BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Low Carb My carb vice- advice needed

I've made the decission to try this low carb way of life. I do love pasta, breads, potatos and the like but have easily lived without them when dietting in the past so I'm not too worried about that.

I actually got serious at the beginning of the month and cut out all breads, pastas, potatos, rice, corn etc. It's been nothing but salads and vegies- the different variety packs ranging from the spinich leaves to just your basic ceasars with chicken or fish mixed in for me and I love them! But I'm not seeing any real results... I think now that I know the reason why...

My problem is my coffee...a cup of coffee is the very first thing I think of when I wake up in the mornings..and a pot of it a day has been my routine for nearly 10 years <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> What's worse is what I put in my coffee... I had no idea that sugar...real 100% white yummy sugar was loaded with so many carbs...(two spoons per cup mind you..)I guess I never bothered to look at the value chart (my denial at its best)...and if that wasn't bad enough..I must seriously be addicted to french vanilla creamer to top it off. I can't stand the taste of coffee without taking that bitter edge off it with a good splash of flavored creamer. ...this is my downfall..my horrible vice ...and I'm just not sure how to cut it out of my life.

any advice here??

Hi Charise! Do you like to exercise? Maybe you could do a morning jogging or maybe go to the gym to exercise?
Because like me, I love to eat breads and drink coffee with creamer and sugar. I don't think I could live without those two <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> but fortunately I like to exercise so it helps me to lower my carb. Do a cardio exercise for an hour a day or maybe jogging?
I hope this helps.

Cheers,
J3nny

Hi J3nny,

thanks for the advice! I wish I could get out and do something in the mornings but I have a daycare here in my home and the fist child arrives at 5am and the last child is picked up at 5pm... and as over weight as I am at this point I think I'd get burn out before I got past the first block if I were jogging! lol

The good news though... I talked to the daycare mom who is the last one to arrive to pick her little girl up at 5pm..and we have made a decission..and a promise that she will bring her sneakers, some work out clothes, and a stroller to take her daughter to go walking with me every evening when she arrives! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I also told her that she can't back out!!lol We have to be committed to this! And she agreed and said that with me to keep her motivated it should be no problem.

My next door neighbor also walks on Saturday mornings, I talked to her the other day and it's official..I'll be partnering up with her to walk on Saturdays too. I have also convinced my husband to allow me to mow the back yard- that was quite the battle as he is the 'yard man'...but I pleaded my case and begged him to let me do this very important bit of exercise each weak to help me. We came to a compromise..and he still gets to mow the front yard - which is okay as it's a smaller area anyway..lol

So do you think with this work-out sort of regime, It will be okay to still have my coffee with cream and sugar??..or maybe a substitute sugar could replace the real deal??

~I'm still a little worried~ <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

~an added note..

when I quit working full time - which was exactly a year ago to date.. I was maybe 20 pounds over weight and thought surely I'd be able to drop those last bit of annoying pounds once I became a stay at home mom eating real food at home rather then the junk that was always at work... boy was I ever wrong!! Since then I have gained over 30 pounds..which added to the 20 that I was already over...so now I'm feeling desperate and determined but at the same time- not nearly as energetic as I would have to be in order to get a seriously beneficial cardio work out that jogging would do for me...

I really hope the walking bit will suffice- at least for now!

Charise, I am a little curious now about how many cream and sugar that you put in your coffee? Because I do put cream and sugar and I am not overweight <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> But I think if you can really commit to take an evening walk everyday with your daycare mom and if you beg your husband to mow your back yard, then you should lose couple pounds. I guess those exercises would really help you to lose weight.
Well, I'll tell you the secret that I am not doing a regular exercise anymore. That's because I've been late for 2 weeks and I think I might be pregnant and I don't want to have a miscarriage again <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
OK then, hope the exercises that we discuss above will help you.
Nice talkin to you.

Oooh...congrats on the possible pregnancy! It's good that you are taking that into concideration with your exercise too <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

As for the cream and sugar.. I have always put about 2 level spoons of sugar in each cup and then just poured a splash of French Vanilla in (have no idea what measurements)..enough to lighten it in color but not make it really creamy white..lol

This last week though I cut back to just one level spoon of sugar- but that was prior to reading about "Splenda" a sugar alternative.. So last night I went to the grocery store and bought a bag of this stuff and have it in my coffee now and really I find the taste is still great!...and hardly a carb to worry about (except in the vanilla creamer <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> )

I went on my first walk this morning with the next door neighbor too and wow!!...what a work out..who would have thought just walking could seriously get your heart pumping! We have a lot of hilly roads around the neighborhood so it was a good varried work out ranging from ups and downs and we were out walking for about 45 mins. But it was sooo enjoyable that we're going again tomorrow morning too <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

What about a sugar substitute? I am not a coffee drinker but surely there is something out there that can sweeten your coffee without adding the raw sugar carbs? -Jenny.

Oh yes!!

one word.... ~Splenda~ <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have made the switch..i only need to put one level spoon in and it's perfect...there's no difference to me.. it actually tastes very good!

Hey there, Although it sounds like you have solved your problem, I thought I would chime in...Have you ever tried no sugar with your french vanilla splash, and a touch larger splash? Buy the no fat french vanilla, it is VERY sweet. I also start my day with an entire pot of coffee, and purchase Tim Horton's coffee in large double double increments when out and about. I thought it was a chef thing! I think your commitment to a healthier lifestyle is admirable and good luck.

I hope I am doing this correctly. I have a question on carbohydrate counts. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I know that fruits are relatively high in carbohydrates, and I also know that SIZE of individual fruits can vary astonishingly. Your charts say that an apple has 17 carbs...well, in my store you can buy apples that weigh anywhere from 5 ounces to 12 ounces! <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> What size of apple is 17 grams of carbohydrate?

Even more useful would be a carbohydrate count PER OUNCE OF EACH FRUIT, so you could see how many carbohydrates your particular apple or banana or guava contains based on how much it weighs (I have also seen bananas anywhere from 5 inches long to 12 or more). Can you help me?

If you are thinking that this sounds pretty nit-picky, please know that I am a diabetic and my life has greatly improved since I have been controlling what I eat. This fruit carbohydrate count question is one of the last things I need to know. <img src="/images/graemlins/angel.gif" alt="" />

This website looks great. I will explore more later. Thank you in advance. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Catherine