Coming Back to Low Carb after a Break

Many of us have found ourselves returning to low carb eating after a…um…”pause.” Yeah. Pause! We may get distracted, sidetracked, or overwhelmed with life, and our best intentions may slip away. Sometimes, all we need is a fresh idea or two to get back on track again. So we asked some low carbers and experts for their best ideas for getting back in the swing of healthy, low-carb eating. Maybe one of these ideas will help you.

Being Prepared

from Celia Milton, New Jersey Wedding Ceremony Officiant & Minister

Yep, I’m back at it! It worked for me before and I know it’ll work for me again. These are my best personal tips. I have found that most of the times when I “unravel,” it’s because I’m starving and not prepared with things I can eat that don’t have to be prepared.

I never cook one of anything. When I cook chicken legs, I do a dozen and then freeze them in bags, when I boil eggs, I also do a dozen at a time.
I make a snack mix and keep it in Tupperware in the fridge; it has cubes of cheese, turkey breast, grape tomatoes, low salt ham, celery or peppers. I toss it with olive oil, garlic powder and fresh ground pepper. It’s delicious!
I take 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, slice into 8 one ounce pieces and wrap in the fridge to take with me as a snack if I’m running around town. Also one ounce little bags of peanuts or mixed nuts.
Microwave Pork Rinds! They taste nothing like the bagged ones, and they’re great with egg salad for a snack or breakfast.

Avoiding Binges

from Dr. Eric Plasker, Author of The 100 Year Lifestyle: Dr. Plasker’s Breakthrough Solution for Living Your Best Life – Every Day of Your Life!

Oftentimes when people are trying to get back on track, they want to binge on favorite foods–even low-carb foods. I recommend controlling your diet by mentally preventing overeating.

Pre-Binge: Feel it coming: Focus on becoming conscious of chewing, movements of your hand toward your mouth, even the areas of the house (e.e.: kitchen, pantry) that lead to over-indulging. Drink a full glass of water, change your environment, or call a supportive friend. Change your body’s physiology to avoid bingeing.

Mid-Binge: Have an out loud moment: Get mad at the binge, yell “STOP” at the top of your lungs! Throw the food you were eating in the garbage or on the floor-jump up and down and stomp on it, run out of the house-whatever it takes. Go for a run-this shifts your posture and physiology and gets you away from the dangerous food.

Safety Net: Always have healthy alternatives on hand. Overeating foods like baby carrots, cucumbers and fresh almonds is not nearly as bad for you as binging on chocolate and cake.

Post Binge: Acknowledge the binge. Remember Life Changing Principle #2: Change happens one choice at a time. Think progress, not perfection. Get back on track with your next choice.

Tracking

from Kathleen Tumpane, Author of Slim House Slim Body (Feng Shui for Weight Loss)

One of the best ways I know to help me stay on track is the Daily SLIM plan for tracking.

Download Kathleen’s Daily SLIM plan (PDF).
Use coupon code LCE when ordering the book to receive a free gift.

Multi-Faceted Approach

from Kathleen Lupole, Solar Baby

Replace your cookbooks with low carb cookbooks. Try new recipes. Replace old favorites with low carb versions.
Get rid of all food in your house that is not low carb. For other family members, teach them the right way to eat now. Wean them off the white bread, sugar, high carb foods gradually. They will thank you later!
Make up some low carb coleslaw, turkey, chicken, ham and/or tuna salad, deviled eggs, a low carb dessert, etc. and have them ready to grab at a moment’s notice. Many times you eat the other foods because you want it NOW and those foods are available.
If you have to go to a restaurant order first so nobody can lure you into ordering what they are getting. Order something good….like a shrimp cocktail and a huge steak or double lobster tails. I’d rather pay more for my treat that I can enjoy without guilt than something I will regret later on.
One thing that has worked really well for me……I replaced all my larger clothes with my new smaller size. I shop at a thrift store and get really great clothes but if I stop following my low carb plan I can’t fit into them. I will also get something in a size I can’t wear yet and hang it where I can see it. It really helps to motivate me to getting back on it.

Pay Attention

from Amber23, LCE Member

Of course read back over the plan you will be following. Plan your meals. Have legal snacks available. Set small attainable goals. Come here and read the posts. Post any concerns you may have. Exercise in any form, no matter how little it may seem. Stay busy to keep your mind off food.

