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Getting Confused Over Lchf

ExD said:
I have the same problem, although I haven't gained any weight I haven't lost any either. I think I'm overdoing the fat. I was so pleased to see I could have butter and real cream and tasty cheese, I didn't take into account that these foods are usually eaten along with carbs - bread, fruit or crackers - and I think I drink too many cups of tea with delicious full fat milk, I must get through at least a pint a day which is not a good idea. Like everyone says, its the ratio of fats to carbs that's the secret
I'm not sure about your swollen ankles, are you on any other prescribed medicines such as blood pressure meds - these can have swollen legs as a common side effect, as well as giving you a dry itchy cough.
My big downfall is chocolate, even the 80% dark stuff (will I ever be thin?)
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I would drop the milk - it is quite high carb at 4.7g per 100ml .. so if you are having a pint thats 560 ml so thats 26g of carbs in milk alone. I try and have less than that in total each day.
 
I'm going for my diabetic check next Monday, so will ask about it then. It's not nice, I've not got fat legs, but swollen ankles were horrid at one time pre weight loss, but now it's back, it brings memories too, silly, but it does. Maybe they will reduce my tablets depending on what my HbA1c will be.
 
Quirkybee I saw on another thread that you said that you still eat cereals for breakfast. Is that still true? Coupled with with the fish and chips would seriously compromise any LC ambitions.
 
I would definitely echo those suggesting upping your fluid intake. There are many reasons for this, and swollen ankles is a common indication of dehydration.

May I also ask, as delicately as I can if there is enough loo action in your life? Whilst Metformin can cause additional loo action, dehydration can have a significant impact on that too, in the opposite direction. Insufficient loo action can appear to cause weight gain. In that instance, the weight gain could be easily resolved, by, erm,...... natural means.

As the others say, unless your carbs are low enough, if you up the fat, it increases your likelihood weight gain.
 
I've been eating full fat Greek natural yogurt with very small handful of blueberries.

I had 4 eggs as scrambled egg 2 days ago and they always bung me up. But previously to two days ago, I've been fine with the 'loo', lol. Ankles have been swollen for over 5 weeks now, left more than right. They were perfectly fine until I started increasing the Metformin, there is no other reason and I have to come off this tablet, reduce or try something else. I cannot go on like this, they're tight. My calves are soft and my legs feel fine.

They're less puffy first thing in the morning after resting over night.
 
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@Quirkybee this weight gain certainly sounds like water retention. Try drinking lots of water, and don't worry too much about this weeks gain. Our bodies adjust strangely to the LCHF diet.
What BP medication are you on? I was on one that suddenly caused my feet and gums to swell for no reason. It took a while to realise it was the medication, but I was switched to another and everything is fine now.

I can't remember who said it, but I read on here the other day that we're all too focused on weight loss and not enough on blood sugar.. and it's correct. If we get our blood sugar where it needs to be, the weight loss will eventually follow regardless.
 
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Thank you luceelou.

I'm on Ramipril and Bisoprolol, but it's not these, been on these for 10 months +

It's the Metformin that have caused my ankles to swell! They were as slim as a pencil before, (well, not quite as slim as a pencil, lol)

But talking to the professionals about it, they look at me as if I'm showing them a false leg or talking in a foreign language.

I've not been to the 'loo' for a couple of days, but that's due to eggs I've eaten, about 4 this week for scrambled egg, can't eat many of those, and I love them. Yes again, this may cause bloatedness, but my point all along is that I've had this since the transition from 3 to 4 Metformin.

I don't want to reduce of my own accord in case that causes problems, so will see what the nurse says Monday when I get my HbA1c done.

Everyone's comments are so helpful and I'm grateful you've taken the time to reply. That really does mean a lot.

Plus my bg before breakfast (trying Linzi's granola, hope she doesn't mind, lol), was 8.2 and that was following my tea last night of Waitrose finest pizza and garlic wheel and 6 squares of Cadbury fruitcake nut. It's not low, but the lowest it's been of a morning, considering my other morning readings have been 10, 11 and 13. How weird though, eh?

Soon see now after this granola, haha. It's like my meter keeps me in suspense, I think I secretly like it...lol
 
Quirkybee said:
Thank you luceelou.

