Anyone doing low(ish) carb for reasons other than weight loss?

[WhatFreshHeckle]

I know this is a weight loss board btw, but since it's a low carb related question...

I'm thinking of doing this, as much for just general lack of energy and to reduce bloating from too much bread etc, rather than weight loss (although a little accidental weight loss would be very welcome).

Is anyone else doing similar?

I'm doing it to lower my blood sugar. I'm in normal weight range, wouldn't be upset if I lost anything up to a stone but that's not what I am trying it for.

I had a random blood glucose test about 2 and a half weeks ago and it was off the scale (19.1). I started keto immediately (I think technically you are best to ease into doing low carb) and I've reduced my blood sugars down to an average of 7ish. Lowest has been 6.2 which is getting near normal.

The main issue I've had so far is constipation (sorry for the tmi but it's useful to know).

I'm also intermittent fasting for the same reason.

Intention is to move to low carb if possible once I get blood sugars into a normal range. DH is doing low carb, so essentially just adding a little carb to what i'm making or his lunch.

Have you decided to go for it or started yet?

Yes am cutting out wheat for joint pain.

Same as Bigboysdontcry to reduce blood glucose. I've tried to lose weight for so long - had some success with Slimming World and lost over a stone - but it's unsustainable long term. Cut down to one slice of seeded bread per day, had 2 ryvita at lunch with Stilton & walnut salad and had a vegetable stew for dinner with sweet potato.

I have reduced my carbs after trialing a cgm for 2 weeks which showed that bread was spiking my blood glucose to 11mmol/l. This is despite a normal A1c of 5.2%/32.

I have somewhat reluctantly cut bread and most starchy carbs out and feel a lot better for it.

I'm doing it for dental health, hormones and to reduce inflammation in my body generally. I don't have a blood sugar problem.

I'm doing it as I'm a T1 diabetic of 52 years to help stop spikes in blood sugar

I play pole wrestling and have lowered my carbs it was a bad idea but it can be different for other people. I started feeling dizzy and had no energy to play. my nutritionist suggested having more carbs. carbs are the body's main source of energy. I started taking a balanced diet.

I'm T2, I low carb to avoid taking medication for it.

i don't get constipation, in fact (TMI) my poos are perfect, so much better than when I fall off the wagon & exist on carbs!!

how much water are drinking??

are you eating good fats?

I guess it depends what you eat instead of carbs. Nuts is good, a lot of meat not so good.

Watch this:

yes for heart health, such as reducing triglycerides and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. the reasons for choosing a low-carb diet can vary widely, and individuals need to find a dietary approach that works best for their individual health needs and goals. for more health tips you can visit https://thehealthydart.com/exercise-and-fitness/

right, Eating meat is good but eating lots of meat is not good. as i said that i do pole wrestling i need lots of strength. so along with meat i eat lots of salad and drink buttermilk.

I started to reduce huge fluctuations in blood sugar, that mid morning feeling that if I didn't eat immediately I would start shaking and lose my rag.

Switching to a very low carb breakfast has basically eliminated this.

(Also family history of type 2 diabetes though my blood sugar levels currently ok... Possibly due to the diet though!)

@LightandAiry

That would still be WAY too many carbs for my blood sugars. I could have the bread, the ryvita or the sweet potato, let alone all of them.

things like vegetable stew I can't have either, because even if each vegetable is relatively low in carbs, cooking them down like that means I eat more of them and it's too many carbs.

Yes, been keto/very low carb for 12 years now since having severe gestational diabetes which was subsequently suspected to be the onset of a genetic version of type 1 diabetes. I can just about keep blood sugars in range by doing this and remain off treatment. Not always easy as I'm also vegetarian so all meat is off the table but it's just my way of life now and comes naturally.

I also do intermittent fasting although this is more to do with stopping myself snacking since working from home!

I’ve been v.lc /keto for 8ish years

I’m stable weight, BMI 21

i just can’t ‘go back’ to eating shit carbs. There have been occasions I have eaten shit carbs over the years at parties or on holidays and I am immediately reminded of why I never want to stop this WOE.

Im instantly more tired, with cravings, bloated, worse skin, grumpy, gastro-y.

I eat 2 meals a day so IF 16/8 and do have occasional fruit and sourdough but UPF is just a hard no for me, I’m 50 and have no health issues at all, not even the aches that so many friends talk about. I’d like to keep it that way.

to pp about the energy drops they experienced. That’s common until your body learns to switch to fat for energy, and once it does you don’t get the sudden slumps in energy (bonking) and your endurance for exercise increases massively. However, in saying that if you look at the insane Tour de France riders, they go low carb for training so they’ve got the endurance but for races they get straight glucose so the muscles are firing fast. You really need to be able to use both energy sources - fat (ketones) and glucose to be metabolically healthy.

I did 'Breadless April' as part of a test to see how I felt if I massively reduced my carb intake and felt less bloated and (don't know how to describe it) less 'funny'. The funny feeling only happened after my evening meal (usually involving potatoes) and I'm suspecting my pancreas is dead, along with my menopausal ovaries some blood glucose spike that my body's not dealing with as effectively as it used to.

Been eating 'as normal' again because I have an NHS Healthcheck thing this week but I suspect they'll flag up pre/diabetes (runs in the family). Can't believe how rubbish and lacking in energy/aching I'm feeling though. Can't wait until after this healthcheck to do 'Breadless and Low Carb What's Left Of 2024'

TLDR; I feel better if I don't eat many carbs.