Struggling with low carbing.

[figgywiggy]

Hope this is not too boring but I can't see where I am going wrong. I have been diagnosed since April with T2. 2 x 500 g metformin which made me feel hideous. I have stopped taking them. Today I have had 57 g carbs. 2 x Livlife slices with 1 scrambled egg breakfast. 9. Lunch strawberries and yoghurt. 9 Dinner 2 x vegan sausages 2 small new potatoes and half a plate of runner beans. 23. Snacks 1 skinny capuchino, 2 high fibre crackers. Highest test 7.2. Lowest 6.1. I am desperate to stay off meds. Do I have to do better than this. 637 calories. Could I have made better choices here. Help. I feel quite confused with it all.


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[sally and james]

Can I just clarify, are the numbers "9", "9" and "23" your blood sugar readings one or two hours after the meals they follow?
Is that all you have eaten, or intend to eat, today. 637 calories is not really enough.
It is carbs (as I think you know), which will put up your blood sugars and I suspect you might have had more than you imagine. There would, or could have been carbs in all the following:

• Livlife bread.
• Strawberries (fruit is simply "nature's candy", but berries can be eaten in small quantities by many)
• yoghurt (was this low fat, in which case it might contain rather a lot of sugar, or was it a fruit yoghurt, in which case it will also be sweet. the only yoghurt to eat is plain, unsweetened, full fat, Greek style is best.)
• Vegan sausages. Sausages traditionally contain meat, so I wonder what is in these. Are they almost all cereal, in which case they are little carb bombs!
• New potatoes. Better than mash, or baked or old ones boiled, but still have a carb content.
• Skinny cappuccino will, I presume, contain skimmed milk. Milk contains lactose, a sugar. You are actually better off with cream.
• Crackers. Very possibly 20 to 30g of carbs here.

Have you counted all of these? (My apologies if you have.) Remember, you are not trying to avoid fats and your calories can be quite a bit higher. It's the carbs you need to avoid.

Hope this helps,
Sally

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

Hi Figgy

Have you tried the slow release metformin? Folk here say it is gentler than the regular version. Maybe something to ask your doc about. (Nowt wrong with taking meds, in my opinion. Metformin has many benefits.)

637 calories seems like a tiny amount. Do you like nuts, avocados, coconut oil? These are all low carb/high calorie foods that will help keep you going. Do you get on ok with pulses? Maybe a nice hearty veg and bean stew or humous and crudités if it is too warm for hot food.

 

[figgywiggy]

Can I just clarify, are the numbers "9", "9" and "23" your blood sugar readings one or two hours after the meals they follow?
Is that all you have eaten, or intend to eat, today. 637 calories is not really enough.
It is carbs (as I think you know), which will put up your blood sugars and I suspect you might have had more than you imagine. There would, or could have been carbs in all the following:

• Livlife bread.
• Strawberries (fruit is simply "nature's candy", but berries can be eaten in small quantities by many)
• yoghurt (was this low fat, in which case it might contain rather a lot of sugar, or was it a fruit yoghurt, in which case it will also be sweet. the only yoghurt to eat is plain, unsweetened, full fat, Greek style is best.)
• Vegan sausages. Sausages traditionally contain meat, so I wonder what is in these. Are they almost all cereal, in which case they are little carb bombs!
• New potatoes. Better than mash, or baked or old ones boiled, but still have a carb content.
• Skinny cappuccino will, I presume, contain skimmed milk. Milk contains lactose, a sugar. You are actually better off with cream.
• Crackers. Very possibly 20 to 30g of carbs here.

Have you counted all of these? (My apologies if you have.) Remember, you are not trying to avoid fats and your calories can be quite a bit higher. It's the carbs you need to avoid.

Hope this helps,
Sally

The numbers are the grams of carbs according to my fitness pal. My blood sugar readings have been 7.2 and 6.1 and I will be doing another at 8.30. I am a vegetarian. Skinny cappuccino has 7 gs.

 

[figgywiggy]

Hi Figgy

Have you tried the slow release metformin? Folk here say it is gentler than the regular version. Maybe something to ask your doc about. (Nowt wrong with taking meds, in my opinion. Metformin has many benefits.)

637 calories seems like a tiny amount. Do you like nuts, avocados, coconut oil? These are all low carb/high calorie foods that will help keep you going. Do you get on ok with pulses? Maybe a nice hearty veg and bean stew or humous and crudités if it is too warm for hot food.

The metformin was slow release but every day I was feeling worse. I don't even know what I will say to the doctor seeing as I have just taken myself off the medication. Blimey what a mess.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

The metformin was slow release but every day I was feeling worse. I don't even know what I will say to the doctor seeing as I have just taken myself off the medication. Blimey what a mess.

Sorry if this is dead obvious, but we're you taking the met mid meal and not on an empty stomach?

 

[figgywiggy]

Sorry if this is dead obvious, but we're you taking the met mid meal and not on an empty stomach?

Yes. I felt as if I could explode. I have not taken any since Friday and am feeling better every day. But need to take control.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

My suggestion is that you make a list of every food that you eat. It may surprise you how much is still available. Post it here if you like and we can help you look for meal ideas. I think you need more calories though otherwise you will feel too wabbit to function.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

Your doc can't force you to take met. If you sort your diet and bg, you may not need it.

 

[figgywiggy]

My suggestion is that you make a list of every food that you eat. It may surprise you how much is still available. Post it here if you like and we can help you look for meal ideas. I think you need more calories though otherwise you will feel too wabbit to function.

