Hi. Any vegetarian low-carbers out there?

Heather_J_May

Hi. I’m Heather and I’ve just been diagnosed with pre-diabetes and I’m starting a low-carb way of eating. It’s all very new to me. Any help would be gratefully received! I am using Michael Mosley’s ‘the 8 week blood sugar diet’ and Rose Elliot’s ‘the vegetarian low-carb diet’ as a starting point.

kabubify

That sounds really interesting! I'm a veggie as well, but I'm on a 50% carb, 30% protein, 20% fat plan right now, so not really low carb >.> Still, it's a lot of Greek yogurt, eggs, and cottage cheese...

Heather_J_May

Hi kabubify
Good to hear from you. I’m not really doing percentages but for my first couple of weeks I’m aiming for at least 60g protein and about 20g carbs a day. I eat more fat to keep the calories up. I’m eating Greek yoghurt, eggs etc until it’s coming out of my ears!

Aint2Proud2Meg

Add me. I'm not a low carb per se, but I end up "accidentally" low carb most days. I share recipes too. Other posters feel free to add me as well.

rheddmobile

Hi Heather! I'm a type 2 diabetic - since starting MFP I've improved my A1c from 11 to 4.7. I definitely wish I had started when I was just prediabetic! Good for you making changes early.

Just wanted to say that as much as diet, regular exercise is important to increase insulin sensitivity. Aim for at least 15 minutes of intense cardio (makes you drip sweat and can't talk during it) or 30 minutes of less intense cardio. Weight training also improves insulin sensitivity. I eat fairly high carb (about 150g / day) and have had good results. I have a vegan friend who eats very high carb and also has well controlled glucose levels. It makes a big difference what kind of carbs you eat.

I'm not a vegetarian so can't help with specifically vegetarian recipes, but Spaghetti squash and Zoodles really helped me eat less pasta! Good luck to you!

Heather_J_May

Thank you rheddmobile. Its good to hear your advice. I have started going to the gym recently and I'm determined to get a grip on my eating habits. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

Heather_J_May

Its great to know that there are like-minded people out there. I really appreciate your comments and support.

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kabubify

Heather_J_May wrote: »

Hi kabubify
Good to hear from you. I’m not really doing percentages but for my first couple of weeks I’m aiming for at least 60g protein and about 20g carbs a day. I eat more fat to keep the calories up. I’m eating Greek yoghurt, eggs etc until it’s coming out of my ears!

20g carbs a day, so basically none!!! So I'm assuming there's probably a lot of nuts in your diet too? I've heard some people drink plain oil to get the cal amount up as well.
Right more, daily I'm eating at least 4 eggs (most of the time hard boiled), 4-6 egg whites, 1 cup of plain fat free Greek yogurt and 1 cup of cottage cheese.

leggup

I just googled the Blood Sugar Diet and see, "800 Calories a day, low carb Med style eating for up to 8 weeks." PUT THE BOOK DOWN. Any book that says you should eat only 800 cals a day (even if it is the 'aggressive' version) is not a reliable source of information. You have been diagnosed pre-diabetes. You don't need a crash diet; you need to follow your doctor's recommendations. If your doctor did not provide any, see a registered dietitian; you should be able to get a referral from your Dr.

Here are some general guidelines from Mayo clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prediabetes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355284

• Eat healthy foods. Choose foods low in fat and calories and high in fiber. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without compromising taste or nutrition.
• Be more active. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
• Lose excess weight. If you're overweight, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight — only 10 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kilograms) if you weigh 200 pounds (91 kilograms) — can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To keep your weight in a healthy range, focus on permanent changes to your eating and exercise habits. Motivate yourself by remembering the benefits of losing weight, such as a healthier heart, more energy and improved self-esteem.
• Stop smoking.
• Take medications as needed. If you're at high risk of diabetes, your doctor might recommend metformin (Glucophage, others). Medications to control cholesterol and high blood pressure might also be prescribed.

KolleenS

Hello! I just changed from vegan to vegetarian so I can do a keto diet long enough to get this extra fat off me. I used to do keto so easily when I ate meat, but now it's much harder. Keto is basically extremely low carbs, high fat, medium protein.

Yesterday I reached all my macros for the first time! I'm finding it a bit fun to work out the math and make it work. Unfortunately it's taking a lot of time so my work is suffering.

Feel free to add me.

iAmPDMehta

Hey frenz

Heather_J_May

Thanks again for your ideas and comments. I do eat quite a lot of nuts and eggs! I'm not calorie counting and I'm only being strict for the first couple of weeks. I'm feeling really good with how its going. It's only my first week. Good luck to you all.