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Diet Doctor Low Carb Challenge

@Chook haha! Tell him you will bake more if the cake runs out.
My cake lunches are AWESOME!!! My blood glucose doesn't even blip. Not a wrinkle. The Libre graph doesn't even recognise I have eaten anything.

Even so, I have had to freeze nearly half of each cake. The slices are as filling as a meal (especially with cream added, and you have to, don't you? Well, I do). So the freezer is now dotted with lovingly wrapped clingfilmed cakes, ready for Mr B when he runs out of food while I am away.

OK, so you know I said I wouldn't gloat? Well, I kind of can't help myself. I took these screenshots of my Libre yesterday, and I want to show you, because I am just sooo delighted at the results.

Image 1 is my Daily Blood Glucose patterns for the last 90 days. When I was intermittently fasting on several days a week of just one evening meal. Also eating anywhere from 20-40 g carbs a day, depending on stuff like fasting, and whether I had the odd portion of berries and cream, or half a dozen chips, if we went out. You know, ordinary daily variations. Probably usually in the 20-30g range though.

Image 2 is my Daily Blood Glucose patterns during my first week of DD.
Look at the difference in nighttime variability! look at the reduced Morning Rise. Look at the absence in evening peak!

I think the wider variation in the afternoon is because some days I walk the dogs after lunch, and somedays I don't, with various liver dumps affecting things.

The difference equates to my HbA1c reducing from 39ish to 34ish. Give or take. I never find the Libre is accurate in predicting A1c due to glycation rates, etc.

Clearly, my body is MUCH happier on under 20g of carbs a day. And a good sign that my insulin resistance has reduced too. Which I am noticing in other ways too - less aching. less heavy limbs. less inflammation in the joints.
Still waiting to see what it happening to my weight.
But really, with this bg improvement, I think I won't mind so long as I am not actually gaining.
 
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So, @filly when you say watch-the-butter-and-cream... are you substituting them? Or leaving them out? And if you are substituting, what are you using? Coconut butter?

Are you eating 3 meals a day, and losing? In which case I am very jealous. Or do you skip meals?

Sorry to inflict the Spanish Inquisition
 
@Chook haha! Tell him you will bake more if the cake runs out.
My cake lunches are AWESOME!!! My blood glucose doesn't even blip. Not a wrinkle. The Libre graph doesn't even recognise I have eaten anything.

Even so, I have had to freeze nearly half of each cake. The slices are as filling as a meal (especially with cream added, and you have to, don't you? Well, I do). So the freezer is now dotted with lovingly wrapped clingfilmed cakes, ready for Mr B when he runs out of food while I am away.

OK, so you know I said I wouldn't gloat? Well, I kind of can't help myself. I took these screenshots of my Libre yesterday, and I want to show you, because I am just sooo delighted at the results.

Image 1 is my Daily Blood Glucose patterns for the last 90 days. When I was intermittently fasting on several days a week of just one evening meal. Also eating anywhere from 20-40 g carbs a day, depending on stuff like fasting, and whether I had the odd portion of berries and cream, or half a dozen chips, if we went out. You know, ordinary daily variations. Probably usually in the 20-30g range though.

Image 2 is my Daily Blood Glucose patterns during my first week of DD.
Look at the difference in nighttime variability! look at the reduced Morning Rise. Look at the absence in evening peak!

I think the wider variation in the afternoon is because some days I walk the dogs after lunch, and somedays I don't, with various liver dumps affecting things.

The difference equates to my HbA1c reducing from 39ish to 34ish. Give or take. I never find the Libre is accurate in predicting A1c due to glycation rates, etc.

Clearly, my body is MUCH happier on under 20g of carbs a day. And a good sign that my insulin resistance has reduced too. Which I am noticing in other ways too - less aching. less heavy limbs. less inflammation in the joints.
Still waiting to see what it happening to my weight.
But really, with this bg improvement, I think I won't mind so long as I am not actually gaining.

