Blood sugar diet thread 9

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Shiny new thread for the blood sugar dieters!

Yes I'm carb counting, pretty sure I have that right. I have a maths degree so I hope I'm calculating it correctly, pretty embarrassing if not!
I think it's probable I'm not eating enough fat so will look at that.

I think it's entirely possibly I'm a bit insulin resistant, but haven't been tested - I usually exist on them, pre BSD they easily made up 75% plus of my diet.
I might call the surgery and ask for some blood tests, see if there's anything going on. I have just started taking a multivitamin as well, think my B12 is likely to be low. Probably some omega 3s would help as well.

Anyway, thanks for the support all. Glad you're all here...!

Carbs I mean! 75% of my diet was carbs. Oh the shame...!

London in my experience they won’t actually test you for insulin. The HBA1C test measures blood glucose over a few months, which can be informative, but won’t show insulin resistance per se. It’s more informative if you have the HBA1C regularly to monitor overall changes. Some doctors don’t believe in IR, (metabolic syndrome, syndrome X) at all, even my gestational diabetes consultant!

What tends to happen with IR is that you do produce insulin (so not diabetic) but you produce too much of it because your cells resist it (so glucose is slow to be removed from your food). You then have free floating insulin which causes the body to store fat not burn it. You also find that you crave carbs because the insulin creates that need for glucose. It’s a viscious circle, and can lead to weight gain. Annoyingly, your level of resistance can change as well so: other hormones (including stress/cortisol), lack of sleep, illness, steroids (eg Asthma inhaler/ prednisone ?) and other meds, can all affect how insulin resistant you are at certain times.
Disclaimer: -- all in my very basic, gcse science knowledge^--!

One way to reduce IR is to follow a high fat/low carb semi fasting type diet, which is convenient! Reducing your eating window; adding fat to any carbs you eat to reduce the GI; reducing portion size (because feeling stuffed full makes the body produce more insulin, anticipating a heavy carb-load); and not snacking- these will all reduce how insulin resistant you are. I’m sure you’re doing some if not all of these already. It can take a while for the changes to show in the scales though, so don’t get disheartened.

Gosh that's so interesting, thanks Bear.
I have had a cold for 5 weeks solid (!!) so have been taking a lot of cold and cough medicine, wonder if that might have something to do with it.
I definitely think my body needs retraining to burn fat. It's never really had to make do without carbs.
Anyway I'm definitely not stopping.

How about you, do you feel back on track today?

The cold definitely could be affecting your insulin resistance, plus the cough medicine. I get very chesty coughs, nothing will shift them except covonia syrup, although I have actually tried robitussin which is sugar free this week. It doesn’t seem as powerful as covonia though.

I’m feeling ok, I have had a shake and a hard boiled egg, and just kept busy with jobs around the house. I’m not running today though, I just can’t face it- I’m also feeling a bit under the weather, plus Ds is poorly again so we didn’t sleep well. Life can be very tiring sometimes, can’t it?!

What are everyone’s strategies for a) pancake day, and b) valentines? I have learned over years of dieting that you can’t fake a pancake so I will allow myself the calories for just 1, and savour it. As for Valentines I have strictly informed Dh that I do not want chocolates or champagne- he’s not a romantic sort of guy really, so I’ll likely get a new washing up bowl or a set of drill bits . In previous years he’s bought one of those meal deal type things but to be honest, I can take or leave V’s day, so will probably just cook and save the calories!

londonista sorry to hear things aren't moving so quickly, but to reiterate what others have said:

• those of us with bigger losses are often those of us with a lot more to lose, and it's easier for us to dump a lot at the start. The closer you get to your target, the harder it is, and it sounds like you're not that far away!

• eat some fat. Have some cheese, some full fat yogurt, some nuts. It's counterintuitive after all these years of being lectured about how evil fat is, but you need it to stay warm and feel full. If I have calories left after dinner I'll sometimes have 20-30 g of stilton as a dessert treat. The strength of the flavour makes it worth while. Or have some berries with a bit of full fat ricotta,and some grated lemon rind. It will help with the shivering (I'm still cold, but not as cold as I was).

bear I'll probably make a range of pancakes for DS and then eat one or two! No plans for Valentine's Day so far.

oblomov it was these Munchy Seeds - v tasty. Next time I would thin the cheese mixture a bit so it's easier to spread over the veg.

Won't be coming in contact with any pancakes today bear which is good as they'd be hard to pass up. But I'd probably have one as holidays are special.

Thank you Very. They look really nice. I think I'd like them. I do like very spicy and chilli things. Even more so on this diet. I need the spice because else I get bored so easily.

