Vegetarians - How do you stay under 20 net carbs?

#1

Facts: Vegetarian, not vegan, female, age 51. Not in menopause yet. Been on keto for four weeks tomorrow.

I have lost 4 pounds but am down 2-1/2 inches on my waist (obviously bloat) and 2 inches on the hips. I’m not unhappy with it but I’d like to ramp the weight loss up. Currently 151 lbs/5’3. Long history of starvation dieting, I’m sure I’ve totally ruined my metabolism but starvation used to work really well (until about 5 years ago when weight started climbing no matter what i did and starvation did nothing, nor did working out). I used to maintain around 125-130 without trying, and could get to 110-115 if I was trying, even in my 40’s.

I don’t have the time to go to the gym, but I do 45-60 minutes of farm work every day (lifting substantial weight, bending, etc.)

I am not hungry at all. I just averaged my calories for the past week and it came to 1134. I feel fine, not energetic, but then I haven’t felt energetic in 25 years :slight_smile: I am averaging 9.28% carbs, 71.42% fat, 19.28% protein.

I’m having trouble keeping the net carbs down. I can stay under 30, but 20 is truly difficult. The main offenders seem to be that I usually have a low carb tortilla with breakfast (5 net) but I need something I can eat in the car. It’s hard to eat an omelet in the car, and I just cannot deal with lettuce wraps. I’ve tried. I got the egg white thins and thought I had a great idea until I discovered they too have 4 carbs each!

I have a little bit of tomato in a salad and it’s 3 carbs. A little bit of onion in anything, more carbs. Garlic mashed birdseye cauliflower looks like a good choice but a half package of that is 4.5 carbs. It’s just so darn easy to get to 20 and so few things are totally 100% carb free. Most dressings and sauces that are “keto friendly” still have a few carbs in them.

Any thoughts from fellow vegetarians on what to eat? I keep falling back on cheese but even cheese often has a carb or two in it and I’ve heard you can overdo cheese. I am not, at all, a cook, I work two jobs, and need to find more things I can buy pre-made and just eat.

#2

If you’re active enough (45-60 minutes of farm work probably qualifies!) you might be fine with 30 g of carbs/day. (20 or under pretty much guarantees ketosis for everyone, but there is a range of what works for different people/different activity levels.)
Can you tell if you’re in ketosis?

That inch loss is amazing, by the way. Well done!!!

(Michelle) #3

I’m not vegetarian, but I only eat a small piece of meat with dinner.
My “breakfast” is bulletproof coffee. That can be very satiating with cream and butter. I only use MCT Oil powder in mine, but either way it’s vegetarian and maybe 1 carb.
For lunch I have an avocado and a little container of “salt and peanuts only) peanut butter. I buy mine from Kroger. It’s a store brand. Sometimes a bit of cheese with this.
For dinner I make several vegetables cooked in bacon grease (you could use butter) and often an Alfredo sauce to pour over veggies. And a little meat.

Hope this helps!

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #4

Don’t eat in the car. Saves you the wrap, you’re down to 25.

The only specific magic in 20 is that it kickstarts ketosis for nearly everyone. 30 should be fine.

You should eat more food, probably.

#5

Macadamia nuts are one of my personal favorites for on the go snacks. Olive oil based sauces like pesto and zhoug are also a great way to spice up veggie dishes and add fat to meals.

#6

Something I make, but you can also buy them, are flax crackers. Mine only have flax seeds, a few tablespoons of psyllium husk powder and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, salt. They are so good with any dip, cheese, tuna/egg salad and are zero net carbs. If you arent used to eating flax seeds, start slowly as they really clean you from the inside out! For breakfast I regularly make guacamole and eat that with flax crackers once I get to work. Lunch is a spinich salad with full fat homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing, sometimes pumpkin seeds on top, sometimes almond butter on celery too. Dinner is veggies with alfredo, big egg and veggie with cheese scramble, or tuna/egg salad with olives, sliced cheddar, celery. I stay at 20 carbs or below.

(Candy Lind) #7

If you can do even a little bit of meal prep on the weekends, you could make breakfast egg-veg-cheese “muffins” that you could grab from the fridge and eat on the way or right after you get to work. They are like a little crustless mini-quiche & don’t need a wrapper. There are also recipes for “breakfast cookies” out there Google is your friend!

#8

-hard boiled eggs are your friend. have some pre peeled and plop in a ziplock.

-my go to other veggie options : smart dogs, easy to transport and a good protein source (if you’re ok with soy).

-Beyond Meat burger, sausages and crumbles all low carbs and you can get creative.

-There’s some other sausages I get too that are about 3 carbs per serving. and the -morning star bacon is nice

-If you do venture to veggie meats you must read labels as some products are loaded with carbs. you gotta find the ones that fit the macros.

-kefir cheese (Labne middle eastern brand) is the best, 1 carb per serving, i stir in cocoa and/or cinnamon and a bit of whipped cream on top is my dessert.

-i eat a lot of salads (lunch to go) with avo and cucumbers and blu cheese with one of the veggie meat choices or salmon.

-I do eat a lot of cheese, mix it up

-i eat occasionally soy noodles, (much better imo than those other noodles talked about) about 5 carbs a serving and you can put on different sauces like Rao’s or alfreddo.

-I also do stir frys with coconut milk based sauces and curry. I use veggie meats, sometimes tofu, sometimes shrimp. asparagus or broccoli.
-I never use onions anymore, except green and only 1.

-almonds are a good snack to have on hand

-if you ate fish that would expand your choices.

-those low carb tortillas are a rarity for me, at 6 carbs a pop they add up fast.

-I went a little nuts when cherry tomatoes were in season, i would add just a few a day.

did I mention boiled eggs?

hope this helps