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Too obsessed with carbs today?

Debmcgee

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,939
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Feel free to say yes!

I'm aiming for 30g carbs a day now as it's working to stabilise BG but I think I'll end up going over as I've had some homemade veg soup I had in freezer and am trying to use it all up. It has roughly 18g carb in a bowl (made it ages ago before embarking on LCHF!) and I know I'll want a snack later.

So if I have nuts, is it ok to be more on 50g carbs today? Will it ruin the last couple of days' good work?

I think I'm obsessed!!



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Diagnosed prediabetic Easter 2014. Just left to get on with it, no guidance or help from GP. Every day I'm learning something new.
 
I think as long as you make good choices on a meal-by-meal basis, you will be fine. Don't go hungry and try not to go mad! You have to be able to sustain this lifestyle for decades so try to not get too bogged down in the maths. 50g is still quite low
 
I aim for a nominal 50g but I don't count everything I eat and drink - principle rather than minutiae for me. (I did count once using the "Carbs & Cals" book to get an initial programme but I don't lose any sleep if I'm actually taking 60 or 70).
 
Are you getting any exercise? That will help bring down your BG, and your body will need more carbs. Such a pity you're not getting any support or advice from health professionals. If you cook at home, you can see how much carbs is in what you are cooking by using the app Cook & Count Carbs.
 
50g of carbs a day is still quite low. Try not to obsess. 30g a day is not for everyone. How are your BG levels ?
 
I aim for 75g whilst I'm still losing weight. I don't obsess about going over that. I know I will at weekends but refuse to go without my favourite weekend meals as I know I wouldn't sustain it for ever. On other days I know I will eat less. Swings and roundabouts. It all averages out over the week.
 
For pre-diabetes 30g "feels" very low to me.

When I was consciously doing the lower carb thing (I still am on reduced carbs, but increasing a bit now I have stabilised), I aimed at around 100g, although in truth it was sometimes lower, and sometimes a little over. I didn't rule what I ate by the amount of carbs, but tried to concentrate on (reduced carb styleeeee) consciously healthy, tasty choices, then add it all up at the end of the day. As I have never snacked, it's easy to remember what I have eaten on any given day. Along with testing, that worked for me. I lost weight. My scores improved, and I am into phase 2 of the maintenance regime.

I doubt you need to go 30g. Punishing yourself for your diagnosis isn't the way forward.

I would urge you to try a gentler approach, bearing in mind you are in warning territory, not full blown, drug aided therapy.
 
Thanks everyone!

Going down to 30g a day has given me great morning readings and I want to keep it up. I'm still testing different stuff as a newbie so I've not found my level of comfortable carbs yet so I thought if go low and build from there.

Exercise - I do as much as possible but have a bad leg so I'm limited to walking and upper body weight training for now. It's really annoying as I was really getting fit again with spinning etc and now can't even do crunches! Anyway I try my best but good is really the main factor I can control right now.

Xxxx


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Diagnosed prediabetic Easter 2014. Just left to get on with it, no guidance or help from GP. Every day I'm learning something new.
 
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I sort of agree but I tried higher carbs and my FBG were still high and some of my post meals were bad too. Since doing this for three days, my BG is so much better - in the mid 5's instead of 6's.

My aunt had T2 so I've seen first hand how awful it can be if not controlled and that's what drives me.

So glad I can share all this with you guys. So helpful!

D xxx


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Diagnosed prediabetic Easter 2014. Just left to get on with it, no guidance or help from GP. Every day I'm learning something new.
 
Do you have any weight to lose?
 
I agree with others, Deb. You need to be kind to yourself. If you restrict your carbs by too much you may start to feel resentment towards this way of eating and end up binging and feeling bad about yourself. You're in for the long haul, not short sprint. But I do know it is easy to get obsessive about this (although please remember, that obsessiveness may create stress and that would increase your BG).

