Was it one of Michael Mosley’s docos where he talked to scientists about how much meat we can sustainably eat? The answer turned out to be around 100 grams per day per person. (This is purely about sustainability, not if you don’t like the taste or don’t approve of eating animals.) A lot of the Western World, including me, eat a lot more that that, even while on a low calorie diet. I eat more than the recommended 45 g of protein a day because I love the taste of meat so much. One side of my family were farmers and I’ve always known where meat comes from (and so do my kids) and I do care about the welfare of animals while they are alive but am happy to kill and eat them. For my health, and for the environment, I really should cut down to the 100 grams of meat a day. But on a low carb diet that only leaves veges…. euw…. I’ve increased my vegetable intake a lot on this diet but can’t say I enjoy most of them that much. I could not stick to this diet if I didn’t get to eat yummy meat.

Hi Natalie,
I also love my meat. Yum.
I have also found that veggies can be very tasty if done the right way.
Just the other day I had pak choi, stir fired with a little ginger root, garlic, chilli and a small amount of Asian fish sauce. It was great. A really good mix of flavours.
Fish sauce is a very useful additive to veggies because, like many fermented foods, it has the fifth flavour: umami, which is a rich savoury flavour. (The other four are sweet sour salt and bitter). This could be what you are enjoying in your meat, as meat is a good source of this, but so are cheeses, especially parmesan, mushrooms, especially shiitake, some fish, especially dried, soy sauce, yeast extracts like vegemite etc, and some veggies, like tomatoes and celery. Try boosting the umami of your veg dishes with the addition of some of these and see if you find them more interesting.

Hi Hawks, love your ideas for additions to veg!

Hi Natalie, I think M M was just the latest person to talk about the unsustainable amount of meat we eat in the Western World. I first read about it over 40 years ago when burning the Amazonian rainforest for cattle production became an issue – I think it was an article in the Sunday Times which gave the figure of the land to feed one meat eater could sustain ten vegetarians.
It is also the reason why agricultural geneticists have been working to increase plant yields – hence the way wheat has changed since the 1950s. It’s also the reason why in more recent years scientists have been trying to grow meat in laboratories. Yuk!
As world populations continue to explode, when agricultural land is turned into more housing estates, we are going to find it increasingly difficult to afford to eat meat. I can’t help thinking all the research into how much meat/protein we should eat is a spin off from this problem.
I too have family on both sides involved in farming. My dad and his brother used to go fishing so as a child I was also used to seeing freshly caught fish and live crabs. Growing up in the countryside I have always known where food came from.
There are some meats I really like – bacon springs to mind! I do like my English breakfast! Going veggie, though, really makes you think outside the box for delicious meals!
I might not live long enough to see the time when meat becomes a luxury for just the rich (I’m 63) but for people in their 30s, perhaps even in their 40s, it may become a reality. Unless of course there is a massive improvement in laboratory manufactured meat on an industrial scale in the near future.

Gee, this is a bit heavy for a Saturday morning! I guess I am just trying to say I am not against meat eating and would never try to persuade people to become vegetarian but I do think that for the younger generations they might not have the choices we have grown up with.

Hawks I have also read that fermented foods are good for us 🙂

.

Hi Hashi and Hawks,

I’m going to try eating more veggie stuff but I’m worried about protein intake versus calorie count if I drop meat a lot. Yesterday I had a steak for my evening meal with the obligatory salad but with mushrooms, onion, garlic and chilli cooked with it and then a tbsp of creme fraiche to make a saucy thing out of it. According to myfitnesspal I was under for my protein count but then I did exercise yesterday and don’t know what that does to allowable ratios of stuff…

I can be a bit obsessive so I’m liking that I can look at the numbers on there.

I think in terms of sustainability and green things we need to go backwards to go forwards. We are consuming too much generally as a species. The only bad thing about eating less meat for future generations is I wonder what the food industry will come up with to replace it? Probably nothing good.