Those readings on your Libre are great! Oh, I've got to get my insulin resistance down if it gives a reduction from inflammation in the joints. Aren't you taking Mr B with you on your visit to the elderly carb eating relatives?

@maglil55 - I'm so pleased you are feeling a bit better. Even your posts sound... perkier :) :) How did the oopsie buns work out? I've only made them once and I couldn't get them off the baking parchment.
 
Today my FBG was back up to 6.4 so I think yesterday's lower FBG was due to Tuesday's fast. I am repeating the avocado experiment (at breakfast and lunch) to see if it stops the All Morning Phenomenon.

The question is, if it does stop the All Morning Phenomenon could I eat avocado for breakfast and lunch every day for the rest of my life?
 
Thanks! I know that testing insulin resistance is a lab test, and that anything I say on the subject is both speculation and anecdotal, but everything I have observed (using the Libre) suggests that for me, my insulin resistance can be guesstimated quite accurately, based on a couple of things.

- the amount of leaden limbed feeling I have when starting a brisk dog walk, or climbing stairs
- the reduction in that feeling after I have been exercising for a while
- the level of my lowest readings of the day. usually before evening meal. the lower the reading, the lower the insulin resistance.

Those are short term.

The longer term gauge I use is the amount of inflammation in my hand and knee joints. Takes about a week of consistently reduced IR for them to start feeling improved.

I have been trying to push my IR down for the whole time I have been posting on the forum. Fung says that fasting is best. Lots of people say low carbing does it. Everyone says that weight loss and exercise achieve it. And if you are on an insulin resistance raising drug (I am) then getting off the drug will help, but that won't be happening soon.

So I have tried all those, and yes, they all work. Exercise in the short term. Fasting does it after 20+ hours of fasting, but only until the next time I eat 10g of carbs (approx). Weight loss is a distant dream. Which is why I am so excited about this lessthan20gcarbsaday. It has had more effect that the others, is potentially long term, and seems fairly sustainable.

I now see beating IR as a more important long term challenge than beating blood glucose, because the long term health consequences of raised IR are as bad/worse than the consequences of raised blood glucose.
 
That post of yours @Brunneria made very interesting reading. I have most of the same long and short term symptoms as you. Its also interesting what you say about fasting - because thats EXACTLY why I enjoy fasting but it kicks in for me at about late morning and lasts until the next morning.

I think that the last time I was doing fasting I was doing it too often and maybe the I bit in IF is relevant - and not just the F bit. ;)

I can't get over how filling avocado pears are!
 
I'm getting bored with these pink and purple chooks - might have to find another picture..... I just found out that the woman who did it used a vegetable food dye. LOL
 
Hi
@Chook, I went to a nutritionist on Tuesday to see if he could help with my long term exhaustion - which doesn't seem to have shifted at all despite my BG being OK and having lost 2 stone. He commented on my love of avocados!!
Ironically in the last few days with going lower carb I seem to have a bit more energy! I went from 40 or less to 20-30. Today seem back to normal, ie worn out.
 
It does indeed make interesting reading. I'm a bit "after the Lord Mayor's show" today. Yesterday was a good day. Went to bed on 6.3 got up to 7.6 but before breakfast I got to 8.7. Usual breakfast and 1 hr later back at 7.6. Yesterday of course I fell between the fasting reading and breakfast and I wondered what I did that was different? The answer was coffee. Yesterday I had my coffee with breakfast today I had it 1 hr before so it could be the coffee that is pushing it up from the fasting reading. I know coffee is one of the odd ones but I need to know.
So at 7.6 and 1 hr in from breakfast I've had another coffee. The norm for me is I go on dropping after breakfast. Will the coffee affect this? I'd already changed from the less sugar latte as that was definitely increasing BG but I can't say I'll be overjoyed if I have to go decaff but hey...needs must. Of course breakfast could nullify the effects. Beginning to feel like a researcher. Still not 100% but not too bad.
 

