terrified help required

I'm sure one of the regular posters on the low carb thread will spell it out in simple language. For what its worth, I was told last year I was in the pre diabetic range. I'm not overweight and I walk at least an hour every day at a good pace. I was fed up because my diet is reasonable. However, once I'd looked into it I felt dim. I hadn't realised that starch turns to sugar. I love carbs, potato in any guise, pasta, rice, bread etc. I haven't eaten white bread/pasta or rice for 30 years but I realised the portion sizes I was giving myself were too large. I cut the portions of carbs down by half, ate carbs only once a day and avoided deserts/honey on porridge etc other than Saturday and Sunday.
I lost weight very very quickly, trousers loose and my blood sugar levels were back to normal when re-tested 3 months later
I've let things slide in recent months but as from 12 night, today - I'm going to have another crack at it.
If you've been told to lose a stone and lower cholesterol, doesn't your GP practice have a nurse/fitness advisor to help you.

I'm with you there Canarygirl, I'm desperate to lose some weight but despite being very active, eating healthily (veggie for years, now eat a little fish) and not eating huge quantities, the weight sits stubbornly on my tum. I've looked at low carb diet websites but some tips and hints would be most welcome.

I looked at authority nutrition low carb which gives general rules plus list of menu suggestions.

Hi Canagrygirl

I'm sure some of the low carb experts will help soon, just wanted to tell you my experience.It goes against everything I had ever tried before, but it did work, and also for first time ever, I didn't have cravings, and I lost at least 2 pounds per week (unheard of for me)with no extra exercise, which I should have done.

I am veggie (no fish) and last year I lost nearly 2 stone on this diet BUT not easy to stick to long term as a veggie. Would be good to quickly lose some weight for your op in a healthy way.

The main thing is to count carbs more than calories. You should eat lots of protein and also a reasonable amount of full fat products. DO NOT buy anything that is low fat.Drink loads of water. No low sugar drinks, just sparkling water with dash of lime, or tea/coffee no sugar/sweetener.Best to cook/prepare own food, no fast food.Quite a bit of reading helps.

As a veggie, I got big pot of full fat Greek Yoghurt from Lidl, had several dollops for breakfast with some defrosted berry fruits (careful on all other fruits) + a teaspoon mixed chopped nuts/seeds.

Lunch often a big salad with oil dressing and Langley Farm full fat cottage cheese and/or hard boiled egg, or some grated cheese and falafels.(Waitrose has low carb.)Or a home made soup veg with some beans.

Snack hard boiled egg or mug of Marigold Bouillon.

Dinner quorn meal (home made) or an omlette or griddled haloumi with big salad or fried courgettes. You can eat most veg growing above ground, those under are higher carb.

I expect all this has put you off. I found the Blood Sugar Diet forum very helpful, see also recipes there. I bought the book but wasn't that great for vegetarians.https://thebloodsugardiet.com/what-is-the-blood-sugar-diet-bsd/
Good luck

thanks for all comments. I am so shocked because last year I did a gym challenge and did really well although I did know had osteoporosis in neck and spine and a bad fall has meant almost unable to exercise and means a spinal fusion. I had looked at the low carb thread before and didn't seem able to figure it so simple please and again many thanks

Mamie's the best one to spell this out, but I'll have a go.

Firstly, cut out all sugars. Apart from the white stuff you add yourself, that includes cakes, biscuits, chocoate, sweets, etc.. I'm sure you can complete that list yourself. Cut out fruit juice too. Very high in sugar.

Next cut out pasta, bread, rice and potatoes. All those starchy carbs which quickly turn to sugar (glucose) when digested.

It's also a good idea to cut out (or cut right down) on root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips and peas and beans, at least at first. Fruit is high in sugar so limit to one a day, preferably berries.

Now concentrate on what you can eat. Cheese, eggs, fish,meat, nuts for protein. Full fat dairy, full fat natural yoghurt, butter. Loads of vegetables especially leafy green ones, onions, peppers, mushrooms.

Substitute cauliflower rice for starchy rice, substituted spiralised vegetables for spaghetti.

You say you're fairly veggie but that must mean you eat some meats and fish. Try lighter meats such as duck - duck stir fry is quick and tasty.

I'm sure someone will give you a link to the low carb support thread too.

thank you Anya that seems much clearer - shall go away and think how to put it all together

Thanks for the info people. I eat lots of tofu, most veggies know about it, it's full of protein as well as calcium and B vitamins so I guess that's ok under this regime.

Reading the other thread on low carb and thinking about it led me to realise that DH, who is of course a beanpole, lives on endless mountains of marmite sandwiches and platefuls of potatoes and rice with accompaniments, not a lot of help. He does a lot of cooking and I have to get to my plate first to manage quantities never mind content! He does though mostly refuse sweets and puddings and will eat fruit forever so perhaps that partly explains his shape.

I shall have to think how to manage my transition to fewer carbs!

Anyas advice is spot on and Mamie will probably add more expert advise. The only thing I would ad is take a look at ' The Diet Doctor' website for more info on LCH F .

You could allow yourself a Ryvita occasionally, but bread of all types, cakes and bananas, as well as fizzy drinks, fruit juice and alcohol are the main contributors to a fat waistline.

Sorry, had completely missed this thread. Anya has given a perfect explanation but would agree about the Diet Doctor - this is the page for beginners.
www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
The best thing Canarygirl1 would be to post on the low-carb thread and we can help with day-to-day ideas.
www.gransnet.com/forums/dieting_and_exercise/1228651-Low-carb-support-thread-2016-Part-2
And don't be terrified; some people do find it hard but I think that most people have found it fairly easy to do once they got started.

canarygirl can I urge you to look at the NHS Choices website on healthy lifestyle as well as your other research - lots of information here on diet and exercise.

canarygirl when my DH was diagnosed as pre diabetic we both did a lot of research into what he should be eating and I was totally confused as to what to cook. I found this website the most useful
www.dietdoctor.com
Like Iam64 I hadn't realised that starch turns to sugar. Now I look at the carbohydrate amounts on the back of all foods.

Teetime the NHS choices eat well plate should be approached with great caution. They are advocating huge amounts of carbs per day. Sadly many type II diabetics are still being given this advice and wonder why their weight and BG levels remain problematic. The diet doctor is a much better website.

thank you again for replies, the diet doctor site makes sense and I am making lists ready for a start on monday. Only query left is can I have semi skimmed milk in tea and coffee?

Re the op, green leafy vegetables both pre and post op promote healing, rspecially spinach.

Canarygirl drink any kind of milk you prefer. There's no sugars added to semi or skimmed milk, there's lactose (natural milk sugar) in all milk.

I drink skimmed milk in tea because I prefer it. I drink single cream in my coffee for the same reason.