Low Carb Vs .Low Glycemic Diet

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Three years ago my chiropractor and myself talked about me losing weight. He put me on a 1200 calorie low carb plan. He recently upped my calories due to me being stuck and he said my body was in starvation mode. I have lost 5 pounds since the increase. I have lost 162 pounds to day by doing this plan and working out. Yesterday I went to my family doctor for a check up. Everything was good. Now he is wanting me to try a low glycemic diet. I really don't know what to do. I am afraid that it might mess up my weight loss if I switch plan. Any advice.
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  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Educate yourself. Decide how YOU want to lose weight. That's my advice. You know yourself best. Now, if you switch from low carb to slow carb (low glycemic) quickly, the scale will likely go up. But that's primarily water at first. if you think eating slow carb is sustainable for you, go for it. It's not unhealthy in any way if you eat enough calories.

    ps: i eat fairly "slow carb" if you have questions about that PM me. Best of luck.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,956 Member
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    As long as you keep your calories in check, you have nothing to worry about. :smile:
    Eat foods low on the Glycemic Index and keep calories at or under your calorie goal. You will be fine.
  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
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    I agree with educating yourself and deciding what you think would be most sustainable for you. If you do decide to go to low gi rather than low carb, I would gradually increase the amount of carbs you're consuming rather than going all in at once. Maybe keep a journal of carb amount, how you feel, and weight. This way you can get to a carb number that works best for you.

    Good luck!!
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
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    Did he say WHY he wants you on a low GI diet? I mean, losing 162 lbs is a hell of an accomplishment so you'd think he'd say "carry on!". If you are happy with what you are eating, then I'd say keep going.

    That said, neither low carb nor low GI are strictly required for weight loss. A calorie deficit is. He might be worried about continued compliance with the low carb diet, as it can be quite restricting. Maybe he thinks you'd do better gradually re-introducing some carbs?
  • SashaJaneJ
    SashaJaneJ Posts: 92 Member
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    Did he say WHY he wants you on a low GI diet? I mean, losing 162 lbs is a hell of an accomplishment so you'd think he'd say "carry on!". If you are happy with what you are eating, then I'd say keep going.

    That said, neither low carb nor low GI are strictly required for weight loss. A calorie deficit is. He might be worried about continued compliance with the low carb diet, as it can be quite restricting. Maybe he thinks you'd do better gradually re-introducing some carbs?

    I really don't know why he wants me to do the low glycemic diet. He never explained why.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    SashaJaneJ wrote: »
    Did he say WHY he wants you on a low GI diet? I mean, losing 162 lbs is a hell of an accomplishment so you'd think he'd say "carry on!". If you are happy with what you are eating, then I'd say keep going.

    That said, neither low carb nor low GI are strictly required for weight loss. A calorie deficit is. He might be worried about continued compliance with the low carb diet, as it can be quite restricting. Maybe he thinks you'd do better gradually re-introducing some carbs?

    I really don't know why he wants me to do the low glycemic diet. He never explained why.
    Why did he want you low carb?

  • SashaJaneJ
    SashaJaneJ Posts: 92 Member
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    SashaJaneJ wrote: »
    Did he say WHY he wants you on a low GI diet? I mean, losing 162 lbs is a hell of an accomplishment so you'd think he'd say "carry on!". If you are happy with what you are eating, then I'd say keep going.

    That said, neither low carb nor low GI are strictly required for weight loss. A calorie deficit is. He might be worried about continued compliance with the low carb diet, as it can be quite restricting. Maybe he thinks you'd do better gradually re-introducing some carbs?

    I really don't know why he wants me to do the low glycemic diet. He never explained why.
    Why did he want you low carb?

    I am a diabetic and on insulin.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Low carb means a certain number of grams of carbohydrate, those carbs can be low glycemic index and probably are as most people go low carb by cutting out the high GI stuff.

    If he's talking about Glycemic Load that too will be low on a low carb diet.

    So I would ask for guidance on what the target would be, I don't think they have to be exclusive.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Both guys are essentially talking about the same thing. Call the doctor's office back for clarification.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Chiropractors aren't doctors. You might as well ask your personal trainer how to handle your health as ask a chiropractor.

    Go with the doctor. If you want a second opinion, try a second doctor.

    I don't follow glycemic index much. I know it's different than just carbs or just sugar. OJ is moderate on the glycemic index. I remember that. It's a weird thing. If you end up going that route, get a referral to a dietician and go over it with them. They should know that stuff inside out. :)
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
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    You could even ask your doctor for an appointment with a nutritionist who specializes in diabetes. Many diabetics do find low carb diets can help regulate their blood sugar, although some find they can eat moderate amounts of low glycemic index ones. [Obviously, you know to avoid lots of added sugar and the like!] It will really depend on you and what your meter says.

    Diet is a critical aspect (along with exercise and weight loss and medicine) in keeping diabetes under control and your Doctor (NOT your chiropracter!) should take the time to educate you on this, or refer you to someone who can.


