Low fat or Low carb - so confusing!

Nearly everything has some carbs jingl. Much of the carbs in cheese comes from the milk which contains lactose which is milk sugar (most things with an 'ose' contain sugar.

But some stuff like potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, and flour based produce is laden with carbs PLUS people tend to eat these is large portions and some at every meal.

Don't worry too much about a bit of cheese. I eat a chunk every day for the calcium.

i think eggs are carb free but can't think of anything else

It certainly works for me, I bought my dress for last week's wedding months ago and had to wear a shapewear undergarment with it back then. I haven't weighed myself lately so was very happy to find that I had packed the instrument of torture unnecessarily. I feel better, too. I know I shall want more carbs in the winter, but I am going to eat more carrots, squash and beans, rather than potatoes and flour and pasta. As in, rather than have soup with bread for lunch, which I often did in the winter, I shall bung in a handful of mixed beans. If I am going to have carbs I would rather they work hard for my calories.

My 80 yr old FIL is Type 2 diabetic and has been for 20 odd years. He manages his condition brilliantly with insulin injections and diet (actually his kitchen is much better stocked than mine , thanks to his late wife's training!). I started going to medical appointments with him 3 yrs ago and have learned a lot helping him to manage his diabetes.

What amazed me was he didn't really know what foods contains carbohydrates, as his focus has always been on sugar because that's what he learned when he was first diagnosed. Even though he reads the monthly diabetic magazine from cover to cover, he could never relate to the information focused on carbohydrates, probably mainly because he doesn't like change. This all came to light last year when his consultant asked him to tweak some aspects of his diet, so together we've been looking at carbs in the food he buys. The traffic light food guidance labels have been great for him, but as a life long dieter I am now convinced that monitoring the amount of carbs is the best way to go. One tip I have picked up from reading the diabetic magazine is to try and find a good balance of carbs and protein.

The way I think about it is if I want to burn body fat, I need to eat less carbs than I need so my body will dip into my fat store, and including some protein with every meal will help my body burn energy more efficiently. Eating too much fat will slow down my weight loss, but eating some fat is not a bad thing - especially if it means I consume less chemical additives. No doubt I have simplified this too much so I can remember it!

I still tend to follow the Slimming World eating plan, but now take into account what I learned about carbs from a diabetic point of view.

PS Sorry for rambling!