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Eating a favourite food?

Inchindown

Well-Known Member
Messages
386
Location
Highlands
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
I've been fighting a very strong urge to eat some of my favourite food.

I'm type 2 not on medication.

I'm really craving a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. I know the macaroni is not good for my sugar, but I really feel I might give in to the urges.

So, does it really matter all that much if you pig out on your favourite food as a one off treat?
 
As a one off I'd say probably fine, but many who have achieved successful remission don't- goodness knows how, lapse should be my middle name!

Edit: it would be sensible to monitor BGs if you do eat it - it might help you be stronger in future. Sadly that doesn't really work for me though.
 
Well, rather than answering your question (I am gluten free) so macaroni is never an option for me I will say that today I had a delicious lunch of

Oomi noodles
tinned tuna
grated cheese
double cream

All microwaved together to create a fabulously low carb tuna pasta type thing. Delicious. Minimal carbs.
2 mins prep and 3 mins in microwave and then straight to the table.

I could easily have used more cheese and no tuna, and created something similar to macaroni cheese.
Or added a tomato mince bolognese sauce and had low carb spag bol.
Or any one of 50 other pasta/noodle style dishes, from soup to a baked dish.
 
My problem is that it’s not just that one meal. High carbs sets off an insatiable appetite for me. Cravings that take days to come down from make it difficult to resist the next high carb treat.
One of the reasons LCHF has been successful for me is that it has kept my hunger under control.
I could not have just one bowl of macaroni and cheese. I know I would over eat.
 
Well, you could try making it with cauliflower rice, which isn't quite the same, but close. This year, over Easter, I visited with an aunt and she had a pastry (basically it's practically pure sugar, whipped cream, a bit of pineapple and shaved almonds, a.k.a. a ****load of sugar). Something I remember fondly from my childhood and hadn't tasted in a decade, maybe two decades... I had half of one, and it moved me to tears. It was waaay sweeter than I remembered, as my palette has changed, but I was 12 again for a second. I knew it'd mess me up, but it's only available at Easter and once in a decade or so isn't going to hurt me all that much.

What it did do, was kick me out of ketosis, though the additional snacks I didn't know the carb count from for certain, might've added to that. So I paid for it with a few days of keto flu (I know how to treat it, I just somehow don't?), and left it at that. In the end there's just a few questions you should answer for yourself: How big is the risk you'll drop off the wagon completely? Would carb cravings kick in? Would you need to get back into ketosis and pay a price for that? If you have excellent self control and are willing to deal with consequences... Knock yourself out and take the opportunity to check what it does to your blood sugars (And as has been pointed out, you might want to check well beyond the usual 2 hour mark).

Oh, and keep in mind, if you're used to normal blood sugars now, a spike can make you feel quite horrible. Just something to keep in mind. Portion control might be an option though, to have your Mac and eat it too?
 

Could you try LC cauliflower cheese to see if that might help?
 

Hi Inchindown,
It is very much a personal thing and only you can decide based upon how well you know yourself!
I have been criticised in the past for comparing foods to non-foods, but in some people the craving for Carbs or a combination of Carb, Fat and salt can be almost as strong as an addiction - so that it is impossible to only eat a small amount.
After all, the only way Alcoholics stop their downward spiral is through stopping completely, because for them the first drink leads to another and another etc.
A friend's daughter died this year from complications due to alcoholism - she was a highly intelligent, university educated, musically talented young woman of 30 yet she couldn't beat her addiction and often rejected the support offered.
 
I have some fresh/frozen and tinned tuna
I have some cheese to grate
I have cream - double, sour. creme fraiche.
I now also have a dilemma...
Ocado currently has 20% discount on Oomi noodles

Do I finally give in and order some today???

@Inchindown: I've often found that there are acceptable low carb work arounds so I'd go with @Brunneria's suggestion and hopefully enjoy your treat and avoid any carby cravings.

Robbity
 
Personally no, as I already had some non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy and don't want to risk more damage from a spike.

I've tried a few other options and oomi noodles aren't too bad as long as you never, ever, overcook or reheat them. I'd make a cheese sauce, thickened with cream cheese and egg instead of flour, slightly undercook the noodles then pour the sauce over. cover with more cheese and put under a very hot grill to crisp the top.
 
You could try this.

INGREDIENTS
1 large head of cauliflower
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and then prepare a baking dish with cooking spray.
Cut a head of cauliflower into florets. Steam or boil for approximately 5 minutes, until they are still crunchy but tender. Strain the cauliflower and put it in your baking dish and then add salt and pepper to taste.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, add heavy whipping cream and bring it to a simmering boil. Whisk in garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
Add cream cheese and stir until smooth, and then add cheddar cheese. Sprinkle in mozzarella cheese and stir until cheese sauce thickens.
Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the cauliflower in the baking dish and stir to coat the cauliflower in the cheese sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top of the cauliflower.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture is browned on top and bubbly. For a more browned appearance, cook in broiler for the lat few minutes. Serve and enjoy!
To make in the instant pot -
Add cauliflower with 2 tbsp water.
Cook on Manual for 5 minutes.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Leave on "keep warm" for about 10 minutes.
Stir and repeat until melted, creamy and heated through.

https://howtothisandthat.com/keto-cauliflower-mac-and-cheese/
 
You might like to try something like this as lower carb alternative. The non diabetics in my family don't mind it either. Cook it longer than it says for a softer more authentic texture. It is more filling than normal pasta so a 50g dry portion is enough for me, that is about 23g carbs and the low GI seems to work for me.
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/all-276023-44/napolina-red-lentil-penne-250g
 
Inchindown said:
I'm really craving a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. I know the macaroni is not good for my sugar, but I really feel I might give in to the urges.

So, does it really matter all that much if you pig out on your favourite food as a one off treat?
Click to expand...
Eating macaroni will put you behind the eight ball with your bgl. You say you know it's a bad choice so why give in to a unnecessary urge for self gratification.

One off treats will lead to two treats etc. then your on the downward spiral of pigging out eating with lame excuses / reasons for doing so.
 
What are Oomi noodles please and where don I find them?
 
The sort of urges I get dont always give me the choice of not giving in to them. Just saying no doesn't work for me.

If it was as easy as "Not Giving In", I might never have developed diabetes in the first place.

Thanks for the thought.
 
It's a slippery slope so be careful . I have some slim noodles, fettuccine. Rinse and cook in microwave. Pancetta in a dry frying pan. Remove pancetta, add double cream and finely grated parmesan to oil left by pancetta. When parmesan is melted and sauce thickened, add crumbled pancetta and fettuccine. Try not to finish before you leave the kitchen.
 
@Inchindown - I know you have a history of a tricky relationship with food, so, as you know, when you're feeling very driven, it's trying to find some sort of damage limitation.

You can't do any more than your best, so try really hard, but don't beat yourself up too hard for whatever transpires. Regret and self-loathing isn't the way forward.
 
thanks for the thoughts.

I've managed to get through the day without giving in to the urges. so I'm pretty happy that I'm going to bed with my sugar levels still at the low end of my normal range.

tomorrow's another day.
 
Inchindown said:
thanks for the thoughts.

I've managed to get through the day without giving in to the urges. so I'm pretty happy that I'm going to bed with my sugar levels still at the low end of my normal range.

tomorrow's another day.
Click to expand...

A big well done from me for getting through the day.

Tomorrow? Just do your best. It's all any of us can do.
 
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