Enough of this. Weighing today I am still 13 st according to my scales which is about 9lb lost in 14 days. Pretty good 😀

I’ve yet to be told what being a type 2 diabetic is all about so I’m sure I’ll get info on that Monday as the dr phoned me while I was out yesterday and I didn’t get home until they’d closed for the day. Although the message said nothing to worry about. For those who know about such things my hba1c came back at 88 which the nurse said was double what it should be.

Hi Lucia, sorry to hijack your thread x

Polly x

Hi Polly, remember meat is not the only protein you also get it in:

Eggs
Cheese
Cream
Yoghurt
Beans
Lentils
Peas
Avocado
Olive oil
Butter
Fish
Tofu
Quorn
Nuts
Seeds
Butter

I’ve probably missed out a few other protein sources!
I’m finding I am eating more chicken,fish and bacon because there are carbs in beans and lentils!
Just remembered mushrooms have a little protein in them too!

I tend to have cod for it’s no carbs and low calories. Steak has more cals than chicken.

The chickpea flour flatbreads are a protein source because they are effectively made from chickpeas . I had one yesterday for lunch with a bit of cream cheese, chilli and lettuce and had it as a wrap.

Flatbreads with lentil dahl is scrummy. I’ll get a recipe up soon with the carb and calorie counts for that combo.

Barby posted about a free kindle recipe book this morning – it’s a vegan indian book but has some tasty curry recipes you might like to try and some explanation of which veg foods contain iron and B vitamins.

Rhubarb contains iron and vitamin C (iron needs vit c to be absorbed) so the rhubarb and yoghurt recipe in the blood sugar book is a good one – protein, vitamins and important minerals like calcium an iron.

Now to your weight! 9lbs in 14 days is fantastic.

Sorry to hear about your blood test results but you are on the right diet to put that right!

Looking forward to hearing about more improvements! 🙂

Lucia are you puddle stomping today? It’s raining here!
Xxx

Hi All,

Spent one night in a hotel and fell badly off the wagon – I was horrified how easily the “old ways” could return – someone coined the phrase “Food Blackout” for it and that is so true – I found it frighteningly easy to allow myself indulgences. (Spelling?)
I have to shock myself into the “New ways” so am going “off-line” for a while.
I have reached the stage of significant weight loss with not far to go but difficult times ahead.
I have been here SO MANY times before and this is where it has all fallen apart EVERY TIME before.
I know the support from you all is marvellous, but I have to see if I can really adopt this new lifestyle on my own.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but going cutting the life-line will, I think help me.
Anyway, right or wrong, I’m unsbscribing until the middle of June.

Christine, I’ll have your shining light for “difficult times” to spur me on.
Lucia, I’ll keep a log of my walking and report honestly how I get on.

Onwards & Downwards

Over and out

John

Hi john, it will be sad not to have you posting til mid june, but I wish you all the very best while you are going it alone

Hawks all those additions sound great. Except the fish. Not really a fan. I suppose a little bit of fish sauce could add flavour without fishiness. Not sure how to eat Vegemite without toast! I have a vague memory I used to spread it on celery sticks?

I read something about factory manufactured meat recently. Using a discarded calf embryo as a starter (so still came from an animal!) they successfully produced pure muscle. It was white and flavourless. Now they are trying to manufacture the fat and blood needed to make it palatable. Of course the process costs a lot more (in money and to the environment) to manufacture pretend meat than to raise and slaughter a cow, but maybe in the future it won’t.

Hi Natalie,
The fish sauce is a fermented sauce, so the fish flavour isn’t strong enough to come through as fishy without you using more than you need for a flavour boost. Vegemite etc can be added to sauces or stirfries just as say, a thick soy sauce would. Add a little water to get the paste to spread.

Hi John,

sometimes it is better to take time out and re-evaluate. You will be ok.

Thanks for that list, Hashi, I am eating all those things already but still having problems with the app as that is my main goto and lazy way for counting the calories/carbs.

It’s very sunny here today. Lovely for folks who are getting in all their walking!

Hi Lucia,
I like the idea of MM. On its side? Have already warned hubby!
My diebetic friends were impressed with my weight lose, it was interesting talking to them about my journey, they are also going to try and sign up on the petition, I couldn’t get on line last night, low battery!
I’m on a plateau at the moment will be happy if I get this week over and get back to pre hols weight!
Just been for a forty minute walk, my favourite walk, round the lake (which is called a pond?) and over twenty little bridges that are for water off the woods to run into the pool, we always get the number of bridges wrong! Then back for cottage cheese, pear and walnuts for brunch.
How are you doing today?

