hi

this is the first time i have ever talked to anyone about low carbing--i keep going on and off the carbs--being torn by the low calorie and low fat mantras and being criticized for attempting this type of lifestyle

in my heart i know that the starch obsession i have keeps me overweight, depressed and tired--i have been back to cutting carbs this month and already feel 100x better--but it is hard going it alone-- most people i know know nothing about the low carb theories or just assume its stupid and dangerous

i would like to locate people in my area for a support group
(toronto area (i live in richmond hill)

any advise about meeting like minded people outside of the internet--actually chat rooms about low carb would be a help but i cant seem to locate any--the one i did locate is always empty

thanks
dianna

Hi Dianna,

I too am living la vita low carb and soon will be living in Richmond Hill (Oak Ridges) to be exact. My house is closing in December and right now I am living in North York. Would love to keep chatting with you if you want someone local but this forum is great to get a lot of different perspectives on the lifestyle.

The reason why most people are weary when you talk about low carb is that they've been brainwashed for so long and haven't found the "light" as you have. I totally agree with you that starch and sugar keep you down mentally and physically. I've noticed it too.

I'm in the process of trying to get pregnant so I cannot go totally low carb - I have to maintain a minimum of 60-70 grams which is still way less than what I used to eat before. I'm keeping the carbs up to that level by adding two fruits a day to my menu.

Keep in touch.

hi and nice to meet you

i just moved from north york myself don mills/finch area
so i am new to this area--i'm not sure where the oakridges is

have you been losing weight with your carb level at 60-70 grams?
i just ask because that is sort of following the "life without bread" program which sounds interesting--but i am afraid to go that high

today i went to few health food stores in the area to see what they had in the way of low carb foods that are starch like--such as this product called keto crisp--have you heard of keto products?--if you have do you know where they can be bought besides the internet?--i actually was suprised at the lack of products and knowledge that these stores had and so its frustrating

anyway--a little more about myself
i am 37 years old with a beautiful boy of 10 years old
i am soon to have 3 cats
we have a puppy but she is turning out to be too much for a small townhouse and so i am trying to find her a good home
she is a beautiful black lab so i dont think i will have much trouble

i just graduated from university of toronto and now am in the process of trying to find a job--which may be no small task with a liberal arts degree haha

hope to hear from you again
dianna

Hi there,

Orillia here, moved up here in 96 from Scarborough.



I started low carbing last March. I too was frustrated at not finding much in the way of low carb foods. I even started a business plan to open a store up. In time I found this wouldn't be a good idea as Low carb is still not too well known, or thought badly of. My overhead would be just too much to pull me through. Tis a shame as I would love to do something like this.

Welcome to this board, you will find it just wonderful and lots of great advice and help.

Check out the other areas too. There is a recipe section that may be helpful to you. Oh, and the journal too, where one can keep track of what they are eating and experiencing and receive great feed back too from others

Dianna,

Congratulations on your recent graduation from U of T. I graduated from York back in '93 with an Arts degree as well. My major was classicals studies with a minor in linguistics.

Anyway back to low carb, the health food store I use and find quite well stocked is located at Bathurst and Hwy 7 in the Promenade Mall complex. It's near the Swiss Chalet. If they don't have the products you're looking for they can order it for you. I find them quite accommodating.

Oak Ridges is in the north end of Richmond Hill. It's south of Bloomington Sideroad and north of Stouffville Sideroad sandwiched in between.

The reason why my carb count is high right now is because I'm trying to get pregnant and when I do succeed, I will have to keep my carb count at this level during pregnancy. I'm not really concerned about losing weight right now but rather maintaining and not putting on extra added weight during my pregnancy that I will have to lose afterward.

Before trying to get pregnant, I kept my carbs under 25 grams and was happy with this level. And when after I have my next child, I will return to this level.

I find that the low carb lifestyle is the easiest to maintain

Hi neighbours. I am down here in Don Mills. Yes, there are lots of people who say that LC is bad. Even though they have never tried it. You could always say that you are cutting out sugar and starch to keep your blood sugar level stable and avoid diabetes. Which IS true, because that's what LC does. They won't argue with this 'medical side" explanation.