On tuesday, I went to morrisons (rare) before having my eyes diabetically screened (photographed with horrible stingy drops), for retinopathy. I bought a small pot of pistachios and same small pot of garlic and chilli green broad beans but they were vile, so I threw them away. Wished I'd had some of your chilli munchy seeds.

Right. I had a disaster yesterday. On my first day of being strict.

Dh and I had a HUGE argument Friday. Our worst ever. We only have one once a year or so. But this was bad. It started with talking about how both of us, having lost weight, had put it back on, and need to get back on it. Dh is very sensitive about the issue of weight, because he is very big. I thought I was helping and being supportive. But he doesn't see it that way. Then it progressed onto everything else, under the sun! Then it turned into every personal trait we hated about eachother, and every gripe we had. and ending up me really really shouting and swearing at him.

we haven't spoken since. Barely.

So he's off looking after the kids. fro most of 1/2 term. does loads of cleaning, shopping cooking. I come home to dinner. (I normally do 90% of this all), so I was very pleased.

Apart from the fact that I hadn't actually told him that Id started back on this woe, very strictly.

I'd eaten nothing for breakfast. Only water. Tea at work.
Lunch, leftover frozen home made meal of courgetti with meatballs, with lots of sainsbury's chipotle chilli flakes, that I grind, (keep a pot at work - works brilliantly - note what I said before about needing the curry/chili/hot taste even more these days) - 337 calories. Total for the day , so far.

So I return home feeling really virtuous.

But I'm greeted by dinner of farfalle pasta, carbonara, with peas, bacon and mushroom.

And I feel obliged to eat it.
And Dh announces , in the shopping that day, he's bought me a carrot cake and also a coffee and walnut cake.

And later, after dinner, because I've had to eat the carbs, I miscalculated my insulin, so now I'm hypo.

I have to drink some lucozade. And I offer to make dh a cup of tea. And we have a slice of said carrot cake. Which is normally lovely and moist. But this one is dry and tasteless.

And so now I've eaten 454 calories for the pasta.

and 425 for cake.

Total 1215 for the day.

I am so cross with myself.

This morning Dh offers me the pasta, to take to work, and I say thank for making it, I'm very sorry, I cant eat it, I'm trying to go strict, low carb.

Ie I'm hinting,. laying the foundations.
But I have to skirt round it, because of how delicate we are, post Friday argument.

What a mess.

In the freezer I have 12, takeaway silver containers of leftover meals, roasted peppers, etc. This was one of Dh's criticism in the argument from friday!!

I took one yesterday.

Today I've taken another, cauliflower curry. Which is very hot and spicy. Should do the trick at least re my tastebuds.

The solution to Dh and I. And sticking to the programme. Generally. I fear. Are going to be trickier......

Oblomov that’s a shame it ended in a row. Would your Dh do this plan with you if you asked him to? (I vaguely recall he had done previously?) maybe the row could open up a discussion about how you can do this together going forward? I’m like you, I need the temptation removed at home or I will eat it, (and my Dh tries to understand but he doesn’t really get it). One nice meal to him is my whole week’s hard work undone and he doesn’t understand that. Hope you can chat things through

I’m torturing myself today, baking scones - although they are sugar and dairy free (for my dsis), and a second batch of Stilton and walnut ones. They smell so delicious I could cry.....

Feeling throaty today, I think I have ds’s bug probably as a result of him being poorly for two weeks combining low calories with no sleep! I was 2lb down this morning though so while I would love to sink into the sofa with a packet of hobnobs and a lemsip, instead I’m baking for my dad’s birthday tomorrow. After the scones I’m making a butternut squash and feta crust less quiche.

I’ve totalled up the calories for pancakes and I think what I’ll do is just make myself a small quantity of mixture that I can calorie count properly (rather than just 1/6 of the main mixture) and probably get one or two small ones. I bloody love pancakes, I should say no shouldn’t I, but I know for a fact I will steal the dc’s if i don’t factor some in. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.....

Had anyone I tried almond flour pancakes? I’m going to give them a go later on, I may go over cals but hoping that lack of wheat flour would bea positive!!

I’ve made the coconut flour ones from the book, and they weren’t my cup of tea to be honest. I’ve not used almond flour. I think most of the flour replacements are a bit of a desired taste.

