Learning to eat lower carb
Recently, I started to use a CGMS (along with my 2 daughters, also type 1 D, all 3 of us D'xed at <12 months old). And the one thing I'm noticing, in a glaring way, is that I need to start to change my diet. I've been diabetic for a very long time (40+ years), and I think, even though I've been pumping for about 10 years, in some part of my brain, I still held onto my "you have to eat a certain amount at a certain time" type mentality. And, looking at my daily trending info, that attitude isn't doing me any favors. . . nor my girls.
I've always managed A1c's in the 6.5-7.5 range, nothing to brag about, but according to Dr's, decent. The really frightful thing about CGMS is seeing how that, what I thought was a nice, healthy meal of steamed vegtables with rice of pasta with beans does to my BG, and the wicked spike it brings on, occasionally hours later.
So, I've got myself used to a carb pattern that's basiclly 30g for B-fast, 45-60 for lunch, 50-70g for dinner, an occasional 10-20g snack here or there throughout the day. I do a majority of the cooking, and am trying to steer us to a lower carb diet, but seriously, it seems like every time I try it, we end up hungry later and hitting up the cracker stash. Anyone have any advice, or maybe a decent book that they've found that was helpful to them?
It may just be a matter of mind over matter, that we need to retrain our minds and stomaches, but the evidence that we need to change our habits stares me in the face every time I look down at my CGMS, and I need to figure out how to do it, while also keeping our food budget in check. Ideas?
I've always managed A1c's in the 6.5-7.5 range, nothing to brag about, but according to Dr's, decent. The really frightful thing about CGMS is seeing how that, what I thought was a nice, healthy meal of steamed vegtables with rice of pasta with beans does to my BG, and the wicked spike it brings on, occasionally hours later.
So, I've got myself used to a carb pattern that's basiclly 30g for B-fast, 45-60 for lunch, 50-70g for dinner, an occasional 10-20g snack here or there throughout the day. I do a majority of the cooking, and am trying to steer us to a lower carb diet, but seriously, it seems like every time I try it, we end up hungry later and hitting up the cracker stash. Anyone have any advice, or maybe a decent book that they've found that was helpful to them?
It may just be a matter of mind over matter, that we need to retrain our minds and stomaches, but the evidence that we need to change our habits stares me in the face every time I look down at my CGMS, and I need to figure out how to do it, while also keeping our food budget in check. Ideas?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cathy Jacobson on -
Call me not aware, but what is CGMS?
Your post shows exactly what we have to do...retrain our thinking and our abilities to take care of ourselves in the healthiest way possible.
This summer having been ousted from WW for a corporate decision, I found myself staring at a low carb plan. As hard as it was to change some food thoughts (ie in WW cheese is a definite NO NO, in low carb words, it's okay in moderation) I have retrained my mind to think vegetables and fruits (some) and meat, to less bread and fillers. It wasn't easy, it's still not, and I am dreading the holidays and all the choices or non-choices I will have to make. But the glory is I feel better, I look better, my numbers are far better...and that makes it all worth it.
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on -
CGMS--Continuous Glucose Monitoring System. It's attached with sensors & gives a constant reading of BG. You still need to test, but a CGMS shows upward or downward trends.
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on
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I do low carb (30-35 for the day). What keeps hunger away is eating enough protein. I don't know what your previous lower carb meals were like, but mine are basically protein & low carb vegetables. I never feel hungry & it was the high carb meals that had me hungry constantly. I use almond meal, coconut flour & golden flaxseed meal for baking & unsweetened almond milk instead of milk.
Jenny's site is a wonderful place to start: http://www.bloodsugar101.com & her book of the same name.
Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution is a great book.
I thought low carb would be blah & boring, but found some wonderful recipes. I don't feel deprived at all.
Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes http://genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html
The Low Carb Cafe www.lowcarbcafe.com
Low Carb Luxury http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/index.html
Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/low_carb/
Low Carb Eating http://lowcarbeating.com/
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Permalink Reply by Libby on
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When I was first diagnosed, and eating a low carb diet, I was really hungry all the time. Eating more protein, but also a higher fat diet can also help keep hunger at bay. I find nuts help me to feel fuller. I also bake with almond meal, coconut flour & golden flaxseed meal, and have some great recipes for scones, pancakes and muffins.
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Permalink Reply by Beth Custer on -
30-35 carbs for the day!!!! Oh my goodness. You must be a saint, Gerir! I thought I was doing pretty good at about 150g (before the subtraction of the fiber intake which is usually around 30 g). Good for you! Maybe I should try to tighten my intake too.
Jacky--I know that once I broke the carb cravings-I felt a lot better about lower carb meanls. I have weak times, but then when I have more carbs, I feel worse...I am trying to find a way to add variety into my meals to keep up the excitement of low carb-but I don't beat myself up too much if I fall back. I just try again the next day. :)
I love veggies, which is a GOOD thing. This would be much worse if I didn't like them. I try to mix protein with them too--I back a fish fillet and put it on top of my salad to wilt it a little...warm meals make me happier than cold ones all the time! :) But I try to not cook my veggies too much-it raises the carb content and lowers the fiber (at least that is what I have read).
Best of luck to ya-I'm gonna look at some of the links Gerri listed....:)
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on
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Beth,
Going to tell my husband about your saint remark. He'll be laughing controllably:)
Cooking veggies does raise the carbs a little. I've got an EatSmart scale & it allows entering if food is cooked or raw & gives different carb counts depending on this. Guess cooking breaks down the fiber making it more digestible.
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Permalink Reply by Beth Custer on
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If he laughs- tell him he can take a shift polishing your halo as punishment! :) HA ha...BTW-I spelled your name wrong in my post---I just noticed that. Sorry!! :)
I just bought my EatSmart scale--still trying to work it so I can add to the plate and keep a total--but I've not spent much time with the book yet. But your idea of the fiber breakdown during cooking makes perfect sense!
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on
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LOL--I'll tell Tim that! Didn't even notice about my name:).
I love the EatSmart scale.
This link is helpfu:l http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php. You plug in recipe ingredients, number of servings & it gives you a nutritional breakdown including carbs. Makes it so much easier!
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Permalink Reply by Beth Custer on
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Oh--this is a handy site! Thanks for sharing! :)
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on
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Great for on-line recipes to cut & paste ingredients without typing. Yea, I'm lazy. Before I found this, I avoided recipes with too many ingredients not wanting to figure out carbs. Lazy again:) There's only so much grilled fish & veggies a girl can eat before getting bored.
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Permalink Reply by Jan on
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Dana Carpenter is pretty famous for writing low carb cookbooks. Then there are the low carb websites, Living la vida low carb, low carb friends. I think anything low in calories is also going to be lower in carbs.
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