Ok, so as I had previously mentioned, I am laying off the carbs.
I wouldn’t really call it a diet, a. because I am eating a shit ton of food, and b. Andy is the one hell bent on losing weight because he’s freaking out that he is on belt buckle hole number four OMG and since I am the one who cooks around these parts, I’m doing my part to make him feel pretty, so low carb it is.
This is me being supportive, I’m eating bacon OUT OF LOVE.
As an interesting side note, to date, I have lost 35lbs. It’s stupid easy, as in, I’m opening my mouth and putting food into it. So, mystery solved. I lost weight because of meat, but fully intend to gain it back the second I come across a Pizza Hut breadstick (I can’t say no, you guys, I think there’s crack in the seasoning).
But, I know a lot of people do low carb, and I have gotten a lot of questions, mainly, OMG WHAT ARE YOU EATING THIS SUCKS, so I decided to touch on a few low carb points and meal ideas that have worked for Andy and I, with the disclosure that I am in no way a doctor, I haven’t read a single low carb book, I have no idea what Atkins/South Beach/Paleo is, and I am in no way responsible for your health.
1. I’m hungry.
OMG me too! But to be fair, I’m always hungry. Here’s how you fix that, eat more. I know, right? Stock your fridge with carb friendly items so that when you are hungry or get a craving to eat an entire cake, you can eat that stuff instead. Here are some of my favorites:
Cheese sticks (I love Land O Lakes Colby cheese squares)
Beef Jerky
Cashews with Sea Salt
Oven Roasted Turkey Slices
Celery sticks sprinkled with Sea Salt (weird, but it’s good)
Hard Boiled Eggs
Celery with Buffalo Chicken Dip
Sugar Free Jello Cups (Black Cherry and Strawberry are the best, for a dessert treat, top with a small spoonful of full fat whipped cream)
Lots and lots of Diet Pepsi
2. Ugh, I can’t live on steak and bacon.
First of all, what’s wrong with you, those are two of the best foods ever, and second, you need to broaden your palette, because there are tons of foods out there that are low in carbs. But, I get it, it’s hard to low carb menu plan, so I spent a week taking pictures of my food. Let’s take a peek at some ideas.
Pan seared steak, mushrooms, onions and zucchini sauteed in a touch of soy sauce and sesame seeds, and green beans with Parmesan cheese.
Check out my pan searing tutorial here! Also, buy a cast iron pan, it’s, hands down, one of your best investments, because the crust meat gets from a cast iron pan is better than oral sex, when done correctly, I swear. This meal, along with all the meals below, are one pan meals. Once your steak is finished, let it rest to the side, and toss in your veggies with a few splashes of soy sauce and some sesame seeds. When they are cooked through, set aside aside, add some butter and saute your green beans, seasoned with salt pepper and some fresh garlic, top with Parmesan cheese.
Eggs over-easy, sausage links and sauteed red cabbage.
Cook your sausage (I use Bob Evans, Original flavor) over medium heat until done, remove and then toss in some butter and half a head of chopped red cabbage, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover to cook down over medium high heat, turning every so often as to not burn. Once it’s soft and cooked through, remove, add more butter, and fry up three eggs to your taste, I love them runny and then covered in hot sauce!
Asian chicken and cashew salad.
Ok, this is just plain easy, I got some bagged salad, a bag of pre-cooked chicken strips, and Newman’s Own Sesame Ginger salad dressing, tossed it in a bowl, and topped with 2 sliced hard boiled eggs and a few cashews, makes for a lovely lunch.
Tilapia and cheesy cauliflower casserole.
I’ve fallen in love with pan seared Tilapia, and I refuse to live in a world without a giant frozen bag of it in my freezer. This tilapia is seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic salt, and sauteed in butter, about 5 minutes on each side, then topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh squeezed lemon juice. The cheesy cauliflower casserole is something I have since perfected, and will be posting the recipe for tomorrow. It’s orgasmic.
Pan seared chicken and soy vegetable stir fry.
Again, these are just pan seared chicken tenderloins (they cook faster than full breasts), and some pan cooked zucchini, bean sprouts, onion, mushrooms and cashews, seasoned with a couple splashes of soy sauce and some fresh garlic.
Surf’N Turf Take 1.
This is a pan seared ribeye. I seasoned some thawed raw, large peeled and deveined shrimp with half a tablespoon of Ranch dressing mix (trust me, it’s heaven) and some minced garlic, and while the steak was resting, I sauteed the shrimp in the pan with some butter, and again, served it with sauteed green beans.
Surf’N Turf Take 2.
You know the drill, this is my pan seared ribeye and tilapia recipe from above, it’s amazing!
Pan cooked green beans.
This is, obviously, a go-to side for us, mostly because it’s easy and delicious! Buy some steam-in-the-bag green beans; that makes sauteing them in the pan after you steam them a much quicker process. We saute ours with butter, salt and pepper, and minced garlic, and often top them with Parmesan cheese or fresh squeezed lemon juice, toss some sliced mushrooms in there for even more flavor. Grab a store bought rotisserie chicken and you have yourself a super fast meal!