Hi bill,
I like that idea too, what size t shirt to get though, I need to lose a lot more before I get mine!
Christine

Hi john,
We all have times like yours, I’m very frustrated at being on this plateau! I know it will start again, I just need to get back to pre holiday weight then I will feel better about myself, don’t despair though, even if you’re not posting your friends here will silently support you, good luck, and I look forward to seeing a post from you in the near future?
Christine

Hi john,
I understand what you are going through.
I had to come to this diet gradually. I thought to step straight into it was too great.
So I had a week to get with it. You are only taking a few weeks, so I will be waiting here with the team really to welcome you back into the fold.

I also had a 24 hour blackout from the blog. As I felt it was getting a little to heavy. I came back refreshed, I hope the same thing happens for you.

I will miss you, but please keep cycling and running, keep trying to stay within say 1200 calories, and bring it down a hundred each week, so when you come back you will be at 800.
But let me put your mind at rest, I look forward to your return even if you can’t do the 800, if it has to be 1000 or 1200.
Just keep trying, keep moving, keep motivated, keep happy, keep in touch.

Love Lucia
Xxx

Hi Bill 1954.
Who to I make a complaint to please?

A month or so ago, I had plenty of sitting down time to blog.
Now, with this diet, I was up early, I had energy to clean the house, do two loads of laundry, to stay out walking in the beautiful sunshine that is still here now.
I want to do much, move, be active, see, feel, smell, enjoy experience everything.

So the problem I have, that I want to complain about is……

How can I blog if I am doing all that?

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

Thank you are two simple words, this is all I can offer all of you, please take them as my gift to you.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi,

Thank you for the conversation or the gentle debate about eating meat.

I think it is interesting. I have had a meat free day today, I am going to see how my body reacts. I would like to do it gently and over time.
Will I ever be totally vegan?
I don’t think so, but you never know and I am not saying never.

Tomorrow I will have eggs, veg salad etc, I will try again, hope you are all looking inwards on how you feel emotionally and physically about this.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi Lucia – I will never be a vegan!!! But I do like to mix it up a bit. There are some veggie meals I just can’t do without – just as much as I can’t do without my English Breakfast.
Hawks had some good ideas for veg didn’t he? I like fish sauce ( not the smell of it) but a small amount in some dishes gives a lovely flavour.

Did you see the article about meditating knocking 7 years off your brain age???

xx

Hi Lucia, Christine, Judith et al,

Thanks for your good wishes.

Lucia, if you want to keep an eye on my efforts to follow your walking challenge you can follow my progress on “Strava” (free App)

I put this morning’s walk onto my cycling log this morning by mistake but it is there if you look.

You can set it up to “follow” me if you wish. (Look for John Lambert)

Bye all – see you in June.

Hi Hashimoto,

No I didn’t see the article. My hubby has said my mind is like a box of frogs, jumping from idea to idea.

Unsure how old the frogs are. But I bet they would enjoy a few years being knocked off.

Love Lucia
Xxx

Hi Lucia,

I have a brain like that but I think of it like a grasshopper, I have conversations with people who’ve known me for years and sometimes they can cope with me bouncing from one topic to another that makes perfect sense in my head (because I know what the connection was from the previous conversation) but has no obvious path to them…. this can happen in the middle of talking

I’d like to be able to shut the inner brain chatter up sometimes but other times, I like it. Haven’t been dreaming as much since I started this diet which is probably good as I’m getting deeper sleep but I do miss my dreams (in glorious technicolour and everything)

Polly xxx

Hi lucia and polly,
Let’s keep on with the mindfullness, then.we’ll have some moments of quiet mind amongst the tumult of thoughts! I’d like to knock 7 years off my brain age! 14 years would be better but I’ll settle for 7!
Xxx

Morning team,
How are we all doing?
I had an ok day yesterday being a temp vegetarian. Will try again today just with eggs, veg salad etc.
Going for a huge walk today, it is dull and overcast so taking a bus to the sea then walking walking and walking.

