scotishchic
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Hi am new to the group goosing to get some advise and tips on lower carb eating and exercise
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Am new
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Toucan
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Hello @scotishchic
Welcome to the forum.
There is a great deal of knowledge and support on here. I am sure there will be some other Type 1's along shortly to help you.
In the meantime, here are some links regarding carbs from the Type 1 section of the website.
Carb counting (for basal bolus and pump insulin regimes):
Online carb-counting course:
www.bertieonline.org.uk (which replaces BDEC)
Free downloadable guide to carb counting from Diabetes UK:
http://www.diabetes.org.uk//upload/How we help/catalogue/Carbs-Count-2012.pdf
Carbs and Cals - A very popular book (also available as a smartphone App) Carbs & Cals Carb & Calorie Counter: Count Your Carbs & Calories with Over 1,700 Food & Drink Photos
Welcome to the forum.
There is a great deal of knowledge and support on here. I am sure there will be some other Type 1's along shortly to help you.
In the meantime, here are some links regarding carbs from the Type 1 section of the website.
Carb counting (for basal bolus and pump insulin regimes):
Online carb-counting course:
www.bertieonline.org.uk (which replaces BDEC)
Free downloadable guide to carb counting from Diabetes UK:
http://www.diabetes.org.uk//upload/How we help/catalogue/Carbs-Count-2012.pdf
Carbs and Cals - A very popular book (also available as a smartphone App) Carbs & Cals Carb & Calorie Counter: Count Your Carbs & Calories with Over 1,700 Food & Drink Photos
scotishchic
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Thank you
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Welcome to the forum @scotishchic
We have a few LC T1s in the forum ( @rebrascora and @Benny G spring to mind), and many more who find a moderate carb intake works well for them.
what made you want to try low carb?
We have a few LC T1s in the forum ( @rebrascora and @Benny G spring to mind), and many more who find a moderate carb intake works well for them.
what made you want to try low carb?
rebrascora
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Hi and welcome from another Type 1 who eats low carb.
Do you have a set carb intake ie a number of grams of carbs that you try to limit yourself to or are you a little more flexible in just avoiding high carb foods as I do. I probably keep to somewhere between 50 and 120grams of carbs a day. If I was more organised I could probably go a lot lower, but this works for me for now. Basically, I don't eat bread, pasta, rice etc. I have small potions of potato or sweet potato 2-3 times a week and I eat quite a lot more fatty foods like cheese/nuts/fatty meat/fish/veggies cooked with butter or cream cheese or rendered meat fat or olive oil and salads with cheese coleslaw. Cream in my coffee instead of milk and creamy Greek natural yoghurt with my low carb Eat Natural Granola with berries and seeds for breakfast. My weight seems to be nice and stable now and I only get nasty hypos if I do something stupid, like bolus for breakfast and then leave the house to do stable duties before eating and don't get back in time.... I need to prebolus an hour before breakfast and I get sick of waiting so I sometimes try to fit chores in between and occasionally get distracted and end up getting caught short.
I was a heavy sugar addict pre diagnosis as well as consuming a lot of wholemeal bread and pasta and potatoes, so this has been quite a drastic change of diet but I actually really enjoy it now and I no longer crave the sweet stuff which is a revelation. Fat is satisfying and keeps you fuller for longer and tastes good and provides nice slow release energy. I use a little more Basal insulin (I am on twice daily doses of Levemir,) to cover the fat and protein rather than trying to bolus for it with NovoRapid as it takes too long for the glucose produced from it to hit the system for NR to cope.
Happy to help in any way I can if you have specific questions about low carb eating.
Do you have a set carb intake ie a number of grams of carbs that you try to limit yourself to or are you a little more flexible in just avoiding high carb foods as I do. I probably keep to somewhere between 50 and 120grams of carbs a day. If I was more organised I could probably go a lot lower, but this works for me for now. Basically, I don't eat bread, pasta, rice etc. I have small potions of potato or sweet potato 2-3 times a week and I eat quite a lot more fatty foods like cheese/nuts/fatty meat/fish/veggies cooked with butter or cream cheese or rendered meat fat or olive oil and salads with cheese coleslaw. Cream in my coffee instead of milk and creamy Greek natural yoghurt with my low carb Eat Natural Granola with berries and seeds for breakfast. My weight seems to be nice and stable now and I only get nasty hypos if I do something stupid, like bolus for breakfast and then leave the house to do stable duties before eating and don't get back in time.... I need to prebolus an hour before breakfast and I get sick of waiting so I sometimes try to fit chores in between and occasionally get distracted and end up getting caught short.
I was a heavy sugar addict pre diagnosis as well as consuming a lot of wholemeal bread and pasta and potatoes, so this has been quite a drastic change of diet but I actually really enjoy it now and I no longer crave the sweet stuff which is a revelation. Fat is satisfying and keeps you fuller for longer and tastes good and provides nice slow release energy. I use a little more Basal insulin (I am on twice daily doses of Levemir,) to cover the fat and protein rather than trying to bolus for it with NovoRapid as it takes too long for the glucose produced from it to hit the system for NR to cope.