Stuffed Mushrooms.
This is Andy’s favorite. Mix: 1/4 cup of crumbled sausage (I like Jimmy Dean Pre-cooked Sausage Crumbles), 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 chopped red pepper, 8 oz Cream Cheese (not low fat!), 1 egg yolk, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 chopped onion together in a bowl, once mixed, allow to chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes, it makes filling the caps WAY easier. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, and on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, fill the large white mushroom caps with the stuffing. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Then…DEVOUR.
Need more ideas? We also love:
- Omelet experimentation, our current fave is a southwest omelet with red and orange peppers, leftover grilled steak and sharp cheddar
- Brats covered in sauerkraut, sauteed red peppers and onions, and spicy mustard
- Grilled Kababs (Steak, Chicken, Shrimp with veggies)
Dread eating out?
- Cracker Barrel has an entire Low Carb menu for breakfast lunch and dinner, I KNOW, I can’t believe, either.
- Head for Steakhouses and opt for steak and grilled shrimp, and sub the starchy sides for salads with ranch and veggies
Outback Steakhouse. 10 oz ribeye, grilled shrimp, grilled asparagus.
- Breakfast for dinner. Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?! Find a place that serves all day and have a big plate of eggs, sausage and bacon!
- Buffets. I hate germs, too, but buffets make low carb’ing it super easy. I just got home from a week long road trip, and my kids craved the OMG CHOCOLATE WATERFALL from Golden Corral more times than I want to admit.
Golden Corral. 1/2 rotisserie chicken, caesar salad, deviled eggs and some steamed cauliflower with sea salt. Lather, rinse repeat, as much as you want.
- Restaurant lifesaver? I love the CarbsControl app for my iPhone. It has a HUGE restaurant list with full menus and carb counts. Andy could pick out his meals before getting there, so there was no heavy sighing and menu frustration (he’s essentially an angsty teenager)!
3. I’m craving bread.
Yeah, that’s normal. I will not sugar coat this for you, it’s going to suck ass for a good 3-4 weeks. It’s like cocaine withdrawal…only with tortillas and french fries. Once you get past that mark, it gets insanely easy. I just kept telling myself, dude, I went a whole day without eating carbs, and it sucked, so why would I eat a donut now and ruin a whole day’s worth of suffering. I imagine it’s exactly how everyone in the Bible felt.
Want even more ideas, follow my Ok fine, Low Carb board on Pinterest!
More Low Carb Recipes:
Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole (better than sex)
Shanghai Cucumbers (oh, you’re welcome)
OMG the mushroooooommmsss!! They look so good I wanted to lick my computer screen!
Thanks for the low carb reminder. I have done it in the past and didn’t hate it, but now thinking about giving up bread makes me shakey. Maybe I’ll try again.
Side note: The ad right above the comment box right now is for McDonalds… LOL.. and my daughter and her friend just came over like zombies… so there is definitely crack in that too!
Oh it is McDonalds.
And now I want it.
Awesome.
((sigh)) You make me want to be low-carb again! I lost 60 lbs waaaay back when Atkins was “hot” and stuck with low-carb for 4 years until I finally got pregnant…then all bets were off. Through the course of 2 pregnancies, I gained 100 lbs. Now with my youngest almost a year old, I’ve lost 92 lbs of baby weight, 65 of them on WW. I tried low-carb again, but my over-30, post-baby body just wouldn’t budge. WW has been fantastic, but I seriously miss bacon and Slim Jims!! :)
Over 4 years on it!? You are amazing! I feel like I am winding down on it, but I love how much it’s forced me to learn about food.
Pssst….I’ll share my beef jerky with you.
You are amazing. I have been struggling with weight loss for so long and I always end up getting frustrated when no “diet” is working. I even tried the Weight Watchers with absolutely no success.
I can’t thank you enough for your tips.
I hear ya, I struggle constantly, so we’ll just have to like, be some sort of cheerleader for each other to realize we’re pretty awesome as is, and good food is too awesome to give up:)
When can I expect you to arrive and start cooking? (PS way proud of you for a) helping Andy b) cooking healthy and c) losing weight!)
Do you count your carbs daily, or just eat a lesser amount? Also, what about alcohol intake? You are fantastic!
Yeah, I want to know about booze too! Because I can not eat for days as long as there is alcohol involved ;)
God I’m so healthy making this statement, HI I DRINK MY CARBS HAHAHAHA. But seriously, alcohol is the most carbs I intake at the moment.
Friday’s makes a blackberry margi that is low carb, and I’ve been trying to come to terms with red wine, because it has less carbs than white which is sweeter, but…this may be my eventual deal breaker.
Your menu looks amazing!! But what about margaritas???
These are delish with liquid Splenda and fresh squeezed lime juice!
lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/beverages/r/locarbmargarita.htm
I am so sick of counting points. After seeing your comment that you’re doing it low carb and basically feasting on steaks and buffalo wings, I remembered how awesome eating low carb is. Congrats on the weight loss, and thanks for sharing here and on Pinterest!
