Does my diet qualify as LC?

MaryL said:

I am very new to all this, so I'm not sure if I really qualify as LC'ing,
but my diet is certainly far more LC than it used to be -- and probably the
healthiest diet I have followed in all of my adult life, at least in my
opinion. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in early June, and that
served as a real wake-up call for me to do something about my diet. I am
greatly overweight and always knew that I "should" do something, but
knowledge about some of the dreadful side-effects of diabetes has been a
real motivation to me. I am essentially following the South Beach diet and
am eating almost all fresh fruits and veggies (lots of them). SB emphasizes
"good carbs" not "low carb." Most of the meat I eat is lean/low-fat except
that I will sometimes (not always) have bacon with my eggs. I eat several
eggs a week -- sometimes fried, sometimes poached, sometimes as an omelet.
I frequently stir-fry veggies and chicken in a small amount of olive oil.
In addition, I have eliminated rice, pasta, and white potatoes. The only
bread I eat is a flourless bread made from the sprouts of whole grains known
as Ezekiel bread, which I get at a health store. My blood sugar spiked on
each occasion when I tried whole wheat bread or oatmeal bread, so I no
longer do that. However, I do have old-fashioned oatmeal with fresh
blueberries for breakfast, and I have not had any problems with BG as a
result. I want to try steel-cut oatmeal but have not yet found any.

As a result of these dietary changes, I have lost 33 pounds since early
June. I also take one 500mg tablet of Metformin XR per day, which is a very
low dose. All except 3 of my BG tests have been within the target range
since early July, and my average BG (testing at a variety of times) is 109.
We checked my meter in the doctor's office, and it gave the identical
reading as what they received in their lab (using the same finger [censored]). I
also feel much better than I have felt in years and have lots more energy.
I had expected my doctor to increase my dosage of Metformin, but he said I
am doing so well that that is not necessary. In fact, he hopes that I will
eventually be able to control this entirely through diet and exercise (but I
must admit that I still have not added exercise to my routine, even though I
know it is very important). I had previously existed almost entirely on
fast-food and commercially-prepared frozen meals. I am now doing all of my
own cooking and am relying almost exclusively on fresh vegetables and fruits
plus meat. I do not place a great deal of emphasis on "high protein," but I
do get protein every day. Instead, I place emphasis on lots of the fruits
and veggis that SB lists as "foods to enjoy."

Does this really qualify as LC? Does anyone have any suggestions? I met
with a dietitician/diabetes counselor, and she accepted the diet I am
following but it really does not equate with her recommendations (which is
*much* higher in carbs). A number of my friends who have T2 diabetes
recommended SB, and that is how I got started in that direction.

Thanks,
MaryL

There is no firm definition of a low carb diet. What you have posted
seems to be quite healthy, and if, as you say, you are not spiking with
any of your selections, and have good numbers, then stick with it. I
lost about fifty pounds between June and late August with a somewhat
similar diet. The only other thing that I included in regulars
quantities, was fish. A frittata made with smoked salmon, or even smoked
cod is a very tasty and healthy addition. I have them at least once a
week, and on occasion have smoked kippers or fresh trout for breakfast.
I also exercised morning and evening, walking, rowing, riding etc.

You probably should begin to add some exercise to your daily routine, at
least some brisk walking, slowly increasing distance as your body adapts.

You seem to be doing well, stick with it.

Good luck with it.

Regards

David

--

To reply, please include the letters DNF anywhere in the subject line.

All other mail is automatically deleted.

"J. David Anderson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MaryL said:

I am very new to all this, so I'm not sure if I really qualify as

LC'ing,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but my diet is certainly far more LC than it used to be -- and probably

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

healthiest diet I have followed in all of my adult life, at least in my
opinion.

Thanks,
MaryL

There is no firm definition of a low carb diet. What you have posted
seems to be quite healthy, and if, as you say, you are not spiking with
any of your selections, and have good numbers, then stick with it. I
lost about fifty pounds between June and late August with a somewhat
similar diet. The only other thing that I included in regulars
quantities, was fish. A frittata made with smoked salmon, or even smoked
cod is a very tasty and healthy addition. I have them at least once a
week, and on occasion have smoked kippers or fresh trout for breakfast.
I also exercised morning and evening, walking, rowing, riding etc.

You probably should begin to add some exercise to your daily routine, at
least some brisk walking, slowly increasing distance as your body adapts.

You seem to be doing well, stick with it.

Good luck with it.

