Starting Low Carb diet - confused!

tigersword

Reduce carbs, increase protein and fat. Count calories. No magical diet plan required.

dellaquilaa

Buy a book called the Starch Solution. It explains why diabetes is actually more positively correlated with a high FAT diet, not a high CARB diet. It also points out that doctors receive a mere fistful of hours learning about nutrition in medical school - including lectures on nutrition-related diseases like diabetes. They spend more time learning what drugs to prescribe to hide symptoms than they spend on learning the cause of the problem.

lily2521

Buy a book called the Starch Solution. It explains why diabetes is actually more positively correlated with a high FAT diet, not a high CARB diet. It also points out that doctors receive a mere fistful of hours learning about nutrition in medical school - including lectures on nutrition-related diseases like diabetes. They spend more time learning what drugs to prescribe to hide symptoms than they spend on learning the cause of the problem.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into it. I'm actually going to look into my options tomorrow too about seeing a nutritionist, wondering if that might be a good option to help me at this point.

thefoodscholar

I also have a slight blood sugar issue, and my nutritionist put me on a Low GI diet. From what I gather it's more about balancing your protein/carbs rather than eating just a low-carb diet. Low GI diets are supposed to help you regulate your blood sugar. So you might be interested in looking up Low GI or Low GL diets?

I'm not an expert, so I can't give you any real advice. But I'd recommend including them in your research. Good luck!

Twargo3

I have done Atkins - and have lost 44 pounds! I had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and borderline high blood sugar.... now I feel great and am off all medications! My weight loss has been slower than most - I started Mid November and lost 40 by Mid August...I believe it IS IMPORTANT to know why you are doing what you are doing - and why the heck it works. I recommend "the New Atkins For A New You" and anything Gary Taubes - there is also a book called 'Why We Get Fat"... very helpful.

bayberry223

Hello. My name is velvelyn smith and I've been on the grapefruit diet since January 1 2013 and today Oct 31 2013 I've lost 70 pounds. It's a low carb diet and it has changed my life. Give it a try and continue to ask God to strengthen you. Good luck...google the grapefruit duet for the 12 day plan if you are interested

mike_ny

Don't let people scare you about eating high fat. Yesterday 57% of my calories came from fat, 25% from protein, and only 17% from carbs ending the day with a 250 calorie deficit. I never felt hungry at all and got a good workout in. Keeping my carbs in that 15-20% range keeps my energy way up and my body fat percentage keeps edging down.

When I do occasionally eat a lot off carbs, it helps to balance them out with fat, so lots of butter, olive oil, and full fat cheeses on bread and pasta. Pasta is preferably homemade with a couple whole eggs.

I ate low fat for several years and just got fatter. Restricting calories worked, but I was constantly hungry and just couldn't keep it up for long. Since I went high fat, losing weight is so much easier and people can't understand how I lost and continue to lose weight eating full fat everything like I do.

There are essential proteins and essential fatty acids your body needs. There are no essential carbs. Carbs are good for fast energy and available glucose, but you can do just fine with very little of them. Stay above 75 grams or so a day and you'll be efficiently burning fat (dietary and body fat) for most of your fuel and never go into full ketosis.

judychicken

Bump

SusanUW83

I had pretty good luck on South Beach a few years ago but had no reason to do it again -- but I still reduce carbs by looking for low GI vegetables and grain options vice those that are higher. (GI = glycemic Index). The Dr. who wrote South Beach advocates low GI and low fat -- not "no carb" and "high fat high protein" as the early Atkins diet was famous for (it has been modified not to be so counter-good sense, in my opinion). Most of the low carb diets have phases where the first phase is a pretty strict group of foods (less starchy vegetables, low fat protein, low fat dairy, mostly). 2nd phase fruits and whole grains are added back in in small amounts, and more in 3rd (maintenance) phase.