This is inspiring. I am so bad at counting points!
But OMG there’s not one sweet thing pictured…that’s my crack anthing that is sweet and I am totally addicted.
Sugar free jello with whipped cream. Hi. Get in my mouth.
When I have done low-carb, I always eat a shit ton of mexican food. Seriously, taco salads and Chipotle-like burrito bowls without rice are my staples. And veggies with ranch is my go to snack. Hidden Valley ranch dip mix (in the packet) is my crack. That and their fiesta ranch dip!
I never even considered Mexican food, but you have inspired me, I am totally going to tackle all that!
I try to tell people that it’s better to cook at home and use butter in the pan than to eat out where there’s butter in e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. Have you ever tried melting a little goat cheese over your steak? It’s amazing :)
OMG. You may have just made my night.
You make no carbs so very, very beautiful. I make it hideous and utilitarian. Will you come live with me and be my personal chef?
Absolutely. AND YES, the whole utilitarian thing, you are so dead on, because it felt that way at first, so I had to get creative and THANK GOD for pinterest for inspiration.
You’ve almost sold me on going low carb with that tilapia and cauliflower casserole – OMG, it looks amazing, and that recipe had better be here tomorrow so I can make it ASAP! But, now that I think about it, I’ll just eat that AND some carbs… :-)
I like it better than potatoes at the moment, honestly, it has the texture of a risotto.
God, I could eat the whole pan.
Are you still running? I had a really hard time finding energy to move on a low carb diet.
Oh and yum city! You’re clearly a great cook!
Dude, I know exactly what you are talking about, the first 2ish weeks, I was really sleepy. I couldn’t figure out if it was due to the carbs or due to stress.
It passed, but I remember it.
It’s actually just starting to warm up here, so yes, still running though not as often.
This is a weird question and I am sorry, I’m just curious… has you breath started to smell? I was going to do low carb but heard that after a while it can affect your breath, has that happened to you? SO RANDOM, sorry again. Not out to diminish your weightloss, just curious!
Oh, I had not heard that, and I just asked my mom, and she promised me that no, my breath did not smell.
UNLESS SHE IS JUST BEING NICE TO MY FACE.
I bet it’s because you’re still getting a ton of veggies in. I think I will be trying this!
Carbs are… yeah. I have issues. I’ve had to switch to a low cholesterol diet so some of the steak things are more of a no no for me (I do have red meat once in a while. I figure it’ll prevent me from murdering someone). There are some excellent ideas in here tho
Holy Heck… I’m losing weight too..but not low carb… I’ve gone low fat or no fat everything..and minimized carbs…which is crazy for me to read….Low fat low flavor used to be my motto! I’m counting calories and working out on the daily. OH MY GOSH..YOUR PICTURES HAVE ME DROOLING WOMAN. I am drinking my subpar coffee this morning, and I cannot take it….your meals….divine! I’ve limited myself to 1200 calories a day…..I don’t guess these meals would fit into that would they? Are you even concerned about calories or is simply cutting out the carbs working for you?
You are way more motivated than I would ever be, so good on you girl!
No I don’t count calories at all, I love calorie-laden food too much:)
all of your plates look so delicious! do you ever roast your veggies in the oven? broccoli or asparagus ( or of course veggie of your choice) tossed w/ olive oil, garlic,salt & shredded parm, 425 for about 12/15 minutes.stir 1/2 way through. this gives you slighty crisp veggies
YES. Roasted Asparagus is HEAVEN! I wrote about it here once, I roast it the same way, and then squirt with fresh lemon juice. HEAVEN.
Living in the midwest sucks in the winter, our produce blows.
Love this! I start Dukan next week and all of this will help.
Oh, Bread, I think I love you almost as much as I love my SO….But I gotta quit you!!
Same. Cake, dude. CAKE. I love it so much, I shan’t be saying no to it come birthday time:)
They do look real nice but I can’t eat foods cooked in oil or butter, affects my stomach badly so no grease for me. Low carb is hard, especially bread, I was just craving anything made with dough for ages. Do you include any breads/crackers to curb the cravings? Watch your intake of saturated fats on that diet, I’d rather be the size I am than hitting heart attack territory.
I honestly thought I would not be able to do this, and was fully prepared to have to cook two dinners each night, because after having my gallbladder out, fats DESTROY me…it’s ugly.
But, shockingly, this is keeping my stomach pretty in check. I have greatly increased my veggie intake, so maybe that’s it?
Oh and sorry, forgot the other question, no, I am not really snacking on breads, because I’m not currently craving them.
I was just on vacation and had pasta one night as a treat (ok, so my stomach didn’t love that), and also tried the low-carb cheesecake at cheesecake factory.
I think honestly, and I know it’s hard to explain, I’m not really treating this like a diet, so I don’t have the heavy fear of failing on me, so I don’t really deny myself too much, and it’s definitely made me happier.
