To the amazement of some people around me, I have been on a carbless diet since a few weeks ago.
Now, don’t start to lecture me why a carbless diet is unhealthy. No diet is ever 100% healthy. Each individual has their own requirements when it comes to their nutrient intake, so you have to experiment and find one that is suitable for you.
For me, it’s carbless. And lots of vegetables and meats.
This is my latest grocery collection for the week. Since I started on my new diet, I find joy in buying, preparing and cooking three meals a day!
Meat & Vege – Always ensure that you have a proportion of 1:2 for meat:vege. That way, you’ll have just enough protein and fat (from meat) and have enough goodness of vege to counter any “meat overdose”
Meat – Unlike most people, I have equal preference between red meat and white meat. I like chicken breast, lean beef, seafood (I take them in controlled quantity). As far as possible I try not to get the minced variety, though at times they do seem to be cheaper.
Vege – Here’s where I can go wild. I take an almost equal amount of leafy and non-leafy types. I am impartial to most leafy vege, though I do seem to be inclined towards rocket leaves (they are expensive though), kailan and lettuce*. For the non-leafy ones, I go for mushrooms (they help the flavour a lot), soy bean sprout, celery, red/yellow peppers and baby corns. As you may realised, with this combination of vege, my meals are usually colourful, and that helps my appetite!
Eggs – they say eggs are a good source of protein, and I agree. But unless you are going for a muscle-building spree, a diet of 8-eggs a day will probably harm you more than it’s helping. I go for a balance, with vege in every meal. One meal will be egg-based, and two meals will be meat-based. The healthiest way to cook eggs is simply to hard boil it, but I would often succumb to the fried variety. Which brings me to…
Oil – In many instances, one teaspoon of oil is sufficient for cooking. Most of your ingredients, especially the meat, exudes their own natural juice to keep your meal from being burnt from cooking. If you need to use oil, go for olive oil. They are four times more expensive than your normal oil, but you should be using it in moderation anyway. Alternatively, your choice of oil can function as seasoning as well, which is my next point.
Seasoning – In all my meals, I refrain from using MSG, stock or anything processed. For flavour, I tend to use sesame oil. In small quantity, it is enough to help you stir fry your food, and to give it taste. Just be careful not to overheat your sesame oil, or else it will dry up and “burn” in your wok. Other alternatives I have tried to great success are tumeric powder, curry leaves, and sliced ginger. Occasionally I do use a sprinkle of salt if ingredients in my fridge is running low.
Processed Food – Contrary to popular beliefs, not all processed food is bad for health. You need to choose wisely. I go for canned button mushrooms (I don’t think there is a “fresh” variety) and tune chunks (there is a FairPrice type in which the chunks are in water, not oil). Even so, don’t substitute fresh produce with canned meat/vege. Personally I impose a 20% limit for canned meat. In cooking 10 meals, I allow myself to use canned meat for two meals. The other eight must be based on freshly cut meat.
Drinks – Of course the best option for drinks will be plain water. But I simply could not give up the freshness of orange juice. In particular, I like the Sunkist 2-litre bottle. Recently I found a FairPrice bottle of the same amount but S$2 cheaper.
To stick to this diet, the only hard parts are to wake up early in the morning to prepare and cook three meals every day, and to go to supermarket early on Sunday morning to shop. Other than that, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to control your diet and watch your waistline shrinking. It is very economical too. A week worth of groceries should not cost you more than S$50.
It is a long process, and it should be implemented together with an exercise regime and adequate rest. I am not perfect (my alcohol indulgence and erractic sleep pattern are to be blamed), but since I started this regime three weeks ago, I have lost two kgs. A little something to rejoice about? Heh.
Want to see what kind of meals I cook every day? Check out my food porn blog, heh!
What kind of diet are you on?
* A word about lettuce. They are about the most economical, healthy and easy-going vege you can have with your meals. Just put anything you cook on a bed of lettuce for that meat vs. vege balance. S$1.20 should get you a big pack from any NTUC.
Bro, I’m curious, do you feel tired without carbs when you workout?
@ Chris – Actually, no. In fact I felt better without carbs. Perhaps my intake of vegs and meat really compensated for the lack of carbs! But don’t you tell me you want to try that. You don’t need to!
Razlan, I’m definitely motivated to cook better meals and document it. I agree, I do feel better carbless.
My trainer allows me to have two cheat meals a week but, last week I found myself NOT wanting to cheat. I just ate more sinful food -fried food etc, sugared drink etc but I found myself going back to my healthy routine really easily..because, my body just feels better.
Is it that way for you too?
Hey Raz! Glad you benefited from it man! No man, I’m a really lazy person who can’t diet and will eat anything (except wood, metal, dust) in front of him.
