LC is Cheaper For Me

I hear ya, I had a friend who started a low carb diet. She didn't read the
book, but was under the impression that McDonalds chicken nuggets were low
carbing because she was eating meat and no bun.

I am sure you are aware, but a lot of the low carb products trigger bad
eating habits.

Hope he can get on track. You just have to decide how bad you want to loose
weight I guess.

He's losing weight by watching calories, not so much net carbs, so he's not
really getting the LC benefits. He only read the first chapter of Protein
Power and never picked it up again. I keep telling him there's a lot more
to LC than losing weight. But as long as the scale says he's doing it
right, he won't listen to anything else. And the LC junk food is just
perpetuating the bad eating habits he's had. I'm one person who's not
really upset that a lot of those companies are going out of business, but
I'll be really [censored] if Dreamfields does. :-)

JS said:

I hear ya, I had a friend who started a low carb diet. She didn't read the
book, but was under the impression that McDonalds chicken nuggets were low
carbing because she was eating meat and no bun.

I am sure you are aware, but a lot of the low carb products trigger bad
eating habits.

Hope he can get on track. You just have to decide how bad you want to loose
weight I guess.

-----
Bev

It really depends on your eating habits. However, I have concluded if
you are poor, it is much harder to eat low carb. Consider, if I want
to feed my family dinner. For about $3, I can feed everyone pasta with
canned meat marriana sauce, garlic toast, and a glass of cola. I'd
even have left overs for the dogs. However, if I want to do low carb
just the bottles of water and dog food alone put me over budget. With
the costs of vegitables and meats it is difficult to plan a meal for a
family of three under $12. If I want to use LC-specific products, then
under $20 is a challenge. Although I was pleased to find a bulk food
store that only charges twice as much for soy flour as regular flour.
Most LC products are five to twenty times as expensive as the high carb
equivalent I would normally buy.

Bill

Yes, that is what my BF found. He could eat Kraft Dinner and wieners
several times a week for a lot less money. But we all know just how
unhealthy that is.

DocBill said:

It really depends on your eating habits. However, I have concluded if
you are poor, it is much harder to eat low carb. Consider, if I want
to feed my family dinner. For about $3, I can feed everyone pasta with
canned meat marriana sauce, garlic toast, and a glass of cola. I'd
even have left overs for the dogs. However, if I want to do low carb
just the bottles of water and dog food alone put me over budget. With
the costs of vegitables and meats it is difficult to plan a meal for a
family of three under $12. If I want to use LC-specific products, then
under $20 is a challenge. Although I was pleased to find a bulk food
store that only charges twice as much for soy flour as regular flour.
Most LC products are five to twenty times as expensive as the high carb
equivalent I would normally buy.

Bill

-----
Bev

DocBill wrote:
However, if I want to
|| do low carb just the bottles of water and dog food alone put me over
|| budget.

What?? Which plan says that you have to buy bottled water? I grew up in a
poor family and somehow water in a glass from the tap managed to quench oour
thirst. It's unbelievable how spoiled this generation is that they think
that bottled water is an essential!

--
Peter
Website: http://users.thelink.net/marengo

DocBill wrote:
|| It really depends on your eating habits. However, I have concluded
|| if you are poor, it is much harder to eat low carb. Consider, if I
|| want to feed my family dinner. For about $3, I can feed everyone
|| pasta with canned meat marriana sauce, garlic toast, and a glass of
|| cola. I'd even have left overs for the dogs. However, if I want to
|| do low carb just the bottles of water and dog food alone put me over
|| budget. With the costs of vegitables and meats it is difficult to
|| plan a meal for a family of three under $12. If I want to use
|| LC-specific products, then under $20 is a challenge. Although I was
|| pleased to find a bulk food store that only charges twice as much
|| for soy flour as regular flour. Most LC products are five to twenty
|| times as expensive as the high carb equivalent I would normally buy.
||
|| Bill

When I started my low-carb way of eating, I did not add extra expensive
foods to my meals. I was already eating meat and vegetables along with
potatoes, pastas, junk food, sweets and desserts. I cut out the sugars,
starches and junk food and eat only the meat and vegetables, thereby cutting
my monthly food bill pretty dramatically.

I think maybe you made the mistake a lot of people do when they don't follow
a low carb plan all the way. They try to adapt the idea of low-carb eating
to their existing way of eating, simply subsituting some low-carb foods for
what they are already eating. I can see where this would be expensive - not
to mention ineffective.

Low-carb is a whole new way of eating, and it involves a complete lifestyle
change. You're talking about bottled water and flour substitutes that are
not necessary. The natual low-carb foods are not that expensive.

