptical and a Kinect. I was working out and burning scads of calories and I was tracking calories and eating far below my caloric range and still the pudge remained.
So, I said, fuck it, and decided to kick carbs to the curb. (Though, uh, not the exercise.)
Within a week, I lost five pounds. After a month, I’ve lost ten.
The body seems once more capable of losing weight, which is a good thing. And I’m not psycho about the carb thing — during the week, I say “no,” and on the weekends I say, “well, okay, maybe a little.”
Mostly, it’s working out. I mean, I’m a sucker for meat and veggies. Love me some nuts. (Shut up.) You don’t get the spreading warm comfort of pasta or bread, but of course whenever I’d eat those I’d end up mentally foggy, wandering down the driveway with one shoe on and underpants full of dead leaves. I’m no good on bread. Any writing I do after I eat a big bowl of pasta just ends up being a bunch of ellipses and onomatopoeia: “Guh… … bbuh… zing. Yarrr… whuh… wuzza… wooza… fnnnn… … … GNUUUUUUHGHRBLEFRBLERRRRrrrr. Then Neo became Tron Solo. The End.”
The other big issue is one of variety. Dinners aren’t so bad, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult coming up with creative breakfasts and lunches (OH JESUS CHRIST MORE EGGS).
And thus I pivot my hips and sashay over to you, my glittery bedazzled hive-mind.
Anybody out there eating low-carb?
Hell, even if you’re not, I could use some ideas for recipes. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, whatever. (For the record, I don’t eat much processed food, which means no faux-sugars. I like stevia well enough, but the aftertaste makes me think I’ve been licking a battery coated in pulverized aspirin.)
If you’d be so kind as to ease your body into the comments below and give me some tips, I’d appreciate it.
Big ups. Danke-danke. Grassy-ass.
Becca Z says:
Hey Chuck,
I feel dirty for commenting on this, like I’ve crossed this threshold where now I’m one of those people that talks about their low-carb diets. Thanks, I needed more self-loathing.
Been following the 4-Hour Body eating plan for about a month now, and it sounded gimmicky as hell when I started (the boyf was doing it, so I jumped in) but the damn thing works. It’s basically low/slow carbs 6 days a week, with a mandatory junk-food binge day to kick your metabolism’s ass back into gear. You can Google it if you’re curious, there’s enough info on the intarwebz that you don’t have to buy the guy’s book unless you really want to.
My meals are a mixture of meats, bean recipes, and greens. Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs with spinach and turkey bacon; lunch is two lunches, usually (some kinda chicken or steak salad + side of refried beans/salsa/guac) x2; dinner is meat, veggie, bean/salsa/etc mix again.
The boyf lost 21 pounds in 30 days, and I didn’t think he had it to lose (he’s a musclehead, was trying to drop the muffin top – he did). I guess results for people with less body mass would be less drastic than his (mine have been) but bottom line is it works, and it’s the least painful low-carb plan I’ve ever seen. We get to eat goddamn donuts.
April 27, 2011 — 1:05 AM
Natalie says:
Can’t help you. I am halfway through my second week of 1000 calories per day plus going to the gym 4 times a week and the weight is coming off. 1000 calories a day means I can’t afford a lot of carbs, but I have some. One slice of bread, 50 grams of rice… just spread out through the day. And then huge forbidden chunks of easter chocolate on my evening binges.
April 27, 2011 — 2:02 AM
DaveP says:
Check out marksdailyapple.com for all kinds of recipes. Specifically for breakfast, low carb/paleo pancakes work well if you have the time. Recipes are easy when your google-fu is strong, and usually include a couple eggs, coconut or almond flour, banana, nut butters and coconut milk. Mine often come out either crepe-like or brick-like, depending on the amount of coconut milk relative to coconut flour. Robbwolf.com is also a decent source for recipes, as well as a portal to all things low-carb.
April 27, 2011 — 2:10 AM
Marek says:
Can’t help you there, either. Never had problems with carbs: I eat tons of sandwiches and rice and candy and I am always hovering near the “underweight” line. To be honest, that mental fogginess does not sound healthy.
Still, when it comes to breakfasts, I hear oatmeal is a source of carbs you should not give up. Down here in Spain salads are a popular dish: usually, you just eat the leftover ensalata mixta from last night.
April 27, 2011 — 4:19 AM
Andrew says:
PORRIDGE. Fixes everything breakfast. Forget the carb-ness of it – I freelance half my week and I wouldn’t normally make it out of bed were it not for the head-clearing abilities of porridge. Also, it’s effectively free, which is helpful when you’ve just grown an extra mouth to feed.
The rest of the time, lentil curry and brown rice keeps the mental fogginess at bay. Or multigrain pasta is pretty good when you don’t have time/hands to cook a big meal.
April 27, 2011 — 5:08 AM
Alice says:
1000 calories per day will kill you, especially if you’re going to the gym. Short term: you will suffer from ketosis and lose less weight.