We have discussed some really interesting topics recently. I am glad we do. Sometimes you can feel isolated in your own head. Hearing other people’s angles on things opens us all up to a bigger picture. It’s like walking through someone’s mind.

If you want to walk through mine, make sure you were a helmet etc, it is a topsy turvy place, but come on in, you’re most welcome.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Morning Lucia!

Cutting my grass and digging out turf to create a path on part of my lawn this morning. I expect the muscles will be protesting soon!

Also overcast here in Edinburgh, but I envy you your walk by the sea. I think I’d rather that than the garden – but from the garden I can keep an eye on my daughter’s exam revision – can’t do that from afar!

I certainly need the bigger picture your perspective on things provides – my mind veers from the pretty simple to the tortured depending upon my mood! So keep on posting, wouldn’t be here without you, genuinely.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Julia

Glad you’re still alive after your veggie day yesterday Lucia. A walk by the sea sounds lovely 🙂

Hi Lucia,
It’s 1.15pm, we have been to church, counted the collections, got lunch organised, then we went on a 50min walk, another of my favourites, near home a woodland walk with wood anemones and bluebells, we saw a vole, a curlew, and lots of horses and one dog with his Mrs!
Now just waiting to finish lunch off then eat! Today I am having beef, carrots, broccoli and gravy or if you’re posh jus! Hubby and Angela also having roast parsnips, and potatoes and yorkshires, with red wine, then trifle for pud.
I don’t mind, really!
Christine

Hi team,
It sounds as though we are all moving about and getting fitter too.
It’s been cloudy, then sunny, then rain. The temperature is colder here.
So now, I am ready to sort out the dining room. Ready to attack it. I have been thinking about it for…. Years I suppose.
My goodness where am I getting this energy from? It’s wonderful.

Also previously , my garden looked like a jungle.
I would have to sit on a crate to reach the weeds, and only manage a short area, before I was uncomfortable reaching and bending.
Now my garden is already in order, this year , for the first time ever, when we hit the summer, I will be able to sit out and appreciate it.
I haven’t been able to do that as it was such an eye sore so didn’t bother with it.

Love Lucia xxx

Oh and while I was out today,
I had …… An ice cream . I loved it.
No wafer cone, no chocolate flake, but just ice cream it w yummy.
Yes it is a treat, but I walked the legs off myself.

Love Lucia
Xxx

Oh and I had a visit to a fast food establishment last week.
Don’t tut yet.

I went to the subway shop. Sandwiches, rolls, etc.
I had a chicken and bacon salad in a round plastic container, it was yummy. So if you get dragged there, you can find a healthy option.

No bread, no sauces, I did it,🙂
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi Christie
You are doing a great job.
It is difficult when others are tucking into our old menu, but you are so strong to ignore the naughty bits.
I am proud if you.
Keep going.

Love Lucia xxx

Oh and another thing.
Old expressions
Eg
Tea and toast.
It gives me the image if something cozy to share and enjoy.

Now when I say to hubby, shall we have tea and toast,….. I get hot water and yoghurt dolloped on berries🙂.
Weird isn’t it?
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Lucia being able to sit and enjoy your garden this summer is a massive benefit from this diet.

Tea and toast. I’m wondering if the chickpea flatbread with sweet herbs/spices would cut the mustard with a cuppa? I was thinking rosemary, cardamon, lemon zest and caraway seeds. If you have s really small frying pan you could make treat size breads. They freeze well so you get 20 very small ones out of the recipe. Just a thought xxx

