Help Me To Cut Carbs...Please

Have you been logging your food? If so, I'd say take a look at your log to see how many carbs you currently eat and determine how that number can be decreased.

Did they give you a goal?

Cutting carbs is actually easy (going keto is different). Look at your diary, see where your carbs are coming from, and cut back. Lots of the usual things to cut back on (cookies, etc.) are high in fat and carbs, so those are good things to cut down on. If your meals have multiple high carb components (bread AND potatoes), eliminate one and perhaps reduce the serving size of the other. If you eat high sugar fruit (bananas, apples), eat less of it and maybe substitute lower sugar fruit (like berries) or vegetables. If breakfast and/or lunch are high carb, think of an option that is more balanced, more protein and fat. For example, eggs instead of cereal or half as much cereal and an egg, or instead of a salad try salad with protein or leftovers from dinner.

I don't do low carb specifically, but when I'm eating as I often do (I've been vegetarian for Lent, so less now), I often am around 100-125 g carbs.

Omelet with vegetables and some cottage cheese.

Dinner leftovers or lentil soup with vegetables or a salad with protein for lunch. Often half an avocado or some nuts too.

Dinner usually a protein (fish, pork, chicken, etc.), a starch (potato, sweet potato, pasta, rice, some other grain, beans -- but remember you control the size of this portion and could leave it out if you find lunch and breakfast better places to have carbs), lots of vegetables (usually large portions of 2-3 different kinds, sometimes in a pasta or stir fry, sometimes on the side).

Dessert (if room): a little chocolate, serving of ice cream, cheese, fruit, berries with whipped cream (no sugar) -- it really depends on what I have room for.

With this pattern and controlling serving size my carbs seem to naturally end up around 100-150, depending.

Might be higher than you want, but the same idea would help you go lower, except then I'd make an effort to add in some healthy fats (beyond the kinds of things I mentioned -- eggs, dairy, meat, avocado, nuts -- I tend to get fat from cooking in olive oil and sometimes coconut oil and butter and using olives on salad).

The low carb group is supposed to be very good and helpful, especially if you want to go lower carb/keto.

lucypstacy wrote: »

I had been feeling a bit tired and sick, so I went to the doctor. The results of my blood work was that my glucose was elevated and they advised me to cut back on carbs.

I've never attempted to eat low carb before, so I'd appreciate if anyone is on such a diet and the kind of foods you typically eat.

Any help is appreciated.

First of all, you may not need to go low carb. Moderate carb may be enough. I was diagnosed T2Dm 3 years ago and have been on moderate carbs since and my BG numbers are great (A1C ranges between 5.0 and 5.4).

What I did: I now eat sandwiches with only one slice of bread, not 2. I cook up a controlled portion of rice and mix it in with my stews and casseroles rather than serving it as a separate dish. I occasionally substitute turnips for potatoes in stews. I eat less fruit and more veggies. i make my carbs count like whole grain bread and oatmeal instead of cereal. I drink diet soda or seltzer water and only add half&half to my coffee.

Mostly, I log and keep my carbs to a maximum of 160 grams total carbs per day. This number was given to me by my PCP who is a Certified Diabetic Instructor.

Honestly, cut back was not a very helpful thing to tell you. Without knowing how much you are eating, how is that meaningful for the doctor, and it's not clear whether the recommendation is weight loss oriented or what.

If you are at the MFP default now (50% carbs), you could try redoing your macros to 40-30-30 (that's just a small cutback) or something lower. For lower carbs not keto sometimes 100 g is a good place to try.

Eating veggies is good -- they are largely carbs, but so low cal that they still don't have that many total. I try to have veg at every meal -- you could add/increase veg and increase protein a bit and cut serving size of the higher cal carby course some.

"Food Consideraions

As you can expect higher blood glucose levels during steroid therapy, keep your consumption of carbohydrates, especially simple carbs and sugary food, low since these foods tend to cause blood glucose spikes. Limit alcohol to avoid complicating your blood glucose fluctuations. Eat fewer saturated and animal fats, as they increase insulin resistance in the body. "

Source:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/521241-prednisone-blood-glucose/

Not sure if prednisone is what you're on, but thought the advice might still apply. As your diary is not open, it's hard to give more specific advice, but it might not be carbs alone that you need to watch.

lucypstacy wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Honestly, cut back was not a very helpful thing to tell you. Without knowing how much you are eating, how is that meaningful for the doctor, and it's not clear whether the recommendation is weight loss oriented or what.