I survived through my teens eating between 800 and 1000 calories daily because I ate enough for a normal person about once per week. I had a BMI of 16 for a few years and measured 32-24-34. I was a UK size 6 (US size 0). My hair fell out in chunks.
Dear Natalie: before you roll your eyes and dismiss me as some crazy stranger on the web who don’t know shit from apples, please consider increasing your calorie intake if you feel weak or dizzy and if this diet wasn’t doctor-prescribed. Thank you.
April 27, 2011 — 6:20 AM
Juliet says:
I’m not low-carb, but I eat scrambled tofu & veggies for breakfast every morning, & it’s awesome. Chop up a bunch of veg into small dice (carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, etc etc — anything you have in the fridge), throw into a frying-pan and shove ’em around for a bit. Add a suitably-sized lump of plain tofu & bash it with the spoon until it’s broken up (think of the tofu as a replacement for the egg you might otherwise scramble in at this point). Seasonings I use include turmeric, dill, cumin seed, nutritional yeast, soy sauce — whatever feels like it might be tasty this morning. I usually add some cooked rice, as well, but hey, that’s a carb, so maybe not for you.
Keeps me going until elevenses, anyway.
April 27, 2011 — 6:33 AM
Justin D. Jacobson says:
First, Natalie, I have to agree with Alice. Importantly, such a low-calorie plan is counter-productive. Basically, your body thinks it’s starving and your metabolism shuts down. You will stop losing weight pretty quickly. And the only way you will kickstart your metabolism again is by getting your calories back up, which puts the weight back on.
Chuck, there used to be a ton of low-carb/no-carb products in the grocery store back when Atkins was all the rage. You can still find some. Notably, protein bars and shakes often come in low-carb varieties. They’re good for breakfast because they’re quick portable and filling. (Also keep on the lookout for products marketed to diabetics, which are generally low in sugar, i.e., low in carbs.)
Also, pickles. Not the crappy, mass-produced, stork-pimped ones. Get yourself some real deals, garlic kosher dills that will hassan-chop your tastebuds. My brand of choice is Bubbies, which they carry at Whole Foods (at least in these parts).
April 27, 2011 — 6:38 AM
terribleminds says:
@Justin: Pickles! Yeah. Yes. Good one. Love pickles. Need to hunt up some new brands, though — I dunno what happened, but the pickle shelves at our local grocery have gone south. And now, the remaining ones all have HFCS, which is… silly. In terms of the Atkins or low-carb branded stuff, generally those have some fake sugar up in there and are otherwise processed.
@Juliet: Sounds nomworthy. Thanks! (Though, what the heck is nutritional yeast?)
@Andrew: I do appreciate the advice, but advising me to eat carbs in a post where I’m looking for low-carb recipes is like recommending a peanut butter after I just told you I’m allergic to peanuts. 🙂
@Marek: Love oatmeal, and I do eat it once in a while.
@DaveP: Great, will check out those sites, thanks!
@Becca: Interesting. Will look into it. Danke.
— c.
April 27, 2011 — 6:44 AM
Pinkwood says:
Well, after years of way too much bread, potato and pasta (all my favourite things!) and yo-yoing weight, I’ve discovered the only way to stop ballooning is to cut right back on them and up the exercise. Once you get over the short, sharp shock of hunger that comes with being deprived of all those delicious refined carbs (and getting up at 5.45am to go to the gym before work), I think you do notice a bung-load of benefits. No sluggish, sleepy feeling after lunch etc. As for recipes, to be honest I don’t seem to have the time (or inclination) to cook like I used to (it’s all precious writing time once the day job and commute is over) but adding some kind of protein (chicken, cheese, tuna) to a big ass bowl of salad is always nice. And I make a lot of stir frys (no rice or noodles though – darn) and Thai curries on a bed of baby corn and mange tout instead of rice.
I’m never giving up gin though. If anyone tries to take my gin away, I will bite 😉
April 27, 2011 — 6:47 AM
Tim Dedopulos says:
Wryly amused by the posts saying “I can’t help you, carbs are good mmkay.” Calorie restriction has never worked for me, ever. Low carb has; it’s not the diet’s fault I have slowly put the weight back on. You’ll undoubtedly get people telling you low carb is SATAN in one guise or other. Fuck them, dude. Haters.
So anyway I’m back on low-carb again, and it’s working again, and OH GOD THE DULLNESS. Breakfasts are particularly nightmarish, I agree, particularly given I hate eggs. Who the hell wants a chunk of meat when they first get up?
That said, there are some things which I’ve found more tolerable in the mornings:
Large flat mushrooms, broiled, with cheese melted in (and some garlic and oregano).
Kippers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kippers).
Sausage, bacon and tomato, broiled.
Little cubes of cheese spread out and microwaved so they turn into little crunchy platters, and then spread with pate.
Tomato, feta and basil salad (not too heavy on the tomato).
Stir-fries, oddly enough — chicken or beef, with spinach, brocolli, eggplant, courgette and/or cauliflower, plus soy, ginger and garlic.
