• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

LCHF worries

turvell

Well-Known Member
So I'm watching fat families as we speak and he is saying that the reason this guy had a double heart attack was his love of fried bacon and sat fats. And I'm worried too that maybe it will be the same for me if I follow LCHF. Even tho I've read and been told LCHF is perfect for loosing weight and health benefits. I'm really worried that I'm harming myself. Does anyone else feel this way ??
 
Another resource of potential misinformation and your leap to impatience turvell. Sit down and take some advice from brother Michael my son .

You may read (outside of this forum) and watch all you want .... but who do you trust? Sensationalism / other tactics or those that have the record of proving what works for them. That's not to say we're the final arbiters on what works for T2s (we are not BTW) and what doesn't but did this "doco" go into his ENTIRE diet, his exercise, his carb intake, his BS, his everyday routine?

Your choice ......
 
I see what your saying I guess I'm just scared that's all. I know I'm impatient but working on that. I'm not using my scales for the last week as there is no point yet. What's the worse that can happen I suppose if I do it for a month or 3. Im sorry I go on about it just nervous
 

Turvell - you arrived on the forum some time ago (before your recorded December 13 profile), if I recall correctly, and since, it feels to me, like you have been looking for the "but" in every piece of advice and suggestion that has been made for you. Whilst I completely agree with Mike that we are not the final arbitors of what works, or doesn't, we are people living with conditions similar to your own, but some of us are a bit further along the track.

I suggest you read two threads posted yesterday:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...le-on-cholesterol-by-a-vascular-sugeon.70173/

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...slim-for-life-from-the-times-10-1-2015.70171/

It would also be useful for you to read Professor Sikaris' presentation on what your blood results really mean:


The YouTube is a 27 minute presentation, but it is worth every minute.

It is becoming clearer and clearer that in weight, diabetes, cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and so many other areas fat is not the big baddie. The big baddie is carbohydrate and sugar.
 

I can't prevent your nervousness but let me tell you now that your main game in the LONG term is the diet and the exercise. Do NOT expect scales to give you comfort as that is "end game" and cause for disappointment if you take each reading as an excuse for pass or fail. That's garbage.

You have a routine and stay with it. By all means do weigh yourself, but you might shed 1 kilo one week and 5 the next (and believe it or not I did exactly that) with the SAME routine. I will repeat the message. You are beating yourself up over nothing. LONNNNG term, relax, test, exercise and aim at a gradual improvement.

It takes time ......
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When looking at a food label at carbs which bit do you look at carbs or which sugars? And what is an ok level
 
Mike D said:
You may read (outside of this forum) and watch all you want .... but who do you trust? Sensationalism / other tactics or those that have the record of proving what works for them?
Click to expand...
As a journalist in my other life I never let the facts get in the way of a good story
 

Don't apologise @turvell there's no harm in trying to get as much info as you want before trying summat out. It is nerve wracking, as lchf goes against all the dietary advice we are given by HCPs
 
turvell said:
When looking at a food label at carbs which bit do you look at carbs or which sugars? And what is an ok level
Click to expand...

In UK, always total carbs.

Everyone has a different idea on the perfect level. Many say 10%, but I think we have to think what any amount means in relation to how mush of it we'll eat. So, for example, if I saw a sauce bottle - something like hot chilli sauce where I'd only be having a few drops or half a teaspoonful, and it had 80% carbs, I'd probably be fine with that. After all, I'm going to be having a tiny amount, so 80% of 2 drops isn't much. If it was the same, and say soup, I'd be concerned, because I would need to eat a lot of carbs to form a sensible portion.

All of this requires food choices with our eyes open and brain engaged - for a while at least, until we bottom it out. This is where your food diary and blood records help you out. To be honest, if something is low carb but spikes you it's not a great idea. If something has slightly higher carbs, but doesn't affect your bloods, it may be OK (although might impact on weight loss).
 
turvell said:
When looking at a food label at carbs which bit do you look at carbs or which sugars? And what is an ok level
Click to expand...

Total carbs. Ignore the 'of which sugars'. Try and stick to foods with 10g/100g carb or less, 5g even better.
 
Was the guy in fat families following LCHF by eating fried bacon? Or was he eating bacon butties with chips?

