How many carbs per meal does everyone eat? Do you eliminate any food? ie bread, fruit, etc? Is there anyone who maintains 5-6% A1C with moderate whole grain carbs? Just curious what the differences are out there...
Hi - I eat about 150 net carbs (backing out 100% of fiber and not counting most green vegetables) per day. I eat whole grain bread with breakfast and quinoa is a regular part of my diet. My A1c has been under 6 for most of the past 4 years.
Maurie
According to the diabetes software I'm using, I'm eating an average of 119g of carbs per day. Some days more and some days less. This total is including low treatments, but subtracting fibre (if I leave fibre in it averages to 152g per day). I try to stay under 30g of carbs for meals and 10-15g for snacks. I also exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes every day.
I'm aiming for an A1c below 7% next time and think I might actually make it. In the past 20 years I've only ever had one A1c below 6.5% (it was 6.4%), and only a handful in the upper 6% range which I could never maintain two times in a row. So I'm not sure I will ever hit 5%, but as long as I'm doing my best I'd be happy getting to and staying in the upper 6% range.
Hi Megan. I eat what I consider "moderate/low" carbs - usually under 100 per day. As a vegetarian and someone who loves to cook, I find this is about as low as I want to go. I eat three meals a day, no snacks. I only use glucose tablets for lows. The only foods I've completely eliminated are sugar, rice and cereal. I eat pasta rarely, usually when I go out and its the only vegetarian option available. Usually the only bread I eat is Orowheat Double Fiber muffins. I eat most fruits in moderate portions. My last A1C was 5.7 - before I started the pump it was 6.5. As a Type 1, I haven't found much difference between whole grain and white foods, but usually prefer whole grain anyway.
Thats badass! Keep it up man.
Depends on the day for me. With meals I usually keep it between 40-50 carbs and snacks and Gatorade at the gym bring it up to 200 net carbs a day. I have considered going down and use less insulin, but am scared to lose too much weight. My doctors have always told me not to go below what I am doing, I have above average A1C and the only thing I am effected by are my low sugars that i get.
I am a T1.
I have maintained in the 5-6% A1c range for the past year eating between 125 and 250g of carbs a day. In order to do that though, I have to know very specifically how foods will affect me, when they will affect me, and precisely how to dose for them. Meaning trial and error the first few times I eat new food combos.
I haven't cut out any foods per se, but I try to do lower carb/higher fiber variations of some foods. For example instead of traditional white bread I eat Healthy Life Whole Wheat bread (2 slices has 16g of carbs, 6g of fiber).
I used to eat most things, but recently I cut out tons of foods that are just unhealthy. But your A1C are great which is important.
I was diagnosed as a T2 in March of 2004, following dash diet since I was diagnosed. No meds only diet and exercise the only carbs I don't eat is anything made from white flour or products with a high sugar content. I don't count carbs on a daily basis, occasionally I go to a website where I enter what I've eaten for the day to give me an idea of how many calories and what percentage of carbs I do eat. I'm usually in the 2400 to 2500 range for calories and usually between 300 to 400 grams of carbs for a day. My a1c has been 4.2 since Sept of 2004, I test yearly when I have a physical. I do eat a lot of whole grains as well as vegetables, fruits. Whole grains include whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal and other whole grains such as farro. I know I'm in a minority but it works for me.
Thanks for the great info everyone! It is great to see the differences out there... I am just trying to decide if I should cut out some food that seem to spike my BG right after I eat (within 1 hour) even though they come down after 2.
Related to this . . . what is a suggested low carb breakfast? I have heard many menus from a power bar and banana to cereals w/ fruit. I want to reduce my insulin intake which means reducing carbs. I know that cookies don't help.
Thank you.
I'm with you on this one. My carb intake on a day-to-day basis changes pretty drastically depending on the types of food available to me. I tend to eat out a fair bit just because its convenient at this point. I range anywhere from 150-250g carbs per day, and my last A1C's were between 6.5 - 7.5 which aren't horrible, but also aren't within the range I'd ideally like to be.
I do plan to not be eating out as much as I am now, not only for the sake of a better A1c but because of the sheer cost associated with it. The real trick is learning how the foods you eat on a somewhat regular basis affect you, and remembering it. Once you figure out how something is then you've got smooth sailing and will be able to handle it.
Eggs or Eggbeaters give you a good hit of protein with almost no carbs. Unsweetened almond milk has only 2 carbs per 8oz and is a nice milk substitute.
Are people with higher a1cs eligible to reply here? :P
Many of us can't eat cereal, David. Everyone has their own thing but a lot of us find that any form of eggs work well, with vegies or meats if you eat meat.
Anywhere between 200g and 300g a day.
A1c bounces between 5.5 and 6.0.
Only if you pay the fee! That'll be $2 please. Haha. ;)
Of course, Tom!! A1C's vary and lots of things contribute to them. Everyone has something they are working on or doing well from and can share. And then there are people whose advice I read and know that I should do the opposite..lol
well i eat about 230-300 carbs a day. But my a1c has been between 7- and 8.3-- i'm working on getting it down.
It's really more about getting to know how food effects your body, exercise, and proper insulin amounts, etc. It's all trial and error :\
That's crazy good! Congrats!
Any secrets we should be aware of?