Low-carb support thread 4 for 2018

Sorry, carbing

Thanks for this thread. I am just starting - or will be after I've used up the bits of pasta I have. Just had 2 boiled eggs with mayo for lunch and I feel fine. This may be a little expensive for me (salmon etc) but well worth it. I will be checking in daily to see how everyone else is getting along. PS I am 5 feet all and 11 stone 9, hoping to get back to 9 stone in a year or two. Living alone makes this so much easier than if cooking for more people!

I've just looked at the diet doctor website. It is difficult to find out what the cost is. Do many of you pay for this and is it worth it? Thanks in advance.

I am on the 2nd round of the blood sugar diet by Michael Mosley. This is £99 for 8 weeks (early bird offer). Many people have lost huge amounts of weight. Also there is specialist support. After the first round you can renew at £20, which isn’t too bad.
The most important thing it has taught me is how to put meals together, and what a good low carb diet looks like. My blood sugar average has come down significantly and I have kept it down. I found it much easier than trying to work everything out myself.

Rilla we started the diet about four and a half years ago. Both overweight, OH had pre-diabetes and I was on BP tablets. He lost over 4 stone and I lost nearly 3 stone (from size 16 to size 10/12). It took a year to lose the weight by which time OH was out of pre-diabetes and I was off BP tablets. We have maintained the loss ever since. We are a bit more relaxed now about an occasional serving of new potatoes or pasta, but never more than 30g. We find the way of eating pretty easy to maintain.
Welcome schnakie - have never looked at paying for the DD website, so don't know I'm afraid. If you post here what you plan to eat, people will be back with ideas. We have just had avocado with shrimps in mayo for lunch and tonight is barbecued sausages (French sausages so no bread) and a salad.

Welcome Rilla and schnakie. I started low carbing because I was pre diabetic. Am 5'1" and weighed 9st 8lb, so not really overweight. After a year of low carbing I was about 8st 5lbs and no longer in pre diabetic range. I have now maintained around this weight for 2 years, and I do not consider it a diet but a change of eating habits and incorporate more exercise ie walking, definitely nothing strenuous! I like Mamie do have occasional potatoes etc but high carb foods do not form a regular part of my diet and I do not miss them. We eat more leafy veg, and veg based dishes with cheese for example, and it doesn't have to be too expensive, fish like sardines are cheap enough.

Good afternoon Lazigirl, nice to "meet" you ?. Three days in so far and not doing too badly. My blood sugar (as shown on freestyle libre) is very steady. Must admit to being a bit tired of spinach but that's just for starters. I had lunch out today and had a lovely watermelon, rocket and feta salad. I can add that in to my lunch repertoire. Salmon and stir fried courgettes tonight. I can hear the chorus of disapproval from DH and DS already!

By the way I am 5 ft 1 and weigh 10 st 13.6 so need to get a couple of stone off. Trying to be sensible about it though for maintenance and best outcomes.

Sounds as if you're doing really well Rilla. There's lots of advice, support and ideas on here. My DH eats what I do, but has occasional binges when we go out and has also lost a stone, and is much better for it. His choice to also go low carb but I am the main cook!

Welcome Rilla and schnakie This is a brilliant thread with lots of help and support. I was diagnosed diabetic just over two years ago I weighed 13 st 5 lb with a BS of 7.6. I did the Michael Mosley ' Reverse your diabetes in eight weeks' By that time I had lost 3and a half stone and my BS was 5.4. By going low-carb I have sustained my weight loss and BS level. I have never needed medication and as an added bonus my cholesterol and BP are great.
So go for it ladies. It will do you the world of good

I am on Metformin and small amount of gliclazide, but hoping to reduce the tablets. I was diagnosed 8 years ago and wish I’d had this advice before instead of the eatwell plate mantra. My problem is mainly eating out (DH) and holidays now I’m retired. I have a fairly clear 6 weeks do am just going for it now. Current BS 6.8, sure I can do better.

Of course you can Rilla good luck.

I'm just back from a visit to a friend's house in SW France, 4lbs heavier - it can only be the bread! We ate healthily as usual, not too much wine, an hour's early morning walk before the 33C set in, but lots of 'lovely' bread with every meal.

Well done to those who have seriously reduced their weight and BSL by low-carbing - shows what can be done when you make a serious effort.