You can buy a ten pound bag of whole chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks) at
Walmart for $2.70 -- twenty-seven cents a pound. I buy this at least once a
week and get several meals out of it. And it's so easy to put in the
crockpot in the morning and have ready for me when I come home from work.
And fresh vegetables are not that expensive.

Many people are just not willing to break the old fpre-low carb fast food
and quick-meal habits, and that is what is expensive. Good wholesome -- and
inexpensive -- low carb food does take preparation time and thought. As
with everything else in life, we get out of it what we are willing to put
into it. IMHO of course.

--
Peter
Website: http://users.thelink.net/marengo

On Sun, 1 May 2005 08:04:42 -0400, "Marengo" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

DocBill wrote:
However, if I want to
|| do low carb just the bottles of water and dog food alone put me over
|| budget.

What?? Which plan says that you have to buy bottled water? I grew up in a
poor family and somehow water in a glass from the tap managed to quench oour
thirst. It's unbelievable how spoiled this generation is that they think
that bottled water is an essential!

In my area, Peter, either bottled water or a filter IS essential. The
tap water here, while it might be 'safe' to drink in that it won't
(usually) give you the Never-Get-Overs, is vile in taste and 'so
chumpy you can carve it' because of crud that gets through the
pipeline. If my choices were water-from-the-tap or go thirsty I'd
choke it down, but I'd never choose it given any other option and that
includes making a trip to the store to buy bottled stuff.

However, we purchased an inexpensive filter jug and replace the filter
in it every few weeks. It's still marginally more expensive than just
'straight from the tap water' but it's drinkable. I only get bottled
water if I'm thirsty when I'm out and about and don't have access to
my filter. Even then, if I KNOW I'm going to be out I have my small
bottle with a built-in filter than is only a little more cumbersome
than a standard bottle but does the job nicely.

Aramanth

In article <XQ3de.1842$cf5.780@lakeread07>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I think maybe you made the mistake a lot of people do when they don't follow
a low carb plan all the way. They try to adapt the idea of low-carb eating
to their existing way of eating, simply subsituting some low-carb foods for
what they are already eating. I can see where this would be expensive - not
to mention ineffective.

EXCELLENT points, Peter!

--
Saffire
205/141/125 - 5'1.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Because if you really think long term, the longest term you can think is
that eventually you will die, and eventually everyone you know will die,
and eventually our species will die out and the sun will die out and all
life on earth will die, in fact eventually all the stars will die out or
go nova and the whole universe will be dead. So, for most people, it's
not fun to think long term.

Eventually I will die, but I would like a chance to spend most of the time I
have left feeling healthy instead of increasingly bad. The rest of that
stuff will probably happen some time after that so I don't care as much.

--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes

In article <[email hidden]>,

None Given said:

"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Because if you really think long term, the longest term you can think is
that eventually you will die, and eventually everyone you know will die,
and eventually our species will die out and the sun will die out and all
life on earth will die, in fact eventually all the stars will die out or
go nova and the whole universe will be dead. So, for most people, it's
not fun to think long term.

Eventually I will die, but I would like a chance to spend most of the time I
have left feeling healthy instead of increasingly bad. The rest of that
stuff will probably happen some time after that so I don't care as much.

See? You're not eating right for the long term, you're doing it because
you feel the results right now. You feel healthier now. My difficulty
is that to eat little enough to lose weight past a certain point, I feel
unhealthy. Weak and listless and dizzy if I go much below 1200 calories
a day, yet I stall at around 150 pounds if I eat more than that. I
don't know why this happens, but I'm sure it's not just me.

So stay at 1200 at take up long-distance running. Go for the endorphins.

--
You take stupid to a new level. -- MFW

"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

None Given said:

"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Because if you really think long term, the longest term you can think
is
that eventually you will die, and eventually everyone you know will
die,
and eventually our species will die out and the sun will die out and
all
life on earth will die, in fact eventually all the stars will die out
or
go nova and the whole universe will be dead. So, for most people, it's
not fun to think long term.

Eventually I will die, but I would like a chance to spend most of the
time I
have left feeling healthy instead of increasingly bad. The rest of that
stuff will probably happen some time after that so I don't care as much.

See? You're not eating right for the long term, you're doing it because
you feel the results right now. You feel healthier now. My difficulty
is that to eat little enough to lose weight past a certain point, I feel
unhealthy. Weak and listless and dizzy if I go much below 1200 calories
a day, yet I stall at around 150 pounds if I eat more than that. I
don't know why this happens, but I'm sure it's not just me.

