Pre-diabetic diagnosis ~ how do I approach this lifestyle?
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I get that, too. Then below that is where I'm sure that I'm doing something wrong. It says my body fat is 43% so I put 43 in the box under "how much body fat do you have". Then it asks about carbs and I put in 50g. Then it talks about protein needs being based on activity level and choose a number between 57 and 93. So I put 65. Then I put in 30% deficit because 20% had me losing about 2 pounds a month and 30% says I lose 4.7 pounds a month. Then THAT'S when it tells me that I need 1,312 calories and 95 g fat daily. Now I've went and eaten a lot of pork rinds because I know they are carb free but I've went way over my calories and fat grams for the day.^^ That is what I get when I plug your stats.
I'm so frustrated. 0 -
How did you measure your body fat? Is it accurate?
Drop stevia and add coconut oil or butter to your coffee, drop half and half and use whole milk heavy whipping cream instead. This will keep you fuller longer
Try cutting your broccoli by half, add some proteins like bacon. Onions and tomatoes have carbs, use in moderation.
Balsamic vinegar, how much carbs/sugar is in it? You can try dry rub and smother your meat with butter instead of all those carby spices. Add mushrooms, sautéed spinach with olive oil and cream cheese, it's delicoiuse and filling.
Just count your carbs, you can try lower amount if you're not losing and go from there.
Good luck and keep experimenting, something will have to give soon or later. Be patient with yourself, remember, it takes time to see the benefits!
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I went with the body fat percentage that the keto calculator suggested I had. I'm not sure if that's accurate or not. I'm already over on the protein macro, too, and if I had used more fats like butter and such then I would be even more over my calories and fats than I am now. Maybe I don't understand how this works? Balsamic vinegar has about 2g carbs per Tbsp and used 1/4 cup for the entire roast. I plan to eat 1/6 of that roast. It's an old recipe I have that my significant other loves and I thought it would be ok because it was mostly just meat and veggies. Once I started adding everything up, it was a lot more than I originally thought. Probably won't make it again anytime soon. Am I not supposed to worry about the calories and just focus on the carbs? I think it's going to be terribly difficult for me to try to control both of those things at once because the fat I need to help keep me full has a lot of calories and I'll go over my targets every time.How did you measure your body fat? Is it accurate?
Drop stevia and add coconut oil or butter to your coffee, drop half and half and use whole milk heavy whipping cream instead. This will keep you fuller longer
Try cutting your broccoli by half, add some proteins like bacon. Onions and tomatoes have carbs, use in moderation.
Balsamic vinegar, how much carbs/sugar is in it? You can try dry rub and smother your meat with butter instead of all those carby spices. Add mushrooms, sautéed spinach with olive oil and cream cheese, it's delicoiuse and filling.
Just count your carbs, you can try lower amount if you're not losing and go from there.
Good luck and keep experimenting, something will have to give soon or later. Be patient with yourself, remember, it takes time to see the benefits!
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I'm 5'4 and currently weigh 141 lbs (hovering between 140 and 142 lbs). I was 152 lbs last October. According to the numbers I am using, I should be losing a pound a week, but I'm not. It's incredibly slow, but I am seeing my body shape up and fit into my old jeans so I am trying not to stress it.
My numbers are:
Your Daily Goal:
1,300 calories
16 g carbs (5%)
108 g fat ( 75%)
65 g protein (20%)
I'm pretty sedentary, but do a light workout now 3 times a week. I do not document the workout or "eat back" the calories burned. I figured it helps account for inaccuracies in logging.
My daily meals end up looking kinda like this:
Breakfast:
2 slices bacon
1 egg fried in the bacon grease
Bulletproof variant on coffee
Sometimes jello with heavy cream
Lunch:
85g broccoli (sometimes spinach with cream cheese and/or olive oil and vinegar instead)
1 Tablespoon (14 oz) unsalted Kerrygold butter
1 slice (28 oz) cheese
2-3 oz of meat (often sliced roast turkey lunch meat, fancy ham, pork chop - CHECK THE LUNCH MEAT. I don't get the stuff that has more than 2g carbs per serving)
Probiotic tea
Dinner:
2-3 oz meats
Sometimes cabbage or sauerkraut sauteed in bacon grease
Fat to limits / taste
Dessert / snack:
(One or more of the following)
Cream cheese and butter frosting
Lilly's dark chocolate with stevia
Chamomile tea with heavy cream
Chicken broth / stock, sometimes with oil added
Fat drink with whey protein if I need extra protein, almond-coconut milk, macadamia nut oil
I do have a little more variety and other things that I eat, but the above is pretty typical on a work day. I find it easy to have things I can put together quickly with little fuss.
