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Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Carb Plan


My dear blogging friends,


I have something I need to share and maybe by doing so I can encourage myself to stick to it.


Since having my five little Byrds, I have had a really hard time keeping weight off. Due to metabolic problems that are a part of life with Thyroid disease, I just can't seem to keep it off. However there are some things that seem to help.


I exercise everyday for at least 20 minutes and my calorie burn goal (set by my Dr) is 300 calories per day.


I also try to watch what I eat. We already use whole grains; honey, sucanat, and stevia instead of sugar; we also eat fresh fruits and vegetables and have a garden. Still weight is an issue for me. I have found though that a carbohydrate monitoring diet helps. I can't have a very low carb or no carb diet or I get sick because of hypoglycemia. That isn't fun and I get really grouchy.


A few years ago my SIL gave me a print out of a diabetic diet she was using and liked. I gave it a try and have loved it. When I use it, I lose weight, don't get hungry, and generally feel better.


So I am posting this carb plan PDF version of it HERE.


Please remember that I am NO Doctor and that you should consult your physician before starting any new diet or exercise plan.


This is just something that has worked for me.

Here is how it works. It breaks down the food you eat into Carbohydrate (carbs), Proteins (meats), and fats. All three are necessary for your body function.

One diabetic serving of Carbs is 15 grams of carbohydrates. Each meal and snack lists the number of carbs you can have. It also gives you a limited list of foods and the number of carbs they have.

The thing I love about this plan is that it educated me enough that I could start planning my own meals with things that I love in the amounts that I can have. The first thing I noticed was that some of the foods I had been eating were not so great for me. When I ate my carb quota of them, I was still starving.

I also learned that 1 cup of raw vegetables has 5 grams carbs so that meant that I can eat 3 cups of vegetables which equals 15 carbs or 1 Carb choice in the plan. Well that fills me up and I love them! That also usually left me 2 Carb choices for that meal that I could fill in with all kinds of things that I wanted to eat. I could even "afford" to have a cookie or small dessert now and then.

I grew with the plan and went to several websites to learn the "carb" amounts for ingredients I used often. That way I could tweak my own recipes so they were better for me and I could regulate the portions to comply with the diet.

I have also incorporated several South Beach Diet ideas into what I am fixing. Kalyn's Kitchen is a great place to get recipes and ideas for low carb recipes that work well in any diet.


Whew, that was a lot of typing. Can you tell I feel strongly about this?

Anyway my friends, I wanted to share this tool with you. Maybe it will help you in your quest for a healthier life style.

**Note**
This diet is set for a preganant or lactating woman. For my regular diet I just cut back on the fat and carbs some or have 3 cups of veggies be one of two carb choices at a meal. That gives you lots of food, lots of fiber, still has carbs for good blood sugar levels, fills me up .... etc.

7 comments:

Clara said...

Lucy, I still go back to that plan (minus a couple hundred calories) when I feel like I've been slacking. I think the best thing that has helped my nutrition is becoming aware through my gestational diabetes. I'm glad the meal plan is working for you!

Kalyn Denny said...

I'm so happy to hear that my recipes are helping you manage your weight. It sounds like you're taking a very sensible approach to it, good luck.

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a great plan. You are so lucky to have found a specific diet that works for you and you are happy when you are on it! Best of luck sticking to it, I have worked off 20kg over the last 24 months after having my kids, and I know how frustrating the ups and downs can be!!
:) Flick

Marylois said...

Where do I get one of those calorie burning goats. ;~)

When I first read your typo I was very confused, then I just laughed. I'll give your diet a try too because I am getting frustrated with not losing weight. I'm doing very well at maintaining but I don't want to maintain at the level I'm at right now.

Denise from Ark said...

I had weight loss surgery three years ago and strongly agree that simple carbs are nobody's friend. Good luck on your endeavor here, my dear. Health is everything. Another tip (just in case you haven't heard it but I bet you have) quinoa is fairly low glycemic and has a good amount of protein. I use it in any recipe that called for rice, and in many types of pasta recipes as well. Also, there is a brand of pasta called Dreamfields that has VERY VERY low net carbs, and of course the japanese yam noodles called shiratake. If you like hondashi, you'd probably like them, too.

Lucy said...

I have not tried Quinoa yet. I have been curious about it. I will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

Kochernut Mama said...

I started the GI diet back in February and have lost almost 30lbs...I love it as I was never a dieter before! I'm not diabetic, but thought it was a sensible way to go and not a 'fad' diet. I also make shakes for breakfast, but I do the Herbalife shakes and punch them up a notch or two ;0)

My kids love them as well and I don't feel as guilty as I would if I fed them something junky when they were craving something sweet ;)

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