Has anyone throttled back to a moderately low carb diet?

[vit90]

This is addressed mainly to T2s. I am not yet ready to try this but I will at some stage have a go at weaning myself off my present low carb diet. I would still be counting carbs and limiting to say, 30 or 40g per meal (which is more than I am allowing myself per day at present. So that would mean I could start eating some fruit again and maybe some dense whole grain bread like pumpernickel. I have also read that you shouldn't have a glucose tolerance test while on a very low carb diet anyway and I will want to test myself later in the year.

If you have already gone down this route, how was it for you?

 

[AndBreathe]

This is addressed mainly to T2s. I am not yet ready to try this but I will at some stage have a go at weaning myself off my present low carb diet. I would still be counting carbs and limiting to say, 30 or 40g per meal (which is more than I am allowing myself per day at present. So that would mean I could start eating some fruit again and maybe some dense whole grain bread like pumpernickel. I have also read that you shouldn't have a glucose tolerance test while on a very low carb diet anyway and I will want to test myself later in the year.

If you have already gone down this route, how was it for you?

Why do you feel you will have to modify your carb intake?

 

[Totto]

On Sundays I can have things I don't normally eat, like a slice of bread or hash for breakfast.

But I would never go so much over the top as to have 30-40 grams of carbs per meal several times a day or even a week. I want to keep what sense feeling I still have in my feet for example.

 

[DeejayR]

I have no wish to return to the old ways, which were very healthy for a non-diabetic but no good for me. However out of interest I will try small amount of "forbidden" food occasionally and test. I will probably start with half a portion of fish and chips, since the last helping about a year ago frightened the life out of me at 12.9. My theory is that it was probably quite high, but also I didn't wash my hands after handling greasy chips ...
I feel a lot more cheerful and energetic than I used to to, so it would be daft to revert.
"... you shouldn't have a glucose tolerance test while on a very low carb diet anyway and I will want to test myself later in the year" ... I don 't understand that bit?

 

[vit90]

I have no wish to return to the old ways, which were very healthy for a non-diabetic but no good for me. However out of interest I will try small amount of "forbidden" food occasionally and test. I will probably start with half a portion of fish and chips, since the last helping about a year ago frightened the life out of me at 12.9. My theory is that it was probably quite high, but also I didn't wash my hands after handling greasy chips ...
I feel a lot more cheerful and energetic than I used to to, so it would be daft to revert.
"... you shouldn't have a glucose tolerance test while on a very low carb diet anyway and I will want to test myself later in the year" ... I don 't understand that bit?

Apparently your system will over-react to a glucose tolerance test if you are currently on a very low carb diet.

By the way I don't intend to go back to bad old days consuming several hundred g of carbs a day and any carbs I hopefully can add to my diet would be low GI and 'healthy' as far as the meaning of that word goes!

 

[vit90]

Why do you feel you will have to modify your carb intake?

Quite simply because I still hope to find that my system is not as badly compromised as I have been lead to expect so I can eat a carefully balanced diet including sensible carbs. LCHF is quite limiting in scope, especially as I like cooking.

 

[vit90]

On Sundays I can have things I don't normally eat, like a slice of bread or hash for breakfast.

But I would never go so much over the top as to have 30-40 grams of carbs per meal several times a day or even a week. I want to keep what sense feeling I still have in my feet for example.

That's very sensible but I have no intention of damaging my system any further. Total carbs is one thing but consuming low GI carbs as part of a carb-controlled diet and monitoring blood sugar to ensure dangerous levels don't happen is another.

 

[AndBreathe]

I have no wish to return to the old ways, which were very healthy for a non-diabetic but no good for me. However out of interest I will try small amount of "forbidden" food occasionally and test. I will probably start with half a portion of fish and chips, since the last helping about a year ago frightened the life out of me at 12.9. My theory is that it was probably quite high, but also I didn't wash my hands after handling greasy chips ...
I feel a lot more cheerful and energetic than I used to to, so it would be daft to revert.
"... you shouldn't have a glucose tolerance test while on a very low carb diet anyway and I will want to test myself later in the year" ... I don 't understand that bit?

Of course, I'm making an interpretation here, but I think I know what he's alluding to.

Our bodies are clever, but like routine and patterns. Once we establish an eating pattern, not only do we feel better, but our bodies run themselves based on that. Insulin is produced, based on what you usually consume. So, if I have a very low carb period (weeks probably, rather than days), if I go from low carb to triple figures, my insulin production won't match it, and my numbers will sky rocket. If that high level was repeated for a number of days, it is likely the blood scoreswill moderate a bit, to reflect the body "expecting" a carb loading.

I wouldn't think the scenario I describe is sensible, but with a few extra carbs and close monitoring, it's possible to set a new "body comfortable" zone.

I call this phenomenon enzyme lag.

 

[DeejayR]

Apparently your system will over-react to a glucose tolerance test if you are currently on a very low carb diet.

By the way I don't intend to go back to bad old days consuming several hundred g of carbs a day and any carbs I hopefully can add to my diet would be low GI and 'healthy' as far as the meaning of that word goes!

OK, thanks for the explanation.
I understand your intentions. Unfortunately I was on just such a low-GI healthy carb diet when my HbA1c was rising from 42 to 48, so my best efforts were to no avail.