If you are at the MFP default now (50% carbs), you could try redoing your macros to 40-30-30 (that's just a small cutback) or something lower. For lower carbs not keto sometimes 100 g is a good place to try.

Eating veggies is good -- they are largely carbs, but so low cal that they still don't have that many total. I try to have veg at every meal -- you could add/increase veg and increase protein a bit and cut serving size of the higher cal carby course some.

The doctor wasn't all that helpful. I went there because I was very tired and exhausted. They did blood work (on Tuesday) and called me today to let me know my glucose was elevated, my thyroid was abnormal, and some other levels pertaining to my kidneys were off. The only thing they told me was to cut carbs and to change the way I'm taking synthroid. I called my transplant nurse, and she only said that my glucose has been running a bit higher.

My big change in eating overall has been to cut back on snacks and pop. My meal sizes have never been big, and I have been eating more fruits and veggies. I limit bread at meals to one piece, if I eat bread. I do like rice, pasta, and potatoes, but it's not like I go crazy on anything. My calorie goal is 1240 (I'm 5'4") and I usually hit around 1225.

With all of those concerns, I'd think you would benefit from much more specific advice, from a registered dietician experienced with similar patients, as opposed to "just cut carbs". See if the doctor would refer you to one.

When I was carb cycling I was only allowed 20g carbs per meal (3 meals). I would eat Trader Joe's Bagel Slims. They only have 20g carbs. I think Pepperidge Farms makes something similar. Being Asian I love white rice. I would eat 1/2 c. rice instead of 1 cup, same with pasta. Another low carb option is Ezikiel bread. It's gluten free and it is best eaten toasted. I think it only has 14g carbs per slice. I don't really care for potatoes so that was easy to give up. Muffins, bagels and pastries was the hardest for me to give up.

When I was pregnant with my oldest I had gestational diabetes and they told me to plan for about 60 carbs per meal, and 15 for a snack between each meal (3x/day). That seems like more than what you are already eating though. Are you spacing them out evenly? That will help keep your glucose levels more even. The other thing is to make sure you are pairing your carbs with a protein. Exercise can play a big role in keeping your glucose levels down as well.

I'd try aiming for about 100-120 gm carbs/day and see how that goes. (FWIW I was able to reverse prediabetes and high triglycerides when I went low carb. I didn't have much weight to lose; 11 lbs.) It really does depend on what you tend to eat. Swap out some of your carby sides for something like roasted veggies, maybe eggs for breakfast instead of cereal, less pasta and bread, fewer sugary treats (or lower carb options; e.g. I love Breyers Carb Smart chocolate ice cream).

lkpducky wrote: »

lucypstacy wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Honestly, cut back was not a very helpful thing to tell you. Without knowing how much you are eating, how is that meaningful for the doctor, and it's not clear whether the recommendation is weight loss oriented or what.

If you are at the MFP default now (50% carbs), you could try redoing your macros to 40-30-30 (that's just a small cutback) or something lower. For lower carbs not keto sometimes 100 g is a good place to try.

Eating veggies is good -- they are largely carbs, but so low cal that they still don't have that many total. I try to have veg at every meal -- you could add/increase veg and increase protein a bit and cut serving size of the higher cal carby course some.

The doctor wasn't all that helpful. I went there because I was very tired and exhausted. They did blood work (on Tuesday) and called me today to let me know my glucose was elevated, my thyroid was abnormal, and some other levels pertaining to my kidneys were off. The only thing they told me was to cut carbs and to change the way I'm taking synthroid. I called my transplant nurse, and she only said that my glucose has been running a bit higher.

My big change in eating overall has been to cut back on snacks and pop. My meal sizes have never been big, and I have been eating more fruits and veggies. I limit bread at meals to one piece, if I eat bread. I do like rice, pasta, and potatoes, but it's not like I go crazy on anything. My calorie goal is 1240 (I'm 5'4") and I usually hit around 1225.

With all of those concerns, I'd think you would benefit from much more specific advice, from a registered dietician experienced with similar patients, as opposed to "just cut carbs". See if the doctor would refer you to one.

I agree with this -- I think the doctor should understand how you currently eat before just giving some off the cuff advice and a dietitian would be more helpful.

lucypstacy wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I'm going to work and try moving things around a bit. One thing I have been doing is eating steamed broccoli or baby carrots as a side instead of a potato. I could live on broccoli.

Those are good. Also consider if you wish, more greens -- romaine, kale, spinach, Swiss chard.
Also perhaps yellow squash, asparagus, mushrooms, avocados, green beans, cucumbers.