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Increased carbs = increased exercise?

Elpurple

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi,

I’m trying to work out how I can make realistic changes that I can maintain.

I really enjoy a roast dinner but obviously there will be increased carbs as I want to enjoy my favourite things. This would normally be both my lunch and tea and I don’t have deserts or anything that day.

If I have a roast on that day but do extra exercise then does that help cancel out the extra carbs?
 
Hello, welcome!

You'll have to tell us if you're on medication, or managing your type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise. I understand it's difficult because you enjoy carbs. From my understanding carbs raises blood glucose, it is also depends on your insulin production - I don't know if you have had a c peptides test to see how much of your own insulin you're producing. I think exercise might help but your carb consumption doesn't help your insulin resistance. So you could be having a high blood glucose for a while until it drops. You can weigh your carbs, for example 100g of mashed potato, 50g of some carrots and peas and then see how much that raises your blood glucose. However if you go overboard, lets say 300-400g of potatoes, very little meat and veg, I don't think you'll be very well. Everyone is different and we all react differently to certain amount of carbs. I know some won't touch it because the consequences aren't nice. However there are alternatives, instead of roast and mashed potatoes, you can opt for more meat which according to some people have found that more filling then carbs.
 
Only if you start exercising whilst eating your dinner.
Otherwise the carbs will spike your BG which is what does the damage.
You can help to bring your BG down after a meal by exercise such as brisk walking, but it is probably better in the long run not to have the BG spike in the first place.
 
You cannot outrun the carbs.
 
I still enjoy my roast dinners, but I have adjusted what they contain, and have tested to see what my blood sugars will tolerate. I currently eat the meat and vegetables, mostly cauliflower and brocolli with a small amount of carrot and peas. I have one tiny roast potato (around 20g) and gravy made from meat juices thicken with milled flax seed. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t feel like doing much exercise after a big carby roast!
 
Thanks everyone. I’m not on medication, just trying to manage through diet and exercise.

The restaurant I go to is about 5km away and I walk there and back.

Normally I have turkey, lots of veg, a bit of gravy and a few small roast potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding.
 
I eat roasties once a year, on Christmas day! Gravy is made from juices, concentrated and without flour or thickeners. I normally wouldn't go near a Yorkshire pud, although I used to love them. Looking forwarde to December 25th.
 
10km round trip walk for some spuds and a Yorkshire pudding? That's dedication

I'll take a steak
 
Jim Lahey said:
10km round trip walk for some spuds and a Yorkshire pudding? That's dedication

I'll take a steak
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I do love a steak!

Finding it hard to adjust to the idea I may never be able to have a roast again or a piece of cake. Trying to think of ways I can still have them occasionally
 
Elpurple said:
I do love a steak!

Finding it hard to adjust to the idea I may never be able to have a roast again or a piece of cake. Trying to think of ways I can still have them occasionally
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But why?
I look on those types of food as toxic to me and would far rather keep my eyes and toes than consume them..
You can have a roast dinner with meat and lots of non starchy veg... is that such a huge problem.. really?
 
bulkbiker said:
But why?
I look on those types of food as toxic to me and would far rather keep my eyes and toes than consume them..
You can have a roast dinner with meat and lots of non starchy veg... is that such a huge problem.. really?
Click to expand...

To me it is a big adjustment.

I don’t think it is helpful linking an occasional piece of cake with losing toes. Particularly not for someone starting out when it all seems overwhelming anyway.
 

Hi Elpurple,
The only way to find out if the exercise manages to control the Blood Glucose is to test - so measure your Blood Glucose with a meter before you set off and then measure it again 2hrs after the first bite (if you are back at home by then).

I too love a roast meal, but I would have one that is healthier for a Type 2 than yours. Instead of Turkey (which is quite low in fat) Personally I would have a nice fatty cut of either Beef or Lamb and I would stick to leafy Veg, or Cauliflower or Broccoli. Not any Roast potatoes, no root veg and no Yorkshire pudding.
 
Elpurple said:
To me it is a big adjustment.

I don’t think it is helpful linking an occasional piece of cake with losing toes. Particularly not for someone starting out when it all seems overwhelming anyway.
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There are a lot of nice LCHF/keto desserts, which doesn't affect your blood glucose much. But if you had to compare 1/8th of a cake vs a nice keto mug sponge cake with extra cream and a few strawberries, which is more satisfying? Sometimes I look at the amounts of carbs and think for 1 piece of brownie that isn't worth insulin for it. I know if I touch it, I'm going to eat more of it. However an occasional cake is fine, you just need to judge whether it is worth eating for that blood glucose spike after testing.
For me, sometimes I just want a taste, so a small piece of dark chocolate - they're usually in nice squares, I have one or two pieces and then stop. I'm satisfied because I got a taste.
 
