Starting a low carb and low calorie diet, need some advice, am I doing it right?

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
Hi all,

After recently suffering from an atrial fibrillation event, nature has finally got to me. I need to change. I want to be healthy, and be happy.

My body stats:
  1. Weight: 9G KG
  2. Height: 5'7
  3. Age: 26
  4. BMI: Well over 33
  5. Health conditions: Asthmatic, possible AFIB and Pre Diabetic
My weight and body:
I am FAT. I do not look fat, the clothes I wear hide my fat very well and make me look smart. I look average, but the moment my shirt comes off there's a massive belly and bum.

I am 30kg-ish over my ideal weight. That's about 5 stone!

My activity
My activity levels are very low. I am a delivery driver so in and out of the van, which I jog to and back from customer's doors. Other than that it is limited.

My diet that I have planned:
I am to follow the Newcastle Diet, but with a twist. I want to go low carb, and low calorie. I create my own homemade soups, these are vegetable based (non starch) but with chicken or lamb stock. I can't do vegetable soup on it's own, I can't bare the taste.

Snacks:
I will snack on things like Radishes, cucumber without the skin, tomatoes. Is there anything else I can have? Any guides?

Progress
The first few days I failed, in the first night, I felt serious hunger. I could not last, so I had a biscuit. On the second day, I had a single slice of Tuna sandwich, left over by another family member.

Today is my official start date

I am drinking about 3.5 litres of water per day, and 2-3 teas a day.

I am to lose my weight and reach around 62 -64kg at the end.

Exercise:
At the moment I am doing no exercise. But I am starting 30 min walks everyday.

Can I make any changes or am I doing it right?

I know I will become diabetic fully if I do not intervene now.
 
Last edited:

zauberflote

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,476
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okra. Cigarette smoke, old, new, and permeating a room, wafting from a balcony, etc etc. That I have so many chronic diseases. That I take so very many meds. Being cold. Anything too loud, but specifically non-classical music and the television.
Hi all,

After recently suffering from an atrial fibrillation event, nature has finally got to me. I need to change. I want to be healthy, and be happy.

My body stats:
  1. Weight: 9G KG
  2. Height: 5'7
  3. Age: 26
  4. BMI: Well over 33
  5. Health conditions: Asthmatic, possible AFIB and Pre Diabetic
My weight and body:
I am FAT. I do not look fat, the clothes I wear hide my fat very well and make me look smart. I look average, but the moment my shirt comes off there's a massive belly and bum.

I am 30kg-ish over my ideal weight. That's about 5 stone!

My activity
My activity levels are very low. I am a delivery driver so in and out of the van, which I jog to and back from customer's doors. Other than that it is limited.

My diet that I have planned:
I am to follow the Newcastle Diet, but with a twist. I want to go low carb, and low calorie. I create my own homemade soups, these are vegetable based (non starch) but with chicken or lamb stock. I can't do vegetable soup on it's own, I can't bare the taste.

Snacks:
I will snack on things like Radishes, cucumber without the skin, tomatoes. Is there anything else I can have? Any guides?

Progress
The first few days I failed, in the first night, I felt serious hunger. I could not last, so I had a biscuit. On the second day, I had a single slice of Tuna sandwich, left over by another family member.

Today is my official start date

I am drinking about 3.5 litres of water per day, and 2-3 teas a day.

I am to lose my weight and reach around 62 -64kg at the end.

Exercise:
At the moment I am doing no exercise. But I am starting 30 min walks everyday.

Can I make any changes or am I doing it right?

I know I will become diabetic fully if I do not intervene now.

Charlie, welcome! A-fib is terrifying, I know that. Congratulations on your decision to clean things up!
I don’t know alot about the Newcastle thing, but there are some folks around who’ve done it. Go over to the Low Carb Diet forum and make a new topic with that in the title, and you’ll draw them out. You will also hear from people who’ve lost stunning amounts of fat on a low carb-healthy fat diet.
Don’t sell yourself short- that jogging you do on every delivery is real exercise! My UPS guy runs all his, and counts that as training for the longer distance running he does. So you are building muscle mass with every lap, and getting your heart rate up to boot.
Advice from a senior: caffeine gives me more palpitations than my “usual”. Did they tell you to quit coffee? And soda. And chocolate... I found, since a procedure I had two years ago, that I can carefully “use” my guilty pleasure, chocolate. I drink decaf (Starbucks decaf espresso beans make a very rich drink, and I recently learned that the darker the roast, the less caffeine!) and no soda anyway.
 

