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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Sorry still learning
- Thread starter Scotia
- Start date
- Status
I don't consciously count either, but by following the plan that works for me I have reduced both. I go for fat-free (or the lowest fat available) and restrict my carb intake by following the Slimming World Original (Red) plan. Ultimately the low-fat-low-carbs leads to a lower calorie but still healthy diet.
Mark T
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I don't count calories either, I tend to weigh myself weekly (same day, same time, wearing same amount of clothes) and then moderate what I'm eating depending on what I see.
However, with that method you have to remember that your body does naturally vary and not get too stressed over what you see sometimes.
I am usually mindful over how many carbs are in a given item - I wouldn't eat a whole slice of chocolate cake by myself (more correctly, I try to steal a fork-full of my wife's when she is having some 😉)
However, with that method you have to remember that your body does naturally vary and not get too stressed over what you see sometimes.
I am usually mindful over how many carbs are in a given item - I wouldn't eat a whole slice of chocolate cake by myself (more correctly, I try to steal a fork-full of my wife's when she is having some 😉)
DeusXM
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
My opinion (and I must stress it is only an opinion) is that carbs are the area to watch.
Calories are not necessarily an effective measure of the impact food has your body. The theory that weight gain or loss is the net difference between calories in and calories expended doesn't actually stack up very well. Your body doesn't have a magic timer that goes ping at midnight and then say "Well, today I've used 2,300 calories. But I've burned 2,100 today, so let's store 200 as fat".
Your body isn't like a petrol tank in a car. The way energy is released in your body is entirely dependent on what your body is doing at the time, and that energy primarily comes from sugar in the blood. If at the time you are doing a physical activity there is not enough sugar entering your blood to sustain the muscles, your body switches to using fat as an energy source - regardless of how many calories you may or may not eat in the day relative to your activity level. Similarly, if there is plenty of sugar entering your blood but you are not actively using it as fuel at that exact moment, it is converted to fat by insulin.
Therefore in weight loss, as a general principle I believe you need to eat in such a way to minimise the amount of glucose entering your blood stream. This encourages your body to use body fat for energy instead and reduces your insulin output - bearing in mind that insulin promotes fat storage and actively blocks fat metabolism, if you are trying to lose weight, the less insulin circulating, the better (provided of course your blood sugar levels are normal).
Therefore while calories do provide a rough benchmark (if you're eating 13,000 cal a day, that's clearly too much for your body's needs overall!), it's your carbohydrate intake that will have the most significant, direct and immediate effect on your weight loss and goals.
It's also worth bearing in mind your meal plan structure too. If we accept that your body burns energy according to a 'just-in-time' principle rather than as a fuel tank, then logically, it would be more effectively to eat small meals frequently, rather than 2-3 large meals a day.
Calories are not necessarily an effective measure of the impact food has your body. The theory that weight gain or loss is the net difference between calories in and calories expended doesn't actually stack up very well. Your body doesn't have a magic timer that goes ping at midnight and then say "Well, today I've used 2,300 calories. But I've burned 2,100 today, so let's store 200 as fat".
Your body isn't like a petrol tank in a car. The way energy is released in your body is entirely dependent on what your body is doing at the time, and that energy primarily comes from sugar in the blood. If at the time you are doing a physical activity there is not enough sugar entering your blood to sustain the muscles, your body switches to using fat as an energy source - regardless of how many calories you may or may not eat in the day relative to your activity level. Similarly, if there is plenty of sugar entering your blood but you are not actively using it as fuel at that exact moment, it is converted to fat by insulin.
Therefore in weight loss, as a general principle I believe you need to eat in such a way to minimise the amount of glucose entering your blood stream. This encourages your body to use body fat for energy instead and reduces your insulin output - bearing in mind that insulin promotes fat storage and actively blocks fat metabolism, if you are trying to lose weight, the less insulin circulating, the better (provided of course your blood sugar levels are normal).
Therefore while calories do provide a rough benchmark (if you're eating 13,000 cal a day, that's clearly too much for your body's needs overall!), it's your carbohydrate intake that will have the most significant, direct and immediate effect on your weight loss and goals.
