want to try LCHF but don't know where to start

[pixielou]

Hi my name is Pixielou and I am 61 years old. I have read so much about LCHF way of eating and would like to try it. I am so overweight and have osteoarthritis. I understand the principles of this way of eating, but just don't know how to plan meals. I have to eat on the go at lunchtimes, usually outside, with small children, as part of my job. I really need help and support with starting this way of eating. Any help and support would be welcomed. Feeling very low right now

[MikePollard]

Work your way through the following. Make sure to look at the success stories.

dietdoctor.com/

[pixielou in reply to MikePollard]

Thank you, will do

[Hidden]

Agree with Mike that diet doctor has great info. Also carbdodging.com

This is what I usually eat:

Breakfast - seeds, berries & Greek yoghurt, bacon, sausages, tomatoes & mushrooms occasionally, ditto coconut pancakes with berries & cream

Lunch - big salad with tuna, ham, cheese, olive oil (i took it in a tub when I went out /went to work)

Snacks - pieces of cheese, almonds, homemade keto seed crackers

Supper - meat & above ground vegetables, meatloaf, chicken wrapped in bacon, fried mince beef with spices

[pixielou in reply to Hidden]

Thsnk you so much

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

PS my husband doesn’t have the facility/inclination to eat a salad out of a box for lunch, so he uses thin slices of chicken or ham like a wrap, with grated cheese & pepper & cucumber strips inside. Looking again at work working environment, this might be a bit more practical than salad in a box.

[Hidden]

Perhaps start with some strawberries and Greek yoghurt for breakfast. Then you could try taking some slices of cold chicken or hard boiled eggs with chunks of cucumber for lunch and chilli for your evening meal. I have mine with broccoli rather than rice. I’m 76 and have lost nearly two stone on this diet. I have cream in my coffee and gin and tonic as my preferred tipple.

Good luck. Di

[TheAwfulToad Ambassador]

It is quite a big mental leap, and you will undoubtedly need to experiment to find out what works for you (schedule-wise, and taste-wise). But if you have a general idea of the concepts then you should find that it drops into place very quickly.

My suggestion would be to pick just a few meals that you like and repeat them every day. I'm not sure if this is a general thing, but I've found that I naturally eat almost identical meals, day in day out, and I don't get sick of them. I can only guess that once you start eating healthy meals, your body doesn't crave variety anymore because it's already getting what it needs.

A couple of suggestions:

Most of us here seem to enjoy Greek yoghurt! I have a constant supply of it in the fridge (homemade) because it's such a useful thing to have around. It's great for a rapid breakfast or a snack. You can also make various dressings and dips with it. Note: don't buy those wretched "low fat" versions in the supermarket. It's getting harder and harder to find the real deal, so as noted it's probably better to make your own.

Eggs. Yeah, it's possible to have too much of a good thing, but eggs are a great breakfast default - scrambled, omelette, fried, etc. I have mine with bacon and some sort of vegetable side dish (this can be a bit random depending on what I have on hand).

Food on-the-go : salad with grilled meat. As Slim_for_good said, it's easy enough to carry around. As you adapt to LCHF you'll feel less inclined to eat lunch and you might simply skip it completely. If you want to eat something, but not a lot : Scotch eggs!

[lynne0_0 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

TheAwfulToad jow do you make your greek yogurt please?

[TheAwfulToad Ambassador in reply to lynne0_0]

Greek yoghurt is just strained yoghurt. Make normal yoghurt (Google for recipes) and then use a cheesecloth inside a colander or sieve to strain off some of the liquid. Takes 1-2 hours, usually. Strain it for longer and you'll get labneh.

The quick-and-dirty recipe for yoghurt is to put some milk in a heavy glass or earthenware pot, warm it in the microwave to about 45'C, add your live starter, and then put it in a toaster oven at 40'C or so (you'll need a thermometer to find out where this is on the dial - it won't be marked). Leave it there for 6-8 hours and it's done. Just make sure all your equipment is scrupulously clean.

[lynne0_0 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

Oh that sounds a bit technical. I used to make a yogurt when the children were little, it involved a thermos flask as I recall but cant remember any more details. Thank you. X

[ellj in reply to TheAwfulToad]

Wish I could eat eggs

[RedUnicorn in reply to TheAwfulToad]

I agree with TheAwfulToad scotch eggs are a great food to stop hunger when you’re on the go.

[pixielou]

Thank you. That has been so helpful, because tbh some of the recipes I've seen I wouldn't normally eat, but the idea of just sticking to a few is great. How do you make Greek yoghurt? If I could skip lunch in time that would be good too, as then I wouldn't have to keep thinking of things to pack each day. They say that going on a lchf diet can make you have bad breath as you go into ketosis. How should I deal with that?

[Penel in reply to pixielou]

Make your yoghurt using whole milk and something like a small pot of Fage Total Greek yoghurt. You need a live yoghurt or yoghurt culture.

I use an electric yoghurt making machine (from Lakeland) as I let my yoghurt ferment for 24 hours, but you don’t need a machine if you are just fermenting for 8 hours over night.

Lots of recipes on line if you want to have a go.

[Pink4eva]

I tend to have the same things as well because it’s easier, haven’t had a problem with bad breath yet, good luck.

[Portlandprincess]

Hi pixielou. Lchf is easier than I thought it would be. Mainly because I dont get hungry at night. I like food and research so reading the blogs and links that members have put here for you might inspire you to experiment with new ingredients. New types of flour has be quite a revelation and losing cravings, another. So good luck. And try posting your daily food plan on the daily diary. That's really helpful when trying to stick to a plan.

[pcrw]

Hello

Sounds like you are a bit down but motivated to improve your health and lose weight.

If you plan to lose weight by eating low carb I recommend reading Dr Michael Moseley’s book the 8 week blood sugar diet which is hugely motivating and explains why and how to eat low carb diet and also gives meal suggestions.

I lost 3 stone by following his advice and making sure I took more exercise. The exercise needs to easy and eg walking, cycling , dancing. Set yourself small goals which you can achieve and when you reach that goal the success will spur you on.

Make yourself a salad box with some protein eg tuna, chicken and take time to eat it at work. No sandwiches as bread is to be avoided.

I hope you find this helpful and look forward to hearing of your progress.

Best wishes

[Hidden]

Dietdoctor.com they offer you 2 weeks free meal prep menu. They email daily a daily menu and a shopping list at the beginning of each week. Makes it really easy for when your just starting out.