Doing Low-Carb but not losing weight

[IanBish]

@IanBish The crab sticks are probably high carb - they are normally not all crab by any stretch.
Sweetcorn is a grain, though not as high carb as some, it can still add up if eaten regularly.
If you cook cauliflower in two lots of water - drain after 5 minutes and start again, that will remove the flavour if it is that you don't like. I used to cook swede like that, to make it a potato substitute, but now I use a pressure cooker and double the water from the start.

They used to be called crab sticks years ago, they are made from surimi, and the ones I have are 12% carbohydrate. I like the taste of cauliflower.

 

[IanBish]

Unfortunately from a carbohydrate PoV nearly all beer is worse than dry wine.

Fair point, but after three pints of dry wine, I wouldn't find my way home!

 

[Lupf]

@IanBish welcome to the forum. First well done on losing 10 pounds and trying to control your T2 by diet.

You have already received useful suggestions. Here is my two cents worth.
What was you HbA1c at diagnosis? The measures you need to take differ if you were over 100 mmol/mol (like myself and many others) or only slightly above the threshold of 48.

I agree that measuring your blood sugar will help a lot as otherwise you are not really knowing what works for you. While GPs don't usually give them to T2s in the UK, it is worth asking, sometimes they give them. Otherwise consider buying yourself. people here can give tips to buy cheaply.

Have you considered intermittent fasting? I've lost 10+ kg by restricting to 600 calories on 2 days per week, eating essentially no carbs, mainly vegetables, soup, one egg, natural or greek yogurt, maybe a bit of chicken or fish on fast days. On the other days I ate normal. Interestingly I never felt hungry and did not compensate and the pounds just seemed to perl off and the blood sugar value came down.

As you know cutting down on booze is good for losing weight. Here intermittent fasting which are dry days also helps. Beer is called liquid bread, I still like it, but it is now an occasional treat.

Check if there are some low hanging fruit in your diet? I've removed all fizzy drinks, also orange juice, a glass is seven oranges, so I eat an orange or and apple instead. I've banned anything low fat, as it will have sugar added for flavour. Fatty foods are more satiating, and will last longer, e.g. I am eating more eggs and cheese.

you have to find out what works for yourself. Recall this is a marathon and not a sprint.

It is worth it, in additon to lowering my HbA1c into the 40s, I feel so much better at my current weight without a spare tyre around my belly.

 

[IanBish]

Hi Lupf,

What was you HbA1c at diagnosis?

It was 68.

I agree that measuring your blood sugar will help a lot as otherwise you are not really knowing what works for you.

I'll look into this.

Have you considered intermittent fasting? I've lost 10+ kg by restricting to 600 calories on 2 days per week, eating essentially no carbs, mainly vegetables, soup, one egg, natural or greek yogurt, maybe a bit of chicken or fish on fast days. On the other days I ate normal.

I have, but haven't actually done it that way. When you say you ate normally on the other days, do you mean you ate carbs too?

As you know cutting down on booze is good for losing weight. Here intermittent fasting which are dry days also helps.

Yes I do know, and that sounds like a good plan!

Check if there are some low hanging fruit in your diet?

No fruit or fizzy drinks. I've even given up sugar in coffee - I just have a tiny bit of Splenda now.

Thanks for the above suggestions and encouragement.

I was hoping to be beach body ready for this summer, but good things come to those that wait.

 

[Lupf]

I have, but haven't actually done it that way. When you say you ate normally on the other days, do you mean you ate carbs too?

I was doing the blood sugar diet from Michael Mosely and he said you can eat normally, so I wasn't focusing on carbs, but on losing weight. As the pounds dropped the BS values came down too. I only joined this forum afterwards, so I wasn't aware of the focus on low carb. However I've noticed that I reduced the amount of carbs anyway. I now eat large portions of vegetables and salads and, as mentioned already, more cheese and eggs. I've continued with intermittent fasting for two days and have been able to sustain this for three and half years, including the pandemic.

The level of carbs that we T2s can tolerate varies a lot, some eat very low carb such 30 g or so, but others can manage with up to ~150 g, see the low carb definition on this website https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/low-carb-diabetes-diet.html. You will need to find out yourself, what works for you and which food spikes you and which doesn't.

People here have pointed out that you can lower BS by going low carb without losing weight, but for people like you and me (BMI > 25) losing weight must be a good thing. I've also decided to get fit and started cycling and judo. Unfortunately I had to give up the judo but I cycle a lot, also use hotel gyms when I travel for work.

Best wishes on your journey.

 

[IanBish]

The level of carbs that we T2s can tolerate varies a lot, some eat very low carb such 30 g or so, but others can manage with up to ~150 g, see the low carb definition on this website https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/low-carb-diabetes-diet.html. You will need to find out yourself, what works for you and which food spikes you and which doesn't.

Best wishes on your journey.

I just wonder if the level of carbs different people can tolerate is linked to how they "abused" carbohydrates in the past. That would be me, I think.

Thanks for the well wishes - I'll let the forum know how I get on with things.

 

[Lupf]

I just wonder if the level of carbs different people can tolerate is linked to how they "abused" carbohydrates in the past. That would be me, I think.

Diabetes is not as simple as that. We don't have a carb budget. Two people can have identical diet, very similar physique, one develops diabetes, the other doesn't. When I got diagnosed, I was surprised as I did not think I was likely to become diabetic. I thought my diet was healthy, I didn't like junk food. Diabetes is not our fault and we should not blame ourselves. We can only move forward by changing our diet and/or medication. For this it helps to educate oneself and talk with others in the same boat.

 

[WaveyDavey123]

Yes, I am sure it would. If you record BG levels on waking, then immediately before eating each meal, then 2 hours after starting each meal, and keep a record of levels and what you have eaten, you will soon see patterns emerging that will identify what foids and drinks you need to avoid.

Also, lots of us find that by reducing the blood glucose levels , excess weight loss occurs. I would recommend concentrating on blood glucose levels.

Yes, keeping readings less than 2 mM (rise) for each meal does not just inform on what you can eat (in my opinion) but also portion size. I second this post strongly.