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Dieting & exercise

A new low-carb support thread for 2016

(995 Posts)
Mamie Fri 01-Jan-16 05:59:16

Thought we needed a shiny new thread for the New Year.
The thread is intended to support people who are already on the diet or want to start losing weight / gaining health benefits by low-carbing.
Here is a simple explanation of this way of eating and how it works.
www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
You do not have to count calories, weigh anything, exercise furiously or feel hungry.
You do have to cut out sugar and sugar-substitutes and avoid starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice and pasta.
You need to eat lots of vegetables (especially those grown above ground) and protein which can be cheese, eggs, meat, fish etc. You can eat olive oil, butter and other natural fats. You can eat limited amounts of fruit, dark chocolate and some alcoholic drinks in moderation.
You need to avoid anything labelled low-fat and most processed food and drink.
Here is a link to the Mumsnet low-carb bootcamp thread, for those who want to lose weight more quickly than the diet adopted by most people on the existing Gransnet thread.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/low_carb_bootcamp
Here is a link to the original Gransnet thread - though there is absolutely no need to plough through it before you start. grin
www.gransnet.com/forums/dieting_and_exercise/1214778-Support-and-ideas-for-those-on-low-carb-diet

We aim to help each other by offering ideas, recipes and support. Welcome aboard!

Lazigirl Wed 03-Aug-16 20:46:16

Yes hope it goes well BBbevan. I have some BG strips from surgery nurse, but don't want to check until I've reached target weight. Still got 1lb to go! It's a slow job, not like you. 2st 5lbs is amazing in 5 months. Makes my 13lbs in 5 months look pathetic. Let us know how it goes.

wend50 Wed 03-Aug-16 19:26:00

Good luck BBbevan. Fingers crossed.

Mamie Wed 03-Aug-16 19:05:06

Good luck / bon courage BBbevan. grin
Let us know how it goes.

BBbevan Wed 03-Aug-16 18:52:47

Well it's GP tomorrow to get BS results. Wish me luck please

wend50 Fri 29-Jul-16 21:50:15

I saw my GP on monday and he advocated me following a low gi diet in order to stay off metformin (my sugar levels have just tipped into the diabetic range). He is so sold on low gi/ low carb dieting that he has himself started to follow it too. He told me that he has 3 patients who have followed this diet for about three months, who are now off diabetic medication. I am so grateful that I have a doctor who is open to different ways of approaching problems rather than following NICE guidlines. Hope you stick to your guns Tizliz and find the right support from your GP's .

BBbevan Fri 29-Jul-16 20:15:14

I refused the appointment with the Diabetic dietician.They are still banging on about the ' eat well plate' and carbs with every meal
I have had no help, yet, from a GP.. but the results from eating LCHF speak for themselves. Lower BG and a weight loss of 2 stone 5 lb in 5 months.
I intend to carry on with this way of eating

Tizliz Fri 29-Jul-16 17:21:24

I agree lazigirl. He has already lost ¾ stone in 8 weeks. I think he should carry on with lchf diet and ignore the doctor.

Lazigirl Fri 29-Jul-16 16:41:24

Anya is right, not all docs agree. Official advice is still the high carb, low calorie route, but some informed GPs advocate low carbs. I would suggest your OH checks out Dr David Unwin, GP in Southport I think, who advises LC as it has benefitted his diabetic patients. I have been told I am pre diabetic and have lost almost a stone with low carb eating and no real dieting involved. Pasta, bread, potatoes and rice convert to sugars in bloodstream, so to my mind it makes sense to eat less of them.

Tizliz Fri 29-Jul-16 16:25:20

Yes Anya in the same doctors, that is what was annoying me. Don't they talk? Luckily she is not our usual doctor, he is away. I have an appt with him next week so I might try and talk to him about it.

In the meantime I am not sure what he wants cooking. If I just get on with it he will probably just eat what is presented. The trouble is he has a lot on his mind at the moment and can't concentrate on his health. Not sure why I worry so much.

Anya Fri 29-Jul-16 15:16:47

Tizliz doctors are not gods; some as good/excellent, others less so. Dumpy doctors who give out of date diet sheets I wouldn't trust.

There are many on-the-ball GP surgeries who recognise that cutting carbs will lower blood glucose.

