I need to explain diet.....

[Lucylemonpip]

Hi
Can someone explain, for my husband, why a low carb diet is thought to be more effective than a low calorie diet, whereby one would obviously keep sugar consumption low, otherwise you’d be defeating the object of a low calorie diet. I’m rubbish at explaining type 2 and all it’s ins and outs to him, He says that all I have to do is lose weight and then it will be fine.

 

[Drummer]

If being overweight or having fat in the wrong places was the only wayt to 'cause' type two diabetes, then your husband would be right.
Unfortunately, type two diabetes is all down to a person being unable to cope with the carbohydrates in the modern diet - the starches and the sugars.
By going low calorie some people do lose weight, and can regain some storage room for more carbohydrate, but it seems to fill up again, and the person is sometimes back to where they started if a couple of years, having never discovered how to eat to cope with the diabetes, only to manage on a low calorie diet.
An easier option is to alter the diet to what can be coped with, the protein and fat is dealt with just like someone unaffected - a glucose testing meter shows the foods which a person can and can't cope with, and in what amounts if used after eating and the number acted upon.
By eating low carb foods we get all the nourishment, all the vitamins and minerals required, and often feel a lot better than in the time before diagnosis, when the metabolism was struggling to do something - anything - with the carbohydrates we are told are essential to a healthy diet, when they are actually acting as a slow poison day after day.

 

[Sally71]

When you have diabetes your body can't cope with carbohydrates, and that means all carbohydrates, starches as well as sugars. All carbohydrates break down into glucose in your stomach (sugars just break down quicker) and then your body struggles to deal with all that glucose, with the result that you have too much glucose in your blood, which makes you tired and eventually causes damage. If you don't eat so much carbohydrate then you won't have so much glucose in your blood, and your body can deal with fat and protein as well as anyone else's can. Carbs and calories are not the same thing, calories are how much energy you get from eating something, meats for example can still give you energy but contain no carbohydrate. You may find if you cut down your carb intake dramatically that you lose weight anyway; obesity is not the only cause for type 2 diabetes though, it is possible to get type 2s who have never been overweight (being overweight increases your risk but doesn't mean that you definitely will become diabetic).

 

[Ljc]

I hope this helps
Scroll down to the video called What is diabetes , on the link below
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/?_ga=2.86272344.1364797087.1581467371-1620558196.1581467370

Many people find that by reducing carbohydrates that they lose weight easily.

Diabetes is an inability to process carbohydrates, with type 2 we need to reduce our intake of them to keep our blood glucose in the normal range

Carbohydrates are a food group
Calories are not.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Cause carbs affect BG. As far as I can find out calories don't (example, a high fat item).
Now, sugar has both, and is early processed by the body, & can quickly hit the blood stream, giving a high. (Which is why we all eat loads.)
Talking about sugar can confuse matters.

 

[Lucylemonpip]

Thank you for the responses peeps, you have been very helpful.🙂

 

[AndBreathe]

Thank you for the responses peeps, you have been very helpful.🙂

My OH is a very, very intelligent man, with a great metabolism and loves his food. We both love our food.

When going through the initial period, post diagnosis when changes seemed a bit bewildering sometimes, I was using my meter to guide me in my food choices, so I just shared that information with him, along with "safe place numbers", so that he could see what I needed to do, and understand it, at its simplest level.

That seemed to work.

As time has moved on, we now have more complex discussions, but as a starter, that worked for us. Having shown him the target numbers, he could see if my numbers were in the teens, say, and the safe place was, say 8 or lower, then double figures were not a happy message.

 

[SueEK]

Too much weight is not a necessity for being diagnosed type 2. I am one of a number of slim type 2s and the only way for me to reduce my numbers (90 down to 43) has been by lowering my carbs. I tested for each new food at differing times of the day to see what foods spiked me. I did lose some weight, simply through going low carb, but have managed to stabilise that through eating more fats. Surprisingly my cholesterol is now also back to normal as is my blood pressure.
My husband also asks what my numbers are when I have tested and is very aware of what foods I should and more importantly shouldn’t have and will give me a little nudge if he thinks I’m having something I shouldn’t. Good luck and I hope your hubby finds the replies helpful to understanding us type 2s.

 

[Lucylemonpip]

Thank you AndBreathe and SueEK.

It’s tricky for me, as although my husband is not unsupportive, he has fixed ideas after having read about T2. Unfortunately, there is a lot of info that say weight gain can lead to T2 and although there should be emphasis that weight gain “can” lead to T2, as I have gained weight, to him, that is pretty much the only reason I have developed T2. Also, he was with me when the diabetes nurse said I needed to lose weight in order to obtain a better HbA1c figure and not to bother with bg monitoring for now, as I had started to do, as by doing so at this stage, I was over-thinking things. My husband, agrees with her and therefore, feels I should lose weight first and do so by “calorie” control and exercise, and then when I’ve got down to my goal weight, do bg finger prick monitoring to see which foods affect my bg.

