# Low carb diet for 4 weeks - Anyone care to join me? \[Continung discussion\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2018, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913 "2018-05-10T11:21:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/41 "2018-05-12T23:59:15Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I’m in! I’m following a low-carb diet on doctors’ orders anyway, so maybe you guys can help me stay in line. > > My doc has set a limit of 45 grams of total carbohydrates a day, which she said is approximately one regular-sized slice of bread. So, the diet I’ve been following, which has been working pretty well, has these parameters: > > 1. 16/8 intermittent fasting. Generally I try to fast from 10 p.m. until 2 p.m. the next day. If I can start my fast earlier in the evening, it actually works out. But generally I think 10 p.m. works in case we end up going out or some social event or something. > — To ward off hunger (generally useful as I hit the 12-hour mark): Plain or fizzy water, black coffee or tea > > 2. Strict avoidance of wheat, rice, corn, and potato products, fruits, and anything with added sugar. > > 3. Avoiding zero-calorie sweeteners. Beverages are: plain water, fizzy water, flavored (unsweetened) fizzy water, unsweetened coffee and tea > > 4. Generally stick to: Meats (walking, swimming, and flying), eggs, cheese, nuts, vegetables (most commonly green beans, broccoli, and the like) > > I allow myself a bit of high-carb veggies like carrots, so that makes it not-quite Atkins-intense, and fits into the 45 gram leeway from my doc. 45 grams of total carbs or processed carbs? Vegetables are carbs. I’ll share my simple recipe for dinner that I have once or twice a week. I honestly think it’s delicious, and don’t feel like I’m being deprived: 4-5 mushrooms, medium sized and chopped coarsely 1 shallot, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, chopped finely 5 springs of asparagus, chopped bite sized and diagonally 3-4 sprigs of broccolini, chopped like the asparagus. Some chicken or fish (half a boneless, skinless chicken breast or a boneless, skinless thigh) I have the chicken already cooked, so it’s ready to go. Grilled or sautéed, doesn’t matter. If it’s in the fridge, nuke it so it’s warm, otherwise it takes too long to cook with the other stuff. For fish, I add it about half-way through the mushroom cooking time. Heat some olive oil in a nonstick pan. Add shallot and garlic and simmer for about 30 seconds on med heat. Add the mushrooms and chicken, stir and cook on medium heat, covered, for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and broccolini, stir, turn the heat up to med-high and cook, covered, for 1 1/2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste during cooking process. I also add a bit of white pepper to give it a little kick. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if you like. Any vegetables will do if you don’t like asparagus or broccoli/broccolini. I substitute other vegetables all the time just to mix things up, but that’s the standard. If you use a wok or larger pan and like to stir-fry, you don’t need to cover. I do just because it’s quicker and cooks more uniformly, but the short cooking time leaves everything still al dente. Oh, and this is just for me. Up the ingredients for more people. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/42 "2018-05-13T01:14:22Z")
**In:** Mean Mr. Mustard Lancia peedin (through 5/30) Poysyn Sunny Daze FlikTheBlue j666 TheChileanBlob TrueCelt not what you’d expect Acsenray scootergirl **Already have been doing low carb but in the club:** John Mace SmartAleq Cartooniverse Max Torque Johnod **Cheerleaders:** Dung Beetle Wild Blue Yonder Jackmannii **Official cheer:** We love protein yes we do We love bacon, how ‘bout you? I don’t know but I’ve been told DulcoEase is good as gold. Push it out, shove it out, WAAAYYY OUT! **Kind enough to drop in to tell us we’re gonna fail:** ZipperJJ Crafter\_Man ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/43 "2018-05-13T01:47:31Z")
I can’t believe I just saw this post. A couple of friends and I are planning this over the next month or so with varying start dates depending on upcoming events. I am starting May 17th and going through the 14th of June. It will be great to check in and get support here too! ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/44 "2018-05-13T02:16:33Z")
I discovered tonight that cauliflower rice is a legit thing! I had some lamb kofta and it really cried out for some rice to with so I decided to give it a try. I’ve done califlower mashed “potatoes” and those are good so I had great hopes. Which panned out perfectly–cauliflower rice is a completely good substitute in everything but sticky texture but that’s acceptable. I’m pleased, this is fun. I’ve missed being a food detective and it’s refreshing to be targeting sugars rather than fat. I’d rather have fat than most carbs anyway so this is suiting me so far, aside from some GI issues that I hope are mostly due to the change in fiber intake. I’ve had that happen before. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/45 "2018-05-13T02:43:34Z")