Spl@

Well-Known Member
Messages
513
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Humans that only take.
I really don't reccomended low fat low calorie unless you have dietary issues.

I have lost over 20kg in 4 months. Also drive. Lchf was all I needed.

No fancy meals. Soups etc. Just plenty of eggs and bacon. NO potato, pasta, rice or flour.

Go as low carb as you can. If you can get keto you will be in great form.
 

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
Charlie, welcome! A-fib is terrifying, I know that. Congratulations on your decision to clean things up!
I don’t know alot about the Newcastle thing, but there are some folks around who’ve done it. Go over to the Low Carb Diet forum and make a new topic with that in the title, and you’ll draw them out. You will also hear from people who’ve lost stunning amounts of fat on a low carb-healthy fat diet.
Don’t sell yourself short- that jogging you do on every delivery is real exercise! My UPS guy runs all his, and counts that as training for the longer distance running he does. So you are building muscle mass with every lap, and getting your heart rate up to boot.
Advice from a senior: caffeine gives me more palpitations than my “usual”. Did they tell you to quit coffee? And soda. And chocolate...
emoji30.png
I found, since a procedure I had two years ago, that I can carefully “use” my guilty pleasure, chocolate. I drink decaf (Starbucks decaf espresso beans make a very rich drink, and I recently learned that the darker the roast, the less caffeine!) and no soda anyway.
Sine I came out of hospital, I've only touched one biscuit, that was at the start of the diet
 
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charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
I really don't reccomended low fat low calorie unless you have dietary issues.

I have lost over 20kg in 4 months. Also drive. Lchf was all I needed.

No fancy meals. Soups etc. Just plenty of eggs and bacon. NO potato, pasta, rice or flour.

Go as low carb as you can. If you can get keto you will be in great form.
Hi

I am allergic to eggs. What do you mean by diet issues?
 

Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello @charlie000
First of all, congratulations on your decision to get healthier. I notice you mention that you are pre-diabetic, and you can turn that round by making some changes to diet, and losing some weight is a good start.

If you haven’t already, have a read of the info @daisy1 posts for new members. She will post it here soon. This will help you prepare, and you can always ask questions after reading. Our members are keen to help with advice from their own experience.

Are you measuring blood glucose levels? If not, you would be well advised to start. Get yourself a meter and test strips. You will have to buy them yourself, but a good investment as they allow you to see the effects of what you are eating on your blood glucose levels.

I am concerned that you have had a recent cardiac event, and are planning a drastic weight loss regime. Have you discussed this with your GP / medical team for the AF?

Also concerned that you are starting a weight loss plan without doing the planning first. You are setting yourself up to fail. Sorry if that seems harsh, but I would hate to see you fail. It is so demoralising. If you are determined to try the Newcastle diet method, make sure you read up the study papers and plan accordingly. It is not a quick fix, nor is it a starvation diet. Further info on this can be found here...
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal/

As others have suggested a low carb eating regime could provide what you need. GPs can now prescribe the diabetes.co.uk Low Carb program.
There is a wealth of information throughout the forums on how to progress on this and other methods.

Don’t underestimate the exercise of getting in and out of the van and rushing to get those parcels delivered, either. If you can add in something else at your leisure it can help. Also remember you are going to have to make sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle. Don’t be in too much of a hurry. Most of all, good luck.
 

Spl@

Well-Known Member
Messages
513
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Humans that only take.
Hi

I am allergic to eggs. What do you mean by diet issues?

