For Me: Forget Low Carb; What's To Do About Being A Food Addict?

[AJLM]

Some guidance would be welcome. I've stopped the sweets like ice cream (had one major slip up where I was in my usual I don't care mood, and got incredibly ill. It was then that I learned eating that way is for a diabetic what self harm -like cutting - is to another person. So I have learned that lesson.) My issue is a luxury problem really, I live were I work and we have talented cooks and a chef. So the food is typically really desirable. Add to that my problem with self control around food, and I see that I still have an issue. It still stems from the I don't care attitude or the negative mood that I'm typically in. Any thoughts on getting to that mental state of taking care of myself because I want to? Thanks!!

 

[Kristin251]

Mind over matter. We all love food and carbs we shouldn't or we can't eat. All delishous. Push the carbs off your plate to start. Chose your health over food. It not easy for any of us. But we choose our priorities and our potential future health. All individual goals.

 

[cusally]

the wonderful thing about going LCHF is that there is plenty of room for imaginative cooks to play with the things we can have, even 2 weeks into my new lifestyle (only 2 weeks, it feels like 2 years ) I am experimenting with new combinations of food that I wouldn't have thought of before to fill the gap left by ;ow carbs.

So far i haven't felt deprived or hungry, probably because I am eating so much extra fat (yet also losing weight!) I haven't bothered thinking about ice cream yet, but there must be a LCHF version surely ? I'm allowed dairy, and most of ice cream is dairy. IF there isnt a LCHF equivalent, lets go into business together and create one, its bound to be a best seller !

I'm still mourning doughnuts, but the blurred vision is the best motivator ever for sticking to a diet, I can't drive till it's sorted

 

[Daibell]

Hi. You need to remind yourself that much of our Western cooking is simply not healthy; TV Baking programs don't help and in that respect many excellent chefs don't cook healthy food. Try to fully understand what ingredients are carby and minimise or eliminate them.

 

[Shar67]

Visit your local hospital surgical ward and see how many people are in for diabetes related amputations.
When I was 1st ill (not diabetes) I was in a surgical ward and I couldn't work out why there was so many amputees learning, how to walk on crutches or in wheelchairs, it was an eye opener and a lasting memory. A nurse told me they had 2 bays one female one male each bay had 10 patients in all amputees all diabetic related.
There is more than enough delicious low carb food and recipes to find an alternative, frozen full fat yogurt instead of ice cream, fresh fruit blended with full cream and frozen.

 

[CarbsRok]

I still have an issue. It still stems from the I don't care attitude or the negative mood that I'm typically in. Any thoughts on getting to that mental state of taking care of myself because I want to? Thanks!!

Do you have a blood testing meter? If you do then test your blood sugar 2 hours after you have eaten see the results and hopefully if the food you have consumed or the quantity will spur you on to have a rethink on what you are eating. Another option is to drink a few glasses of water before your meal so there's no room for a large meal.

 

[AJLM]

the wonderful thing about going LCHF is that there is plenty of room for imaginative cooks to play with the things we can have, even 2 weeks into my new lifestyle (only 2 weeks, it feels like 2 years ) I am experimenting with new combinations of food that I wouldn't have thought of before to fill the gap left by ;ow carbs.

So far i haven't felt deprived or hungry, probably because I am eating so much extra fat (yet also losing weight!) I haven't bothered thinking about ice cream yet, but there must be a LCHF version surely ? I'm allowed dairy, and most of ice cream is dairy. IF there isnt a LCHF equivalent, lets go into business together and create one, its bound to be a best seller !

I'm still mourning doughnuts, but the blurred vision is the best motivator ever for sticking to a diet, I can't drive till it's sorted

Thanks for your contribution. I think that I'm going to have to do my own cooking. I respect the kitchen staff but we have a lot of guests and I don't want to interfere with their artistry. When I go there I don't exercise control. I think the best bet is to treat carbs like cigarettes (stopped smoking a year ago). Just treat aspects of food like an addiction and just stay away. Use my own imagination.

 

[AJLM]

Hi. You need to remind yourself that much of our Western cooking is simply not healthy; TV Baking programs don't help and in that respect many excellent chefs don't cook healthy food. Try to fully understand what ingredients are carby and minimise or eliminate them.

Thank you for the encouragement. I am starting to become more diligent about this.

 

[AJLM]

Visit your local hospital surgical ward and see how many people are in for diabetes related amputations.
When I was 1st ill (not diabetes) I was in a surgical ward and I couldn't work out why there was so many amputees learning, how to walk on crutches or in wheelchairs, it was an eye opener and a lasting memory. A nurse told me they had 2 bays one female one male each bay had 10 patients in all amputees all diabetic related.
There is more than enough delicious low carb food and recipes to find an alternative, frozen full fat yogurt instead of ice cream, fresh fruit blended with full cream and frozen.

