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  #1   ^
Old Sun, Aug-17-14, 00:12
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Smile Newbie from the UK, two weeks in

So, I've been low/moderate carbing for about two weeks. I've always been a "low fat, high carb" kind of girl (years of mainstream diet advice which has only got me to 330 lbs or so by starving and calorie counting!).

This is the longest I've lasted on anything for a looooong while! I started out aiming for 100 carbs a day (didn't want to waste all the high carb fruit and veg I had hanging around). I'm now down to about 50 carbs a day and, glory of glories, my little pee stick turned pink yesterday!

I knew it was working as I'd lost 12 lbs since I started on 28th July, but that little pink patch means an awful lot lol.

I'm guessing I can stick at this level of carbs for a while, until I hit a stall anyway.

It's hard to break all the low fat habits, cooking with fats just seems so naughty!

Did anyone else have trouble making the change from low fat to low carb?

My goal is to halve my body weight. If I need to do any adjustments after that, I will.

I've tried to avoid the thing I usually do - you know, that initial enthusiasm thing where I start a new spreadsheet/measurements/photos, get all fired up and then give up after a day or two! Two weeks in though, I feel a bit more confident!

I think I've rattled on enough for now, just wanted to say hi!
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  #2   ^
Old Sun, Aug-17-14, 07:24
Elizellen's Avatar
Elizellen Elizellen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,733
 
Plan: Atkins (DANDR)
Stats: 290/141/130 Female 65.5 inches
BF:
Progress: 93%
Location: Bournemouth (UK)
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Welcome to the board!

Congratulations on your progress so far!
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  #3   ^
Old Mon, Aug-18-14, 06:40
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Default

Thank you for the welcome, Elizellen. The good news is I've lost another 4 lbs this week. I'm pleased with my progress so far and haven't cheated at all - a revelation as I've always cheated on diets before!

Thanks again.
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  #4   ^
Old Mon, Aug-18-14, 07:46
Elizellen's Avatar
Elizellen Elizellen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,733
 
Plan: Atkins (DANDR)
Stats: 290/141/130 Female 65.5 inches
BF:
Progress: 93%
Location: Bournemouth (UK)
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Wooohoo! Keep up the good work!
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  #5   ^
Old Mon, Aug-18-14, 08:16
Bob-a-rama's Avatar
Bob-a-rama Bob-a-rama is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,953
 
Plan: Keto (Atkins Induction)
Stats: 235/175/185 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 120%
Location: Florida
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Fats are good for you. Keep telling yourself that until you believe it.

Keep up the good work, gradually add good fats (coconut oil is great) and watch the carbs. We each have a different threshold for carb intake. If I go more than 20, I gain weight, so I'm a little jealous of your ability to lose with 50/day (but happy for you).

IMHO a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet is a very healthy way to eat.

I was approaching 300, and managed to get down to the low-mid 200s doing various starvation diets, then I found low carb. I'm no longer hungry all the time, dropped down to the mid 180s, and have kept the weight off for 14 years now. All my blood numbers are in the normal range, I'm in my late 60s and am on no prescription drug 'cures', so nobody can tell me the diet is bad for me.

There are a lot of nice people on this forum who will be glad to give you encouragement when you need it and recipe ideas that will fit your new WOE (way of eating) and still tickle your taste buds.

BTW, I visited the UK a year or so before I went low carb (put 3,000 miles on the rental car and went from Dover to Wales to the Outer Hebrides and back to London for a few days) and there is a lot of delicious starch and sugar in the typical diet. I'm glad I went before I went LC. I had a great time, met some wonderful people, and enjoyed myself (and only drove on the wrong side of the road once).
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  #6   ^
Old Wed, Aug-20-14, 06:56
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
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Thank you Elizellen, I'm still going strong!
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  #7   ^
Old Wed, Aug-20-14, 07:24
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Default

Hi Bob-a-Rama,

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated!

Fat is definitely good for you, after years of dry skin, eczema and psoriasis I can see a definite change for the better already! I've bought a large jar of coconut oil (I got a small jar as a freebie on Saturday and am an immediate convert! Love it!). Not only have I cooked with it I have slathered it on my dry hands lol.

Still averaging about 50 carbs a day, still losing between half and three quarters of a pound a day, which I'm ecstatic with!

Like you, my hunger has disappeared, I have to remind myself to eat. It's a complete revelation. I want to tell everyone I meet to try it but I think they'd think I'm nuts!