People with gastric/digestion problems. Some people cannot digest protein without medication by example.
Low fat low carb generally has people getting incredibly hungry then ruining their good work with snacks.
Low carb healthy fat is, once you have mentally accepted it.
A perfectly maintainable life choice.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I have been put on numerous low fat low calorie diets over the decades, all have failed. If I manage to stick to them I go deathly white, have no energy, become confused, angry, spiteful and generally distressed - I was even known to collapse. If I gave up on them I put on weight rapidly afterwards, even trying to limit myself as to how much I was eating. The only recourse was to go back to the dreadful dangerous and faddy diet which made me feel great, lose weight and regain my usual sharp wit - low carb was what made me feel great, and coincidentally when I was diagnosed I went back to the identical diet and immediately felt better and started to lose weight without effort. I can only recommend that you try low carb high fat/ keto/Atkins - whatever you want to call it, as a lifelong way of eating. I will be eating this way for as long as I have control over my own food - though hopefully if I should ever need looking after, low carb foods will be an option in care homes.
 

NoCrbs4Me

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,700
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Vegetables
I have been put on numerous low fat low calorie diets over the decades, all have failed. If I manage to stick to them I go deathly white, have no energy, become confused, angry, spiteful and generally distressed - I was even known to collapse. If I gave up on them I put on weight rapidly afterwards, even trying to limit myself as to how much I was eating. The only recourse was to go back to the dreadful dangerous and faddy diet which made me feel great, lose weight and regain my usual sharp wit - low carb was what made me feel great, and coincidentally when I was diagnosed I went back to the identical diet and immediately felt better and started to lose weight without effort. I can only recommend that you try low carb high fat/ keto/Atkins - whatever you want to call it, as a lifelong way of eating. I will be eating this way for as long as I have control over my own food - though hopefully if I should ever need looking after, low carb foods will be an option in care homes.
The OP does want to try a low carb diet as stated in the thread title and first thread post. Just with restricted calories. Essentially a LCHF version of Newcastle.

My advice for @charlie000 would be to try a LCHF diet, but without restricting calories too much. Maybe aim for 1800 calories a day and see how it goes.
 

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
Hello @charlie000
First of all, congratulations on your decision to get healthier. I notice you mention that you are pre-diabetic, and you can turn that round by making some changes to diet, and losing some weight is a good start.

If you haven’t already, have a read of the info @daisy1 posts for new members. She will post it here soon. This will help you prepare, and you can always ask questions after reading. Our members are keen to help with advice from their own experience.

Are you measuring blood glucose levels? If not, you would be well advised to start. Get yourself a meter and test strips. You will have to buy them yourself, but a good investment as they allow you to see the effects of what you are eating on your blood glucose levels.

I am concerned that you have had a recent cardiac event, and are planning a drastic weight loss regime. Have you discussed this with your GP / medical team for the AF?

Also concerned that you are starting a weight loss plan without doing the planning first. You are setting yourself up to fail. Sorry if that seems harsh, but I would hate to see you fail. It is so demoralising. If you are determined to try the Newcastle diet method, make sure you read up the study papers and plan accordingly. It is not a quick fix, nor is it a starvation diet. Further info on this can be found here...
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal/

As others have suggested a low carb eating regime could provide what you need. GPs can now prescribe the diabetes.co.uk Low Carb program.
There is a wealth of information throughout the forums on how to progress on this and other methods.

Don’t underestimate the exercise of getting in and out of the van and rushing to get those parcels delivered, either. If you can add in something else at your leisure it can help. Also remember you are going to have to make sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle. Don’t be in too much of a hurry. Most of all, good luck.
Dear Pipp

I am pre-diabetic. I am obese, by 30kg or so. My BMI is about 33.8.I will read in to the posts of that user. I am tracking my blood glucose levels before I go to bed and when I wake up. My current readings are 7.0 in the morning after having veggie soup before bed, and my readings when going to bed are 7.0. This is with soups that I am eating at the moment. They're made of lamb stock, I like the taste. I cook my own soup at home. so I know what goes in them.

I have discussed weight loss with doctors at hospital and they are happy for me to lose weight, and encourage it. My cardiac event is still under investigation, and if anything they say that losing weigh will help.

I have looked in to the NCL diet, hence why I am creating my own soups. I understand that carbs can create fat? GPs can now prescribe the diabetes.co.uk Low Carb program.? Do you have to be diabetic diagnosed?

I will look in to some carb plans. My lifestyle has changed in a span of 3 days. I feel so depressed not being able to eat all the nice stuff at home, and my family aren't encouraging with all the greggs goodies they bring home!
 

