back to low carbing

[the_anticarb]

If ever there was any doubt that insulin = weight gain, my strategy during my pregnancy of eating whatever carbs I wanted (and I wanted loads!) and then injecting to clear them out of my blood worked to keep my hba1c under 6 but has resulted in a 2.5 stone weight gain - in eight months! I also have gained a certain amount of insulin resistance - I am on masses more insulin now than before I fell pregnant and as it is six weeks since I gave birth i can only presume it is down to the weight gain and particularly abdominal fat which I know can be the culprit. (I keep joking the baby has a twin in there still to come out as I still look 6 months pregnant, alas tis all fat)

So I have come to the conclusion that whilst yes I can control my diabetes using a high carb/lots of insulin approach it has too many downsides (weight gain/insulin resistance spiral) to do on a long term basis. Although it may work for short term eg holidays or special occasions when I want to eat carbs but can just take the novopen along with me.

I'm going back to low carbing in an attempt to shift the weight and get my control good again (fell off the wagon with testing for a few weeks after I gave birth, after testing hourly towards the end of the pregnancy I needed a break and was too busy being a new mum to bother much - but no more)

I lost 2 stone in four months by low carbing two years ago, and got my hba1c down from the 12s to the 6s, so I kind of know how to do it, I just have problems with how restrictive it can be particularly during any kind of social occasion or eating outside the home.

Thinking of doing strict low carb to lose the weight (<40-50g/day) and then a more liberal approach to maintain weight loss, with some low GI carbs, as I have to find something I can live with on a permanent basis when the weight has gone, which is where I fell down last time.

Anyway just wanted to say hi to the low carb board again, as I'm back!

AC

 

[theblokefromstoke]

Hi AC,

I'm with you on this. I've been a little complacent since christmas and sneaked my carb levels up to around 100grams per day. BG has been OK but the weight is creeping back on at an alarming rate - 9pounds in 3 months.

This week, I have adopted a 'back to basics' approach and cut carbs totally, living in protein from fish, chicken and eggs with carbs from Veg (Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, sprouts) and salads (Peppers, rocket, celery, tomato's). I am sticking to around 30grams of carbs per day again.

I supplement my diet with Cod liver Oil, garlic tablets, multi vitamin and also flax seed tablets as I do around 30 miles of running per week and want to look after my heart and joints!

I have not eaten Potatoes, pasta, rice or fruit for over a year as these see my BG spiral but had started to eat Burgen soya bread, yoghurts and apples in small quantities and these seem to have been the root of the weight gains.

In 3 days I seem to have stopped the creeping gain and started to lose it again which has come as a relief. I also feel less lethargic. This has all come as a relief and I'm back on the straight and narrow again.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Carl