Coffee increases my BG. Decaff here I come. I'm at 7.8 whereas normally I'd be back in the high 6's. I guess tomorrow I make sure no coffee before breakfast just to be 100% sure.
 
Hi
@Chook, I went to a nutritionist on Tuesday to see if he could help with my long term exhaustion - which doesn't seem to have shifted at all despite my BG being OK and having lost 2 stone. He commented on my love of avocados!!
Ironically in the last few days with going lower carb I seem to have a bit more energy! I went from 40 or less to 20-30. Today seem back to normal, ie worn out.

I think if anyone were to study my menu for next week they would think that I've got a bit of an avocado obsession going on. One day next week avocado appears in breakfast, lunch and dinner.

@Angelofthemarches, I'm pleased to hear that lower carb has had a positive affect on you - let's hope that VLC has the same affect on all of us. :)

My BG has not had morning rise at all - in fact it has hardly done anything. FBG was 6.4, went up to 6.5 2 hrs after my first avocado and down to 6.3 before lunch avocado. The only thing is I'm sure I'm going to get bored with just avocado soon. I wonder what it's like with bacon?

Does anyone remember a shaggy looking green witch on kids TV - I think I'll be looking like her soon. :)
 
I think if anyone were to study my menu for next week they would think that I've got a bit of an avocado obsession going on. One day next week avocado appears in breakfast, lunch and dinner.

@Angelofthemarches, I'm pleased to hear that lower carb has had a positive affect on you - let's hope that VLC has the same affect on all of us. :)

My BG has not had morning rise at all - in fact it has hardly done anything. FBG was 6.4, went up to 6.5 2 hrs after my first avocado and down to 6.3 before lunch avocado. The only thing is I'm sure I'm going to get bored with just avocado soon. I wonder what it's like with bacon?

Does anyone remember a shaggy looking green witch on kids TV - I think I'll be looking like her soon. :)
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Grotbags?

I love avocado.
 
That's the one - Grotbags - this is NOT me LOL but I might get that way on this avocado diet


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Do you like my Hello Kitty green witch avatars pic? I found it while I was looking for Grotbag. Seems more fitting at the moment.
 
So you don't get bored with Avocado
Avocado Benedict

Sprinkle a wee bit grated cheese on a Oopsie bread and melt a bit. Add a slice of tomato on top then some sliced tomato. Poached egg on top of that , drizzle with hollandaise and dress with spring onion and paprika. Very filling Brunch.
 
So you don't get bored with Avocado
Avocado Benedict

Sprinkle a wee bit grated cheese on a Oopsie bread and melt a bit. Add a slice of tomato on top then some sliced tomato. Poached egg on top of that , drizzle with hollandaise and dress with spring onion and paprika. Very filling Brunch.
"Then some sliced avocado" not a double dose of tomato.
 
Hi @Brunneria. :)

Yes there are proper shopping lists but for this Two Week Challenge the menus and shopping lists are free. Have a look at this link:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/get-started

I haven't paid anything yet. I think they carry on sending you weekly menus if you become a member which costs nine dollars a month (although I'm not sure about whether the shopping lists carry on). If they could find a way to put that shopping list directly in to my weekly Asda order I might actually consider the nine dollars worth it. But perhaps I'm asking a bit much. :)

@maglil55 What do you think - is it worth joining?

I joined and pay the $9 not because I'm following the low carb meals on the challenge (although I do eat LCHF) but because I believe in the message so much I am prepared to pay to help them get it out there and get the message across to others. I think you get access to extra videos etc but I haven't really followed that up much either. I'm not normally one to subscribe to anything but this is important to me that people have access to the information that can give them back their health as it has done for me. Good luck on the challenge - I'm sure you'll enjoy the food. After a while of eating this way you get to know what works and what you like and it's easy to adapt things and substitute things for carby items in meals you used to eat. And the longer you continue the less you miss the carbs - especially as there is so much delicious food we CAN eat.
 
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