Low-Carb Info
I don't think it's any secret that the past four months, I've changed my eating habits and thereby have lost some weight. I've had a bunch of people ask me recently for more specifics on what I've been doing, so I figured I'd share here.
First of all, I did NOT use any kind of subscription, pill, shake, etc. to lose weight. If that's your thing, go for it. I just don't like the idea of having to purchase something in order to lose weight and maintain a healthy size. I wanted something sustainable for life, that didn't cost me a lot of extra money (because let's face it, who has extra money laying around??).
The Nutrition Side
I absolutely love nutrition. I added a Nutrition minor to my college degree because of how much I enjoy it, and I honestly wish I'd had the time to take more classes. So, I've learned about a lot of different diets out there and why diets generally don't work. I also know that going to extremes (e.g. completely eliminating a food group or never eating sugar) does not work for me. There will always be birthday parties and Christmas celebrations and other special occasions where there will be sweets, and it's not realistic for me to say I'll never partake.
With this information in mind, coupled with advice from my doctor, I have chosen to eat low-carb. What does that mean? Carbs are a type of nutrient found in grains (e.g. pasta, rice, wheat, etc.), sugar, dairy, vegetables and fruits. Please note: carbs are not bad, however some people have health issues that necessitate a lower intake of carbs. I fall in this category because I have a condition called insulin resistance, where my body doesn't process insulin properly, causing my blood sugar to generally be high. A lower carb diet helps my body to function properly.
What exactly IS low-carb?
My definition of "low-carb" is a bit messy. I still eat carbs sometimes, I just don't eat them as the main component of a meal. For example, we used to eat spaghetti (or pasta in general) fairly often, with it being most or all of the meal. I now eat a smaller portion of pasta/sauce with a large portion of vegetables. I also gauge my portion of carbs based on what I've eaten the rest of the day. If I haven't had many carbs, I'll eat more at a meal. That being said, a lot of our meals are meat/chicken/fish with vegetables (and we rarely eat potatoes), so those meals are already low-carb.
Everybody who does low-carb does it a little bit differently. My goal right now is to stay under 100 net carbs (carbs minus fiber), ideally with most of those coming from whole grains so I'm getting plenty of fiber. Normal intake of carbs is around 300, so 100 was a pretty big change at first, but I'm used to it now.
What about sweets/dessert?
Sweets are my weakness. When my doctor told me I was insulin resistant, I was horrified at the thought of giving up my favorite food group. Here's what I've learned:
*You don't have to stop eating sweets all together. Just eat them less often.
* Portion size matters! Learn to savor the flavor rather than the size.
* Make a plan for special occasions on how much you're going to eat. If self-control in this area is difficult for you (as it is for me), having a plan in advance can make all the difference.
So what do you eat?
This is a rough guideline of the options I select each day--obviously not every meal fits within these parameters.
Breakfast: whole wheat toast (usually with peanut butter), boiled or fried eggs, Cheerios
Lunch: usually leftovers from the previous night, canned vegetable soup, salad
Dinner: meat/chicken/fish with at least two vegetables
Snacks: nuts (almonds or peanuts typically), plain yoghurt with fruit and sometimes granola, fruit (apples, blueberries, strawberries, oranges), graham crackers
Dessert: I usually only eat dessert for special occasions, but if I eat it at home, I'll eat Halo Top ice cream. :)
A Mindset
The bottom line is that healthy eating habits are alllllll about a healthy mindset. If you punish yourself for every unhealthy choice, you won't get anywhere. The best thing I've done is write my list of goals for my health and focus on those, rather than where I might be falling short. I enjoy food and I've determined not to punish myself for indulging now and then. If I have an "off" day, I pick myself up again the next day and jump back in. It's not about perfection, it's about progress--and every "no" to an old (unhealthy) eating habit is a "yes" to better health.