I’m not very good at explaining things to him and we end up getting into disagreements. He still finds it strange that you can have double cream and cheese on Keto and low carb diets. When I mentioned that intermittent fasting has proved effective for some people, he just said “they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and that one should “eat like a King for breakfast, eat like a Prince for lunch and eat like a Pauper for Dinner”!

This all said, I still have my own opinion on it all and am following a much lower carb diet than I ever have and am watching the calories too. To date, I’ve lost 21lb, (have hit a plateau currently), so must be doing something right. I also still do bg testing with my monitor and have been taking notes. I’m nothing if not a bit stubborn.

 

[DaveB]

As others have said, diabetes T1 or T2 is the result of the body's inability to metabolise carbs properly. With T2, reducing any carbs will usually help with both blood sugar and weight. T1 will need insulin and probably some carb control. Calories are about energy and fats have twice the amount of calories than carbs. When controlling calories there may be a temptation to reduce fats rather than carbs to keep the calories down. This is not the right approach for diabetes. Fats have little to do with diabetes but carbs have everything so the focus should be on controlling all carbs. Note that the body readily stores carbs as body fat if you have excess and this in itself can cause weight gain and insulin resistance.

 

[SueEK]

Sadly a lot of information out there, including what the DN’s tell us simply does not work and is not the best way to approach it. We all do things slightly differently and what is best for us as individuals. If you are managing to lose weight that is great because it will definitely help and I would encourage you to continue testing, this really is the only way to find what foods you can or cannot tolerate. The DN’s really have a thing about us not testing as think you will become obsessed about it. All I can say is you must do what is best for you but all of us here on this forum have diabetes and are living with it every day, we help and support each other and pick up tips and try things that others suggest and then settle on what works best for us. Anything we can do to help or any questions at all we are here for you. Sue x

 

[Neens]

Thank you AndBreathe and SueEK.

It’s tricky for me, as although my husband is not unsupportive, he has fixed ideas after having read about T2. Unfortunately, there is a lot of info that say weight gain can lead to T2 and although there should be emphasis that weight gain “can” lead to T2, as I have gained weight, to him, that is pretty much the only reason I have developed T2. Also, he was with me when the diabetes nurse said I needed to lose weight in order to obtain a better HbA1c figure and not to bother with bg monitoring for now, as I had started to do, as by doing so at this stage, I was over-thinking things. My husband, agrees with her and therefore, feels I should lose weight first and do so by “calorie” control and exercise, and then when I’ve got down to my goal weight, do bg finger prick monitoring to see which foods affect my bg.

I’m not very good at explaining things to him and we end up getting into disagreements. He still finds it strange that you can have double cream and cheese on Keto and low carb diets. When I mentioned that intermittent fasting has proved effective for some people, he just said “they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and that one should “eat like a King for breakfast, eat like a Prince for lunch and eat like a Pauper for Dinner”!

This all said, I still have my own opinion on it all and am following a much lower carb diet than I ever have and am watching the calories too. To date, I’ve lost 21lb, (have hit a plateau currently), so must be doing something right. I also still do bg testing with my monitor and have been taking notes. I’m nothing if not a bit stubborn.

Some great advice and explanations here for you. Congrats on losing 21lbs so far - that is amazing! I started low carb from diagnosis and so far have lost 17lbs with a little less than the same to go.
It DOES work and being T2D it is the thing I need to reduce (rather than focus on LF/Cals) - I have found this a new challenge as all previous weight loss has been slimming cal counting diets. To be fair this way I have never really felt hungry. Ready for the next meal maybe - but more full than on LF regimes.

I am sorry that your partner is struggling to support your correct views/action. Mine went through a period of believing I was blaming him. He cooked for us for a year when I was too unwell and we ate a lot of frozen meal/high salt/carb meals as he was also working FT and needed the energy in ways I didn't. I don't blame him - there were many factors at work and it could have been the trauma of the operation that started it all off or at least raised those BGs.

The important thing here is YOU. As long as you are well and able to lose the weight and get your head around it all our partners will follow at some point. I still get - I have bought some potatoes/pasties/muffins/giant crumpets - can you have these? I offered to write a self-banned food list in the early days but he didn't want me to educate him... so I get how this might make you feel.

