I started eating low-carb Oct. 2 2019
At my well-check in Oct. 2018, my blood sugar was up. I thought I was doing good watching my cards, but in Oct. 2019, the sugar was higher still. I put myself on a low-carb diet (100 carbs or less daily) My cholesterol was down almost 20 points, and I was happy that my diet focus had helped. I saw I had a window, so I cut all carb laden food out. I stopped eating bananas, a snack bar I thought was healthy, white potatoes, skim milk and pasta, ketchup and BBQ sauce. I have avoided things like candy, desserts, and fruit juice for a long time.
I bought a glucose monitor and started checking my fasting blood glucose every few days. I wanted to share that today, it was 100. And I've lost 20 lbs. Getting down to 100 was my first goal. My next goal is staying as close to that or lower as I can.
I missed having a bowl of cereal, which had been my usual breakfast for many years, so I found coconut almond milk that is less than 1 carb in a cup. I cut the cereal serving in half. Instead of having 44 grams of carbs, I have 18. I've been baking my own bread, with flour, water, salt and olive oil, just enough sugar to start the yeast. I have a slice with an egg a few mornings a week, about 24 carbs.
I am amazed at the low carb options you can get. My daughter got me shirataki noodles and rice, which are about 2 grams a serving. I have almond flour and coconut flour. For the first time in over 40 years, I didn't bake the cookies I bake at Christmas. I made almond flour biscotti, meringues, and rum balls for others in my family. I used Stevia to sweeten the things I baked. This weekend, I used the coconut flour to bread chicken and fry it. First breaded fried food I've had for ages. I'm going to make sushi with shirataki rice. I think I'll be able to make 2 - 4 rolls, with vegetables, maybe shrimp and have about 4 carbs in each roll.
I think I'll be able to stick with the way I'm eating for a long time. I am not on a diet to lose weight, and with grandkids, I have good reasons to diet for the hidden benefits. I am the only grandparent they have left, and I'd like to see them graduate from high school.
Happy New Year!
= new reply since forum marked as read
Wow, you’re doing really well!
It’s amazing how many carbs the average person eats once you start counting them!
I started on low carb last June, and my progression has been a LOT slower than yours, but I have lost 11 lbs. A bit over 1 lb. a month. But at least I am going in the right direction!
I love sweets,so it was hard at first. But you get used to it. And I allow myself a small no. of carbs so it’s not so strict. I can’t live without dark chocolate.
I still have to cook regular meals for my 3 guys every night...I just eat the protein and the veggie and let them eat the bread and potatoes and dessert.
I would love to try a few new things, though, you have given me some good ideas.
Hope your recent experience in Cleveland went well. Did your family like the Botanical Gardens?
I told my daughter that for me, carbs are poison 
The almond flour biscotti were good, softly crunchy, not real sweet, but satisfying. The meringues have a great texture, but an aftertaste from the Stevia.
We all lose weight (or gain it) at different rates. I might have more to lose than you do too. I think the weight loss is slowing down, and I usually lose at least 10 lbs over the holidays (not stressful, nope, not a bit!) I cook for myself, so I have no temptations right now. That helps so much.
The visit to Cleveland worked out really well. My eye is better, but I did have to get a shot. At my friend's house, we saw her sister, who is another neighborhood girl we grew up with. At the Botanical Garden, my sister and her boyfriend met the others and they all had a great time. After that, we went to dinner, so I got to visit a little too. The kids loved the gardens, and I think their Mom, my daughter, wants to plan other visits to Cleveland's cultural center. She really wanted to see the Michelangelo sketches. I told her to see if they will be at another museum and maybe she can go there. I heard that Toledo has a world class art museum, and Columbus has a good one as well.
Happy New Year!
I bet she doesn't get to go 
Cleveland has had some terrific exhibitions Hope they have more coming.
it is so important to know your body and individual needs
my partner had serious problems with diabetes and I finally convinced him to go low carb
he eats eggs and sometimes a breakfast meat in the morning and a huge salad late afternoon... he is completely off insulin and his blood readings are consistently healthy... the doctor is delighted
Now that I'm looking, I am amazed at the variety of products. And seems like new things every day
I used to fast before I started a diet. I think I was trying to make my body grateful I might add it to my plan.
My friend leads a chair exercise session at the gym. I need to start going.