I guess I’m in the club, though I’m not as hard-core low-carb as some of you guys. I’m working with a weight loss counselor (for real) to change my food-related behavior. The idea is to drop the weight and develop habits and ways of thinking that help you stay at a healthy weight for the rest of your life. My meal plan is basically some form of protein (usually from animals, but sometimes soy), veggies, fresh fruit (yes, I know that’s carb, but I don’t think I could handle cutting it out), and, if not otherwise present in a meal, some form of fat. (I tend to add nuts, olives, or cheese to a meal, as needed. I also like avocado.) I still add sugar to my coffee, and I sometimes have a taster of cookie at Trader Joe’s, or something. I’ve learned that my sugar cravings are often the consequence of lack of sleep. One of my big tasks is to have a regular sleep schedule. That’s been a struggle, but I’m working on it. I started working with my counselor in March. I’m down almost 15 lbs and have about 35 to go. This is the first time I’ve ever worked on weight loss and actually had it give me results. I hope everyone else in this thread has success with their efforts. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/46 "2018-05-13T03:35:39Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > I’ve learned that my sugar cravings are often the consequence of lack of sleep. Definitely true for me as well. I always thought of myself as not being “dessert guy” until I stopped having sweets. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/47 "2018-05-13T07:06:48Z")
I’ve hit my first personal snag: apparently milk counts as a carb. I love milk. Arg! I’ll be trying the non-dairy alternatives. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/48 "2018-05-13T13:17:40Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I’ve hit my first personal snag: apparently milk counts as a carb. I love milk. Arg! I’ll be trying the non-dairy alternatives. ☹ Milk is an ingredient, not a drink. 😛 A google search says that a serving of nonfat milk contains 12 g of carbohydrates. Soy milk has 15 g, and almond milk has 8 g. (Rice milk has 22 g, so that’s right out.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/49 "2018-05-13T13:33:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Milk is an ingredient, not a drink. 😛 > > A google search says that a serving of nonfat milk contains 12 g of carbohydrates. Soy milk has 15 g, and almond milk has 8 g. (Rice milk has 22 g, so that’s right out.) Greek yogurt has only 6 g of carbs, zero fat, and is an excellent protein source. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/50 "2018-05-13T13:47:32Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Greek yogurt has only 6 g of carbs, zero fat, and is an excellent protein source. I made the tzatziki with [Greek Gods nonfat yoghurt](http://www.greekgodsyogurt.com/24oz-products/plain-non-fat/). It has 21 g of carbohydrates per serving, and there are three servings per container. Of course you only use a tablespoon or two on your falafel sandwiches. Speaking of falafel, Osem says their package makes six servings. Each serving has 15 g total carbohydrates and 4 grams fibre, for a net of 11 g carbohydrates per serving. The package made 27 falafel balls so in my case, one serving is four and a half balls. I ate seven, so I had 1.556 servings for 17 g net carbs. Two Mission low-carb tortillas were 8 g net. So two sandwiches were 25 net grams carbohydrates, plus whatever carbohydrates were in the lettuce, tomato, feta, and tzatziki. (Alas, I forgot the Sriracha both times.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/51 "2018-05-13T15:41:35Z")
Tried coconut flour with Splenda pancakes. We ate scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast and bacon for breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/52 "2018-05-13T16:50:01Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > I discovered tonight that cauliflower rice is a legit thing! I had some lamb kofta and it really cried out for some rice to with so I decided to give it a try. I’ve done califlower mashed “potatoes” and those are good so I had great hopes. Which panned out perfectly–cauliflower rice is a completely good substitute in everything but sticky texture but that’s acceptable. I’m pleased, this is fun. I’ve missed being a food detective and it’s refreshing to be targeting sugars rather than fat. I’d rather have fat than most carbs anyway so this is suiting me so far, aside from some GI issues that I hope are mostly due to the change in fiber intake. I’ve had that happen before. It may be one of those things that is simply a matter of taste, but I found cauliflower rice to be close to inedible. I, too, had high hopes since I’ve had cauliflower “mashed potatoes” and I thought they were pretty damn good. But the rice was awful. I even got the Trader Joe’s kind the people rave about. Anyway, glad you liked it. I wish I dd! ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/53 "2018-05-13T17:26:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Tried coconut flour with Splenda pancakes. > > We ate scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast and bacon for breakfast. On re-reading, I take it that they were not good… ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/54 "2018-05-13T17:33:16Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Milk is an ingredient, not a drink. 😛 > > A google search says that a serving of nonfat milk contains 12 g of carbohydrates. Soy milk has 15 g, and almond milk has 8 g. (Rice milk has 22 g, so that’s right out.) What is this nonfat silliness? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/55 "2018-05-13T17:54:31Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > On re-reading, I take it that they were not good… They tasted good. But they failed structurally. I just made the batter as I normally would, except for using coconut flour and Splenda instead of white flour and sugar. It came out like cornbread batter, so I added another egg and more milk to make it more like pancake batter. The resulting pancakes could not be flipped. They were more like scrambled eggs. I had a few bites, just to see if it tasted good, and then tossed them. I tried to salvage the rest of the batter by adding more Splenda, and some cocoa powder, and baking a cake. I haven’t tried it yet. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/56 "2018-05-13T17:59:53Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It may be one of those things that is simply a matter of taste, but I found cauliflower rice to be close to inedible. I, too, had high hopes since I’ve had cauliflower “mashed potatoes” and I thought they were pretty damn good. But the rice was awful. I even got the Trader Joe’s kind the people rave about. > > Anyway, glad you liked it. I wish I dd! I just made my own–pulsed chunks of cauliflower in the food processor until they were more or less rice sized, then heated olive oil in a frying pan, added the cauliflower, seasoned with garlic salt and pepper and covered on low to cook for about five minutes. It had the neutral base rice gives to the spicy stuff on top, gave bulk to the meal and absorbed some of the heat from the masala sauce on the kofta. Not sure if it would work as well with Chinese food but I’m willing to give it a go. Lucky for me I really like cruciferous veggies. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/57 "2018-05-14T02:24:16Z")
Well, my wife and I just came back from grocery shopping. We got lots of sausage (cuz they’re cheap), cottage cheese (cuz it’s cheap), salad mix (cuz it’s cheap), frozen veggies, (cuz they’re cheap), eggs (cuz… you know) and the like. And lots and lots of coffee. Money has been pretty tight lately so I’m hoping we’ll be able to keep this up. My wife isn’t doing it with me but will be supporting me as I do it. I had a Dr. appt on Friday morning and I discussed my dietary plans with him. He warned me not to go _too_ low in carbs. I’m a diabetic and while my A1C has been nice and low lately I need to be mindful that I don’t let my CBG go too low. My plan is to use the myfitnesspal app and a notebook to track my daily progress. I’m going to aim for about 20g carbs per meal, and see how my blood sugars do. I’m currently a graduate student and I have one term paper left to finish before summer break. The stress has been intense and I’m hoping this dietary change won’t exacerbate it. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/58 "2018-05-14T13:57:44Z")
Are you ready, Steve? Uh huh. Andy? Yeah. Mick? Okay All right, fellas, LET’S GOOOOOOO!!! And we’re off. Day 1! I haven’t been this excited since I stumbled across my cousin’s stack of Playboys back in ’67. Please check in regularly, even if only to throw us a cheer. Let’s keep this active. Tell us about that cauliflower rice you made that ended up tasting like Elmers Glue-All mixed with mucus. Tell us about that Krispy Kreme donut you sniffed but did not eat (or lick). Tell us about how you went out for pizza with the family and rocked a salad while you watched your beloved trying to wrangle a rope of mozzarella that stretched from their mouth to their plate. Also, I plan on weighing myself weekly and posting the results. I think it would be a nice motivator if others do this as well (not actual weight – don’t care about that – just amount lost). **Good luck everyone!** Here’s the current tote board: **In:** Mean Mr. Mustard Lancia peedin (through 5/30) Poysyn Sunny Daze FlikTheBlue j666 TheChileanBlob TrueCelt not what you’d expect Acsenray scootergirl Rhiannon8404 (5/17 – 6/14) ScribbleTy **Already have been doing low carb but in the club:** John Mace SmartAleq Cartooniverse Max Torque Johnod **Cheerleaders:** Dung Beetle Wild Blue Yonder Jackmannii **Official cheer:** We love protein yes we do We love bacon, how ‘bout you? I don’t know but I’ve been told DulcoEase is good as gold. Push it out, shove it out, WAAAYYY OUT! **Kind enough to drop in to tell us we’re gonna fail:** ZipperJJ Crafter\_Man ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/59 "2018-05-14T16:01:37Z")
I’ll join! I’ve been on keto for five weeks and have lost close to 10 pounds. I can’t say it’s my favorite way to eat but it does really keep the appetite in check. And I’m sleeping so much better. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913/60 "2018-05-14T16:03:00Z")
I’m ready! It’s only 11, and I’m already looking forward to lunch at a local barbecue place. I won’t be overdoing it with beef today, I’ll be having chicken and turkey with sides of beans, pickles and onions. I’ve already had to resist temptation, since there’s a box of donuts at work and everyone’s been asking me if I want one. Good luck everyone 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carb-diet-for-4-weeks-anyone-care-to-join-me-continung-discussion/813913.md?page=4)