can3mwh

I have had an acquaintance that kept diabetes under control for some time through a low carb diet. I like the low carb life style because it keeps my cravings at bay. Basically, cut out most things refined or processed, increase protein intake, and limit high sugar/starch vegetable and fruits. There is much to be learned from the internet from which you can create your own plan. I like the low carb plan created by Dr. Heller where you dinner plate is divided into 3rds for 1/3 protein, 1/3 low carb vegetables and 1/3 unrefined(unprocessed) starches like whole grain breads or beans. Good Luck.

lily2521

Don't let people scare you about eating high fat. Yesterday 57% of my calories came from fat, 25% from protein, and only 17% from carbs ending the day with a 250 calorie deficit. I never felt hungry at all and got a good workout in. Keeping my carbs in that 15-20% range keeps my energy way up and my body fat percentage keeps edging down.

When I do occasionally eat a lot off carbs, it helps to balance them out with fat, so lots of butter, olive oil, and full fat cheeses on bread and pasta. Pasta is preferably homemade with a couple whole eggs.

I ate low fat for several years and just got fatter. Restricting calories worked, but I was constantly hungry and just couldn't keep it up for long. Since I went high fat, losing weight is so much easier and people can't understand how I lost and continue to lose weight eating full fat everything like I do.

There are essential proteins and essential fatty acids your body needs. There are no essential carbs. Carbs are good for fast energy and available glucose, but you can do just fine with very little of them. Stay above 75 grams or so a day and you'll be efficiently burning fat (dietary and body fat) for most of your fuel and never go into full ketosis.

Thanks for your replies. Some of what you're saying is confusing to me because I'm so new to this, I've never tracked how much of something I'm eating. I think up until now I always had the false notion that because I'm not overweight it wasn't a problem so I never paid much attention. I have no clue how to figure out what % of my calories came from fat.

I am going to start tracking what I'm eating here though MFP and I know that will help, but I don't even really know where to start as far as what I can eat right now.

I feel so naive with some of this, ha! I don't know what ketosis is. I don't know how to figure out exactly what I'm supposed to be eating, and how many carbs, etc. I do have a call in to a nutritionist. Because so much of this is so foreign to me I think maybe that's a good place for me to turn?

No_Finish_Line

my mother is a diebetic and her doctor gives her a specific amount of carbs that he doesn't want her to exceed per meal.

I'd talk to your doctor about how many carbs per meal would be best... because how many you eat in one sitting will effect your blood sugar.

once you know how many you can have its really just a matter of reading labels or looking up foods in the database. if the item(s) have less grams of carbs then you are alotted then you can have it. if its more you can't, or you will have to have a smaller portion.

thats probably the simplest way to do it. you don't have to follow and particular diet plan.

lily2521

my mother is a diebetic and her doctor gives her a specific amount of carbs that he doesn't want her to exceed per meal.

I'd talk to your doctor about how many carbs per meal would be best... because how many you eat in one sitting will effect your blood sugar.

once you know how many you can have its really just a matter of reading labels or looking up foods in the database. if the item(s) have less grams of carbs then you are alotted then you can have it. if its more you can't, or you will have to have a smaller portion.

thats probably the simplest way to do it. you don't have to follow and particular diet plan.

I like the idea of doing this to be honest - seems a lot less complicated for me. And overall like I said I'm not trying to lose weight, I just need to be eating better and cut out the massive amount of carbs I have been eating up until now. Hopefully when I meet with the nutritionist they can give me some insight too on how many I should be eating per day/per meal. Thanks.

No_Finish_Line

also, i think that they amount of carbs she can eat per day is considerably more than most Atkins dieters eat... but per meal its very low, like she's not supposed to eat a whole bannana i one sitting.

Acg67

I have done Atkins - and have lost 44 pounds! I had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and borderline high blood sugar.... now I feel great and am off all medications! My weight loss has been slower than most - I started Mid November and lost 40 by Mid August...I believe it IS IMPORTANT to know why you are doing what you are doing - and why the heck it works. I recommend "the New Atkins For A New You" and anything Gary Taubes - there is also a book called 'Why We Get Fat"... very helpful.