As for general meals, I do a fair amount of roasting and broiling, but good fave standbys include bean-free chili, lamb and spinach ragout (slowly stewed together with tomato, rosemary and some onion), and ‘fasoulakia me kreas’ (beef and green beans, same basic process as lamb and spinach). I posted the spinach ragout recipe here some time ago, but it ought to be searchable!
The things that keep me sane as potato substitutes are broiled eggplant slices (plenty of olive oil, medium-high heat, to brown each side), and cauliflower, boiled to softness, and then mashed (by fork) with seasoning and a bit of oil. I particularly recommend rosemary and oregano with both of those, but then I would, given that I’m half-Greek.
Your mileage, naturally, will vary.
Incidentally, I find that for the first couple of days of low carb, I always feel generically low-grade nauseous, and one day off is enough to reset that. So if you’re feeling queasy after your more relaxed weekends, that could be the reason. I tried it that way for a while, but stopped, because the queasy was too annoying.
April 27, 2011 — 7:05 AM
Andrew says:
I totally recommend breakfast soups and salads. I find a bowl of Miso, veggie soup, or lentils is a great way to boost my morning energy without slowing me down.
Also it has the creative benefit of being totally customizable. Much like how you can always find something new to eat with oatmeal, you can always find new things to add to your Miso or to just some basic veggie broth.
We do a lot of miso with onions and spinach, or miso with potato, onion and egg. But we have come up with all kinds of mixes.
April 27, 2011 — 7:12 AM
terribleminds says:
@Andrew: Yeah, I’d totally do a breakfast soup. I’m a sucker for savory in the morning, so that works out.
@Tim: Man, some of that is awesome, but the real winner is the little crispy cheese crackers. Because — crackers! But no carbs! And delicious.
— c.
April 27, 2011 — 7:31 AM
Tim Dedopulos says:
Andrew: * b l i n k *
April 27, 2011 — 7:26 AM
Bobby says:
Bacon!
April 27, 2011 — 7:35 AM
Joe says:
I’m not on any kind of low carb diet, but this fine recipe is about the most filling thing I make these days:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3938/roasted-butternut-squash-with-goats-cheese
Instead of half a squash, use 1/4 to 1/3 (I think this is the source of most of the recipe’s 33g), and dice it instead of just cutting the thing in half. The breadcrumbs are a binding agent for one of the toppings – they can be creatively skipped without loss of flavour. More garlic and more olive oil. More spices in general – bbcgoodfood recipes are usually short by at least half.
April 27, 2011 — 8:12 AM
KS "Kaz" Augustin says:
I haven’t cut out carbs (love ’em too much) BUT…I have a standing desk. Here’s the Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_desk It was a bit agonising for the first couple of weeks but I persevered and now it’s a natural part of my work day, including my fiction writing. (I have a high wooden stool for when I feel I HAVE to sit down but even that feels a bit unnatural now when I’m in front of my PC.)
I don’t do any other form of exercise (I will, I promise, 3 days/week on ye olde treadmill) but have already noticed that the waistbands on various pairs of pants are looser.
It’s an American thing (admittedly based on old tech) but I think, this time, they’re onto something.
April 27, 2011 — 8:15 AM
KS "Kaz" Augustin says:
Oh god, you’re a merkin, aren’t you? Well anyway, swell idea. Well done.
April 27, 2011 — 8:20 AM
mattaui says:
I’ve done low carb diets before and they always work – it’s just the matter of turning it from a diet (which by its nature sounds temporary) into a lifestyle. The world is so thoroughly awash in sugary, starchy things that it’s very difficult to avoid them entirely, and due to the fact that they’re so darn delicious, once you start it’s hard to stop again.
That being said, I’ve been on a no/low carb setting for the last three months or so, and I’ve made some personal observations about how it’s impacted me. Most importantly, it does take off the pounds, quickly at first, then slowly, but then it seems to stop. I know I’ve been in full-on ketosis due to the changes in smell, taste and appetite, which is where your body has actually shifted from burning glycogen stores (since they’re all gone) to burning fat.
My biggest problem is that I feel like I’ve got less energy during those long stretches of the week where it’s salads, steak and more salads, even though I’m dosing up on high fat to make up for the lack of carbs. It can be a difficult, inconvenient and expensive lifestyle considering you can’t just have a bowl of cereal or a plate of spaghetti, though cheap and easy carbs is what got us into this predicament to begin with.
Recently, Gary Taubes has produced a couple of books on the exact science of the reason our bodies react this way, and I highly recommend ‘Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It’, since he really delves into the curious break between the metabolic sciences and nutritional-fitness complex of the last 30-40 years. An especially enlightening YouTube video by Dr. Robert H. Lustig called ‘Sugar: The Bitter Truth’ drills down on the vast misconceptions the public has about sugar and the impact it has on the body. It’s an hour and a half, but it’s well worth it.