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
People with gastric/digestion problems. Some people cannot digest protein without medication by example.
Low fat low carb generally has people getting incredibly hungry then ruining their good work with snacks.
Low carb healthy fat is, once you have mentally accepted it.
A perfectly maintainable life choice.
Good to speak to a fellow driver.

I would like to aim for a very low carb diet so I can lose fat and not take in much sugar, as I am not very active, I load the van and then head out, and I drive for a long time. Hence why I don't need those carbs. I want to lose my fat. My aim is to diet for about 2-3 weeks then begin an exercise regime.

I don't want to maintain my weight. I am 98kg at 5"7 so my weight is far too high, reduced calories would help me lose weight yes?
 

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
I have been put on numerous low fat low calorie diets over the decades, all have failed. If I manage to stick to them I go deathly white, have no energy, become confused, angry, spiteful and generally distressed - I was even known to collapse. If I gave up on them I put on weight rapidly afterwards, even trying to limit myself as to how much I was eating. The only recourse was to go back to the dreadful dangerous and faddy diet which made me feel great, lose weight and regain my usual sharp wit - low carb was what made me feel great, and coincidentally when I was diagnosed I went back to the identical diet and immediately felt better and started to lose weight without effort. I can only recommend that you try low carb high fat/ keto/Atkins - whatever you want to call it, as a lifelong way of eating. I will be eating this way for as long as I have control over my own food - though hopefully if I should ever need looking after, low carb foods will be an option in care homes.
I would like a low fat, low carb diet. Low carb makes me feel great too! What does it mean to be high fat? I am also looking in to Keto.
 

NoCrbs4Me

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,700
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Vegetables
I would like a low fat, low carb diet. Low carb makes me feel great too! What does it mean to be high fat? I am also looking in to Keto.
Low carb/high fat just means you replace the carb calories with calories from fat.
 

Spl@

Well-Known Member
Messages
513
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Humans that only take.
Low carb/high fat just means you replace the carb calories with calories from fat.

Yep that. Then after you have adjusted to burning fat, takes a few days. You then reduce your food intake.
In doing this your body is triggered into burning body fat. Get it right you can lose several pounds a week. If you have a chunk to loose.
Keto has been fantastic for me.

Plus last nights dinner....

Beef and pork curry.

Mince
Pork
Mushrooms {loads}
Coconut milk 100mls
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Half a red onion
Garlic
Chopped cabbage
Peas
Chopped sweet pepper
Cream
Butter
PaprikaTurmeric etc

Meat and spices went into the slow at 6 am. Squish stuf went in at 5 and we ate at half 6.

Thats not 800 calories. Big plate full. No rice, naan or pita though.
 
Last edited:

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@charlie000
Hello Charlie and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it interesting and helpful.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why

  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

JoKalsbeek

Expert
Messages
5,937
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @charlie000,

Low carb is much more do-able when you don't go low calorie as well. You wouldn't be hungry all the time and with the fats upped, you'd be full and still get the nutrition you need. (And still lose weight, but in a sustainable, healthy way, without malnourishment.). Just something to mull over. One thing I noticed though, you mentioned you wanted to diet for a couple of weeks... But T2 is a lifelong condition... And if you chose to go that route, the diet's a lifelong one too. (With or without medication). Just something to keep in mind... Low carb isn't just about losing weight, it's also about getting your bloodsugars down, reducing fatty liver disease, increasing insulin sensitivity etc.... It's not quite a cure-all, but close enough.

In any case, my little info sheet, should you want to read it: (Just ignore the eggy bits.)

There’s a few things you should know.

1. Practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested, so not just straight sugars, but starches too. Food doesn’t have to taste sweet to make your blood sugars skyrocket.

2. A meter helps you know what foods agree with you, and which don’t. Test before and 2 hours after the first bite. If you go up more than 2.0 mmol/l, the meal was carbier than you could handle. (It’s easy to remember, as you’re a T2: all 2’s, all over the place!)

3. In case you didn’t know already, this isn’t your fault. It’s genetics, medication, decades of bad dietary advice, and basically all manner of things, but nothing you can actually blame yourself for.

4. Diabetes T2 is a progressive condition, unless you (also) change your diet. So you have options. Diet-only, diet with medication, or medication only. But that last option will most likely mean more medication over the years. (And there is more than just metformin, so if it doesn’t agree with you, there’s lots of others to try). So even if going really low carb isn’t for you, you might consider moderately low carb an option, with meds to assist.

5. Are you overweight? 90% of T2’s are. Yeah, that means 10% are slim and always were. If you did gain weight, it was the precursor of this metabolic condition. We make loads of insulin, but become insensitive to it. So carbs we eat turn to glucose, and normally, insulin helps us burn that glucose for fuel. When it doesn’t, that glucose is stored in fat cells instead. When those fat stores are full, the glucose remains in our bloodstream, overflowing, into our eyes, tears, urine, saliva… And then we’re T2’s. So weight gain is a symptom, not a cause. This also means that “regular” dietary advice doesn’t work for us. The problem lies in our inability to process carbs. And most diets focus on lowering fats and upping carb intake. Which is the direct opposite of what a T2, or prediabetic, for that matter, needs.

6. There are 3 macro-nutrients. Fats, protein and carbohydrates. Those macro’s mean we get the micro-nutrients we need: that would be vitamins and minerals. So… If you ditch the carbs, you should up another macro-nutrient to compensate, to make sure you don’t get malnourished or vitamin deficient. Carbs make our blood sugars rise. Protein too, but nowhere near as bad as carbs do, so they’re alright in moderation. Fats however… Fats are as good as a glucose-flatline. Better yet, they’ll mitigate the effects of any carbs we do ingest, slowing down their uptake and thus the sugar-spike. Contrary to what we’ve been told for decades; fats are our friends.

7. Worried about cholesterol? On a low carb diet, your cholesterol may rise a little as you start to lose weight. That’s a good thing though. (Believe it or not). What was already there, stored in your body, is starting to head for the exit, and for that it’ll go into your bloodstream first. So when you have lost weight and it stabilises, so will your cholesterol. And it’ll probably be lower than what it was before you started out.

8. You’ll lose weight on a low carb diet. Weight loss will help with your insulin-resistance, and not only that… Going low carb might help with other issues as well, like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and depression.

9. Always ask for your test results. You don’t know where you’re going, if you don’t know where you’ve been.

10. Last, but certainly not least: If you are on medication that has hypoglycemia listed as a side-effect, like Gliclazide for instance, do NOT attempt a LCHF diet without a meter nor your doctors’ knowledge/assistance. You can drop blood glucose levels too far, too fast, if your dosage isn’t adjusted accordingly. This could mean a lower dose in stages or even stopping medication completely. Never do this without discussing it with your doctor first!


So what raises blood sugars? Aside from the obvious (sugar), starches raise blood glucose too. So bread, and anything made with grain/oats flour, rice, potatoes, pasta, corn, cereals (including all the “healthy choices”, like Weetabix and muesli), most beans and most fruits. So you’ll want to limit your intake, or scratch them altogether.

Which food items remain on the shopping list? Well, meat, fish, poultry, above ground veggies/leafy greens, eggs, cheese, heavy cream, full fat Greek yoghurt, full fat milk, extra dark chocolate (85% Lindt’s is great!), avocado, (whole) tomatoes, berries, olives, nuts, that sort of thing… Meal ideas? Have a couple:

Scrambled eggs with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, tomato, maybe some high meat content sausages?
Eggs with ham, bacon and cheese
Omelet with spinach and/or smoked salmon
Omelet with cream, cinnamon, with some berries and coconut shavings
Full fat Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries
Leafy green salad with a can of tuna (oil, not brine!), mayonnaise, capers, olives and avocado
Leafy green salad with (warmed goat's) cheese and bacon, maybe a nice vinaigrette?
Meat, fish or poultry with veggies. I usually go for cauliflower rice or broccoli rice, with cheese and bacon to bulk it up. Never the same meal twice in a row because of various herbs/spices.


Snacks? Pork scratchings, cheese, olives, extra dark chocolate, nuts. :)

Of course, there’s loads more on the web, for people more adventurous than I. (Which is pretty much everyone). Just google whatever you want to make and add “keto” to it, and you’ll get a low carb version. There’s a lot of recipes on the diabetes.co.uk website, as well as on www.dietdoctor.com where you’ll also find visual (carb content) guides and videos. And I can wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Jason Fung’s book The Diabetes Code. It’ll help you understand what’s going on in your body and how to tackle it, whilst not being a dry read. Not only that, but you’ll know what to ask your doctor, and you’ll understand the answers, which is, I believe, quite convenient.
 

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
Yep that. Then after you have adjusted to burning fat, takes a few days. You then reduce your food intake.
In doing this your body is triggered into burning body fat. Get it right you can lose several pounds a week. If you have a chunk to loose.
Keto has been fantastic for me.

Plus last nights dinner....

Beef and pork curry.

Mince
Pork
Mushrooms {loads}
Coconut milk 100mls
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Half a red onion
Garlic
Chopped cabbage
Peas
Chopped sweet pepper
Cream
Butter
PaprikaTurmeric etc

Meat and spices went into the slow at 6 am. Squish stuf went in at 5 and we ate at half 6.

Thats not 800 calories. Big plate full. No rice, naan or pita though.
So you can get in to KETO with low carb high fat? In essence, I am eating veg as you are, but without the meat or poultry...
 

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
Hi @charlie000,

Low carb is much more do-able when you don't go low calorie as well. You wouldn't be hungry all the time and with the fats upped, you'd be full and still get the nutrition you need. (And still lose weight, but in a sustainable, healthy way, without malnourishment.). Just something to mull over. One thing I noticed though, you mentioned you wanted to diet for a couple of weeks... But T2 is a lifelong condition... And if you chose to go that route, the diet's a lifelong one too. (With or without medication). Just something to keep in mind... Low carb isn't just about losing weight, it's also about getting your bloodsugars down, reducing fatty liver disease, increasing insulin sensitivity etc.... It's not quite a cure-all, but close enough.

In any case, my little info sheet, should you want to read it: (Just ignore the eggy bits.)

There’s a few things you should know.

1. Practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested, so not just straight sugars, but starches too. Food doesn’t have to taste sweet to make your blood sugars skyrocket.

2. A meter helps you know what foods agree with you, and which don’t. Test before and 2 hours after the first bite. If you go up more than 2.0 mmol/l, the meal was carbier than you could handle. (It’s easy to remember, as you’re a T2: all 2’s, all over the place!)

3. In case you didn’t know already, this isn’t your fault. It’s genetics, medication, decades of bad dietary advice, and basically all manner of things, but nothing you can actually blame yourself for.

4. Diabetes T2 is a progressive condition, unless you (also) change your diet. So you have options. Diet-only, diet with medication, or medication only. But that last option will most likely mean more medication over the years. (And there is more than just metformin, so if it doesn’t agree with you, there’s lots of others to try). So even if going really low carb isn’t for you, you might consider moderately low carb an option, with meds to assist.

5. Are you overweight? 90% of T2’s are. Yeah, that means 10% are slim and always were. If you did gain weight, it was the precursor of this metabolic condition. We make loads of insulin, but become insensitive to it. So carbs we eat turn to glucose, and normally, insulin helps us burn that glucose for fuel. When it doesn’t, that glucose is stored in fat cells instead. When those fat stores are full, the glucose remains in our bloodstream, overflowing, into our eyes, tears, urine, saliva… And then we’re T2’s. So weight gain is a symptom, not a cause. This also means that “regular” dietary advice doesn’t work for us. The problem lies in our inability to process carbs. And most diets focus on lowering fats and upping carb intake. Which is the direct opposite of what a T2, or prediabetic, for that matter, needs.

6. There are 3 macro-nutrients. Fats, protein and carbohydrates. Those macro’s mean we get the micro-nutrients we need: that would be vitamins and minerals. So… If you ditch the carbs, you should up another macro-nutrient to compensate, to make sure you don’t get malnourished or vitamin deficient. Carbs make our blood sugars rise. Protein too, but nowhere near as bad as carbs do, so they’re alright in moderation. Fats however… Fats are as good as a glucose-flatline. Better yet, they’ll mitigate the effects of any carbs we do ingest, slowing down their uptake and thus the sugar-spike. Contrary to what we’ve been told for decades; fats are our friends.

