Going low carb/low sugar

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cyaneverfat
cyaneverfat Posts: 527 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi

So I'm really struggling with going low sugar. I had pasta a few days ago (a big bowl), and today I've had tea with white sugar, biscuits and chocolate drinks.

I'm allowed fruit, but I really miss chocolate and snack things. I'm trying to be careful with saturated fat and salt as well so I feel really limited, compared to how I used to eat.

I only need to eat like this for three months to be in the clear for diabetes, but I don't think I'm ever going to make it... there's so much temptation everywhere and I miss stuff. I nearly went for two months without indulging then I went downhill. A few days ago I tried again, but I've already gone off the rails. How do you keep yourself motivated?

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  • cyaneverfat
    cyaneverfat Posts: 527 Member
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    And I mean, I can't ever go back to how I was eating before the high blood sugar, but I can go back to having some sugar/carbs. Just in moderation.
  • Laughter_Girl
    Laughter_Girl Posts: 2,226 Member
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    Hi! I stay motivated by not restricting myself and remembering why I want to get healthy.

    I admit I've not reduced my carb intake intentionally, but by concentrating on eating more veggies at each meal, I don't have room for as many carbs (I LOVE carbs by the way.). Also, my pallet has slowly changed because of adding more veggies, and I haven't been craving junk. As far as sugar is concerned, I allow myself a "sweet treat" once a week, which has been more than satisfying. It gives me something to look forward to. 🙂 Other than that, I will add some fruit to a smoothie (not a fruit lover) when I make them and call it a mighty fine day.

    Sounds like what I'm doing now is eating in moderation too, and I won't be able to go back to my old ways of eating either, which is okay because I'm loving the benefits of eating healthier.

    Wishing you all the best!!
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    edited March 2021
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    I use keto snacks to scratch the itch. The South Beach diet also has recipes for low sugar desserts. Chia pudding is a good option because the fiber helps control blood sugar. For pasta, try spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini with your favorite sauce (assuming your favorite is a lower sugar option).

    Keep up with your exercise. It is good for your mind, as well as your blood sugar.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    murrays has sugar free cookies that are pretty good. Russell stover has a SF peanut butter cup that i actually really like. There are low carb options for most things these days, including breads and pastas.

    There are options, you just have to look for them and find ones you like.

    I'm not low carb by any means, but the two items i mentioned specifically I get frequently just because of the lower calorie count in them. I cooked for years for my grandfather and ex husband, who were both diabetic.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    cyaneverfat wrote: »
    Hi

    So I'm really struggling with going low sugar. I had pasta a few days ago (a big bowl), and today I've had tea with white sugar, biscuits and chocolate drinks.

    I'm allowed fruit, but I really miss chocolate and snack things. I'm trying to be careful with saturated fat and salt as well so I feel really limited, compared to how I used to eat.

    There are some dark chocolates that are pretty low sugar (still high cal, so you need to watch that). I like the 88% Chocolove, but there are many.

    There is also non-sweetened brewing chocolate that makes a chocolate (but not sweet) drink. I enjoy it.

    Are there "snacks" you can use to fit that category in your mind that are not high sugar? I admittedly don't have that much of a sweet-tooth, but I often find fruit (especially something like a pear, which is really sweet) or cheese a nice dessert (cheese is high sat fat but can easily be fit into a day, IMO). Dried fruit can feel sweeter but has as much fiber (you just have to be careful that there's no sugar added and of course about portion size). Something like a smoothie as a snack with berries and protein powder, perhaps, or if artificial sweeteners don't bother you, try one of the low cal, no sugar ice creams.

    I dessert I love (again, watch the calories) is plain greek yogurt with some almond butter or other nut butter mixed in. Or even peanut powder to save cals.

    Rather than focusing on what you are cutting out, also, I'd try to change your thinking to what you want to and get to eat, and maybe google around or look on youtube for delicious lower carb recipes you want to try. Also, if missing pasta, maybe try the alternative pastas like black bean pasta -- I have some with 21 g of protein and only 8 g net carbs per serving. Also, with pasta, I tend to focus much more on the sauce and reduce the serving of the pasta.

    (I'm assuming here that the low carb/low sugar thing is a doctor recommendation to see if blood sugar numbers can be improved.)

    The main thing, of course, is to be committed to this effort, which it sounds like you might be ambivalent about. Can you try writing down why you are doing it and thinking about that whenever you want to go back to eating without restrictions?
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Sounds like you're rather addicted to sugar to the point that your health is now negatively affected.

    You should look into no sugar or low sugar versions of candies meant specifically for people with this issue.

    Simple carbs are a problem. Complex carbs are not. Nobody is getting diabetic eating celery and broccoli all day.

    My suggestion: move to snacking onto high protein and high fiber items. Beef jerky, celery sticks, olives, nuts, etc.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    DanaDark wrote: »
    Simple carbs are a problem. Complex carbs are not. Nobody is getting diabetic eating celery and broccoli all day.

    Complex carbs can be a problem for people with IR, as it includes pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, etc., not to mention things like fries and chips (which also come with lots of fat, of course). And at least some with IR don't have issues with fruit, which gets its cals from simple carbs. (Simple carbs=sugar; complex carbs=starch.)

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