If that at all makes sense?
It totally makes sense. Diets do scare me and failure is my middle name when it comes to eating what the government health sites and my doctor suggests – I can’t snack on raw carrots and celery without a good glug of balsamic dressing or something equally as delicious. Fruit doesn’t give me that warm belly glow like croissants and coffee does. I guess being stuck on my favourite foods doesn’t help my mentality with diets!
My husband and I recently watched the documentary Fat Head, and there is fascinating evidence about why fat is not actually bad for you and carbs are! You should watch it for some ideas about the facts behind it all, and how lobbyists have a lot more to do with what we perceive as healthy than medical science. I have not been ready to try low carb until now, but we both need to lose a lot of weight and your pictures and menu ideas have inspired me. Thank you!
Also, a question: are you counting your carbs at all, or just severely limiting carby foods? If you are counting, what’s your number? And do you eat fruit?
Thanks so much for this info, I am totally going to find that documentary!
I am actually not counting carbs, I am just sticking more to low carb food. I do, however, read my labels all the time, and if I had to strive for a daily intake number, it’d be between 20-30.
I am currently not eating fruit day to day, but I’ll have some here and there, but I AM taking a multivitamin.
You make me want to do low carb again too. I know sugar is the devil. My main barrier right now is that it is hard for when I’m at work. I need a lunch of convience, and heat and eat meals are SO easy.
I found that one key to low carb is spices!! When i first did this, I spent an insane amount on spices that had never been on my spice rack before. Stocking the freezer with frozen fish , chicken and shrimp and veggies made it easy to make lunch meals that were easy heat anbd eat . Put the meat/fish of choice and veggies in a microsafe container with spices , a little lemon juice and small amnt of water. Pop it in the micro and you have an easy heat and eat lunch.
If I didn’t do this, Ifound it entirely to easy to stray and order french fries with cheese and gravy for every lunch!
Oh good idea! And yeah, I went to Sam’s Club and bought giant bags of shrimp, fish and chicken, and also bought lots of red meat and froze it in bags.
Having it there forced me to cook it and not order out.
You cooked all those meals in one week???? I’m super impressed! Man does it suck to cook for one!
I did, which was a nice change from the take out I had been depending on. Once I got into the groove, I could churn them out in under 30 minutes, plus the leftovers were great:)
I have gone low/no carb a few times before.. it seems to be the best way for me to drop some pounds quickly and then maintain once i decide to add some carbs back in ( some carbs always becomes WAY.TO. MANY.XCARBS.OMG.I.CANT .STOP.THE.CRACK.CARBS! so I resort back to no/low carbing for a while. Seems crazy, but I ALSO LOVE FOOD and all things starchyfortheloveofallthingsholy!
Portabello Mushrooms are a must , A MUST! They have a real beefy taste and the texture is not all grossy slimy for those that have an insane aversion to the holygrail that are shrooms! ( i dont get it, either!) They can easily be used in place of a meat if you are feeling meatoverloaded. Slice them up and grill them about a 1/2 inch think.. add some flavorofill cheese and it is a meal in itself, trust!
All of your dishes look delish, and are completely unfair when I am sitting at work, hungry!
Thanks and I am with you, I could live on giant, beefy portabello mushrooms!
you’re looking great, brittany!
low carb has always worked for me. lost over 50 pounds in 2003 doing the zone diet, and now after two pregnancies and being reunited with my carbs, i need to again drop 20 or so.
thanks for all your suggestions. they all look delicious. what are you doing for breakfasts? so, so sick of eggs, but they are my go to breakfast because of the high protein/low carb value. what are you eating for breakfast?
Breakfast was hard for me, because I’m not really a breakfast eater…I blame always running around and being late for things.
So I wish I had more suggestions in this area, but I do often grab a stick of cheese for on the way to school. You could also try some greek yogurt or cottage cheese?
Low-carb makes me suicidal. And I’m not kidding.
Pinterest is amazing for low carb ideas. Have you tried cauliflower crust pizza? Do it. I liked it better than real pizza.
For breads, there are also alternatives. I found a recipe for a foccacia made with almond flour. Google is your friend – “low crab bread alternatives”
I saw the pizza on there, I am excited to try it now that I heard it’s actually good!
Just started doing low carb myself. For some of the previous commentors, no, in most cases you do not have to limit calories. You don’t want to binge, but low carb mimics a “starvation” mode for your body in terms of carbs, so your body begins using fat instead of carbs for energy, called ketosis. This is a simplified explanation. While saturated fat is definitely not healthy, full fat dairy is actually much healthier than the low fat versions which are basically processed further. This version of low carb, similar to the revised atkins plan, takes much more research into account and allows for the inclusion of red meats and fattier meats like bacon, but does so as you fill the remainder of your plate with veggies and not calories dense and nutrition sparse carbs/bread.