I'm on Ramipril and Bisoprolol, but it's not these, been on these for 10 months +

It's the Metformin that have caused my ankles to swell! They were as slim as a pencil before, (well, not quite as slim as a pencil, lol)

But talking to the professionals about it, they look at me as if I'm showing them a false leg or talking in a foreign language.

I've not been to the 'loo' for a couple of days, but that's due to eggs I've eaten, about 4 this week for scrambled egg, can't eat many of those, and I love them. Yes again, this may cause bloatedness, but my point all along is that I've had this since the transition from 3 to 4 Metformin.

I don't want to reduce of my own accord in case that causes problems, so will see what the nurse says Monday when I get my HbA1c done.

Everyone's comments are so helpful and I'm grateful you've taken the time to reply. That really does mean a lot.

Plus my bg before breakfast (trying Linzi's granola, hope she doesn't mind, lol), was 8.2 and that was following my tea last night of Waitrose finest pizza and garlic wheel and 6 squares of Cadbury fruitcake nut. It's not low, but the lowest it's been of a morning, considering my other morning readings have been 10, 11 and 13. How weird though, eh?

Soon see now after this granola, haha. It's like my meter keeps me in suspense, I think I secretly like it...lol
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Do you know how many carbs were in your tea last night? For healthy bowel action, I would recommend less processed food and more fresh veg. I have not heard of metformin causing swollen ankles, but who knows. I would firstly rule out dehydration, too much salt from processed food and lady week. Good luck on Monday.
​
 
I can't help wondering if your weight gain is an increase in calorie consumption. You are still eating a lot of carbs and have increased your fats. Carbs plus fat equal weight gain. Imagine a see-saw with carbs on one end and fats on the other. If the fats end goes up, the carbs end must go down. There is no point eating full fat items if you are not reducing those carbs, and pizza and cake, fish and chips, etc. is not reducing the carbs I'm afraid.
 
When I was first diagnosed prediabetic I went hard core low carb. All those years ago high fat wasn't such a thing, however I did increase my fats slightly and I found I was never hungry and the weight fell off. My fbg went to a good normal when I was retested. I lost weight from I think a bmi of about 24 to 19.5, and my hba1c's have been normal ever since.
I eat 'healthy' fats such as salmon, extra Virgin Olive oil, nuts etc., as my ldl cholesterol increased which I was unhappy with when I increased my saturated fat.
I was motivated by fear of complications now 7 years later I occasionally 'cheat' but I value my health too much, I love feeling well and being active and slim.

You are going for low carb a bit half heartedly at the moment and you will gain weight if you eat fats and carbs. Sometimes you can't eat everything you like, but you will develop a taste for less sweet foods I promise. Please give it a try, for the sake of your health.
 
Thank you Jo123, bluetit and Avocado
The last couple of days have been difficult, but seriously, time never seems to be on my side. I could do with a free day to prepare different foods, but I'll get there, just have to think positive and learn as much as I can.
 
Quirkybee said:
Thank you Jo123, bluetit and Avocado
The last couple of days have been difficult, but seriously, time never seems to be on my side. I could do with a free day to prepare different foods, but I'll get there, just have to think positive and learn as much as I can.
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Do you have a slow cooker? It cooks while you are at work.
 
Quirkybee said:
Thank you Jonbvn

I'm just concerned about the weight gain in a short space of a week or two since making these changes. Maybe I'm doing it wrong or maybe my body cannot hande the LCHF way......

Feel quite against this lunch now haha and would love a sandwich instead. Best eat it though, otherwise it's food wasted.
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It is very easy to gain weight eating LCHF. The basic premise of weight loss is that you must take in fewer calories than you expend over time. Many people are under the mistaken impression that that rule magically vanishes when you switch from more of one macro (carbs) to more of another (fat), without changing calorie intake.

For many people, eating fewer calories on LCHF happens effortlessly - because the higher fat content satiates and they eat less at a sitting AND can go longer between meals without feeling as if they need to start gnawing on the couch. For others (like me - and perhaps you), particularly when hunger is not what is driving eating it is necessary to cap both carbs AND calories.

