Another newbie to low carbing

Verityjane

Newbie
Messages
2
I have decided to take the bull by the horns and give low carbing a go. I am about 3 stone overweight and have tried most diets and slimming clubs but always struggle with dieting and my control. I've read through a few of the threads and and as usual have some questions. I am determined this is going to work for me and have cut down my carbs this morning and my sugar levels are better already than they have ever been! So here goes with a few questions:-

1. Can I substitute cheese, milk, butter etc. with low fat?
2. Can I eat as much fat as I want? Surely not, that would be too good to be true!
3. How much protein should I eat a day?
4. Is there a book on this method that I should buy?
5. Does it take a while for weight loss to start?

You have probably all heard these questions over and over again and apologise for repeating them!
Thanks anyone that can help me.
 

Chanah

Member
Messages
19
You don't gain weight from eating fat - at least I've never heard of anybody who does.

I'd be a little leery of switching to lo-fat products because they often contain sugar and other carbs to make up for the fat, so check the labels first!

Usually, you can eat as much as you want.

Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution and the Eades' Protein Power are pretty good books. And a carb counter book is usually handy.

Some people lose weight right away, and in some people, blood sugar stabilises first then they start to lose weight - it seems to be individual.

Good luck!
 

hanadr

Expert
Messages
8,157
Dislikes
soaps on telly and people talking about the characters as if they were real.
Low carb diets with quite high fat are good if you want to avoid the "munchies". The fat keeps you from feeling hungry. You don't need to worry about calories, at least at first. later, you may need to cut back there too.
 

Katharine

Well-Known Member
Messages
819
One of the best and cheapest ways of finding out about how to start low carbing is to go to a charity shop where you very often find the orange Atkins Diet Revolution. This will get you up to speed quickly.

The site www.dsolve.com has a lot of information for anyone who wants to start a low carb diet and a course you can take in the HOW TO section.
 

Verityjane

Newbie
Messages
2
Thanks for the responses. So far so good. I am really impressed. I am a former Slimming World member and lived mainly on carbs. Since starting low carbing, (4 days ago), I have lost 4 pounds and my daily insulin has now halved. Not sure if its my imagination but I feel better than I have felt for a long time. I am defintely going to keep this up. Thanks.
 

Trinkwasser

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,468
Verityjane said:
Thanks for the responses. So far so good. I am really impressed. I am a former Slimming World member and lived mainly on carbs. Since starting low carbing, (4 days ago), I have lost 4 pounds and my daily insulin has now halved. Not sure if its my imagination but I feel better than I have felt for a long time. I am defintely going to keep this up. Thanks.

Probably not imagination! Keep testing after meals

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2009/ ... -test.html

to fine tune things.

Often you may find you suffer "Atkins flu" immediately after you reduce your carbs as your body has gotten used to chronically high BG but when this passes you may well find your focus and attention and long term endurance improves significantly, quite apart from the weight loss.
 

Vikingepigen

Well-Known Member
Messages
168
I read this with interest as I have just started to eat low carb but not following a set "diet sheet", but checking cals and carbs in the items I select. However, I have come across something odd - I have dificulties in getting enough calories in the day - been told to have 1800 to 2000 cals per day but yesterday I got 1800 and today 1500.

Do I need to worry about these "missing" calories? I walk about 4 miles a day for my exercise and as I have been on diets previously with low calories - loosing the weight and piling it all back on, I worry about loosing weight too quickly and then gaining again.

Any advice, please?


Thanks
Alice
 

Trinkwasser

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,468
Probably not if you're trying to lose weight, you will be utilising your own fat stores as fuel. Can sometimes be tricky though as if your body cottons on it may try to hold on to the fat by putting you into reduced energy mode, sometimes paradoxically adding more food calories can restart stalled weight loss. Many people find without the excess carbs their hunger becomes more related to their actual energy needs and are better able to eat what they need and then stop rather than overreating through carb cravings.