I would like to point out that stress causes your body to generate cortisol. Cortisol can interfere with weight loss and ketosis. If you're stressed, you're probably going to have problems. Try to relax and don't stress so much. You'll be sabotaging yourself. Fiance and I have both learned that the hard way...
-T.
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Update: no dessert tonight. Hubs made steak and asparagus!0
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Keliandra, 164 is probably not a bad weight at all for someone of your height. At my height,164 is in the obese range at 43% body fat. I'm so confused on what to do. I wish I could afford to visit a dietitian and them just tell me what to do. I'm a better follower than I am a leader. How much weight are you losing at a 20% deficit on an average week, if I may ask? 75g carbs seems more doable than 50. I can do without the bread and pasta and rice, but veggies and fruits? I need those, I think. Or maybe I'm just fooling myself. I had a large serving of broccoli today for a snack and it was 9g carbs. I could hardly believe it. 9 g just on freaking broccoli. -.-
Honey, there are people at many levels of watching their carbs here. The important thing is, they're watching. A lot of us do keto or under 20 carbs per day for various reasons, but that doesn't mean you have to. If you're a better follower, pick a plan like Atkins or Protein Power and stick to it until you, yourself, are comfortable fiddling with it. Do what works for you. 75 grams of carbs, while it may seem high compared to some of our numbers, would still probably be worlds better than your previous diet. If you can cut out the grains & do 75, then do it. If you need to follow a plan find a plan. If you can tell us your general guidelines, we can probably help you find it.
Remember that you and your health are worth spending some effort on, but driving yourself crazy won't help.
*hugs*0 -
Oh, one more thing: if you find you're stressing about food and not knowing what to do and can't get your brain to quit freaking out, find something else to do. Personally, I like detailed coloring books (they make gorgeous mandala ones) to calm my brain and make it process at least in a somewhat non-panicked fashion for a bit. Your thing might be music, walks, a cup of hot tea, long baths, or reading. Don't be afraid of relaxing.0
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Oh, one more thing: if you find you're stressing about food and not knowing what to do and can't get your brain to quit freaking out, find something else to do. Personally, I like detailed coloring books (they make gorgeous mandala ones) to calm my brain and make it process at least in a somewhat non-panicked fashion for a bit. Your thing might be music, walks, a cup of hot tea, long baths, or reading. Don't be afraid of relaxing.
Thanks for your insight. I do find myself going crazy a little and my significant other noticed it last night, too. Normally I go for a walk in the evenings but didn't have time yesterday due to a meeting I had to attend. I've only been truly counting things for one day and was already wanting to just give up. If I could just wrap my head around that this is a measuring tool only and to help be be more accountable. ..not an instrument that I must please with every bite of food that goes in my mouth (like feeding a demon to keep it happy).. then I'd be happier and less stressed. Nevertheless, some things are easier said than done. For some reason I feel like I have to have it all figured out right now. I don't know why I'm like this but I am. Gonna get busy with extra housework today and get my evening walk in. Thanks again.
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I am no expert, but many ho claim to be experts say cutting over 25% is asking for trouble. Maybe you should kick that percentage back a little. I know we all want the weight to go away quickly. I just came out of a maddening 2.5 week stall. I wanted to cut back to 1200 cals but then I got a 'whoosh', and some pounds gone overnight, and I am not dehydrated....
It might be a little slower than you want, but the slower you lose it the more likely it is to stay off, right?0 -
Oops. Double posting0
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@SazySuze, it took me a few weeks to finally feel like I've got this. Try to be patient with yourself and this process. It's not something you can learn overnight. It takes trial and error to get to what feels best for you. You'll get it! I hear your determination! So, try not to stress it so much! Send a friend request if you want. My diary is open to friends! Keep hanging in there and in a short time the donuts will look disgusting, and you will not miss them!0
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I am no expert, but many ho claim to be experts say cutting over 25% is asking for trouble. Maybe you should kick that percentage back a little. I know we all want the weight to go away quickly. I just came out of a maddening 2.5 week stall. I wanted to cut back to 1200 cals but then I got a 'whoosh', and some pounds gone overnight, and I am not dehydrated....
It might be a little slower than you want, but the slower you lose it the more likely it is to stay off, right?
Are you talking about cutting the carb percentage or the calorie deficit back a little? Sorry.. little confused.0 -
@SazySuze, it took me a few weeks to finally feel like I've got this. Try to be patient with yourself and this process. It's not something you can learn overnight. It takes trial and error to get to what feels best for you. You'll get it! I hear your determination! So, try not to stress it so much! Send a friend request if you want. My diary is open to friends! Keep hanging in there and in a short time the donuts will look disgusting, and you will not miss them!
