Another low carob thread

[rivergal]

I'd second spaghetti squash, which I've used in spaghetti, but also in a low carb turkey tetrazzini.

Other suggestions:
-veggie lasagna using zucchini and eggplant instead of the pasta layer.
-cauliflower as a rice substitute (process in 1 second bursts in a food processor when raw, then nuke for a few minutes until cooked)
-farmer cheese and yogurt for breakfast (we make our own yogurt that's cooked a full 24 hours to consume the maximum lactose, but some Greek yogurts are also low carb) topped with pecans, flax seeds and a little honey
-watch the low carb bars, because many use sugar alcohols, which can still hit you glycemically. Best Atkins ones are the daybreak line.
-coconut oil is good to cook with, and seems to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels.
-for supplements that can help regulate blood sugar, look into CLA, holy basil, cinnamon, alpah-lipoic-acid, and biotin.

[Chile Pepper]

So many great ideas. Thanks, everyone! And I must mention that I giggle every time I see the title of the thread. If only we could just avoid carob!

[Triskeliongirl]

I will warn you that if your husband is anything like me, then even lara bars, sweat potatoes, grapes, would be to high carb for me on a ride. THe way I figured it out, was to simple ride with my blood sugar meter.

My rule of thumb is that I try to never let my blood sugar go over 120. When not exercising, I measure the peak following a meal (45 minutes it should be under 120) and then I want it back under 100 2 hours after.

On the bike, I find I feel best with blood sugars in the 100-120 range, but I have dropped as low as 70 at the end of a century. 115 is a typical mid ride reading. But, he may have to give up a little speed. This works for moderate paced riding, but not a lot of anerobic sprinting.

ALso, realize fat is your friend. Just choose healthy fats like olive oil. As long as calories are controlled fat does not make you fat. On the flip side, high blood sugars will make and keep you fat!

[Anelia]

Chile Pepper, how are the things with your husband? Is he getting used to the low carb idea? So many holidays, it's not the best moment but stil...

[Chile Pepper]

Thanks for asking Anelia. It's been hard! He really misses the carbs, especially pasta and fruit. We just spent two weeks on vacation, and it was quite the challenge to maintain any kind of discipline. We're back home now, so I'm hoping he'll be inspired to keep trying. Among the main changes, he's eliminated most carbs at night, when we eat some sort of meat/poultry/fish with salad or veggies. He has switched his lunch carbs to whole grain and really cut back on the portion size--for instance, an open-faced sandwich on really dense bread. When I fix his lunch, I include lettuce wraps or something to help compensate. Breakfast still tends to include oatmeal or toast, but again, smaller portions and whole grains.

One of the hardest things is coordinating our different diets. I'm on the heart-healthy diet of lots of fruits, legumes, and whole grains, with limited salt and fats (I have high blood pressure), whereas he needs more fats (nuts, cheese, lunch meat) to compensate for the lack of carbs. And then the kids eat loads of carbs, since their version of a meat-and-veggie meal would be almost entirely meat. We'll eventually figure it out, right?