Xmas dinner help!!

[imtrying]

hey guys,

as most of you know, I now carb-count and really don't want to let my control slip over xmas. I also don't want to be weighing things other people are cooking/have cooked!!

Could someone give me a rough guide to, say, how to guestimate roast potatoes?? (for arguments sake, let's say they are a 'normal' sized potato cut in half....big ones are cut into 3).

Do you think I could get away with just being able to count the number I'm eating and guess the carbs from there?

Thanks guys!

 

[Robster65]

Hi katie

Best thing you could do is to get the carbs and cals app or book, which enables you to guesstimate by looking.

A couple of average halved roasties is about 10g, but you'd have a better idea if you have the guide in front of you. It is very useful.🙂

Rob

 

[novorapidboi26]

Carbs and cals states that 95g of roast potatoes, which is illustrated by 4 medium sized roasties is 25g carbohydrate, which I thought was low, but the lack of carbs will no doubt be replaced by fat [142 cals]...

Get the book, its brilliant, I have the pocket version.......

 

[Northerner]

Carbs and cals states that 95g of roast potatoes, which is illustrated by 4 medium sized roasties is 25g carbohydrate, which I thought was low, but the lack of carbs will no doubt be replaced by fat [142 cals]...

Get the book, its brilliant, I have the pocket version.......

Or enter the competition, if you haven't already! 🙂

 

[Ellie Jones]

When I'm guesstimating I keep an image of an egg in my mind..

So every type of food, will have XXX grams of carbs per egg... Then start deciding how many eggs I've got on the plate, and calculate the total grams...
Then finish off with, does the calculation total fit the whole plate, sometimes I will add or subtract a little at this point..

But if you'll eating out or at family/friends don't forget that there cooking might be slightly different to yours, so you'll need to keep a tight eye on your BG's so that you can counter react if your calculation has been out..

 

[FM001]

25g of carbohydrate per 100g is the figure I use. The only time I'll attempt a guesstimation is when out eating, christmas will be no different to any other day so my pots will be getting weighed.

 

[imtrying]

25g of carbohydrate per 100g is the figure I use. The only time I'll attempt a guesstimation is when out eating, christmas will be no different to any other day so my pots will be getting weighed.

thanks Toby, I would do if I was cooking or if I was home, but unfortunately not....spending 2 or 3 days travelling round to various family members so I guess I am eating out!! lol and just really didn't want to make an issue of things of having to get in the way trying to weigh things!

Thanks everyone else...I like the 4 potatoes is 25g carbs (see, I've remembered it already!!) I'll use that as a starting point and just test to see what's happening after. It's just always the potatoes that throw me!!

thank you very much one and all.....and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[imtrying]

Or enter the competition, if you haven't already! 🙂

haha....still selling it Alan??!!

I shall go and check out the competition 🙂

 

[slipper]

When I'm guesstimating I keep an image of an egg in my mind..

So every type of food, will have XXX grams of carbs per egg... Then start deciding how many eggs I've got on the plate, and calculate the total grams... ............
..

What a good idea.🙂

 

[Adrienne]

I say a roast tatty is 5 carbs for a medium sized one. If smaller than that, I'll make it less or if huge, I'll make it more.

I find roast dinners are always lower than I would imagine them to be. However a Christmas roast dinner is not a normal roast I find and it is full of carbs and I think for us, the excitment that it is Christmas also plays a part (we are talking about a child here although I get excited too so maybe the adults need to think about that perhaps 🙂 )

It is the puddings that I always under guess and we correct later. The beauty of a pump of course is we can use dual waves for those fat laden puds 😛

 

[Copepod]

I practice the "estimating by sight" approach - you can practice at home by estimating CHO content of certain foods, then weighing and calculating and comparing the results.

Works OK for me - and I have to factor in excitement factor for many meals, despite not being a child myself, nor eating majority of meals with children 🙂

 

[Adrienne]

Yep we estimate by sight as well Copepod. It is generally ok. I think that is just trial and error as is lots of things diabetes.

Loving the fact you get excited by Christmas as well. (or did you not mean Christmas) 🙂

 

[Robster65]

What is there NOT to get excited about ??? 😱

I'd still get up at 6am if I thought I'd get away with it !

Rob

 

[Unicornz]

Hi Katie, I have loads of testing strips tops saved up and Bayer lets you pick care rewards with them - one of which is the Carbs n Cals iPhone app or book. As I said, I have loads of those tops saved up so I can order you a book or the app (I don't think you would get the book before Christmas but it might be useful for you anyway since you've started carb counting!!). I already have it myself so I'd be very happy to order you one with my pack tops send me a message if you're still interested and we can sort it out!

 

[Adrienne]

What is there NOT to get excited about ??? 😱

I'd still get up at 6am if I thought I'd get away with it !

Rob

Hahaha I do nearly. Well I'm awake by 7 ish and for the last couple of years I've actually woken Jessica up ! 😛

 

[margie]

Hi Katie make sure you look at what else may have carbs in, stuffing, yorkshire puddings, carrots, turnips, parsnips, peas - even gravy.

 

[imtrying]

Hi Katie make sure you look at what else may have carbs in, stuffing, yorkshire puddings, carrots, turnips, parsnips, peas - even gravy.

Hi Margie,

Thanks...and good point!

In the list you've written, I wouldn't count carrots, turnips, parsnips (although I don't eat either anyway!!), or peas.......

Do you count them all for carbs?

 

[Northerner]

Hi Margie,

Thanks...and good point!

In the list you've written, I wouldn't count carrots, turnips, parsnips (although I don't eat either anyway!!), or peas.......

Do you count them all for carbs?

Roast parsnips are very carby! (And very delicious too! 🙂) I tend not to count the other veg though, but then again I'm usually guesstimating from just looking at the food once it's on the plate. I'm lucky because it works well for me, but I know a lot of people need to be fairly precise and tot up the individual items.

 

[Copepod]

Yep we estimate by sight as well Copepod. It is generally ok. I think that is just trial and error as is lots of things diabetes.

Loving the fact you get excited by Christmas as well. (or did you not mean Christmas) 🙂

Estimating by sight isn't perfect, but it is good enough, and better than getting in a mess over Christmas.

Yes, I get excited about lots of things. 🙂 This year, there's the bonus of my partner not being in Antarctica, having 8 ducks and 1 cat! We love watching cat climbing in boxes and patting Christmas tree decorations. Partner's Dad is probably coming over, but is always a bit late in decision making!

Will see parents just after Christmas when they come to visit.

I'll been even more excited if I get a date for my knee operation when I see surgeon on 22nd Dec. When fixed, we can go to see my sister, brother in law, neices, their cats & rabbits - I can't really cope with 2 hours drive (or 3.5 hrs by train) each way, and partner can't drive. Pets / livestock can't use email / phone / Facebook!

 

[Freddie99]

I go with whatever I think is there and a bit extra. This seems to work well for massive meals. Worked very nicely with a big feed at my Gran's on Sunday! You can always deal with hypos later. I also tend to raise my basal a little as well.