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FULLY CARB FREE LUNCH IDEAS????

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Ophelia_wallflower

Member
Messages
11
Hey Guys,

Not too sure the best way to explain myself but here I go.

Long story short i've started a low carb diet, since doing this I've realised (because I measure and weigh everything) that things such as salad and vegetables actually do have a small amount of carbs, which when put together add up to enough to require insulin (this is something that DAFNE and carb counting books do not include).

Since doing this diet I have managed to lower my HBA1C from 10.8 to 8.2 which i'm very pleased with. However I have always had a problem with injecting outside of my home. It is the summer holidays now so it hasn't been a problem as I can make sure I'm home to inject, or at least in a place I feel comfortable with. My fear is that when I return to university I will ruin my progress because I skip the insulin until I get home.

So my question is.. Is there anything that will make up a substantial lunch and require no insulin and not push my sugars up? Keeping in mind what I have said about salad and vegetables.
 
Hi OW I am type 1 as well. I can't eat anything even without cabs ( I agree with you there about these carb counting courses) because my blood sugars always go up. I prefer to inject privately, but if I can't,and if I'm sitting at a table I will inject into the tummy area or even my arm. If people see me injecting well it's not something I am going to worry about, it does after all, keep us alive.

Some people can get away with eating salad, ham, cheese, eggs, veg and not have to inject, I can't. It will affect people in different ways.

Just make sure your health and safety comes first, and don't worry about Joe Public, if you need to inject then give it a try if you can 1st time is the hardest, but it will get easier.

All the best and good luck

RRB
 
Engineer88 said:
What do you count in the salad wallflower?
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Well an example is my salad yesterday which consisted of romaine lettuce cucumber and tomato amounted to 10g of carbs. I use the Myfittnesspal app to calculate.. the lettuce came to 0.8g cucumber around 5 and tomato 4, I understand the tomato as its technically a fruit but I would of never guessed about the cucumber, I think there should maybe they should create a clean eating Carbs and Cals book that explains a little about hidden carbs and how they add up and shouldn't be overlooked. A little more info on sauces and dressings would be helpful too
 

Ahh I see, I wasn't aware that it was person specific I thought it was just something that has been overlooked. Hoping to go on the pump soon so I guess I will just have to try my best to inject until then
 
Hi Wallflower,

I try to eat carb free at lunch - but still have to take a couple of shots as the process of digesting still produces glucose - so a typical lunch for me is an omelette with feta cheese and sliced courgette or a lettuce salad with cucumber, celery, feta, olives, light oil dressing.

Do you have a diabetes buddy you can have lunch with at Uni ? This would be a lifesaver, if there is someone you feel comfortable injecting with it will make doing it in public alot easier, I was nervous to start with but once I started that was it ! However I first injected when out with my partner who urged me to do it under the table so no one saw, then it just got easier and easier, it's so important to inject when you eat so waiting till you get home isn't great, but as I said find people you are comfortable being around to do it with as you'll feel supported then.

Good luck :thumbup:
 

Hello

Well none of my friends from Uni actually know I have diabetes with an exception of maybe 1 or 2 people. I don't even Inject in front of family members so a Buddy to help me feel comfortable injecting is unlikely, Probably need to deal with my psychological issue first.. Thanks
 
Anything with eggs is virtually carb free, say omelette or scrambled eggs or hard boiled, just be careful mind and monitor your bg as some of us type 1's still need insulin for fats and protein.

Good luck!
 
Have you actually been on the Dafne course? I struggle to understand how you could inject for salad - I would be hypoing all over the place if I did that.
 
noblehead said:
Anything with eggs is virtually carb free, say omelette or scrambled eggs or hard boiled, just be careful mind and monitor your bg as some of us type 1's still need insulin for fats and protein.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I might try that as i've never eaten egg completely on its own so maybe it will be ok.

Thank you
 
Engineer88 said:
Have you actually been on the Dafne course? I struggle to understand how you could inject for salad - I would be hypoing all over the place if I did that.
Click to expand...

Yes I have been on DAFNE, I started doing my own research on hidden carbs when I noticed that even a simple salad raised my blood sugar a little. In the process I have sent myself into hypo a few times, but that was only when I was just guesstimating based on how high my sugars have gone from salad in the past. Now that have been Weighing everything and finding out it's carb value (however small) and adding it all up my levels are more stable. Don't get me wrong it never amounts to much, 10g at the most but still significant
 

Hi

I sometimes eat a scotch egg with salad (lettuce, cucumber, celery all chopped up) with a small tomato. I just count the carb in the scotch egg (sausage meat, breadcrumbs) and tomato but don't count the carb in the salad because of the sausage meat/breadcrumbs being the primary source of carb.

If I was to eat just hard boiled egg with salad, then I would count the protein content in the egg and convert that to be a carb count. What works for me okish is to look at protein content and whatever that is divide by 2 and then that's the amount I calculate my insulin to carb ratio.
 

That sounds interesting..I will see if I can try it out today..
 
If you eat totally carb free meal the protein content stimulates glucose production from the liver. It's normal but this is what causes the seemingly improbable blood sugar increase. You need to inject for this glucose. I find it to be much less than for equal weights of carbs but some proteins need more than others; eggs need more than salad eg. It's a bit trial and error and different for each person. I find it incredibly satisfying to not eat carbs and although I've lost plenty of weight it didn't improve my Hba1c. Good luck with it.
 
Ophelia

I've been having a carb-free breakfast at my desk for a while now. Boil/bake a ham at home, carve it up and bring in a few pieces in a tupperware box alongside some boiled eggs.

Myfitnesspal puts that at about 2/3g of carbs but if uni means walking about between classes etc then that's burnt off. That's my approach, I stretch my legs a bit in the course of the day. Not a massive walk or anything but just enough.
 
High protein salad. Salad leaves, boiled egg, chicken breast, nuts, a bit of cheese. That shouldnt raise you BG too much. When you next test in a place of privacy, just take a tiny correction if you need to. With me, I can eat this and my BG hardly changes.
 
When you eat low carb meal your bg will go up for up to 2 hours, then it will go down. without needing to take quick acting insulin. It is important not to check your sugar untill next meal just so you dont stress yourself needlessly.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi, I am the same when it comes to salad "carbs" unfortunately, cucumber was also a shock to me.. Spinach, celery, ham, prawn or chicken with egg, cheese tend to be as low carb as I have found, I am a nurse so on my feet after I eat and don't have to take a bolus for that types of salad... Hope that helps. As for the problem you are having with Injecting - can you not go to the toilet after you eat and do it then? I never had a problem with injecting so can't imagine how you feel, but you really need to try as it will only be you who will suffer later on and in this day and age everyone is far more understanding and diabetes aware?! Good luck - being a diabetic student is not easy!!
 
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