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Low-Carb Life Hacks

Dillinger

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,209
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Celery.
Carb creep is a persistent problem I find; those devilish carbs are everywhere.

So, does anyone have little changes/improvements they do to keep the carbs at bay?

I've realised that I'm drinking a lot of coffee at the moment which I have with milk; not much of a problem for 1 cup but 4 or 5 a day and it'll add up. So, I've changed to having black coffee. Problem solved although it does bring home how vile the coffee is at work, but you can't have it all.

Any other thoughts?

Best

Dillinger
 
Oh yeah.

Bane of my life. Have to be constantly vigilant.

I get to sneak in one little 'discrepency' a day. But it is when they start to stack up that I get (simultaneously) a sense of entitlement, a sense of being hard done by, and wangy bg.

Yesterday I BINGED (sp?) on 4 squares dark choc, not the usual 2. IT had some impact, not much. But then I went into my evening meal higher than ideal... it is like dominoes.

Sigh.

And if I can't have cream in it, I go without coffee. Unfortunately.
 
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I found it very easy to mindlessly munch on nuts (my favourites are macadamias and pecans), so nowadays I grab a dozen or so from the bag, place them on a saucer, and eat them mindfully. Usually with my post-lunch coffee. I'm sure midichlorians are involved
 
Green Vegetables:
It's easy to forget quite how many carbs you are consuming, especially as we are programmed to think that we should eat loads of the stuff, although I don't find the carbs in them appear to affect BG as much as other types.

Butter, Creamy and/or Cheesy sauces can help.
 

Same here! I love green veg and salad and they are the foods I've traditionally filled up on but if I have more than a couple of small helpings of hot veg with dinner and maybe a side salad with lunch they really do add up. I also have had to give up fruit completely because I can't seem to stop at a taste or tablespoon of whatever - it has to be the whole thing or nothing at all.

I'm tracking everything on MyFitnessPal just to keep an eye on carb creep.

I find if I want to eat something a bit naughty like choc truffles I need to eat them directly after eating a proper low carb meal and they won't spike me at all whereas if I eat them on their own then I'll get a spike.
 
I is a coffee nerd, so grind my beans at home and have a filter unit at work, only black and only two cups a day max.... but it is good..
Finding if I have nuts in the house they get grazed.... sometimes seriously... struggling to maintain weight at the moment so carb creep is an endless battle.. so cheese is not very safe in the fridge...
 
Dillinger said:
... ... I've changed to having black coffee. Problem solved although it does bring home how vile the coffee is at work, ...
Click to expand...

I switched to black coffee decades ago and almost never drink anything other than the real stuff. What comes out of machines, etc, is disgusting. I'd say avoid it at all costs! You don't say what sort of place you work in, and what the hot drinks options are, but in many situations where 'real' coffee's not available, I opt for water. But I do sometimes take a flask of good coffee out with me.
 
Cheese ...though I'm sure I eat more than is good for me.
 
hankjam said:
Finding if I have nuts in the house they get grazed.... sometimes seriously...
Click to expand...

Dr Bernstein is quite a zealot with nuts; and rejects them entirely claiming you can never just eat 4 or 5. He may be onto something there; I could probably eat my own body weight in salted pecans.

Maybe I'll have to ban all nuts too...
 
Dillinger said:
Dr Bernstein is quite a zealot with nuts; and rejects them entirely claiming you can never just eat 4 or 5. He may be onto something there; I could probably eat my own body weight in salted pecans.

Maybe I'll have to ban all nuts too...
Click to expand...
Does Dr B have a thought about Olives... coz I can do them too....
 
I bought about 20 packs of different flavoured Sula and Ricolah non sugar sweets and a 500gm bag of sugar free Werther butterscotch candies. I was eating 20-30 a day to assuage my sweet cravings, but as each has 3 carbs it does add up. I have cut back to 3-4 a day now.
 
I don't like cream in coffee so I have Lactose free milk it does not taste much different to the ordinary stuff
 
Plenty of water.

I feel generally more thirsty on lower carbs, remember that carbs tend to come along with associated water, plus the ketones make you thirstier as well
 
Nuts too - I love pecans & Brazils but have overdone it in the evenings with a square or 2 of dark choc! I need limit myself!!! Might try what @Larissima does!
 
Dillinger said:
Dr Bernstein is quite a zealot with nuts; and rejects them entirely claiming you can never just eat 4 or 5. He may be onto something there; I could probably eat my own body weight in salted pecans.

Maybe I'll have to ban all nuts too...
Click to expand...
I'm sure I heard him describing (in one of his monthly webinars) that he eats exactly 19 pistachios - his diet is extremely regimented and disciplined, but I guess he's right that not many people can be that dedicated. He's amazing
 
Indy51 said:
I'm sure I heard him describing (in one of his monthly webinars) that he eats exactly 19 pistachios - his diet is extremely regimented and disciplined, but I guess he's right that not many people can be that dedicated. He's amazing
Click to expand...
or borderline autistic
 
Indy51 said:
I'm sure I heard him describing (in one of his monthly webinars) that he eats exactly 19 pistachios - his diet is extremely regimented and disciplined, but I guess he's right that not many people can be that dedicated. He's amazing
Click to expand...
He's an interesting character, and one that many diabetes professionals (including a fair few with diabetes) might consider to be a total nut. I've had some interesting chats with T1 Diabetes professionals about him. To be diplomatic, he is a zealot. Much of what he puts forth is not so dissimilar to what was prescribed 100 years ago, just with better monitoring tools and insulins...
 
Dillinger said:
Dr Bernstein is quite a zealot with nuts; and rejects them entirely claiming you can never just eat 4 or 5. He may be onto something there; I could probably eat my own body weight in salted pecans.

Maybe I'll have to ban all nuts too...
Click to expand...

I was vegetarian and vegan for years and nuts became my regular lunch, and it's a packed lunch which is seriously easy to prepare! I'd be loathe to lose them from my diet. There are lots of other foods I'd rather live without. But it's been a surprise to learn that all nuts are not the same when it comes to carbs - I'd sort of just assumed they'd be much of a muchness.
 
I don't know much about him, but maybe there's something in what you just said
 
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