Hello again

I’m still plateauing and have done now for weeks, despite coming in at around 800 cals a day. When I posted before about this, a couple of brilliant posters suggested cutting down my carbs and tracking them on My Fitness Pal. I’ve tried this, and managed to a bit, but I’m finding it really hard as I’m a dairy free vegetarian. I eat eggs, tofu and quorn every day but even using these protein sources, my carb content is still around 65g because I include pulses and veg for variation, fibre, ease and portability (and if I eat too many eggs I’ll be bound until kingdom come). My sugar count is almost always between 20g – 30g.

Does anyone have any good dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian high protein, low carb recipes they can recommend (especially breakfast), please? And does anyone have any idea why I’m not shifting the weight? And yes, I am exercising!

Many thanks!
B

Hi Birdy,

The gluten part should be easy, but I fear that the dairy and veggie part will limit the variety of what you can have. On the egg front, smash them in. All the old “wisdom” surrounding eggs has been rubbished. Doesn’t effect your cholesterol, nor does it clog you up inside. Also they are the best source of usable protein on the planet.

The only other thing I could recommend is for you to try and get a copy of Patrick Holford’s Optimum Nutrition Bible. In there, there is a really useful section about “usable protein”. Eggs have 28g of usable protein per every 30g of protein. Usable protein being the 8 essential amino acids required for muscle growth/repair. Something can be high in protein, but only have a small amount of usable protein. You can combine different foods that don’t individually contain the 8 essential AAs, but when eaten together they do.

You may be able to find low carb combinations which will increase your protein intake. Hope that helps!

Thanks Timmy, your reply is super useful! I’m going off to look for that book now…. ! B

Can you have the coconut yoghurt? Thats dairy free, then you can have yoghurt and a few blueberries. Or eggs, mushroom omelette, scrambled eggs etc.

hi loopylou
Thanks for your reply. I can have coconut yoghurt but I’m avoiding all fruit except apples – sugar is a real problem for me and once I start eating something sweet I find it very hard not to stop (except for apples, strangely!)! I am loving all the eggs though, thanks! B

Hi Birdy,

Are you tracking your fat too? Where is your 20-30g sugar count coming from?

It could be at 65g carbs it’s still too high for you. I had to go max 50g then under 20g to keep losing. To feel full on lower carbs you need to have a lot of fat. Lots more than you think! I wouldn’t focus on protein as much as you are probably getting enough through eggs etc. but rather look at increasing fat e.g. avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, nut butters. You can make lots of vegetarian dips for low carb veg crudités (e.g celery, cucumber)which would make a portable lunch. Add a few nuts for more protein and carbs. A modest dollop of full fat hummus isn’t too high in carbs. I don’t really bother with breakfast now as I don’t feel hungry but one week had a bullet coffee each morning and lost nearly 6lbs. Whisk one hot coffee with 1tbsp butter and 1tbsp coconut oil in bowl with a hand blender until frothy. Sounds weird but turns out like a latte and is very filling. I know you don’t eat dairy but could try without butter and add more coconut oil.

How about a smoothie for breakfast?

Low carb, dairy free recipes here:
http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/roundup/18-dairy-free-keto-smoothies

A dairy free, high fat latte:

How about a breakfast smoothie?

http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/roundup/18-dairy-free-keto-smoothies/

Have you seen these guides?

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/vegetables

Sorry for the huge picture! I just meant to post a link 🤔

Hi SVK
Yes – it comes in at about an average of 45g/day – it’s all tracked on my fitness pal (great suggestion, thank you). How much should I be having?

Thank you for all your suggestions. Unfortunately I can’t have caffeine either otherwise I’d be downing bullet coffee in a heartbeat! I have humous for breakfast, which is a lovely way to start the day. Not to keen on smoothies – anything sweet (other than apples) makes me ravenous and want to eat everything in sight – I used to have them made with an almond milk and avocado base but got bored and hungry. Fussy bugger, aren’t I?! Sorry!

Thanks also for the veg chart. I’m pretty good with all of that but I’m sure I can make more adjustments. I’m pretty sure it’s much easier to go below 40g of carbs when you’re not a dairy free vegetarian, but I’ll give it a go… B

You could have decaff coffee…(really trying to sell the bullet coffee 😀)

I don’t have a lot of dairy because it can slow my weight loss and also too much has unwanted effects! I don’t eat yogurt anymore. I have just gone off it. I am not vegetarian but I don’t have meat everyday.

So what I am saying is it might be harder being a dairy free vegetarian but there is still scope there to lower the carbs. The rest of us aren’t necessarily gorging on cheddar and steak every meal. You could look at your portion sizes of pulses or look at where you can substitute foods for lower carb options. If you google “hflc dairy free vegetarian” there are bloggers and recipes out there. You can do this!

Hi Birdy
Apples are particularly high in carbs, would you consider cutting them out?
Linda

I have a suspicion it’s the caffeine that does the business as it disrupts digestion! But I’ll probably give it a go…

Thanks again for all your help and support – it is very gratefully received! Good luck with all your endeavours too! B

Hi LindaA
I have been thinking about apples and my reticence is about how healthy will I be if I take them out of my diet. They are kind of a perfect food in terms of vits, minerals, fibre etc. But you are completely right about them being high in carbs. I’ll have a look and see what I can substitute in terms of the above if I remove them. Thank you for your support! B

Birdy these days I have half an apple at a time.

Hi Birdy
I’ve switched to strawberries and blueberries as they are much lower in carbs.
I’m also doing what Natalie suggested and having a 1/4 or 1/2 a pear every few days if I really crave one, but I believe you can get all the nutrients you need out of vegetables. I really only eat the fruit for the flavour (and it’s a bit hard to mix my yoghurt with veges!).
Best of luck
Linda

One if my favourite breakfast, is ratatouie with an egg poached in it and a tbsp of grated parmesan on top. Its doesnt feel like another ‘eggy’ breakfast

Hi Natalie – that sounds like an excellent compromise!

Hi Linda – I think I’ll have to give fruit a miss. Unless it’s apples, I will pick and pick and pick…. Thanks again, B

Hi Devonbluegirl – that sounds yum (I’d sub in a veg hard cheese for the parmesan). Thank you! B