"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Eventually I will die, but I would like a chance to spend most of the

time I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have left feeling healthy instead of increasingly bad. The rest of that
stuff will probably happen some time after that so I don't care as much.

See? You're not eating right for the long term, you're doing it because
you feel the results right now. You feel healthier now. My difficulty
is that to eat little enough to lose weight past a certain point, I feel

Well, for my long term I figure I will continue to feel better as I age than
I would if I was eating french fries and other [censored] like that. It's only
short term if you're looking at the heat death of the universe instead of my
lifetime.

--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes

I bet you have no idea just how much cardio it's going to take.

--

Eat less, exercise more. -- MFW

--
"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Actually, I have been doing more cardio recently. Not running though,
running sucks.

In article <[email hidden]>,

JC Der Koenig said:

So stay at 1200 at take up long-distance running. Go for the endorphins.

--
You take stupid to a new level. -- MFW

"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
"None Given" <[email hidden]> wrote:

> "Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> news:[email hidden]...
> > Because if you really think long term, the longest term you can
> > think
> > is
> > that eventually you will die, and eventually everyone you know will
> > die,
> > and eventually our species will die out and the sun will die out and
> > all
> > life on earth will die, in fact eventually all the stars will die
> > out
> > or
> > go nova and the whole universe will be dead. So, for most people,
> > it's
> > not fun to think long term.
>
>
> Eventually I will die, but I would like a chance to spend most of the
> time I
> have left feeling healthy instead of increasingly bad. The rest of
> that
> stuff will probably happen some time after that so I don't care as
> much.

See? You're not eating right for the long term, you're doing it
because
you feel the results right now. You feel healthier now. My difficulty
is that to eat little enough to lose weight past a certain point, I
feel
unhealthy. Weak and listless and dizzy if I go much below 1200
calories
a day, yet I stall at around 150 pounds if I eat more than that. I
don't know why this happens, but I'm sure it's not just me.

Bev-Ann said:

My BF was telling me he's spending a lot more money on food since trying to
go LC and I couldn't figure out why that would be until he said he buys a
lot LC-specific products like the cereals, ice cream, candies, protein
bars, etc.
I also buy the LC cereals but my food bill in general has gotten a lot
cheaper. When I thought about why that would be, I realized that I used to
order gourmet pizza at least once a week at around $25/week and other take
out foods at probably around $50/week. Now, I only eat what I prepare
myself at home, no take out and very little LC-formulated food.
BF ordered out maybe once a month and bought cheap groceries without paying
much attention to how nutritious they might be. I told him to dump the LC
junk foods and buy fresh stuff but he doesn't want to spend the time
preparing meals. He's also not learning how to eat healthier by continuing
to use the junk food, even if it is LC.

-----
Bev

Hi
FWIW...I too find it more expensive to do LCarb. I think this primarily
comes from the fact that the rest of the family is still eating what I
refer to as 'mainstream' foods and the LC stuff is an add-on with regard
to meal preparation. Fresh vegetables seem to cost more than the frozen
stuff too. A daily regimen of a fresh fruit and not the same one every
day is something I have gotten locked in to. Of course, my wife still
buys the grapes and orange juice and other 'good stuff' too.
The low or reduced carb cereal also costs about the same as a monthly
car payment--although some are coming down as they are now in the
'reduced' area. I have moved to a couple of mainstream cereals which
will help, but, unfortunately, no one else likes them so the LC is an
extra here too.

I no longer drink 'regular' milk either....

The preparation of say a meat loaf and the resulting fact that it
provides me two or three days worth of meals serves to lower food costs
though.

Having a variety of reduced carb foods/snacks available for me and still
keeping the 'regular' foods here move the cost up.

Bottom line is that I don't care as I feel better. I am still spending
the money that I have saved by quitting smoking many years ago!!

Thanks for listening.
Joe

I use frozen veggies and fruit. Which mainstream cereals have you tried
that fit into LC? Just curious.

Papa Joe said:

FWIW...I too find it more expensive to do LCarb. I think this primarily
comes from the fact that the rest of the family is still eating what I
refer to as 'mainstream' foods and the LC stuff is an add-on with regard
to meal preparation. Fresh vegetables seem to cost more than the frozen
stuff too. A daily regimen of a fresh fruit and not the same one every
day is something I have gotten locked in to. Of course, my wife still
buys the grapes and orange juice and other 'good stuff' too.
The low or reduced carb cereal also costs about the same as a monthly
car payment--although some are coming down as they are now in the
'reduced' area. I have moved to a couple of mainstream cereals which
will help, but, unfortunately, no one else likes them so the LC is an
extra here too.

