Low carb eating.

Not on low glycemic diets but on losing weight: I have lost almost a stone, slowly, little by little. This was not by cutting any sort of food out or by eating only healthy food. There are lots of healthy, filling foods I can’t eat because of illnesses I have. I just stopped eating puddings, cakes, biscuits, crisps, snacks etc as a constant thing. Also I have moderate helpings. I do eat the occasional fat inducing thing. I had chips by the sea. My daughter bought me a French tart. But I had it over two days rather than gulping it down. I have porridge for a treat most nights and I do put a little sugar on it. If you try never to have any food pleasure I think your will breaks. If I do have a bit more one day then I will have a bit less that evening or the next day to make up for it. It has worked for me. The truth is I was eating too much. To cope with boredom, pain, anxiety -whatever. But it doesn’t work really. You are only distracted while the food is in your mouth. It can become habitual. Especially with sugar. Which is addictive. I feel happy with this way of eating. I want to lose another 3/4 stone or so and then I will have a few more treats perhaps but just eat enough to keep my weight more or less steady. Maybe it could work for other people here too who are struggling.

choughdancer I suppose it's understandable, given the title of the thread.

Fish!

Kippers for breakfast = zero carbs, but packed full of heart caring nutrients

Thank you all for your useful info which I am researching.

My consultant is trying to work out about my fatigue. I keep telling him that every time the doctor lowers my thyroxine for my underactive thyroid I function less well and sleep more. He won’t put my tablets back up to what I used to have and is searching round for other reasons. Hence his latest suggestion of changing my diet which I think is pretty good and I am only marginally a few pounds higher than what I should be.

Slow release carbs, isn't that the GI diet?

Slow release carbs are things like brown rice, whole meal bread, wholewheat pasta, lentils, beans, sweet potatoes. The easiest thing to do is swap refined carbs - white bread, pasta, rice etc. For the slow release version. They fill you up better and you don’t crave more quickly. I’ve lost 2 stone by reducing refined carbs. Feel so much better.

lizzypopbottle

Lots of advice about low carb eating but it's slow release carbs the OP wants advice about. Search google for high and low glycemic index (GI). This ranks foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. High GI foods release glucose quickly and low GI foods release it more slowly.

I quite agree. OP is not asking for low carb help and has already mentioned that she is not sure how it is different from slow release carb. They are different and talking about them as if they are the same won't help! The GI guide is the right thing to look at.

I have been eating low carb for over 4 years now. Initially, because I discovered that I was on the verge of pre-diabetes, and also suffered terribly from bloating and indigestion. I was also overweight at 11.3 stones and 5 feet tall.

Ditching high carb food made such a huge difference to me, even though I never ate lots of carby stuff. I lost two stones over the course of about a year, so that was a huge bonus, and my energy levels increased too.

I don’t eat bread, potatoes, rice or any wheat products, as I seem to have developed an intolerance to them, and feel uncomfortable if I do. I do eat pasta once a week, but only a small portion. I can’t eat fruit either , as it contains fructose which disagrees with me. (And wheat contains fructans, another intolerance).

I agree that the Diabetes. UK website is an excellent resource for info on low carb, and also Diet Doctor for meal ideas.

Immediately ordered the book.

I still live by the mantra - eat sensibly, with the occasional sinful treat.

Fatigue. How you deal with that depends on how long, what brings it on, what have you already tried etc. If you feel nutrition may affect it, (My own opinion... Of course it does), then you need to do some serious reading and thinking - GP's general advice from their computer will not fit everyone. I have found Patrick Holford's books useful - but nothing works unless you do it. The question to ask yourself is how do really well people live and where is that different from what you do. Wishing you well.

Growstuff, when I say eliminated carbs, I don’t include potatoes, pasta or rice and keep away from root vegetables although I do have fruits such as peppers and tomatoes plus brassicas. I have onions, garlic, beans, nuts etc as well. So not totally carb free but very reduced. Protein in the form of eggs and fish and sometimes meat but rarely.

Dairy is a bit of a problem as I love tea and coffee with milk and cheese but I’ve just cut down on the cheese, difficult for me.

I hope that answers your question

Avitorl can you share with us which low carb diet you followed please sounds easy.

Cross posts chattycathy! ?

Oh dear, trying to lose weight for any length of time needs a lot of willpower. I found the low carb diet, if done properly, was enjoyable but after a while the double cream was so nice I found myself having lots every day with fruit and then having a couple of slices of nimble too for breakfast with 2 fried eggs, and one slice fried it was so nice, but no weight lost after a while of course, now I’m just trying to eat less generally and have had to give up double cream

Lots of advice about low carb eating but it's slow release carbs the OP wants advice about. Search google for high and low glycemic index (GI). This ranks foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. High GI foods release glucose quickly and low GI foods release it more slowly.

And do look at Diabetes UK, also the NHS website will be able to advise. You need to check your Google sources very carefully. The ads always come at the top and may not be trustworthy.

@NanKate your doctor means low GI foods, this might be useful for you
www.healthline.com/nutrition/low-glycemic-diet

Sparklefizz, I read that about cold carbs but it said you could reheat. Basically, cook rice, pasta and potatoes and then leave to go cold. Then you can reheat to piping hot and they'll still be a lot lower in carbs.
Obviously don't leave them in the fridge for days before eating, especially rice which grows poisonous compounds.

I lost weight on a low carb diet and try to stick to it. My diet was set to 10 units of carbs. With 1 unit per 5 carbs. If you look at the guide on food It will tell you how many carbs are in it. For example say a plain biscuit will say it has a count of 10 carbs in it, so you would have to use up 2 of your carb points! A little pack of porridge has about 20 carbs a serving, so you would use up 4 of your points.

Lots of food like chicken red meat fish etc don’t have any carbs in them so these can be eaten freely. When I follow it seriously I cut out bread, pasta, rice completely, not to mention the cakes and chocolates! Fruit you should not have more than 3 pieces or 10ozs a day, and keep to half a pint of skimmed milk. Like all diets they work if you stick to them.

Have a look at Dr Michael Mosley’s books - blood sugar diet and Fast 800. He clearly explains the biology of food on your body. Changing eating pattern and habits is always hard but it’s really worth persevering for at least 6 weeks to feel the difference. You may feel hungry at times but you really won’t die of starvation!!

I understand that porridge is an excellent "slow release" carb breakfast - with a range of health benefits. I swear by it for keeping me going through the morning.

@MrsThreadgoode; I make a cheese sauce for cauliflower by simply melting grated cheese into cream. Not only is it delicious, it's also quicker than making a traditional sauce.

I am on a low/no carb diet - or should I say I have eliminated most carbs in my diet - and have lost more than a stone in 2 months. I miss bread and cake!! But occasional dark chocolate is a nice treat. Thanks for the Hovis Nimble tip. I eat lots of vegetables, chicken, pork and fish and occasional beef. I also eat cheese. Very happy with it and never hungry.

Thanks for the advice folks.