My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Low-carb diets

My low carb obstacles- cost, toddler, snacks. Ideas?

12 replies

Onsera3 · 01/04/2014 11:58

I really want to get back on Atkins. I had great success losing last few kg of baby weight in summer and felt fantastic while doing so. But have fallen off the wagon and have gained a kilo when really needed to lose another one to fit jeans! Haven't gone completely crazy and started eating slices of bread but still having trouble getting started again and here are my excuses reasons:

Cost- spend a fortune on the basic groceries anyway. Prob because try and buy everything organic. Make some concessions eg getting free range chickens from Lidl. But I'm eating carbs to try and fill up without doubling the meat bill. I'm still bf so get hungry and I'm worried about adding to huge grocery bill. Any tips or great ideas to save money on protein?

Toddler- husband is generally supportive, toddler not so much. Loves carbs and loves posting bits of food into my mouth. Also when he won't finish something so hard to not take a nibble! Do our children need to eat a lot of starches? He has protein at every meal but usually give him carbs alongside and for snacks too. Do people get their whole family on paleo etc? I'd be worried about depriving him.

Snacks- struggle to find good snacks. Once I've eaten daily allowance of nuts and seeds then what? Can't tolerate much fresh dairy at all. Butter ok. Cream/yoghurt/cheese not really. Looking on Atkins forums often find things that involve dairy and a microwave and artificial sweeteners all which I try to avoid.

I don't mind xylitol or maybe polyols but don't want things like aspartame acesulfame k.

I don't want to eat processed meats. Even organic bacon from supermarket has nitrates!

Lack of good snacks means I get hungry and reach for carbs in desperation. It also means that when I've stuck to low carb all day I haven't eaten enough calories despite trying to eat plenty of fat (ie 50% cals from fat). I'm 5.7 and still bf quite a bit and find too low cals slows my metabolism.

I've tried plain calorie control but it's not working. My BMI is 20.7 and my weight gets stubborn around this size. I know I don't need to lose loads but it's around my tummy and I want to low carb for my PCOS too.

Is organic, whole foods low carbing too much of an ask? Or do some of you do it successfully?

OP posts:
Report
AngelaDaviesHair · 01/04/2014 12:16

I am dong low carb and snack on mini portions of left-overs often. Soup or stew. Or mini avocados.

I would drop buying organic, or at least, pick and choose. The evidence for health benefits from organic is not great, I don't think. I know it is better for the planet though.

Give your toddler carbs, he does need easily accessible calorific energy at that age.

Nitrates will be fine in small amounts-once or twice a week? My best cheap protein is stuff like fresh mackerel and herring fillets, eggs of course, frozen fish and prawns, which I use for soups and curries. Cheap cuts of meat on the bone, like oxtail, are good for slow cooking.

Are you planning on staying mostly carb-free long term? I would have a few pulses, good grains like quinoa, wild rice and oats, things like chestnuts even if only in very small portions once or twice a week. Too hard otherwise.

Report
Onsera3 · 01/04/2014 12:45

Thanks! You're right maybe I should reassess the organic. Maybe just avoid the 'dirty dozen' of high pesticides. I got into it because I suffered infertility and when it was suggested to 'eat clean' by books and drs I jumped on board in desperation. Have continued because DS has allergies so added to my general food paranoia!

DS and I eat the leftovers for our lunch.

I think I need to look at more seafood, that's a good idea. I got a bit overwhelmed with all the mercury info so have been avoiding in confusion. Also DH only likes fish if it's battered! I'll have to hunt for recipes.

I would like to do it long term. I find holidays a bit of a struggle but once I'm maintaining my weight the odd blip should be ok.

OP posts:
Report
Parsnipcake · 02/04/2014 06:59

I was worried about how my family would be affected by my low carb diet, but then I realised that I count too, so I make low carb meals and just put bread on the table for the others. I don't cook pasta, rice etc at all, just extra salad or veg. It ties in well with the new guidelines, and no one has complained!
Snacks - I find once I was in ketosis I don't need them, especially if I am eating enough fat, so maybe add more fat to your meals?

Report
nkf · 02/04/2014 07:32

I would suggest that your weight is healthy and you should look at toning exercises.

Report
LEMmingaround · 02/04/2014 07:35

Err ketosis isnt a good thing!!

Report
Onsera3 · 02/04/2014 12:31

Parsnipcake- how old are your family members? Do they have starchy high carb stuff outside of meals? I am worried about depriving DS of things he might need so I do tend to make him a little portion of pasta or rice. It's hard to find out what they really need because some of the NHS toddler nutrition advice doesn't seem quite right to me eg orange juice at meals in the sample meal plan- not something I'd give him.

I've always been a big snacker as I am a hungry person - even when slim and not breastfeeding. Also even when making meals high fat there seem to only be so many cals I can make them when it's just meat and low carb vege. I think that's why I feel I need the cals from snacks. I'll have a look at the Atkins recipes to see if I can add calories to my meals some how.

nfk -I've always had good toning results with yoga and Pilates but they just don't seem to be having very much impact right now. Maybe it's because of the extra body fat that I can't see the results? Or it's a hormonal thing from the bf?

Thanks for your replies.