Then fiction from both Atkins or Taubes likely won't help anyone understand how things work

Stoshew71

I just found out my blood sugar is slightly high, so my doctor is recommending exercise (which I also need to, and am going to, start) and a low carb diet.

I've Google'd low carb diets, but I'm confused by the different ones out there, and it seems like so much information I don't know where to look first. I just need a good starting point right now, and I'm in information overload. Can someone point me in the right direction just to get started on this low carb diet? I'm very confused, and don't know even the basics of what I should and shouldn't be eating right now.

Thank you.

Your doctor actually prescribed exercise. Did he also prescribe the low carb diet? Did he explain why your blood sugar was high? And he said "slightly high". That doesn't sound like a drastic solution like Atkins is necessary.

Here is what I would suggest. Make sure you are tracking everything here on MFP. Monitor your sugar closely as well as your overall Carb level. Especially when you eat them.

You also need to understand how your body processes food and especially how your body reacts during exercise in relation to food intake. The body naturally monitors things like sugar levels in the blood and reacts by releasing different harmones to control what is in your blood. Diseases like diabetes are caused when your body actually doesn't do what it naturally is supposed to do (like Type 1 diabetes people don't natually produce enough insulin) or your body doesn't react to these harmones (Type 2 diabetes where your body becomes resistant to the insulin).

The reason why your doctor prescribed exercise to take care of the "slightly high" sugar levels is because basic understanding of how the body works. In a nutshell: You eat certain foods, these foods get broken down into simplier parts like glucose (simple sugar). That get's released into the blood stream. Your blood get's a higher level of blood sugar. Sugar is transported to different parts of the body where cells that need this glucose for energy, then that sugar get's absorbed into those cells. If in a certain amount of short time (minutes) your body senses too much sugar in the blood stream, harmones are released to carry those sugar molecules where they are safely stored in the fat tissue. If something is not happening as I described, then you may have a disease like diabetes.

One way to combat this is by exercise. When you exercise, you create a demand for energy to your working muscle cells. Your body reacts by going through a series of systems to provide fuel to the muscle cells (ADP-ATP transformations). Your body goes through the Phosphagen System (where the muscle cells get energy from free floating fuel nearby the cells), and this lasts for 8 seconds as these free floating fuels run dry. Then Glygogen Lactic Acid kicks in where the muscle cells use up it's reserve of a complex carb called Glygogen. By about 90 seconds, this get's used up. So then a process where the cells need oxygen combined with fatty acids in fat tissue, protein breakdown from muscle cells (in extreme cases) or other fuel that is in the blood stream starts kicking in. This process known as aerobic resporation can last a long time as long as you have a good supply of oxygen and other fuels pumping through to the muscle cells that needs them.

What it boils down to, raising your activity levels will burn off the excess sugar in your blood stream if natural harmones released in the blood stream don't. I would suggest monitoring how much sugar you eat in calories (especially just before you plan to exercise) and then monitor how many calories you burn by the exercise. Does it even out? If you eat sugars like those in fruits and vegatbles, plan to eat them like a half hour before and after you plan to exercise. Carbs break down into sugars, but your body works harder to turn them into sugar and it takes your body a little more time to process the carb molecules into sugar. For this reason, experts say simple sugars is for quick energy (needed before activity) while carbs is for long term sustained energy that you need throughout the day.

I posted something here that I got from a couple different sources on the Internet that explains this process in better detail:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Stoshew71



How do you have your macros set in MFP? That is what percentage of Protein/Fat/Carbs? Make sure total carbs is set at a reasonable rate. If you go by the MFP default, then maybe lower the percentage of Carbs by 5% or so. Also, how many total grams of carbs and total grams of sugar is MFP allowing you? Oh an a very important step for you, how are you taking in fruits and vegatables? If you drink a glass of orange juice, I highly suggest you switch to eating a whole orange. Same with other juices. Juices leave out important nutrients like fiber that your body highly requires and plus you may be taking in more than you actually need by the juice. Plus make sure your carbs are in the whole grain catagory not bleached or processed.

