Carbs

My dietician recommends, based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines, that I increase my carbohydrate intake to 40-65% of my energy intake for a day. I decided to do the maths. I will assume that protein and carbs provide 16.9 kJ/g and fats 37.7 kJ/g. My total energy intake for a day, on average, is 7500 kJ. So, let's go in between the 40-65% recommendation and go with 50% (I eat fewer carbs than that). That's 3750 kJ I am supposed to be getting from carbs. Divide that by 16.9 = 234 grams of carbs A DAY. Isn't this a bit ridiculous? Without trying to restrict my carbs I'm lucky to get 110 grams a day (i.e. without trying I get less than 25% of my energy from carbs). So, I am supposed to INCREASE my intake of carb foods that I have no interest in because they're bland and nutrient poor rubbish. And this is good for my diabetes? Does anyone else find this crazy? I don't want to eat carbs. I do not like carbs. This isn't a fad interest of mine, I just don't like high carb foods, they taste like @$*(@ and I have no interest in them. I never have. Rant over.

What am I supposed to do? Eat 900 cups of rice with every meal?! I don't like rice. I don't like pasta. I don't like bread. I don't want to eat all that stuff. Bland waste of space

I just checked and my average BGL over the last 3 months (measured by my Libre) is 5.6 mmol/L. Why am a expected to at least double my carb intake? Is there a secret that I am not aware of?

Antje77 said:

I guess the secret may be outdated guidelines and misinformed dieticians?

The amount of carbs people (diabetics of all types and non diabetics) eat varies a lot depending on personal preference and in the case of diabetics on diabetes management as well.

For myself, I find insulin dosing and preventing sharp spikes and drops much easier on less carbs, others do well on a medium or high carb diet.
What are you seeing the dietician for? Weight issues, help with learning to dose your insulin, other eating issues?

I was offered a dietician upon diagnosis, visited her once but didn't find it useful so I've declined afterwards.
My endo is happy with the way I eat.

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I think I'm seeing the dietician because it's part of getting things given to me for free (e.g. Libre). I certainly don't think she knows much but I think I have to keep seeing her. I'm not 100% sure on that but it seems to be part of the deal (?)

bulkbiker said:

Yes indeed absolutely crazy. Personally I'd ignore any dietician who said such ridiculous things.

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The thing is... I have to keep a diary now. So I am going to have to lie about how many carbs a day I have (??); i.e. I'm going to add bread and rice and pasta to every meal in the silly diary. I'm not going to lie in the diary. I don't eat that stuff. Why would anyone want to have tasteless stuff with every meal? It's crazy

Antje77 said:

Even if you have to keep seeing her, you're not obliged to follow her advice.
I agree with @Mrs HJG , either fill out the diary truthfully or not at all.
You can show her your Libre results as proof that what you are doing is working. If she doesn't accept this, ask your doctor.
Good luck!

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Despite what I said before, I fill out my diary truthfully. What I said in a previous comment was out of pure frustration. I see no point in lying/fudging my diary. I eat what I eat. I don't like potatoes, I don't like bread, I don't like porridge, I don't like rice. So that's what she's gonna see I should have made that clearer in my earlier post. I don't condone faking a food diary. I eat what I eat

The silly thing is I just want to reduce my basal dose. But the advice is "no, no, don't do that! Increase your carbs!" To which I say why? I'm actually eating more carbs now than I ever have in my life... just to keep my BGL graph looking nice. Yes, before I was on insulin my BG was crazy, but this is just as crazy