Going the low-carb route again, veggie-style

[tammay]

Hi All,
I posted here a while ago asking about doing low carb vegetarian-style and got some great suggestions. At the time I decided to go the South Beach Diet route because it allows beans and some grains. It's been fine so far, but I'm finding the added fruit and grains aren't all that appealing to me after having been 4+ years doing low-carb (when I wasn't a vegetarian). I've been reading Rose Eliot's book (which someone here recommended) and although I'm not into the Atkins-look-alike plan that she poses, I have come to realize that following some of the guidelines she sets would make doing a vegetarian version of low-carb possible.

So I'm going shopping tomorrow and starting on a more low carb diet. I'm not doing Induction-level carbs, as I don't think I could take that again and I don't feel I need to do it again, since I've been pretty adherent to SBD for about a month now. Actually, doing my menus, I'm at around 25-30 carbs a day but that doesn't include carbs in legal veggies. The last time I did LC I didn't count carbs in veggies and I found I ate a lot healthier and lost 30 pounds that way. With the veggies, I'm probably more around 40-50 carbs a day, which I don't think will be a problem for me, since they're all good carbs and most of the food (except for veggie burgers and veggie crumbles) that I'm eating is natural and not processed.

Anyway, I'm excited about going back to low-carbing. I just enjoy it more, especially the full-fat dairy :p (although I'm going to try to keep it moderate, only 4-5 oz of cheese a day and no more!)

Tam

[Gaelen]

Tam, if you're somewhere between 30-50g of carbs, you've at the Phase I carb intake levels recommended by the Drs. Eades in 'Protein Power' and 'The Protein Power Lifeplan.' That absolutely works as a vegetarian plan. The thing that keeps PP vegetarian friendly is that there's no such thing as in "illegal" food of any sort (except transfats, aspartame and high fructose corn syrup...and they're not actually foods, they're ingredients!) You count the effective carbs (total carbs minus fiber), and as long as the portion sizes of the foods you're choosing are under the carb limit you've set for yourself, and you're getting your daily minimum protein and enough healthy fats, you're all good.

There are some people who use Protein Power and don't count the carbs (or the fiber) in things like fresh raw leafy greens, celery, and other raw vegetables where the effective carb counts are <1g per serving. I've always counted everything, within reason (whole numbers, no percentage points of ECC), but it's very doable either way. I averaged 40g ECC per day for most of the first two years I followed the plan. While I am no longer a practicing vegetarian, I do meatless low carb (I incluge fish) for months at a time, and even discounting the fish choices, around 2/3rds of my meals are/were ovo-lacto vegetarian during weight loss.

Are you at 30-50g carbs with fiber subtracted (effective carbs), or does that 30-50g carbs nclude the fiber? If you haven't subtracted the fiber from that number, you're definitely well within the PP eating guidelines.

[tammay]

Gaelen,
I actually did PP for a while when I was not a vegetarian and I did like it for the most part. I'm not counting protein, though. However, on a typical day, I get probably around 79 grams. According to the PP book I have (the newer one with the chart) I should be averaging 27 per meal, so I'm a bit under but that doesn't include snacks (which I have not had yet today).

I am subtracting fiber, although I'm guessing I'm still between 30-50 even with it, since I'm averaging about 25 carbs when I subtract (not counting veggies which i know have a lot of fiber, of course :D.)

I'm curious - I thought I remembered that the old PP didn't subtract fiber but that the new PP book does subtract it?

I might just get out the PP book and take a look at it again since it's probably better for me to make sure I'm getting the minimum protein requirements...

Tam

[Gaelen]

I'm curious - I thought I remembered that the old PP didn't subtract fiber but that the new PP book does subtract it?

Actually, I think the original version of Atkins didn't subtract fiber, but somewhere in the last five years or so, the plan was revised to include the concept of 'net carbs.' But Protein Power has always used this equation since it was released in '95: total carbs - fiber = effective carb count (ECC). Phase I used to be <30g ECC per day; Protein Power LifePlan revised that totat per day to <40g ECC until health issues resolve or you've lost most of the weight you wanted to lose. Phase II, for people who don't have insulin issues, high BP or cholesterol, etc., is aroung 55g ECC per day, and transitions you to maintenance, where the ECC can go as high as whatever your recommended minimum protein is, as long as you don't have recurrence of insulin resistance issues or start gaining weight.

Hope that helps!