Controlling Your Eating

from Jayme Albin, MA. Ph.D & Robin Kaiden, M.S., R.D., C.D.N, SculptNYC

Avoid Fruit Juice and be conservative about your whole fruits. Fruit contains natural sugar, but it’s still metabolized like sugar in the body, Fruit juices are empty calories, since they are without the fiber that whole fruits contain. Remember that most fruits have about 15g carbs per half cup. (Robin)
Avoid hidden Carbs that mysteriously add up. Do a clean sweep. Count the carbs in the “sugar free gum”, diet soft drinks, or in artificial sweetener packages, Not only will these add up in numbers and keep from entering ketosis, but too many will leave you feeling bloated. Feeling bloated will l reduce your motivation to stay on course and will only maintain cravings for carbs. (Dr Jayme)
Increase vegetable intake. Try adding VEGETABLES TO breakfast (think omelets) or even non-traditional chicken and vegetables for breakfast. (Robin)
Make yourself eat in mini-courses- Start lunch and or dinner with a salad/veggie before lunch and dinner. Then eat your protein. Pause for 5 minutes. Then, if you want healthy carbs, have a small portion LAST. (Robin/Dr Jayme)
Try waiting 15 minutes before each decision to eat. Even if it’s a healthy snack. Most people snack on carbs, which means that giving into the behavior is giving into the urge. If you want to reduce your urges–thus cravings–try eating against those urges. By waiting 15 minutes and double checking that you are actually hungry. (Dr. Jayme)
Make your own. Use ice, chicken stock and other things to make your own version of your favorite foods. I (Dr Jayme) personally like to make healthy shakes with ice, a bit of fruit (1/4 cup), club soda, natural sweetener and small Light and Lively low carb yogurt to help keep me feeling refreshed, and satisfied without all the unnecessary fillers that comes in frozen yogurt or ice cream . I also make my own vegetable soups so they have less starch than the traditional store-bought. I use slow roasted vegetables and seeds to create texture without the corn starch. (Dr Jayme Albin)
Prepare. Cut up small vegetables so you have them handy, carry them in small Ziplock. Cheese sticks or low fat cottage cheese are available in portable sizes. The same goes for hard boiled eggs. They are a great way to snack. The protein is something that keeps me fueled throughout the day and they come in their own great packaging! (Dr. Jayme Albin)

Make it Easy on Yourself

from Rachelle Chase, Romance Author

Cut out all bad carbs at once (starchy, high-glycemic index foods). Lack of willpower or giving into carb cravings is oftentimes the reason why folks “take a break” from low carb to begin with, so why tempt yourself? Go cold turkey and once it becomes a habit, then you can reward yourself with the occasional carb, if you must.
Don’t tempt yourself. While you’re in the early, vulnerable stages of giving into cravings, don’t have the carbs in your house, don’t go out to dinner to restaurants with carb-filled menus, bring your own food/snacks to events where you’re likely to binge.Take a dietary supplement to help reduce cravings, such as Pure Encapsulations CarbCrave Complex (recommended by my doctor). I don’t take it regularly – only when I have cravings, before I eat. It works for me.
Keep a healthy snack THAT YOU LIKE with you at all times. When you get a carb craving, eat that, instead.
Keep to the plan. The longer you go without the bad carbs, the less you will crave them. And, the longer you are successful at staying away from the bad carbs, the healthier and more satisfied you’ll feel – and the less likely you’ll feel like ruining your good feelings by binging on carbs.
Don’t give up. If you have a high carb day, don’t beat yourself up. Celebrate your successes – the times you didn’t give in to a craving, the good days — and strive to make tomorrow a low carb day.

Ease Back into Low Carb

from Coach Rich Julason, Simply Tri

I am of the philosophy that a phased/staggered approach is best. Some like to go cold-turkey, but I find that triggers cravings and leads to feelings of deprivation.

Staggered Days ~every other day

Use a 4-week plan to go back
week 1: 3 days on/4 days off
week 2: 4 on/3 off
week 3: 5 on/2 off
week 4: 6 on/1 off

Staggered Meal – Gradually decrease starting with your later meals.

You would do this daily, but start limiting your carb intake with your dinner and evening snacks. Gradually, start increasing the number of meals that have a managed carb intake until the majority of your meals are under control.

Gradual Meal Approach – Progressively decrease across all meals.

Cut or minimize the # of carbs you are taking in each/every meal until you eventually get down your desired intake.

Donna’s Splurge Parfait

from Donna Berry, InkSpot PR

I’m a big fan of the The South Beach Diet and am getting back to low carb eating after gaining 10 lbs. in the past year (I’m dating a man who eats way more than me….and it rubs off). However, I have a hard time living without dessert, so from time to time I make myself a special dessert “parfait” by layering in a martini glass: sugar free pudding (one single-size pudding cup), 2-3 thinly sliced strawberries, a sprinkling of granola or something crunchy like sliced almonds. I alternate to make two layers of each item and top it with a small dash of whipped cream. It’s not carb free, but much better than regular dessert, and eating it in the martini glass makes it feel like a real treat and is visually satisfying. The whole thing is probably under 150 calories, and less if you leave off the whipped cream.

[Editor's Note: Nutritionals (assuming 1/8 cup slivered almonds, not including whipped cream): Calories 155; Carbs 17.66; Fiber 1.593; Net Carbs 16.1; Protein 5.87; Fat 7.84. To save on carbs, we suggest homemade whipped topping with a sugar-free, carb-free sweetener like FiberFit or Sweetzfree.]

Eat Good Food

from Barb Keith, LCE Moderator

I always need to revisit recipes to revitalize my food choices. I can get into ruts. A new recipe always gets me excited. If your food is yummy, you won’t get bored with it.

A big thanks to those folks sharing their tips and strategies on getting back on track! Got some of your own tips? Share your back-on-track suggestions here and we may feature your tip in an article at LCE!