As of this morning, I have lost 67.3 lbs (since October 2), and have reached my weight goal. That would not have happened just on LCHF, because I never feel hungry (I literally don't know what it feels like). I can eat a nearly unlimited quantity of whatever I'm eating. My issues (in the years immediately preceding my diabetes diagnosis) is that I work ~ 80 hours a week, and when I head home from work at 2 AM, I know I should eat something and I know that I won't have energy to fix something when I get home - so I stop at the only place between work and home that has food at that time of day and buy what I enjoy eating (carbs + fat, or sugar + fat), since I deserve to enjoy my food after working for 13 hours. So I've had to force myself to make the time (which I resent) to prepare low carb foods (which I enjoy, but are not readily available in places open at 2 AM) , but from a hunger standpoint I'm just as happy as I ever have been.

LCHF is magic for controlling BG (at 197 lbs, I had my blood glucose under control in 3 days), but not such universal magic for losing weight.

The other quick thought for both weight gain (which, in such a short time is not likely true gain) and ankle swelling is water retention. There are some reports that metformin causes water retention - but kidney disease is a companion disease to diabetes and can cause water retention. If it continues, I'd check back in with the doc.
 
Quirkybee said:
Thank you luceelou.

I'm on Ramipril and Bisoprolol, but it's not these, been on these for 10 months +

It's the Metformin that have caused my ankles to swell! They were as slim as a pencil before, (well, not quite as slim as a pencil, lol)

But talking to the professionals about it, they look at me as if I'm showing them a false leg or talking in a foreign language.

I've not been to the 'loo' for a couple of days, but that's due to eggs I've eaten, about 4 this week for scrambled egg, can't eat many of those, and I love them. Yes again, this may cause bloatedness, but my point all along is that I've had this since the transition from 3 to 4 Metformin.

I don't want to reduce of my own accord in case that causes problems, so will see what the nurse says Monday when I get my HbA1c done.

Everyone's comments are so helpful and I'm grateful you've taken the time to reply. That really does mean a lot.

Plus my bg before breakfast (trying Linzi's granola, hope she doesn't mind, lol), was 8.2 and that was following my tea last night of Waitrose finest pizza and garlic wheel and 6 squares of Cadbury fruitcake nut. It's not low, but the lowest it's been of a morning, considering my other morning readings have been 10, 11 and 13. How weird though, eh?

Soon see now after this granola, haha. It's like my meter keeps me in suspense, I think I secretly like it...lol
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Granola and pizza are generally NOT low carb - and the amount of the chocolate bar you ate, all by itself - let alone combined wtih pizza - is the maximium quantity of carbs I can eat in a 2 hour period and maintain my BG levels.

Your meter doesn't have to keep you in suspense. Start logging what you are eating (Myfitnesspal.com is one good option). Once you start methodically limiting carbs - rather than just hoping and guessing - your blood glucose will stabilize. Morning BG may take a while, since it is more tightly tied to glycogen stores in your liver, but it will get there.

What I do (and what has worked for many) is to start with a net carb limit that I think will work. My limit is 20 in a 2 hour period (although my metabolism has changed a bit and I can now handle a bit more. Test yourself before eating, at 1 hour after the first bite, 2 hours and, if hour 2 is higher than hour 1, again at 3 hours. You will quickly see what you can tolerate and what you can't. I set a personal threshold for the post-meal spike (typically between 1 and 2 hous) of 7.8 - and below 5.6 by 2 hours. You'll have to decide what you're comfortable with - if your initial limit works, great (and consider raising it a bit until you find out your threshold)! If not, lower it.. The standard US recommendation is to test only at 2 hours and be sure you are back under 10. (My research says sustained BG higher than 7.8 causes kidney and other organ damage - so I'm not comfortable with following the standard recommendation - I want truly normal BG levels (which have minimal spikes after a meal and are typically below 5.6 most of the time).
 
one reason that ankles can swoll can be from the huge rise in intake of phospherous-rich foods when changing the diet into a more diabetes friendly diet... there is a risk that people get too much phophor if not alert and knowing which foods are rich in phophor... too much phopher is not healthy... to Little is not as well
 
Neohdiver said:
Granola and pizza are generally NOT low carb - and the amount of the chocolate bar you ate, all by itself - let alone combined wtih pizza - is the maximium quantity of carbs I can eat in a 2 hour period and maintain my BG levels.