I've been to Waitrose to stock up on meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and salad. And wine

You'll soon lose it again Riverwalk. I put on weight if I even LOOK at bread - but freshly baked is lovely for a treat. Life's too short not to break a few rules when on holiday. It's what you eat day to day that counts.

I have had a couple of difficult days visiting relatives, a bbq and eating out last night. Stuck to salad and meat mostly although ended up with quiche for one meal.
So haven’t lost any weight but blood sugars are amazing, haven’t been out of my target range since I started. Feeling very positive. Just need to get the weight down now.
Ironically I am trying to bake some low carb Scones today as I am hosting a strawberry teaparty soon and will need something that I can eat!

That's good news Rilla. Am intrigued by low-carb scones. Could you post the recipe or a link?
We have family staying so had pudding last night for a treat. I had frozen a lot of our strawberries (before they shrivelled in 34°) and just puréed them with loads of cream to make ice-cream. Also made a raspberry coulis with our tiny but very sweet raspberries. All our tomatoes are ripening at once now, so we have pounds and pounds and OH is making loads of ratatouille. I have no idea what to do with the plums that are ripening, I think there must be tens of kilos out there. We managed to buy a cheap drying machine in Lidl so guess prunes will come into it. ?

hi Mamie
The scones were brilliant. Not exactly the same as usual but good enough that seven out of eight have already been eaten, and DH and DS said they were lovely for tea.
I adapted the recipe slightly from the Swerve website.

200 g ground almonds
30g half spoon sugar and stevia
3 tbs coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
57 g butter chilled cut into small pieces
1 large egg
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp water
1 1/2 oz dark chocolate drops

I also put in an ounce of fudge drops. They disappeared into the scone. They may have helped make it more moist. Anyway, these didn’t affect my blood sugar at all, but may try without them. The original recipe says to make sugar free toffee. Recipe also says cream but I didn’t have any so used yoghurt.
May also use chopped dark chocolate.

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degs. Line a baking tin with parchment.

In a large bowl whisk together almonds, sweetener, coconut flour, baking powder, soda and salt.

Cut butter pieces into the mix using a pastry cutter or 2 sharp knives until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in egg, water and yoghurt until the dough begins to come together.
Stir in fudge/toffee and chocolate drops.

Turn dough into baking sheet and form rough circle eight inches in diameter.
Cut into eight even wedges.
Gently separate wedges and scatter round the pan.
Bake for 20 mins to 25 until edges are golden brown and set to the touch.
Remove and cool on pan.

Cals. About 290 per portion as the swerve site recipe. 7 g carbs as Swerve recipe?

Good luck with the plums!
You could use them in a low carb dessert like almond flour plum cake? That’s always delicious!
I also like them just stewed up to eat with ice cream or yoghurt. My DH makes gorgeous low carb ice cream.

Mmmmm that sounds lovely. I will try the scones very soon

Thanks for the recipe Rilla, sounds really good.
Has anyone else tried using a dehydrator for fruit? The instructions that came with it are a bit hard to follow, to say the least.

I have been trying the Low Carb way of eating for the last 9 months, and I'm pleased with the gradual weight loss. I have been trying to lose weight gained with steriods for the last two years. So, I'm pleased Low Carb seems to be working.
However I had a routine Cholestrol blood test last week and I'm shocked at the raised levels. I've gone from 5.8 to 6.4. I've never had a reading as high as this. Has anyone else been aware of raised Cholestrol levels since adopting low carb way of eating. Would welcome your thoughts on this.

Hi Kupari. Am glad this way of eating is working for you in terms of weight loss. I haven't experienced raised cholesterol and Googling didn't get me very far either. I don't know if others can help, but I think this is one where you will just have to be guided by your doctor. Sorry not to be more helpful.

I fell off the wagon in July. Writing this post to publicly declare as from tomorrow I am definitely back on. Here goes.....

Good luck and keep us posted GrannyIsland ?

It’s not easy is it ? First few days at home, fine.lost weight. Then came weekend, went to an outside all day concert, had a salad befor I went, but choice there for early evening meal was abysmal - all douhnuts and burgers. Succumbed I am afraid, but No Alcohol was drunk. Then on the Sunday, feeling weary I had a few chips with a fried egg and a wee drink in the evening. Frightened to go on scales now. But did walk a lot, and......tomorrow is another day....

GrannyIsland, I do empathise. I have been staying with relatives and doing visits for 3 days, then out for a meal so a bit disastrous this week. Starting from tomorrow again, best of luck.