I’ve calculated 15g of white flour to be 50 cals, so with one egg and a splash of milk I reckon it’s about 120 cals for a ‘real’ pancake (maybe a little egg heavy!). I don’t know how this compares with almond flour? I bet the equivalent weight of almonds is higher in calories?

bear I think better to have a little controlled and measured splurge than to sneak some and then feel guilty. Your plan sounds perfect.

oblomov so sorry about the DH blowout. Always awful when those big arguments happen, but it sounds like when it does you two always mellow and talk through after a little while. 1215 for the day isn't that awful at all - it's over the BSD target, but it's still way under advised calories over all. And you've gotten started again which is what matters.

Also had a bad day yesterday: went for dinner w/ a visiting friend and I'm still getting used to ordering out. She was paying so I didn't want to order the grilled fish (which was vastly more expensive than everything else on the menu) so got a beef stirfry - but luckily they didn't look at me strangely when I asked to substitute more veg for the rice. Went over my cals and carbs on some summer rolls, which I usually adore and are over all pretty good for this diet, considering, but it turned out this restaurant's summer rolls are horrible. But I was hungry so I ate them. Calories and carbs wasted, all out of politeness. (But it was great to catch up with friend, so worth it in the end.)

Valentines Day I'm going to leave extra calories and carbs for chocolate, and also for the days after - hoping I can ration myself and eat any goodies over a week or so, rather than all at once. Let's see.

Hope today is better oblomov and that you have wonderful spiciness for lunch.

I bought new jeans today! And they were from a normal people shop not a plus-size one. And they were not their biggest size. I am SO HAPPY!

I had been planning not to buy any new clothes until after the 8 weeks, but all my jeans had got to the falling off me stage, as had quite a lot of my skirts, so my wardrobe was becoming increasingly limited. Its okay if these jeans don't last me long before they get too big!!!

That’s great Bridget!

Well done Bridget!

Thanks! Those new jeans are the best treat ever.

Oblomov eating, food and weight are such fraught conversations. My DH is currently trying to put on weight because he lost so much in hospital.It means our eating habits are diverging wildly atm. I'm making him cakes and high calorie foods whilst trying to stick to BSD for me and trying to feed DC a balanced diet.

I had one blueberry pancake this morning . . . but then some chocolate cake. I'm tired and stressed and slipping into carb comfort eating. I think I just have to ride it out tbh. I haven't weighed myself because I'm scared of how much I will have put on.

Bridget well done on the new jeans! Brilliant result!

Well done Bridget- I'm hoping to get back into a favourite pair of jeans next week!

My husband made me a red Thai curry tonight using quorn pieces and light coconut milk. It was 300 cals a serve and he made 3 extra portions for the freezer for me. What a star!

Today I had 2 eggs and then my dinner. I was feeling a bit "hangry" about 5pm so I had a teaspoon of peanut butter. So I'm about 850 today but lots of fat - finally I feel full!!! (angels singing!)

Well, my splurge was controlled and measured until I then had another pancake! And that was on top of some extra grazing during the day as well. So my calorie count and carb count is waaaaaay over today. I did do a run though, despite my sore throat, but only managed 3k. I seem to have lost my mojo a bit.

Tomorrow is my dad’s birthday lunch (I’ve made crustless quiche, chicken legs, and salad) and planned our evening meal of stir fry and noodles. But I’m definitely finding it hard these last few days. I’d forgotten I’d arranged a curry out with my friend on Saturday too, and she rang me arrange today so that’s another hurdle.....

I am great on this plan until I fall off the wagon, and then I’m bloody awful!

Bear - it's a hard diet to socialise on, I agree!

I've got to take my son for his half term treat tomorrow... 5 Guys burger bar... going to be a struggle!

God I've just checked the nutritional info for 5 Guys. My son normally has a burger and large fries. The burger is fine, kind of 600 cals. The fries though .... wait for it ..... 1700 cals.
And he has a milkshake. He's only 10! Going to see if I can talk him into sushi...

OMG bridget that's so excellent!

Disappointed in myself because I fell victim to some chocolate I got from my Galentine - meant to have one piece but then it kind of was more. Fortunately it was on the small side, so eating the whole thing wasn't as disastrous as it could be.

The rest of the day was reasonably ok, so still under 900 cals. But close to 50 gr carbs, when I'm consciously trying to stay near 30. Still, could be worse.

I’m going along well. Thanks to bear mentioning she aims for 700 rather than 800. This has made it much easier for me. I’m having a shake for breakfast, lentil and feta salad for lunch, then 300 ish calorie dinner. This leaves room for milk for coffee.
I’m going out on Friday but have food planned to take. While it will be over the regular amount it’s almost all BSD appropriate.

I’ve also switched my daily routine a bit. So rather than showering in the morning I’m going for a walk and then shower at night. I think that this option might actually be easier for me than trying to excerise in the morning.