Hi! I am a 44-year old diabetic, hypertensive mother of three daughters, aged 21, 19, and 2. (I dreaded the thought of having an empty nest.) I have been married for 22 years and live in the Houston metropolitan area. I have worked as an editor, English teacher, and I now run a small non-profit company which serves individuals with severe mental disabilities, primarily those with developmental disabilities.

I am trying to follow a low-carb diet to lose weight for several reasons - to look better and to feel better. When my weight toppled 200 lbs, about 8 years ago, I developed diabetes and hypertention. I had been overweight since the birth of my children and was unable to follow a diet plan to keep it off. I have been most successful with low carb plans, such as CAD, Quick Weight Loss (a program in Houston), the Zone, and Suzanne Somers. However, I am trying to follow the Schwartzbein Principle. The carbs are so restrictive that I am having trouble. I think I, also, experience failure because I do not eat on a regular schedule, and I allow my blood sugar to dip and then I eat everything in sight. I have had a terrible weekend. My daughter wanted to buy a cheesecake, when I could have made me a low carb one, and I have eaten several slices. My weakness is sweets and breads. I am 220 lbs and want to get to between 150 and 160.

Shelia

Hi Shelia,

and welcome to this low carb corner of cyber world!

I too am a diabetic so I understand where you are coming from, those hypoglycemic moments and so on.

Although you find Schwarzbein restrictive in carbs, I'd like to suggest that you read and/or purchase 2 more books; Protein Power for the info & eating plan, and Dr Bernsteins Diabetes Solution for very detailed info about diabetes. He advocates 30 g carb daily, only from vegetables. You can read some of the book & a bit about him here .

Dr B teaches that the long-term damage from diabetes occurs with the little spikes in blood sugar after each meal, usually within 1 hr. You will have to make the decision (it's a difficult one) to give up the harmful carbs and stick with vegetables. Always make your own LC desserts, if you need them. Eat meals regularly & avoid carbs so that you don't get hypoglycemic. This looks like your greatest vulnerablity.

Go check out my journal to see where I was at before starting to low carb. It wasn't great, I was needing more meds to control blood sugar & the med caused weight gain! Arrgghh!!!! Diabetes is a truly nasty disease. Sugar, wheat and other starches are just not worth kidney failure, blindness and other major problems. I apologize about the Tuff Luv approach, but I feel very strongly about getting control of blood sugars and if you read Diabetes Solution you'll understand more.

After following PP or another lc plan for a while, you will find your cravings for sweets disappearing, really! Good luck & happy reading! Please feel free to post any diabetes in my journal or in the diabetes forum.

Welcome, Sheila. I can't add a thing to Ruth's most sensible advice, except to say, yes, you can do it. We all have bumps in the road, but we can still stay on the road.

Two small tips. One, make a list of the low carb allowable foods you DO like and construct an eating program from them. It may seem restrictive at first, but you'll have enough to get you through a week or two. During that time, look around -- here, in recipe forums, cookbooks -- for ways to vary those favorite foods. The second is to read through some of the material on this site, especially the Low Carb Tips on the orange bar at the top of the forum.

I hope you'll keep posting and let us know how you're doing.

Hi Shelia,
I just want to say welcome to the forum and give you a big hug to help you keep going.
I'm not a diabetic but I used to have a major weakness for sweet things, especially of the chocolate variety. Note I said "used to."
I've found since low carbing that the craving for sweet things definitely abates, helped I'm sure by supplementing with Chromium and L-Glutamine.
Good luck to you, Shelia!

Rosebud

Thanks for all of the support. I will read the books you suggested, Ruth. Bernstein is more restrictive than Schwartzbein. Schwartzbein allows you 15 gr. of carb with 3 meals, and 7-1/2 with two snacks daily and more on maintenance. The spiking in my blood sugars does concern me.

Alto, I love to cook, so I will find low carb snacks I can enjoy and not feel guilty about.

Rosebud, I have heard about supplementing my diet with Chromium and L-Glutamine to decrease sugar cravings; however, I am still nursing my 2-year old, and I will have to check with my lactation consultant. (I am trying to wean her, but her will is stronger than mine. )

Thanks for all of the support. I will post and keep you guys updated on my progress.

Shelia