My blood work just came back and my blood glucose was 124 fasting(the same number last year) and my cholesterol was a little elevated. I have read a lot on both the WW and low carb diets. I did find a lot of people feel that the low carb diet is the best way to keep your sugar levels normal. Can anyone give me your opinion on this? Thanks
I do better on a carb-restricted diet, but I need the accountability and support of a weekly meeting. My solution was to join TOPS (take off pounds sensibly) and use a carb-restricted diet (because in TOPS you can follow any food plan you wish).
I also love that in TOPS groups (definitely in the chapter I belong to) there are usually ways to win/earn small prizes for weight loss, so I can in essence, get "paid" to lose weight, or at least earn back some of my dues.
In TOPS groups everyone pays an annual national dues of $28 ($14 for additional family members in the same household) and monthly dues determined by the individual chapters (in my area they vary from $2 to $5 per month). My chapter charges $5 but also runs more fun contests. Your chapter dues are waived if you lost weight the previous month, so as long as you lose at least a quarter pound every month, your monthly dues are free.
Not all groups do this, so it pays to visit all the groups in your area before deciding on one (and if you don't like any of them, you only need three other people to form your own chapter).
As for my actual diet, I do best when I restrict carbs. I usually don't call my diet a low-carb diet (even though I consider it low-carb) because there are too many definitions of low-carb and it gets very confusing with people arguing whether or not my diet is "really" low-carb. I reduce carbs significantly, but I do allow a few servings (I use an exchange plan).
I personally love exchange plans, because I find them easier to follow than calorie counting. It's easier for me to remember that most 3" pieces of fruit contain about 70 calories and equal one fruit exchange than to memorize (or look up) the specific calorie value for each fruit.
Do you have the option of seeing a dietitian or a nutritionist ? A fasting blood sugar of 124 is approaching 126 or greater which on two separate occasions would be consistent with a diagnosis of diabetes... A professional could give objective information on diet and exercise options that could possibly reverse or at the very least postpone that...
Don't get me wrong... I think that this message board can be a good source of support... but if the possibility of what could become a serious health issue hung in the balance than I would definitely run any advice I received over the internet by my doctor...
I don't know about low carb options. I've been doing WW since January and it has worked well for me. I do online, only. I don't go to meetings as I'm a bit of a curmudgeon. I was having daily hypoglycemic episodes aka the sweaty shakes. Since I started WW, I've only had one of those and that was on a very bad day when I was emotionally overwrought and I hadn't eaten enough.
I choose now low carbing lifestyle after years of calorie counting..I am keeping my carb at 90 or less and just started and am LOVING IT!! Have energy and feeling awesome!! Im finally understand..about time!!
For blood sugar issues, you will probably have greater success on a low carb diet. Carbohydrates are what raise blood sugar, and therefore insulin levels. Meat and fat do not. And while many will tell you calories are calories and they count, I find I can not lose weight on WW or low calorie diets, but I do on low carb. I would highly recommend reading Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. He is a type 1 diabetic who is in his late 70's and in excellent health. His book addresses issues and diet for both type one and type two diabetics. He is a medical doctor and living proof that his methods work. Just for reference, I am a type 2 diabetic, and I follow his diet for blood sugar control. I have tried all the mainstream drugs, and the ADA recommended diet, which only made my diabetes worse. For diabetes, low carb is what will work to keep you from having complications, or having to use drugs with lots of side effects.
While I do tremendously better on low-carb, I do have trouble sticking with it and eating "low enough." For me, that's not reason to give up, I just do my best and keep trying to do better.
However, for me, the accountability and support of a weekly meeting is priceless.
If no other option was available to me, I'd join WW. I'm glad that TOPS is cheaper and as effective as WW for me, and I love that there are ways to "get paid" for weight loss and weight maintenance.; If you haven't reached maintenance (KOPS status, KOPS meaning, keeping pounds off sensibly) you can win prizes for weight loss, and at goal KOPS can win prizes for staying in leeway (I believe leeway falls between 2 lbs over goal and 5lbs below goal).
While it's harder on some food plans than others, for me the vital component to weight loss isn't the food plan. I can lose weight on most plans (at least for a while) and I can lose weight on ALL calorie counting/limiting plans), however I don't stick with it on my own. I need the support and accountability and social reinforcement for the weight loss.
I'm not losing weight FOR anyone else, but when I'm losing weight ONLY for myself, I tend to procrastinate. Having others interested and having a stake in my success just helps more than I can even explain why it works.
I just have to come to grips with the fact that I will ALWAYS need the support I find at TOPS and here on 3FC. As long as I KNOW I need to keep coming here for the support, I will continue to succeed, but the moment I decide I can do it on my own, I will begin falling down that slippery slope (I've done this too many times to expect anything different).
If you have blood sugar issues, I vote for low carb. I am pre-diabetic and following a plan called The Insulin Resistance Diet. I like it because in many ways it reminds me of the old food selection plan Weight Watchers used to have (before they introduced points). On this plan you link carbs with protein. The authors call it "link and balance." I'd call it a moderate carb plan, not really low carb. I feel so much better on it. I was eating way too many carbs on Weight Watchers and had horrible blood sugar fluctuations. Not to put down WW...you can really follow it by eating lower carbs, but I'm just not a fan of their point system anymore. That said, it's a popular plan and many people love it.
I vote for lower carb if you have blood sugar issues. There are so many "low carb" diets out there. I always felt awful on a very low carb diet. I think moderate carb eating is best for me, but you just have to experiment. Many people do very well on truly low carb.
Which is best Weight Watchers or Low Carb?