@Elpurple, I'm sorry about the being overwhelmed, and the linking sugar and carby food with some of the worst complications of type two. Many of us keep sugar and potatoes/fries and wheat products (flour, bread, pasta etc) at bay by doing precisely that - that's how we keep away from them in order to stay better with type two.
And some - to not have type two levels of blood glucose in their blood at all any more. But I see your point.

For me, I made that link straight away. I was diagnosed during the day, and read up on type two that night, and went cold turkey on the sugar and high carb and processed food and drink stuff the very next day. And that's how I went from an HBA1c of 93 to 49 in six months, just on moderate levels of carbs (I still ate sweet potato for instance, and apple.). Many folks make more dramatic and bigger and quicker drops than that by radically changing the carb content of their food - that is not me unfortunately. But many do.

Whether you choose to drop the traditional roast veg, and change to roast carrots, broccoli and cauli, no traditional gravy - and maybe have a treat meal with the traditional ingredients? (How often seems safe/good for you?) This is totally your business whether you do or not. Of course! It always is. What you choose to eat, or not eat is very intensely personal, imho.

About the walking carbs off. I have such bad insulin resistance that I could not walk off potatoes and the flour in the gravy in any kind of hurry.

But it might work for you!

The only way you are going to know if it works for you is to eat and meter - check your blood glucose levels, and go for that long walk, and check your BG levels, and compare the results. Do it a few times. Do it with different carby foods. Check it with the cake too.

It might work! Check it out.
 
Elpurple said:
To me it is a big adjustment.

I don’t think it is helpful linking an occasional piece of cake with losing toes. Particularly not for someone starting out when it all seems overwhelming anyway.
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You can't sugercoat a potential reality .... it was really blunt advice but I've seen so many that need it. Life and what comes with it, one can't predict. You're comparaitively young, so many here are seasoned veterans.
 
In some no. It doesn't help to not process the carbs changing to glucose. Ok exercise burns calories but even low carb foods produce cals but if your metabolism is firing high it will stop you adding weight from fatty proteins.
Carbs are fast acting glucose and many of us only need in hypoglycemic events.
Remember we are all different so a meter would tell you how much various foods affect your blood glucose levels.
Have you bought a meter?
 
The thing with "the odd piece of this" or " the odd piece of that" is that, for many, it keeps the carbohydrate addiction ticking along. Abstinence is often much easier than moderation. Counting potatoes and slices of bread is no fun, especially when you have to walk 10km to get them

The comments from @bulkbiker above may seem harsh, but speaking as someone who suffered very serious complications in my eyes and feet, I just call it tough love. I think we all need to hear it at least once. He only speaks for himself and his own motivations for staying away from the "breads & meds".

In the end it's personal choice, of course
 
Thanks everyone. I do understand rough love but at the moment I’m being pretty tough on myself already so I have that covered!

It’s really interesting and helpful seeing the different advice and points of view.

Previously I have put my diabetes into remission, two years ago when I lost 4.5 stone and got my HBA1C down to 5.7 from 8.7 in the pace of 6 months through diet and exercise. Then over the last two years things slipped due to different life issues and I’m back here again.

I guess having achieved then slipped I’m looking for a way to make changes that will last without feeling like I can never enjoy some foods again.
 
Elpurple said:
To me it is a big adjustment.

I don’t think it is helpful linking an occasional piece of cake with losing toes. Particularly not for someone starting out when it all seems overwhelming anyway.
Click to expand...
I decided to adjust my carb levels down gently and not cut them out altogether. One can still low carb on 100 to 130 grams a day and many of us do and this is because for some it is sufficient. If you are lucky then it might be sufficient for you. It seems to be sufficient for me as things stand.

I don’t eat Yorkshire pud anymore but do have one roast potato, when we have a roast dinner, which is occasionally. I have the one roast potato piece and that’s it. I don’t spend the rest of the meal salivating over another while my family are chomping away on as many as they wish. It works for me and this is supported by my HbA1c results and the reversal of my diabetic symptoms.

I eat a roast dinner on that footing about once a month. No more. I can control any urge to over indulge but appreciate that isn’t possible for some.

If you then need to adjust your carb levels further downwards then so be it. Also by dropping down to 100 to 130 grams of carbs per day initially, it allows you to acclimatise, get your bearings and take stock, making it easier if you need to adjust down further if need be.
 
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