Hi Everybody !

I am new here and really excited to have found you ! I am a middle-aged, retired woman who has been struggling with high cholesterol and weight. I was on statin drugs for awhile, but had a bad reaction and now am looking for an alternative and the Heller, Carb Addict's Healthy Heart Program looks promising. It is a low carb diet that allows one meal a day with a balance of carbs, protein and veggies. I need to lose weight AND get the cholesterol down. From everything I've read, it looks like this could do the trick!

But I am severely challenged as a vegetarian to come up with enough high protein dishes to keep me satisfied and sticking with the diet. I will even go back to meat, if I have to, but don't really want to! I also was eating mostly carbs, so everything in my kitchen is now off-limits! Yikes! Help! What are the 'staples' of a low carb diet? What should I add to my grocery list right away?

Any wisdom anyone wishes to share will be MUCH appreciated . I have until November to work at this. (My next Dr's appointment is in Nov. when they will check cholesterol, weight and bp again. I'd love to blow them away!!!)

Call me,
Kids

Hey Kids, Welcome to the board!

First, it would help to know what kind of veggie you are. Just no red meat or no meat (animals) at all, yes or no on fish, eggs, dairy, etc.

If just don't eat animals but do eat dairy then eggs will be a staple for you.

Also tofu. There are many people on the board that use a firm tofu and saute/fry it like a hamburger pattie, stir fry in soy sauce, etc.

Also, there are TONS of frozen products out there by people like Morning Star who make veggie patties as a sub for burgers and sausages, etc. I would highly recommend checking the frozen isle on your next shopping trip. I can't speak from experience on those as I haven't tried them but I'm sure some people who have will pipe in.

Some great eggs dishes to make are casseroles and quiche. Things you can just throw together and bake, serve with a salad and you've got a meal. Also, they are good things to make 2-3 of on a Sunday night and cut into portion sizes to nuke throughout the week for breakfast, etc. All the hard work is done and all it needs is reheating.

Welcome!

__________________
It is always necessary to leave some part
of cooking to improvisation. - Paul Bocuse
Member since 2001

And might I add your photos are fantastic!

I'm an amateur photog myself. I love taking pics. You have some fabulous ones on your webpage!

If you're interested, I've got some photos of a trip I took to Europe a year and a half ago, they're here...

http://www.travelchick.com/page2.html

Just keep hitting "next" at the bottom and you'll travel through Prague, Venice, Rome, and Florence.

Glad to have you aboard

__________________
It is always necessary to leave some part
of cooking to improvisation. - Paul Bocuse
Member since 2001

Welcome, Kids.

Make sure you check out the beginner's guide (the link is above, right next to the LCE logo) and check in at the Vegetarian Forum, which you can find here: http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/forumdisplay.php?f=24

Please make yourself at home!

__________________

Welcome Kids, to LCE! Your photos ARE awesome, you are quite talented with a camera. Make yourself right at home here.

__________________
Ozzie's Place

LOVE the pics - WOW you've got an amazing eye for things!!

Please let us know about your food choices and we'll all pitch in to help!!

__________________
when life hands you lemons, order lobster!

Oh Thank YOU!!!


I was panicking this AM about this new life. My husband is panicking as well as part of our 'recreation' is to eat out. He is seeing years of eating at home with what he feels is decidedly unpleasant food. So, it was nice to come here and find all your helpful, friendly responses to my questions. Thank you ALL!

We are ortho-lacto vegetarians. We eat eggs and dairy (and seafood), but avoid red meat and poultry. I am willing to return to poultry, but would REALLY like to continue to avoid red meat. We belong to the local food coop (my husband volunteers there), so have access to wonderful resources. It's just a very steep learning curve.

I look at our food cupboard and snack supply and realize that I can eat NONE of it! We have a freezer full of organic food and just picked up a year's supply of blueberries that I now can't eat! Oh, life is cruel!

I am a woman who has steadily gained weight for the last ten years putting on 10lbs a year and not losing it, so that I weight 70 lbs more this year than I did 10 years ago! I can't seem to lose it despite cutting out bread/rolls/butter with meals, cutting all desserts other than fruit ones; getting out to walk most days; and paying attention to snacks(I was limiting them to fruit).

My cholesterol is dangerously high despite this diet! I was put on statins to lower it, but I'm one of the unlucky (lucky?) ones who is sensitive to them and can't take them. So now they want to put me on hormones to lower the cholesterol. Whew! They want to KILL me to save me! I now see why that wasn't working....too many carbs!

But all of this I can live with, IF I can get my cholesterol under control and lose this confounded weight! I'm tired of looking 10 years older than I am. My husband is 9 years older than me, but looks younger. He has none of the carbohydrate sensitivity that I have. He can eat and eat and eat and never gains a pound! He eats eggs and whipped cream and rich desserts and is FINE! He's disgusting! We are food incompatible! I'm in the 'whoa is me' phase of working on my health!

