4 Weeks In - Very Dry

oo7

Hi, i am 4 weeks into my low carb, high protein diet. I am finding it hard to eat my lunch, which usually consists of:

- chicken OR fish OR steak
- rocket salad
- spinach
- onions
- tomatoes

I find it very very dry... i just had an argument / debate with a flat mate about adding oil to my salad i know there are good and bad oils (fats) but is there actually a healthy oil you can add a dressing to your salad or are you better off just leaving them out (which was my argument)

Looking forward to the different opinions on this, thanks in advance...

MungBean

I've been at it roughly 3 weeks now. Doing same as you (or trying to) food wise. But I use a bit of store bought salad dressing with salads and a small bit of butter with my veg.

My reasoning is that there is so little fat in the rest of my diet that even though the dressing isnt what you'd call healthy it still leaves me probably below what my fat intake should be anyway, although the could be any amount of other crap in there.

I'm reluctant to give up everything though and switch to an alien diet as I'd probably get bored very very fast, so considering I'm healthier diet wise and activity wise I dont think a small amount of dodgy food in the way of a sauce or dressing over an otherwise healthy meal will do me any harm. I'm not aiming to be the healthiest guy on the planet just healthy, if the crap I lived on before didnt kill me a bit of salad dressing sure as hell wont.... I hope.

Looking forward to what others have to say too.

Pretty Polly

I've heard Sesame oil and Coconut oils are meant to be better but not 100% sure. I would also be interested to know more about this.

I love Soy sauce with rocket. Yum, you can get low salt versions too:)

Gummy Panda

Throw some extra virgin olive oil over your salad

hollypink

I'd usually add something from the list below - generally avocado or some nuts or some walnut/olive oil.

(taken from this post in the stickies here)

4. Do you have at least 2 servings of the following sources of good fats every day?
Nuts, seeds, flax/ walnut/ sesame/ almond/ avocado/ olive oils, oily fish

oo7

Thanks for all the help everyone...

The question i am trying to find out is whether there is an oil that you can put on your salad that actually makes the meal healthier...

neuro-praxis

If you are eating low carb you must eat fat. Make dressings from olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar, and use coconut oil for frying stuff.

oo7

neuro-praxis wrote: »

If you are eating low carb you must eat fat. Make dressings from olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar, and use coconut oil for frying stuff.

Ok, cheers

SlimCi

I mix some apple cidre vinegar with a small amount of wholegrain mustard as a dressing, very little points in that. The ACV is good for you too. Sometimes, if I'm being excessive (!) I use a tiny bit of Ballymaloe Relish mixed with the ACV.

MungBean

SlimCi wrote: »

I mix some apple cidre vinegar with a small amount of wholegrain mustard as a dressing, very little points in that. The ACV is good for you too. Sometimes, if I'm being excessive (!) I use a tiny bit of Ballymaloe Relish mixed with the ACV.

What are these "points" I see people talking about ? Calories ?

Stench Blossoms

MungBean wrote: »

What are these "points" I see people talking about ? Calories ?

Weight watchers nonsense.

saa

I find red pesto makes green veg a lot nicer to eat, as long as I'm not eating carbs I don't worry so much about a small amount of oil/fat.

UnknownSpecies

I'm the same as you, lunch is pretty similar. I have tinned mackerel with olive oil, but you could have it in your salad too. I have cheese along with this too to get the fats up and because I love it

oo7

Thanks for all the responses girls and guys... i am wanting to cut carbs and body fat so i am still not sure whether i should add olive oil to my salads

smiles302

Fat is not a carb.

You should definitely add one of the dressings listed above to your diet.

UnknownSpecies

As said above, olive oil is completely carb free. You'll be getting fat fromit which is essential on low carb.

oo7

I understand fat is not a carb... but i am trying to cut carbs AND body fat

Stench Blossoms

oo7 wrote: »

I understand fat is not a carb... but i am trying to cut carbs AND body fat

Do you mean you are trying to lower your body fat? Carbs are a food group, body fat isn't.

Some fats are good ie. coconut oil, olive oil. They keep you feeling fuller for longer.

If your going low carb you need to eat some fats.

oo7

Yes, i am trying to lower body fat but trying to remain some muscle, just trying to find out what the right balance is, thanks again for everyone's input

Orla K

oo7 wrote: »

Yes, i am trying to lower body fat but trying to remain some muscle, just trying to find out what the right balance is, thanks again for everyone's input

Eating more fat will help, you won't lose muscle if you add in some fat and if your going low carb it's a good idea to add it in.

oo7

Ok, thanks

Homemade pesto is a great salad dressing too. It's also delicious added to fish/chicken before baking in the oven.

Olive oil and lemon juice would be my normal dressing. Sometimes with balsamic vinegar. Coconut oil, as said previously, is what you should fry your food in, makes it taste extra yummy and has so many benefits.

Transform

Deleted User wrote: »

Homemade pesto is a great salad dressing too. It's also delicious added to fish/chicken before baking in the oven.

Olive oil and lemon juice would be my normal dressing. Sometimes with balsamic vinegar. Coconut oil, as said previously, is what you should fry your food in, makes it taste extra yummy and has so many benefits.

Agreed, love pesto in its many forms or even a olive tapenade is delish

UnknownSpecies

I absolutely love fresh pesto. I even think a few spoonfuls on its own is gorgeous and decent way for me to curb my cravings for worse snacks. Don't know about tapenade though, while I don't mind the taste of olive oil, olives aren't my favourite. Stupid question probably, but does tapenade taste of pure olive or are there other ingredients?

Orla K

dorgasm wrote: »

I absolutely love fresh pesto. I even think a few spoonfuls on its own is gorgeous and decent way for me to curb my cravings for worse snacks. Don't know about tapenade though, while I don't mind the taste of olive oil, olives aren't my favourite. Stupid question probably, but does tapenade taste of pure olive or are there other ingredients?

I find it tastes too much of olive, not my thing.

UnknownSpecies

I was thinking it would be too. My whole family love olives and I'm just like bleeeugh!

SlimCi

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Weight watchers nonsense.

I think you are incredibly rude. The op asked a genuine question and asked for advice. She certainly did not ask you to demean peoples suggestions with your ridiculous comment. Do you have a useful comment to help the OP?

Orla K

SlimCi wrote: »

I think you are incredibly rude. The op asked a genuine question and asked for advice. She certainly did not ask you to demean peoples suggestions with your ridiculous comment. Do you have a useful comment to help the OP?

I don't think she was trying to demean your post, just more the weight watchers points system.

SlimCi

SlimCi wrote: »

I think you are incredibly rude. The op asked a genuine question and asked for advice. She certainly did not ask you to demean peoples suggestions with your ridiculous comment. Do you have a useful comment to help the OP?

With all due respect. There is little point in quoting how many points are in something unless the OP is following the weight watchers plan as it is entirely irrelevant. If I'm correct in remembering, a curly wurly is also 3 points but that's no use if you're on low carb.

Stench Blossoms

Orla K wrote: »

I don't think she was trying to demean your post, just more the weight watchers points system.

Exactly.

I didn't say that your suggestion was bad.

I was merely talking about the points system which I think is a bit silly.

But feel free to report me if you want