In case no one said hi
I've baked for almost 50 years. The yeast I got from Aldi's is very slow. I got some from Kroger's and it works faster. Not that I'm in a hurry, but I would plan to have the bread put together, risen and baked the same day. I might try it without sugar. I have a started for sourdough, and another DUer told me how to make natural starter.
For the last batch of starter, I used a lump of roll dough I had put together. So this batch had milk, butter, yeast, unbleached flour and 1/2 tsp. of salt. I don't know if it'll get sour or go bad. lol Other times, I used flour and water, about 2 cups of each, some sugar, and 1/2 pack of yeast. Kept it at room temperature until it started working, then put it in a glass jar, and stuck it in the fridge. Fed it about 1/2 cup of flour, tsp sugar each week, and added water if it was too dry. If I made bread, I used a cup and replaced it with the same amount of flour, and water. I don't think I used sugar after I got it started.
In the past, like 20 years ago, I found a recipe online to begin a starter. I used that starter for a year or so, and stopped feeding it, I think.
There are a lot of recipes and methods for starters online, and on another post, DUer getagrip shared a method for making a natural starter:
*************************************************************************
But really all it takes is some fresh whole wheat flour that hasn't been treated. Even some wheat from a whole food type market crushed up and put into a flour and water solution will work.
The key is to continuously throw away half your starter. Seems wasteful, but it isn't if you are dealing with a quarter cup of slurry. Each day, just take half and throw it away, then add 1/8 cup of fresh flour and a 1/8 cup of warm water. mix and keep warm.
After w few days you should start to notice bubbles forming. At that point don't throw any out, but add 1/4 cup flour and water. Then a 1/2 cup and so on until you are up to about 2 or 3 cups.
At that point, use a cup for starter, and feed a cup of water and flour back. Then refrigerate. When you want to bake again, just let it warm up, then add a cup of water and water, wait a day, and take the cup of starter out to use.
The initial wild yeasts come from the flour you use to feed it, not your kitchen. Over time your kitchen yeasts will join the party and the flavor profile will alter slightly.
It's all good. Just don't use chlorinated water.
*********************************************************************************
We had a nice discussion about sourdough bread. If you want better ideas, you could post in the Home & Family> Cooking & Baking topic. It is very active and fun to read
I tried a low-carb diet about 5 or 6 years ago. It was really hard but I stuck with it for over 6 months and had good weight-loss. In addition to slimming down a little, I lost about 20 pounds within that time period. However I had 2 problems with low-carb dieting: I was experiencing headaches/dizziness due to low levels of potassium (as I later found out) and also I learned that carbos taste so damn good! All my favorite foods are carb based, so it seems. After dropping that diet I slowly gained back some weight, however I was able to strike a balance in cutting down on sugary soft drinks etc. It's really tough and I give you credit for sticking with your low-carb diet.
I found that switching to Coke Zero (no sugar) was a great help, and I still drink it exclusively.
If your tap water tastes good, get a Sodastream. Mostly I just want something fizzy after a meal but it doesn’t have to be sweet. It’s surprisingly satisfying and has zero calories and carbs.
If your tap water sucks, try a Brita filter and Sodastream.
Now I don’t drink sodas at all. If I go out to eat, I get a small bottle of San Pellegrino. But SP is now owned by Nestle, a company that steals ground water, so I don’t buy that regularly.
I use that water for coffee and tea. I drink water out of the tap, so I get the fluoride. It tastes ok and comes from a small public company. They send a water quality report every year, seems to be safe
Glad you found something that works for you and you're taking care of yourself.
We grew up on lots of home-cooked food. My family owned a grocery store and except for cereal, most of our food needed to be prepared. Lots of good cooks in the family I almost always made meals from fresh ingredients rather than get prepared, and living where we did, eating at restaurants usually included a 30 to 50 mile round trip, so we rarely ate at restaurants.
I still fix fresh meals, but leaving the carbs out of the pot. I'm working up to adding exercise. I have more energy lately and walk more when I do go out. Several people have mentioned fasting. I don't think our bodies were meant to have 3 squares. The McDougall plan talks a lot about how people used to eat, as opposed to modern times.
I'm getting a lot of good information. Glad so many people are interested!
I'm going for a colonoscopy in a couple of weeks, and I have to fast a day or 2 before the visit. After that fast, I can try one that is healing
Sounds like you are really enjoying what you're eating, too - and home cooking it all the way.
