Low Carb Diets?

nicnic424
nicnic424 Posts: 14 Member
edited September 29 in Food and Nutrition
I am pre diabetic and it was suggested to me that I should decrease my carb intake. I can understand the reasoning because carbs increase your blood sugar. But, my question is, is this healthy? Does it work ? If I try it , I don't plan to completely cut out all carbs, just drastically decrease the amount I eat. Has anyone tried the low carb diet?

Replies

  • rachel0923
    rachel0923 Posts: 137 Member
    Cutting our processed carbs would probably be the best way to do it! Veggies and fruit have carbs. Fruit would probably affect your blood sugar, but veggies would be good. I always lost weight when I cut out the majority of my carbs from pasta, bread, and those types of things.
  • Bethany28
    Bethany28 Posts: 263
    Look up the Atkins diet. You cut your carbs down to only 20 a day to start and they are to be mostly from leafy green veggies. Then you slowly start upping your carbs by adding other foods such as nuts, berries, and eventually bread.

    There is also the Paleo diet. Which lets you control your number of carbs, but the carbs must come from whole foods only such as veggies, fruits, and nuts. The Paleo diet is all about eating whole foods no processed foods.

    Good luck!
  • KPaden1221
    KPaden1221 Posts: 433
    Yes it works and yes it's healthy.. my body does not process carbs like it should.. so i attempt to do low carb.. and when i do it right i can drop some serious pounds.. my doctor put me on a low carb diet..
  • ej200001
    ej200001 Posts: 3
    I'm doing low carb as i have PCOS and i've lost 8lbs this week. This diet was recommend by the doctor so it must be okay. I've cut my carbs down to around 40g a day so no pasta, potatoes rice, or any sweet chocolate or crisps. Also watch all the low fat food as most things that are a low fat alternative, the fat is replaced by sugar.
  • natskedat
    natskedat Posts: 570 Member
    Here's an article on what carbs "do" when they're in your body. The carbs that diabetics and pre-diabetics should be low on the GI and the GL so that blood sugar doesn't spike and then crash, causing rapid release of insulin followed by glucagon.

    http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com/2011/06/life-of-carbohydrate.html
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    Are you working with a nutritionist or a dietician? I do reduced carbs simply because I've found it works best for me. I don't do processed foods and the carbs I do eat are from whole foods (vegetables, fruits, some occasional grain products). If you eat mainly whole foods and skip the processed stuff, sugar, beverages with carbs etc. you will have a healthy diet that should allow you to lose some weight. I do count calories though. Eating my body weight in meat and fat with no carbs doesn't really work for me either. :)
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member
    A LOW carb diet yes can be healthy if you need to. A NO carb diet...well, you use carbs for energy, and I don't believe THAT is healthy. I carb-load in the morning, and get my energy from that, plus do a recover after my workout that's 4/1 Carb/Protein ratio to help rebuild.
  • Altiv
    Altiv Posts: 174 Member
    I have insulin resistance and lowering my daily carb intake to 180 managed to control my insulin. I cut out almost everything that has sugar involved and limited food made with flour, I also eat plenty of low carb veggies and fruits and do a lot of exercise (45-60 min daily)
  • IceFaith
    IceFaith Posts: 81
    I was diagnosed as Pre-D last year. I cut out alot of sweets, pasta, potatoes, breads and rice. All things that I dearly love...lol I try to stay between 60-100 carbs a day. I even balance in some chocolage because I love it so much. It isn't easy, but it is possible to do. It is quite an adjustment. I found myself not even missing what I had cut out after awhile. I also found that after I cut down my carbs, I lost more weight. I have stalled in loosing weight the past few months because of things going on in my life and to let my body catch up w/ the weight loss.

    One other thing I would encourage is to buy yourself a glucose meter and test. If you test after you eat you can find out what foods are affecting your glucose the most. Then cut them out.
  • marjen002
    marjen002 Posts: 112
    No expert, but in the past when I've wanted to drop a few pounds quickly I eliminated most carbs, the processed kind, and it did work. You'll have to load up on veggies and eat some fruits (as someone else mentioned) and I think those will give you more than enough necessary carbs (and the good carbs at that).
  • mandy014384
    mandy014384 Posts: 9 Member
    I am currently eating low carb. I recommend getting the new Atkins for the new you book. If you sign up for a free starter pack on their website they will send you a $3 rebate. I got the book at Walmart for 10.97. It is really good at explaining what you can eat when and how to proceed through the stages. I have been eating this way for 5 weeks now and I am ranging a loss between 19-21 lbs depending on the day and 2.5 inches lost around the waist. This is just by changing the way I am eating, I do walk maybe 2-4 miles a week but I was doing that before focusing on the number of carbs I was eating. I have a huge sweet tooth and giving up sugar has been very hard and takes a lot of self control. I do use crystal light drink and atkins bars to help curb those cravings. Eating low carb really works for me because I am insulin resistant. If you stop the program and go back to the way you were eating you will gain the weight back so learning how many carbs your body can tolerate without gaining weight is very important.
  • AmyNVegas
    AmyNVegas Posts: 2,215 Member
    It works for me plus I avoid reactive hypoglycemia by only eating veggie and fruit carbs. I follow The Primal Blueprint so it is not as strict as Atkins. My goal is to stay below 100g carbs per day but I usually stay below 50-60g with about 1-2 days a week where I go over and I do eat potatoes or corn tortillas a day or two a week but usually one meal on those days. I have lost 81 pounds over the past year and 10 months this way and the best part is the inflammation I used to have in my joints and my body in general has gone away. I feel so much better and have a ton more energy. Good luck!
  • vent4jesus
    vent4jesus Posts: 8 Member
    my husband is losing a lot on a low carb diet. He has cut out breads, rice, pasta , etc. It must be healthy for you as he has been doing it for over a year and just had a physical. He will be 50 in November and the docs were really pleased with his numbers. They told him to keep it up! So good luck.
  • nicnic424
    nicnic424 Posts: 14 Member
    Thank everyone for the input. I have already cut out alot of carbs already because I can't tolerate certain foods with the Lap-Band. I don't eat breads or rice. I am going to try the low carb to see if it helps. I have noticed most of my carbs come from sugary drinks and processed foods. I have already cut way back on the sugary drinks and have been drinking more water. Not sure why but gained 5 pounds back after doing that. I am in the process of cutting out lots of processed foods. Like many of you I am pre diabetic, insulin resistant and have PCOS. Good Luck everyone and thanks again!
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