Thanks. I'm trying not to stress. Believe me, I am. I can do without the donuts, I think. But doing without fruits and veggies is truly a tough one. My doctor told me to make half my plate veggies and if I do that, I'm likely to be over my carb target every day. Its difficult for me to think that veggies and fruit aren't good for me.
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@SazySuze, it took me a few weeks to finally feel like I've got this. Try to be patient with yourself and this process. It's not something you can learn overnight. It takes trial and error to get to what feels best for you. You'll get it! I hear your determination! So, try not to stress it so much! Send a friend request if you want. My diary is open to friends! Keep hanging in there and in a short time the donuts will look disgusting, and you will not miss them!
Thanks. I'm trying not to stress. Believe me, I am. I can do without the donuts, I think. But doing without fruits and veggies is truly a tough one. My doctor told me to make half my plate veggies and if I do that, I'm likely to be over my carb target every day. Its difficult for me to think that veggies and fruit aren't good for me.
You can still have vegetables, just not all of them I just did a quick search for "veggie carb counts" on Google and found a list on http://lowcarbediem.com/atkins-low-carb-fruit-vegetable-list/. It's a list of the lowest carb veggies and fruits. For fruits, like people have said, stick to berries - strawberries and raspberries both have less than 2 g of net carbs in a quarter cup. And with veggies, add a fat to make it more satisfying to eat less vegetable. Butter is delicious on basically anything I think there are a few posts on this forum that have more comprehensive lists, too. This was just one of the first three on my search results.
Also, for the post above the one I quoted, they were probably talking about cutting your deficit back. A 30% deficit is HUGE, and you'll likely be ridiculously hungry and frustrated with it. If your BMR is basically the same as your calorie limit on your cut, you're literally eating the very minimum your body needs to survive. Like, if you were in a coma and did zero activity. I'm guessing with a 2 year old that's not the case Try a 20% cut, maybe? The weight loss/month given by the calculator is really a guess, since everyone's metabolisms are a little different. You might be ok with how it ends up. It will be easier to keep up in the long run, too, and you'll probably be less likely to put the weight back on if you're not miserable and hangry the whole time you're losing it.
Edited to add - berries are tasty with fat too, not just veggies. Heavy whipping cream anyone?
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Sure, you can still have some veggies and some fruits (the berries are the lowest carb fruit), just not half your plate. I think doctors say things like that because they don't know what else to say. It sounds good to them, so they use it.
And yes @Chaskavitch, bring on the hwc!0 -
Chaskavitch wrote: »@SazySuze, it took me a few weeks to finally feel like I've got this. Try to be patient with yourself and this process. It's not something you can learn overnight. It takes trial and error to get to what feels best for you. You'll get it! I hear your determination! So, try not to stress it so much! Send a friend request if you want. My diary is open to friends! Keep hanging in there and in a short time the donuts will look disgusting, and you will not miss them!
Thanks. I'm trying not to stress. Believe me, I am. I can do without the donuts, I think. But doing without fruits and veggies is truly a tough one. My doctor told me to make half my plate veggies and if I do that, I'm likely to be over my carb target every day. Its difficult for me to think that veggies and fruit aren't good for me.
You can still have vegetables, just not all of them I just did a quick search for "veggie carb counts" on Google and found a list on http://lowcarbediem.com/atkins-low-carb-fruit-vegetable-list/. It's a list of the lowest carb veggies and fruits. For fruits, like people have said, stick to berries - strawberries and raspberries both have less than 2 g of net carbs in a quarter cup. And with veggies, add a fat to make it more satisfying to eat less vegetable. Butter is delicious on basically anything I think there are a few posts on this forum that have more comprehensive lists, too. This was just one of the first three on my search results.
Also, for the post above the one I quoted, they were probably talking about cutting your deficit back. A 30% deficit is HUGE, and you'll likely be ridiculously hungry and frustrated with it. If your BMR is basically the same as your calorie limit on your cut, you're literally eating the very minimum your body needs to survive. Like, if you were in a coma and did zero activity. I'm guessing with a 2 year old that's not the case Try a 20% cut, maybe? The weight loss/month given by the calculator is really a guess, since everyone's metabolisms are a little different. You might be ok with how it ends up. It will be easier to keep up in the long run, too, and you'll probably be less likely to put the weight back on if you're not miserable and hangry the whole time you're losing it.
