Need a menu for the carb-lovers low carb lifestyle....

Well, not exactly LOW carb, more like LESS carb.

I could eat bread as a snack, and crave it ALL the time. I feel like if I got my carb eating under control, I could tone myself up and lose the excess junk that is lying around.

My day typically looks like this:

2/3cup or 1 and a half packs of oatmeal with a banana or peanut butter

No morning snack

Lunch = turkey or cheese sandwich on high fibre bread with baby carrots and a quaker granola bar

when I come home - grilled chicken breast with salad and balsamic mustard dressing and a ciabatta bun toasted with light margerine and a coke zero

snack - a large apple and a glass of milk, sometimes sneak a cookie or two.

Is this an insiane amount of carbs? I feel like its more than I need - I'm doing btw 55-65% carbs, 18% fats, and 20 something % protein...does that sound reasonable? Anyone have anoy other reasonable suggestions?

you don't look like you're consuming an insane amount of carbohydrates or anything, but i think in some cases, you're eating the wrong kinds of carbs.

1. use plain oats instead of "packs", because the packets tend to lack fiber, be more processed, and have more sugar.
2. oats, like the oats in a quaker granola bar are good for you, but not as good for you when they're glued together with sugar, corn syrup and honey in a bar, and topped with chocolate chips, or whatever. instead, maybe trey bringing a single serving of a good-tasting, yet healthy cereal.. like fiber 1.
3. for dinner a couple nights a week you could try eating white potatoes, sweet potatoes, or brown rice, instead of a bun and margerine every night with dinner.

If you love stir frys with all that carby rice (yummm), you can replace it by grinding up cauliflower in a food processor to little rice-sized grains. I've been doing this for awhile now and have been able to have really low carb meals. Just pack in the veggies and lean meat! (or no meat at all and it saves lotsa calories hehe)

First ill agree your not eating an excessive amounts of carbs, but since i recently reduced starchy carbs in my diet, I can understand wanting to reduce some.  I recently reduced a lot of the carbs in my diet and did tone up a decent amount, I have a new sedentary job and just couldnt burn them like I used to.

Some suggestions

My day typically looks like this:

2/3cup or 1 and a half packs of oatmeal with a banana or peanut butter

 Switch to apples with skins in your oatmeal for extra fiber.  Alternate cottage cheese or greek yogurts for breakfast, in between oatmeal days.  Add some nuts to your oatmeal instead of fruits.

No morning snack

Lunch = turkey or cheese sandwich on high fibre bread with baby carrots and a quaker granola bar

 Try almonds, yogurt (greek is awesome) or some SF puddings instead of the granola.

when I come home - grilled chicken breast with salad and balsamic mustard dressing and a ciabatta bun toasted with light margerine and a coke zero

 Dinner looks good

snack - a large apple and a glass of milk, sometimes sneak a cookie or two.

Not sure what kind of milk you use, but Unsweetened Almond or 8th continent light soy have less carbohydrates then regular.

Not that anythign is wrong with regular milk , just a carb cutting suggestion.

Ahh thanks for all the great suggestions!! I think I might do some of those things - maybe make a delicious snack mix with a high fibre cereal or soemthin....