P.S. I've lost 23lbs the last four months using these guidelines, so I can definitely say it works!! I'm almost to my pre-pregnancy weight. Next goal: my wedding weight! ;)
First of all, I did NOT use any kind of subscription, pill, shake, etc. to lose weight. If that's your thing, go for it. I just don't like the idea of having to purchase something in order to lose weight and maintain a healthy size. I wanted something sustainable for life, that didn't cost me a lot of extra money (because let's face it, who has extra money laying around??).
The Nutrition Side
I absolutely love nutrition. I added a Nutrition minor to my college degree because of how much I enjoy it, and I honestly wish I'd had the time to take more classes. So, I've learned about a lot of different diets out there and why diets generally don't work. I also know that going to extremes (e.g. completely eliminating a food group or never eating sugar) does not work for me. There will always be birthday parties and Christmas celebrations and other special occasions where there will be sweets, and it's not realistic for me to say I'll never partake.
With this information in mind, coupled with advice from my doctor, I have chosen to eat low-carb. What does that mean? Carbs are a type of nutrient found in grains (e.g. pasta, rice, wheat, etc.), sugar, dairy, vegetables and fruits. Please note: carbs are not bad, however some people have health issues that necessitate a lower intake of carbs. I fall in this category because I have a condition called insulin resistance, where my body doesn't process insulin properly, causing my blood sugar to generally be high. A lower carb diet helps my body to function properly.
What exactly IS low-carb?
My definition of "low-carb" is a bit messy. I still eat carbs sometimes, I just don't eat them as the main component of a meal. For example, we used to eat spaghetti (or pasta in general) fairly often, with it being most or all of the meal. I now eat a smaller portion of pasta/sauce with a large portion of vegetables. I also gauge my portion of carbs based on what I've eaten the rest of the day. If I haven't had many carbs, I'll eat more at a meal. That being said, a lot of our meals are meat/chicken/fish with vegetables (and we rarely eat potatoes), so those meals are already low-carb.
Everybody who does low-carb does it a little bit differently. My goal right now is to stay under 100 net carbs (carbs minus fiber), ideally with most of those coming from whole grains so I'm getting plenty of fiber. Normal intake of carbs is around 300, so 100 was a pretty big change at first, but I'm used to it now.
What about sweets/dessert?
Sweets are my weakness. When my doctor told me I was insulin resistant, I was horrified at the thought of giving up my favorite food group. Here's what I've learned:
*You don't have to stop eating sweets all together. Just eat them less often.
* Portion size matters! Learn to savor the flavor rather than the size.
* Make a plan for special occasions on how much you're going to eat. If self-control in this area is difficult for you (as it is for me), having a plan in advance can make all the difference.
So what do you eat?
This is a rough guideline of the options I select each day--obviously not every meal fits within these parameters.
Breakfast: whole wheat toast (usually with peanut butter), boiled or fried eggs, Cheerios
Lunch: usually leftovers from the previous night, canned vegetable soup, salad
Dinner: meat/chicken/fish with at least two vegetables
Snacks: nuts (almonds or peanuts typically), plain yoghurt with fruit and sometimes granola, fruit (apples, blueberries, strawberries, oranges), graham crackers
Dessert: I usually only eat dessert for special occasions, but if I eat it at home, I'll eat Halo Top ice cream. :)
A Mindset
The bottom line is that healthy eating habits are alllllll about a healthy mindset. If you punish yourself for every unhealthy choice, you won't get anywhere. The best thing I've done is write my list of goals for my health and focus on those, rather than where I might be falling short. I enjoy food and I've determined not to punish myself for indulging now and then. If I have an "off" day, I pick myself up again the next day and jump back in. It's not about perfection, it's about progress--and every "no" to an old (unhealthy) eating habit is a "yes" to better health.
P.S. I've lost 23lbs the last four months using these guidelines, so I can definitely say it works!! I'm almost to my pre-pregnancy weight. Next goal: my wedding weight! ;)
Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned along the way regarding health! It encourages me to read how other people manage their nutrition and health. Also, sweets are my biggest temptation too! Your dedication is impressive!
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