Oh, and thanks for the kind comments about the photos. I work at it and am beginning to sell some. Know anyone who needs photos for websites, greeting cards, calendars, magazines, tv, or any other visual mode of communication? Check out http://www.acclaimstockphotography.com/ and search on 'Beth Conant' (without the quotation marks) or any other subject of interest. My stuff is for sale there at very reasonable prices. (Sorry for the advertising!....Heck I've got to get SOME pleasure from life!) There are about 35 photographers there from all over the world posting photos for sale.

Well, I'm off to get my morning coffee (with soy 'creamer'). Have you tried it? Silk and it's GREAT! 1 carb/ serving and you can barely tell it from half 'n half! GREAT, as I said.

Thanks again for all the support. I really like the quiche idea and will start one today. Any other ideas will be MUCH appreciated!

Kids(Beth)

Isn't quiche high in milk and isn't milk limited on a low carb diet? How do you deal with that? Does anyone have a favorite recipe for it? I know about crustless quiche, so otherwise, think I know how to deal with it.

Thanks Maggie,
That's the first link I went to. Unfortunately, there don't appear to be many people there. I read the whole board, then came here.

Kids/Beth

I'm not familiar with the program you have chosen, but most lc eating plans call for fruit pretty early on ... like after the first couple of weeks.

You don't need a drop of milk to make a quiche, you can use heavy cream, soy milk, or a combination of those two. Also, out recently is Carb Countdown (by Hood dairy) which is available nationally is high protein/low carb and which has gotten very good reviews from the members.

You should have no problem with this way of eating. Beef & bacon are not required on any low carb eating plan.

__________________

You're right, Kids. While there's good information in the beginners guide, the Vegetarian forum is not a super busy spot. You'll notice that, as is true on most forums, members tend to congregate on 3 or 4 boards.

__________________

Hey Kids

There is no reason to be using soy milk in your coffee. Many of us use heavy cream. I promise you, it tastes much better!

And the fact that your hubby was eating eggs and whipped cream is a good thing! Those are low carb! Perhaps he eats more low carb items than you do and doesn't know it? And that's why he stays slimmer???? Could be.

Fish and seafood is fine. There is NO reason whatsoever to add in beef or pork. For variety, you may find yourself wanting to have chicken once in a while but it's up to you.

As for blueberries, they are packed with excellent antioxidants. Like Maggie said, after the first couple of weeks or so, you should be able to start having berries now and then. No reason for your stock to go to waste.

As for the Carb Addicts program, I would caution you about the reward meal. MANY people over the years have gotten themselves into trouble going crazy with carbs at the reward meal. Make sure you balance it just right. It's not a "free" meal and you don't get to eat as many carbs as you want. It must be balanced.

Some people find this hard to do so they end up switching to another program. Don't be afraid to switch if you need to. It's part of figuring out what works for you.

And your hubby shouldn't be afraid of this new eating plan. Some of the best food on the planet is low carb!

__________________
It is always necessary to leave some part
of cooking to improvisation. - Paul Bocuse
Member since 2001

Thanks Marcie Lynn,


Actually, I woke up today depressed at the thought of one reward meal for the rest of my life. I went onto the South Beach Diet page and did some reading. I paid my membership fee and joined. I think this diet is going to be easier to follow and the site really helps with menus, recipes, shopping lists, message boards, nutritionists and moral support. I like the idea of moving from Phase I (almost no carbs) to Phase II adding carbs gradually until you 'get it right.' Then the Phase III maintanance plan seems like a really good idea too. It just seemed like a healthier way to eat. Did I make a good decision?

Kids/Beth

One tip about eating out, I tend to watch for "breakfast all day" kinds of places. Then I know I can get a tasty omelette as a LC choice. Sometimes they let me get away with substituting a side salad for the toast and potatoes, even. Our family includes omnivores of both the low-fat and low-carb persuasion, vegetarians, and vegans, so we've developed a knack for finding places where everyone can find something to eat (makes planning meals for family gatherings a challenge, too.)

Aderyn

I think SB is a very balanced choice for you. Especially since you're used to low fat. SB is lower fat and so it might be easier to follow since you're new at this.

Myself, I will NEVER give up my real butter, real salad dressing, full fat cheese, cream, etc. That's just my choice so I prefer less restriction on my fats and so do a modified Atkins/Protein Power plan but for you, I think SB sounds great!

Good luck with it and keep us posted

__________________
It is always necessary to leave some part
of cooking to improvisation. - Paul Bocuse
Member since 2001