Regards

David

--

To reply, please include the letters DNF anywhere in the subject line.

All other mail is automatically deleted.

Thanks very much. I can't add fish to my diet because I am allergic to
fish. However, I don't have that excuse for exercise and I know it is
essential that I develop some willpower there.

MaryL

"MaryL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

am eating almost all fresh fruits and veggies (lots of them). SB

emphasizes

Quoted message said:

"good carbs" not "low carb." Most of the meat I eat is lean/low-fat

except

Quoted message said:

that I will sometimes (not always) have bacon with my eggs. I eat several
eggs a week -- sometimes fried, sometimes poached, sometimes as an omelet.
I frequently stir-fry veggies and chicken in a small amount of olive oil.
In addition, I have eliminated rice, pasta, and white potatoes. The only
bread I eat is a flourless bread made from the sprouts of whole grains

known

Quoted message said:

as Ezekiel bread, which I get at a health store. My blood sugar spiked on
each occasion when I tried whole wheat bread or oatmeal bread, so I no
longer do that. However, I do have old-fashioned oatmeal with fresh
blueberries for breakfast, and I have not had any problems with BG as a
result. I want to try steel-cut oatmeal but have not yet found any.

As a result of these dietary changes, I have lost 33 pounds since early
June. I also take one 500mg tablet of Metformin XR per day, which is a

very

Quoted message said:

low dose. All except 3 of my BG tests have been within the target range
since early July, and my average BG (testing at a variety of times) is

109.

Quoted message said:

We checked my meter in the doctor's office, and it gave the identical
reading as what they received in their lab (using the same finger [censored]).

I

Quoted message said:

also feel much better than I have felt in years and have lots more energy.
I had expected my doctor to increase my dosage of Metformin, but he said I
am doing so well that that is not necessary. In fact, he hopes that I

will

Quoted message said:

eventually be able to control this entirely through diet and exercise (but

I

Quoted message said:

must admit that I still have not added exercise to my routine, even though

I

Quoted message said:

know it is very important). I had previously existed almost entirely on
fast-food and commercially-prepared frozen meals. I am now doing all of

my

Quoted message said:

own cooking and am relying almost exclusively on fresh vegetables and

fruits

Quoted message said:

plus meat. I do not place a great deal of emphasis on "high protein," but

I

Quoted message said:

do get protein every day. Instead, I place emphasis on lots of the fruits
and veggis that SB lists as "foods to enjoy."

Does this really qualify as LC? Does anyone have any suggestions?

It certainly sounds like LC to me!
I do eat more fats than you (as encouraged to when I first started posting
here because without carby foods I kept feeling hungry all the time). They
keep me satiated much longer. I eat 2 to 6 ounces of protein at each meal
of the day, certainly not anything I would call high-protein.
I do eat butter, cream cheese, regular cheese, cottage cheese, etc. Before
starting low-carb, I mostly used olive oil instead of butter (now I use
both, for different purposes, though) and I never had cream cheese.
Oh, and I eat far more nuts now.
There is something very enjoyable about having mushroom saute'd in butter,
or broccoli with butter and melted cheese (something I never would have
eaten before) and watching the pounds drop on the scale.

Congrats on your decision to make a healthful change in your diet. I too
had a diabetic scare in my blood sugars which led me here. I love the
energy and overall better feeling that I have now.

--
Spring
LC since 1/1/04
260/208/170
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sprgsnow/album?.tok=phX4sVBBuvxvs4Hs&.dir=/55b8&.src=ph
Size: 24W / 14 / 10

"Sprgtime" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"MaryL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

am eating almost all fresh fruits and veggies (lots of them). SB

emphasizes

Quoted message said:

"good carbs" not "low carb." Most of the meat I eat is lean/low-fat

except

Quoted message said:

that I will sometimes (not always) have bacon with my eggs. I eat

several

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

eggs a week -- sometimes fried, sometimes poached, sometimes as an

omelet.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I frequently stir-fry veggies and chicken in a small amount of olive

oil.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In addition, I have eliminated rice, pasta, and white potatoes. The

only

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bread I eat is a flourless bread made from the sprouts of whole grains

known

Quoted message said:

as Ezekiel bread, which I get at a health store. My blood sugar spiked

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

each occasion when I tried whole wheat bread or oatmeal bread, so I no
longer do that. However, I do have old-fashioned oatmeal with fresh
blueberries for breakfast, and I have not had any problems with BG as a
result. I want to try steel-cut oatmeal but have not yet found any.