April 27, 2011 — 8:41 AM
Geoff Skellams says:
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
3 large sweet potatoes, steamed then mashed (not boiled). Add about 2-3 cups of flour, or until dough is constistency of PlayDoh. Roll into a snake the width of a dime, then cut into 1″ bits. Boil until they float, test one and if the centre is still really dense, leave for another minute or so… Add whatever sauce, and BAM! Gnocchi!!!
April 27, 2011 — 9:06 AM
terribleminds says:
@Geoff,
Maybe I don’t understand food science, but wouldn’t potatoes + flour be a carbolicious recipe? 🙂
— c.
April 27, 2011 — 9:08 AM
Shawn R says:
I like eggs, so that’s not entirely helpful. When we were doing Atkins, breakfast was usually eggs & some meat (bacon, maybe a small beef filet). Was it a commenter or you that doesn’t like meat for breakfast? If you are good with meat, consider cooking a good sized ham on Sunday … a really well done ham is yummy cold, so you can carve it, stick it in a zip lock in the fridge, and just consume that in the mornings, perhaps along with some of the other suggestions. Look into doing the same thing with other meats that are good cold (and almost all can be quickly heated up in the microwave). You can change them up with the eggs, the pickles, a morning stir fry, to give you some variety.
When we were doing Atkins, even though you drastically reduce the carbs at the beginning, you get to add stuff back into your diet as you progress. Add some fruits into your diet, doing the berries first … strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. Those are apparently the least carb-evil of the fruits. ;=) If you like yogurt (blech) you can make a parfait with the berries. Or add the fruits by themselves as a supplement to other breakfast foods.
April 27, 2011 — 9:08 AM
Scary says:
I only low-carb for 2 meals a day, due to concerns about energy and environmental load (i’m vegetarian, but still cheese and eggs take a lot of land and water to manufacture). Not sure how many of these vegetables you are allowed but this is what I do:
Replace potatoes with sweet potatoes and make homemade jerk/sweet potato chips; serve with roasted tomatoes and peppers and houmous
Lettuce leaves with a dollop of cream cheese and smoked salmon in the middle, rolled up: or for vegans, houmous with olives.
Grilled mushrooms with tapenade or pesto
Peppers stffed with a med veg/feta/chick pea mix.
ratatouille with chicken breast (or fake chicken)
Dahl with everything.
Egg foo yung for breakfast: omelette with beansprouts, peppers, five spice and soy.
Recipe I picked up in china: soft tofu, chilli flakes, chopped mangetout, beansprouts and pepper, with rice vinegar and soy.
I am perfectly happy to just eat a big plate of grilled courgettes/aubergine, but I understand some people aren’t!
April 27, 2011 — 9:12 AM
Geoff Skellams says:
Depends on the flour. There are lower carb versions. As ChadU suggested on twitter, spelt flours offer a much lower carb version. Wholemeal flour is better than white flour as well. At this point, Google is probably your friend here 🙂
April 27, 2011 — 9:16 AM
Kate says:
My husband and I have done low carb off and on for over a year now. It’s one of the few things we’ve found that we have an easy time sticking to and actually works. If you ever miss having breads, here’s a link to the “oopsie bread” we’ve found–we’ve made pizza crust and burger buns out of it and it’s less than a carb per serving:
http://blog.yourlighterside.com/2008/01/sailor-scouts-make-my-revol-oopsie.html
I’ve made low carb meatloaf too–basically replacing bread crumbs with parmesan cheese.
April 27, 2011 — 9:17 AM
Brandy says:
I haven’t read all of the comments, so at the risk of being repetative, if you love pickles but find the options available at the grocery less than inspiring…why not make your own? I basically takes some veggies (or fruit, even), acidic element, spices, etc. thrown in a standard mason jar and left to ferment.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/good-eats/american-pickle/index.html
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/in-a-pickle-20-pickle-recipes-to-help-you-preserve-summers-bounty.html
Also, split pea and ham soup in a slow cooker FUCKING SUCKS UNICORN. *Especially* for breakfast on a chilly morning!
April 27, 2011 — 9:18 AM
Geoff Skellams says:
Oh, and that’s the orange sweet potato (or kumara, or even incorrectly called yams in the US), not white potato. MUCH lower carb content.
April 27, 2011 — 9:19 AM
Elle Rohan says:
Marksdailyapple.com is awesome. I also like Robb Wolf and have read his book The Paleo Solution as well as listen to his podcast now and then.
Paleo is the only low-carb type of diet I’ve tried and it does seem to work. But like you, I’m so fucking tired of eggs. Especially hardboiled eggs. Lunch and dinner aren’t too much of an issue but at breakfast I’m about ready to jab egg shells into my eyes before putting another one in my mouth. I eat breakfast at work so my options are pretty limited.
The other thing with paleo is they really spout “eat all the meat and veggies you want!” but I found that I was overeating. Half a package of bacon just doesn’t do any good for my body.