Good luck!

tigersword

I just found out my blood sugar is slightly high, so my doctor is recommending exercise (which I also need to, and am going to, start) and a low carb diet.

I've Google'd low carb diets, but I'm confused by the different ones out there, and it seems like so much information I don't know where to look first. I just need a good starting point right now, and I'm in information overload. Can someone point me in the right direction just to get started on this low carb diet? I'm very confused, and don't know even the basics of what I should and shouldn't be eating right now.

Thank you.

Your doctor actually prescribed exercise. Did he also prescribe the low carb diet? Did he explain why your blood sugar was high? And he said "slightly high". That doesn't sound like a drastic solution like Atkins is necessary.

Here is what I would suggest. Make sure you are tracking everything here on MFP. Monitor your sugar closely as well as your overall Carb level. Especially when you eat them.

You also need to understand how your body processes food and especially how your body reacts during exercise in relation to food intake. The body naturally monitors things like sugar levels in the blood and reacts by releasing different harmones to control what is in your blood. Diseases like diabetes are caused when your body actually doesn't do what it naturally is supposed to do (like Type 1 diabetes people don't natually produce enough insulin) or your body doesn't react to these harmones (Type 2 diabetes where your body becomes resistant to the insulin).

The reason why your doctor prescribed exercise to take care of the "slightly high" sugar levels is because basic understanding of how the body works. In a nutshell: You eat certain foods, these foods get broken down into simplier parts like glucose (simple sugar). That get's released into the blood stream. Your blood get's a higher level of blood sugar. Sugar is transported to different parts of the body where cells that need this glucose for energy, then that sugar get's absorbed into those cells. If in a certain amount of short time (minutes) your body senses too much sugar in the blood stream, harmones are released to carry those sugar molecules where they are safely stored in the fat tissue. If something is not happening as I described, then you may have a disease like diabetes.

One way to combat this is by exercise. When you exercise, you create a demand for energy to your working muscle cells. Your body reacts by going through a series of systems to provide fuel to the muscle cells (ADP-ATP transformations). Your body goes through the Phosphagen System (where the muscle cells get energy from free floating fuel nearby the cells), and this lasts for 8 seconds as these free floating fuels run dry. Then Glygogen Lactic Acid kicks in where the muscle cells use up it's reserve of a complex carb called Glygogen. By about 90 seconds, this get's used up. So then a process where the cells need oxygen combined with fatty acids in fat tissue, protein breakdown from muscle cells (in extreme cases) or other fuel that is in the blood stream starts kicking in. This process known as aerobic resporation can last a long time as long as you have a good supply of oxygen and other fuels pumping through to the muscle cells that needs them.

What it boils down to, raising your activity levels will burn off the excess sugar in your blood stream if natural harmones released in the blood stream don't. I would suggest monitoring how much sugar you eat in calories (especially just before you plan to exercise) and then monitor how many calories you burn by the exercise. Does it even out? If you eat sugars like those in fruits and vegatbles, plan to eat them like a half hour before and after you plan to exercise. Carbs break down into sugars, but your body works harder to turn them into sugar and it takes your body a little more time to process the carb molecules into sugar. For this reason, experts say simple sugars is for quick energy (needed before activity) while carbs is for long term sustained energy that you need throughout the day.

I posted something here that I got from a couple different sources on the Internet that explains this process in better detail:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Stoshew71



How do you have your macros set in MFP? That is what percentage of Protein/Fat/Carbs? Make sure total carbs is set at a reasonable rate. If you go by the MFP default, then maybe lower the percentage of Carbs by 5% or so. Also, how many total grams of carbs and total grams of sugar is MFP allowing you? Oh an a very important step for you, how are you taking in fruits and vegatables? If you drink a glass of orange juice, I highly suggest you switch to eating a whole orange. Same with other juices. Juices leave out important nutrients like fiber that your body highly requires and plus you may be taking in more than you actually need by the juice. Plus make sure your carbs are in the whole grain catagory not bleached or processed.

Good luck!