However, I feel extremely lethargic without carbs, I think my body is just weird, or needs time to adjust.
Beer contains carbs. You off the beer too?!
@ Ann – Actually, my trainer did not stop me from eating the kind of food I want. This carbless diet idea was from one of my bodybuilding friend. I told him I allow myself one “cheat meal” (read: with carb) a week, and he went ballistic! He says he will only allow me to take carb once a month.
Once a month! Hehe.
But nowadays whenever I eat fried food, unhealthy stuff (like oily meat), I will feel ill. I guess once you start to eat healthily, you will feel differently too.
@ Chris – Ah no. Beer is my only
viceindulgence. Consider that my weekly “cheat meal”. LOL.Well vegetables are carbs too, it should be low starch (i.e: rice, potato, bread etc)
I’m glad my trainer isn’t your trainer!
Heh! Beer has good carbs! *grin*
That’s a good meal plan, looking good bro. Yeah you’re right about experimenting. I tried going carbless myself, but I find I ‘perform’ better with a more ‘balanced’ diet. Its just me, this carbless diet might work better for ya than me.
Also are you looking to break your meals in more smaller parts? I think that would be more balanced diet. But I reckon work-life gets in the way eh.
I like button mushroom myself. Some marts do sell fresh, around $3.50 per 200gm. Brown & white mushroom ard that price while shitake mushroom are cheaper.
:)
@ Ann – Come to think of it… I think I have been avoiding starch, like rice, bread and noodles, instead of carbs. Hmmm…
@ Chris – Don’t remind me! Argh!!!
@ Uncle Sha – Yup. it’ll be difficult to break my meals into small portions. So it’s going to be the regular three meals for me. Actually, your post kinda inspired this one. Heh.
Interesting information, I love anything relating to becoming muscular and generally healthy, how I can benefit myself etc. Thanks.
Razlan:
I am on a low carb diet too. It all turns to sugar if you don't burn it up.
Your Diet looks wonderful. Another tip I use when cooking fish & meat in a pan – a little OV and then I use low soduim broth – it works great.
Exactly my thought. I have not been on it recently (I know, bad of me!) so your comment prompted me to do something about it! What's a sodium broth?
Low Sodium Chicken, Vegetable, Seafood or Beef Broth.
In a message dated 3/3/2010 9:35:51 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
Razlan Manjaji wrote, in response to natasha008:
Exactly my thought. I have not been on it recently (I know, bad of me!) so
your comment prompted me to do something about it! What's a sodium broth?
Link to comment:
http://www.razlan.name/blog/2009/04/my-carbless…
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I don't understand how this is a carbless diet…
in what world does orange juice not contain carbs? fyi – sugar is a type of carb…
so unless there is some type of sugarless orange juice that I have yet to hear of (if so, sorry) you are not on a completely carbless diet.
not to mention, vegetables contain carbs, though the ones you eat are low-carb.
probably other problems too but I'm not putting any more effort into this message.
Perhaps my definition is not as scientific as yours. Inaccurate terms aside, would you think this is a good diet plan to follow?
Oh…. I have gained weight day by day as I couldn't control myself eating. I am very much upset of this. Your writing will give me some relieve if I can follow them properly. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcomed. Thanks for coming by!
You are welcomed. Thanks for coming by!
You are welcomed. Thanks for coming by!
Out of the many protein sources out there, hemp protein is the ultimate. It comes from nutrition. Go to http://www.hempproteinguide.net/ for great information.
I've been in ketosis for around 10 months on and off; i stopped reading your blog at your choice in drinking orange juice.
I wish i could drink orange juice.
but there are, not only a decent amount of carbs in oranges alone, but (usually) double in its juice.
and i'm sorry to say that you should eat a hell of a lot more meat than veggies. I don't even eat veggies for fear of coming out of ketosis (though it is alright to have greens, just no carrots/tomatos ect) and i use 'Keto-Sticks' which is something diabetics use to measure the amount of ketones secreted in your urine, it's pretty simple-piss on a stick, if it turns purple/pink, your sweet, in ketosis, and essentially loosing weight
but around…300ml oj orange juice would get me out of ketosis..
if your diet worked for you, then great !
but don't claim it to be a carbless diet when it isn't, for if i didn't have the knowledge i do, then i would assume i can eat more veggies than meat and drink orange juice, when in actual fact; i can't. it would be detrimental to the diet, and i would come out of ketosis.
I would also be less skeptical if it weren't for the keto-sticks, because seeing is believeing.
As of any diet, Shazfat, you should always do your research, consult your doctor and decide what is best for you. What works for me may not work for others. But I still hope you'll read my blog because I don't blog specifically on fitness. Most are on food, travel and movies.
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