Managing the Bernstein eating plan

[LucySW]

A very quick lookup and this is around 500 cal and 50g fat. I could delete my 2 x breakfast sausages and still be up on calories and fat, and reduce my protein, which I know is running high and not helping my BG levels.....I will give this a try.... I have been trying to introduce more coconut oil into my diet.

@Ian DP (I do work sometimes), Brunneria's calculator is brilliant. Have you tried it? If I'm eating 30g carb a day, it gives me 82g protein and up to 187g fat. The protein sounds right - and I've been eating more than that.

Lucy

 

[Ian DP]

On 30g carb it gives me 68g protein and 214 fat and 2317 calories..... My protein intake is around 100g, fat around 250 and calories around 2600..... So I should be putting on weight, but not!!

A few months back my calorie intake was around 3,000 and I was putting weight on, but my BG levels were higher.

 

[Brunneria]

I love that calculator too (though it's Jenny Ruhl's not mine )

My current eating is a smidge below what the calculator tells me to do - simply because I can't stuff any more in! So I'm losing teensy amounts of weight, which are barely significant, but which, over time, are adding up to a slow, steady reduction. Quite delightfully unexpected.

 

[modesty007]

In addition to my morning coffee, yes still 40 gram coconut oil and 45 gram butter in 300 ml coffee (well mixed to a caffe latte) I also add a couple of tsp coconut oil to my afternoon coffee together with a tbsp jersey cream, dinner in the evening.

 

[runner2009]

I have been trying to introduce more coconut oil into my diet.

From my understanding medium chain saturated fats like coconut oil are not digested the same way saturated fats are

But according to some research they affect the length of our cells telomere's negatively by 'clipping' their length

http://www.now-university.com/Library/HealthyAging/091976.htm and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23616516/

I've been a big follower of Dr. Bernstein after initially throwingbhis book down as rubbish.

One recommendation he makes and points out as important is regularly doing aerobic exercises that pushes you heart rate past its theoretically limit ( 220 - your age ).

He will increase patients heart rate at 1 beat per month until they reach the target.

Once a month for 30-minutes he will answer live questions

 

[Spiker]

But Robert, 0.8 x 73 (my body weight) is 2 oz a day. To satisfy we have to eat more than that, and Doc B okays having 8 oz a day at least.

I don't want to OD on protein, but I'm trying to work out an eating pattern that I can sustain. Moderate not huge amounts of protein.

One of the (several) confusing things about Bernstein is that he is very inconsistent, bordering on ambiguous, in the way he uses grams and ounces to talk about protein. He often uses ounces to refer to the weight of whole meat or cheese, grams to refer to the actual quantity of protein nutrient in the meat or cheese (typically about 20% of the whole weight).

Anyway the simple answer to your question is to increase your consumption of fat, particularly saturated fat. Bernstein is a little too high protein for my taste. High protein means high hunger. High protein means you are still living on carbs; you're just converting protein to carbs, inefficiently. I think of (and use) protein as "low-GI carbs".

 

[Spiker]

Gonna try it and *face my fear* !!!!

Big thank you, Brunneria, the calculator is going to be a big help. I also just downloaded the Jenny Ruhl / BS 101 low carb diet book. Because it really does look so well put together. Staying with Dr Bernstein, but want to find out more.

I feel the need of all the support I can get. My diet is hard work, and I can't just fit in with family. Boo hoo

Jenny Ruhl is like Bernstein, updated, and written by someone who is a professional writer and communicator.

As a writer and communicator, Dr B is.. a superb scientist and engineer.

 

[runner2009]

I believe that they now think that only a max of about 33% of protein is converted to glucose instead of the old number of 50%.

I suspect they don't really know and is dependent on the individual, protein etc.

 

[Spiker]

I believe that they now think that only a max of about 33% of protein is converted to glucose instead of the old number of 50%.

I suspect they don't really know and is dependent on the individual, protein etc.

It's almost impossible to calculate. Again, Bernstein is frustratingly inconsistent on this. I've even gone on his teleconference to try to get a straight answer, without results. At different points and in different editions he quotes 29% and 59%. My own literature research stood up a theoretical limit of 59%. But no one would ever hit this limit in practice. Because protein is only converted selectively, it's impossible to know how much of the protein you ingest will be converted to carbs. Therefore the only thing that works is personal trial and error.

 

[Spiker]

For me, following strict Bernstein as a T1 led to endless hunger and hypos, and repeated failures that undermined my motivation. Figuring out my personal protein ratio improved the hypos. Reducing protein and increasing fat not only almost eliminated the hypos, it totally eliminated the hunger.

 

[LucySW]

For me, following strict Bernstein as a T1 led to endless hunger and hypos, and repeated failures that undermined my motivation. .

I can relate to that, Spiker. Why though? Were you just too hungry? That's been my problem. Why the hypos?

It really *is* discouraging, isn't it, when the plan doesn't succeed.

 

[LucySW]

One of the (several) confusing things about Bernstein is that he is very inconsistent, bordering on ambiguous, in the way he uses grams and ounces to talk about protein. He often uses ounces to refer to the weight of whole meat or cheese, grams to refer to the actual quantity of protein nutrient in the meat or cheese (typically about 20% of the whole weight).

I don't mind Bernstein's grams and ounces, because at 55 I'm old enough to think in terms of ounces intuitively.
I can see an ounce, as it were. I still think, Victoria sponge, 4 oz + 4 oz + 4 oz + 2 eggs! (Alas, probably won't be making many Victoria sponges for my babies now ... :-( )

Anyway, he's American. They are dinosaurs that way (as in so many others ... ! ) ...

