Trying hard

[Motherhen2014]

Had a bad day today and totaled my carbs for the day 240 I really want to keep them below 100 but out to dinner today and served pasta but only had half of a smallish serving.I am concentrating on carbs and not calories am I doing right I really could do with your advice please.x

 

[Rachox]

Hi Motherhen, I’ve been counting carbs since my diagnosis last May. I started on under 100g per day and then after six weeks dropped to between 50 and 70. I’ve never in all this time counted calories and I’ve lost just over 5 stone!
I don’t go mad on the high fat part, I do have double cream on strawberries twice a day and I eat bacon and hard cheese but I do buy low fat yoghurts and soft cheeses. I just make sure of the carb count of low fat products as some they just replace the fat with sugar.

 

[Motherhen2014]

Thank you so much for your reply.Can I ask do you take skin off chicken and cook in olive oil or do you not fry.Some have said use ordinary block butter but I use clover as it's easy to spread.I am going to try to keep it to 90 carbs per day if I can.

 

[Motherhen2014]

I understand about checking low fat sugar contents.

 

[Rachox]

Thank you so much for your reply.Can I ask do you take skin off chicken and cook in olive oil or do you not fry.Some have said use ordinary block butter but I use clover as it's easy to spread.I am going to try to keep it to 90 carbs per day if I can.

I fry with olive oil but I do use butter if recipes call for it. Chicken skin is a funny thing, I do eat it on a roast dinner when it’s hot for example but I dislike it cold, so if it’s in say a chicken salad I do remove the skin. As I say I go a bit half and half with the low/high fat thing!

 

[pleinster]

It's important to keep up some fats while low carbing but, like @Rachox, I don't "go mad on the high fat part" either...but I do make sure I have plenty of butter any time I sneak a bit of toast (not often) and I have cheese, some nuts and avocado fairly regularly. I'd say keep focusing on the carbs and not the calories. Give it time...stay hydrated...avoid stress where you can. Good luck.

 

[ringi]

I use butter on veg etc, I will tend to fry in a little olive oil then add the butter at the end. (Heating butter to a high heat for a long time is not good as it can burn.)

I see no need for Clover, as there is nothing I eat that I can spread it on.

Normally I cook chicken with the skins on but will take off the hot skins and eat them before allowing the chicken to cool for a salad. (My wife does not allow me to take all the skins of a chicken we are having hot! But as I do the cooking......)

I buy nothing that is sold as "low fat", but don't make much effort to increase the fat content of most meals, as we both still need to lose more weight and my BG is OK when eating unlimited protein. But if I have a snack they will be something like olives.

If I am using a very low-fat meat like turkey, I will add fat, this may just be by including some bacon in the dish, or full-fat mayonnaise if having turkey cold. (Rabit has the same issue.) But most meats provided you don't cut all the fat off, or you pay more to get the lowerest fat cuts are OK as they come. (So don't get 5% fat mince.)

 

[rmz80]

My understanding of LCHF diets such as Atkins is that your body switches to an alternative energy source i.e. body fat (not the fat in any meal) when your carb intake falls below a threshold which I believe is 20 grams a day to start with Atkins. Above this threshold and your body will continue to use carbs.

At this stage you have to decide whether to go for an LCHF or a low cal diet. Both have their own advantages.

PS Sugar is just another type of carb

 

[Resurgam]

I have a Tefal Actifry - it can cook lots of things, but I use it mostly for chicken thighs - just toss in the whole pack and check that they don't get all heaped up on the first couple of rotations, as that tends to pull the skins off. The smell is most tantalizing, but well worth it.
If I go anywhere and there is only high carb foods, I just don't eat. I tell myself that I can eat when I get home, and that is what I do. I have seen what high BG levels can do, and it isn't what I want.

 

[bangkokdiabetic]

Eating Sensibly is my mantra and yes I know the problem if in a Restaurant I just ask them to serve the dish without Past etc if in someone house same thing do not make a big fuss Just say you are on a Low Carb diet and aret avoiding Pasta Potatoes Bread and Rice etc on docs Orders.

 

[Motherhen2014]

Thank you both for this at the moment it seems an impossible task to only eat 20 gms of carbs or below to lose weight. Even ryvitas are 6 carbs each. I have had to rethink amounts I eat.
I am going to try cauliflower mash and rice next week.