You can hinder weight loss by eating too much protein each day, and you definitely should eat vegetables and fruits to supplement meals. Brittany’s meals are excellent and quite healthy if you look at them nutritionally. But as a society bombarded with new diets all the time, we have been conditioned to believe that the use of butter and bacon is certain death by poundage. Simply not true when included appropriately.
Brittany, those meals look fantastic. I can’t wait for the cauliflower recipe. It is my new potato..
Thanks for explaining this! Like I said, I am not really in the know about things, diet wise, but I do know that I’m cooking a lot more, and eating tons more veggies and protein, which is good.
I wasn’t a fan of the “commercially” low carb products, because I just assumed there were great foods that existed that didn’t have carbs in them, so the whole thing feels less…processed.
I mean, really, it’s just about eating good food that happens to be better for us at the moment, because lord do we eat:)
Have you gotten cystic acne? Every time I do low carb, I get cystic acne.
If someone knows a secret to avoiding this, I would love to hear it. Low carb is the easiest and tastiest way to lose weight.
I have not gotten it, but maybe someone else can see this and has experience with it!
And I agree, it’s the tastiest and easiest. Andy tried really hard to just focus on exercise, but he was working insane hours, and was just so miserable and depressed, so he is loving the meat, ha, and the motivation it’s giving him!
I am always looking for a crunch in salads, and I don’t know why I’ve never thought to put cashews in it instead of croutons!
Same. I only thought to do it after eating pecans in a salad earlier that week.
I somehow managed not to lick the screen. Which is good, because I’m at work and I’m pretty sure that would be frowned upon.
Also, bread is my crack. It will always explain my hips and ass.
Dude, it’s totally my crack, also. Honestly, that’s probably why I ended up losing weight to begin with, because I would just LIVE on bread. Like for dinner, I’d much rather just eat the sides and ignore the protein.
Perhaps my body is in temporary shock.
Shock and awe(some)
Everything looks delish and congratulations on losing 35 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So.fucking.cool. I have been working out again, trying not to eat like a cow and now have a rule of no more eating past 6-6:30 pm. So far, so good!!
That’s awesome! I am such a nighttime grazer, it’s my weakness. Like, once the kids are in bed, it’s ON, my brain is all hey look, you can eat with two free hands, let’s go do that!
Birthday party cake kills me, I dread the month of April, we will have so much of it to snack on, but it’s SO WORTH IT YUM!
I read on some list of tricks to cut back on snacking that if you brush your teeth right after dinner, it can help you resist late night snacking. I kind of thought it was ridiculous, but then I was like, well, why not try it? And it does actually work for me. I think it’s probably a combination of things. First the Pavlovian response – the act of brushing my teeth signals my body that it’s time to settle down for sleep. And then of course, my mouth is all minty, and that just alters the flavor of most things and ruins the experience for me.
Wow, all about body acceptance, except for when you’re bragging about weight loss and touting a fad, unhealthy diet. You are a fraud and a joke.
I gain it, lose it and struggle with it pretty publicly, so…not sure what to say there?
Have a nice day, I guess?
Oh Brittany, didn’t you know your life is all fake. You didn’t really give birth to three kids. You don’t really have any struggles. And it’s SUPER fun to share successes and be criticized by lame people on the internet!
I KNOW! Wait..then why the hell am I peeing everywhere every time I sneeze?
IS THIS A JOKE!?
What the capital F?! Lady, you got a real problem. And you know what? Brittany makes us laugh, but she isn’t a joke. We are all just laughing at you. Get lost.
Some people are just asshats.
Wow Anna, how gravely misinformed you are in your entire comment.
If you go back and read her recent posts, you will see how the weight loss topic even came up and how hesitant she was to share because she didn’t want people to misunderstand, much like you just did. She shared because her readers requested her to. And body acceptance doesn’t mean you don’t try and work on health. I can accept my fat body right now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try and make sure I am healthy and will probably lose weight in the mean time.
Additionally, fads don’t last decades. Further, this diet isn’t unhealthy. Fairly sure she is eating a good amount of veggies in each meal above. There is substantial research. Updated recently kind of research that supports diets like Brittany’s.
She is the furthest thing from a fraud. I am not sure there are many words for you however, but at least you didn’t post anonymously
Well said!
Body acceptance is not the same as eating whatever you want until you’re housebound.
Two things that may help those having carb cravings until their body adjusts:
L-Glutamine capsules. Just pop one apart and dump under your tongue. It doesn’t taste either good or bad, not unpleasant. Done like this, it kills carb cravings like a snap.
And people looking for how to put that list of allowable foods into appetizing meal ideas that aren’t just meat plus cheese plus salad: http://goodlifemenus.com . It’s like those weekly menu services, only for the induction period of low carb (and you can stick to it once you’re past that first stage–just add more carbs at other meals). I noticed they have a free week’s menu with a shopping list posted too. Best thing I’ve found.
First of all- I love my eggs runny with hot sauce. We have to have breakfast together someday.
