Diabetic? _ can a low carb diet still be ok?

Kelstyr
Kelstyr Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi, I am diabetic, I have not had much luck with weight loss. I began doing the kettleBell work ouots, but I find I am getting more solid, not smaller.
I think I need to make eating changes as well.
I am a casserole mentality gal.

Rice,Pasta, bread, potatoes ...I swear its an addiction!!
Has anyone found a combination of counting carbs that is diabetic and found it to work without causing kidney issues?

Replies

  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Generally speaking, if you are diabetic a low(er) carb diet is desirable.

    However, considering your condition, you should ultimately refer to your physician.
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    I'm not sure what kidney issues have to do with eating a lower carb diet. Are you suggesting that pushing your body into ketosis could cause kidney problems?

    Anyway, if you're diabetic, you should follow a lower carb diet. Your physician/nutritionist/dietician should be able to provide better guidance on what would work for you.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Diabetics are the only people who should follow low carb diets imo.

    I would recommend a mild one - the Zone perhaps - you don't have to go batty atkins or full keto.
  • holeshottdr
    holeshottdr Posts: 364 Member
    Generally speaking, if you are diabetic a low(er) carb diet is desirable.

    However, considering your condition, you should ultimately refer to your physician.

    Good advice
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    I had Gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my daughter and lost 70lbs by counting my carbs. I used this site to count my carbs instead of my calories. I didn't focus on my calories then. Not sure how much of a difference Gestational diabetes is from actual diabetes.
  • starrmom911
    starrmom911 Posts: 6 Member
    Check out a book called "The Diabetes Miracle". I saw improvement in my blood sugar numbers the first week and I'm finally starting to lose weight. :)

    Edited to add: this book was written for people with Type 2.
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
    I have Type 2. I was instructed by my Dr. and by nutritionists to eat a low(er) carb diet. I would suggest you speak to your Dr. and or nutritionist right away. You may want to look into a diabetes education class - many hospitals have them available and many insurances cover them - they are very informative. If you are eating a lot of white rice, white bread, potatoes etc., you could be causing problems for yourself.

    And before this goes for a ride on the ridiculous side, I am NOT advocating low(er) carb for anyone who is not Type 2 Diabetic!

    I've found that if you lower intake of carbs, replacing them with higher fiber options like brown rice, whole grain breads etc., you won't miss the refined carbs nearly so much, if at all.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I am just going to chime in on the whole low carb thing for diabetics... I am a Type 2 Diabetic diagnosed in 2009 with A1c of 10.0 and was insulin resistant. My endocrinologist set me up with a Nutritionist, I was pushing 560 lbs. and something had to change.. She set me up on a meal plan of 2400 calories a day and 240 grams of carbs... It wasn't so much the quantity of carbs but the quality of carbs... I got rid of all the enriched flours, and simple carbs and replaced them with complex carbs and multi-grains and brown rice... Once I established this lifestyle my weight starting coming off and the effects of the diabetes started reversing... 37 months later and 310 lbs. down, I am currently eating 3200-3400 calories a day and 320 grams of carbs and am still losing weight... So in my opinion not All Diabetics have to go low carb, but I would suggest working with your doctor and getting set up with a Nutritionist to figure out what works best for you..... Best of Luck.....
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I am T1.5 diabetic. I was on an insulin pump and metformin. I am drug free today. I have MFP to thank for it and a healthy lifestyle. I low carb and my diary is public. I'm also Primal/Paleo. Many people think Paleo is a low carb lifestyle, but it isn't. It's simply reduced carbs because you take out all the junk and are left with whole, nutritious foods (meat, veggies, fruit).
    We still eat casseroles at my house, and we eat mashed cauliflower instead of mashed taters.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    I've found that if you lower intake of carbs, replacing them with higher fiber options like brown rice, whole grain breads etc., you won't miss the refined carbs nearly so much, if at all.

    ^^ this! keep an eye on your fiber (which slows sugar absorption) and talk with a nutritionist and your doctor. basically, all foods have carbohydrates. there's a ratio that works well for people trying to heal themselves and i believe (though i'm not a nutritionist) that it has to do with fiber to sugar ratio.
  • mrykyldy2
    mrykyldy2 Posts: 96 Member
    Every diabetic is different. Diabetics do need to monitor thier carbs more carefully than anyone. For my husband we have had to cut out starchy foods at dinner because of the way his body reacts to them. I try very hard to keep his breakfast and lunch carb count at about 50 grams of carbs max. When we go to the gym we both have a banana before hand, after we have some protein. I try keeping his max grams of carbs between 200-250 every day. Some days he goes over and others he is under. You have to play with your eating plan to find what works for you. But I really do recommend going to a diabeties eduacation class and work with a registered dietician. The best any of us can really do is to tell you what has worked for us.
  • hulkklogan
    hulkklogan Posts: 77 Member
    Hi, I am diabetic, I have not had much luck with weight loss. I began doing the kettleBell work ouots, but I find I am getting more solid, not smaller.
    I think I need to make eating changes as well.
    I am a casserole mentality gal.

