[ValerieAnne]

I don't post on here as much as I should, mostly because I keep forgetting about the wonderful place! I went to my doctor on Friday (05/18) and we discussed some things including my weight issues. We talked about Skinny Fiber, he showed me all my blood work/test results from my prior 2 visits (Nov/Dec 2013) and mentioned the soda, etc. When I mentioned I don't drink anything but water, he mentioned that I could try a low carb diet to help lose weight because I have very, very slow metabolism. I'd actually been working out a couple times a week, upping my general movements over the last 6 months and had put on 2 lbs. This was another reason he thinks a low carb diet would be beneficial. My problem is I love bread and pasta (I know it, I eat way too much of it) but I still have a problem reaching 1440 calories a day (the amount MFP gave me), to the point where sometimes I have to eat when I'm not hungry to reach it. Then on the days I exercise, I am between 1250-1320 on most days after adding the exercise in because I do not re-eat calories burned.

Any ideas for simple/cheap recipes or how many carbs you are supposed to have a day? I don't have the money to do a program, so would be purchasing things found in shops. If anybody is interested I can post my blood work ups. Everything is within normal range, other than glucose, which is 68/73 (should be 74 on the low end) but my doctor said he wasn't concerned because my previous doctor had told me to fast before those visits.

[Wannabehealthy]

There are a lot of low carb diet plans available. Primarily, you eliminate sweets, bread, pasta, rice....the only carbs you get are from vegetables and some fruit. You need to drink a lot of water and get in some fiber. Different plans eliminate different foods. Some people can still eat these starchy carbs in small portions and still lose weight. You have to just find your nitch. I would suggest eliminating all starchy carbs to start out, for 2 weeks or so. You will probably get a pretty good weight loss from that. After than, you can add back small portions of starchy carbs to see if your body can handle them. When you reach the point where you're no longer losing then you know you have to cut back on carbs. To lose, I need to stay around 30-35 gm of carb per day. That's not very much!

I don't follow any particular plan, and that could be my problem. I just try not to eat any starchy carbs, but I can't stick to it 100%. But low carb is the only plan that allows me to lose any weight at all.

Good luck to you.

Don't forget fat. Incorporate coconut oil. Make sure it is organic and virgin. One tablespoon is 130 calories. You can literally feel your metabolism heat up after taking some.

I cook with it, incredibly healthy cooking oil, put it in coffee along with grass fed butter. Google bulletproof coffee. Or just eat it straight. Also Google becoming fat adapted. Once you achieve this you will be amazed at your weight loss and vitality. Use Mark's Daily Apple. AMAZING website, lots of resources for low carbers.

[Novus]

Originally Posted by ValerieAnne

Any ideas for simple/cheap recipes...

Meal planning on a low carb diet is actually really simple: protein and veggies (and maybe fruit). And the easiest way to increase your calories is to add some healthy fats. Here's a few quick ideas:

Grilled boneless chicken breast seasoned with cumin and smoked paprika, topped with sliced avocado. Plus a steamed veggie like green beans.

Baked white fish fillet (tilapia, flounder, etc.) sprinkled with Mrs. Dash lemon-pepper. While the fish is baking, melt some butter (again, grass-fed or homemade), add some crushed rosemary and walnuts, and heat until it's fragrant and the walnuts have browned. Serve the walnuts on top of the fish. Plus a steamed veggie like broccoli.

[sarahinparis]

Here is a free and good really basic low carb overview : http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

Low carb is great, but it does not allow for much leeway - if you are someone who is going to frequently "cheat" you'd be better off on a different (low-calorie) plan - for low carb to be effective you need to consistently keep carbs very low, and you'll gain pounds (of water) each time you veer off course. So first, Know Thyself.

Second, if you have a "very very" slow metabolism you may well need fewer calories than any formula you find online would tell you. Any and all online guides are based on averages only - not on you as an individual. Some people can burn off all they can eat, and then some, and most of us who find our way to dieting websites like this one have metabolisms that would be really beneficial in case of a famine, because our bodies can eke out every last calorie from the food we eat plus convert some of it to extra energy (fat). As a woman over 40 who is not doing much exercise I can tell you that to lose I need to be well below the "recommended" numbers...

But my recommendation is to find a basic low carb plan and eat to satisfaction (not FULLNESS, just satisfaction) for a couple of weeks. During that time, count your carbs (many recommend keeping to 20g/day). After a few weeks your weight loss will likely slow down (that's normal) and then if it stalls for another few weeks you might need to investigate further (by posting a few days of menus here, for example, or tracking calories, etc).

Some ideas for lower-cost low carb foods - eggs are very inexpensive, most low carbers eat lots of them, cheaper cuts of meat for roasts or stews, can eat them for several days or freeze leftovers. You'll also save a ton of money if you don't buy any of the low-carb "convenience" and "replacement" products things like shakes, bars, candy ... those stall many people in weight loss anyway, and they will make your budget go way up. The basic foods of low carb - full fat dairy, eggs, meat, vegetables aren't all that expensive if you are only spending your food budget on that, since you'll no longer buy chips and cookies and ice creams...

Good luck!