How did you get started with low carb?

[Longthorpe]

hi everyone, first post here although I've been lurking for some time.
Just some background. 50 y/o female. I had some health problems and blood tests were done. Saw a locum GP who says that in his opinion I'm 'pre diabetic' although he says that's not an official diagnosis :?:
I'm sorry I don't remember the numbers he mentioned.
Anyway, he has referred me for some more tests and in the meantime told me to to change my diet and lifestyle in general. He said that he's seen good results with low carbing, and advised me to try for a moderate approach at first limit myself to 100g daily.
So, all well and good. However, I am very unfit, need to lose about 5-6st and this is all because I overeat all the bad stuff - I love cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, pizza etc. I do a sedentary job and don't get any exercise at all.

I know I have to make changes. I just don't know where to start. I've been trying to cut the carbs for a couple of weeks but I just can't get started properly, end up having something 'naughty' then stay 'oh blow it, I'll start again in the morning'...

To sum up. I know WHAT to eat. I just dont really know HOW to get started. ...So I was wondering how you did it. Did you make a meal plan at first and just stick to that ? (I think I probably need structure like that). How did you start exercising?
Any tips?

 

[viviennem]

Hi Longthorpe, and welcome!

I got into low carb long before diabetes. I have been dieting for 40 years, and in that time only managed to double my weight :shock: . If I had a fiver for every pound I've ever lost I'd be able to book a world cruise!

I could lose weight in lots of ways, but it never stayed off, and I knew high carb/low fat diets didn't suit me, though I believed most sincerely that this was the healthy way to go. I had raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol, and bordelrine blood glucose. Eventually (April 2004) I decided to have a look at Atkins. Despite being brain-washed in the low fat theory, I decided that trying Atkins would likely not kill me any more quickly than I was going to die anyway if I didn't do something! I discussed it with my doctor, and he and the practice nurse supported me hugely.

I lost 5.5 stone in 18 months, came off all BP and cholesterol medications, and my blood glucose went right down. Sadly, in November 2005 I completely lost the plot (for reasons I won't go into) and went back to my old ways. In April 2010, weighing 21 stone and back on the BP meds, I was diagnosed diabetic (though not with frighteningly high readings) which I flatly refused to believe as I was in the middle of house move number 24, the most stressful one I have ever done :shock: . I knew what to do about it, though; I went straight back on to Atkins, and turned an HbA1c of 6.5 around to 5.6 in 3 months.

I decided, diabetic or not, that if I didn't behave like a diabetic I very soon would have the full-blown affair, and have been trying to stick to my diet ever since. I've had a few more slips this time, and more wine , but slowly and surely I'm getting there. I've lost nearly 5 stone so far this time. I take Metformin to help with the weight loss and because it gives some protection against CVD and stroke. I'm off the BP meds again and in general very happy with my lifestyle.

I can't exercise much this time round, though last time I walked at least 25 miles every week (just dog-walking!), which I am sure helped a lot. But my HbA1cs are always in the 5s now (lowest 5.2) and on the diet all my BGs are below 6, mostly below 5.5. Unless I have a slip!

My diet is a Sticky Thread on here called Viv's Modified Atkins Diet. It's more extreme than your doctor recommends (what an enlightened GP!), in which case add in more Low GI carbs and cut down on the fat, to balance. It does work, for BGs and for weight loss. Now I 'eat to my meter', and the weight loss is a welcome side-effect. I don't obsess about it any more - 4st more to go, at least, but it will eventually. And if you do it slowly the skin doesn't get so wrinkly :lol: I lkie my diet, and will be able to add in more carbs once all the weight is off.

I honestly think that deciding you're doing it for your blood glucose (has your doctor given you a meter? he sounds as though he might, and it would really help you), for your health, and not obsessing about the weight, is the way to go. Slow and steady; you have to motivate yourself. Do you really want full-blown diabetes? Have a look at some of the complications that can develop - no, you don't! You're modifying your lifestyle, so you have to find something you can maintain. Doesn't mean you can't have treats - but not often, they're for special occasions now.

There are other ways of keeping good control - some do it on more carbs than me, some do it by strict portion control. Everyone is different. Have a look round the forum and see what you think. Whatever you choose, you'll get lots of support on here.

Viv 8)

 

[wiflib]

