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I'm doing it wrong ... somehow.

H

Helsin

Well-Known Member
Messages
150
Location
Cirencester
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
So, I've been lchf-ing for weeks now, being patient and telling myself that it is good to regulate my blood sugar and that I will eventually lose weight and benefit my high blood pressure and cholesterol. On the positive side my blood sugars are nicely even, with a 30 av. of 6.1, no readings (even morning) over 7.5 and rarely more than a 1.5 spike 2 hours after meals. So far so good. I feel quite well, less tired and I definitely have better digestion (had IBS). I'm exercising more and I gave up a 40 year smoking habit a month ago with no problems. Now the bad news: I'm not losing any weight. I lost a little initially, but I'm now back to my original weight and convinced I'm doing it wrong or that lchf is wrong for me. I meticulously entered my foods into myfitnesspal yesterday and the result was: calories 2112, carbs 61, fat 151, protein 142, sodium 5191, sugar 37. So that's under 100 total carbs, mostly from a handful of cherry toms and half a yellow pepper. That rather high sodium figure seems to be from some yellow curry paste and nam pla in my fish soup.

I'm not finding the cooking or eating on lchf at all difficult, simply not effective for weightloss for my general health. I would like to add that I lost 3 stone about 15 years ago with Slimming World, but only had good weeks when I stuck to green, i.e. carbohydrate, days and not red (protein).

Right, my Forum Friends. I suppose I would like to be told that my fat number is too low, but my feeling is that, at over 2000 cals, I'm simply ignoring the obvious, which is that I have too much fuel going in to my body to lose any weight. I'm sure I would be unable to keep to Newcastle or similar for long periods, but maybe I should try replacing meals with protein shakes for a while.
 
Gosh, I could not have 61carbs a day.. Was the figures for a day ? I have around 30 carbs a day and am steadily loosing weight. I don't calculate the fat, but think yours may be a little low for the low carb high fat diet. (Others will be able to advise on this) But I am a vegetarian, so it will be different for you. This LCHF diet is here to stay for me.
 
You could try to cut down further on carbs and also cut down on protein. And up your fat intake.
 
Forty years of nicotine and now none. Your metabolism will still be adjusting so I call that a break even that you should be pleased with.
 
Thank you all. Enclave: you're veggie but on less than 30 carbs. Please tell me what you are eating as I assume protein would be your difficult substitute. Totto: I need suggestions if I am to reduce carbs and protein both. All I can think of is a double cream and butter smoothie!!!
 
If I have more than 30 ish carbs a day my sugar goes through the roof !
Protein is from .. Soybeans, quinoa, pearl barley and as I have hens - eggs ... Fat from olive oil, cream and cheese. Then I also have lots of veggies .. But no potatoes, and only one small slice of bread a day ...
If I was vegan I would be in trouble ... I get my energy from fat now not carbs.
As I said, we are all different .. It works for me ..
 
I am not a true LCHF person. I cut down on carbs, and initially fat, then reintroduced more fat after a while, so I'm maybe not your best advisor.

Anyway, I'll wade in all the same. :)

I have read the science around LCHF, but I still think we should be keeping a weather eye on calories. Over 2000 is quite a lot, when attempting to lose weight. If I ate that number of calories, my weight loss would be very slow, at best, and I'm pretty active.

Would it be worth hopping the veg/salad and reduce the (?) fat a tiny bit to net lower calories? It wouldn't take too long to prove whether that worked or not.

Is there any way you can also up your activity a bit? I don't know how active you are, routinely.

Otherwise, I'll ales be reading the responses of those who are more knowledgeable.
 
I think I will try a week with reducing overall calories (I'll cut the cream in my coffee first. Tastes rubbish anyway) and careful veg choices. Tomatoes are obviously out for a while. I'm reading bloodsugar101 and it lists all colours of peppers as ok, but omits yellow peppers. Tell me that there isn't something special about the yellow ones being full of sugar? I am in danger of losing it completely if I am constantly hungry and searching some !"£$$ website for the particular colour of vegetable I want to eat.
 
Helsin,

May I suggest your 2000 calories is too many? Weight loss is relative to calories. Calories are relative to vital statistics and activity. You have to have less in than out to lose weight. I am 66, 5ft 4" with a fairly sedentary lifestyle as I am retired. I need 1600 calories to maintain my weight and 1200 to lose up to 2lbs a week. I have been sticking to 1200 give or take since February and have lost 2stone 3lbs, nice and slow, gradual loss that has not been hard. Just a thought.
 
To me, coffee with cream is horrid. I just don't like it, so can't imagine bulletproof coffee for me, at all.

Vis-a-vis peppers, I understand the rank order of sweetness is green, through yellow, to orange, then red.

You have to find a way not to be hungry. Not losing wright is one thing. Feeling denied, and hungry and not losing is another level. When I'm hungry, I have tea, or if after lunch, when I stop drinking tea, I have water or dilute sugar-free squash. I'm not too keen on sweeteners, but the water here; even the bottled stuff, has a really manufactured taste. I guess it's the desalination process.
 
Helsin said:
I think I will try a week with reducing overall calories (I'll cut the cream in my coffee first. Tastes rubbish anyway) and careful veg choices. Tomatoes are obviously out for a while. I'm reading bloodsugar101 and it lists all colours of peppers as ok, but omits yellow peppers. Tell me that there isn't something special about the yellow ones being full of sugar? I am in danger of losing it completely if I am constantly hungry and searching some !"£$$ website for the particular colour of vegetable I want to eat.
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I think you may be over-thinking it :confused:

Take a quick look at the vegetables on the "eat all you like" list on this website http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
 
Avocado Sevenfold: That list was the exact one that convinced me that I could do lchf for life and I have stuck to it strictly. My carbohydrates yesterday were mainly from cherry tomatoes (100g = 12g carbs) and half a yellow pepper (4 oz = 24g carbs, why myfitnesspal is mixing ounces and grams I don't know). Both of these vegetables are 'above the ground' and fine on the list. It all looked too easy. IT IS!
 
Celeriac mash: boil the celeriac and mash with butter. Blender works well here. I am sure any kind of fat would do, had I some goose fat I might try.

Fish curry with coconut milk and lots of coconut oil

Salad dressing made from olive oil and creme fraiche to make the dressing stick better.

Finely grated cheese in the salad also to make the oil stick better. I don't fancy having to eat the dressing with a spoon.

Scramble eggs with butter instead of cream or milk.

Shredded coconut on yoghurt.

General liberality with all fat things, maybe not cream as there still are quite a few carbs swimming around there.
 
Pe
Helsin said:
Avocado Sevenfold: That list was the exact one that convinced me that I could do lchf for life and I have stuck to it strictly. My carbohydrates yesterday were mainly from cherry tomatoes (100g = 12g carbs) and half a yellow pepper (4 oz = 24g carbs, why myfitnesspal is mixing ounces and grams I don't know). Both of these vegetables are 'above the ground' and fine on the list. It all looked too easy. IT IS!
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Pedant alert......... Pedant alert!!!!!!! :watching:

Ahem.

Tomatoes and peppers are, botanically fruit.

Pedant alert off. :angelic:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
AndBreathe said:
Pe


Pedant alert......... Pedant alert!!!!!!! :watching:

Ahem.

Tomatoes and papers are, botanically fruit.

Pedant alert off. :angelic:
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I tell my DSN I eat fruit. She isn't into LCHF at all so has been worried I don't get enough vitamins but I do eat fruit: Peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and aubergine for example!
 
That looks more like it. I must admit I put my meals into myfitnesspal last night, after I had eaten them, and was stunned by the figure for the yellow pepper particularly. My soup had about a third of that plate worth, so 1g carb not 24g, taking my total below 40.

AndBreathe: You are right, of course, although I expect you meant pepper not paper and neither would be good with custard!
 
Helsin said:
That looks more like it. I must admit I put my meals into myfitnesspal last night, after I had eaten them, and was stunned by the figure for the yellow pepper particularly. My soup had about a third of that plate worth, so 1g carb not 24g, taking my total below 40.

AndBreathe: You are right, of course, although I expect you meant pepper not paper and neither would be good with custard!
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Well done then, you're doing better on LC than you thought :)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I think that to prevent going mad, you should just eat above-soil vegetables freely. As the saying goes, "life is too short to stuff a mushroom". It is also too short to count the carbs in one. Just my opinion, works for me. (Also works on SW as you know, Helsin)
 
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