Hi Lucia,
Our walk this morning was wet, sunny, windy, cold, then sunny! English weather for you.
Hubby ( David) has decided he will join me on my diet starting in the morning! He just feels he needs to lose a bit of weight, so I have got a partner now, before he only ate what I ate plus all the other stuff ie carbs!
Our daughter has taken over the gardening, I could do some, however I don’t think Angela would be too happy at me interfering with what she sees as her garden while she is living with us.
Oh I would love to be able to re-decorate, although until Angela finds her feet, ie job, home, life! We can’t do anything, she has a house bunny! It has caused havoc in most of our rooms, we have had to hitch all the electrical wires halfway up the walls, put stuff all around the lower edges of the rooms she’s allowed in, the bunny that is not Angela! She still manages to chew our wallpaper off!
So when you have finished your dining room, you are most welcome to come and do mine! Plus our sitting room, hall, and two of the bedrooms, she got in when the kids were here and left the doors open!
JUDITH
My spirilizer has come, Sunday evening six thirty!
Back to being strict on the diet tomorrow, I want to get that sparkles sliver bracelet you see Lucia!
Christine

Judith
Can I make those flatbreads with any other non carb flour or is it just chickpea, I have all sorts of gluten free flours but no chickpea!
Christine

Lucia
And for tonight’s meal I had celery, yellow pepper, walnuts, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, 1 fig, then blueberries, strawberries, and some single cream, nothing else til morning other than a drink before bed.
Hope you got your dining room started. What sort of ice cream was it?
Christine

Oooh christine you will have such fun with your spiraliser!

You need chickpea flour – it has a number of different names so you might have seen it under another name – besan flour, gram flour, garbanzo bean flour. Hope you find some.

🙂 🙂

Judith, do you think the flatbreads would work with coconut flour?

Hi. Christie,
Just plain vanilla.
I used to have , in one sitting two or three McDonald’s mcflurry icecream several times a week.
I justified it as they were only 99pence each.
So I totally cut them out as I felt… Addicted to them.
I don’t want and will not allow myself another one for. Month.

I ate it slowly, and focused on it. I didn’t want to throw it down my throat and not notice it.

I Think if you don’t focus on it, you don’t notice it, you don’t know you have eaten it, so you will not believe you are full, you just carry one eating more.

Boy , hasn’t my way of eating changed so much.

I am the better for it.
Love Lucia
Xxx

Hi Hashimoto.
How are things with you?
Hope you are well and happy.
Love Lucia
Xxx

Hi captain Lynn.
I love some of the herbs and flavours you are mentioning.

Last week, I said I was getting a little fed up of what I was eating, so I put lemon and rosemary on chicken last week.
I put mint in my yoghurt.
Just little touches but they change the personality of the. Eat.
Love Lucia
Xxx

Where are you bill1954.
I wonder if your eyes are still sore and you can not spend much time on the keyboard.
Missing you.
Love Lucia
Xxxx

CaptainLynne
I have made pancakes with a mix of coconut flour and chickpea flour and they are yummy so I suspect that the flat breads would also work with the mix. However I wonder if you’d need to use much more liquid if using only coconut flour as the stuff absorbs a lot of liquid on standing?

Hi string breaker,
I know you are absent until June, just a little note here, to say I am thinking of you and wish you well.
Love Lucia
Xxx

Hi team,
Anything happening in Australia?
What’s the weather like?
What are you eating?
Glad you are here on this website.
Love luciaXxx

Hi lucia, I’m fine – bit busy planning my hol to Oz – a lot to sort in a short time! I tried one of my swimming cozzies on today – i will need some new ones – theres loose material where my backside used to be lol

Sounds like you enjoyed your ice cream! Mindfullness is great.

Lynne I don’t know that coconut flour would work – I think they would glue themselves to the frying pan 🙁

Lucia I am with you on the McFlurries. I used to scoff them in a similar manner but now consider a better option a ball or 2 of real homemade Italian stuff. More flavour and less junk, and more satisfying when eaten mind fully. My justification for this treat is that my dad always found that if he had eaten a low GI meal then finishing with an ice cream had no adverse effect on his blood sugar. So I reckon the odd one is a good thing – although it no doubt slows down the weight loss!

Hi Lucia,
My favourite ice cream is pistachio, last year at Cromer I found one called salted caramel, so it’s a toss up now between the two!
I hope you enjoyed every last slow morsel.
Christine

Hi Judith,
Can’t remember if I have said thank you for the heads up about the gram / chickpea flour, so thank you!
Christine

My pleasure christine 🙂

1000 posts! Well done. All very interesting and uplifting xx