Why a Low-Carb Diet?
Partaking in a low-carb diet will do two things. Help me lose weight and be beneficial to my health.
My Latest Low-Carb Entry
Day 8 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: 3 egg omelette with cheese
- Snack: None
- Lunch: Cold aubergine, courgette, red onion, cherry tomatoes and chestnut mushrooms
- Snack: None
- Evening Meal: Chicken Leg, 2.5 naughty roast potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli
Abad day of 114g of carbs. My saving grace being 28.4g of fiber. But still not a great day.
Regarding my diabetes, I have had it for 10 years; however, I have been prediabetic for two of the last three years. If I can control my carb intake, my Hb1ac level may drop, and I might get into remission. Hb1ac measures the average glucose levels in your blood over three months. My aim is to get below 42; currently, it is 46. The range for pre-diabetes is an HbA1c reading of 42-47 mmol. Diabetes is when your HbA1c level is 48 mmol or higher.
What many don’t understand is the hidden effects diabetes has on your body. I was diagnosed after having a vitreous haemorrhage in my right eye. This led to me having to have an operation to remove the gel-like substance—the vitreous humour—from my eye so I could see again. The cause is diabetic retinopathy, where abnormal blood vessels grow on the retina. These blood vessels break easily and leak blood into the eye.
I won’t list my other issues as I doubt you have all day. So I will get back on track.
At the time of writing, I am taking part in a six-week course regarding diabetes and what I can do to help me control this awful disease. The main focus is diet.
I eat healthily and have done so for several years. However, carbs are still a major part of this diet, yet carbs are the issue. It is not just about how much sugar is shown when you read a label on the box; it is all carbs that get turned into sugar by your body. The hidden sugars.
So I am creating my version of a low-carb diet. I will not go the whole hog as some do. Instead, I will reduce carbs to a minimum during the day and have a reduced amount of carbs for my evening meal. By that, I mean cutting down the portion size of any potato, rice and, dare I say, pasta—I’m not keen on pasta!
My target is less than 100g of carbs daily, though ideally, it will be circa 50g. I have been looking at what I can eat and when to do this. I’ll list things I have been eating or can eat which may help me reduce my carb intake.
Low-Carb Ideas
Low-Carb Breakfast
- Eggs. Eggs are great on a low-carb diet as they have very little in the way of carbs, and they are so versatile.
- Boiled Eggs
- Scrambled Eggs with or without additions
- Omelettes with or without additions
Low-Carb Lunch
Lower Carb Evening Meal
Low-Carb Snacks
- Nuts: a small handful such as 2 brazil nuts, 2 almonds and 2 hazelnuts equals about 2g of carbs.
Low Carb Diet Diary Entries
The Last Week
Day 8 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: 3 egg omelette with cheese
- Snack: None
- Lunch: Cold aubergine, courgette, red onion, cherry tomatoes and chestnut mushrooms
- Snack: None
- Evening Meal: Chicken Leg, 2.5 naughty roast potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli
Abad day of 114g of carbs. My saving grace being 28.4g of fiber. But still not a great day.
Day 7 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: 3 egg omelette with onions
- Snack: None
- Lunch: Mackerel Fillets in Mustard Mayo
- Snack: None
- Evening Meal: Chicken Leg, aubergine, courgette, red onion, cherry tomatoes and chestnut mushrooms
Back on track with a day of 44g of carbs.
Day 6 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: Boiled eggs with mustard mayo
- Snack: None
- Lunch: Turkey mince with courgette, carrots, onion and tomatoes
- Snack: Strawberries and Raspberries
- Evening Meal: Vegetable burgers, pitta breads x2 with tomatoes, mozzarella and balsamic vinegar!
My evening meal had a whopping 108g of carbs, taking my daily total to 123g. Which is low in the scheme of things but way higher than I would want.
Total Carbs: 123g
Day 5 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: Omelette with Double Gloucester Cheese
- Snack: None
- Lunch: Butternut Squash Soup without potatoes
- Snack: Strawberries and Raspberries
- Evening Meal: Gamon, eggs and…Chips!!! Naughty me!
Day 4 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Stilton
- Snack: Small handful of peanuts roughly 2g of carbs
- Lunch: Pilchard Salad
- Snack: 1 very large Strawberry
- Evening Meal: Pork, Tomato & Cauliflower Rice. I had the leftovers from last night. This was to fit in my diabetic Zoom meeting at 6pm.
Day 3 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Double Gloucester Cheese
- Snack: Small handful of peanuts roughly 2g of carbs
- Lunch: A 300g whole Broccoli
- Snack: None
- Evening Meal: Red Peppers stuffed with Pork, Tomato & Cauliflower Rice. However!!! I had a naughty pudding as it needed to be used. Sponge Roll.
Day 2 of my low-carb diet.
- Breakfast: Mushroom omelette
- Snack: Small handful of nuts roughly 2g of carbs
- Lunch: 4 pilchards in tomato sauce
- Snack: 2 large strawberries
- Evening Meal: Bruschetta!!! I know, too many carbs!!!
Although the bruschetta was very naughty, it used up leftovers, and I am allowing myself some carbs in the evening.
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