Edited to add - berries are tasty with fat too, not just veggies. Heavy whipping cream anyone?
Thank you. That link is really helpful! I will see what happens with a 20% deficit. I only went with the 30 because it was more like what MFP says is doable. .a pound a week. My metabolism is not that great, I think. I stay tired a lot and tend to lose weight slowly compared to others.0 -
Chaskavitch wrote: »@SazySuze, it took me a few weeks to finally feel like I've got this. Try to be patient with yourself and this process. It's not something you can learn overnight. It takes trial and error to get to what feels best for you. You'll get it! I hear your determination! So, try not to stress it so much! Send a friend request if you want. My diary is open to friends! Keep hanging in there and in a short time the donuts will look disgusting, and you will not miss them!
Thanks. I'm trying not to stress. Believe me, I am. I can do without the donuts, I think. But doing without fruits and veggies is truly a tough one. My doctor told me to make half my plate veggies and if I do that, I'm likely to be over my carb target every day. Its difficult for me to think that veggies and fruit aren't good for me.
You can still have vegetables, just not all of them I just did a quick search for "veggie carb counts" on Google and found a list on http://lowcarbediem.com/atkins-low-carb-fruit-vegetable-list/. It's a list of the lowest carb veggies and fruits. For fruits, like people have said, stick to berries - strawberries and raspberries both have less than 2 g of net carbs in a quarter cup. And with veggies, add a fat to make it more satisfying to eat less vegetable. Butter is delicious on basically anything I think there are a few posts on this forum that have more comprehensive lists, too. This was just one of the first three on my search results.
Also, for the post above the one I quoted, they were probably talking about cutting your deficit back. A 30% deficit is HUGE, and you'll likely be ridiculously hungry and frustrated with it. If your BMR is basically the same as your calorie limit on your cut, you're literally eating the very minimum your body needs to survive. Like, if you were in a coma and did zero activity. I'm guessing with a 2 year old that's not the case Try a 20% cut, maybe? The weight loss/month given by the calculator is really a guess, since everyone's metabolisms are a little different. You might be ok with how it ends up. It will be easier to keep up in the long run, too, and you'll probably be less likely to put the weight back on if you're not miserable and hangry the whole time you're losing it.
Edited to add - berries are tasty with fat too, not just veggies. Heavy whipping cream anyone?
Thank you. That link is really helpful! I will see what happens with a 20% deficit. I only went with the 30 because it was more like what MFP says is doable. .a pound a week. My metabolism is not that great, I think. I stay tired a lot and tend to lose weight slowly compared to others.
Remember, too, that at first, you don't want to be as strict on calories. You are changing the way your whole body works, and that takes time and energy. You'll need extra calories to make the changes. Also, your body will be working to repair that metabolism, and that also takes calories. While you're getting used to things, it helps to use the calories as a loose goal. As your system transitions and your metabolism repairs, you will get used to listening to your body's normal hunger signals again.
I personally have found that berries stalled me out pretty good. I had to ease off on them or put them in a fat bomb (a fatty version of a dessert/snack that helps keep fats up and carbs down, some people like them, some people avoid them, etc.). I also find that I don't have to eat at as much of a deficit to achieve weight loss with this way of eating, so consider the smaller deficit.
Another thing you can do is use NET carbs - specifically since you are eating veggies. The means that you subtract the fiber grams from the carb grams (if you're in the US, most other countries do this for you). Also, if you put some butter and cheese on your broccoli, you can eat less greens and feel more satisfied. I hardly eat any veggies, and I just got huge thumbs up from my endocrinologist on Friday. He's loved the changes and progress I've made, and asked if I was zero carb or considering it at the same time he asked me if I get any veggies at all. He acknowledged that is a knee-jerk type of reaction. LOL As long as my bloodwork is good and strong from balanced meats/fats/proteins/etc., he said the veggies aren't needed, so that was good news.
That all being said, please give yourself a break. This is the first day you tracked. Another thing to keep in mind is that many people track for two weeks just to get data, and then slowly step down 10 grams of carbs per week (if you started at 200 daily, next week would be 190, then 180, etc.) until they hit a threshold that works as far as feeling good, killing cravings, and losing weight. For me that was significantly lower, I think primarily due to how broken my body was... It may be that way for you, or it may not...
But again, be patient. If you feel like you're starving, eat. Your body is telling you something, and as long as that isn't "eat because you are stressed or bored," you're on the right track!
Carbs should be a limit, protein should be a range (you can go over that 90 something grams by a good bit if you need to while keeping your carbs lower), and use fats to fill in the difference. Every single person's numbers look different. If 75 grams of carbs results in good progress for you, go with that. And remember that for the most part, calorie goals when calculated are arbitrary as all get out... You have to find what works for you.