As a result of these dietary changes, I have lost 33 pounds since early
June. I also take one 500mg tablet of Metformin XR per day, which is a

very

Quoted message said:

low dose. All except 3 of my BG tests have been within the target range
since early July, and my average BG (testing at a variety of times) is

109.

Quoted message said:

We checked my meter in the doctor's office, and it gave the identical
reading as what they received in their lab (using the same finger

[censored]).

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

also feel much better than I have felt in years and have lots more

energy.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I had expected my doctor to increase my dosage of Metformin, but he said

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

am doing so well that that is not necessary. In fact, he hopes that I

will

Quoted message said:

eventually be able to control this entirely through diet and exercise

(but

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

must admit that I still have not added exercise to my routine, even

though

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

know it is very important). I had previously existed almost entirely on
fast-food and commercially-prepared frozen meals. I am now doing all of

my

Quoted message said:

own cooking and am relying almost exclusively on fresh vegetables and

fruits

Quoted message said:

plus meat. I do not place a great deal of emphasis on "high protein,"

but

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

do get protein every day. Instead, I place emphasis on lots of the

fruits

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and veggis that SB lists as "foods to enjoy."

Does this really qualify as LC? Does anyone have any suggestions?

It certainly sounds like LC to me!
I do eat more fats than you (as encouraged to when I first started posting
here because without carby foods I kept feeling hungry all the time).

They

Quoted message said:

keep me satiated much longer. I eat 2 to 6 ounces of protein at each meal
of the day, certainly not anything I would call high-protein.
I do eat butter, cream cheese, regular cheese, cottage cheese, etc.

Before

Quoted message said:

starting low-carb, I mostly used olive oil instead of butter (now I use
both, for different purposes, though) and I never had cream cheese.
Oh, and I eat far more nuts now.
There is something very enjoyable about having mushroom saute'd in butter,
or broccoli with butter and melted cheese (something I never would have
eaten before) and watching the pounds drop on the scale.

Congrats on your decision to make a healthful change in your diet. I too
had a diabetic scare in my blood sugars which led me here. I love the
energy and overall better feeling that I have now.

--
Spring
LC since 1/1/04
260/208/170

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sprgsnow/album?.tok=phX4sVBBuvxvs4Hs&.dir=/55b8&.src=ph

Quoted message said:

Size: 24W / 14 / 10

Thanks! One thing that I forgot to mention is that I have 2 or 3 snacks a
day so I don't let too many hours elapse between meals. A typical snack is
a few natural almonds and a piece of low-fat cheese or a couple of spoons of
peanut butter with a small apple or a piece of string cheese and a few
natural walnuts or pecans.

MaryL

"Ignoramus13725" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Your diet is an excellent start on the road towards controlling your
diabetes, it does qualify as lower carb, and definitely you are not
going to suffer any health consequences for merely eliminating flour.

It may not qualify as true LC diet, but, you pick what works, and make
adjustments when necessary.

Thanks! This a very helpful group.

MaryL

"MaryL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am very new to all this, so I'm not sure if I really qualify as LC'ing,
but my diet is certainly far more LC than it used to be -- and probably

the

Quoted message said:

healthiest diet I have followed in all of my adult life, at least in my
opinion. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in early June, and that

Why would you care about a label for your diet plan? Lose weight,
exercise and be happy...

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories

"jk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"MaryL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am very new to all this, so I'm not sure if I really qualify as

LC'ing,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but my diet is certainly far more LC than it used to be -- and probably

the

Quoted message said:

healthiest diet I have followed in all of my adult life, at least in my
opinion. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in early June, and that

Why would you care about a label for your diet plan? Lose weight,
exercise and be happy...

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories

I don't really care about a label, but this is a low-carb newsgroup. So, I
was interested in knowing whether what I think of as a lower-carb diet fits
within the scope of what most people on this NG are doing.

MaryL

In article <[email hidden]>,

MaryL said:

Thanks very much. I can't add fish to my diet because I am allergic to
fish. However, I don't have that excuse for exercise and I know it is
essential that I develop some willpower there.

MaryL

The trick with exercise is to find something you enjoy doing for its own
sake, not just because it is good for you. There are so many different
ways to be more active, and you can get benefits even by being just
slightly more active than you are now. Don't be afraid of exercise. You
don't have to go from couch potato to marathon runner overnight. Some
people start with very simple things, like parking further away from the
store, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, taking a 5 minute daily
walk, etc.

