Do you count carbs religiously or just use a rough guide?

Personally I just avoid anything that has a high carb content. That way, I've got a large margin for error.

A great way to start is just by cutting out the biggies that you mentioned. The more you learn, the easier it gets.

At 6st overweight you should see results within the first week or so. Beyond the weight loss, you'll start to feel MUCH better, and feel like you have oodles more energy.

Also - don't be afraid of fat! Fat is your friend...

Apologies if I am not meant to post here as I am not a card carrying low carber - but wanted to share this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GL-Glycaemic-Lo ... 0007222149

It is pocket sized so you can take it with you wherever you go - and gives lots of good advice about losing weight.

It is based on restricting both the type and amount of carbs you eat.

Like Patch, I never count my carbs.
I avoid sugars and starches altogether which leaves me with veggies, some fruits and nuts, all of which are very low in carbs. That makes it pretty hard to consume more than 30g carbs per day I guess and, since my insulin doses are very consistent, I probably stay close to that amount most of the time. It's more down to instinct than arithmetic for me these days.

All the best,

fergus

I don't count carbs as such, the best advice I recieved was "eat to your meter" this is the only way for me.

Graham

As a T1 on insulin who doesn't restrict carb intake to the same extent as some of you good people, I have no choice but to account for every gram of carb I eat, as it has a direct impact on the amount of insulin to deliver. Add in an insulin/carb ratio that fluctuates throughout a 24 hour period (thankfully to a pattern!) and I am doing a lot of maths every day.

I understand that DAFNE courses allow/advise for "free" vegetables? I've never been on a course but this approach certainly doesn't work for me, even the 7g of carb in a serving of peas has to be taken into account with me when calculating an insulin bolus. If I don't, I just pay the price later when my blood sugar is higher than I would wish.

I don't mind doing it at all, I don't ever remember doing anything different, but then 27 years is a long time to get used to something!

fergus - do you eat dairy?

Yes, I eat all dairy foods, apart from Dairy Milk. :wink:
Why do you ask?

All the best,

fergus

The problem with "diets" is that people almost inevitably put the weight on again, and then some more, because they go back to their previous eating patterns once they have either lost the weight or they simply have not had the results they want for the effort they have put in.

Low carb isn't like that. I am a diabetic and I have to follow a diet which manages to keep my blood sugar at normal levels for the rest of my life. If I get lax my blood sugar will hit diabetic levels again and my body will be damaged by those toxic levels of blood glucose. This is a differnt kind of motivation.

My weight loss is a byproduct of low carbing rather than the reason I follow this diet. I avoid obvious starchy carbohydrate and I read labels when I buy things. I don't count carbs, but I follow low carb recipies fairly strictly when I'm cooking something new to ensure I get an idea of the quantities involved for a particular carb count, and then guestimate afterthat.

I eat far less than I used to - it takes less food to make me feel full. I can't tolerate more than 50 of carbs a day before my blood sugar hits diabetic levels - I usually eat less than that.

I don't count carbs but I look at what I am eating and relate that to the readings on my meter.