I no longer drink 'regular' milk either....

The preparation of say a meat loaf and the resulting fact that it
provides me two or three days worth of meals serves to lower food costs
though.

Having a variety of reduced carb foods/snacks available for me and still
keeping the 'regular' foods here move the cost up.

Bottom line is that I don't care as I feel better. I am still spending
the money that I have saved by quitting smoking many years ago!!

-----
Bev

Marengo said:

What?? Which plan says that you have to buy bottled water? I grew

up in a

Quoted message said:

poor family and somehow water in a glass from the tap managed to

quench oour

Quoted message said:

thirst. It's unbelievable how spoiled this generation is that they

think

Quoted message said:

that bottled water is an essential!

There is no point in water we won't drink. Occassionally I refill my
water bottle from filtered tap water, but it tastes terrible and it
always scares me considering what happened in Walkerton. I actually
know someone who worked at the lab that faked the test results...
Usually they don't find the problems in the water supply until people
are sick or dead. Filtering does not remove dangerous contaminates,
but simply removes some of the less tasty things in the water.
However, I find it ironic bottled water costs more than Pepsi Cola,
when the main ingredent is water.

Bill

We ate the cheapest when I was vegitarian for three years. Good meat
is expensive... I would say that is the largest increase in our food
bill for LC. My wife is really good at finding good deals. For
example she found a place to get five grain bread at $0.59 a loaf when
it sells in the grocery stories for $3 a loaf. But it takes her time.
Given six months on this diet our food bill will drop to a fraction of
what it is now, and the quality of what we eat will be better.

BTW. Interestingly, junk is still easy to find cheap. I was in the 99
cent store today and they had low carb bars two for a dollar. I baught
a bag so we would be less tempted by our sons candies... But after
reading how the alcohol sugars can act as laxatives, I am regretting
the purchase.

Bill

"DocBill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

BTW. Interestingly, junk is still easy to find cheap. I was in the 99

cent store today and they had low carb bars two for a dollar. I baught
a bag so we would be less tempted by our sons candies... But after
reading how the alcohol sugars can act as laxatives, I am regretting
the purchase.

At least the amounts you eat will be self limiting. They may also stall
your weight loss and/or kick you out of ketosis, from what I have read.
Have you tried melting baking chocolate, adding some splenda and dipping
nuts in it?

--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes

Bev-Ann said:

I use frozen veggies and fruit. Which mainstream cereals have you tried
that fit into LC? Just curious.

Papa Joe said:

FWIW...I too find it more expensive to do LCarb. I think this primarily
comes from the fact that the rest of the family is still eating what I
refer to as 'mainstream' foods and the LC stuff is an add-on with regard
to meal preparation. Fresh vegetables seem to cost more than the frozen
stuff too. A daily regimen of a fresh fruit and not the same one every
day is something I have gotten locked in to. Of course, my wife still
buys the grapes and orange juice and other 'good stuff' too.
The low or reduced carb cereal also costs about the same as a monthly
car payment--although some are coming down as they are now in the
'reduced' area. I have moved to a couple of mainstream cereals which
will help, but, unfortunately, no one else likes them so the LC is an
extra here too.

I no longer drink 'regular' milk either....

The preparation of say a meat loaf and the resulting fact that it
provides me two or three days worth of meals serves to lower food costs
though.

Having a variety of reduced carb foods/snacks available for me and still
keeping the 'regular' foods here move the cost up.

Bottom line is that I don't care as I feel better. I am still spending
the money that I have saved by quitting smoking many years ago!!

-----
Bev

Hi Bev
Well, I know this will bring the 'not low carb' comments, but...
there are three varieties of reduced carb all bran that work for me...I
believe they are 7, 11 and 13 net carbs...with lots of fiber. I also mix
that with the reduced carb Special K and a tablespoon or more of ground
flaxseed in the bowl with the strawberries and now Lactaid which I
figure to be about 20 to 25 carbs. It works for me with the stix as the
monitor.

I have tried another reduced carb 'flakes'--The Atkins brand and another
brand that I forget, but they were recognizable too...I found them not
too tasty. I also have removed for the most part the Post Low Carb
varieties too--just too sweet tasting.

I just need to find something to get off the sucralose.

I also have tried the flaxseed in meat balls--seemed OK as a substitute
for the crumbs from the reduced carb bread they replaced.

On days when I feel like it I move to the eggs and meat and have more
carbs in the evening, staying in the 40 - 50 range per day and keeping
the weight within three pounds since the beginning of November or December.

Thanks for the follow up and the time.
Joe