Now I’m trying to go with Mark’s attitude and try my best for 80/20. I’m back to keeping an eye on my calories though that isn’t my #1 factor anymore. I need to, though, to avoid overeating again. I try to stick around 1600 and maybe 1800 on Crossfit days.
Good luck and let me know if you come up with some better breakfast meals. Especially something that can be cooked/eaten at an office.
April 27, 2011 — 9:45 AM
Amanda says:
A couple of websites, along the lines of the previously mentioned marksdailyapple.com and Robbwolf.com:
http://whole9life.com/category/recipes/
http://everydaypaleo.com/category/food/breakfast/
Everyday Paleo is targeted toward parents who want to feed their kids paleo foods, but is full of recipes. Personally, I just stick with CLIF Builder’s Bars for breakfast, because I’m addicted to them and also I can’t bring myself to wake up earlier than I already do just to make a really good breakfast.
However, I do have a fairly low-carb chili recipe that’s delicious and could be used for quick, easy breakfasts (though I use it for lunch).
Oil up a big pot with a few tablespoons of oil (I use coconut) and spoon in some minced garlic. Chop an onion, a small bunch of carrots, and a daikon radish; put them in and cook until softish. Dump in two pounds of ground meat (I like turkey, or grass-fed beef) and stir until cooked. Toss in two 6 oz cans of tomato paste, two 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes (without added sugar), and two 15 oz cans of kidney beans. Season to taste. I recommend lots of cumin, plus everything you can find that is red, plus turmeric, plus sage and oregano. I’m pretty sure I use at least $2 worth of spices on every batch.
Serves 7-8. Keeps well in the fridge. Top a really spicy batch with some nice cold cottage cheese for extra deliciousness. Carrots and daikon optional – I just stick them in because I’m always looking for ways to insert vegetables into my diet where I won’t notice them.
Mashed sweet potatoes with butter and maple syrup are delicious, and also make a great breakfast. I know it’s carby, but I’d be curious to know whether it’s all carbs that give you brain fog, or just grain-derived carbs.
April 27, 2011 — 9:47 AM
Elle Rohan says:
Ok so it helps to read comments before posting. I should take the advice above and try soups or left over dinner stuff for breakfast to get rid of the eggs. Really need to ditch the “only breakfast type foods at breakfast time!” attitude. Especially since I don’t really like most breakfast foods.
I just miss my oatmeal so damn bad. 🙁
April 27, 2011 — 9:49 AM
Rob Donoghue says:
Ok, so breakfast. Interesting thing about breakfast is that American breakfasts are far from the only way to go about it. as noted with the soups earlier, you can find a lot of really interesting alternatives if you go international to see what they do for breakfast. Sadly, I know of no one good reference for such things, but a little poking in international cookbooks and sites like this – http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A930197 – may give you ideas. Obviously, they won’t all be low carb, but I suspect you may find some winners.
When googling around for recipes, you may want to add “Paleo” to your keywords. It’s the current low carb hotness, and while I think it’s a bit over the top, it’s proponents are as enthusiastic as diet proponents tend to be. There is an OK ebook on Amazon called “The Low-Carb and Paleo Breakfast Book” ( http://www.amazon.com/Low-Carb-Paleo-Breakfast-Vesna-ebook/dp/B004V1894S/ ) that speaks right to the breakfast thing. it’s not fantastic, but it’s also only $3, so it’s probably worth a look.
Similarly, if you’re feeling even more nerdy, you might want to look a bit more into “Glycemic Index” (http://www.freedieting.com/glycemic_index.htm) – short form, it’s a rating on carbs that measures how intensely it impacts your insulin levels, and is one measure for good vs. bad carbs. A lot of it is intuitive (white stuff is bad, green stuff is good) but there are a few surprises (some fruits, for example, are WAY worse than others). While not hugely relevant if you’re going little-or-no carb, it may be useful if you’re trying to just reduce carbs and reduce foods that result in the energy crash.
For me, at least, carb crashing was very much a function of the kinds of carbs I was eating far more than the raw numbers, but it took a lot of diligent logging to sort that out. Sadly, those were mostly the carbs I wanted to eat the most, but in making that distinction it did at least mean I could get more vegetables into my diet.
Anyway, I hope it works for you. No plan is perfect, but the plan you’ll follow is usually better than a superior plan that you’ll ignore. Good Luck.
-Rob D.
April 27, 2011 — 9:52 AM
terribleminds says:
@Rob —
Awesomely said and great information (though, let’s be honest, I’d expect nothing less from you).
I mostly don’t worry too much about fruits — I know they’re good for me and if I graze at them I’m pretty happy regardless of their GI-carb (G.I. Carb! The Great American Hero.. Sandwich!) ranking. In fact, grazing in general has helped to stave off the hunger one might associate with low-carb eating. I eat small stuff constantly. Even now, I have nuts in my mouth.
… pause for laughter?
Anyway. Thanks for the thoughts and info. Will go Google later today when the wordsmithying is done.
