Am I right in thinking I can bulk up on cauli and all the greens etc that are zero calorie?

Wouldn’t that be nice, Bobbi! ‘No… there are no free foods. For example, 1 cup of cooked cauliflower
conta.ins 2.4g of net carbs and 62 cal. 8oz of cooked spinach is 2.6g carb and 50cal. Both
excellent choices, though. I eat a lot of them 🙂

I have a good 2st to lose, if not 3. But it does concern me that spinach, surely a good source of fibre and iron, is to be weighed and measured as a potential “obstacle”. Although 1lb of cooked spinach at 5.2 carb and 100 cal seems cheap at the price.

Of course it is up to you how you manage your carb intake and spinach is a healthy way to go and in all likelihood you’d not eat a whole pound of it in a sitting. However I personally think it is important to remember that vegetables contain carbs, as some them are surprisingly high especially the allum family – onions, shallots, leeks etc and these are items that can commonly come in quite large quantities in recipes, so it’s worth factoring in their carb content – especially if you are aiming for a very low carb intake at the 20g per day mark. Tomatoes are also one to watch.

I do agree SunnyB – I had not appreciated the carbs in a leek for example (I suppose it’s the “below ground” factor). But I just find it difficult to believe anyone ever got fat eating too much spinach. I love lambs lettuce – in my supermarket (Tescos) it comes in a 60g pack. Calories in that 60g, 9, and as per pack info, 1g carb and 0.5 fibre (I don’t know whether that means net carb of 0.5). To my mind that is pretty much a “zero food” – and delicious and satisfying with it. I have yet to establish my “ideal” daily carb allowance; I am going to see how the scales and measurements go for the next couple of months. I have put on all my excess weight in the last 7 years or so by eating too much and of the wrong sort (including I now see those little ready-made puddings like bread and butter/crumble – a wopping 60g carb!), and also the wine has undoubtedly played a part. I have also seen my daughter (now recovered, although I fear it never really goes away) go through five years of anorexia (thankfully never to the being hospitalised stage), which is the most frustratingly incomprehensible condition; but that explains why it worries me to imagine someone sweating over spinach. Anyway, hope all have a lovely weekend and Monday will see the pointer on my (old fashioned) scales having definitely and clearly moved to the left of the “1” in “13” – it is annoyingly just hovering over it…which would be a 9-10lb loss over 4 weeks since I started (and also hopefully another 1/2 inch to add to 4 inches off waist in that time). No Pinot in the house!

I suppose for those who need to pull their carb intake 20g or less, considering anything that contains even small amounts of carb as zero holds a danger, because there is the risk of becoming complacent and ignoring all the little bits, which inevitably will add up to bigger bits. Bit like ‘taking care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves’? I’m sure you are correct, no one got fat from eating spinach, but then who lives solely on spinach, or lettuce etc. – it’s largely what other choices we make which makes the difference.
Do hope that your daughter’s recovery continues and I appreciate that in the light of her history, you are loath to marginalise healthy leafy foods by apportioning any negative element to them. It is obvious that whatever you are doing is working, regardless of whether you have a plan for daily carb intake. You have removed very high carb items – stodgy puds and wine to name two – and are seeing success, so keep walking your path.
Looking forward to hearing the scales have moved past the pesky one!

HaHaa, sixturkeys! I find your remarks highly amusing, if not overtly condescending. Imagine
“sweating” over spinach!

Well that was certainly not my intention. And I don’t see how remarks about having a beloved daughter go through anorexia can be seen as “amusing” in the slightest, in anyone’s books. But your message and tone are quite clear, so I will keep away.

Nothing whatsoever is amusing about your daughter’s eating disorder, turkey. Perhaps you’re
conflating your experience with her very troubling condition with my experiences along the BSD
route. You don’t know the long journey many of us have been on to lose massive amounts of
weight, and more importantly, keep it off for 2 years. This is a friendly, nurturing place, and we
share knowledge that we’ve picked up along the way. We don’t make negative personal remarks
to a third member of the community, either, which is highly passive agressive. I hope that you make
this community your home, for there is much to be learned here. Best of luck,

Allie

sixturkeys, I have know Allie for some time now and can say with absolute confidence that she was not saying she was amused by your daughter’s situation. I do hope you will feel you can remain with the forum, as these misunderstanding happen from time to time, as a result of not being able to hear tone of voice or see facial expression, to convey the full message.
Those of us who have been with the forum for a very long time, do our very best to offer advice, share our experience and knowledge and nurture those needing some support in their quest. Do we always read things exactly right – well, no – we are all human. Be assured though that no-one here would make light or belittle the struggles of another member of the community or their loved ones, it is absolutely not what this forum is about.
Whether you feel able to stay with us – and I hope you do – or feel you have to bow out, I wholeheartedly wish you success in getting to your goal …. I really hope to be reading about it though.

I made one general comment, I can promise certainly with no one individual in mind, or anybody in particular and in no way for a moment thinking it could be construed as taking away from anyone’s undoubted fantastic successes and how they have got and stayed there. Then I am accused of being “overtly condescending” and “passive aggressive”. Which are pretty brutal phrases and really very crushing.

Thank you Sunny! We are spiritually connected after all of this time together, and your words are
always filled with grace. I look forward each day to the joy of your posts, and I always know where
to find you 🙂 I haven’t seen any posts from V. Hope that her recovery is progressing well. I have
positives to post, too, so will find you over there!

Gosh! I read and reread this thread a couple of times as some of the wording seemed a little unfair. We need to be gentle with each other, surely, this is where we come to find peace and support on our often difficult journey.
Sixturkeys, please don’t leave, there are many kind and compassionate posters on here and I for one would love to keep following your story! Also, you have the greatest username, it makes me smile every time I see it!