I suggest you read your new book again
 
I too was sceptical at the beginning because, with diabetes in the family, even before being diagnosed I always went for what I believed was the healthier option - low sugar/low fat and didn't even consider the number of total carbs. However since I started eating less carbs and replacing low fat with full fat my cholesterol has reduced and I've lost weight so I'm pleased that I took a 'leap of faith'. Ultimately the decision is yours but have a read of the success from other people on the forum and take it from there.
 
Hi. How did the 'expert' on the fatties program know it was the fats that caused the weight gain? I claim it would have been the carbs the guy was eating not the fats. The media and many 'experts' have yet to catch-up with the fact that fat (and salt) are not the causes of obesity but the carbs. So do follow the experts on this forum i.e. those who have diabetes and know from experience of what works. Many of those in the media or medicine don't have diabetes and have been handed tablets of stone from trainers without associated scientific evidence i.e. hearsay.
 
I agree with Daibell. I would say the only reason that the fats were to blame is that fats make the very bland carbs taste so much better so there is a tendency to eat more fats and carbs together. How much bread would someone eat without butter? Look at the ingredients of a normal cake for example. The egg is good, but you wouldn't eat the amount of carbs (flour and sugar) without the fat (butter). So egg with butter would be healthier. Well I would eat that if I liked egg lol. So instead it's butter for me on almost everything. Yum. Cholesterol down, fatty liver improved, kidney function improved, BG's improved. Oh and lots more energy.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
turvell said:
I'm really worried that I'm harming myself. Does anyone else feel this way ??
Click to expand...

There are lots of people who feel that way so you are not alone.

Back in the 1980s, people started experimenting with zero carbohydrate diets or protein only diets and, for weight loss, they did work. You could eat as many cheese and bacon sandwiches as you wanted, as long as you used steak instead of bread. Protein only interfered with the way food was digested and consequently, you lost weight. As far as I remember, it was ten days on the diet and ten days off the diet and then the cycle would be repeated. The problem was, you got very sick of it and you felt ill. As a short term weight loss diet, if you could stick it out, you'd lose a couple of stone.

Most nutritionists didn't like that sort of diet as they preferred a balanced diet. The Atkins diet was one such development. You were allowed a certain amount of carbs.but, as soon as you eat carbs you will start to convert an excess intake of protein and fat into the body as body fat so, it's quite tricky to get the balance right. The balance, is also personal. It depends on your own metabolism and how active you are. Not everyone processes food in the same way and it is the main reason why there is no such thing as 'the real diet for everyone'.

Health professionals have warned against high cholesterol and excessive consumption of fats because of fears of heart disease. Again, this is valid for some people but not for all because personal lifestyle and personal metabolism are major factors. As a precaution, if you eat more fatty foods, you should be more active physically. This is not to burn off the calories but because excerise helps the way fats are processed. It literally alters the blood chemistry and can halve the lipids in the blood.

Most things can be experimented with. I started by eating only complex carbs and halving the portion sizes but also did things like cut off the excess fat on bacon and other meats. I had major improrements in all my blood chemistry but, I was eating too much protein, as evidenced in my albumin to creatinine ratio. My ACR was elevated. I am now experimenting by eating more fish and poultry and not as much red meat and I also eat two vegetarian meals per week rather than one. Let's see what my results will be in six months.

You have to be prepared to experiment and whilst cutting down on carbs is important, cutting down on refined carbs is more important than cutting down on complex carbs. If you want to lose weight, cut out some protein and some fat as well.
 
I primarily eat a diet of fish, vegetables, small amount of fruit, oil and nuts for the same reason, and my blood sugar is low, stable and predictable if I stick to that to that diet. But there are times when I want to add a bit of variety. I add eggs, sausages, poultry and meat occasionally to my diet to break the monotony and won't feel too deprived. I do tend to have higher blood sugar if I add more meat for some reason, so I tend to go back on my low carb Mediterranean diet.
 
For years you have been told how bad fat is for you and your DNS probably tells you how it's bad for you and you must eat more carb and ditch the fat. It's hard to go against the tide. Do you really think that it makes sense to eat something which turns to sugar in your stomach then raises your bs higher? Make your choice and stick to it because what you can't do is eat fat and carb. Your choice.
 
I don't. Get a book called "Death by Food Pyramid". It's a good explanation of how saturated fat intake became blamed for heart attacks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…