LOW CARB DIET - A NEWBIES GUIDE

Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

Hi all

New to the forums so sorry if this has been asked before. I've just started on a low carb regime. I haven't bought any books or anything yet do am just doing it frI'm stuff on the net.

I'm a bit concerned though as my BG in themorning seems to be going up to scary numbers!! I thought I had a really good day yesterday nut my sugars this morning say not.

I'm on metformin which I haven't always been the best at taking but am committed to it now. The drs wanted to put me on insulin last week but I have asked them to give me 3 months to see if I can reduce my results myself by being a good diabetic. I

Can anyone point me in the direction of some good resources to help me figure out what I am doing wrong?? I need this to work for me!!

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Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

What time is your last meal and do you eat anything after that

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Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

Last night I ate around 6:30. Had a pork chop broccoli Brussels celeriac daupinoise and some garlic mushrooms.
I didn't eat after that and took my metformin about 7:30.

I fear I may have overdone it with the cream though!

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Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

Slesser1 and eveshamgal, have a look at Viv's Modified Atkins Diet, which is a Sticky Thread on the Low Carb section of the forum.

As it stands that is a very-low-carb diet, coming in at less than 30g per day, but it has the advantage of giving you a list of foods to eat. Provided you follow those lists, you can safely eat as much as you like of the "allowed" foods - make sure you follow the instructions on eg cheese. It's very good for weight loss; it also lowers BGs, blood pressure and cholesterol - at least in my case .

If you don't need to lose weight, or would prefer more carbohydrates, get a carb counter book and add in your extra carbs from the lower-carb and Low GI foods. Use the Atkins list as your base, and add in your extras to that.

NB - as you increase your carbs, so you decrease your fat intake. The basic diet will put you into ketosis, which is a natural fat-burning stage, and not to be confused with ketoacidosis, which usually raises blood glucose and will make you feel ill. If you keep the fat up as you increase your carbs, your body will burn carbs first and store the fat :shock: .

For info: 100g of cooked cous-cous contains 31.4g carb. 100g of dry cous-cous contains 72.8g carb.

100g of cooked cous-cous is not that big a serving. I do eat it very occasionally, as a treat; but I wouldn't recommend it if you're low-carbing.

Viv 8)

Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

I have been following LCHF since January and lost 2st but I wasnt enjoying my lunches. I've never been a fan of salad but around the middle of Feb I started having salad with olive oil and balsamic dressing and really enjoyed it to my surprise. The problem is since the middle of Feb I haven't lost any weight. I decided to track what I was eating with my weight watchers points and found that I was going way over the limits because of the olive oil. I am really disappointed with this plateau and it is getting me down.

Has anyone else struggled with the plateau?

What alternatives are there to salad dressing because I cant stand it without some flavour.

Any advice appreciated.

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Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

It's not unusual to hit a plateau with weight loss while low-carbing. I doubt if the olive oil is making too much difference - but in all this horrid cold weather it's only too easy for carb levels to creep up without us noticing :shock: .

I would suggest you keep going just as you are; keep an eye on the scales but don't worry too much. You can still lose size even on a loss plateau, which is why Atkins suggests taking weekly measurements - bust, waist, hips, plus upper arm and upper thigh. The main thing is not to put any back on.

Things should improve if we ever get any warm weather. I know I've been eating more carbs than I should, just 'cos of the cold, but I'm getting back on track now - I've lost 5lbs of my 8lbs Xmas gain

Viv 8)

Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

I am pretty new to this so I hope it works, I have been diabetic for15yrs T2 and in Feb I was put on Insulin and told to watch my carb intake,(which I have never been told about before) totaly confused about it all I use my fitness pal app wich is very good but what I cant really fatham out is what is low carb ?? How low is low?? While I use my fitness pal for counting carbs I usually go over with calories and I have put on weight about 7 lb which I am not pleased about
So if any one has some advice to offer I would very much appreciate it .
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Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

Hi Carole T

I think the first thing I would advise you to do is work out how many daily carbs you were eating before you were told to watch your carb intake. Then you can get some idea of what to reduce to.

The definition of low-carb is a debatable point. I would call "very-low-carb" under 50g of carb daily; low carb probably between 50g to 100g; moderate, up to 150g carb. But we are all different; some people can manage their blood glucose perfectly well on 130g - 150g of carb daily; mine starts going up (as does my weight!) at about 70g daily.

As you are on insulin you need to adjust your insulin dose depending on how much carb you are eating. Too much insulin can give you a hypo; excess also makes you put on weight. I can't help you much there as I'm Type 2 on Metformin only. Why not have a look at the Type 1 part of the forum and ask for help on there - quite a few of our Type 1 members use low-carb.

I think that I would recommend starting to "low-carb" at about 100g carb per day, keeping a careful eye on your blood glucose readings and carrying some anti-hypo stuff with you at all time - glucose tablets or a small bottle of lucozade to bring your levels up if they fall too low, then maybe a packet of oatcakes to nibble until you've stabilised. Reduce your carbs slowly and keep a food and blood glucose readings diary so you can see which foods affect your BGs most. Try to eat only low GI (glycaemic index) carbohydrates, and also concentrate on getting your carbs from vegetables and Low GI foods.

Have you seen the basic info that Daisy1 posts for all newbies? It's on the Greeetings and Introductions thread. I know you are not a newbie to diabetes, but you are to low-carb, so you need a fresh start. As you reduce your carb intake, so you should be able to reduce your insulin dose. Once you get everything in balance you will lose weight.

Please do ask for help from the low-carbing Type 1s. They know all about carbs and insulin doses and will be only too willing to help.

Please ask again if I've confused you totally! :wink:

Viv 8)

Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

hello folks just a quick question.

I am currently on 60g of carbs per day, what should my fat intake be?

Mark

Re: Comments on Low carb diet - a newbies guide

It was a real pleasure reading the Beginners Guide......
I have been LCHF for around 5 months..... (T2DM... no drugs)
There is still some confusion out there about if this style of eating is simply another fad diet similar to Atkins etc.

On another group I belong to on FB one member puts the facts in this way:


SOME LIGHT on the LCHF versus Atkins.....
LCHF is not a diet, its a lifestyle (ie, you do it for life)...
Atkins is a weight loss program which you stop once you reach your goal weight

LCHF doesn't change as you lose weight. Its the same always
Atkins has 4 stages as you lose weight. You keep adding more carbs in as you get closer to your goal weight (which is dumb because you end up back as you were eating almost, so you gain weight again!!!)

LCHF is about the GOOD fat (saturated fats, animal fats etc) and encourages non-lean meat, skin ON the chicken etc.
Atkins is about any fat. They promote poly-unsaturated fats as well as mono and regular saturated fats. They also suggest lean meat, skinless chicken etc.

LCHF is a way of life, not owned, copyrighted, patented or controlled by a corporation
Atkins is a diet, owned by a company in the "Diet/Weight Loss Industry" whose primary goal is to make money.

Hope this is beneficial for those who wanted to try and explain the difference to family and friends.

Clare in Tassie