Second, in seeking out natural healing for my anxiety and depression, a naturopath directed me to the “eat right for your blood type” diet (I’m OP) and apparently carbs are AWFUL for me and when I’m off them and eating more meat and high fats, I am good. Like medicated good. Without the medication. Anyway, everything here is exactly what I should be eating. Thank you. If weight loss comes with it, great. I am just happy to be breathing normal again.
Steph
First, I am really interested in the natural anxiety/depression route, I detest medications, and would love to get off them long term.
Second, I thought the exact same thing, in fact, the weight loss came completely secondary, mostly because I was so casual with my attempt at this, but I just figured it would force me to cook more, the drop in weight shocked me, and made me wonder…just how horrible was I eating before, haha!
Congratulations on 35lbs!!! That is AMAZEBALLS. :)
Ignore the trolls. You are by far one of the most positive, realistic women I read every day and whatever works for you is awesome.
Thanks!
I am making grand assumptions here, but I just assumed we’d all high five and struggle right along side each other, if that’s ok with everyone? I’ll bring the liquor!
As long as there’s rum. And vodka…and tequila. With a side of wine and beer. And some Bailey’s. For the blowjobs, obvi.
I think we’re well on the way of becoming sister wives.
Amen! Count me in. I’ll bring the snacks! Lo carb of course! ; )
I have PCOS so became a pro at balancing carbs/proteins. Then my son was born and has a wheat/gluten (among other) intolerances so I had to cut all breads, etc while nursing. He’s better (meaning he can’t have the gluten but I can). Or so I thought. I totally overdid it with birthday cake this weekend and now after two nights of him not sleeping and screaming I have to cut out wheat cold turkey. (I’m also having more PCOS symptoms, chin whiskers/mustache looking at you.) I’m having serious withdrawals right now!!!
Thanks for posting such amazing pictures; I just might survive after all!
Oh thank you thank you thank you. I am looking for a way to lose some lbs. but on another not what the shit is pan seared!? havent a clue on that one. By the way loved this post.
Interested in knowing what your cholesterol is before and after all of this red meat, butter, eggs and cheese.
Alison, I’ve been on low carb message boards for years. I’ve seen person after person post in amazement that they went to the doctor, had their annual checkup, and their cholesterol goes *down*. And their blood pressure. And their triglycerides. In fact, in the Harvard and Duke Obesity Clinics, where they routinely use low carb to treat obesity, diabetes and heart disease, this is the case almost without fail. I’m in my mid 40s and take *not a single drug* for any purpose, because I *don’t need them*. I’ve eaten like this for years. I do not have high blood pressure, or any sign of heart disease.
You might want to do a little research on the “cholesterol controversy”, too. Cholesterol is the strongest anti-oxidant that your body makes. It repairs things, including blood vessel walls that have been damaged by high blood sugar and insulin levels. So blaming it for heart disease is like blaming the firemen for the fire, just because they’re at the scene of the emergency.
Lynn:
I get it. I know a few people who have changed their diets to low carb and had no problems with cholesterol and then at their next check up – it was through the roof . . . cut back the red meats, cheese, etc. and their cholesterol went back down. I am not dinging anyone – just interested – Brittany is young enough that it would be interesting to see what it does with her. Curious more than anything.
A lot (if not most) of cholesterol and heart disease is hereditary and not so much diet – I know people who have excellent cholesterol and have HORRIBLE diets and are extremely overweight. Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
My cholesterol became an issue this year – so I am always curious about other people’s cholesterol and diets, etc. I have cut down my red meats to once a week – but haven’t gone low fat/no fat because I believe there are more chemicals in them that will cause more harm than the actual fats you would consume with regular butter, cheese, etc.
How often to do you eat red meats, cheese, eggs, etc. The supposed “BAD” things!?
Alison, you might be interested in this article, which I just found today. Consider this is a long-time, well-known heart surgeon saying this. This is the clearest explanation of this I’ve ever seen.
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/242516-World-Renown-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease
And I eat those “bad” things at every meal. :-)
Thanks – off to read!
Hi. okay. So. First, super jazzed for you about the weight loss. I’m jealous. Which brings me to my second point, or rather question, I don’t know? Basically, I’m 23 and about 215 lbs. Which is killer to say out loud, much less type on the internet for God and everyone to see. Anyway, I’m super unhappy with myself and want to lose weight, but I have this problem where I do really well with a diet for so long, until the cravings set in. Example, OMGBROWNIES. I can deny it for so long, then I cave and half a pan later, I’m curled up in the fetal position weeping, the I say fuck it and am right back where I started. So basically…could you maybe give me some advice about that? What do you do when you would probably punch a baby for a cupcake? Thanks so much :D
Ok first, for the record, I would punch a baby for a cupcake…ok not a carrot cake one, but basically any other flavor.
Second, I’m 5’8, and have weighed what you weigh MANY times.
Third, here’s my advice, if you can get to a place where you have moments of acceptance and respect for your body (even if it’s just flickers, because dude, we ALL struggle, ALL THE TIME), and you say, ok here is where I am right now, and I am going to care enough about myself to feel good and find clothes that make me feel good, then it becomes a whole lot easier to lose weight…or not. It honestly becomes less important, because what you have now is workable, you learn your shape and what fits and what flatters and what makes you feel strong and confident and beautiful.