Happy to help in any way I can if you have specific questions about low carb eating.
scotishchic
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Hi I thought it might help me control my bs better as at the moment i am
Up and down like a yo-yo lol been trying to be under 100g a day so far I seem to be managing around 70g but in the afternoon around 3 to 4 ish my sugars are getting a lot higher even thought I not ate any carbs food ect so glad to see that maybe 2 dose might work better
Up and down like a yo-yo lol been trying to be under 100g a day so far I seem to be managing around 70g but in the afternoon around 3 to 4 ish my sugars are getting a lot higher even thought I not ate any carbs food ect so glad to see that maybe 2 dose might work better
rebrascora
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Which basal insulin are you on and when do you currently take it? If at night, you might find it better using it in the morning instead to cover the whole day when you are active and the liver is more likely to pump out more glucose. Levemir can be split but I am not sure others can so it would be best to discuss any changes with a DSN first.
It is also possible that your levels are rising in the afternoon if you are eating more protein/fat at breakfast/lunchtime. The body will break down approx. 40% of protein and about 10% of fat into glucose, but it takes longer than carbs to be released, so you will see it maybe 4-8hrs after eating.
I really struggled with Yo-yoing until just recently (nearly a year in with insulin) when I increased my basal insulin slightly and now I find that I am much more in range but start to go a little low occasionally particularly if I exercise and I just have half an apple or half a banana to keep me above 4. It is a little treat to have a piece of fruit like this, so encourages me to get out and walk briskly in order to earn it.
It is also possible that your levels are rising in the afternoon if you are eating more protein/fat at breakfast/lunchtime. The body will break down approx. 40% of protein and about 10% of fat into glucose, but it takes longer than carbs to be released, so you will see it maybe 4-8hrs after eating.
I really struggled with Yo-yoing until just recently (nearly a year in with insulin) when I increased my basal insulin slightly and now I find that I am much more in range but start to go a little low occasionally particularly if I exercise and I just have half an apple or half a banana to keep me above 4. It is a little treat to have a piece of fruit like this, so encourages me to get out and walk briskly in order to earn it.
scotishchic
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Hi I am on Levemir and I do
Take it at bed time but I have had to reduce it as I am hypoing about 5 in morning even if high going to bed but that now making me slight high in the day even after lunch if only had a protein meal I got an appointment in March at hospital so going to speck to them about it then but it always good to get others opinions as Think we can all have better idea of what it actually like to live with this lol I been on insulin for over 20 year but only recently been trying the low carb option but an struggling with exercise ect your high with weights and low or high with cardio depending on how hard you work, sometimes I think I don’t know anything lol thanks for you help I appreciated it
Take it at bed time but I have had to reduce it as I am hypoing about 5 in morning even if high going to bed but that now making me slight high in the day even after lunch if only had a protein meal I got an appointment in March at hospital so going to speck to them about it then but it always good to get others opinions as Think we can all have better idea of what it actually like to live with this lol I been on insulin for over 20 year but only recently been trying the low carb option but an struggling with exercise ect your high with weights and low or high with cardio depending on how hard you work, sometimes I think I don’t know anything lol thanks for you help I appreciated it
Bruce Stephens
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Levemir doesn't last for 24 hours. (I see it is actually "up to 24 hours", but I don't think anyone actually believes that.) It's usual to take it in two doses around 12 hours apart. That should allow a suitable does to get you through the night without going hypo, while allowing whatever dose seems appropriate during the day. (As others suggested, making such a dramatic change is safest after asking your DSN.)
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rebrascora
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Since you are on Levemir and you take it just once a day at night, that may well be causing your problem of rising levels in the afternoon as the Levemir tails off and also why you are hypoing around 5am ish when it is building up to it's peak. Once you split the dose, you should manage much better. I take 7 or 8 units at night and 13 or 14 units during the day and that is working great for me at the moment.
I find a brisk walk or gardening or mucking out horses is the best exercise for lowering my BG levels. Anything more strenuous usually puts it up a bit.... basically steady physical activity which might make me breath a bit deeper and work a combination of muscles (sweeping the stables is one of the activities which is most likely to bring it down as it involves a number of large muscle masses all working at once) but nothing too exertive.
I find a brisk walk or gardening or mucking out horses is the best exercise for lowering my BG levels. Anything more strenuous usually puts it up a bit.... basically steady physical activity which might make me breath a bit deeper and work a combination of muscles (sweeping the stables is one of the activities which is most likely to bring it down as it involves a number of large muscle masses all working at once) but nothing too exertive.
Pumper_Sue
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As others have said Levemir really needs to be split into two doses for 24 hour cover.
Having just protein for a meal normally needs a bolus jab as well. Have you looked in the food section on the forum there's a sticky in there by BEV on her experience with her young sons diabetes and insulin dosing for meals. Well worth a read and hopefully also give you some ideas.
Felinia
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I don't know your age or physical condition, but I found the swimming pool works for me. I've built up over 6 months and do up to 5 classes of Aquafit / Water Pilates, between 180 and 300 minutes a week. I've also got a home mini exercise bike, and pound away whilst waiting for the kettle to boil - a few minutes each time soon builds up.
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