Guides for daily amounts…

[I_Hate_This]

Hi All. Hope everyone is well!
Just wondering, as a general rule what people use as a guide day to day for carb/calorie intake when trying to lose weight and initially get levels down following diagnosis?
I know it will be dependent on weight etc. but just looking for some ideas!
Roughly I have been aiming for under 1200 cals / 130g carbs per day…

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi All. Hope everyone is well!
Just wondering, as a general rule what people use as a guide day to day for carb/calorie intake when trying to lose weight and initially get levels down following diagnosis?
I know it will be dependent on weight etc. but just looking for some ideas!
Roughly I have been aiming for under 1200 cals / 130g carbs per day…

I don't know about the calories but it is suggested that no more than 130g total carbs not just 'sugar' is a good starting point though many do need to go lower but they will determine where they need to be by testing with a home blood glucose monitor looking to keep meal increases to less than 2-3mmol/l or no more than 8 -8.5mmol/l after 2 hours.
It then is possible to see how much for a meal your body can tolerate. You may be fine with 30g but not 50g for example.
Some people are less tolerant of carbs in the morning so will often have a lower carb breakfast but more later in the day.
It is very individual.
It is quite hard to keep track of both carbs and cals.

 

[Lucyr]

It is quite hard to keep track of both carbs and cals.

it’s not hard to keep track of both carbs and cals if you use an app. For example I use nutracheck and have it set to show me carbs and calories. For calories I’d use a calculator such as the ones in calorie counting apps to get a target

 

[I_Hate_This]

Thanks for responding.
I have my first check in March since being diagnosed in November. I don’t know what to expect or aim for as a “good result”. I don’t test at home, I asked my nurse if I should get a monitor but she said no?!

 

[Leadinglights]

Thanks for responding.
I have my first check in March since being diagnosed in November. I don’t know what to expect or aim for as a “good result”. I don’t test at home, I asked my nurse if I should get a monitor but she said no?!

That is usually the answer from the nurse unless you are very lucky because they don't want to prescribe strips so many do self fund as it gives them control over managing their diabetes. There are many threads discussing the benefits of home testing, one of which is gives you a better idea if your dietary changes are being effective rather than waiting months for your next HbA1C test.

 

[I_Hate_This]

I see. Would you recommend any particular testing kits/method?
I would be so disappointed to get to March and realise my efforts have been ineffective!

 

[Leadinglights]

I see. Would you recommend any particular testing kits/method?
I would be so disappointed to get to March and realise my efforts have been ineffective!

A good basic monitor in either the GlucoNavii or the Spirit TEE2, they have the cheapest test strips which can be 4 x cheaper than some of the others. The strips are specific to the monitor. You get a few strips and lancets with the kit so should buy more at the outset. Unofficially you can reuse the lancets and many do. Both monitors can be bought on line. Check prices from different places. You do not need to pay VAT so tick the box.

 

[I_Hate_This]

A good basic monitor in either the GlucoNavii or the Spirit TEE2, they have the cheapest test strips which can be 4 x cheaper than some of the others. The strips are specific to the monitor. You get a few strips and lancets with the kit so should buy more at the outset. Unofficially you can reuse the lancets and many do. Both monitors can be bought on line. Check prices from different places. You do not need to pay VAT so tick the box.

What would you suggest is a good time to test for an overall idea of levels?

 

[Leadinglights]

What would you suggest is a good time to test for an overall idea of levels?

Some people test in the morning, often before they get out of bed as some suffer from Foot on the Floor phenomenon where blood glucose rises because the liver releases glucose to give you the energy to start the day. That can give an idea of progress day to day, week to week etc.
People also test the effect of meals by testing before they eat and after 2 hours aiming at no more than a 2-3mmol/l increase or no more than 8-8.5mmol/l after the 2 hours. If more than that then it indicates the meal was too carb heavy and you can take action to reduce the portion or cut out the high carb component.
People often test if they feel unwell to check if the symptoms could be high or low blood glucose or if it could be something else.
The most important thing is to make good use of the testing you do otherwise it is a waste of time.

 

[I_Hate_This]

I see. Thanks for this, it’s really helpful!
How does the blood test done by the GP track glucose levels for a prolonged period and not just how it is at the time of testing?!

 

[Leadinglights]

I see. Thanks for this, it’s really helpful!
How does the blood test done by the GP track glucose levels for a prolonged period and not just how it is at the time of testing?!

This link should explain.

What is HbA1c?

HbA1c is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol (6.5%) or below. If you're at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, your target HbA1c level should be below 42mmol/mol (6%).

www.diabetes.org.uk