Too obsessed with carbs today?

Hi All,

I have to confess that I don't think I am capable of obsession!

And @Debmcgee , dont get too preoccupied about the carb numbers.
Believe me, this is an art, not a science.
30 g of carb veg (peppers, courgettes, aubergines, salad, leafy greens) does NOT equal 30 g of root veg.
And root veg do not equal grains, which do not equal bread and sugar.

The longer you play this game (goodness don't I sound jaded?) the sooner you will know what particular carbs hit your personal BG button.

Me? I never count the carbs with veg. I consider them a free pass (ok, maybe I wouldn't eat 3 lbs of ripe tomatoes). But I control portion sizes from 3-4 tblsp of turnip, down to 1 of potato. And I only eat grains, breads and sugar if I'm going 'off piste'.

My body's reaction is ridiculously out of proportion for 1 slice of bread (15g), but barely registers vast portions of veg. And your body will have its own little idiosyncrasies too. If you focus too hard on the numbers you'll get bizarre readings that you don't understand. I think, in some ways, the food diary is what makes the BG meter a worthwhile tool.

I'm glad you said all that, as I was thinking along the same lines re veg v grains v bread etc, but being new to the game, thought I was maybe missing a trick. I also don't tend to count the likes of lettuce, cress, mushrooms to an exact figure, but root veg I serve in varying sized portions, likewise peas( which tbh I rarely bother with but hubby insists on them so a stray few might end up on my plate). I've not yet ventured into world of spuds , rice but when I do, it'll be portion controlled to my meter - bread and wheat based products are off forever I think as I feel so much better not eating them. Gave them up 23 years ago for several years and wish I'd never started again.

Nuts, watch out if you eat too many in the evening... They can give me a raise fasting because of the large amount of protein and the slow release of the carb due to the fat. I get a little carried away with them and over indulge at times

For me it is down to portion control. I am able to do this without being tempted to have seconds. I just could not envisage the rest of my life without bread and potatoes, and as I am not big on most veggies I wanted to stick to what I know, which is basically peas, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms and cauliflower only. Using my meter I know what I can manage portion-wise and what I can't. Tonight I had griddled fish, loads of mushrooms griddled in butter, garden peas and 2 jersey potatoes, followed by a mug of tea with milk. I was 6.5 at 1 hour and 6.1 at 2 hours. I could probably have managed an extra spud. It works for me, but probably helps that I haven't got a sweet tooth, never snack, and don't like savoury rice or pasta! I still count all carbs though and am on up to about 75g. down from 100g which was down from 120g.

I would also say don't beat yourself up about it - we all have an occasional off day. Today I was helping decorate the dressing rooms at the community theatre where I volunteer. I got carried away and after nearly 4 hours of cleaning and painting I was feeling faint and a little woozy. I succumbed and had a couple of cream crackers with some cheese and apple, but as has been said before we are all human. As long as you can compensate for it one little hiccup doesn't matter. At least now you don't have anything else to tempt you

It's really difficult trying to put on weight. I am trying to but continue to lose even though I have managed to up my calories a bit. I can't seem to get to 1500 calories. There's only so much time between each meal too...or snack. If I snack between meals I am messing up my readings. It's really difficult. I am having to allow myself two slices of burgen a day and a crispbread. I also allow myself two small potatoes. I don't know how I can put on the weight.

Dietician suggested I eat porridge for breakfast and upped my carbs considerably but she's not the one who was told she has prediabetes. My H1c has gone down from 44 to 37, but I would ideally like to get it down a little bit more.

SJC said:

It's really difficult trying to put on weight. I am trying to but continue to lose even though I have managed to up my calories a bit. I can't seem to get to 1500 calories. There's only so much time between each meal too...or snack. If I snack between meals I am messing up my readings. It's really difficult. I am having to allow myself two slices of burgen a day and a crispbread. I also allow myself two small potatoes. I don't know how I can put on the weight.

Dietician suggested I eat porridge for breakfast and upped my carbs considerably but she's not the one who was told she has prediabetes. My H1c has gone down from 44 to 37, but I would ideally like to get it down a little bit more.

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SJC, you could try and make porridge with oatmeal. I have that quite regularly and it doesn't spike my blood sugar at all. If you make it with full milk and add some cream that would certainly go towards putting on some weight. You need to experiment.

Gudrun said:

SJC, you could try and make porridge with oatmeal. I have that quite regularly and it doesn't spike my blood sugar at all. If you make it with full milk and add some cream that would certainly go towards putting on some weight. You need to experiment.