While there is some info that is right here, there's also a lot that is wrong here. First, I believe the words you are looking for are "hormones" and I'm assuming "glycogen." Yes, it sounds like I'm being nitpicky, but to people that don't know anything about biology, spelling mistakes can be horrifying. For example, insulin and inulin are two completely different things, and could lead to serious confusion.

Now, insulin does hundreds of things in the human body, one thing it does NOT do is shuttle glucose to fat cells. Glucose doesn't go to fat cells. Insulin shuttles glucose directly to the muscles and organs that use it, then shuttles the rest to the liver. The liver converts the glucose to glycogen (glycogenesis) for storage. Once all the glycogen stores in your muscles and liver are completely full, then the liver will start converting excess glucose into glycerol. 3 glycerols are joined together to form a triglyceride, then that is sent to adipose cells for storage. It takes roughly 2-3 pounds of glycogen before the body starts producing glycerol.

Stoshew71

Thanks for the corrections tiger. I can appreciate how my bad speeling can confuse the novice. My apologies. Also, I may have over simplified the processes a bit. I kind of wrote it from the top of my head without referring to the facts or sources. The basic concept still holds water. I invite the OP to do her own investigation and research on how this all works. My off the cuff advice should lead her into further research. I provided enough to get her pointed in the right direction. Also, please consult your nutritionist. Don't just go by your docter alone. A general practitioner may have the basic idea of how the body works but a specialist (like a nutrionist or certified FT) may be more appropriate for more detailed questions or advise.

Just look at the physique of your doctor. Some are overweight and pudgy. That should tell you something about the advise they give you concerning nutrition and health.

lily2521

I just found out my blood sugar is slightly high, so my doctor is recommending exercise (which I also need to, and am going to, start) and a low carb diet.

I've Google'd low carb diets, but I'm confused by the different ones out there, and it seems like so much information I don't know where to look first. I just need a good starting point right now, and I'm in information overload. Can someone point me in the right direction just to get started on this low carb diet? I'm very confused, and don't know even the basics of what I should and shouldn't be eating right now.

Thank you.

Your doctor actually prescribed exercise. Did he also prescribe the low carb diet? Did he explain why your blood sugar was high? And he said "slightly high". That doesn't sound like a drastic solution like Atkins is necessary.

Here is what I would suggest. Make sure you are tracking everything here on MFP. Monitor your sugar closely as well as your overall Carb level. Especially when you eat them.

Yes, my doctors has prescribed the low carb diet, as well as the exercise. He didn't explain why it was high, I think I'm hoping to get that information from the nutritionist I meet with next week.

lily2521

How do you have your macros set in MFP? That is what percentage of Protein/Fat/Carbs? Make sure total carbs is set at a reasonable rate. If you go by the MFP default, then maybe lower the percentage of Carbs by 5% or so. Also, how many total grams of carbs and total grams of sugar is MFP allowing you? Oh an a very important step for you, how are you taking in fruits and vegatables? If you drink a glass of orange juice, I highly suggest you switch to eating a whole orange. Same with other juices. Juices leave out important nutrients like fiber that your body highly requires and plus you may be taking in more than you actually need by the juice. Plus make sure your carbs are in the whole grain catagory not bleached or processed.

Part of my problem here is I really have no clue what to set these %'s at? I'd like to get them figured out to start tracking. If my MFP goals are set by the 'guided' set up, based on what I'm plugging in for height/weight/exercise goals, it's giving me 215 carbs per day - I know that needs to be lower, but I'm not sure to what number I need to set it. If I go into MFP to change my %'s manually, I have no clue what to plug in there. Again, based on the guided numbers, which I know aren't right for me based on what I'm trying to accomplish it's showing 55% carb (215 grams), 15% protein (59 grams), and 30% fat. It also shows 31 grams of sugar allowed per day - again, I know this is too high for me.

My fruit an veggie intake overall needs to increase. I don't drink fruit juices, I usually eat the raw form of fruits/veggies (or steamed veggies). I'm a whole grain eater, always have been. I don't eat the white starchy type breads, pastas, etc. I always go for whole grains there.

Thank you for your help.