Having stated that I have to say he is supportive of me being well, asks about appointments when he remembers I have had them and is encouraging of the weight loss/exercise. I don't want to paint him as difficult but I feel I was having to learn at breakneck speed and pass the information forward sometimes on ears that weren't switched to listening... hence 3 months in - I got you a pasty, can you eat it?😉

Hopefully armed with all the info on this thread things will get easier/better... at least we are both proof that Low Carb works! 🙂

 

[SueEK]

Some great advice and explanations here for you. Congrats on losing 21lbs so far - that is amazing! I started low carb from diagnosis and so far have lost 17lbs with a little less than the same to go.
It DOES work and being T2D it is the thing I need to reduce (rather than focus on LF/Cals) - I have found this a new challenge as all previous weight loss has been slimming cal counting diets. To be fair this way I have never really felt hungry. Ready for the next meal maybe - but more full than on LF regimes.
I am sorry that your partner is struggling to be support your correct views/action. Mine went through a period of believing I was blaming him. He cooked for us for a year when I was too unwell and we ate a lot of frozen meal/high salt/carb meals as he was also working FT and needed the energy in ways I didn't. I don't blame him - there were many factors at work and it could have been the trauma of the operation that started it all off or at least raised those BGs.

The important thing here is YOU. As long as you are well and able to lose the weight and get your head around it all our partners will follow at some point. I still get - I have bought some potatoes/pasties/muffins/giant crumpets - can you have these? I offered to write a self-banned food list in the early days but he didn't want me to educate him... so I get how this might make you feel.

Having stated that I have to say he is supportive of me being well, asks about appointments when he remembers I have had them and is encouraging of the weight loss/exercise. I don't want to paint him as difficult but I feel I was having to learn at breakneck speed and pass the information forward sometimes on ears that weren't switched to listening... hence 3 months in - I got you a pasty, can you eat it?

Hopefully armed with all the info on this thread things will get easier/better... at least we are both proof that Low Carb works! 🙂

These husbands are funny aren’t they 😉 my hubby is great but turns up occasionally with a Twirl saying, this will be ok won’t it? - errr NO!!

 

[Neens]

These husbands are funny aren’t they 😉 my hubby is great but turns up occasionally with a Twirl saying, this will be ok won’t it? - errr NO!!

Giggling and feeling relieved I'm not the only one... trouble is I would LOVE to have the pasties and muffins!
He is getting better at the carb checking though - we had talked Valentine's through - as my usual massive amounts of Jellybelly beans and chocs was off menu! I wasn't expecting any... he bought a box of dark choc. where they are only 5 carbs so he knows I can have a few over a week - he also knows I now SHARE my treat food... which of course the pre-this version of me didn't/couldn't/wouldn't!

Bless them, eh?! 😛

 

[Lucylemonpip]

Lol. Yes, it can be, erm, “complicated”. One good thing tho, is that husband can’t eat anything with almond in, otherwise he gets a migraine. Therefore, I have some homemade almond cookies with a blob of 90% dark choc on top, which I keep in the freezer for when I feel I must have something nice. Previously, if I’ve had anything nice to eat, if he knows it’s in the house, he has to eat it, whereas, I only have it as and when I feel like it, that is, it can be a couple of days between me eating things like choc etc, so by these cookies being made with almond flour, it’s out of bounds for him! Ha ha ha! There are times in the past where I’ve had to be quite sneaky with hiding places!

 

[Neens]

Lol. Yes, it can be, erm, “complicated”. One good thing tho, is that husband can’t eat anything with almond in, otherwise he gets a migraine. Therefore, I have some homemade almond cookies with a blob of 90% dark choc on top, which I keep in the freezer for when I feel I must have something nice. Previously, if I’ve had anything nice to eat, if he knows it’s in the house, he has to eat it, whereas, I only have it as and when I feel like it, that is, it can be a couple of days between me eating things like choc etc, so by these cookies being made with almond flour, it’s out of bounds for him! Ha ha ha! There are times in the past where I’ve had to be quite sneaky with hiding places!

This made me smile too. I remember my mum hiding snacks when we were kids... we knew all the spots... but also knew she knew how much she had left! Your almond cookies sound very tasty! 🙂

 

[Lucylemonpip]

This made me smile too. I remember my mum hiding snacks when we were kids... we knew all the spots... but also knew she knew how much she had left! Your almond cookies sound very tasty! 🙂

Yes, my hiding places are quite “inventive”!

 

[Drummer]

Oh that 'they' who do all the saying - 'they' are obviously not diabetic or overweight or unable to yomp ten miles uphill.
I had a 24 inch waist when first told I was overweight and ought to go on a diet - 40 years later and numerous diet sheets on, I was almost spherical and diagnosed with type two diabetes. As soon as I was diagnosed I went back to low carb eating and in 6 months was no longer diabetic and had lost about 50lb without effort. "They' are simply wrong about so much.