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Thanks Gudrun...oatmeal as opposed to porridge oats?

I too am obsessed but with breathing. Its terrible when we obsess with things that keep us alive.

All diabetic information re diet seems to be centred around or is likely to cause loss of weight. Carbs and sugars are what increases our weight. I can imagine that for some who want to lose weight it is a battle, but for those who are trying to maintain weight or increase it, it's a nightmare.

SJC said:

All diabetic information re diet seems to be centred around or is likely to cause loss of weight. Carbs and sugars are what increases our weight. I can imagine that for some who want to lose weight it is a battle, but for those who are trying to maintain weight or increase it, it's a nightmare.

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I feel they have it the wrong way around. we loose weight because of the diet which is good for BG. Not loosing weight is good for BG.

If you followed the amount of carbs advised by some professionals weight loss might be much less...but sense tells us not to do that for the sake of our future health. I am still reeling from being told to substantially increase my carbs. I am going to have my particular problem out with my GP this week. Seems no one wants to tell me a valid way to control prediabetes with chronic kidney disease. I feel as though I have been left to sink or swim, but the only way I will swim is for someone professional to actually take an interest in my plight and give me 'valid' advice.

SJC said:

If you followed the amount of carbs advised by some professionals weight loss might be much less...but sense tells us not to do that for the sake of our future health. I am still reeling from being told to substantially increase my carbs. I am going to have my particular problem out with my GP this week. Seems no one wants to tell me a valid way to control prediabetes with chronic kidney disease. I feel as though I have been left to sink or swim, but the only way I will swim is for someone professional to actually take an interest in my plight and give me 'valid' advice.

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SJC - Many of us have felt diagnosed and dumped by the health system. By dumped, I mean, left to work out much for ourselves, without any helpful clues, or tools. In my view, what is lacking, at the outset, for many diabetics, is adult conversation. Initially, I felt I needed clearer guidelines, but I have softened as I come to understand how diverse and complex diabetes is, in its various sub-sets. But, that doesn't take away a general need to explain a number of approaches, and an open door for discussion.

With your complex medical palette of conditions, it would probably be helpful to talk to someone with real expertise in both diabetes and chronic kidney disease, which could well be at a hospital. I know most GPs are not keen to refer T2s to specialists, but you don't seem very straightforward in your requirements. I do hope you get some progress this week. Perhaps a thread for CKD could be helpful? There are a number of,posters who do have it, I believe.

SJC said:

Thanks Gudrun...oatmeal as opposed to porridge oats?

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Yes, that's what I buy (quite cheap from supermarkets). Porridge oats may be good as well but I read somewhere that oatmeal is supposed to be brilliant food with all sorts of wonderful health-giving qualities (can't remember which, though). It's certainly tasty with a big dollop of yogurt

AndBreathe said:

SJC - Many of us have felt diagnosed and dumped by the health system. By dumped, I mean, left to work out much for ourselves, without any helpful clues, or tools. In my view, what is lacking, at the outset, for many diabetics, is adult conversation. Initially, I felt I needed clearer guidelines, but I have softened as I come to understand how diverse and complex diabetes is, in its various sub-sets. But, that doesn't take away a general need to explain a number of approaches, and an open door for discussion.

With your complex medical palette of conditions, it would probably be helpful to talk to someone with real expertise in both diabetes and chronic kidney disease, which could well be at a hospital. I know most GPs are not keen to refer T2s to specialists, but you don't seem very straightforward in your requirements. I do hope you get some progress this week. Perhaps a thread for CKD could be helpful? There are a number of,posters who do have it, I believe.

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Thanks for your response. I was in a bad mood yesterday after finding a list of foods to avoid for both kidney disease and diabetes. It just left me feeling a bit hopeless..Docs annoy me too when you get conflicting advice. Three weeks ago my GP said eat anything and everything so you wont lose any more weight but the same GP asked me what my scars were on my back and side when he examined me. I had to remind him I had had my kidney removed! It doesn't give you much confidence.

Gudrun said:

Yes, that's what I buy (quite cheap from supermarkets). Porridge oats may be good as well but I read somewhere that oatmeal is supposed to be brilliant food with all sorts of wonderful health-giving qualities (can't remember which, though). It's certainly tasty with a big dollop of yogurt

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Thanks Gudrun

The slowest release oats are rolled oats (huge great flakes of oat grain rolled between great steel rollers but left in one piece.

They've got all the nutrition and fibre, just take longer to digest...

I think the smaller the bits of oat, the quicker the BG impact.

Hope that helps.