This low carb diet is jangleplatz!

[problemaddict]

Not only do I get to eat as much bacon as I want, but I also lost 10lbs in a week! But that's not why I'm writing. I'm writing because some of the low-carb recipes out there for substitutes for hi-carb stuff are funny as hell.

If I gave you the following ingredients, what do you think we'd be making?

2 eggs
1/4 C Heavy Cream
1 bag of pork rinds
3 packets of Splenda
1/4 t of Cinnamon
dash of Nutmeg

It sounds like one of those EPIC MEALTIME videos from youtube...

I'm about to go cook it up, I'll let you know what it is and how it turns out in a bit.

[Zim]

Really porky cinnamon rolls? Rind Pudding?

I just started WW and I can eat as much fruits and vegetables that I want. Wait a minute...

I WANT BACON!!!

[piccini9]

ORDINARY!!!

[Toonce(s)]

Yup. I haven't ingested refined carbs of any kind in 6 weeks, but consume bacon and heavy cream on a regular basis. Down 16 pounds so far and haven't craved sweets since week two. Instead of getting weak and hungry trying to keep within my calorie limit I just burn fat.
Winning!

FYI this is kind of a bastardization of Oz, Atkins and Paleo but by Great Odin's Ravens it works.

[DerGolgo]

I wish to know more about this low-carb diet.
Can I subscribe to your pamphlets?

[rolly]

I wish to know more about this low-carb diet.
Can I subscribe to your pamphlets?

I too would like to know more

[problemaddict]

I wish to know more about this low-carb diet.
Can I subscribe to your pamphlets?

I too would like to know more

Its pretty simple. I'll explain it in one easy steps.

1. Don't eat carbs



Oh, and the recipe?

PORK RIND PANCAKES with BACON!



Given the ingredients list, it was a pretty remarkable facsimile of a pancake and when slathered with butter and syrup made with sugar-free apricot jam, it was pretty damn tasty! A bit spongier in texture and meatier in flavor, but very pancake-ish nonetheless...

[DerGolgo]

Do you count calories at all?

[rolly]

Wait, what about beer?

[Toonce(s)]

My version is similar, but allows some complex carbs. I tried full blown Atkins but had unwelcome side effects.

Simplicity!

- Completely banish refined foods from your life. No sugars or refined flours of any kind. Gone!
- Fat is your friend. It should be at least half of your calories. You need to eat fat to burn fat, oddly.
- Allowable carbs are FRESH BERRIES, occasional other whole fruit and occasional 100% WHOLE GRAIN bread or pasta or brown rice.
- Count calories so you don't overdo it, but it is EASY now, because hunger and cravings vanish. Just for reference really.
- No artificial sweeteners either, don't want to cornfuse the brain.
- Beer and wine and hard likker are fine once in a while, cause I say so!

That's it.

Choose high fat foods over alternative, like FULL FAT yogurt over skim or 2%; HEAVY CREAM over half and half.
Dark meat over white. Whole milk derived cheese over reduced fat. Smoked salmon, bacon, steak, bacon, butter, bacon...
I also have fallen in love with FRESH COCONUT because it is high in good fats but has a needed laxative effect to keep things moving along. TMI perhaps but this can be a real pitfall for low carb.

p.s. Be careful where you pass wind, it will be like cat farts after your fat burning metabolism kicks in. Fair warning.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
HERE IS A RECIPE THAT I INVENTED SO I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE THREAD INSTEAD OF HIJACKING IT:

BACON PARFAIT:
- 1 container Fage Total (full fat) greek yogurt.
- Fresh berries (blueberries, blackberried, strawberries)
- BACON!!!

Put the yogurt in a bowl, top with berries and serve with 4-5 pieces of bacon. This is PURE HEAVEN.
The yogurt is 50 percent fat calories and 50 percent protein calories, so it is nearly a perfect food.
The berries are full of vitamins and are the optimum way to get sweet and natural carbs.
The bacon is BACON!!!!
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

[problemaddict]

Wait, what about beer?

I actually went to a beer fest last night probably drank the equivalent of 10 beers or so, and STILL lost 1 pound between yesterday and today.

But, yeah, beer is pretty much verboten and I'll be switching to spirits for the next few weeks...

