Low carbing

[minitata]

Yesterday I read this thread viewtopic.php?f=24&t=8913 on 'Why I don't follow a low carb diet', and it got me thinking.

I follow a low carb diet, as do a lot of others, and I think if we put our reasons why we do so, then most of them would be exactly the same as the ones for not following it.

I'm not adding this thread to be contentious but to highlight how opposite ways of working bring about the same results. In my opinion, it's not a case of which one is right or wrong but which works for the individual.

I follow low carb because:

1. For the first time in my life I'm not almost permanently hungry.
2. I'm losing weight without pain.
3. My bg is under control.

I expect that others have their own reasons for either following or not following it - I would be interested to hear them, but only to show how we are all reaching the same goals, albeit with very low carlorie or carb diets, Mediterranean diet, portion control, or whatever.

Newly diagnosed diabetics need to know the spectrum of different ways of controlling blood glucose, and if necessary, weight, so that they can find a way of helping themselves.

I hope this post doesn't offend anyone

MTT

 

[pianoman]

Thanks for starting this thread MTT...

I started eating low-carb some 3 years ago after reading Gary Taubes Good Calories Bad Calories/The Diet Delusion... I subsequently read Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution and Atkins Diet Revolution but by the stage I had already been amazed by (as you say) my overnight change from almost permanent hunger; after nearly 25 years of finishing one meal and immediately looking for the next. Yes I still had the conscious desire to eat a pastry or banana bread or whatever but without the gnawing physical hunger it was so much easier to just walk on by... over time the desire has faded (like an addiction) and now I have no interest in foods that I used to consider "treats". In fact on the very rare occasion when I have tried an old favourite, I am invariably disappointed and can no longer remember what all the fuss had been about.

What I now enjoy eating is varied, tasty, filling, nutritious, satisfying and delicious. I don't feel in the least bit deprived... that may be a problem for the perception of others.

I see no reason why I would not or could not continue to eat this way for the rest of my life... even if I were "cured" tomorrow.

Stabilised and near-normal BGs? Check

Loss of excess fat mass? Check

Stronger and cleaner teeth and gums? Check -- even my Dental Hygienist has commented and my poor Dentist no longer has any work in my mouth.

No more joint pain? Check

Clearer skin? Check

A1c, Lipids, BP and every other health marker improved? Check

I wish that I had been offered this approach as an option when first diagnosed, rather than having to find out about it myself several years later.

 

[viviennem]

I first went on to Atkins, pre-diabetes, thinking that it might kill me but being certain that if I didn't do something I was definitely going to die, and nothing else had worked.

The results amazed me - I lost weight, I was never hungry, I had extra energy, I loved my food, in fact the diet suited me perfectly! Why I went off it is personal and pretty boring, but I really wish I hadn't :roll:

On being diagnosed Type 2, though denying it loudly and often, I went straight back to Atkins. My BGs dropped immediately, as did my cholesterol, I felt better, and the weight began to come off again - more slowly this time, probably due to insulin resistance and wine .

I low-carb for all the reasons give by MTT and Pianoman. It suits me. Sometimes I miss the brown rice and pasta and chips and mashed potato, but it's a small price to pay . . . This time I'm with it for life - with maybe a small slip at Christmas! :lol:

Viv 8)

 

[pianoman]

And Viv what is wrong with a small slip at Christmas? If you think about a generation or two ago: they only ate cake "on occasion"... birthdays, Christmas etc... not every morning for breakfast in the form of a blueberry muffin from the coffee shop.

 

[viviennem]

My Mum used to bake every weekend 'cos filling us up with carbs was cheaper than buying meat, and her budget had to stretch a long way. But yes, Christmas and birthday cakes were extra-special.

The real treat was a shop-bought cake! Can you imagine - home baking was boring! :lol:

Viv 8)

 

[pianoman]

For sure... we used to do home-baking as well but it was definitely seen as a treat, and I'm not saying that eating just a blueberry muffin is a problem.. it was just an example of how ubiquitous refined carbs are these days... with that coffee may come a non-dairy creamer (corn-starch based probably, because saturated fat will kill us all :wink: ) a fancy Starbucks could include syrup as well and so it goes on...

 

[noblehead]

The real treat was a shop-bought cake! Can you imagine - home baking was boring! :lol:

My mums home-made fruit cake would beat any shop bought product any-day, as kids we would fight over who licked the bowl clean!

