If you are losing weight what are you eating?

[Nanechange3007]

I'm hungry all the time, please give me some ideas! Today I've had a small omelette for breakfast with tomatoes.
Lunch was a big salad with prawns.
Dinner was gnocchi with green beans and sea bass.

But I'm still hungry so just had a few oatcakes with low fat cream cheese which probably wasnt great.

I have high blood sugar so have to try and avoid sugar and carbs. Did have gnocchi today though.

I understand a blood sugar reading between 4-5 is normal. Is it blood sugar you are talking about? There are several markers to look out for, LDL, hba1c, fasting glucose etc.

There is a good documentary on BBC I played at the mo - The Truth About Carbs, there is a punch at the end of it. A GP in the North has been treating/reversing diabetes and a host of other metabolic syndrome diseases in his patients by means low carb diet. This approach has been so successful, the GMC plans to have it rolled out across the country.

@KingMidasAteMidges your posts have been a bit of a lightbulb moment for me. My DH is v overweight and always has been. He previously lost a whole ton of weight doing exactly as you say - 2 large high protein and veg meals, one late morning and one in the evening. No snacks and regular gym for weights and cardio. It seemed nuts to me but it’s the only way he can lose weight and is really effective for him.

Doesn’t suit me personally - I’m more of a eat regularly but smaller portions and cut out “empty calorie” things (drinks, booze, junk food) but it’s been for losing vanity pounds not significant weight loss.

@Nanechange3007 I don’t know how flexible your work is but DH took a v early lunch (11.30 or 12ish) as his first meal. Good luck - I really think different diets suit different people’s metabolisms/physiology so I hope you find something that works for you!

I think the 41 must be my HbA1clevel

OP if you start work early (I work afternoons/evenings), how about living on strong coffee with cream or tea until lunchtime. Maybe bring along sliced roasted chicken breast with roasted veggies leftover from dinner the night before, with cheese cubes/full fat cottage cheese. Or fish if you prefer that instead of chicken.

Have plenty of drink at work, but no snacks. If you really must eat something in between, whole almonds/Brazil nuts are good.

Then oven-roasted dinner in the evening, cooked when you are unwinding and getting yourself sorted. Maybe homemade soup, too. Stay away from bread, pasta and rice. They won’t fill you and are poor in nutritional value. They are the villains for your blood sugar, too.

I like to add walnuts to my yoghurt. I eat breakfast around 8- 8:30 and don't get hungry again until 2pm. I sometimes have an apple midmorning but to fair that's more from boredom at work. I never have one on my days off.

41 isn’t BAD, but it’s still good to avoid processed carbs and sugar (including fruit- small amount of berries is fine)

It’s goof that Drs/nurses are finally understanding/admitting that people with high blood sugars need to ditch the carbs!

Ditch the gnocchi

Definitely Ditch the oatcakes - look at the grams per hundred!! You should be aiming to stay under 5g /100. Oatcakes are usually more like 60-89/100

Plus eating late is the one if the worst things you can do with high blood sugar. The same meal/snack late at night will push your BS reading higher & keep it higher than the same meal/snack earlier in the day!

You need to increase the good fats (olive avocados/oil/butter/etc) to keep you feeling full & eat lots of leafy green veg and drink lots of water (minimum of 2 litres a day but more is better) water is important.

Have a look at BIWI’s Bootcamp threads in the weight loss low carb section that will really help you understand & get the book by Dr Briffa ‘Escape the Diet Trap’ (it’s an easy read but very informative )

Low carbing you never need to be hungry!

@KingMidasAteMidges

Finger prick blood sugar (glucose) readings are a different measure to HbA1c readings (which is what the OP’s 41 is) if you’re interested in finding out more diabetes.co.uk is full of information

Her 41 is in the normal range but 42 is the bottom of the pre diabetic range and she could easily be 42 if the blood had been taken on a different day. It’s an average- that’s all and can vary a lot from one blood sample to another.

I think it's all about tracking calories.

I have a latte with whole milk for breakfast, then lunch will be something like a low calorie wrap with low cal hummus, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber etc. I'll also have some popcorn or rice cakes, or a piece of fruit.

Dinner will be veggie sausages with new potatoes and broccoli / pasta marinara with a huge salad / mushroom tacos.

That's usually 1200 - 1500 calories per day, which gives me rate of loss of about 2lb per week (more if I am also exercising regularly - but it's mainly diet!)

I am trying to lose a bit of weight although I have no health concerns.

I find that I can cope on 1600-1700 calories a day, it just means normal family meals and no snacks. For me this is realistic and something I can maintain long term.

Definitely try My Fitness Pal, and log everything honestly. It is a real eye opener!

IncrediblySad, thank you. Blood sugar reading of 41 sounded not at all right to me.

I have got diabetes type 2 in the family and have always put on weight like there is no tomorrow. But I felt helpless to stop it or to prevent it happening. Always starving, constantly thinking about food, couldn’t walk past the kitchen without picking a bite of something. Tried a diet after diet, always trying and always failing. UNTIL I heard low carb mentioned on Mumsnet and Dr Jason Fung’s podcasts/books. It just all fell into place! My cravings, my uncontrollable weight gain, my PCOS, diabetes type 2 in the family. A true lightbulb moment.