Also: this low-carb thing *does* make me all the more excited for farmer’s market season.
Which begins in T-Minus four days.
Excellent.
— c.
April 27, 2011 — 9:56 AM
Karen Ranney says:
I’m on low-carb for a variety of reasons, but I occasionally crave crackers. In addition to microwaving American cheese slices (cut into quarters), I happened on to this goofy thing with Parmesan cheese. I sprinkle it on parchment paper (or a microwave safe plate), into whatever shape I want (round for “pizza” or square for a cracker). Let it cool, then break it into large shapes and it’s a perfect crunchy snack.
April 27, 2011 — 10:08 AM
Genevieve says:
The two cookbooks by Mark Sisson are flipping amazing. Really creative, simple stuff. The quick and easy one is quick and easy, and the first one is mostly about how to roast large hunks of meat and then how to bake a bunch of stuff that you shouldn’t be eating in carb form but is passable in his form (lots of nut flours, eggs, coconut milk standing in for the other stuff.
Don’t bother with the paleo cookbook by Loren Cordain. Very boring.
I have found that I do poorly with no carbs, so I eat a lot of butternut squash or some sweet potato incorporated into a meal of veggies and meat.
I’ve found braising greens really spruce up eggs, too. Chard, kale, a mix, whatever – saute them up with a pepper or some butternut squash and meat bits, add a fried egg on top, eat with a dollop of salsa and some avocado.
I also like indian food. I eat a lot of curry. You can make a simple eggplant mush dish that’s pretty damn good with anything else – meatballs, chicken, eggs, greens.
Or pumpkin curry (pumpkin, coconut milk, curry, peppers) over chicken.
I love Tim Ferriss but his slow carb thing just kept me steady; I didn’t lose much weight with all the beans and lentils. Didn’t gain, but didn’t lose. Paleo kept me feeling much cleaner.
April 27, 2011 — 10:16 AM
evilla says:
I don’t really have recipes to share, but I can commiserate. I went lo-carb a lot 5 or so years ago – did Atkins twice, South Beach twice. Both damn effective diets when followed. I found both boring and restrictive though, especially because I drank a lot of beer in those days so it was torture. Anyways, my only words of advice are when you decide to not be lo-carb anymore, be careful to avoid the post-diet carb binge. The reason I had to do those diets a few times is because each time I stopped the pounds came flying back. But since you already avoid processed foods and are not being psycho about it you probably are in good shape in that regard.
April 27, 2011 — 10:29 AM
Shauna Granger says:
Dude. I knew you were gonna get lectured on this as soon as you said “low carb.”
I’m not going to lecture you, but I will say that my hubby is a certified personal trainer so I have to live with this shit every day. Men burn carbs better than women. Women burn fat better. You just have to switch to good carbs and start using measuring cups and spoons so you’re actually getting serving sizes.
One thing I will recommend is start following @DaveZinczenko on Twitter. He’s the eat this not that dude, he’s awesome. Everyday there are at least a couple of helpful points he’ll tweet about.
Two, try checking out bodybuilding.com because they have different calorie calculators and diet plans to help you out. You need to make sure you’re eating enough calories unlike the crazies who think its okay to starve themselves and are being counterproductive.
If you hit a plateau try checking how much sodium you’re consuming. It makes you retain water. We need salt to survive, but you still need to be mindful.
And I can offer this book: http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Muscle-Chow-Workouts/dp/1594865485/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3B37QTCDMIW9N&colid=ADY4RN6Q3IJS
It has some really good recipies. Some not so much, but it’s great to jumpstart your weightloss and you can alter some of the recipies to your taste. I highly recommend the muffaroonies, and yes they are made with english muffins.
April 27, 2011 — 10:34 AM
eyeamImran says:
simple things to lose fat. add kidney beans to rice, when ever possible. brazillians suggest that and we’ve seen their asses, i mean body fat percentage.
and carbs are ok, they’re not the bad guy, just what type of carbs you have is important though. go for the complex ones. sweet potatoes for example. and try many small meals a day. like 6. have your lunch in two sessions instead of one BIG one etc…
squats and push ups will do as well as any gym #boldProclamation – cheers
April 27, 2011 — 10:48 AM
Kate Haggard says:
I suppose it all depends on what you define as a “carb” in your diet. Processed breads, pasta, white rice, cakes, cookies, etc. You’re fine cutting those out. I still would keep in starchy fruits and brown rice for a little bulk through the week though. Or maybe it’s because I’m addicted to bananas.
I’m not a low-carb person myself. I like things on a 40% protein 30% fat 30% carbohydrate balance (my mother being an amateur bodybuilder and all, that’s just how we ate). But for breakfasts, I definitely support the eating of leftovers. Some days the left over bit of steak with romaine, a good dressing, a touch of cheese all wrapped up in a tortilla (your choice of flour/flavor) is good for the soul.