It's also worth bearing in mind your meal plan structure too. If we accept that your body burns energy according to a 'just-in-time' principle rather than as a fuel tank, then logically, it would be more effectively to eat small meals frequently, rather than 2-3 large meals a day.
Redkite
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Just to add - while carbs are probably the "main culprit", depending on your individual test levels for cholesterol and blood pressure, you may need to focus more on reducing fats (particularly saturated fats). Also, and this applies to everyone, watch your salt intake - there is hidden salt in all sorts of foods!
DeusXM
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I'm not sure this is true.
One often unreported fact is there has NEVER been a study which has conclusively demonstrated that a reduction in saturated fat intake improves cardiovascular outcomes. In fact, there have actually been a few tests that have shown reducing sat fat intake actually INCREASES your rate of heart disease.
High cholesterol levels are caused by your liver and fat cells manufacturing too much (if you reduce your dietary cholesterol, your liver actually makes MORE cholesterol). Cholesterol synthesis is influenced by circulating insulin levels, which provides a worrying insight into why many people with diabetes also have issues with high cholesterol. Higher circulating insulin is also strongly associated with high blood pressure as well.
Reducing both your carbs AND your fat intake is probably a very bad idea as it means a higher proportion of your diet will have to be protein. We know that a high protein diet definitely can cause issues with your kidneys. Therefore, based on the above, the safest option is probably to retain your current fat intake while reducing the carbs. As your body will have fewer carbs to metabolise, it'll have to metabolise the fat that you eat so it won't ever get a chance to get stored or clog up anything anyway.
Highlander
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Don't forget the exercise. I'm not one for dieting and due to other health problems exercising can be difficult, however, I do have an exercise bike. Over a four month period I used this about four times a week for between 5 and 15 minutes a day (all depended how I was feeling). During this period I manage to lose a stone in weight and it has stayed off. I do keep an eye on carbs, fats and sugars, also salt in foods but I don't let it rule my life. Eating sensibly can sometimes be all that is needed for type 2 plus some exercise, even if it is only walking. Leave out the meat pies from the supermarket they always give me very high BG readings.
It is a slow process to lose weight, but keep at it. Don't forget, we are all different and what works for one, may not work for another. It is all down to trial and error.
It is a slow process to lose weight, but keep at it. Don't forget, we are all different and what works for one, may not work for another. It is all down to trial and error.
DeusXM
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Exercise increases your metabolism, which will make it easier to lose weight without having to significantly alter your diet. If you reduce the calories in your diet, your body's metabolism slows down, which is why most people don't lose weight through diet alone.
Furthermore, exercise ultimately does far more for your blood pressure, insulin resistance and cholesterol than any diet change ever can.
Furthermore, exercise ultimately does far more for your blood pressure, insulin resistance and cholesterol than any diet change ever can.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I have absolute proof of this - all my insulin doses, cholesterol levels and blood pressure numbers are significantly reduced when I am exercising regularly! 🙂
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
making exercise more fun and / or interesting
Sure, walking 20 mins isn't always much fun. But if it means saving a fare or petrol money or parking or seeing a friend you wouldn't have spotted if you were in a car / bus / train / tram etc, patting a friendly cat / dog / llama / whatever / seeing a squirrel / badger / fox / cattle / sheep / flowers / trees / poster for an event you'd have missed etc, then it can be more enjoyable.
If you don't like walking, what about cycling / swimming (open air pools are just beginning to open, if you like them and have one nearby) / joing health walks group for social aspect / orienteering / geocaching to make walks more interesting etc?
Sure, walking 20 mins isn't always much fun. But if it means saving a fare or petrol money or parking or seeing a friend you wouldn't have spotted if you were in a car / bus / train / tram etc, patting a friendly cat / dog / llama / whatever / seeing a squirrel / badger / fox / cattle / sheep / flowers / trees / poster for an event you'd have missed etc, then it can be more enjoyable.
If you don't like walking, what about cycling / swimming (open air pools are just beginning to open, if you like them and have one nearby) / joing health walks group for social aspect / orienteering / geocaching to make walks more interesting etc?
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