OP posts:
Report
Parsnipcake · 02/04/2014 13:43

Hi, my children range from 1-20 :). They do eat carbs - cereal and bread but I can't see that not eating pasta or rice is going to cause them problems - infact they love cauliflower rice! My toddler eats bananas and rice cakes too. I haven't noticed any issues since the food has changed. He is still full of energy and everyone is eating normally and not snacking excessively. It makes life a lot easier for me. What's also worked well is that we are eating lots of things I had avoided - avocado, cheese etc so they are enjoying that too.

Report
giraffeseatpineapples · 08/04/2014 14:33

It sounds like bloating or food sensitivites might be your problem rather than fat as you are really only describing a few lbs?

Report
nappyaddict · 14/05/2014 12:13

My DS eats low carb. I want him to grow up thinking this natural healthy way of eating is normal and not struggle with the mindset of having bolognese without pasta, soup without bread, curry without rice etc.

I buy cheap cuts of meat and use my slow cooker a lot. Aldi is really cheap for fruit, veg and meat although they only do organic bananas. These are the cheapest prices I have found.

Minced beef 3.59/kg aldi
Minced pork 2.98/kg aldi
Lamb breast 4.89/kg aldi
Lamb shoulder 6.49/kg aldi
Lamb blade 6.79/kg morrisons
Frozen lamb shanks 6/kg heron foods (these are a treat as they do come in a mint gravy although they are still low carb)
Beef brisket 6.79/kg aldi
Pork shoulder 3/kg asda
Gammon 3.76/kg aldi (I think this does have nitrates though)
Free range chicken 3.33/kg aldi
Chicken thighs 2.65/kg aldi
Boneless chicken thighs 4.99/kg aldi
Pork belly joint tesco 3/kg
Steak 10.73/kg aldi

I've got a long list of snacks that I can fall back on when hunger kicks in.

uncooked salad crudites served with homemade coleslaw, goat's cream cheese, mayo or nut butter (brazils, walnuts, pistachios, macadamias, hazelnuts, almonds or pecans) or to dip in a soft boiled egg (avocado, carrot, pepper, celery, cucumber, cherry toms, baby spinach, baby corn, mange tout, green beans, courgette)

asparagus or green beans wrapped in parma ham (also good to dip in soft boiled egg)

omelette or frittata cut up (sometimes have cold leftovers out of fridge)

scrambled egg

egg muffins

hard boiled egg

egg mayonnaise

chunks of goat's cheese

sweet peppers stuffed with goat's cream cheese

sundried tomatoes/cubes of goat's cheese in oil

olives

pickled shallots

chicken drumsticks

canned tuna in spring water

pieces of cold chicken, lamb, beef, parma ham, salmon, prawns

brazils, walnuts, pistachios, macadamias, hazelnuts, pecan, almonds

roasted swede, celeriac, turnip and carrot wedges (again sometimes have cold leftovers out of fridge)

lettuce wraps with sandwich fillings or left over chilli/bolognese, curry etc

pork scratchings

low sugar fruit so rhubarb, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants with natural goat's yoghurt, jersey cow cream or goat's cream or nut butter

1-3 squares of 85% or 90% dark choc

Our version of mini pancakes (make pancake batter by mixing a big spoonful of nut butter with a mashed up banana and two eggs. Place greased metal cookie cutter on frying pan and pour in batter)

Cream cheese pancakes

50g goat's cream cheese
2 eggs
1tsp maple syrup (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon - ( I add 2tsp as we love cinnamon)
1tsp coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix together using a stick blender. You can make them without coconut flour and baking powder to make something more like a crepe.

Spoon a tablespoon of mixture onto an oiled heated non stick frying pan. Like all pancakes you need to play a bit to achieve the right heat and figure out when best to flip over.

Philly comes in small snack sized portions - it's perfect for this, they have a really long shelf life, so you'll always have the ingredients at hand.

Frozen blueberries with more cinnamon cooked in micro till they go jammy work well with these.

It is a great way of eating for me because I don't feel deprived. You can make things taste rich with oils, butter, cream and cheese. After all plain bread, rice and pasta isn't exactly something to look forward to is it, it's the sauces you put on it. I just put those sauces on my meat and veg instead.

I also allow myself a recommended amount of 3 squares or 30g of 85% or higher dark chocolate a day and a large glass of good red. The one I drink is 13% and an "allowable" daily serving is apparently 273ml. They both have health benefits and they are a nice treat to look forward to.

If you have a coffee machine put dry ingredients (cinnamon, cocoa powder) on top of the coffee in the filter rather than adding it into the liquid coffee. I use 2 tablespoons of decaff ground coffee, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of cocoa per mug. It's much more flavorful than adding it after the coffee's brewed. After I have poured my coffee I have some vanilla extract, a dollop of extra thick double cream (some people have a dollop of butter and coconut oil also known as a bullet proof coffee) with extra cocoa and cinnamon sprinkled on top instead of milk and sugar.

I also have decaff tea either black or with a teaspoon of milk. Green tea, rooibos tea, fruit tea and herbal teas are all OK to have as well.

Report
nappyaddict · 14/05/2014 12:53
Report
nappyaddict · 14/05/2014 12:53

*There

Report
BIWI · 16/05/2014 19:58

This is a bit late in the day, but just to deal with LEM's post - ketosis is simply the word used to describe fat burning. There is nothing harmful in that! It's often confused with ketoacidosis, which is altogether different, and is harmful.

If one of your obstacles is snacking, then I think you are doing low carbing wrong. If you are eating a proper low carb diet, with lots of fat and moderate amounts of protein, then you shouldn't be hungry between meals. You don't need to snack.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.