So today wasn't good as far as dining choices. Ate out twice due to traveling all around, but I am conscious of that.
With that aside, I am consciously attempting to lower my carb amounts to reduce my need for large boluses, which my body handles unpredictably... even on the pump (pumping for 9 months now.)
I am attempting to lose a smidge of weight... I am 5'11" and 180. I'd like to be 165... so a 1700 calorie goal is good for me... which is equating to around 200 carbs... but i want to be doing less than that.
Any ideas on what would be a decent daily carb intake for me?
T2 is so different. I'm about the same size and would love to weigh 165. I can't have more than 50g of carb a day, though, or I gain weight even on less than 1500 calories. I'm betting there are T1s out there who have lots of great advice for you, and I sure wish you a lot of luck!
I'm pretty close to you, 5' 11" and 180-185ish lbs. I've been plateaued for a while but when I've lost weight in the past (c. 2006, I was like 275...eek...), I did it more by looking at what I was eating and cutting carbs out, not looking at the total but getting rid of carbs here and there. Stuff like 1 piece of toast instead of 2, 1/2 sandwich instead of a sandwich, veggies instead of pretzels, etc. I am running around 120-150, sort of a wide range, but I don't like to say "I have to eat this and can't eat that..." very much either.
If you are eating 200 g of carbs on a 1700 calorie a day diet, you are eating 45% of you calories from carbs. That is right at the low end of the ADA recommendations.
You basically have two options. Make a sudden change to a new "low carb" diet and deal with the transition. Or you could take it one step at a time.
Give the difficulty you have had, I think it is quite reasonable to take things a step at a time. Perhaps you could drop your carbs down to 150g/day, eating more fat and protein and still keeping 1700 calories/day. Do this for a month, make sure you have been able to adjust your boluses and are not experiencing lows. And after a month you should be able to evaluate whether you have lost weight, improved your blood sugar control and how you feel about dropping carbs.
Then after a month, you could decide whether you want to take the next step, perhaps dropping to 100g /day.
I eat 50-100 g/day of carbs. But I didn't get there by waking up one day and suddenly changing my diet.
I have to drop my calories down to 900-1000 before my old body will start shedding some pounds. It also takes massive amounts of exercise like cycling for 75 to100 miles a week. I take on fast acting carbs during activity but consider them free carbs. My meal carb total for the day is around 90 carbs. Example: On a Saturday ride I can take on about 30-50 carbs on a 50k ride. (about 30 miles)
Dear Sagwabetes, I couldn't begin losing until I went down to 9-1200 calories. Then it came off weekly and I respond well to feedback that is fast in coming.
I count carbs: about 8-12g at breakfast + some protein & philly reduced cream cheese which I suppose has fat.
About 12-16g at lunch which includes a sandwich with reduced calorie bread toasted and varying insides of salads, a white cheese, ham or chicken or tuna.
About 20-22-26g at supper which is squashes, asparagus, salads, and a grilled fish/meat with fruit for dessert.
I don't adhere to the ADA 45-60% of the diet having to be carbohydrate, and I think the ADA folks are starting to reconsider.
I like fruits but not much as my bg spikes with it. I can take a half handful of blueberries and be in heaven. I have never drunk milk since I got out of my mother's house. I do take a Caltrate plus 600 daily and a multivitamin.
Best wishes on going for a low enough number that it won't take long. Just remember that as you lower those carbs you must lower that insulin, and your basals will need to be lower too as you encounter less resistance.
I weighed 170 at dx, in January of 11, by May of 11 I was down to 133. I cut the carbs to half of the ADA's number and portion sizes down to recommended levels. What I have read is doing this teaches the body to burn the stored fats for energy instead of the carbs in the diet. I would suggest baby steps toward this goal, 37 lbs in 5 months and a total of 55 pounds in 7 months was way to much way to fast. I have rebounded a little and am up to 140.6 lbs. as of this morning. With the low carb diet and excessive exercise I have maintained this weight for 10 months. Start with a low carb diet two days a week and increase the days SLOWLY. I was NOT on Insulin while losing the weight so I can not address what to do with bolus and basel rates.
I don't think anyone can tell you how many carbs would be a good number for you because it depends on how you feel as you cut back and how cutting back affects your numbers - like everything else with diabetes, it varies by individual. By trial and error, you'll find that balance of what works for you.
I eat around 60 grams of carb a day, mostly at lunch and dinner. Although I needed to lose some weight, I mainly started eating this way to get better bg control and to avoid big boluses.
Losing weight came with eating this way and that was an added plus. I've lost about 20 pounds in the last year and I've pretty much stabilized now.
Be sure to test, test, test when lowering your carbs and to pay attention to your basal needs as they go down. I had more lows as I lost weight but not anymore now that I've stabilized.