Tizliz Fri 29-Jul-16 15:05:15

I am so cross with our doctor. She called OH in this morning and told him he is pre-diabetic. Told him the best he can do is go on a diet and gave him the nhs diet sheet. I nearly tore it up straight away and when I got to the end I saw it was dated 2001. She would not even discuss his lchf diet even though he had already discussed this with the other doctor. Strangely she is dumpy and the other doctor is thin.

I looked on the diabetics website and they have all the details for lchf diet there.

What do you do? Follow your doctor's advice as they should know best or do your own research. Told OH it is his life and he needs to make his own decision. Now he really is in a muddle ?

Mamie Fri 29-Jul-16 13:06:55

Last night we had pork and camembert sausages (delicious) and salad. Tonight is spicy pork chops and oven baked courgettes.
The family arrives at the weekend so we are busy stocking up with all sorts of goodies for them. It will undoubtedly involve indulging in a "fraisier" from the patisserie (fabulous complicated gateau with sliced strawberries around the outside) but will try not to get a sugar overdose this time. grin

BBbevan Thu 28-Jul-16 11:22:09

My DiL does grilled aubergine with Greek yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. Lovely

Lazigirl Thu 28-Jul-16 09:53:09

The Aubergine looked dry when lightly brushed with oil. Will try again in oven with less oil as set smoke alarm off last night. Do they need something like a tomato sauce with them or some sort of flavouring added?

Pippa000 Thu 28-Jul-16 06:29:35

DH does lightly oiled grilled aubergine and houloumi on the BBQ, 'slightly' charred and quite delicious. We had this and home made pork satay last Sunday at a family BBQ.

BBbevan Thu 28-Jul-16 05:11:37

Well doneLazigirl that last lb will be a doddle. smile

Anya Wed 27-Jul-16 21:41:48

PS well done on the weight loss

Anya Wed 27-Jul-16 21:41:17

Lazigirl commiserations on your aubergine disaster. I just brush mine lightly with oil and bake or grill them. I've learned this through trial and error....with many errors on the way.

Lazigirl Wed 27-Jul-16 21:02:49

You all sound like Delia Smith. Tonight we had griddled aubergine slices, doused in olive oil which it absorbed like blotting paper, and it tasted not delicious but.......oily! Accompanying was griddled haloumi and corn on cob. Odd eh? My husband is long suffering and poor soul ate it with little complaint (he was hungry). Pud was better. Grilled peaches with raspberries and double cream. Thanks to helpful hints on here I am now only 1lb short of losing a stone, which was my target. BP down, have yet to check BG.

Anya Wed 27-Jul-16 08:44:12

We're overrun with beetroot, big ones! Yes, I know there's a lot of sugar in them but there's a lot of goodness in them too.

Pulled up,a couple of huge ones, just scrubbed them, pulled off the leaves and boiled them in their skins. Much easier just to rub skins off by running in cold water after they're boiled isn't it?

Sliced them, topped with goats' cheese and grilled till golden and bubbly for lunch.

Despite being over-large the beetrro were sweet and delicious. Wish I could remember what variety they were (know it wasn't Bolthardy)

BBbevan Wed 27-Jul-16 08:23:52

Raining here, but off down the garden to pick some courgettes soon. Chicken Paprika from the Hairy Dieters this evening. I tend to add any vegetables I have So onion, aubergine, courgette and peppers.
Tried that Oppo icecream . Pretty good. Comes in Choc Chip, Vanilla and Salted caramel.

Mamie Wed 27-Jul-16 06:41:54

So - courgettes, courgettes, courgettes.....
Sunday we had lamb shanks cooked in a bag with mint, rosemary and raz-al-hanout, with courgette dauphinoise.
Monday was baked courgettes, onion, peppers and eggs added at the end.
Tuesday was a courgette curry with coconut milk served with aubergines baked with turmeric.
Ho-hum, tonight?
It will need to be easy because the winter wood (8 cubic metres) is being delivered.

BBbevan Sat 23-Jul-16 20:20:19

Thanks ffinnochio will do, and a belated welcome

ffinnochio Sat 23-Jul-16 18:33:39

Yes, it's very hot. Adapting and enjoying. sunshine

ffinnochio Sat 23-Jul-16 18:30:34

Thanks Mamie . Been following it for quite some time now. smile

Pity you can't get coriander where you are. The supermarkets here stock it, but one can tell when the summer visitors arrive - the shelves get cleared of it very quickly. Tried growing it, but it bolts very quickly.

BBevan - I think I'd try mint or basil, although with the basil, less lemon.