How to Go Lower Carb (Without Cutting Out Whole Food Groups or Joy)

When people hear “lower carb,” it often triggers images of cutting out bread, ditching fruit, swapping yoghurt for air… and feeling constantly deprived. But “lower carb” doesn’t have to equal extreme. For many women, especially between 50 and 75 years, it can simply mean understanding where carbohydrates come from, choosing them with intention and still eating a nourishing, satisfying diet that supports health, energy and enjoyment.

Let’s talk facts, not fear.

What Does a Typical Day of Carbs Look Like?

Using the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating as a base, a standard daily pattern for women aged 50–75 might include:

• 3-4 serves of grains, breads and starchy vegetables

• 2 serves of fruit

• 3 serves of dairy (or alternatives)

• 1 serve of lentils, legumes or chickpeas

• Minimal discretionary (fun) foods

That adds up to approximately:

Estimated Total (including legumes): ~130–135 g carbohydrate per day

That means even a very normal, balanced day of eating already includes a moderate amount of carbohydrate — not excessive, not extreme — just… normal.

So going “lower carb” doesn’t need to mean eliminating whole food groups. It can simply mean gently adjusting this balance.

Step 1: Know Where Carbs Come From

Carbs aren’t villains. They are found in many nourishing foods, including:

• Bread, pasta, rice, oats, breakfast cereals, noodles

• Fruit

• Milk and yoghurt

• Legumes and lentils

• Starchy vegetables like potato, corn, sweet potato

Becoming curious about where carbs live gives you more choice, not less control.

Step 2: Focus on Variety, Not Restriction

A helpful reframe is:

✨ Not - “What do I cut out?”
✨ But,  “Where do I want my carbs to come from?”

For many women, this means:

• Keeping wholegrains, but perhaps in smaller or fewer serves

• Including fruit, but mindfully (e.g. 1–2 serves instead of grazing on fruit all day)

• Enjoying dairy, choosing yoghurt and milk that fit your needs

• Making space on the plate for:

  • more colourful, non starchy vegetables

  • more lean protein

  • more healthy fats

You still get a balanced plate, just with a shift in proportions.

Step 3: Simple Ways to Lower Carbs (Without Going Extreme)

Here are gentle, realistic tweaks:

🍞 From 6 serves of grains → maybe 3-4 serves

Examples:

• One slice of toast instead of two

• Half a cup of cooked pasta or rice instead of a big bowl

• Swapping a sandwich for a plate-based meal with protein + salad

• Bulking out pastas with cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach

You’re not eliminating carbs, just reducing the volume.

🍎 Keep fruit – just be intentional

Fruit is rich in fibre, antioxidants, and joy. You don’t need to cut it out but instead of 3–4 pieces per day, two serves is often plenty.

Examples of one serve:

• 1 medium apple or banana

• 1 cup berries

• ½ cup fruit salad

🥛 Choose dairy thoughtfully

Dairy contributes some carbs (mostly from lactose), but it also provides:

• Calcium (requirements more than DOUBLE over age of 50 years)

• Protein

• Important nutrients for bone health and ageing well

Most women benefit from keeping it in, however if you’d like slightly lower-carb options, choose:

• Greek yoghurt

• Hard cheeses

• Unsweetened milk alternatives

Step 4: Build a Plate That Loves You Back

A lower-carb balanced plate might look like:

🥗 ½ plate colourful non-starchy vegetables
🍗 ¼ plate protein (fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, beans, lean meat)
🍞 ¼ plate carbs (wholegrain, potato, rice, pasta… chosen intentionally)
➕ Add healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado) for taste, fullness and satisfaction

This way you’re:

• still eating carbs

• still enjoying variety

• still feeling satisfied

• NOT in a diet war with your plate

This Is About Awareness, Not Perfection

Some days you’ll have pasta.
Some days you’ll have bread AND fruit AND yoghurt.
Some days life will be chaotic and takeaway happens.

Lower carb eating works best when it’s flexible, real-life friendly, and comes from a place of care — not punishment.

For many women, especially in midlife and beyond, the biggest gift is shifting away from “I must control everything I eat to lose weight” and toward:

💛 “How can I nourish myself in a way that feels balanced?”
💛 “How can I align better to my body's energy needs, hormones, digestion and mood?”
💛 “How can I still enjoy food?”

Lower carb can absolutely fit inside that.

If you’d love a more personalised approach (for diabetes, menopause changes, weight concerns, gut symptoms, energy dips or just clarity), reach out — this is literally what I help women with every day.

You deserve to feel nourished, steady, and supported 💛