Struggling with low carbing.

Hi Figgy

I struggled to begin with, I had grown up with the "fat is bad, carbs are good" message. It took me a while to accept that I could eat fat and not get fat, I really didn't believe I could eat cheese, avocados, cream (!!) and actually lose weight - but low carb high fat actually does work.

It will take a while to get your own 'carb level' at which you maintain low blood glucose readings and lose or maintain weight (depending on your goal).

One thing I did notice in your post above was that you use fitness pal to work out how many carbs you are having. In my own personal experience I have found that the carbs reported aren't always correct. In many cases the site users can post carb amounts, these vary from country to country because of recipe changes (for things like veggie sausages) and portion sizes. USA work out their carbs in different way to UK for example (hence you will often see net carbs being used).

I'd suggest you get a UK carb counting book, and for processed foods or those that do come with label use those values rather than fitness pal.


Things like tofu are a good source of low carb protein, eggs are fantastic and versatile (of you eat them)

Are you vegan, lacto-vegi, lacto-ovo-vegi???

Try things like grated or blitzed cauliflower as substitute for rice, and mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potato.

Discovered Celery with peanut butter run down the "dip" this weekend.

I agree with all the above, ignore calories count carbs.

Myfitness pal dont bother waste of time use Carbs n Cals get the full size book of Amazon. The app not great and pocket not enough.
You can google carb content
Check the items you buy direct on the pack it is the BEST way unless it is not there like loose food.

Brekkie: jelly and cream - I know, I know, not an optimal choice, but when you are late, sleep deprived and only have 3 mins...

Snack: 70% choc

Lunch: pastrami and scratchings

Dinner: pork loin steak, half a tonne of sugarsnap peas (in butter)

Snack: berries n cream

Is anyone else getting a wee bit nervous about the end of bountiful berry season?

Brunneria said:

Brekkie: jelly and cream - I know, I know, not an optimal choice, but when you are late, sleep deprived and only have 3 mins...

Snack: 70% choc

Lunch: pastrami and scratchings

Dinner: pork loin steak, half a tonne of sugarsnap peas (in butter)

Snack: berries n cream

Is anyone else getting a wee bit nervous about the end of bountiful berry season?

Click to expand...

Oops! Sorry! Thought I was posting in the 'what have you eaten today' thread.
Sorry about all the carnivorous activity - just substitute your better veggie options.

Re metformin, I actually found one particular brand made me feel really bad, and I swapped to the slow release version which I'm fine with. With my original brand I was OK, but I found on a few occasions when I ate slightly more carbs, it gave me the runs; this result was confirmed here - see under the section Gastric Distress. So both a slight modification of diet, and changing to a different brand (or slow release version) of metformin might help?

Robbity

If you get your diet right, you may be able to manage without Metformin. It doesn't do much to reduce BS anyway. It helps with insulin resistance but only to a limited extent, and helps with suppressing appetite - but you don't need to lose weight. Speak to your doctor. He can't make you take them.