If you have no clue about exercise, I recommend checking out your local
YMCA. The one I go to has so many options, for people of all fitness
levels, and trained staff who really know about fitness, not just about how
to sell memberships like at some gyms.

--
Michelle Levin
http://www.mindspring.com/~lunachick

I have only 3 flaws. My first flaw is thinking that I only have 3 flaws.

MaryL said:

Does this really qualify as LC? Does anyone have any suggestions?

why does it matter what you call it if it's working for you?

"MaryL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am very new to all this, so I'm not sure if I really qualify as LC'ing,
but my diet is certainly far more LC than it used to be -- and probably

the

Quoted message said:

healthiest diet I have followed in all of my adult life, at least in my
opinion. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in early June, and that
served as a real wake-up call for me to do something about my diet. I am
greatly overweight and always knew that I "should" do something, but
knowledge about some of the dreadful side-effects of diabetes has been a
real motivation to me. I am essentially following the South Beach diet

and

Quoted message said:

am eating almost all fresh fruits and veggies (lots of them). SB

emphasizes

Quoted message said:

"good carbs" not "low carb." Most of the meat I eat is lean/low-fat

except

Quoted message said:

that I will sometimes (not always) have bacon with my eggs. I eat several
eggs a week -- sometimes fried, sometimes poached, sometimes as an omelet.
I frequently stir-fry veggies and chicken in a small amount of olive oil.
In addition, I have eliminated rice, pasta, and white potatoes. The only
bread I eat is a flourless bread made from the sprouts of whole grains

known

Quoted message said:

as Ezekiel bread, which I get at a health store. My blood sugar spiked on
each occasion when I tried whole wheat bread or oatmeal bread, so I no
longer do that. However, I do have old-fashioned oatmeal with fresh
blueberries for breakfast, and I have not had any problems with BG as a
result. I want to try steel-cut oatmeal but have not yet found any.

As a result of these dietary changes, I have lost 33 pounds since early
June. I also take one 500mg tablet of Metformin XR per day, which is a

very

Quoted message said:

low dose. All except 3 of my BG tests have been within the target range
since early July, and my average BG (testing at a variety of times) is

109.

Quoted message said:

We checked my meter in the doctor's office, and it gave the identical
reading as what they received in their lab (using the same finger [censored]).

I

Quoted message said:

also feel much better than I have felt in years and have lots more energy.
I had expected my doctor to increase my dosage of Metformin, but he said I
am doing so well that that is not necessary. In fact, he hopes that I

will

Quoted message said:

eventually be able to control this entirely through diet and exercise (but

I

Quoted message said:

must admit that I still have not added exercise to my routine, even though

I

Quoted message said:

know it is very important). I had previously existed almost entirely on
fast-food and commercially-prepared frozen meals. I am now doing all of

my

Quoted message said:

own cooking and am relying almost exclusively on fresh vegetables and

fruits

Quoted message said:

plus meat. I do not place a great deal of emphasis on "high protein," but

I

Quoted message said:

do get protein every day. Instead, I place emphasis on lots of the fruits
and veggis that SB lists as "foods to enjoy."

Does this really qualify as LC? Does anyone have any suggestions? I met
with a dietitician/diabetes counselor, and she accepted the diet I am
following but it really does not equate with her recommendations (which is
*much* higher in carbs). A number of my friends who have T2 diabetes
recommended SB, and that is how I got started in that direction.

Thanks,
MaryL

You have gotten some of the best advice and support from some of the best
people in the world.

Welcome to the low-carb experience! Your life is changing!

Hi MaryL.

Your eating plan seems to work for you, and I think it's a healthy one
for you. Congratulations for not falling prey to the 'got to eat all
carbs, all the time, and cover it with lots of drugs' school of
diabetes management.

My strongest recommendation to any diabetic who wants to think about
LC is to look at Dr Richard Bernstein's work in this area. He's a
diabetic doctor both ways - a physician specialising in diabetes
management AND is himself a T1 diabetic, managing his condition with
LC and insulin shots for decades. His Web Site is
http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/ and offers several chapters from
his book on the subject. You might find many things of use in your
condition.

I'm looking forward to hearing of your continued success in
controlling this condition.

Aramanth
LC since May 29th 1998 and for LIFE
Diabetes T2

"Jim Bard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
:
: "MaryL" <[email hidden]> wrote in :
: You have gotten some of the best advice and support from some of
the best
: people in the world.
:
: Welcome to the low-carb experience! Your life is changing!

i must agree..............stick around mary and read and post!
:
: