My parents won't listen to me about low carb

[big_daddy]

I am in a confusing situation now as I told my parents that I am going to go low carb at the weekend and when my parents went shopping for food they came back with mostly carb based foods like pizzas, pasta, potatoes, rice , pastries, bread, family cereals. They also especially bought me some low fat fruit yoghurts which they said would be alright for me and when I checked the sugar content they contained 20 grams per pot and they were from Morrisons. After I told them I wouldn't be able to eat them we had a argument about what my temporary doctor said to me about low fat dieting, then I told them about weight loss with doing a low carb diet and showed them this site and they are still totally against and I don't know what to do now as I have my blood tests tomorrow and will have to eat what my parents have in until I go back to university in September.

 

[Engineer88]

go do your own shopping and eat seperatly if thats what it takes. I dont know your family situation obviously but it could be the dont understand or trust the interent or forums like this!

Goodluck I know its not easy

 

[SpaceChick]

I'd buy your own food or go shopping with them.

I don't know how old your parents are and how long you have been diagnosed but it could well be they are "stuck in their ways" as they knew the old school recommendations about a higher carb diet for diabetes.

Understanding that medical science has moved on can be hard to grasp if you have had another viewed drummed in to you.

I know when my Mum was alive, a high carb diet was recommended. She'd munch low fat crisps thinking it was a good snack, well it's what her dietician told her. I saw my Mums decline and her diabetes heart related problems that took her from me when she was only 46.

Now diagnosed myself, I know exactly what I won't be doing (having seen my Mum) and know exactly what I will be doing too.

Ultimately, it's your health, your condition, your body and you understand best how you should fuel it. Surely if you sat down with your parents and explained this they will accept that?

 

[lrw60]

There comes a time in a mans life (assuming you are male!) when he has to buy his own food and his own pants. Both bought to suit his needs, and not what others, nomatter how well meaning and loving, want to buy for him (or her!). Go shopping, buy what you think is best for you and then explain to them why.
Lee.

 

[Summermum]

I have been low carbing for just over 2 years. I'm 46 and no longer live at home but I can understand what you are saying. Stick with it and they'll understand gradually.Think of the tortoise and the hare, it took time but the tortoise won the race. It took my husband about a year to understand what I was doing and why, even now he get's it wrong sometimes, My mum has taken almost the 2 years but she's pretty much there. She makes me sugar free jelly everytime I go for tea which satisfies her need to give me a pudding! I suggest gradually reduce the number of carby stuff you have on your plate or remove it from your plate until they get the idea. It's give and take and remeber it's all very new for them too. The longer you do it the more they'll realise you're serious about it. Treat yourself to Gretchen Becker's Type 2 diabetes, the first year, which explains low carbing quite well. The "bible" of low carbing is Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, it's a big book but gives you all the science to back up your arguement. Good luck x

 

[Ricky]

You poor thing. You could try refusing to eat what they give you except low carb/low GI foods. Pizza = only eating the top!! I presume you can find cheese in the house and eggs + veg/salad + fruit. Here you have the basis of a low carb meal that you can cook yourself. Buy peanuts to snack on. Drink milk + porridge (normally found in a house) for breakfast. Re bread , get them to buy Burgen bread as it is low GI. Yoghurts - there is a relatively new make called Irish yoghurts, Diet, a 4 pack of delicious flavours are only £1 in Tesco at the moment. No sugar only sweeteners.

 

[Unbeliever]

Possibly they think it is a fad and don't really understand. I know when my daughter was at uni she expected me to have some sort of crystal ball to know in advance what she had decided she should be eating. although I didn't see her too often.

I know you are thinking of your healh but so was she.!

As others have said, just adapt whatever they give you and eat what you can . And stick to your guns. Tell whoever is preparing the meals to give you less or omit the really high carb stuff because you don't want to waste it ,When they see you mean it and that you are sticking to your rules they will gradually get the message.

I think you really have to specify exactly what you want and maybe just take one thing at a time. I am sure you will have pointed out to them that the low fat yoghurt contained too much sugar Its quite difficul at first -i still have problems geting my husband to read labels for me {I have retinopathy etec] after six years!

Do buy some of the things you need which they migh not consider buying and discuss what you have bought wih them.

when you shop for a family rather than just for yourself there are several factors to be considered. Your parents probably have he food budge etc sorted in their own eyes and may find it difficult to adjust.

iIts really up to you to show them that you mean it but well worth it as , if you change their habits, you will be helping them too.
as I said they may well be thnking you will change your mind. I know it can be hard if you are exposed to temptation. if its on your plate you have to be strong. Leave it and they may sart asking you if you want the carby stuff ratherthan just assuming you will, or giving it to you from habit.

I would love to know how you get on.

 

[izzzi]

Parents are the worst things since sliced bread, I should know I am one.

We think we know best and become experts that have no idea of what we are doing regarding our children's common sense when they become young adults.

Best of luck in your career and eat well.

Come to think about it "sliced bread "is a disaster and Parents are the best that mean well.

Roy,

 

[Andy12345]

ask them to watch the video on this site its about 40 minutes but hard to argue with
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSeSTq-N ... plpp_video

 

[zolabud]

I went to Aldi last week with my very well meaning Mum and diabetic stepdad.

She kept picking up things and saying "This is ok,you can eat this surely ?? "

She had picked up some low fat yoghurts but on closer inspection they were loaded with sugar.