Your meter doesn't have to keep you in suspense. Start logging what you are eating (Myfitnesspal.com is one good option). Once you start methodically limiting carbs - rather than just hoping and guessing - your blood glucose will stabilize. Morning BG may take a while, since it is more tightly tied to glycogen stores in your liver, but it will get there.

What I do (and what has worked for many) is to start with a net carb limit that I think will work. My limit is 20 in a 2 hour period (although my metabolism has changed a bit and I can now handle a bit more. Test yourself before eating, at 1 hour after the first bite, 2 hours and, if hour 2 is higher than hour 1, again at 3 hours. You will quickly see what you can tolerate and what you can't. I set a personal threshold for the post-meal spike (typically between 1 and 2 hous) of 7.8 - and below 5.6 by 2 hours. You'll have to decide what you're comfortable with - if your initial limit works, great (and consider raising it a bit until you find out your threshold)! If not, lower it.. The standard US recommendation is to test only at 2 hours and be sure you are back under 10. (My research says sustained BG higher than 7.8 causes kidney and other organ damage - so I'm not comfortable with following the standard recommendation - I want truly normal BG levels (which have minimal spikes after a meal and are typically below 5.6 most of the time).
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@ Neohdiver, I am with you on what you've said, thank you, but I am finding it all a bit overwhelming.

I don't know fully the ins and outs of what our body can/is able to cope with regarding diabetes. I know it's all a testing and maybe an elimination process.
I also don't want to feel that I'm focusing a lot of my time on diabetes as sometimes things like this, where there is so much to learn, can take over your life, although I am very fully aware of the seriousness and complications of this disease.

Thank you for your input, it all makes sense, I just need to be more informed and know what my body can or cannot cope with regarding my bg.

I've had a bad few days, which thankfully doesn't happen often, but I appreciate all the feedback and hope I can get into the swing of it soon. Thank you
 
Quirkybee said:
@ Neohdiver, I am with you on what you've said, thank you, but I am finding it all a bit overwhelming.

I don't know fully the ins and outs of what our body can/is able to cope with regarding diabetes. I know it's all a testing and maybe an elimination process.
I also don't want to feel that I'm focusing a lot of my time on diabetes as sometimes things like this, where there is so much to learn, can take over your life, although I am very fully aware of the seriousness and complications of this disease.

Thank you for your input, it all makes sense, I just need to be more informed and know what my body can or cannot cope with regarding my bg.

I've had a bad few days, which thankfully doesn't happen often, but I appreciate all the feedback and hope I can get into the swing of it soon. Thank you
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Quirkybee, whilst I agree with you that it can be easy for this whole business to both overwhelm and dominate your life, my thoughts were that if I didn't invest time in it as close as possible to diagnosis my body had the capacity to overwhelm and dominate my life, rather than me getting into control.

I really would suggest you look at your calendar and find some time to invest in yourself. That investment will pay dividends many fold. Perhaps, planning a week's menus would be a decent start. Folks on here would give your plans the once-over if your confidence is low.

At home, we have always planned meals a week at a time. By that I certainly don't mean that we run to a regimented Monday says dinner is X, therefore that's what it must be. By that I mean that we plan 7 dinners and choose which we fancy most from the remaining options. Of course, sometimes on the 7th day what's left might not be exactly as you fancy on that very day, but it does free up a load of time, and makes shopping so much easier.

As others have said, the slow cooker is a great tool. For instance, tonight I made a sort of turkey curry thing (the recipe was all a bit freestyle, from the pantry, aside from the turkey). It was rather delicious, if I do say so, but I have at least one more main meal worth of food. I'll shortly properly portion it up, into clip-top boxes and keep one meal in the fridge (will be fine for up to 3 days) and freeze anything I consider to be in excess. So, probably 20 minutes prep this morning to get everything into the slow cooker, then several hours of a decent ignoring equals at least 2 main meals, possible also a portion left over that my OH could have with a baked spud if he chose to. Result!

Oh, and planning make impulse buying/food wastage much less likely, so it all helps with the budget.
 
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