And, no, i haven't been counting calories at all. I've been sorta keeping a tab on carbs cuz I read somewhere that the first stage of Atkins you are limited to 20 grams of carbs per day. I eat alot of cheese blocks, meat sticks (slim jim type), jerky, lunch meat (with romain lettuce as the 'bread'), bacon, pepperoni, rotisserie chicken, eggs, etc.
I've had some broccoli (dunked in bleu cheese dressing) and some salsa, and lettuce/tomato/onion/peppers that were on a sandwich (threw away the bread) and a few other veggies here and there.

Cravings are nearly nil. Hunger pangs are nearly non-existent.

As far as TMI stuff, I've had much less gas than on my usual diet and I"ve added fiber tablets to my diet and that has helped in the waste department.

Try it for a week and see what happens. I started loosing weight right away...

[Toonce(s)]

Wait, what about beer?

Cravings are nearly nil. Hunger pangs are nearly non-existent.

As far as TMI stuff, I've had much less gas than on my usual diet and I"ve added fiber tablets to my diet and that has helped in the waste department.

++

The lack of cravings is profound. This is a completely different situation than just counting calories.

Very little gas, but look out when you do; Cat gas indeed, because you are more or less eating like a tiger or a bear. Really, if you have a cat, notice that they rarely toot, but when they do, Run!

[DerGolgo]

What about non-berry fruit? Apples, grapes, peaches?

[Toonce(s)]

What about non-berry fruit? Apples, grapes, peaches?

Bananas are a perfect food in many respects, so I will eat a few bananas a week, especially before lifting weights. They are starchy and high carb though, so from the Atkins perspective they are forbidden.
The odd apple or citrus is great too, it just has to be WHOLE, no juices.

These mods are my own preference after discovering the benefits of the fat-friendly Atkins approach (the fat burning metabolism vs. the sugar burning metabolism) but bonking due to lack of vitamins and roughage. This is where elements of Paleo (caveman) and Oz (mediteranean) appear as compromises to straight Atkins. Note that in all three of these systems, refined foods are completely forbidden. I think that common element is the most significant.

I have lost weight before doing calorie counting, i.e. the Hacker's Diet, Richard Simmons, WW... but it was a constant struggle. This is remarkably different. If you can banish sugar and flour from your life... that is the hard part, but it also makes it easy.

Trying to merely limit intake of sugar and white flour does not work for me at all, from experience. Any middle ground here is a slippery slope and metabolic confusion.

[Sisyphus]

Sounds like what you all need is the GFCF diet. Gluten Free, Casien Free.
If you've had bowel issues, rashes, bloating, gas (nasty, foul gas), uspset stomach after meals, bad breath, etc. then you most likely have a sensitivity or allergy to gluten or casien, the two protiens in grains and dairy respectively.
A systemic reaction includes dark circles under the eyes, depression, irritability, lethargy, and inflammation. The inflammation in particular is all-over.
So if you're trying to clean up your diet, get rid of processed foods, sugars (cane sugar, corn syrup, fake sweeteners), all that stuff. To boot, buy organic stuff you know hasn't been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
Good luck.
Pay your grocer or pay your doctor.

[Toonce(s)]

Yeah, I spent a few years cooking gluten-free when the wife was misdiagnosed as celiac. It was actually her gallbladder acting up, but glutens and grains can be evil in themselves. Also, nightshades (any kind of potato, peppers) can aggravate arthritis and joint inflammation. Dropping nightshades has helped the wheeled one (derby wife) manage her knee arthritis while skating.

[flounder]

As a diabetic, I've looked at the beers....if you like the microbrew type stuff you're in trouble.

If your looking for something that isnt a huge carb hit and gives you a beer taste....Michelob Ultra and Bud Natural Ice I believe each have only 3 carbs per can/bottle. Yeah, the Ice is somewhat swill like, the Ultra is better but a little more expensive....but decent.

If your checking blood sugars at all, just remember your body processes the alcohol first and then the other carbs you might have eaten. So your blood sugar will drop before coming back up. Do NOT scarf down a bunch of sugar trying to compensate as your sugar level will then travel to the moon. (dont ask me how i know this...)

[motorpsycho67]

So if you're trying to clean up your diet, get rid of processed foods, sugars (cane sugar, corn syrup, fake sweeteners), all that stuff. To boot, buy organic stuff you know hasn't been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

Yup.


Easier said than done though....