I'm hoping to have the same health benefits as you. I'm not currently on any meds but was diagnosed as pre-diabetic just before I started LC. I'm suffering with Achilles tendinitis at the moment so haven't started exercising as yet, but will do when I've lost a few more pounds.

Everyone seems to be so friendly here, I'm enjoying gleaning all the information I can!

Your trip round the UK sounds like a lot of fun, and yes, we do have a lot of starchy stodgy food! It does make eating out a challenge when you low carb, but there are ways and means!

I intend to visit the US as part of my 50th birthday celebrations in 3 years' time. Hopefully visiting New York and Nashville... Can't wait!

Thanks again for your reply!
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  #8   ^
Old Wed, Aug-20-14, 08:53
Bob-a-rama's Avatar
Bob-a-rama Bob-a-rama is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,953
 
Plan: Keto (Atkins Induction)
Stats: 235/175/185 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 120%
Location: Florida
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I do hope you enjoy your visit to the USA and that my fellow Americans treat you as wonderfully as you all treated me when I visited your country. I felt like a welcome guest almost everywhere.

BTW, I love Nutiva and Tropical Traditions brands of coconut oil the best.

And a nice way of getting more fat in the diet, is fat bombs (if you like that kind of thing). I don't know if it's good for 'induction' but I discovered these a few years ago:
In a bowl, mix:

3/4 cup melted coconut oil
9.5 Tbs. (150g) almond butter (can substitute Cashew, Peanut or other if you prefer)
60 drops (about 3/8 tsp.) liquid Stevia or 24 packets of Splenda (I prefer Splenda for this recipe)
3 Tbs. cocoa (I prefer dark, Dutch processed cocoa}
1 stick of melted salted butter

Pour 2 Tbs. into each of 24 candy or mini muffin molds lined with those little paper mini-muffin cups.

Freeze for at least 30 minutes, then pop out the Fat Bombs and store them in a bag or other container in the freezer. You can keep them in the fridge, but as soon as you hold one with your hot little fingers, it will melt really fast. Frozen, it melts slower.

Nutritional info for one Fat Bomb:
145 calories
14.7g fat (91.2%)
1.53g protein (4.2%)

They taste almost like candy and provide a lot of fat.

Bob
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  #9   ^
Old Wed, Aug-20-14, 15:36
kmme's Avatar
kmme kmme is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 432
 
Plan: 72 Atkins
Stats: 197/160.4/135 Female 5'6
BF:
Progress: 59%
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Hi Skulder!
Just wanted to add my welcome , although not new to low carb I am relatively new here. Been here since March of this year, everyone has been really helpful! I don't have a lot of advice to offer as you seem to be doing great on your own. Congrats on the losses so far.
Kim
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  #10   ^
Old Wed, Aug-20-14, 16:20
meintc's Avatar
meintc meintc is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,045
 
Plan: Atkins 2002ish/LCHF
Stats: 228/166/130 Female 5'4
BF:
Progress: 63%
Location: Michigan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skulder
Did anyone else have trouble making the change from low fat to low carb?


Hi Kim

Welcome to the forum. Lots and lots of info here. I hope you've pulled up a chair to stay for awhile.

I still have trouble sometimes with the high fat. I feel like it wrong sometimes. Usually it hits me when I eat and I'm so stuffed afterwards. (Like right now) I eat about half what I used to and I can't get over how full I feel. It's rather mind blowing actually.
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  #11   ^
Old Thu, Aug-21-14, 12:38
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Default

Hi all, thanks for the replies.

Bob, I made something similar on the weekend as I was feeling the need for something chocolatey. I got mixed up with the American measures and they ended up more buttery than anything else. Nice though, and they do help me stay away from the things I shouldn't eat! My son and his girlfriend also like them, so I guess I'll be making more at the weekend!

Hi Kim, thanks for the welcome - much appreciated. I can see there are a lot of friendly helpful people here. I think I'm probably going to be more of a lurker than a participant, but I'm enjoying it and it's really helping.

Hi Meintc - I'm glad it's not just me that can't get my head around the satisfaction I get from eating fat. My portion sizes have definitely gone down, it's fantastic! I seem to have pretty much lost the craving for junk food (although a walk around a local store with my husband just now led him to pick up a sharing bag of chocolates - he'll just have to eat them himself! I'm not the least bit tempted.

Going to look at starting a journal tonight - any advice?

X
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  #12   ^
Old Thu, Aug-21-14, 13:08
Whofan's Avatar
Whofan Whofan is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,550
 
Plan: Low Carb Primal
Stats: 170/135/135 Female 5ft.6in.
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: New York Metro area
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Hi! I'm a Brit living in NY. Congratulations on finding your way to LC. It feels great to find a way of eating that you can do without cheating, doesn't it?