 

[Motherhen2014]

Thank you for these replies at the moment it seems an uphill task to keep to 20 gsm of carbs or below to lose weight. I like 4 ryvitas but they are 24gms so I have yo have s lot less. But I am going to try cauliflower rice and potatoes if I can get cooking right. But I will keep at it.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank you for these replies at the moment it seems an uphill task to keep to 20 gsm of carbs or below to lose weight. I like 4 ryvitas but they are 24gms so I have yo have s lot less. But I am going to try cauliflower rice and potatoes if I can get cooking right. But I will keep at it.

Why not try to fill up on low carb items rather than ryvita? If you like cheese then just have cheese. There are low carb cracker recipes all over the internet if you like cooking. I found it far easier to just not eat high carb things than try to have smaller portions. I use the mental image of these things as being poison that doesn't do me any good so don't eat it. After a few months I simply didn't miss it any more.

 

[Motherhen2014]

Thank you I will look for these crackers many thanks.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank you I will look for these crackers many thanks.

https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/low-carb-rosemary-sea-salt-flax/
Tesco sell Flax seeds usually in the health food section I think.
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/284458968

I tend to chuck in some chilli flakes and fresh ground pepper to add a bit of spice to the mix and maybe sesame seeds.. what ever needs using up in the spice cupboard.

 

[DCUKMod]

@Motherhen2014 - you could post some of the meals you were/are having, then perhaps members might suggest how they might perhaps manage to lighten the carb load on that meal?

Of course, my suggestion is a meal by meal approach, but maybe reducing your carb amounts steadily, with reference to your meter, might be easier for you.

 

[Bluetit1802]

There is no need to reduce carbs down to 20g a day. That is extreme. Set yourself an amount you think is sustainable for you. I started at about 120g, but testing showed me that was too many so I reduced gradually from there over several months until arriving at a sustainable levels that gave me good blood glucose levels. I did this by eating to my meter and keeping a detailed food diary . It also needs a change in mind set, especially when eating out. There is no need to have chips, pasta, rice or bread. You can ask for alternatives such as extra vegetables or salad.

We may have some better advice if we knew exactly what you are eating in a typical day, and maybe why.

Edited to make sense!

 

[Zilsniggy]

I am going to try cauliflower mash and rice next week.

Cauliflower mash and cauli rice are good low carb options. Try getting hold of the book 'Carbs and Cals' its quite good as it gives nutritional values for common foods, in pictorial form. Remember that starches and grains are also your enemy, as they will cause a rapid rise in your blood sugar. You should really test after each food, so that you have some idea of how your body reacts to that food, you may be surprised. If you don't test then you will have no idea. I believe with Type 2 diabetes the key is definitely diet. I'm Type 2 on insulin, and have normalised my sugar levels and really drastically reduced my insulin intake eating this way. Although we are all individuals.

 

[Motherhen2014]

Cauliflower mash and cauli rice are good low carb options. Try getting hold of the book 'Carbs and Cals' its quite good as it gives nutritional values for common foods, in pictorial form. Remember that starches and grains are also your enemy, as they will cause a rapid rise in your blood sugar. You should really test after each food, so that you have some idea of how your body reacts to that food, you may be surprised. If you don't test then you will have no idea. I believe with Type 2 diabetes the key is definitely diet. I'm Type 2 on insulin, and have normalised my sugar levels and really drastically reduced my insulin intake eating this way. Although we are all individuals.

Thank you Zilsniggy. I am frightened of doing cauliflower as I am awful at cooking and know I will ruing it except makinf it rice as you just fry it.I know potatoes rice and pasta are my enemy.When you say grains do you mean rice ect?
Not lentils pearl barley and split peas they are alright aren't they.?

 

[pollensa]

Had a bad day today and totaled my carbs for the day 240 I really want to keep them below 100 but out to dinner today and served pasta but only had half of a smallish serving.I am concentrating on carbs and not calories am I doing right I really could do with your advice please.x

Had a bad day today and totaled my carbs for the day 240 I really want to keep them below 100 but out to dinner today and served pasta but only had half of a smallish serving.I am concentrating on carbs and not calories am I doing right I really could do with your advice please.x

Well, don't have pasta, you can always decline or if in a restaurant ask for extra veggies or big salad instead.

pasta potatoes, rice and bread are 100% no no for any anyone pre or diabetic 2 to my knowledge. I have not eaten any for 12 months and sugars are absolutely normal normal normal not just odd day or consistently. Why eat low carb keto and see results.

good luck Mallorca.