I started almost four years ago by coming here. Saved my life.
What I did then is ABSOLUTELY what I don't do now. I started by saying goodbye to all processed foods. No chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pies, potatoes, cakes, pasta and anything with sugar or flour in and sought out alternatives for these because I knew I couldn't go cold turkey. For example, I switched to nimble bread (9gms carb per slice) only had two slices a day and I learnt to cook with ground almonds to create puddings, cakes and coatings for fish and chicken.
I also went to the lowcarbmegastore.com and ordered some things there. I found 70-90% chocolate and made sweet things with that. My bounty balls are legendary! I also ate some Atkins products to help with the sweet tooth thing.
What I didn't do is restrict fat. I swapped my Earl Grey tea with a splash of skimmed, for coffee with cream. I now have that with added fat in the form of coconut oil or butter. I swapped milk for Lacotfree milk which has the same amount of carbs as double cream.
As I was shrinking in front of everyone's eyes, they really couldn't understand how I could eat two slices of Nimble, thickly spread with butter and covered in melted cheese whilst they stayed fat and hungry on ryvitas and a spoonful of cottage cheese.
What happens is that your tastes will slowly change. I hated even the smell of coconut, but now I love it. A cheese sauce made without flour is far tastier than Escoffier's recipe.
As you make these changes, everything else slowly changes; your attitude to food, your shape, your blood sugars and how you view your diabetes. You'll learn to abandon the dogma that has infiltrated our food lives (cereals for breakfast, eggs will kill you, sandwiches for lunch, a low-fat evening meal and spreads made in a lab are better for you than butter)* You will probably find you simply wont be able to eat the amount you did before, your food bill is far less and that YOU control the food and not the other way round.

Now, I don't eat much of the above. I eat unprocessed food that I prepare myself. My evening meal tonight will be a good bit of Huss (happy me, hard to get in Leicester) cauliflower cheese and some green beans smothered in butter. No Nimble, hardly any 90% let alone 70% (still has sugar in it) and almond flour goodies are special occasions only. This hasn't happened overnight, it's taken years of tweaking, fiddling, emotional crisis that has nothing to do with diabetes, and sheer guts and determination.

You may never get away from the feeling that you could demolish a tin of chocolates or a packet of biscuits in one sitting but it really does get easier to resist. There are well controlled diabetics here that do it with various methods; portion control, daily carb intake that is set at a level they know works for them, Atkins etc, I'm a woman who simply has to avoid all carbs to control my BS, weight and cravings and I stay below 30g a day. I have no choice.

As you get to know your body and your diabetes, you will figure out what works for you. If you 'fall of the wagon' well, it happens and you need to accept that you did but learn from it and move on to a fitter, slimmer and healthier you. Come and tell us how you're getting on, crow and rant, we've all done it!

wiflib

*this is my take on things, others may, and do, strongly disagree.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Longthorpe,

I got kicked in to the low carb thing by a truly appalling HBA1C reading. I had already been swimming in the mornings for nearly a year and hating every minute of it. I would think of any tiny excuse to drive straight past the sports centre, anything at all.

The poor reading was the catalyst, but I've managed to maintain both the diet and exercise for the last few months by doing a couple of things.

The first is being really obsessive about numbers and results. I write down what I eat each day and I total up the carbs. I then put this on a graph so I can see the improvement. I download my meter readings to the PC so that I can also get a graph of these.
I browse my way around the supermarket, looking for new things that are low carb and I haven't eaten before. My wife does the main shop - I just search for those extra lunch things. Then I experiment with my packed lunch - throwing things in to salads that I wouldn't have eaten 6 months ago. (Today was Rocket, Cress, Silverskin onions, Cherry Tomatoes and Beetroot with a couple of Pilchards on top).

The second is to get excited and ambitious with how my health is improving. I've lost more than a stone (I'm now about 11st) and I now swim 4 times a week and I note down how many lengths I can do in 30 minutes. This has improved from 4 (13 months ago) to 40 today. I'm starting to add in a bit of cycling and even running - my ambition being to do a mini-triathalon next year. All this goes on a graph as well.

The ultimate motivation is to be in control of my diabetes, my weight, my health. I'm doing it by obsessing about it (a bit) but I find that works for me.

 

[borofergie]

I love cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, pizza etc.

Don't we all? It isn't easy giving up all those things, but the rewards in terms of weight loss and BG control are enough to make it all worthwhile for me.

 

[noblehead]

I love cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, pizza etc.

Don't we all?

No!!! :angel:

I certainly don't miss biscuits, cakes, sweets or chocolate and never bother to look for low-carb alternatives, pizza I've never really liked and it would be my last choice of a take-away food.

 

[jahusba]

Thanks for your question Longthorpe, the replies from Viviennem and Wiflib have helped me too
Jane

 

[Longthorpe]

Thanks to each of you for taking the time to reply.

I've got another doc appointment this week and I'll write more after I've seen the GP. The one I referred to in my post is a locum, and I think I'll only see him once more before he leaves our surgery, what a shame.
This weekend I've had the blurry vision thing again that keeps happening after I've gone mad with the carbs (especially sugar) and I must take control of this.
I'm not sure if my BG readings, he said were pre-diabetic, but I don't know if that means I will definitely go to full blow T2.

Anyway thanks again, your posts have been very helpful and I'd like to reply directly to some of them as soon as I know a bit more from the GP.

 

[Longthorpe]

Ok, so I've done a grocery list and am going food shopping tomorrow.

