Kinda following a LC diet...

[tallpaul69]

Got myself a monitor to start tracking my BG levels and looking back over the results they could do with a big improvement. Very rarely are my pre meal levels good, even if they come in under 7 its only just, post meal (2 hrs after) are slightly better but not always. Im pretty much living on a protein and veg/salad diet with the occasional carb thrown in. Usually in the form of porridge for breakfast or a sandwich at work, never both on the same day. I need to shift the weight as my BMI is obese, 16st 9lbs at the moment and only 5'5". I walk to work, shift working alternate weeks, not far admittedly and am on my feet most of the time when there. Having read a lot of threads the LC or LCHF diet seems to work really well for T2's so am thinking this is the route to go down. Slight issue though i cant use diary to increase the fat content as im dairy/lactose intolerant!! So does anyone have a preferred book or guide they follow for this type of diet please? Need help as this is getting me down. Thanks in advance.

 

[sanguine]

Hi Paul

If you want to lose weight you need to reduce calories so that you burn more than you eat. You are walking to work which is great, so you need to reduce the calories in what you eat. Reducing carbs will do that, try and replace the porridge and sandwiches with something low carb such as bacon/mushroom/tomato at breakfast (can you eat eggs?) or tapas type items at lunch. If you are lactose intolerant you can get your fats through olive oil, avocado etc. Reducing portions will also help.

HTH

 

[tallpaul69]

Hi Paul

If you want to lose weight you need to reduce calories so that you burn more than you eat. You are walking to work which is great, so you need to reduce the calories in what you eat. Reducing carbs will do that, try and replace the porridge and sandwiches with something low carb such as bacon/mushroom/tomato at breakfast (can you eat eggs?) or tapas type items at lunch. If you are lactose intolerant you can get your fats through olive oil, avocado etc. Reducing portions will also help.

HTH

Hi Sanguine,

Ive tried those options too and the results are on par with the porridge strangely enough. The issue i have with breakfast is that on my early week im up at 5 and start work at 6. In order to try and get some balance to my food day i try and eat around 7. We only have a microwave at work so cooking is a mare, hence porridge, quick nuke and its done. Did buy a microwave bacon cooker which works fine but my results were in the 9's pre/post and for both days i tried it? Lunch is usually some cooked chicken pieces. Has to be a finger type food as I dont officially get a lunch break (its an agreed practice in our place). Late week is no prob, at home, can do what i want.

 

[sanguine]

How long have you been T2 and what is your HbA1c history?

Are you on any meds for diabetes or anything else?

 

[AndBreathe]

If you microwave your porridge, you could microwave scrambled eggs, which are very carb friendly, filling and as quick as your porridge. You could have some precooked bacon, done to a crisp, kept in a Tupperware/clip lock boz, crumbled in. Or, a chopped tomato in there too.

Lunchtime, you could take cold sausages from home? Be careful to use decent quality sausages though, or there will be rusk filling them out, and therefore high carb. Asda have their high meat sausages on offer at the moment, at 6 for £2. With all that meat, you don't need many to fill up. Nuts? A few peanuts, almonds or brazils. I often have tinned fish at lunchtime. A small can of sardines or mackerel fillets, in a sauce (although watch those for carbs) or oil - delicious, filling, no cooking required. Pull the ring, tip into a bowl, or plate and off you go. I usually have mine in a pasta bowl with a handful of salad leaves.

All of those are virtually no prep time, and no longer to consume than a sandwich. If you do the fish in a clip-lock container, you could even take the used dish home to wash, if that saves time.

Just a little outside the box required. Do you eat any of the lacto-free stuff?

 

[tallpaul69]

Diagnosed early July and wont have my first Hba1c till November, so no history yet. No meds as of yet and not on anything else.

Liking the lunch ideas, been avoiding sausages because of the fillers, but didn't realise the better quality ones have little fillers! Have to be careful with sitting down type lunches as im not supposed too. Hadnt thought of tinned fish apart from tuna in a sandwich, Like you say, thinking outside the lunch box is the way to go. TBH most of the lactose free stuff tastes pants, and lactose free doesnt always mean dairy free either.

 

[AndBreathe]

Diagnosed early July and wont have my first Hba1c till November, so no history yet. No meds as of yet and not on anything else.

Liking the lunch ideas, been avoiding sausages because of the fillers, but didn't realise the better quality ones have little fillers! Have to be careful with sitting down type lunches as im not supposed too. Hadnt thought of tinned fish apart from tuna in a sandwich, Like you say, thinking outside the lunch box is the way to go. TBH most of the lactose free stuff tastes pants, and lactose free doesnt always mean dairy free either.

What arrangements do you have for breaks at work, assuming you work more than, say 4 hours a day?

There's hard boiled eggs. Hard boiled eggs, chopped in mayonnaise, could add tomato, cucumber, olives. Pre cooked (crispy cooked) bacon, or meaty sausage. Again in a clip box.

Similarly, high meat burger - with and without spices, and usual adds - salad, olices, nuts.

Chicken drumsticks or thigh, roasted at home, in a,................................ clip box. (Do you see a Poundland trip coming on here?)

It's not endless, but there is loads of variety available.

 

[sanguine]

Diagnosed early July and wont have my first Hba1c till November, so no history yet. No meds as of yet and not on anything else.

So on what basis were you diagnosed? Just a fasting glucose?

 

[tallpaul69]

There are no breaks at work for the shift workers, these were negotiated out by the union many years ago. We're expected to eat while we work. It sounds worse than it is. I may just speak to them and say i need to stop and eat because i wont be having sandwiches anymore!
Currently living on chicken drumstick/thigh/wings when working as easy to pick at. Been so used to prepared foods and sandwiches as easy to do and not really think about.

Diagnosed during a health check, finger prick test which showed BG as high. Full blood test done on that result and confirmed T2 when the blood came back. Now in limbo till Hba1c.

 

[douglas99]

I went for low calorie, low GI. Counted the calories, reduced the portion size, ate to my meter, and on about 800 to 1200 calories a day reduced my weight over a year.
Breakfast is a couple of ryvita, with low fat cheese, and a bit of ham, or ham and tomato, and a lot of salad and veg at other times.
I completely cut out prepared food, and did everything from scratch. I also gave up all sweet stuff, and re trained my tastes to spicy flavours.