Low Carb and Mustachian

[lifeisshort123]

I have found that I “feel best” and am at my healthiest weight when I am eating a low-carb diet.  I realize that both cost wise and ecologically, this has become one of the worst things for my wallet and pocketbook. 

Does anyone have any Mustachian hacks for a low carb lifestyle that don’t result in starvation? Right now I tend to eat:

Breakfast - one or two eggs
Lunch - (provided by my employer) a salad, ranch dressing, cheese, ham, sometimes cucumbers and tomatoes
Dinner - Brussels sprouts/broccoli, etc. and a piece of meat/chicken/fish

Snacks include macadamias nuts, almonds, pistachios, etc.

[Freedomin5]

PTF. I tend to skip breakfast and/or lunch, and eat a lot of beans/tofu/chicken breast for protein, in addition to whatever veggies are in season. Not really sure if beans are low carb.

[ixtap]

PTF. I tend to skip breakfast and/or lunch, and eat a lot of beans/tofu/chicken breast for protein, in addition to whatever veggies are in season. Not really sure if beans are low carb.

They aren't, but unless you are insulin resistant or diabetic, they probably won't affect you as much as other carbs. Even some diabetics can tolerate them, as the fiber and protein slow down their effect.

Do you like PB?

Have you tried any keto fat bomb recipes? Most of us can't get enough calories being low fat and low carb. You don't necessarily need to go high fat, like a traditional keto diet, but using their ideas to add in some reasonably healthy fats can be very helpful for satiety.

Add veggies to your eggs for breakfast. Consider boiling eggs for snacks. Cheese is probably cheaper than nuts, depending on your actual choices.

[SunnyDays]

Have you heard of the Glycemic Index?  Not all carbs are equal.  Some foods which are technically carbs, like large flake oatmeal, peas among others, release very slowly into your blood stream, keeping your blood sugar level.  This is why you feel better without carbs - protein and fat release slowest of all.  But you can likely incorporate some low GI carbs and still feel good (these are filling foods) without breaking the bank.

[Dreamer40]

Are you feeling strong and full of energy on that diet? I would guess you’re getting less than half of the calories your body needs to function well. It also appears to be zero carb, not low carb. I’d at least add a whole grain English muffin or piece of toast to breakfast, a cottage cheese snack, and fruit every day. None of those things cost much money, though healthy food is not worth skimping on for me. Food is life!

I’d also consider changing it up day to day. Get a broader variety of nutrients and spices. Get some Thai food, make an Indian chick pea curry with sweet potatoes, make a falafel Mediterranean platter, that kind of thing.

[lifeisshort123]

Yeah, I feel pretty good.  I feel much better than when I am eating a wider variety of food.  I find with bread I go through many highs and lows.  I do miss fruit.  Maybe I could reincorporate it.  I just don’t want to have too much sugar.  Avoiding pre-diabetics and diabetics is very important to me.

[wenchsenior]

Have you heard of the Glycemic Index?  Not all carbs are equal.  Some foods which are technically carbs, like large flake oatmeal, peas among others, release very slowly into your blood stream, keeping your blood sugar level.  This is why you feel better without carbs - protein and fat release slowest of all.  But you can likely incorporate some low GI carbs and still feel good (these are filling foods) without breaking the bank.

This is what I do (I've managed mild insulin resistance without progression of it for more than 20 years, plus I have multiple autoimmune issues/diseases that some research indicates might be worsened by eating some types of carbs, so I go easy on them). I just substituted low GI carbs for higher GI, and eat small portions, only with complete meals (unless I'm about to exercise). Our grocery bills are still steep, but not as steep as keto and those super low carb diets.

[JupiterGreen]

I have some ideas about your lunch salad. I am not low carb, but I eat a huge beautiful delicious salad almost everyday. I buy bulk nuts and seeds and beans (are these carbs? Not sure lol). I happen to be meat-free but beans are definitely cheaper than meat. Eating the rainbow does require that I buy fresh vegetables every week, but it is part of my healthcare. Eating healthier (I don't know if low carb is healthier, it's not for me to decide) is healthcare so if it's a little more expensive on the front end hopefully it saves on healthcare later in life.

[Metalcat]

Yeah, I feel pretty good.  I feel much better than when I am eating a wider variety of food.  I find with bread I go through many highs and lows.  I do miss fruit.  Maybe I could reincorporate it.  I just don’t want to have too much sugar.  Avoiding pre-diabetics and diabetics is very important to me.

I avoided sugar, flour, and fruit for years but never bothered being low carb. The world of carbs is massive, and there are very few conditions that would warrant avoiding all of them.

I think your best bet would be to experiment with various forms of healthy diet to see what works best for you. If you feel just as good incorporating legumes, whole grains, fruit, etc then no need to exclude them.

Do it systematically. Add things one by one and log your symptoms, perhaps in a symptom app. That can help you figure out your optimal diet.

ETA: for the record, my MD recommended I switch to intermittent fasting. I'm quite sensitive to pretty much all food thanks to a condition called MCAS, so eating just once a day gives my body a break from the constant assault of food. Now I can eat basically anything, because my body only has to digest once.

I'm not saying this is for you, but thought I would share as someone who has had years and years of fine tuning how I eat to feel my best.

[wenchsenior]

Yeah, I feel pretty good.  I feel much better than when I am eating a wider variety of food.  I find with bread I go through many highs and lows.  I do miss fruit.  Maybe I could reincorporate it.  I just don’t want to have too much sugar.  Avoiding pre-diabetics and diabetics is very important to me.

I avoided sugar, flour, and fruit for years but never bothered being low carb. The world of carbs is massive, and there are very few conditions that would warrant avoiding all of them.

I think your best bet would be to experiment with various forms of healthy diet to see what works best for you. If you feel just as good incorporating legumes, whole grains, fruit, etc then no need to exclude them.

Do it systematically. Add things one by one and log your symptoms, perhaps in a symptom app. That can help you figure out your optimal diet.

ETA: for the record, my MD recommended I switch to intermittent fasting. I'm quite sensitive to pretty much all food thanks to a condition called MCAS, so eating just once a day gives my body a break from the constant assault of food. Now I can eat basically anything, because my body only has to digest once.

I'm not saying this is for you, but thought I would share as someone who has had years and years of fine tuning how I eat to feel my best.

I just started doing the same on advice of my endo (noting that insulin resistance can worsen after menopause, which I'm on the cusp of, and that IF would probably help). I like it a lot, and considering that I used to be a 'grazer', I've been surprised how well I habituated to it. No drain of energy except occasionally I need to eat a few bites of something prior to or just after working out.

[Tempname23]

I cut out carbs and went Carnivore about 9 weeks ago, and I feel great, I have more energy, I have started doing more than just surf the internet. I've been in ketosis for a long time, running over 5mmol/L with my glucose under 100.
 I did fall of the wagon this Holiday when my kids came home and we had some meals together, taken me almost a week, to stop carb craving. Crazy because I was doing so good on high fat.

[lifeisshort123]

It is mostly very doable for me.  Now and then traveling for work gets in the way.  Sometimes you need to eat out and there are not doable alternatives.  Even then, I try to limit.  Make “better” choices than worse.  One nice thing about chain restaurants - you can often google carb content of their dishes online.  Make the better choices at least rather than worse ones.  I hate how so much food has sugar just smothered on it.