Thanks for the tip. Actually, my mum was an amputee so I have the memory. What's happened recently is that I want to take control of that part of me that just says to **** with it. Control has increased and I go longer and longer without eating ****; but when I do, I get really sick. The last time I had a PTSD issue and I really did some self harm with eating; snapping me out of the PTSD was getting extraordinarily sick because of what I ate and I got a sense of the harm I was doing. Still I'd gone through this before and after a month, because of the issue, I got in a mood. I want to know what to do when this happens because even with images of my mum, in a mood I don't care and go straight for food.

 

[AJLM]

Do you have a blood testing meter? If you do then test your blood sugar 2 hours after you have eaten see the results and hopefully if the food you have consumed or the quantity will spur you on to have a rethink on what you are eating. Another option is to drink a few glasses of water before your meal so there's no room for a large meal.

This is great!

 

[Brunneria]

I haven't bothered thinking about ice cream yet, but there must be a LCHF version surely ?

You can buy low carb icecream (the brand is called Oppo). It doesn't float my boat, but some people love it.

IMHO it is FAR easier and nicer to make your own. But for this recipe you need a powerful blender (one that won't break down if you ask it to break up ice.

Just get some double cream, a sweetener of your choice, and some frozen berries. You can add liquers, cocoa, coconut, etc, but they may all affect the final texture. Alcohol has a lower freezing point than water, so it will make softer icecream.

Lob 1 part double cream and 2 parts frozen berries into the blender. Add as much sweetener as you guess it will need, remembering that frozen things taste less sweet than un-frozen.
Blend till it looks like icecream.
Serve.

It takes about 45 secs in my blender.

So that is DIY LC icecream, from start to finish, in less than 2 mins.

Of course, there is a downside - it sets solid if you put it in the freezer, so you have to eat it all immediately. Bummer, eh?

 

[CarbsRok]

So far i haven't felt deprived or hungry, probably because I am eating so much extra fat (yet also losing weight!) I haven't bothered thinking about ice cream yet, but there must be a LCHF version surely ?

Simple solution is invest in an ice cream maker and make your own using coconut milk My Mum who is in her 80's did this a couple of months ago due to being dairy intolerant , after having a taste have to say very nice thank you very much.

 

[4ratbags]

I struggle with the same.demons as you. I dont have chefs to do my cooking for me as I am the chef and in our household everyone still eats the same as they usually do, except myself, I do LC. Ive gone through bouts of depression and the I dont give a **** stage more than I would like to admit, the last bout lasted on and off for ahoit 6 months as there was just too kuch going on in my life so my health got pished to the back. My OH has been the contributing factor with falling off the wagon in the past though so I have now corrected that issue. I find it really is a state of mind and for myself anyway I find it easier to not eat anything I shouldnt like a chip or a biscuit as if I start I usually eat more than I should and then it turns real ugly. Cooking your own meals sounds like a great idea as it takes the temptation away.

 

[Larissima]

When I go through "I must stuff my face" periods, what helps me is to concentrate on eating fatty foods. Things like double cream, streaky bacon, avocado, mayo, butter. They feel satisfying, and don't raise my blood glucose much, if at all. I end up feeling veritably virtuous!

 

[DumfriesDik]

Of course managing diabetes is not easy. If it was there would be no forum and we would all be living happily ever after.

And like you, I bet this forum has more than its fair share of foodies or food addicts. That comes with the territory.
Sadly you need to manage your food intake. It has taken me six years to work that bit out and I hate it. I have good days and bad.

Enjoy the support of this forum, the people are really rather nice here, and hopefully you can get a mindset to take control. So, welcome and best of luck.

 

[Brunneria]

Speaking as one of the foodies (see ice cream recipe above!) I can say that I now see my D way of eating as a delight. I am able to eat better and with more enjoyment than pre D.

It takes some mental adjustment though, and that takes time. But well worth persisting, because what I eat is really good now.

 

[Serena51]

I totally agree with the 'eat to your meter' it is an eye opener.

I tried the Oppo ice cream and it was lovely but I ate it all in one sitting, this won't do. But I know what you mean about the 'I don't give a ****' moments - I'm thinking that I might have a binge eating problem. All we can do is get back on the wagon asap and not give up the good fight. I find that posting my fbg daily shames me into trying harder.
Don't beat yourself up - be kind to yourself and eat the good things. Good Luck

 

[AJLM]

You guys are awesome! I actually do feel a bit better. Wrote something in a journal yesterday about bingeing and I figure to use the mentality that I use for cigarettes - absolute shunning.

 

[Japes]

I've gone a long way to getting control of my bingeing and "Sod it, it doesn't matter" moments by eating to my meter, and by seeing visible results in weight loss via the walking and the Japes' version of LCHF.

But, I'm realistic enough to know it could all go down that line again really easily, so I try to avoid my known trigger situations and also try to be really organised about making sure there is plenty of available blood sugar friendly food, and absolutely no temptation in the house.

 

[AJLM]

I agree, Japes. Being really present helps. I find that if I've been vegging, it's easy for me to get triggered cuz the mind starts wandering.