Skin/New Starter

We have not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you are have any health related symptoms or concerns, you should contact your doctor who will be able to give you advice specific to your situation.

  • posted by fattyfattyboomboooms
    on
    permalink

    Good morning,

    I am starting the 800 cals for 8 weeks tomorrow.

    I have some questions:

    1) Are the vegetable portions 80 g each? (recommended portion size).

    2) Has anyone had issue with excess skin due to being on such a low calorie diet?.

    I cannot afford the recipe book as I am on a very low income and I tend to keep to the same foods every day (fussy eater).

    I use Fat Secret to log my food.

    Many thanks in advance.

  • posted by Pancita
    on
    permalink

    Hello,
    I don’t think it matters what kind of diet you go on or how quickly or slowly you lose weight, if you have excess skin then it will be saggy when there’s less of you inside it. it may reduce with you to an extent. Elastin in the skin allows it to stretch, but won’t necessarily make it retract.
    If you are going to eat the same food you always eat, I hope 800 calories-worth of it will give you a balanced, healthy diet. I hope too you will taste and embrace new foods, or you will be quite bored

    Good luck,
    P

  • posted by Theodora
    on
    permalink

    Hi fattyfattyboombooms – welcome.

    Firstly, would it perhaps be possible to borrow the book from your local library? Even if you decide not to use any of the recipes therein, reading it will help you understand the science behind this way of eating, and give you lots of tips etc.

    As far as loose skin is concerned, the faster you lose weight, the more of a problem this can become, as the elasticity in your skin has less time to adapt. But there are a couple of things you can do to help, number one being hydration – both inside and out – ie drink loads and loads of water, just plain good old tap water, and moisturise, moisturise, moisturise your skin from without. Exfoliation could help too, as it will improve blood circulation to the skin. The other thing which may help is to eat good protein – two necessary ingredients that keep skin plump and elastic are collagen and elastin. Protein-rich foods such as cottage cheese, milk, legumes, tofu, beans, seeds, nuts, and fish all contain collagen and elastin forming components, so eating these should help – though obviously you have to do this within your 800 calorie count.

    Unless you lose literally mountains of weight, your skin should eventually shrink back a bit, (although the longer one has been carrying excess weight, the less likely it is to shrink back, and the older you are, the worse it will be as young skin is far more elastic than older skin) – maybe not completely, but at least better than it was, but it may take up to 2 years to do so.

    Personally, I have never bothered weighing my veg, I just stick to the low carb ones (those that grow above ground – though not fruit) and eat as much of them, particularly salads and green leafy ones, as it takes for me to feel satisfied.

    I am now on maintenance and this has worked for me, so hope it helps and good luck..

  • posted by Californiagirl
    on
    permalink

    Me too, ffbb, like Theodora I LOAD UP on greens and low carb vegetables — as many as it takes to fill me up! You can eat cups of kale, chard, arugula, lettuce and spinach and similar greens — it becomes the best part of the meal after a while — try slow baking with broth, stir frying with garlic and olive oil, steaming and topped with tahini dressing (make it at home), slow sautéed with butter and onion, marinated in lemon juice or cider vinegar then finished with a bit of olive oil and Parmesan — lots of fantastic options!
    I never measured vegies at all — just ate low carb as desired to fill me up.
    And loose skin, I wouldn’t worry until later — you may or may not develop but the health benefits are worth loose skin. I suppose if very very bad, there is surgery to resolve.
    Try to get the book!!!! You can get it cheap on Amazon.

  • posted by fattyfattyboomboooms
    on
    permalink

    Pancita, Thank you for your response. I have a tomato sauce recipe that contains all my five a day per serving which I plan on eating with steamed/grilled fish. As you can see from my bio I have been doing LCHF ( diet doctor) for a year but that has stalled so I thought I could use a shake up. The only things I am keeping from that menu is “punch you in the face” cheddar, whole milk and almonds.

    Theodora, Thanks for your response. I plan on having nuts and fish daily, and I have full fat dairy.

  • posted by fattyfattyboomboooms
    on
    permalink

    californiagirl Thanks for the response. I, personally, think kale is Satan`s pubic hair and I only like lettuce slathered in salad cream! I am tempted to add spinach to my tomato sauce for an extra boost. The money I save on not drinking alcohol is ear marked for quality vegetables and I want to save what I can for clothes but I will look into the book when I have reached 4 weeks.

  • posted by Esnecca
    on
    permalink

    Tomatoes are quite high in sugar as they’re fruits, not vegetables. They shouldn’t be your five a day if you’re doing low carb.