[absent_carlo]

I have to try something like this. You have any websites you are working off of? I understanding the reducing carbs, but not as sure about refined sugars. Not feeling so light in my darien lights these days.

[Toonce(s)]

// the official atkins program is visible here
www.atkins.com

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/you-diet-basics
// dr oz and his book 'You on a diet' has a more heart-healthy direction so is not as pro-bacon.
The book goes into great detail about why refined products are terrible.

http://paleodietlifestyle.com/
// grunt, arrrrgghggharrrrr, brrrraaaaaaaaaak


I am officially doing what you would have if these three had sex: Paleozkins.

Fat is your friend (atkins)
Some whole grains and fruit are ok, lurve olive oil and avocados (Oz)
Urrrrk, arrrggh, EAT LIKE A FRIGGIN BEAR (paleo)

Atkins doesn't allow bananas, Oz doesn't like bacon, and Paleo doesn't like coffee, BUT I LIKE BANANAS BACON AND COFFEE.
Otherwise they all have great deal in common.

I am living proof, six weeks without sugar/flour, down 17 pounds now and I feel fantastic and continually motivated. Sugar is the devil.

[DerGolgo]

This low-carb diet is, indeed, Jangleplatz.
I've just had some minute-steaks with brussels sprouts and mushrooms fried with onion and I've never felt so stuffed on less than 600 calories.
I'm starting to think I wont even miss me potatoes (and I LOVES me potatoes).

[Toonce(s)]

The pleasure of searing your favorite animal in a rocket-hot cast iron skillet and afterwards making a pan sauce with heavy cream is way better than the pleasure of eating a candy bar or drinking a soda, any day.

[guitargeek]

pan sauce with heavy cream

That anything like gravy?

Hey, where does quinoa fit in the carbohydrate scheme? Lurves me some quinoa!

[Toonce(s)]

pan sauce with heavy cream

That anything like gravy?

Hey, where does quinoa fit in the carbohydrate scheme? Lurves me some quinoa!

Pan sauce a-la Alton Brown: Just add some cream to the pan that you just removed the cooked critter from, put it on low heat, scrape and stir for a few minutes.
Yum-O. (Yes that was Rachel Ray saying Yum-O to an Alton Brown method, shoot me). You would certainly want a pan sauce or something like it if you cooked a lean meat like a chikken breast, you Must eat a suitable amount of fat with your meals for this to work.

Quinoa is an high performance whole grain. That makes it off limits for atkins and paleo because they both forbid grains, but oz is cool with it.
I would certainly allow myself some quinoa.

[motorpsycho67]

Sugar is the devil.

You ain't just whistlin' Dixie!


I'm having a major battle with it...

[UndertheGun]

Are you all exercising in conjunction with the carb free diet?

I'm a type 1 diabetic and generally eat healthy and have good control of my blood sugars but haven't cut carbs or gluten entirely out of my diet. When I do eat carbs I try to stick to organic brown rice but that fluctuates. Usually I eat a lot of chicken, beans, and egg whites along with broccoli, asparagus or kale at least once or twice a day.

Given, I'm looking for more stability in blood sugars and not really trying to lose weight. Actually, I could stand to gain a little muscle mass (6' 3", 190lbs). When I do eat carbs it's usually before I exercise. Does anyone else monitor their carb intake like this or have a certain routine before they lift or do some heavy aerobic activity?

[MoraleHazard]

I tried Atkins a few years ago in sympathy w/ my dad who's a type 2 diabetic. YMMV, but I was so hungry almost all the time. Just non-stop knawing hunger except right when I finished a meal.

I lost a lot of weight, but gained it back when I stopped. I hope the low-carb thing works for you guys.

[piccini9]

I'm on the "Eat Less, Move Around More" diet.

It seems to be working.

[red]

I'm on a modified paleo style diet. Meat, veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds. The only grain I eat is rice and I'm trying to move away from white rice. I'm also trying to work myself into eating organ meats and marrow.

Suger has been the hardest for me. There's a cold coke sitting on my desk right now.

I changed my diet to due a gluten intolerance but I do think there is some weight behind the paleo diet theory.

[Bo_9]

I'm on the "Eat Less, Move Around More" diet.

It seems to be working.

This is the same one I'm on. Found a stupid little calorie log app for the phone that helps keep me honest about what I'm consuming. Now that it's on record I can't see how I managed to eat enough calories to get the size I am...