I was always struggling to lose weight, and it took forever for me to get to a place where I don’t hate myself all the fucking time, but now that I’m here, it’s great. The pressure is off, because lose or not, I feel ok about it.
And you should, too. 215 is not anything to be ashamed of. Ever.
If dieting feels like a punishment, don’t do it. You did nothing wrong to feel so miserable all the time. I only even wrote this post in response to emails, and I can honestly tell you, this isn’t going to be a long term thing for me, I loath diets, but I am enjoying this food right now, so it’s ok. When it stops being ok, I’ll stop and probably dive head first into a pool of spaghetti…and I kept all the jeans that fit loose on me, so I’ve totally got that covered:)
Email me if you ever wanna chat, ok?
Great reply!
I am 5’4″ and weighed in at 205 a few weeks ago and I have been up at 215 – I feel ya sister!
I have just started a “lifestyle change” instead of a diet. I started at the gym – baby steps of course – 1/2 hour of cardio – but I make sure I go 4 days a week at the least. It is not terribly hard – it is “me” time. No husband, kids, laundry – just me with my ipod or watch tv at the gym.
I am the same way – I can diet and do really well – but then I get bored and put all the weight back on and probably another 10 lbs. Which over time . . . SUCKS!
I still have something if I want it – but try to eat sanely the rest of the time. If I want a cupcake – I eat it – but I don’t eat 2 – and I don’t eat them every day.
My brother made a comment to me one day and it totally made sense and stuck:
It isn’t what you eat every once in a while that makes you heavy it is what you eat EVERY DAY .
For some reason that stuck in my head. The motto works for me. So – I eat a cupcake/candy bar/hamburger/fries (not all at the same time of course) if I want it – then the urge goes away and I go back to sane eating. I don’t think it is about denying yourself what you want – but over time – your body will crave differently. That is what I have found. Like – I don’t crave potato chips every time I have a sandwich now . . . which before – wouldn’t have eaten a sandwich without a bag.
Am I rambling now? LOL
Brittany I love your blog and I love that you struggle like the rest of us with the love/hate relationship with our bodies.
Thanks for replying. I replied yesterday, but I guess it is being moderated, or maybe the internet ate it? I don’t know.
I’m trying to cut back on certain things (haven’t had a soda in two weeks) and scaling back on carbs. Somedays it goes super well, and other days it doesn’t. I work fast food, so it’s really hard being surrounded by temptation every. single. day. Ugh.
I have days sometimes where I’m totally okay with my body, and I’m trying to have more of them. I just have more days that are either sucky or completely apathetic. I don’t know which is worse. It totally helps when you post that you struggle, not because I’m an asshole who enjoys it when other suffer, but because it helps me feel less alone and more normal. You seriously inspire me, you’re the kind if wife and mother I want to someday be. So I mean, thank you for everything you do and for being you ON THE INTERNET without fear or shame.
OHMYWORD. I am seriously drooling over these foods. My mouth is literally watering. When can I come over for dinner?
First off, most of these look WONDERFUL…. (I’m not a fan of red cabbage, but that’s just me.)
Secondly…on a low-carb diet, I think orphan-meat is totally allowed…as long as it’s not breaded.
#justsaying
I never EVER comment on message boards, kinda shy, I guess? But I have to say, YOU inspired me to try low-carb..AGAIN. And I kinda have a girl-crush on ya…I have to read your blog every day because it is so entertaining!!! OK, back to task here… I did South Beach after the birth of my last child and it worked but seemed SO restrictive at the time that as soon as I took a break from it (started drinking beer and using artifical sweetners again) it all came back on. I have a friend who has been trying to talk me into trying low-carb again (but not South Beach) and once I read that you were doing it, I felt like something was telling me to do it. I have been doing it for two+ weeks and I was VERY tired up until this week. I think I have made it thru the “carb-crash”. I also am not craving anything , nor am I hungry. Those fats and protiens really stick with you. That is not normal for me. I’m an eater!! I have lost 5 pounds which is enough to keep me motiviated but I’m obviously hoping for a lot more. I just wanted to comment on a few things I have read in the comments. I have been doing reasearch on this new lifestyle because that is kinda how I am. It is not a “FAD”. There are studies and books written as far back to over 100 years ago supporting this type of eating. There are also plenty of studies that show all of the presevatives and junk that are put in the low-fat and fat free foods are very detrimental to our health. I also happen to think that truthfully this is basically what our bodies were meant to survive on, or close to it. The Paleo diet prohibits caffine and alcohol and that ain’t happening here!! I am not that good! Also, I have experienced the bad breath and according to some books I have read, that is a result of Ketosis (sp?) which from what I understand, means your body is burning thru your fat stores. I’m actually happy when I determine I have bad breath, but I hurry up and get some sugar-free gum or a drink to get rid of it as quick as I can. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you have inspired me and I would like to encourage anyone that is interested in this type of eating plan to do some research. A good book that has helped me is Dana Carpenter’s “How I gave up Low-Fat and lost 40 Pounds.” But there is tons of info available on the net. Great job Brittany, thank you so much for inspiring me!