Yes, I had a difficult time getting my head around the fact that I could EAT FAT. That was 4 years ago and now my favorite way to drink coffee is with butter and coconut oil blended into it - who'd have thought it possible! As for eating out in the UK, whenever I go back it seems to get easier and easier. I really think more attention is paid to the 'quality' of food there than here. More of it seems to be sourced fresh from local farmers. I just ask for whatever I like and request they leave off any starches or breads. If it comes with starch anyway, I just leave it on my plate. No big deal and no need to go for the stodge ever.

I have 4 year's worth of journaling and it has helped enormously in keeping me accountable to myself. I keep it simple, just jot down each night what I ate at what time of day, what exercise I did, what vitamins I took. I keep a small loose-leaf leather binder by my bed, and at the end of each year I archive the pages into a thicker binder that is put away in a cupboard and refill the leather one with clean pages for the new year. Honestly, I'm not a compulsive-obsessive sort of person, but jotting down my food like this has been so helpful. You can look back and see how much you weighed when you were eating super cleanly and how much you weighed when you weren't. That's an eye-opener, right there.

Good luck and welcome.
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  #13   ^
Old Thu, Aug-21-14, 14:21
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Default

Hi Whofan,

Thanks for the reply. I wish I'd found LC 10 years ago, I wouldn't have added another 70 pounds to my total if I had! I've always been an emotional eater and various bereavements and other family trials and tribulations led to me comfort eating in a massive way. So, yes, it is a revelation to find something that means I can eat cheese, meat, have cream in my coffee, enjoy my good food much more.

I spend much less time shopping for food now, after all, once you've perused the meat and veggie section the rest of the shop is full of rubbish. Good quality food has taken the place of the pile of high carb, low fat stuff I used to buy - and I seem to be saving money to boot! I hadn't expected that.

I've had a couple of great steaks when I've been out to eat recently but you still get the odd look when you order rare steak, salad, no chips, no jacket potato or no bread. My husband is a real fish n chip fan too, but I find that very easy to say no to.

I've always calorie counted, always kept a note of what I've eaten (except on the bad binge days lol) so I've got books going back more years than I care to count. All it got me was to 342 lbs. Now, my lovely new book is full of low carb foods and macronutrient totals. Averaging about 1700 calories a day at the moment, less than I've managed for a loooong time. I don't think I can give up counting the calories just yet lol. Carbs are running at about 50 a day, I'm losing well so I will keep it at that for a while. I wonder if your carb tolerance has something to do with your starting weight - perhaps I can eat more carbs, still be in ketosis simply because I'm heavier and I will have to reduce them down as I lose?

I've had another good day, can't wait to step on the scale on Saturday! x
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  #14   ^
Old Fri, Aug-22-14, 13:22
Whofan's Avatar
Whofan Whofan is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,550
 
Plan: Low Carb Primal
Stats: 170/135/135 Female 5ft.6in.
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: New York Metro area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skulder
Hi Whofan,


I spend much less time shopping for food now, after all, once you've perused the meat and veggie section the rest of the shop is full of rubbish.


So well said!!

I understand holding on to the calorie-counting habit, and that may be a good thing for you. Down the road, as you approach goal, counting calories may become more necessary. For me, I would not have been able to do lc if I had to count carbs AND calories. Just no patience for it. The first couple of weeks I counted carbs religiously until I got to know by just looking what the carbs would be. Also, during that time I just ate lc whenever I felt a craving or yearning coming on. Sometimes that meant eating slices of meat, hard boiled eggs, string cheese, avocados, almost constantly throughout the day. Yet the lbs just fell off. It was like a miracle. Then the cravings disappeared and I was able to eat regular meals like a normal person. I find that if I stick to non-starchy meat, fish, eggs, veg, fruit it isn't necessary to ever count anything. Easy-peasy.

Under 50 carbs a day seems to be how most of the posters here have lost their weight - but by no means all. Some eat twice as much, some eat no carbs at all, so you really have to experiment to find out what works best for you.
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  #15   ^
Old Sat, Aug-23-14, 08:04
Bob-a-rama's Avatar
Bob-a-rama Bob-a-rama is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,953
 
Plan: Keto (Atkins Induction)
Stats: 235/175/185 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 120%
Location: Florida
Default

We shop the perimeter of the store (I don't know about the UK, but in the US the produce and meat are on the perimeter).

A good rule of thumb:

If it's advertised on TV, don't eat it.


Bob
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