Thank you. What do u think of my blood sugar readings on no medication.

 

[figgywiggy]

That's

Your doc can't force you to take met. If you sort your diet and bg, you may not need it.

That's what I am hoping for. Thanks for your support.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

Thank you. What do u think of my blood sugar readings on no medication.

Sixes and sevens after meals are not too bad. Are these typical levels? I find my levels are a tad higher recently due to the hot weather.

 

[figgywiggy]

I hav

Sixes and sevens after meals are not too bad. Are these typical levels? I find my levels are a tad higher recently due to the hot weather.

they don't appear to be much different since I gave up meds. Would like to get into all 6s. I am adjusting every day as I am learning.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

I think you may need more colour on your plate. There does not seem to be a lot of veg. So, for example, for breakfast you could ditch one of the bread slices and add some mushrooms and tomatoes. Dump the potatoes and add some roast Mediterranean vegetables. For snacks you have coffee and crackers. More nutritious snacks would be nuts and cheese (if you eat cheese). Don't be afraid of fat. Just my thoughts.

 

[figgywiggy]

I think you may need more colour on your plate. There does not seem to be a lot of veg. So, for example, for breakfast you could ditch one of the bread slices and add some mushrooms and tomatoes. Dump the potatoes and add some roast Mediterranean vegetables. For snacks you have coffee and crackers. More nutritious snacks would be nuts and cheese (if you eat cheese). Don't be afraid of fat. Just my thoughts.

Good ideas there. Thanks. What would be a good carb gram to aim for.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

I am not the best person to ask. I just avoid carbs and aim to keep carbs low one meal at a time. Someone else will know.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi Figgy,

I'm not a vegetarian, so I don't really know what carbs there are in things like veggie sausages, etc, but I think you need to shift your focus.

600 odd calories simply isn't sustainable (and I would lose the will to live within a week).

When I first started low carbing I remember moping around for days in a blur of mild (and occasionally severe) hunger. I was absolutely obsessed with what I couldn't eat, and I tried substituting my high carb favourites with lower carb alternatives. It was soul destroying. Nothing was 'as nice' and I became obsessed with food.

Then, one day, the penny dropped. It isn't about what you can't eat. It's about what you can!

Every cheese under the sun (if vegetarian)
Mayonnaise on your salads
Butter on your veg
Cream...

Imagine your day again, with the introduction of a few things that you CAN eat:
Scrambled egg with no bread, a huge flat mushroom with a teasp of cream cheese on the top. Or two.
Strawberries and a tablespoon of double cream.
A huge salad with lettuce, toms, cucumber, avocado, peppers, a dribble of balsamic vinegar and some lovely coleslaw - and 2 sausages.
An oz or two of cheese as a snack, if necessary.

I'm guessing you could do it for 12-1500 calories, and find it enjoyable and satisfying.

Not sure if you want to lose weight, but if you don't, well... the possibilities are endless!

 

[figgywiggy]

Yo

Hi Figgy,

I'm not a vegetarian, so I don't really know what carbs there are in things like veggie sausages, etc, but I think you need to shift your focus.

600 odd calories simply isn't sustainable (and I would lose the will to live within a week).

When I first started low carbing I remember moping around for days in a blur of mild (and occasionally severe) hunger. I was absolutely obsessed with what I couldn't eat, and I tried substituting my high carb favourites with lower carb alternatives. It was soul destroying. Nothing was 'as nice' and I became obsessed with food.

Then, one day, the penny dropped. It isn't about what you can't eat. It's about what you can!

Every cheese under the sun (if vegetarian)
Mayonnaise on your salads
Butter on your veg
Cream...

Imagine your day again, with the introduction of a few things that you CAN eat:
Scrambled egg with no bread, a huge flat mushroom with a teasp of cream cheese on the top. Or two.
Strawberries and a tablespoon of double cream.
A huge salad with lettuce, toms, cucumber, avocado, peppers, a dribble of balsamic vinegar and some lovely coleslaw - and 2 sausages.
An oz or two of cheese as a snack, if necessary.

I'm guessing you could do it for 12-1500 calories, and find it enjoyable and satisfying.

Not sure if you want to lose weight, but if you don't, well... the possibilities are endless!

What you are saying us how I feel at the moment. Floundering around. But your attitude is a good one and I need to adopt it. Thank you so much. I don't have a weight problem.

 

[Brunneria]

Then you can really let rip! (And I envy you)

Have you taken on board the new findings that fat is your friend, not your enemy? There's been lots of media attention recently about how the medical profession's promotion of high carb low fat diets was based on faulty science.

So butter is ok! And coconut oil. And cheeses. Just try not to mix them with carbs.

So instead of eating cheese on crackers, serve it with celery, or maybe a few red currants.
Snack on nuts and seeds.
Enjoy the odd glass of red wine.
Egg mayo is your friend...


Have a look at the 'what have you eaten today' thread in the low carb section.
It's inspiring.

 

[figgywiggy]

Then you can really let rip! (And I envy you)

Have you taken on board the new findings that fat is your friend, not your enemy? There's been lots of media attention recently about how the medical profession's promotion of high carb low fat diets was based on faulty science.

So butter is ok! And coconut oil. And cheeses. Just try not to mix them with carbs.

So instead of eating cheese on crackers, serve it with celery, or maybe a few red currants.
Snack on nuts and seeds.
Enjoy the odd glass of red wine.
Egg mayo is your friend...


Have a look at the 'what have you eaten today' thread in the low carb section.
It's inspiring.

That's great giving me lots of ideas. I was not really getting it I think . Thanks.