I have explained to her about my need to low carb. My stepdad has Type 2 but isn't interested at all in monitoring or low carbing and I saw him getting increasingly irritated with me as I am really making a effort to find out which foods suit me.

"You eat too many eggs,that's why your cholesterol is high".

"It has been proven that eggs have very little effect on cholesterol Mum."

"All bread makes spread".

If you eat low GI bread Mum I will be able to control my blood sugar levels".

And so on and so on.....

When you are diabetic you learn a lot very quickly and you become very aware of foods and what they do. If you want to learn that is.
Unless your parents or family members are diabetic themselves the chances are they don't know a lot about low carbing etc.

My best friend told me that I am "Overloading myself with info from the internet and am spending too much time on my diabetic website." Maybe he is right. But I am thirsty for knowledge as this diabetes will effect the rest of my life and I want to have some sort of control.....

I am learning to choose my words very carefully with my family as I think I am coming across as a bit of a smart ****....

 

[Thundercat]

If trying to educate yourself to improve your health and prolong your life makes you a smart a**e, then you should wear the title like a badge of honour. Good for you for putting the work and effort in and for not being browbeaten into changing. With the greatest respect to your friend, please ignore her. You would be sorely missed here.:smile:

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[big_daddy]

Well I showed them the video and they were like gobsmacked on what they saw and I showed them the LCHF site, but they are still not quite grasping the low carb diet. Anyways I had my hbac1, cholesterol and thyroid tested on Thursday and I asked the nurse there if I needed to fast which I did and she said I didn't need to fast which I found odd as I always had to fast for my thyroid. Well I will get my results on Monday and hopefully they should be alright.

 

[jperry]

I am type 1 and although my carb intake is quite low, I'm not at the lofty heights (lows?) Of 30 per day ... But I sympathise with the parent issue .... My mum is great in so many ways but the second I arrive at her house, she is trying to feed me. Cakes, biscuits etc especially since I started to carb count and every meal comes with my own body weight in potatoes!

It's hard to keep saying no because she is one of life's feeders


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[Netty70]

I am type 1 and although my carb intake is quite low, I'm not at the lofty heights (lows?) Of 30 per day ... But I sympathise with the parent issue .... My mum is great in so many ways but the second I arrive at her house, she is trying to feed me. Cakes, biscuits etc especially since I started to carb count and every meal comes with my own body weight in potatoes!

It's hard to keep saying no because she is one of life's feeders


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Think all mums are lol
But we would be lost without them


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[Ricky]

People are used to me now . They know I won't touch sugar or any carbs when I am anywhere. I am very strong willed and my incentive is that I want to stay off meds for as long as possible. I have managed for 6 or 7 years now and basically the only time my fasting BS goes over 6 is when I am ill or as recently had dental treatment after a bout of toothache. It took a good fortnight to go back down. My aim is to be < 5.5 but I don't always make it. It was 5.7 this morning. I can't say I ever have Hb1AC these days as my doctors surgery seems to have forgotten me. This suits me fine as I am still getting a monthly prescription for test strips which I am sure these days I would have taken off me if they were to realise!!!!
I love fruit and that is where my carbs come from but only together with a meal not on its own. I also eat the odd slice of burgen bread and have homemade muesli for breakfast- oats, rye, barley +nuts, seeds, goji berries, raw cocoa nibs, wheatgerm.

 

[big_daddy]

Well today I phoned up my doctors for my blood test results and after the doctor reviewed them the nurse said that my tests were all fine and then just put the phone down on me. I don't even know what they are just that they are fine. Should I ring them back up and ask for the numbers of my results.

 

[Ricky]

That is terrible. You are within your rights to know what your numbers are so yes phone them!!
How are you expected to compare when you have your next lot?

 

[Robinredbreast]

I am in a confusing situation now as I told my parents that I am going to go low carb at the weekend and when my parents went shopping for food they came back with mostly carb based foods like pizzas, pasta, potatoes, rice , pastries, bread, family cereals. They also especially bought me some low fat fruit yoghurts which they said would be alright for me and when I checked the sugar content they contained 20 grams per pot and they were from Morrisons. After I told them I wouldn't be able to eat them we had a argument about what my temporary doctor said to me about low fat dieting, then I told them about weight loss with doing a low carb diet and showed them this site and they are still totally against and I don't know what to do now as I have my blood tests tomorrow and will have to eat what my parents have in until I go back to university in September.

Hi there I am a parent but diabeteic as well, type 1. I recently reduced my carb intake, not ultra low carb or anything fanatical, but I have noticed my blood sugars are better and not so erratic, they are more stable and in a good range.

I use the words reduced carbs and I feel that might be more acceptable to your parents way of thinking, (a bit of reversed psychology) that you are low carbing, but saying you still want to eat some carbs, (if that's correct) but at a reduced level. It's your choice to do what you want to do to keep your diabetes in check and at a good level. I'm sure your parents will eventually come round, but even if they don't, don't let them stop you from controlling your diabetes how you want to. Take care.

Good luck and best wishes RRB

 

[Mr Happy]

Perhaps buy or take from the web some low carb recipies. When they see the goodness in the foods you're choosing it may help change their view...

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[big_daddy]

Well just found out my Hba1c level is 49mmol or 6.6%, my cholesterol level is 3.7mmol or 123 mg/dl and my thyroid level is 4.45. Are they good so far?