Question

ligawab · #1 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 06:01 PM

My endocrinologist would like me to be on a low carbohydrate diet. However she never specified how low.

How many carbohydrates should I eat a day if I need to lose weight?

I'm having a very difficult time losing weight and I'm very overweight for my height. I'm only 4'6" and I weight 232 lbs.

I'm feeling very frustrated and unmotivated. If anyone has any advice it would be very much appreciated.

ligawab (life is good and we are blessed)

ShottleBop · #2 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 08:20 PM

Much of Dr. Richard Bernstein's book, The Diabetes Solution, is available online. Look at the available chapters in Part Two.

sumi · #3 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 07:24 AM

Good advice, Shottlebop. You will need to be at a low enough level to keep your bg levels normal, and your hunger in check. This varies a lot, but you should probably start out very low, and work up to whatever level works for you.

foxl · #4 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 07:59 AM

Wow -- lucky you for having a SAVVY Endo!

shiftzor · #5 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 04:09 PM

Well there has been a lot of debate around here about carbs and loosing weight. I can quote you books and your bmi etc but I think what is more important is lowering your total daily dose as we all know the effects of insulin. The reasons I suggest lowering your dose is because it's harder to give higher doses i.e. increased margin of error and you shouldn't feed insulin taking only enough for the carbs you consume. You have several ways you can do this one is eating less carbs say around 50-200 its up to you how low/healthy you want to be, in my opinion I don't think it's very healthy to eat 15gs of carbs a day but neither is eating 400gs of carbs. Make sure you adjust your dose when/if you begin to low carb to avoid lows.

Your other option is exercise which I personally think is the best as it increases your insulin sensitivity which ultimately reduces your TDD (total daily dose). Find an exercise you enjoy even if it's just walking the dog every day, you could then build up to twice a day and keep pushing yourself at your own pace. There is no rush slow and steady wins the race.

Doing both in my opinion is really worth while however whatever you do make sure it's a life choice and something you can stick to. Yoyo dieting won't help you in the long run and neither will playing a sport for only a day. The key to all of this is being motivated and turning them into habits that way it's not a question of shall I workout today or shall I test today it's just something you do like taking the dog for a walk. Sounds hard? I thought the same but it all gets easier once you get into the thick of it. Keep asking questions and be positive.

Mothernature · #6 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 04:18 PM

It is really not the carbs as much as the calories. I eat 100-120 carbs and 1100 calories a day. I've lost 10 pounds in one month.

Exercise is a must. It helps speed up metabolism.

foxl · #7 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 04:32 PM

For me, it really is the carbs. I am losing weight more slowly, but I am still losing and as long as I keep my carbs in their (NB) moderate range, I am not counting my calories.

ligawab · #8 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 07:08 PM

Thank you everyone for you advice and support.

ligawab (life is good and we are blessed)

CountYourselfIn · #9 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ligawab

How many carbohydrates should I eat a day if I need to lose weight?

*calories.

If you eat fewer calories than you burn in a day, you will lose weight.

Fat has 9 cals per gram, carbs have 4.

How many carbs you should eat would really depend on your metabolism, which is directly related to your exercise level. 20mins of intense cardio (walking up a hill, out of breath, can't talk while exercising) will give you a 12hr metabolic spike, where your body will be burning extra calories.

Carbs are good fuel for bodies burning lots of it.

If you're like me, your perception of portion sizes is probably totally out of whack - start by trying to decrease the amount of food you eat. That alone may be enough to help you acheive your weight loss goal.

foxl · #10 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountYourselfIn

If you're like me, your perception of portion sizes is probably totally out of whack - start by trying to decrease the amount of food you eat. That alone may be enough to help you acheive your weight loss goal.

Sage advice. I weigh just about EVERYTHING carby ... and I also weigh salads and veg to make sure I eat ENOUGH of them, LOL ... As someone noted in another thread, if you are consistent it becomes automatic and you do not have to htink about it after a while.

ligawab · #11 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 07:44 AM

Being the weight I am most people would look at me and say: OMG all this person does is eat. My problem is that most of the time I don't eat enough of the right foods. Exercise wise I have to be careful because I have balace problems.

When I go to the gym I normally do about 30 minutes on the treadmill at a comfortable walking speed and move on to the seated step machine for about 30 minutes. Then I work on the weight machines.

ligawab (life is good and we are blessed)