• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Low carbers

VinnyJames

VinnyJames

Well-Known Member
Messages
624
Location
Liverpool
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
What size portion of carbs can your body comfortably cope with for one meal if you're having a treat or eating out? I know we are all different but what's your experience?
 
If I have a "treat" and eat out I don't test, I know it's bad so if I test it will either be high, surprise surprise or it won't and will encourage more naughtiness so not testing, assuming bad numbers afterward is my method
 
I know what you mean Andy but I'm hard wired to be 'naughty' sometimes!
I am very disciplined to be fair with my low carb lifestyle but it seems that my readings allow me to have a blow out on rare occasions.
 
The problem with eating out is that you don't really know how many grams of carbs there are in a meal. Having said that, it used to be 20g, but after a few months of low carbing I can handle about 50g in a meal, but I don't do that very often, since I'm low carbing.
 
My numbers seem ok if I don't go above 15g quick release carbs in a meal.
But I don't feel good on that.

5-10g or less and my numbers are consistently below 7, and I feel good.

But then, the more fat and fibre in the meal, the better I tolerate carbs, so a meal like a buttery curry with veg side dishes (had this recently) and I ate 1/8 of a naan, and 2 after eights. BG went up to nearly 8.
It was a kind of test, because we had a discussion on a thread on here, about eating out, and I wondered what I could tolerate. But to my surprise, the pleasure from the bread was miniscule. I won't bother next time. The after eights were divine though.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I normally have one meal a day with about 50g of carbs in, but I consider myself as a reduced not low carber my other meals tend to be about 25g.

I was out with my OH the other week and he suggested going for an Italian, I knew it would put my sugars up but as it was an occasional treat I said yes. The sauce seemed incredibly sweet as my taste has changed a bit. I tested when I got home about 2 hours afterwards, more out of curiosity than anything else and yes it was high, but not as high as I expected, I guess all the walking had helped. More importantly when I tested before tea it was still on the high side (8+) so I decided to have a very carb light meal (prawn and cheese salad) which gave it chance to come down again.

I guess for me if I know I have had something to put my levels up I don't worry too much but the next pre meal reading is more important so I can compensate if it is still high.
 
It's strange because the amount of carbs I can take in a day varies . I find most days that if I have very low carb for breakfast eg blueberries ,yoghurt and dessert spoon of nutty muesli and a salad or veg soup at lunch then I can eat more at evening meal. Also being active helps.

Have to confess to falling off the wagon , I have a really sweet tooth. I know I have to get control and have been walking still or going on my bike.
I don't know if it's the dark nights but I know it stops on Sunday after I come back from Edinburgh
 
Andy12345 said:
If I have a "treat" and eat out I don't test, I know it's bad so if I test it will either be high, surprise surprise or it won't and will encourage more naughtiness so not testing, assuming bad numbers afterward is my method
Click to expand...
same with me, you know the numbers are going to suck, so why play with yourself over them, ...save a few strips...have the night off and move on

it takes a few days of eating carbs to get use to them anyway
upload_2014-11-29_10-22-24.png
 
VinnyJames said:
it takes a few days of eating carbs to get use to them anyway


What do you mean @jack412 ?
Click to expand...
I think jack means a one off treat carb wise wouldn't lead to falling off the wagon as would take several days eating lots of carbs again to start us craving more??? I haven't once exceeded my self - set target of 50gm per day or fallen off track, really amazed myself and can only put it down to not having the carbs in my system to make me want more and more ( along with some sheer determination of course!)
 
Actually I have several times since diagnosed in june, always ask them to swap chips for extra mushrooms if I am having steak, if it's carvery I have the meat and veg, sometimes just a couple of new potatoes, load up on green veg.....never feel like I'm missing out! Have even had burger or chicken burger and ask for no bun- think once you look at options you can juggle!
 
VinnyJames said:
it takes a few days of eating carbs to get use to them anyway
What do you mean @jack412 ?
Click to expand...
As far as I can work out... for a GTT when on LC, they recommend 3-4 days of 150g of carb a day to get the first stage insulin response use to the carbs, I read the body sets it by the previous carbs in meals.
the chart I posted is of the same person given 50g glucose..when eating LCHF and when eating high carbs, you can see that the response spikes on the LCHF, because it's not expected
 
kimbo1962 said:
I think jack means a one off treat carb wise wouldn't lead to falling off the wagon as would take several days eating lots of carbs again to start us craving more??? I haven't once exceeded my self - set target of 50gm per day or fallen off track, really amazed myself and can only put it down to not having the carbs in my system to make me want more and more ( along with some sheer determination of course!)
Click to expand...
I'm finding it doesn't take much to get the cravings going, luckily they are gone in the morning when I wake up and it's back on LCHF
 
I am another that doesn't test when I eat out. I don't take my meter with me. I know I will spike if I eat too many carbs, so no point in knowing by how much. What purpose would it serve? I just try to be sensible and avoid desserts. I certainly will not be testing my Christmas dinner! Having said that, I don't eat out very often, so I guess it doesn't matter much.
 
I eat about 50g carbs split in two meals a day and if I eat out I still test but haven't really got disheartened that many times. Even after carb heavy meal with an icecream just once I think I was 7 I never had a sweet tooth so never miss anything when it comes to sweets
 
My husband T2 and me who is probably T2 now usually eat out twice a week and we always find something that's ok. I will swap the chips for salad where I can or have a couple new potatoes instead of mash and at a Cavery just have the meat ..usually turkey..with plenty of vegetables but no potatoes We often go to the Harvester and usually have the plain grilled chicken fillet with as much salad as we want sometimes I have the new potatoes with it because I love them and my husband will occasionally have some chips ...never does any harm to have a treat

We have never found it a problem but I suppose it could be if you do really low carb we are more moderate carbs and both skinny
 
Last edited:
We eat out 2-3 times a week usually before 5pm.
Due to the times we eat there are a lot of deals offered. 2 or 3 courses for a set price. So I like to test to make sure I don't get carried away although I do tend to be reasonably sensible and more often than not I will avoid puddings.
I do have a rule tho that there is NOTHING I'm not allowed. I usually steal a couple of chips from other plates ;-)
 
Back
Top