Basic Easy Lo Carb Meals and Rules for Results

So much conversation about my last post on my lo Carb diet! 

I thank all who left me notes and wanted to hear more on what I have 

been doing.  It seems a lot of us are in the same boat, and that gives me comfort

to think we are, and that maybe I can help you drop some weight.

Let me start by saying I have lost another 1.5 pounds since I last posted

and it just makes me thrilled that it is finally coming off!

COUNT EVERY CARB

The basics of what I do are trying to stay around 20 net grams of carbs a day 

for the first two or three weeks.  After that you can add a few more, but if you

want quick results, stay at 20 carbs and then add more when you are in the mood

to eat something generally forbidden.  I lost the first nine pounds during Christmas holiday.

I had a small cannoli and some tiramisu but the next day I went right back to 20 grams.

That is the point. 

IF YOU CHEAT, DON'T REPEAT

 If you go off with a cheat item, don't use it as an excuse to go off 

even further.  Get right back on track and you will be fine if this is a very occasional thing.

My meals go as follows:

BREAKFAST:  EGGS and COFFEE

• One or two eggs. fried, scrambled, poached, hardboiled or omelet.
• Omelets are a great way to keep it interesting.
• You can add cheese or a bit of onion and green vegetable. 
• Top with a teaspoon full of fresh salsa found at the grocery store.
• Salsa adds a lot of flavor and keeps it interesting.
• Sometimes I have a slice of bacon, but not daily.
• Coffee with half and half or light cream.  No SUGAR.
• Fruit can be a morning snack if it is strawberry, blueberry or melon,
• Add it to a half cup of cottage cheese if you don't like eggs.

Read your carb counting guide 

(find one online or get the Atkins Carb Tracker App 

on your phone.)

 LUNCH: CHEF SALAD OR PITA POCKET SANDWICH

• Salads with various toppings are great lunch options. You can add various meats and vegetables that are low carb to the salad. Use last nights leftover vegetables and meats in your salad.
• Oscar Meyer Family Size packages of Roast Turkey or Ham make lunch meals quick and easy.
• Home roasted meat and chicken are zero carbs, so roast a chicken or turkey if you can.
• Dressings must be under 2 grams per Tablespoon.
• My Pita sandwiches are the Josephs brand, which are Net 4 grams of carbs.  
• Egg salad, Chicken salad, Tuna salad are also rotated into my lunch time meals and are served on a salad or in a pita pocket. Mayonnaise has zero carbs.  

 Learn to read Carb labels.  Everything has what you need to know except produce and meats at the supermarket.  The total carb per serving of turkey is 2 grams.  That is what you add to your daily total when tallying carbs.

On the Josephs Pita pockets it shows one serving is 1 pita.

The pita has 7 grams of carbs, but it also has 3 grams of Fiber.

You subtract the fiber from the carbs to get your Carb total, which would be 4 carbs.

Always subtract fiber from carbs to get the NET CARBS,

 which is what you want to be adding up.  

WRITE IT DOWN.  I keep it in my phone under notes, when I first begin my

low carb diet so I can retrain myself to not overeat my allotment of 20 carbs.

I had gotten in the habit of popping things in my mouth around the house.

NO NO NO!! It will be an adjustment but its fun to KNOW the scale

will be rewarding you in just a few days right away if you do this properly.

 Salads are going to become a part of your meals.  Always have some lettuce in the fridge,

and Romaine is best.  Caesar Cardini's dressing is the BEST tasting MOST delicious dressing!

I serve a big casear salad twice a week and shaved fresh chunks of parmesan cheese with fresh ground cracked pepper and this delicious dressing!! 

I add a bit of flavor to a green salad by adding a bit of green onion and some sliced strawberry with

a low carb dressing. Usually Ranch, Blue Cheese and Caesar are the low carb dressings. But some brands add sugar and that raises the carb count.  Read your labels.  

Make your own dressing too, using red wine vinegar, olive or avocado oil with a bit of mustard and garlic powder. Yum, and its almost 0 carbs.

Once you start reading labels, you will see how easy it is to count your carbs.

 DINNER: MEAT/CHICKEN/FISH AND VEGGIES

AND COOKING FOR A FAMILY

 I make a meat or chicken or fish (that is not in a sauce), 

and then I make some starch like potato, rice or pasta for everyone else but me. 

 Accompany the main meat with one green vegetable, and a salad and and you are good to go!  

I eat everything but the starch item. If I am not really hungry I don't make a salad.

 I just eat my meat and vegetables. 

If you so have leftover salad it can be tomorrow's lunch.  

When I shop I always buy two large things of green vegetables, lettuces, and my diet faves:

Josephs Pitas, Eggs, Cardinis dressing, Lunch meats from Oscar Meyer.

I recommend FORGET ABOUT BAKING low carb treats as well

as not keeping sweets in the house if you have no willpower. 

It is best to not try to be eating bread and sweets, instead of 

doing what you have always done and figuring out a way to keep doing 

those bad habits of eating foods that aren't very good for you.

At least in the beginning. 

 Its hard to eat a cookie if there are none, right?

WEIGH YOURSELF DAILY

When I decide to go on this diet, I give myself a pep talk.

I want to lose weight, and I know I can do it, if I follow the rules.

Your reward comes when you step on the scale and there is NOTHING

better than seeing the numbers go down.  It is very satisfying.

If the scale doesn't go down, or even goes up, don't worry.

It WILL go down, and I hate those days when it doesn't drop,

trust me, but it keeps you on your best  behavior knowing you have to weigh in.

COMMIT

Soon your clothes will fit better and be a little loose.

Those fat pants will no longer be your go to choice!

Make a commitment to yourself, and you will be rewarded.

Start now, and the springtime will have you wearing the clothes you like,

Not covering up with untucked shirts and yoga pants.

WRITE IT DOWN

Write down your daily weight in your app on Atkins Carb Tracker

or your food journal notebook.  It is so much fun to see the numbers drop

after all the dedicated carb counting you have done.

The first week is hard, and then it gets easier.  For those of you who eat

a lot of sugar, it will be harder, as the cravings will be stronger,

but it will eventually subside, and you will feel great!

And lastly, the white wine thing that I talked about on the last post

seemed to resonate with many of you as well.

I miss the taste of my Savignon Blanc, but I have adjusted and now

haven't had white wine in 6 weeks.  Today when I stepped on the 

scale I lost another 1.5 pounds.  

Last night's dinner was a delicious strip steak with green beans on the side.

The guys had mashed potatoes, but I did not, of course!

Buy a better cut of steak if you are feeling a little deprived.

SNACKS

Shrimp cocktail with just a dab of cocktail sauce.

Cheese and Pepperoni, yes please!

Deviled Eggs

Olives

Keep snacks on hand that are low carb, like macadamia nuts, pepperoni,

green veggies for dipping in ranch sauce, celery stick with spreadable

low carb cheese or natural peanut butter. 

Read labels to see if it works for you.

ALCOHOL

Alcohol will slow the weight loss, but if you want a drink, just keep it 

to the zero carb variety and you will lose.  Diet Coke with Rum,

Silver Tequila with Fresca, or Vodka with flavored seltzer.

Your choice.  Life should still be fun, and when you drop a few

pounds its even better!!

WATER AND VITAMIN

Take a daily multi vitamin, as many will get leg cramps, and this vitamin

will prevent this from occurring.  Also drink plenty of water.

It will keep the hunger at bay and is a good thing when you cut your carbs.

I always have a glass of water with me in the house, and a bottle outside.

Hope everyone has success on this journey with me. Remember I am 

just telling you what works for me. If you have questions, speak to your

doctor before you start a low carb weight plan.