    Rice,Pasta, bread, potatoes ...I swear its an addiction!!
    Has anyone found a combination of counting carbs that is diabetic and found it to work without causing kidney issues?

    I'll start off by saying consult a physician and/or nutritional expert.

    My personal recommendation is cutting out grains totally. If you're not taking in all of those carbs/sugars, your body won't have to try to regulate all of that. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, and meat. I'll leave it at that.
  • willnorton
    willnorton Posts: 995 Member
    as my friend Ed Davenport said not all people are the same...I have been on the low carb plan and my BS numbers have come from near 400 to normal.....around 100 everyday....I did the low carb...

    so our bodies react different....

    2 things to do....

    1- have a BS meter....check your numbers multiple times a day.....especially after you eat, you can tehn see what foods cause you trouble...you might be a person like Ed who can tolerate the carbs or you might be like me and can not handle so many...but TEST TEST TEST....know your numbers...

    2- and most important, go to an educated person who deals with diabetics...I have found not all doctors know what they are talking about....see a diabetes specialist....nutritionalist.....

    there are so many different diets.....low carb wise...Zone Atkins South Beach ....read and do research and pick teh one right for you...

    good luck and hopefully we can talk more
    Bill


    OH, i TY TO KEEP MY CARBS AROUND 20 TO 30 GRAMS A DAY..NET (THAT IS TOTAL CARBS MINUS FIBER GRAMS)... THAT MAYBE CONSIDERED ULTRA LOW CARB
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    I have not had much luck with weight loss. I began doing the kettleBell work ouots, but I find I am getting more solid, not smaller.
    I think I need to make eating changes as well.
    You ran at this backwards. Focus on making adjustments to your diet first and then add exercise (both cardio and weight traing) to compliment your weight loss effort. As you've found out there's no way to exercise all the calories off without watching what you eat.

    I'm also T2, I try to keep my carbs under 150g/day.
    There's been a lot of good advice here that's worth repeating.

    - See a doctor
    - cut out the simple carbs (white rice, white potatoes. white paste) If it's white it's not right.
    - you can have limited portions of brown rice, whole grain pasta and sweet potatoes
    - small amounts of fruit are OK
    - drink plenty of water
    - fiber is beneficial
  • CALIECAT
    CALIECAT Posts: 12,530 Member
    I am a diabectic and I was unable to control my carbs. Till I started drinking Glucerna shakes. They really taste good and my blood sugar has drop to norman range.and I have lost 7 lbs in the first two weeks. I do not plan on staying on glucerna full time just about a month. Then I will switch to low carbs foods and follow the Insulin Resistance diet of 30 carbs and 15 protein Per meal. I hope i can ween myseelf off of them. For I am fully satisfy with drinking them.
    Callie
  • pennell12
    pennell12 Posts: 190 Member
    How's your A1C now?

    fellow diabetic:happy:
  • pennell12
    pennell12 Posts: 190 Member
    Can you tell us more about The Insulin Resistance Diet? ThanksQ
  • carld256
    carld256 Posts: 855 Member
    I'm a type 2 diabetic, and I don't eat low carb. I follow a low-fat, low-gi plant based diet. I'm down 80 pounds from my peak weight, my A1C is 4.7, my fasting BG readings are in the mid 70s and 80s, and I've been off all diabetes meds for years now.

    Going low-carb does work for a lot of diabetics, but it's not the only way to eat.
  • tmshank18
    tmshank18 Posts: 37 Member
    Since I began tracking my food on MFP, I have also check my blood glucose levels several times a day now and just by simply following my calories and carbs recommended on MFP I have seen a significant drop in my meter readings. I made a simple chart in Excel and record my meter readings as I take them. If my glucose number is high I can usually look at my food tracker for that day and see what caused the spike.
  • tmshank18
    tmshank18 Posts: 37 Member
    That is awesome!!! Amazing how changing our diets can improve our health so much. I love this website!!
  • Kelstyr
    Kelstyr Posts: 6 Member
    I have no kidney issues, I have just heard one must be careful of such.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Have you spoken to your endocrinologist or dietician yet? Have you considered choosing very low glycaemic index carbs (low sugar fruits, non starchy vegetables, lentils, beans. barley) and portion control?
  • kmorganlfc
    kmorganlfc Posts: 115 Member
    Circumstance and individual cases are paramount. I'm type 2 diabetic, but if you saw my meals it looks like I'm on a high carb diet - even though my glucose levels are well under control. This is because I will hypo if I eat a lower amount of carbs given the amount of exercise I do. This 'balance' was achieved through trial and error - where the errors (hypos) weren't very pleasant at all. If you are uncertain, talk to a diabetes specialist, but you need to understand what effect dieting and exercise have on diabetes. It's usually a very positive effect. :)

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