Nigel

 

[noblehead]

minitata,

That was an old thread you looked at yesterday, should you look there was a similar thread with people saying why they low-carbed.

It's difficult to run threads such as this as some members can eat as little as 30g of carbs to as much as 150g but still say they low-carb, the term 'low-carb' is ambiguous and most would say if they are eating less than the RDA or much less than they ate before then they are in fact low-carbing.

As you say and I totally agree that ''it's not a case of which one is right or wrong but which works for the individual''...........which you will find is the ethos of this very forum!

Nigel

 

[Grazer]

Yeah, I refer to my diet as "reduced carbs, and low GI". I'm lucky in that I can eat about 160 grams of carbs or so a day and keep to an HbA1c of about 5.5, which is low enough for me. I'm sure I could go lower with less carbs, but to me it's not worth the pain for the extra gain. Others may want to get lower, or have to reduce far more to get to even an acceptable level of HbA1c %. Some may prefer to avoid the low carbing and take the pill. Guess we';re all different in our approach, none right or wrong.
Malc

 

[minitata]

I'm low carbing down to 30 - 50 grams a day. But I'm doing that to lose weight. When the weight is lost - in about 18 months, I'll increase my carbs to where I can tolerate them while keeping my bg and weight under control.

That to me is what low carbing is - the level to which you are 'right' in your health or numbers. Some people will have to stay under 100 some will be able to go over 100 but they are still sticking to a reduced number for their health sake. I'm eating quite a lot of fat: where my daily goal is 49 grams I'm often over the 75 grams. I eat up to 1470 calories per day. I'm always over on the protein too, but the calories have to come from somewhere. I feel fitter (for me) than I have for a long time, I have chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, but I certainly have more energy.

I too have followed low fat for years and seen my weight increase, slowly, but increase none the less.

I did put 'Why I low carb' in the search box and it didn't come up with anything I thought I could build on after reading the whole of the non low carb thread.

MTT

 

[NewdestinyX]

Yeah, I refer to my diet as "reduced carbs, and low GI". I'm lucky in that I can eat about 160 grams of carbs or so a day and keep to an HbA1c of about 5.5, which is low enough for me. I'm sure I could go lower with less carbs, but to me it's not worth the pain for the extra gain. Others may want to get lower, or have to reduce far more to get to even an acceptable level of HbA1c %. Some may prefer to avoid the low carbing and take the pill. Guess we';re all different in our approach, none right or wrong.
Malc

I'm right in line with you here, Malc. I approach it the same way. I can achieve 5.6-5.8 on about 80-100g a day and I do think Low GI in my approach to the carbs I do eat. But you're right 'it's not worth the pain for the extra gain' to go lower. And I love my exercise regimen. I don't doubt that when my 'frame' can no longer take the exercise punishment I will likely have to lower carbs more or increase insulin. As long as I don't put back on the weight in those days all will be well -- unless, as some postulate, this disease is 'progressive' in all cases. I don't believe it is - but I'm never quite sure -and neither is medical science.

I'm low carbing down to 30 - 50 grams a day. But I'm doing that to lose weight. When the weight is lost - in about 18 months, I'll increase my carbs to where I can tolerate them while keeping my bg and weight under control.

That to me is what low carbing is - the level to which you are 'right' in your health or numbers.

Exactly right, Minitata. Though I don't need to restrict as much as you do now - to stay healthy - ultra lo carbing HAS been the way I've gone down each new weight plateau and then my exercise regimen is able to keep the weight off even when I return to a level of carbing that I prefer and works for me(70g-100g). Some people are in situations where they can't combine rigorous exercise programs, can't stand the idea of a little insulin or whatever and for them the only choice is much lower carbing if they want to stay away from injected insulin. I appreciate their decision to do so - but it didn't/wouldn't work for me. I tried. Life was awful for me eating that way. And actually 'didn't' deliver me as healthy numbers as I have now.

 

[Grazer]

Spot on new destiny X, that's the way I feel.
Why "new destiny X" by the way? (I've got a thread trying to find out why people use the usernames they do)
Malc (now Grazer)

 

[NewdestinyX]

Spot on new destiny X, that's the way I feel.
Why "new destiny X" by the way? (I've got a thread trying to find out why people use the usernames they do)
Malc (now Grazer)

I'll answer there..