Although breakfast smoothies save my life whenever I’m serious about a diet – as I tend to skip breakfast all together and I shouldn’t. Just be mindful of the calories you put in it – bananas and yogurt make things yummy but tend to make smoothies a bit calorie dense. You could use a protein powder (I suggest whey, as it doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste of soy) and almond milk in place of yogurt if thickness isn’t an issue but you still want the protein punch.
April 27, 2011 — 11:05 AM
Dave Turner says:
As usual, Donoghue brings the thunder. I’ll ride his coattails by pointing out that “The 4 Hour Body” book (pimped above by Becca Z) is a nexus of the same information that Rob linked to. If you like what you’re reading in Rob’s links, pick up “4 Hour”.
I followed “4 Hour” at the start of the year, but fell off the wagon after a couple of weeks. As others have suggested, low carb is Dullsville. In “4 Hour”, Tim Ferriss tries to prepare you for that by confirming that naked fact. His advice is essentially to pick 6-10 meals you REALLY like and get used to eating them forever. With creative research like Rob’s, you can break free of Ferriss’ menu straight-jacket.
There are some more…esoteric sections in “4 Hour Body”, mostly the parts in which Ferriss lovingly details his unique medical history and meticulous tracking of his biometrical stats. One section that caught my wife’s eye, however, is entitled “The 15-Minute Female Orgasm”, which is an instruction manual written for men on behalf of women. So, “4 Hour Body” is, you know, teaching a broad range of life skills.
April 27, 2011 — 11:28 AM
Caytlin says:
I’m currently going gluten free but I’m new to it so I’m low on recipes, but there are two I can recommend:
1) If you make some boneless, skinless chicken breasts (we use the bag o’ frozen ones from Costco), and slather them in honey apple butter afterwards (from Trader Joes) it is /divine/.
2) I made a salad yesterday from lettuce, cucumber, chicken, shredded pepper jack, and the greek feta salad dressing also from Trader Joes. Oh dear christ it was delicious.
April 27, 2011 — 12:30 PM
Yahooey says:
My low GI breakfast is a multi-grain muesli, with seeds (pumpkin, linseed, pine nuts), berries (black, blue and ras) and yogurt. I change-up my berry mixes for variety.
April 27, 2011 — 12:46 PM
Bob Bois says:
I write my best stuff eating raw ground beef. Don’t get it from the store, though!
I get it from the farmer down the road.
We have our own chickens so I do the raw egg thing too.
Good luck, Chuck.
BTW: We had both of our kids at home with a midwife. You’re gonna love it. After each was born, I watched my wife devour two (2!) full-size quiches. Much better than hospital babying…Good luck with that too.
April 27, 2011 — 2:34 PM
mattaui says:
I just have to add that, based on these comments alone, it’s pretty clear that different strokes work for different folks. I’ve had people tell me I’m crazy for thinking steak and cheese makes me lose weight, but the weight does in fact come off. I don’t think I can get behind the idea that all men process carbs more efficiently, since all my body does with the nicest, most fiber-surrounded carbs is stick them right on my ass, nearly instantaneously.
I cook with a lot of eggs and pork products and make extensive use of cheese and try to add as many sorts of non-carb-loaded veggies to my meals as I can. Pork rinds make excellent fake breadding if you’re wanting to try and find something crunchy to add to your meat that isn’t your typical panko bread crumbs or otherwise.
April 27, 2011 — 3:21 PM
Laurie says:
I sympathize with the carbly coma feelings – I get brain fog when I eat breads and sugars, though white bread is worse than whole grain. And I feel much better when I stick to proteins and veggies. Mild exercise in short bursts also helps keep me awake – pacing to music, stomach crunches and arm curls with weights, nothing fancy, just here and there when I feel the need to stand up and stretch, or think.
If you allow yourself milk, my favorite snack is cocoa, made with low fat milk, a sweetener and a good quality unsweetened cocoa (skip the Hersheys and spring for the Ghiardelli, it makes a difference). The milk has protein and cocoa is good for you, lots of antioxidants. ^_^ I microwave a cup or so of milk until it’s hot. In the meantime, I put a heaping tablespoon of cocoa in a mug, add sweetener (I use 2 packets of Splenda). Tip: add the hot milk a tiny bit at a time and stir until it’s completely dissolved, then add more – otherwise, you get big lumps of un-dissolved chocolate. If I want to splurge, I use whole milk with a little cream added. I’ve also used soy milk and it wasn’t bad.
Good luck.
April 27, 2011 — 4:38 PM
DelilahSDawson says:
I’m also on the slow carb thing. In the past month, I’ve lost 8 pounds and gained one 50k YA book. Not bad!
At breakfast, I do an omelet with 1 organic egg, some egg white, some raw spinach, and a little low-fat, no-sugar turkey sausage. I fry said omelet in a little bit of pasture butter for the vitamin K. Add 1/3 a can of beans and some coffee with stevia and cinnamon, and it’s good to go.
I’ve also figured out that MaraNatha organic crunch peanut butter is the best peanut butter of all time.