Knowledge is power. I don’t berate or hate myself any more for something which, it turns out, I had no control over. I didn’t choose to be genetically predisposed to insulin resistance. But I had to experience all the nasty and obvious side effects that come with it. People think you can’t shut your gob and you know you are eating less than them for a fact. I couldn’t get away with a single muffin while friends/colleagues happily munched through chocolate bars, biscuits and cake and stayed thin. So so unfair. But now I know why, I don’t feel bitter anymore. They don’t have the same insulin response. That’s it. They aren’t better than me, or have superior self-control. Their bodies work differently to mine.

Learning about metabolic syndrome and insulin link to obesity has been life-changing and liberating. I know how to help myself now. 💐 to all the people struggling with it.

Thank you. When I have been told 41 they have always said it's my blood sugar level. But clearly it's not!

What is a healthy HbA1c level? A normal healthy person will have an HbA1c level under 42 mmol/mol. Pre-diabetes ranges from 43-47 mmol/mol. Above that is diabetic level

Hemoglobin A1c, often abbreviated HbA1c, is a form of hemoglobin (a blood pigment that carries oxygen) that is bound to glucose. The blood test for HbA1c level is routinely performed in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Blood HbA1c levels are reflective of how well diabetes is controlled

Thank you. I think they would like to get it below 40. 39 would be fine.

You'll get used to not eating a lot.

Try more veg and things like lentils, cous cous or quinoa as it's low-ish carbs for a carb (better than pasta) and low calorie, but will fill you up a bit.

Cutting out bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits, crisps, sweets and alcohol will make a huge difference. Keep away from too much fruit for now and juices.

A small portion of rice or potatoes is fine with a meal alongside more veg and meat/veggie alternative/fish or eggs.

There is a lot of good advice and meal ideas on here so pick out what works for you OP and good luck with it all.

And don't feel bad if once in a while you think sod it and have a day off your healthier eating just get back to it the next day having enjoyed the blow out for what it was.

I've lost nearly 2st recently. Can't exercise at all due to a chronic condition. I sometimes skip meals as I can't face making anything to eat. But apart from that I'm just having very small portions of anything I want. I've gone off carbs so don't have much stodge now. Never weigh anything. I think over time your stomach shrinks or just expects less. You also realise that sometimes craving food isn't even about being hungry. Emotional eating etc. Nice by product of the exhaustion I'm experiencing as part of my condition is that I'm not really bothered about food. I used to obsess about it and was always overweight.

@Nanechange3007 I am most definitely keeping chocolate in my life! That's something I won't sacrifice but I have managed to wean myself off milk chocolate and onto 70% dark..never thought I could do that as I always found dark too bitter but I really like it now and you need less to satisfy you...I have found Lidl finest really very yummy!

Why are you eating gnocchi? They are made from potatoes.

Protein and fat will fill you up. Ear with plenty of non starchy veg or salad.

I'm on a diet and losing weight. Today I ran slowly inside for 50 mins. For breakfast I had 2 eggs, half slice of ham, half slice toast and tea. For lunch I had half a cup of chilli con carne with cheese (no rice), a cracker with hummus, a gherkin and a huge mug of coffee and cream, had a cup of tea this afternoon, for dinner I will have half a chicken Kiev, salad and about 4 chips then a mug of coffee and cream, tea later on in the evening. I drink water the rest of the time.

I've lost 9lb in just under two weeks. I am very overweight and have about 7.5 stone to lose.

I'm eating about 1200-1300 calories a day, spaced over three meals and sometimes a snack, logged on my Fitbit.

I'm also walking 10k a day and have started doing a bit of light exercise with dumbbells.

Today's food:

Breakfast: two slices of wholegrain toast with butter, a scrambled egg, beans.
Lunch: bowl of mixed salad (watercress, rocket, lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, peppers, radishes, tomatoes and cucumber) with cottage cheese and a slice of wholegrain rye bread
Snack: small bowl of olives and capers
Dinner: jacket potato with tuna and a bit of salad

Lots and lots of water and green tea

Seems to be working for now, touch wood!

Who is eating the other half of everything silver? I think you could afford to eat a whole slice of ham and a whole slice of toast and still lose weight.

B: 50g porridge made with water,low fat yoghurt, banana black tea
L: smoked salmon salad, three crispbread spread with Clover, strawberries, black tea
Snack: tangerine, handful of walnuts, apple
Off to work soon
When I get back I will eat a tomato and few slices feta/lean ham. Probably eat an apple to. I've lost over 4st since Jan

Purple I will have it the next day for lunch or sometimes I freeze it. The half a slice of ham is because of the preservative in it and also it is just the right amount for the eggs and toast.

I'm pretty well fat adapted. Often run before breakfast. Do MAF training. So I don't mind using my reserve at all. I've invested good money in it after all! I don't go hungry. Eating very little added sugar helps.

Funnily enough I have tweaked stuff. And the half slice of toast does make a difference. Also log onto FitBit. However before I got it was plateauing and couldn't be arsed to work out calorie and carb counts so just halved everything and added non starchy veg and salad. Then decided to introduce the second egg back in. The toast made a difference the egg didn't. I do little experiments with portions every now and again.