Prediabetes

Obermayerd

Have to monitor b.s. I exercise 3 to 4x/wk. Have lost about 8 or 9lbs. I need to know how much carbs I should limit myself to. Some articles say 160g & some say 200g. Also would like to know in macros.

gpanda103

I’m seeing a lot of conflicting info too. It seems like overall weight loss is necessary, but if you are super concerned I would stick to complex carbs. Potatoes, brown rice, whole grains, etc

Obermayerd

Thanks am already doing this was wanting to talk to the RD? Are they not available?

cwolfman13

I had pre-diabetic blood work when I started all of this a decade ago. Note that pre-diabetes isn't an actual disease, it's basically a warning shot to change some things before it gets out of hand. The two biggest factors in bringing that number down is to lose weight and get active.

I didn't really aim for any particular carbohydrate goal, but I did customize my macros to 40c/30p/30f which is also known as the "zone diet" which was a popular macro breakdown at that time. On a base 2000 calorie diet that gave me 200g carbohydrate. As I recall, I was usually under that at around 150g on average and over on protein and pretty close on fat.

More importantly for me, I cut out full sugar sodas for which I was drinking anywhere from 3-6 daily as well as cut way back on things like cookies and candies and whatnot. I did not cut back on things like grains and starches or vegetables or fruits...I actually increased my consumption of these things, particularly vegetables and started including more legumes and whole grains like hearty whole grain breads for my sandwiches, as well as things like oats and quinoa all of which provide for a good high fiber diet. But cutting out the sodas was probably the biggest thing diet wise as it was a lot of straight sugar in my diet.

I also started getting active. I started walking most days for some light activity, but also included days with more moderate cardiovascular exercise like jogging or cycling and I got back into the weight room 2-3x per week. Resistance training is actually hugely beneficial to controlling blood sugar. Resistance training has shown to be very effective in reducing visceral fat which helps the body more effectively use insulin thus reducing blood sugar levels, with some studies suggesting that it may be more effective than long durations of light to moderate cardiovascular activity in this regard.

AnnPT77

Obermayerd wrote: »

Thanks am already doing this was wanting to talk to the RD? Are they not available?

That was a special event, not an ongoing service on MFP. I don't know whether it will be offered again in future, or not.

Generally, if you look at a range of advice on a question from other users here on MFP, you can figure out a useful course.

Or, use the information from a mainstream organization like the American Diabetes Association ( https://www.diabetes.org/), though some people will tell you the mainstream sources are part of some kind of . . . conspiracy? . . . for lack of a better term.

If you need personalized advice, some health plans (in the US) now offer a phone or electronic way to ask questions of an RD, a few grocery (or maybe drugstore) chains offer such a service, or you can ask your doctor for a referral to an RD. In my Community, some community organizations offer diabetes education classes for free or cheap, too. Check YMCA, adult education programs, the hospital systems near you, etc. I know you're only pre-diabetic, but I'd be surprised if they check your credentials before they let you sign up, though I admit I've never tried.