Congrats on slow-carbing it. Hard as well, but WORKS.
April 27, 2011 — 7:57 PM
Sonia G Medeiros says:
I totally need to go low/slow carb. Too much sugar the last week or so and I’m feeling it. Brain fog like Stephen King’s Mist.
Does laughing burn calories? We could all do the Chuck Wendig laugh unitl you barf workout. Maybe?
Is there a secret handshake for my pic to show up? I have a wordpress id but it doesn’t seem to work here. Hmmm….
April 27, 2011 — 8:41 PM
Tom K. says:
Check out http://www.hungry-girl.com/ She has an email list that pops out recipes several days a week….
Tom
April 27, 2011 — 9:49 PM
Andrew Jack says:
I am a filthy vegetarian, but I have friends who swear by steak + green veggies for breakfast. If you want something lighter try using mixed nuts.
Also haloumi cheese is one of the reasons I accept the possibility of a caring universe. Sliced thin, cooked in olive oil with lemon and chili. It will make your heart sing (or is that stop? I can never remember…)
April 27, 2011 — 10:05 PM
Darcey says:
If you like lentils, I can send you a fuckload of recipes that deal with them (yay for being in India). If you also want to make paneer cheese (a mild cheese: take milk, add acid, strain through cheesecloth, put under some heavy books, press for a few hours), there are a bunch of veg recipes I could send your way. Today’s lunch was stirfried paneer, red & green peppers, onions, garlic (and a side of rice, but you could avoid that).
April 28, 2011 — 11:49 AM
annaliterally says:
Yeah, I developed a writer/whale physique of my own. Went vegetarian, dropped out the bread and starchy carbs, got back into yoga, and lost nine pounds the first week.
I miss pizza.
April 28, 2011 — 1:53 PM
Janae says:
I don’t think I feel your pain quite yet, but I’m definitely starting to. After going to the doctor last week, I discovered that I’d miraculously put on 15lbs after weighing 145 for the last 10 years! It was very disheartening, so I decided to bite the bullet and cut back on the calories. Girls get even less calories than guys do, so I admit that I’m crying inside with food deprivation even after only 4 meals, but I’m determined to make it through.
I don’t know if you’ve browsed the web for great ideas yet, but I can tell you that FoodNetwork.com has a fantastic “Healthy Recipes” section. I suggest checking it out.
Anything that’s chicken or fish (I love Tilapia so this has worked out for me) is always low-cal, of course and there are such a large variety for meals with them. That said, I understand your dilemma with breakfast. I’ve been eating (hilariously) a Lean Pocket. Or having a bowl of “Oat Revolution!”s Strawberries and Cream oatmeal. They’re in pouches so you don’t have to measure it out and each pouch has about 130cals. With some nonfat milk, it’s still a pretty reasonable breakfast. I suppose if I was splurging, I might even consider slicing up a few fresh strawberries to put into it and cut back on my milk a bit.
There are also a million different ways to cook up eggs. If you haven’t tried the sandwich thins, I’m a big lover of egg sandwiches. One thin is only 100 calories. So you’d pack a bit bigger breakfast by stacking a slice or two of turkey bacon and an egg on there, but… overall it’s still only around 240 calories if you don’t do cheese. A slice of American Cheese would add an extra 60 on there. That would cut my dinner allowance down significantly, but might be worth it. And 300 isn’t so bad, right? I’m not sure what your goals are for each meal but… It’s worth a try!
Also. Breakfast burritos. A couple dabs of salsa spices everything up!
April 28, 2011 — 2:16 PM
Unapologetically Mundane says:
I was a low-carber for six months or so and looked pretty smokin’ once I was finished, but I also spent a few nights crying over only being able to eat sugar-free Jell-o for dessert. So maybe it’s not for me, but I definitely think it’s the healthiest way to eat for people who are stronger-willed than I am. Not to link to my own stuff, but this recipe I found for flaxseed bread you can make in the microwave is geeeenius and got me through a lot of sandwich cravings: http://unbreaded.blogspot.com/2010/12/microwave-flaxseed-bread.html
April 28, 2011 — 9:15 PM
JPreston says:
One (carb) word, followed by lots of other words: quinoa. It is a complex carb that can be included in a low-carb diet because it is a pure whole food (paraphrased from some http://www.quinoatips.com). You can use it as a side, but is better if you incorporate it in a bean and veg. salad. My favourite, though, is quinoa for breakfast. I treat it like oatmeal: a little salt, a little maple syrup, and 3/4 cup of quinoa will stick with you better than oatmeal. Good luck!
April 28, 2011 — 9:24 PM
Ameena says:
I gave up carbs. For 5 minutes. I couldn’t focus! I had no energy! I figure I’ll avoid protein instead and take those calories and eat bowls of rice and tortillas.
I wish I was kidding. But I’m not!!
But I do second a previous commenters mention about quinoa. The stuff is awesome.
April 29, 2011 — 11:34 PM