I lol’ed at the sentence about alcohol and caffiene, as they are my thoughts EXACTLY! I could not possibly do anything that is alcohol free, which I realize makes me sound like a huge alchy, but I like me some beer ( by some I mean many! ) When I did low carb before I drank “clear” alcohol , as I read that colored alcohol has processed sugar.. mixed with Diet Rite.. so I guess theres that option!
Yeah, I have to have some kind of alcohol. That is my only vice (besides swearing and bad food…well, I guess in some peoples eyes I may have lots of vices) so I don’t want to give it up. But I have tried to cut back. LOL! I’m glad I’m not the only one! I can’t do clear booze, gets me drunk WAY too quick..although puking does make you lose weight..KIDDING!
BDK –
Benign Dietary Ketosis… Yes, bad-breath is one of the most common signs…and yes, it’s a good thing. :)
You are a miracle worker! And not just one miracle, but two.
That first steak and soy sauce veggies dinner not only got my not-so-fungi-friendly BF to eat mushrooms that he could clearly see were mushrooms, but that there pan searing tutorial produced the first steaks I’ve ever made that didn’t turn out like shoe leather.
Oh and just so you know, if you happen to get distracted in the produce section, forget you are looking for zucchini, and accidentally make the veggies with cucumber instead – still really good.
Ok I have ALSO accidentally done that with the cucumber, THEY ARE BOTH GREEN AND PHALIC, DUDE.
Also I am so happy your steak turned out, I actually love searing over grilling, but it’s just too damn hot in the summer to run the oven that high.
I hate the low carb diet, but my husband has been doing it for over a year and since I cook.. I’m forced to live the life.
I have about a bajillion recipes but here is my fav. and the easiest thing ever
Black Bean Taco Salad
1lb ground beef
1 can black beans
1 packet taco seasoning
taco fixnins’
Ground the beef, then put in a pot with the beans. Add taco seasoning and BAM you have black bean taco salad.
Kids love it, husbands ask for leftovers for lunch the next day and it takes about 7 minutes. What’s not to love?
I cannot tell you how much I needed to read this post. I’m currently doing a ZOMG SUPER RESTRICTIVE diet, but after 40 days it turns into, essentially, low carb. Before this diet I never cooked for myself, so seeing these meals has made me much more confident about being low carb for a bit.
Also, hearing that I’m not the only one missing bread? Not the only one staring longingly at the Pizza Hut breadsticks copycat recipe on Pinterest. Oh, just me? *ahem* Anyway, super helpful on all counts. Thank you!
This made me literally lol. I am seriously always hungry (hubby thinks theres something wrong with me haha) and diet pepsi is gift from soda gods. We’d be bff’s. However there’s no way I’d ever do low carb. I love fries. I stay fit with sweat, tears, and Jillian Michaels.
My husband and I started a lo-carb type meal plan on Monday and I made those stuffed mushrooms to take for lunch tomorrow. My husband is dreading them, but ohhh my goodness. I was packing them in a containter and practically licked the excess filling off the baking sheet’s parchment paper (After it cooled down a little first). Completely worth the slightly burnt tongue.
I think I may just snatch his out of his lunch box before he can try them and decide he actually likes them.
Yes…your dishes look AMAZING! This is not the 1st time I’ve gone carb free. I think it is the easiest way to diet ever because you still have so many food options. People who know me well are always amazed that I can do this because I am definitely the biggest carb junkie I know! I decided to do low carb again because I have gotten lax since the holidays. I am so glad I came accross your page. I prepared the stuffed mushrooms and OMG for anyone reading….gather your ingredients and start cookin! They were amazing. I shared them with family and friends and nearly every person wanted this recipe. I love to cook so since then I have also prepared a version of it with crab meat (these were also fabulous). I am going to find that cauliflower crust recipe ASAP. I have found as others that just making sure that you have lots and lots of snacks ready (fresh veggies, cheese sticks, nuts) its a very easy to adapt this diet to the things you enjoy. I do miss my wonderful bread, pasta, rice, etc…but the cravings are never as bad as I think they will be and usually subside with time. Thank you so much. You have inspired me hang in there!
Holy hell I am drooling. And wondering if I should try low-carb again. Longest I’ve been able to do it is for 6 weeks, and it was mostly to go Gluten-free. But I was eating potatoes. Which I don’t eat when counting calories. Go figure. But the whole steak and bacon thing – yeah it’s completely a mental thing… OMG too much fat and too many calories thing. Have to get beyond that!
Funny,
I’ve never actually wanted to eat my computer before. I think the oil makes everything look sexy.. just like a weightlifter (but with more fat than protein). Super yummy pictures.. thanks!