    NOTE: Glycemic Index of foods really doesn't relate very well to "real life" - it just looks at an individual item in isolation. How often does one simply eat one item of food without anything else? Glycemic Load is a better scale as it looks at combinations, but it isn't perfect. Use your glucometer to find how the meals you actually eat affect you personally.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    SashaJaneJ wrote: »
    SashaJaneJ wrote: »
    Did he say WHY he wants you on a low GI diet? I mean, losing 162 lbs is a hell of an accomplishment so you'd think he'd say "carry on!". If you are happy with what you are eating, then I'd say keep going.

    That said, neither low carb nor low GI are strictly required for weight loss. A calorie deficit is. He might be worried about continued compliance with the low carb diet, as it can be quite restricting. Maybe he thinks you'd do better gradually re-introducing some carbs?

    I really don't know why he wants me to do the low glycemic diet. He never explained why.
    Why did he want you low carb?

    I am a diabetic and on insulin.

    Then you do need to restrict carbs. Fiber will be your friend when it comes to carbs. Avoid eating fast digesting carbs like white bread, pasteries, candy, etc. Especially alone. If you eat them with protein or fiber it will prevent the sharp rise in blood sugar that is dangerous for diabetics.

    I would ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician to help formulate the best eating plan for your disease. www.diabetes.org (American Diabetes Association site) can also be a good resource. They even offer a free cookbook for diabetics.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    Glycemic Load is a better scale as it looks at combinations, but it isn't perfect.
    The flaw with glycemic index is that it's derived from a sample of 50 grams of a given food.

    Glycemic load uses the Glycemic index as a base and then factors in an average portion size.



  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,956 Member
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    You could even ask your doctor for an appointment with a nutritionist who specializes in diabetes. Many diabetics do find low carb diets can help regulate their blood sugar, although some find they can eat moderate amounts of low glycemic index ones. [Obviously, you know to avoid lots of added sugar and the like!] It will really depend on you and what your meter says.

    Diet is a critical aspect (along with exercise and weight loss and medicine) in keeping diabetes under control and your Doctor (NOT your chiropracter!) should take the time to educate you on this, or refer you to someone who can.


    NOTE: Glycemic Index of foods really doesn't relate very well to "real life" - it just looks at an individual item in isolation. How often does one simply eat one item of food without anything else? Glycemic Load is a better scale as it looks at combinations, but it isn't perfect. Use your glucometer to find how the meals you actually eat affect you personally.

    This is true. And frankly, some diabetics have issues processing one food, and not a problem with others. I had gestational diabetes with my last child (it went away about 6 months after the birth) but I could handle a reasonable serving of pasta. Potatoes (sweet or white) and bread (even whole grain breads) however completely blew my blood sugar reading to Hades. My mother is a diabetic and bread doesn't give her issues, but noodles and rice do.

    richardheath is right. Use the index and Gylcemic Load as guidelines, then use your readings to fine tune how your body responds. This will give you better control over your bs levels. My mother has been hospitalized countless times due to diabetic complications. It's better to ratchet down on diet now. Diabetes can get nasty down the road for you if you do not. Now my mother has finally been watching her carb count and carb types, and the insulin she needs has decreased greatly. She hopes one day to just need the meds only and no more insulin. But her health is still precarious since she spent all those years not watching her diet while diabetes did it's dirty work.

    I'm not trying to scare you. But this can get serious. OP, you seem like you are willing to stay on top of it though. Do look into a registered dietician if you are confused or unsure about it all. Setting yourself on the right path now, being proactive, will improve your quality of life in the future. I know more about this than I want to. :disappointed:

    Best wishes. :heart:
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    You got diet advice from a chiropractor?
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    You got diet advice from a chiropractor?

    Sounds legit.

    Although I suppose to be fair, advice from a chiropractor seems as credible as advice from random people on the Internet - not very, haha.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,956 Member
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    parkscs wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You got diet advice from a chiropractor?

    Sounds legit.

    Although I suppose to be fair, advice from a chiropractor seems as credible as advice from random people on the Internet - not very, haha.

    smiley-laughing002.gif So true.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    You got diet advice from a chiropractor?

    LOL you beat me to it...that was my first though too...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    baconslave wrote: »
    parkscs wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You got diet advice from a chiropractor?

    Sounds legit.

    Although I suppose to be fair, advice from a chiropractor seems as credible as advice from random people on the Internet - not very, haha.

    smiley-laughing002.gif So true.

    could of been worse, she could of gotten advice from Dr. Oz. ..
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,956 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    baconslave wrote: »
    parkscs wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You got diet advice from a chiropractor?

    Sounds legit.

    Although I suppose to be fair, advice from a chiropractor seems as credible as advice from random people on the Internet - not very, haha.

    smiley-laughing002.gif So true.

    could of been worse, she could of gotten advice from Dr. Oz. ..

    Yep. That's definitely worse.

    Chiropractors at least, as many people I know report, give you a good back-crackin.' Dr. Oz only offers to fleece your pockets and steal what little intelligence you have left.