I don't count my carbs at all. I just cut out refined flour (bread, pasta) or starch (potatoes, rice) and sugar, although have eaten the odd slice of bread or potato now and then (once or twice a week). I find that if I eat something only rarely, it doesn't raise my BG.
 
I did it the other way round - started testing when I was around 120g carbs per day (after quitting grains and most obvious starchy carbs) and then kept adjusting down based on my meter's reaction. I also needed to adapt based on meals because I can barely tolerate any carbs at breakfast.

If you go low to start with, you're already working against downregulated enzymes if you try to come back up later. It probably takes longer to start higher and go lower, but it means you can stop at whatever level suits your metabolism, if that makes sense? For me it turned out to be around 60-80g per day and definitely less than 12g at breakfast.

I followed the method outlined in Jenny Ruhl's book Blood Sugar 101.
 
hi, i don't believe you should be off off from following your chosen path by people that don't want to go that low carb themselves for whatever reason, its a very healthy way to eat and awesome for weight loss, i don't consider it a punishment being on 30g a day, its a choice that has brought me great success, on saying that a 50g day will not mess anything up, its hardly pigging out on macky dees, your doing great, keep up the good work

Obsessed is a word lazy people use to describe the dedicated
 

Andy I love that quote!!

Interestingly morning fasting BG - was up to 6.5 so I can't help think that having double carbs had an influence on that!

I dont mind 30g at the moment. My BG is what motivates me. Just can't believe homemade veggie soup is 'bad' for me! Shock horror!

X


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Diagnosed prediabetic Easter 2014. Just left to get on with it, no guidance or help from GP. Every day I'm learning something new.
 
i know its nuts huh, who would've believed eating an apple could be bad lol

i love the bg motivation because its so very measurable, your not guessing whats going on, you know it for a fact and can actively effect it.

i also love that your doing this now and not when its too late, its more important that this message gets through to people with pre diabetes than anyone else, so many people like me, wait until they are in a mess before doing anything about it, you are going to do so well with your awesome resolve to make yourself healthy, a shining example to all other folks in your situation that aren't so wonderfully "obsessed" i can't wait to read about your continued success
 

Wow I feel like I've won an oscar!! Thank you!

I find it really hard sometimes not to give up but it is life or death. It's hard not to feel like a failure when you follow the docs advice to 'just cut down a bit' and your FBG goes up! They assume you didn't do it right when actually THEY are wrong!

Not tried an apple yet - will probably end up like Snow White lol!!


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Diagnosed prediabetic Easter 2014. Just left to get on with it, no guidance or help from GP. Every day I'm learning something new.
 
That is good that you are doing so well and that low carb is working for your BG and weight wise
I am prediabetic and as such did not feel it was necessary at that stage for me to go to low in carbs but like Gudrun I have cut out starchy carbs like bread potatoes rice pasta and of course sugar but I don't count carbs....my BS levels are in the 5's and 6's . ...I don't need to loose weight as I lost nearly a stone which I did not need to just by cutting the starchy carbs I'm trying now to put a few pounds on again
 
@Annie. Well done!

For me I don't see the point of not taking action immediately. I tried a month of cutting out the obvious stuff and it did nothing for BG levels so now I'm upping the ante so my condition does not develop.

I'm feeling good. Just went on a massive walk and have already done 13.5k steps. Would have prefered the gym but my bad leg is preventing me so it's walking only and upper body resistance training for now.

X


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Diagnosed prediabetic Easter 2014. Just left to get on with it, no guidance or help from GP. Every day I'm learning something new.
 
Like Annie I am prediabetic and have cut out all bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and sugar, my taste has changed so much that I don't use sweeteners any more either. I don't count carbs so don't know how many I have a day but it is definitely less than it used to be. My bg is usually in the mid 5's so while it stays there I will keep eating as I am. counting and keeping a record is not my strong point which is why I failed at calorie counting. Of course if my bg go up I will revise this and look at the amount of carbs. I have lost nearly a stone and a half and probably have between half and a stone left to lose. However my husband would say I am obsessed
 
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