7. Worried about cholesterol? On a low carb diet, your cholesterol may rise a little as you start to lose weight. That’s a good thing though. (Believe it or not). What was already there, stored in your body, is starting to head for the exit, and for that it’ll go into your bloodstream first. So when you have lost weight and it stabilises, so will your cholesterol. And it’ll probably be lower than what it was before you started out.

8. You’ll lose weight on a low carb diet. Weight loss will help with your insulin-resistance, and not only that… Going low carb might help with other issues as well, like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and depression.

9. Always ask for your test results. You don’t know where you’re going, if you don’t know where you’ve been.

10. Last, but certainly not least: If you are on medication that has hypoglycemia listed as a side-effect, like Gliclazide for instance, do NOT attempt a LCHF diet without a meter nor your doctors’ knowledge/assistance. You can drop blood glucose levels too far, too fast, if your dosage isn’t adjusted accordingly. This could mean a lower dose in stages or even stopping medication completely. Never do this without discussing it with your doctor first!


So what raises blood sugars? Aside from the obvious (sugar), starches raise blood glucose too. So bread, and anything made with grain/oats flour, rice, potatoes, pasta, corn, cereals (including all the “healthy choices”, like Weetabix and muesli), most beans and most fruits. So you’ll want to limit your intake, or scratch them altogether.

Which food items remain on the shopping list? Well, meat, fish, poultry, above ground veggies/leafy greens, eggs, cheese, heavy cream, full fat Greek yoghurt, full fat milk, extra dark chocolate (85% Lindt’s is great!), avocado, (whole) tomatoes, berries, olives, nuts, that sort of thing… Meal ideas? Have a couple:

Scrambled eggs with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, tomato, maybe some high meat content sausages?
Eggs with ham, bacon and cheese
Omelet with spinach and/or smoked salmon
Omelet with cream, cinnamon, with some berries and coconut shavings
Full fat Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries
Leafy green salad with a can of tuna (oil, not brine!), mayonnaise, capers, olives and avocado
Leafy green salad with (warmed goat's) cheese and bacon, maybe a nice vinaigrette?
Meat, fish or poultry with veggies. I usually go for cauliflower rice or broccoli rice, with cheese and bacon to bulk it up. Never the same meal twice in a row because of various herbs/spices.


Snacks? Pork scratchings, cheese, olives, extra dark chocolate, nuts. :)

Of course, there’s loads more on the web, for people more adventurous than I. (Which is pretty much everyone). Just google whatever you want to make and add “keto” to it, and you’ll get a low carb version. There’s a lot of recipes on the diabetes.co.uk website, as well as on www.dietdoctor.com where you’ll also find visual (carb content) guides and videos. And I can wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Jason Fung’s book The Diabetes Code. It’ll help you understand what’s going on in your body and how to tackle it, whilst not being a dry read. Not only that, but you’ll know what to ask your doctor, and you’ll understand the answers, which is, I believe, quite convenient.
Jo,

Just to be clear, I want to get in to a diet for a few weeks before I get in to exercising. I want to change my eating routine, as well as my life style. I no longer want to be stuffing junk and poor food. My aim is to lose weight, and try and put things in to remission. I want to reduce fat in my liver and pancreas, keep my bgs down too.

Thank you for explaining all the numbered points to me.

I am very overweight, and my goal is to lose this weight, and to fix up my routine.
 

JoKalsbeek

Expert
Messages
5,937
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Jo,

Just to be clear, I want to get in to a diet for a few weeks before I get in to exercising. I want to change my eating routine, as well as my life style. I no longer want to be stuffing junk and poor food. My aim is to lose weight, and try and put things in to remission. I want to reduce fat in my liver and pancreas, keep my bgs down too.

Thank you for explaining all the numbered points to me.

I am very overweight, and my goal is to lose this weight, and to fix up my routine.

Just know that excersize can help, but you will need to keep up the dietary change: You can't outrun (out-excersize) a bad diet. Especially when you've got a metabolic condition like we do.

I've been where you're at now. I still get startled when I see one of the few rare photo's that was taken of me the past few years.... I was huge and miserable. So I can tell you, it can be done. (And I have bacon once or twice a day. ;))