Just as an FYI, my calories per MFP are around 1700 (I'm 5'4" and 245 pounds, give or take), and sometimes I eat 1500 calories, sometimes I eat 1700 calories, and sometimes I eat 2500+ calories, because I'm following my hunger, and I'm still losing weight. If I stuck with the 1700 calories strictly, I would eat extra on days I'm not hungry, eat less on days I'm starving, and I'd be stuck at a plateau as I did last year for several months. So, try not to stress out, give yourself a break, and remember, fats are your friends! If I go over my calories while adjusting due to fats or proteins and fats together, but I'm still good on carbs, my body is happier than if I go over on carbs, under on the other two... So it's all relative.
Good luck!0 -
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Remember, too, that at first, you don't want to be as strict on calories. You are changing the way your whole body works, and that takes time and energy. You'll need extra calories to make the changes. Also, your body will be working to repair that metabolism, and that also takes calories. While you're getting used to things, it helps to use the calories as a loose goal. As your system transitions and your metabolism repairs, you will get used to listening to your body's normal hunger signals again.
I personally have found that berries stalled me out pretty good. I had to ease off on them or put them in a fat bomb (a fatty version of a dessert/snack that helps keep fats up and carbs down, some people like them, some people avoid them, etc.). I also find that I don't have to eat at as much of a deficit to achieve weight loss with this way of eating, so consider the smaller deficit.
Another thing you can do is use NET carbs - specifically since you are eating veggies. The means that you subtract the fiber grams from the carb grams (if you're in the US, most other countries do this for you). Also, if you put some butter and cheese on your broccoli, you can eat less greens and feel more satisfied. I hardly eat any veggies, and I just got huge thumbs up from my endocrinologist on Friday. He's loved the changes and progress I've made, and asked if I was zero carb or considering it at the same time he asked me if I get any veggies at all. He acknowledged that is a knee-jerk type of reaction. LOL As long as my bloodwork is good and strong from balanced meats/fats/proteins/etc., he said the veggies aren't needed, so that was good news.
That all being said, please give yourself a break. This is the first day you tracked. Another thing to keep in mind is that many people track for two weeks just to get data, and then slowly step down 10 grams of carbs per week (if you started at 200 daily, next week would be 190, then 180, etc.) until they hit a threshold that works as far as feeling good, killing cravings, and losing weight. For me that was significantly lower, I think primarily due to how broken my body was... It may be that way for you, or it may not...
But again, be patient. If you feel like you're starving, eat. Your body is telling you something, and as long as that isn't "eat because you are stressed or bored," you're on the right track!
Carbs should be a limit, protein should be a range (you can go over that 90 something grams by a good bit if you need to while keeping your carbs lower), and use fats to fill in the difference. Every single person's numbers look different. If 75 grams of carbs results in good progress for you, go with that. And remember that for the most part, calorie goals when calculated are arbitrary as all get out... You have to find what works for you.
Just as an FYI, my calories per MFP are around 1700 (I'm 5'4" and 245 pounds, give or take), and sometimes I eat 1500 calories, sometimes I eat 1700 calories, and sometimes I eat 2500+ calories, because I'm following my hunger, and I'm still losing weight. If I stuck with the 1700 calories strictly, I would eat extra on days I'm not hungry, eat less on days I'm starving, and I'd be stuck at a plateau as I did last year for several months. So, try not to stress out, give yourself a break, and remember, fats are your friends! If I go over my calories while adjusting due to fats or proteins and fats together, but I'm still good on carbs, my body is happier than if I go over on carbs, under on the other two... So it's all relative.
Good luck![/quote]
Thank you! Very interesting information. I've been fairly satisfied the last two days with around 50 carbs, give or take just a few. My protein was over both days, but interestingly my calories didn't even reach 1200 and I have it set for 1500 now. Wasn't even trying with the calories. .just trying to keep the carbs in check. I lost nearly a pound so far this week but gained about 3 pounds over the weekend making bad choices. I'm gonna get the hang of this. I guess it just takes time, like you say. Thank you fit your support and advice. 0 -
I was diagnosed with diabetes last week.
I had been sick for years and no one thought to check my blood sugar. I set my carbs at 100 but very rarely go over 50. My advice is do what you can now before it turns into full blown diabetes. I have to do more of a low glycemic index diet Because I also have diverticulitus and my stomach doesn't tolerate when I don't eat some "good" carbs.
Make sure not to skip meals, even if you aren't hungry just eat something small.0