I looked at the different devices and went with what I had used before- finger sticking. You sound so in tune with your own body. That is a wonderful accomplishment by itself.
I usually eat the big meals early, and try to stop eating by 7. If I do eat later its fresh veggies, or some cheese.
When you said your GP follows ADA range up to 180, is that blood glucose or carb intake? My dr. said in 2018 that 180 carbs a day was fine. But I don't think it was. I am counting up how many carbs I've had daily, and getting into a rhythm with that. I'm glad I started the post, getting lots of insight Thanks!
I cook several days a week, even if it is just for me. My treat to myself I try to make enough to last a couple of meals, another treat to myself!
Hope you can get back on your food plan. I heard an ad from the Arthritis Foundation (on the classic rock station lol) that every pound you lose takes four pounds of pressure off your knees.
There are a lot of plans to look at and it sounds like you can get information and create a plan just for your needs and goals. My daughter and her husband were on Weight Watchers last year and they both liked it and had some results. But they both work crazy hours, some travel, and it didn't seem to fit their lifestyle.
I usually lose at least 10 lbs between Thanksgiving and New Years, just don't have an appetite. It comes back in Jan. I noticed I've been feeling hungry the last few days, but we'll see.
I quit smoking when I was about 36 and gained a lot of weight. My doctor thought I had an addictive personality and sent me to a counselor. She felt I was a victim of the modern diet and suggested the McDougall Plan. I lost 50 lbs and kept it off for over 5 years,until I had a hyst. and went blooey. But McDougall is low fat high carb, and I think I over-used it. Now that the holidays are over, I'll get away from meat and dairy, and get more veggies on my plate It really helps to be focused on blood sugar, seems to keep me on track better. I'm one of those people whose been on a diet for life and gain and lose. I feel different about my goals, so maybe this is how I need to think about it.
You and your husband sound like your doing really well! Happy New Year
usually when I get home, I want to call it a day, but I did several little chores and ready for more. I like feeling less blah.
I gained weight when I was 9-10 and have been trying to get it off for years. If focusing on getting my sugar down makes more sense to me, I might stick to a better diet
I have this little smile after reading your report! 
We could all use a smile
I found some nut flour recipes I like. I have been leaving the carbs off the plate, which makes it easy to fix a meal.
Hope you continue on the road to better health and feeling better! You'll have an anniversary soon
I am doing well avoiding out and out sweets. Someone else suggested monkfruit. I think I've seen them both in local stores and of course online. Since my o.p. my fbg is staying under 115, been under 100 a couple times. . And I've lost almost 30 lbs. My winter hobby
I read those labels, sure can't believe there can be that many carbs in a tablespoon of bbq sauce! I bake a loaf of bread every week or 2. I use less than a tbs of sugar to start the yeast, but several people mentioned I don't need to add even a little sugar. I have a single slice of toast from my loaf with an egg. My other big carb is 1/2 cup of ceral with a cup of coconut/almond milk. I eat almonds. If I have have a low carb count for the day, I have Triscuits broken in half with a serving of cheese. I can use a slice of bread, 2 eggs, cream butter, Stevia and spices to make a delicious bread pudding. 2 servings, 20 carbs each. I stopped using spaghetti sauce and use chopped dried tomatoes. I'll stop at McD. if I am out in the morning and get a sausage mcmuffin, no egg, 30 carbs. Otherwise, I don't eat out much. Be careful if you eat at Applebee's-how they get that many carbs in a salad is a mystery :/ If I want carbs, I check the portion and cut it in half. If I have crqavings, I drink a big glass of water and do something with my hands to see if it passes.
I've gotten my blood sugar down about 40 pts and have lost almost 30 lbs. As you mentioned, getting the blood sugar down is more important, and I finally have a useful reason to watch what I eat. I met the goals I set for myself, and made new ones.
Thanks for sharing your story. Keep up the good work.
Seeing those numbers go down is so heartening!
I'm sticking to my plan, going on 2 years. My BP and glucose is down. I have a well-check in Oct, and I can't wait to see what my A1C is doing.
Congratulations for taking care of your health
We didn't have any diabetes on either side of my family, but we didn't eat then the way we can eat now.
I was an adult before I ate KFC, McD, or any other fast food. And I fell for it. Now, it is going on 2 years since I've eaten at any fast-food restaurant. I think I would do just as well without Covid isolation.
Cheers!