One reason there aren't too many LC special foods, is that LCers can eat so many yummy REAL foods and still lose weight. Butter, cream, eggs, steak, lobster, crab, all those salad veggies & many veggies with BUTTER & CHEESE on them. Who needs fake foods?

Mostly, we just fear that we won't be able to do without bread etc when we go low carb. It quickly turns out not to be true for most LCers. You will be amazed as you look with indifference at a chocolate cake that formerly would have made you drool and feel desperate.

As for good stores, one of the better ones is Ambrosia on Doncaster Ave, just east of Yonge St ((north of Steeles). It carries bulk foods and whole grain things and flax seed (also as ground flax meal) and some low-carb powders for shakes. GNC is a good source of the Designer Protein Powders for shakes. You can now buy bacon rinds (also called Pork rinds, bacon puffs) at the Bulk Barn stores in plain & BBQ flavours.

But I'd honestly stay away from the bars - even Atkins. They have been cited as the reason for stalls by SOOOO many people on the various LC boards. They don't count the glycerine content as carbs because it is supposed not to affect blood sugar, but in some people it does.

It would be better just to eat LOTS of the things that are allowed. in Induction, feel free to pig out BUT ONLY on things on the list (mostly meats, fish, eggs). Don't go over limits for cheese or veggies. You soon won't want to eat more than a normal meal. And I find my LC meals are smaller than my carb meals used to be.

Good luck.

BarB

Hi Barb,

Welcome to the form. I use to deliver mail in Don Mills before I moved up here

Not really low carb related, but wanted to say congrat ons graduating. I am in my third year at UofT (part time) and hope to graduate 2002. It has taken a long time. I will be 37 when I graduate too. Anyway, the lowcarbing (a la zone) was what finally gave me the energy to go for it last year and I've been unstoppable since. I am pretty carb sensitive and now it seems I must do low-carbing as a matter of course. Problem is, I get hungry and can't wrap my brain around eating all the time. It's also hard when everyone in my life (kids/husband) love food and don't understand. I don't actually ask them to, though. I've got girls and don't want to precipitate eating problems. I just skip the noodles and bread and all the rest. Trouble is I binge once in a while. Oh well, I'll keep at it.

Hi Sylvie. I lived in Oak Ridges for 11 years. Moved out to the Kawarthas 4 years ago. My husband is now retired.

You NEED to check out the Oak Ridges Food market at the corner of Yonge and Maplegrove. They have the absolute best veggies and fruits in the world. Their meat department is outstanding too. The quality is great, but you won't find the huge selection of "odd" things that you find in places like the SuperCentre or the A&P If you like free range chickens and turkeys, they usually take orders just before the major holidays.

I miss that place soooo much. We have limited selection out here in cottage country.

The best thing you can do is read as much as you can about low carbing - read the books - Atkins, Protein Power, etc. It is difficult at first, especially when so many people constantly pepper you with advice about how bad low carbing is, but when you do it for even a couple of days, the results are so quick, its amazing. I am sure that most people on this board will agree that sugar, starch are the scourges of our lives, and have been responsible for being overweight, as wll as a lot of other health realted issues. Cutting these out of our diets has resulted in great success stories

I am pretty well at my desired weight now (give or take a few pounds), but people still come up to me and say that a low carb diet is dangerous, and not safe. Meanwhile, some of these people criticizing, are like close to 100 pounds overweight, and they are preaching to me about the proper and "safe" way to lose weight. What a laugh!! It seems that the people who criticize the loudest about low carbing, are the ones who are the most overweight.


There is a Health food store that I go to on Yonge, just south of Elgin Mills (west side of Yonge) called Down To Earth Natural Foods - very good store.

About the low carb bars, I know that a lot of people are down on them, and think they cause stalls, but for me personally, I have never had a problem with them causing stalls, and I love eating them (especially the Atkins ones) but everyone is different, and it may be a good idea to stay away from them until you have firmly established your low carb lifestyle

13 months (as of yesterday) have I been low carbing, and my only regret is that I didn't do it years ago

Stick to it, it really works!!!

Bill