 

[DeejayR]

If I have a very low carb period (weeks probably, rather than days), if I go from low carb to triple figures, my insulin production won't match it, and my numbers will sky rocket. If that high level was repeated for a number of days, it is likely the blood scoreswill moderate a bit, to reflect the body "expecting" a carb loading.

I wouldn't think the scenario I describe is sensible, but with a few extra carbs and close monitoring, it's possible to set a new "body comfortable" zone.

I call this phenomenon enzyme lag.

I've seen that explanation before -- was it you who said it? Makes sense.

 

[vit90]

OK, thanks for the explanation.
I understand your intentions. Unfortunately I was on just such a low-GI healthy carb diet when my HbA1c was rising from 42 to 48, so my best efforts were to no avail.

Fair enough - I never expected such a strategy to work for everyone and until the data is in I'm not sure it will work for me but I can't discount it either.

 

[vit90]

Of course, I'm making an interpretation here, but I think I know what he's alluding to.

Our bodies are clever, but like routine and patterns. Once we establish an eating pattern, not only do we feel better, but our bodies run themselves based on that. Insulin is produced, based on what you usually consume. So, if I have a very low carb period (weeks probably, rather than days), if I go from low carb to triple figures, my insulin production won't match it, and my numbers will sky rocket. If that high level was repeated for a number of days, it is likely the blood scoreswill moderate a bit, to reflect the body "expecting" a carb loading.

I wouldn't think the scenario I describe is sensible, but with a few extra carbs and close monitoring, it's possible to set a new "body comfortable" zone.

I call this phenomenon enzyme lag.

Yes, basically in anticipation of a tolerance test you very gradually increase your carb intake over time and level off before the test. Naturally your daily test levels should not be out of the normal range during this time.

 

[Totto]

This is addressed mainly to T2s. I am not yet ready to try this but I will at some stage have a go at weaning myself off my present low carb diet. I would still be counting carbs and limiting to say, 30 or 40g per meal (which is more than I am allowing myself per day at present. So that would mean I could start eating some fruit again and maybe some dense whole grain bread like pumpernickel. I have also read that you shouldn't have a glucose tolerance test while on a very low carb diet anyway and I will want to test myself later in the year.

If you have already gone down this route, how was it for you?

Furthermore I like ketosis. It is my preferred source of energy, ketosis. I suppose I will have a couple of ice creams, a couple of bags of crisps and whatnot in the carby way spread over the year but manly I'll be in a state of ketosis.

Ketosis rocks.

 

[vit90]

Furthermore I like ketosis. It is my preferred source of energy, ketosis. I suppose I will have a couple of ice creams, a couple of bags of crisps and whatnot in the carby way spread over the year but manly I'll be in a state of ketosis.

Ketosis rocks.

That's fine and it won't be the end of the world if ultimately I have to return to a much more strict LCHF, but I do wish I could consume at least a little of what I used to love as part of a really healthy diet (for me).

 

[Moniker]

I was never as strictly low carb as many, but I was likely keeping below 50 g at one time. I have slowly added some carbs back and usually am satisfied with my numbers. I probably average between 90 and 100 g a day.

I have half a grapefruit for breakfast some mornings, sometimes a small piece of toast. Yesterday I tried polenta with my Aubergine concoction and was back down to 6.2 at two hours after a peak of 7.5. I find it much easier and more fun to plan meals with an extra bit of carbs. I don't seem to suffer from the carb cravings that plague some.

I know I could keep my numbers under tighter control with a little more self denial, but currently I am happy with my 5.5 average. If my next hba1c is higher than I will reconsider, but for now I am definitely closer to moderate than to low.

 

[vit90]

I was never as strictly low carb as many, but I was likely keeping below 50 g at one time. I have slowly added some carbs back and usually am satisfied with my numbers. I probably average between 90 and 100 g a day.

I have half a grapefruit for breakfast some mornings, sometimes a small piece of toast. Yesterday I tried polenta with my Aubergine concoction and was back down to 6.2 at two hours after a peak of 7.5. I find it much easier and more fun to plan meals with an extra bit of carbs. I don't seem to suffer from the carb cravings that plague some.

I know I could keep my numbers under tighter control with a little more self denial, but currently I am happy with my 5.5 average. If my next hba1c is higher than I will reconsider, but for now I am definitely closer to moderate than to low.

Your info profile indicates you are on Metformin, is that still the case?

 

[Moniker]

Your info profile indicates you are on Metformin, is that still the case?

Yes, just one 500 mg tablet. The doctor planned to raise it if I tolerated it okay, but has I had good control he didn't see the need. I have lost about 20 kg so that helps no doubt.

 

[jack412]

Fair enough - I never expected such a strategy to work for everyone and until the data is in I'm not sure it will work for me but I can't discount it either.

how much carb
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/carblevel.htm

re gi, I think it's marketing **** and eat to your meter

 

[vit90]

Of

how much carb
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/carblevel.htm

re gi, I think it's marketing **** and eat to your meter

Of course we are all different and I will certainly be monitoring my sugar levels when adjusting my intake but why do you say GI is 'marketing ****'? It's quite clear that some foods release their carb load more slowly than others. Which company invented this for marketing purposes?

 

[jack412]

sydney uni heads gi
it is based on 2hr reading of a single food..most people here will tell you about 'diabetic pizza effect' and mixing foods

also something that has low gi sugar has to be suss


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the same sweet tasting natural sugar, with the added benefit of a Low GI rating of just 50.

Is it suitable for everyone or just those with diabetes?

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