 

[LucySW]

By the way all who haven't read them, I'm finding the Jenny Ruhl actual *books* really satisfying. They're on Kindle. She gives the best, fullest explanation of all the basic stuff I've read. Tho neither book offers much explicitly for Type 1s or LADAs, I'm still finding them really answering questions I've had since the beginning. Really recommended.

Cf. her website, where all the content is really good, but it looks so awful you think it's going to be a dreadful ranting loony.

Someone should tell her that about the website ...

Lucy

 

[LucySW]

@Ian DP, *Definitely* look at the Jenny Ruhl 'Diet 101' book. It explains brilliantly the protein-to-glucose process and puts it in context so it really makes sense. And in ch 3 she has a long discussion of Dr Bernstein (mostly favourable, but one or two very cogent points). I'm finding this fascinating, and very relevant to Little Old Me. As it is to all of us who are following Bernstein, but having to cope with wrinkles.

LSW

 

[Brunneria]

I read Bernstein's book with fascination. Learned a hell of a lot - including that medication is NOT something to be avoided if humanely possible - but came away from it with a certainty that I wouldn't be trying to eat to his method.

I have massive issues with hunger. And no diet that involves hunger is going to work for me. Bernstein's system was too low carb and low fat for me. I need higher fat and higher satiety.

That isn't a criticism of his work, because I'm sure that other people find it doable and reap massive benefits.

But it wouldn't work for me, and I've grown out of trying and failing, when I could have predicted the outcome with a moments thought...

 

[LucySW]

I read Bernstein's book with fascination. Learned a hell of a lot - including that medication is NOT something to be avoided if humanely possible - but came away from it with a certainty that I wouldn't be trying to eat to his method.

I have massive issues with hunger. And no diet that involves hunger is going to work for me. Bernstein's system was too low carb and low fat for me. I need higher fat and higher satiety.

That isn't a criticism of his work, because I'm sure that other people find it doable and reap massive benefits.

But it wouldn't work for me, and I've grown out of trying and failing, when I could have predicted the outcome with a moments thought...

I think that's totally to the point, B. I don't know if I'll be able to manage it. I'm trying. But if I can't, it's not going to be the end of the world. Jenny Ruhl says in the diet book, ch 4,

"The experience of the online diabetes community suggests that while some people do very well on a ketogenic low carb diet and stick to it for years, they can do this because they enjoy eating that way and don't have to struggle to stick to their diets. Those who do struggle are better off when they combine a diet slightly higher in carbs - one that comes in nearer to 110g a day, which is much easier to eat in real world situations - with carefully chosen, safely dosed, diabetic medications."

Her point is that each of us has to find a diet "that they can stick to for decades without needing superhuman amounts of willpower."

That says it all, I think.

 

[Brunneria]

I think that's totally to the point, B. I don't know if I'll be able to manage it. I'm trying. But if I can't, it's not going to be the end of the world. Jenny Ruhl says in the diet book, ch 4,

"The experience of the online diabetes community suggests that while some people do very well on a ketogenic low carb diet and stick to it for years, they can do this because they enjoy eating that way and don't have to struggle to stick to their diets. Those who do struggle are better off when they combine a diet slightly higher in carbs - one that comes in nearer to 110g a day, which is much easier to eat in real world situations - with carefully chosen, safely dosed, diabetic medications."

Her point is that each of us has to find a diet "that they can stick to for decades without needing superhuman amounts of willpower."

That says it all, I think.

Yes. Totally agree.
And ironically, I've spent the most of the last 6 months, cruising blissfully, and comfortably, in ketosis.
But it's been on between 30 and 60? 70? grammes of carbs a day. Much higher and I get cravings, but the key seems to be to spread the carbs out across the day, and not to stress if I go up to 100g

But I really don't want to derail the thread. Bernstein's method is wonderful. And the principles are fascinating and useful (I think) for every diabetic to understand, even if they don't follow his guidelines...

 

[Ian DP]

By the way all who haven't read them, I'm finding the Jenny Ruhl actual *books* really satisfying. They're on Kindle. She gives the best, fullest explanation of all the basic stuff I've read. Tho neither book offers much explicitly for Type 1s or LADAs, I'm still finding them really answering questions I've had since the beginning. Really recommended.

Cf. her website, where all the content is really good, but it looks so awful you think it's going to be a dreadful ranting loony.

Someone should tell her that about the website ...

Lucy

Shame they are not on ipad / iTunes. We have a kindle somewhere, tend to use the ipad now for book reading.

I agree, The website material is good, but presented in an old / cumbersome way.... It doesn't lend to easy reading, but good content.

 

[Brunneria]

Shame they are not on ipad / iTunes. We have a kindle somewhere, tend to use the ipad now for book reading.

I agree, The website material is good, but presented in an old / cumbersome way.... It doesn't lend to easy reading, but good content.

I do masses of book reading on my ipad. Just download the free kindle app.
Then go on Safari to the Amazon/kindle website, and buy just like you would anything else. There must be some registration process, but it must be simple - cos I don't even remember it!

One word of warning - buy your books via the Amazon website rather than the kindle app. iTunes charges a surcharge (or they used to!) while Amazon do not.

 

[LucySW]

I do masses of book reading on my ipad. Just download the free kindle app. Then go on Safari to the Amazon/kindle website, and buy just like you would anything else.

Yes - the Kindle app is free and the limit of six Kindle devices per account only applies to actual Kindles: you can have as many PCs/iPhones/iPads etc as you like.

Easy peasy.