Hi all,
My name is Janet. Haven’t started yet and just read the book. I have been eating low carb on my own for 3 weeks, but would like to at least start the 5:2 or a 4:3, to lose faster. I’m a little disappointed with the recipes even though I have a wide variety of foods I will eat. The recipes are a little fussy, as they have a lot of ingredients and are time consuming. I do a lot of my own cooking so that’s not the problem. I am an American and some of the items like creme fraiche or passion fruit are not readily available. Converting measurements is not a problem. I just need 2 or 3 recipes for each meal.to get me started. I do’t mind eating the same things a lot. Any suggestions from the experienced would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Janet

You could use the recipes for inspiration, but modify them to suit your usual eating habits.

Some good meal suggestions would be:

Breakfast
Eggs (how you like them) with mushrooms, small number of baby plum tomatoes – I have my eggs on 20g of baby spinach (yes, odd I know, but taste great). Don’t forget plenty of pepper and salt
You could also do a frittata with some other veg (from the ‘good’ veg list, not root veg) which is lovely. Add cheese to the top and put in the oven to finish

Lunch
Salad, perhaps cheese, tuna, ham, chicken, your choice of meats with plenty of salad leaves. Dress with olive oil as fat will fill you up
I like a couple of slices of Leerdammer cheese wrapped round half a head of chicory. Lots of crunch!

Dinner
Again, roast chicken with vegetables or salad, or whatever meat or fish you enjoy.
I do a salmon fillet with a topping of a small amount of red pepper, spring onions, 3 baby plum tomatoes, with garlic and ginger and a chilli pepper. Fry the topping up first then add to the salmon and cook in foil. Serve on salad.

Snacks
Full fat Greek Yoghurt with a few (not too many) berries
Nuts – again not too many

I have used a lot more spices – inventing curries all the time! – and have really enjoyed food. If you use an app like MyFitnessPal, you can plan out a recipe by adding in your ingredients and then spotting if you’ve got too many calories or carbs.

Can’t do a recipe book in one post, but check the recipes on this site which are all tried and tested!

And of course
– try and keep carbs to 50g or under per day if you want to kick-start weight loss, this is the amount which seems to work for people
– drink lots
– if you are drinking lots, remember you will be excreting salt and will need more on your food
– try a few things you’ve not tried before – you’ll be surprised that your tastes change

Good luck! 🙂

Dinner – Chicken and Bacon Quiche – 4 rashers lean bacon, 6 oz chicken breasts, 8 oz cottage cheese, 4 eggs. Chop and cook chicken and bacon mix into cottage cheese, whisk the eggs and add to meat cheese mix, mix thoroughly. Pour into a baking dish and place in oven at 200C for 20 mins or until set and you have a quiche without the pastry base. Feeds 4 or can be frozen is slices for another meal or snack. Comes to 200 cal and 2 carbs per quarter quiche. Found this on Facebook but cannot acknowledge where from as the site just says free recipes.

Appreciate the ideas. Thanks. I have to simplify for breakfast and lunch on the run. Wow, that 50g carbs is challenging, but the reward is great.