Sugar cravings are getting worse, :thumbdown: I think it's because the more of it I'm eating, the more the cravings are increasing.
I'm a little bit worried about getting through the next few days without the sweets and chocolate, I'll probably come and post here when I've got intense cravings and see if that helps to distract me. :lol:

 

[satooh]

I started slowly at first because I don't want my body to be shocked of the rapid change. On the first week I tried to limit my carbohydrate intake by just taking in 2 cups of rice everyday. While having this dieting I as well want to the gym regularly performing a specific set of exercises that eventually changes each week. Every week or a two I taper down my carb intake by decreasing it by half a cup. So far it's doing quite great on me and lose weight for about 6 kgs already.

 

[Unbeliever]

I love cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, pizza etc.

Don't we all?

No!!! :angel:

I certainly don't miss biscuits, cakes, sweets or chocolate and never bother to look for low-carb alternatives, pizza I've never really liked and it would be my last choice of a take-away food.

I agreee with you Noblehead. It works best for me not to try to find alternatives for sweet things. I don't miss them particularly. I do think we are forced to think about food far too much anyhow. I feel I have enough to do ensuring I eat only moderate carbs and small portions while ensuring a varied healthy diet for myself and my husband {non-diabetic}
We are all different , of course , Much depends on circumstances. When catering for a family some of the low-carb recipes must be invaluable in allowing the diabetic in the family o avoid the consequences of giving in to temptation withou depriving others. Having o cater for children would make life more diffficult I am sure.

 

[WhitbyJet]

Someone at work told me all about low carb. Like so many here, I followed traditional NHS dietary guidelines, although to be fair I was advised to eat everything in moderation, unfortunately that did not work out for me. Desp-ite taking Metformin, Gliclazide and Avandia my bg levels were in double figures, eventually I became very ill due to developing complications and side effects of medication.
I started to low carb overnight, it was horrendous. I still had to cook meals for my family, they would be eating all the things that I wanted to eat, I would sit there eating salad and boiled ham. Go to bed early so as not to be tempted to eat anything else, crying myself to sleep.

As a family we are foodies, we have always enjoyed cooking, baking, eating. I continued with my idea of low carb, but just not inspiring, I was eating to live and hopefully be healthy again. Low carb reduced my bg levels, first time since diagnois my bg levels in single figures, it was some comfort, at least this torture paid off.

Eventually I realised that there is a whole lot more to low carb than eating meat, veg, cheese, eggs, etc, I realised that its possible to cook up some wonderful dishes, it doesnt have to be so boring after all, who wants to eat salads 3 times a day?!
My family always willing to support me, always willing to try out something new gradually slipped into low carb eating, although, as I have already said in other threads, my family do have new potatoes and fresh fruit and porridge but I dont cook any separate meals, the main meal is low carb for all of us.
I dont have a sweet tooth, but I do make desserts and bake cakes, mostly because I do voluntary work in the community, help out at offee mornings, I would sooner offer low carb cakes instead of carby sugary sawdust cakes.. People do enjoy them, people ask for seconds, people ask for the recipes.

We eat eggs, cheese, butter, cream, none of us have weight problems, husband and I have better lipids than our GP!! We eat a lot more vegetables and berries.
Friends love coming round for meals, and are always willing to be guinea pigs for when I want to try out new recipes.
I can honestly say that there is not one food that I miss from our previous way of eating, there is a low carb substitute for almost everything and its just as delicous and sometimes even better.

Going low carb is a daunting prospect at first, as diabetics weare kind of forced into it, there is resentment.

I would say try out some new recipes, you will be pleasantly surprised, you will want to try more and hey ho there you go, on the slippery slope into the low carb lifestyle!! Make sure that you always have some low carb food in the freezer, incl something sweet....just in case.

Meanwhile I will continue to bore you all to tears by posting my tried and trusted recipes

 

[Longthorpe]

Whitbyjet, please keep the recipes coming! I live alone so I'm happy to try alsorts of different things, I dont have to worry about pleasing the rest of the family, just me!

 

[NeilG]

I heard a dietician, any way I think it was a dietician, on the radio say that cutting back a little doesn't work as the body is very clever at keeping to its weight so more drastic action is reqired. I am not sure about the science but experience tells me this is the case.

After a really bad set of HABc1 results I tried a drastic low carb diet of a target of 600 calories a day for 3 months and it really worked at dragging the weight off immediately (gives a feeling it is worthwhile when the scales tumble) and the HABC1 down significantly over 3 months. I new things were good as my BS levels tumbled very quickly. The other good news is that by day 10 the stomach gets much less demanding and in the longer term you really get used to low carb foods and more inventive in choices. I am so much fitter that exercise is now a pleasure and no longer embarrasing. Later found that my experiences and readings were very similar to the Newcastle Experiment. It is worh a look at discussions on this. Have now gone on to a less intense mainteance diet and maintaining my weight but will go for another intensive burst to get that last stone off to get to my target weight and BFI to the middle of the ideal range in a month. Agreed with doctor to reduce tablets by 2 Vilda Glyptin for 3 months then consider further redctions of my Metformin.

Saved money on food but spent lots on new clothes and alterations.

NeilG
T2, 58 yrs, HABc1 = 5.7, 4 Metformin/day, BFI = 25.3