    I’m not sure what salad cream is. Is it just dressing — ranch, blue cheese, etc? Or some kind of mayonnaise thing like the stuff used to make cole slaw? Because if you like creamy dressings, you can just make one. Nothing easier in the world. Half a tablespoon of olive oil, a quarter tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar, a quarter ounce of cream cheese or a soft cheese like chevre or blue cheese. Add salt and pepper and any other spices you like (I always toss in a little garlic powder, maybe some fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary should I have any in the fridge). Let it sit for a few minutes to soften then whisk or beat with the flat of a fork. Add three ounces of salad greens of your choosing, a small cucumber, green onions, sprouts, a chopped hard boiled egg, whatever you like to have on your salad. Toss. Eat.

    As for kale, like many misunderstood foods, it is often served in the least appetizing way possible. Prepared right it can be delicious. Blanche it in boiling water for 5 minutes, chop it, then cook it in a pan with browned turkey sausage and fresh garlic. Top it with some grated parmesan and you will eat it by the spoonful.

    Time to edge out of that fussy eating comfort zone. The BSD will change your tastes, but you’ll never know if you keep yourself boxed in to your old ways.

  • posted by fattyfattyboomboooms
    on
    permalink

    Esnecca Thank you for the reply. Even with the tomatoes I am just under 30 g net carbs. Salad cream is a sweet and tangy sauce. Like mayonnaise it is an emulsified sauce but it is runnier. I appreciate the advice on kale but I know what I like. I was lucky enough to work in hospitality for years so have tried lots of things in many different ways. I am afraid I shall never be convinced about kale.

  • posted by Esnecca
    on
    permalink

    People and taste buds change, often dramatically when they detox from carbs and sugar. I used to avoid all sour foods, for example. Three weeks into the BSD, I saw a dill pickle at the farmers market and for some reason was drawn to try one. I loved it. After 40+ years of giving away the dill pickles that came with sandwiches at restaurants and resenting even the smallest amount of pickle juice brushing against the “good” stuff on my plate, I suddenly found that astringent flavor completely delicious.

  • posted by Luckylinda
    on
    permalink

    Hi just to let you know I started this end of Feb and by end of eight weeks I had quite a lot of saggy skin as I lost a lot in the eight weeks. The second 8 weeks I up increased my calories and lost very very slowly in order to give my skin a chance to catch up. it has worked to an extent but still very saggy on neck and under chin. I’m now in my first week of fast 800 again to increase weight loss quickly again so I expect my skin to get worse. I don’t think my skin will ever be ‘firm’ but I’m not worried about it as I prefer the health benefits that have come with this way of eating. And who knows, maybe I’ll find me a rich plastic surgeon (thinking of cat lady haha) to fall deeply madly in love with me and say dahling I can nip n tuc it all away for you!

  • posted by fattyfattyboomboooms
    on
    permalink

    Thank you luckylinda. How much did you lose?

  • posted by fattyfattyboomboooms
    on
    permalink

    Found an e-book version of the first book (not the recipe book) for £2.50 so I have downloaded it to my laptop and phone, so I can refer to it. I like the science behind it, it makes total sense.

    Do you all count the calories from your vegetables? it is just that I noticed on his 2 week meal plan they doesn`t seem equivalent to 5 a day.

    On the plus side my fridge has never been so colourful.

  • posted by Luckylinda
    on
    permalink

    Hi I started on21 Feb and have lost 38lbs so far and an amazing 11 inches from waist. Best of all reversed my diabetic diagnosis. I wouldn’t worry about veg as long as you keep to low carb veg. A massive spinach lettuce pepper salad nearly covers the 5 a day plus veg I.e. broccoli and cauli brings it well over the five a day and good for you too. Its very surprising how small a portion is one a day actually is.

  • posted by Snoop
    on
    permalink

    Hi FFBB, have just added a comment on your Fat Secret account, suggesting you visit the forums here. But I see you’ve already found them. Lots of friendly folk around here.

    I’m getting back to starting again (I generally post on the Starting 29 August thread, not many of us left but bloke41 is going amazingly well and a real source of inspiration).

    I didn’t bother with the meal plan in the book. Too difficult for me to find the ingredients (I live in a part of Spain where most of the local villages have populations of around 600 people and anywhere with 2,000 residents is regarded as a sizeable town). So I just go for a small amount of protein (egg, fish or chicken usually), plus a great ton of veg/salad twice a day and a yogurt mid-morning. When I was doing it seriously, I recorded everything I ate on Fat Secret, including the veg. But it does get a bit tiresome weighing everything. On the other hand, when you’re starting out, it does give you a real idea of exactly how many calories you’re eating and where they come from.

    Anyway, good to see you here and best of luck.

Please log in or register to post a reply.