[Raindance]

My husband was diagnosed type2 a little over a month ago, he has been eating 30 carbs per day and his sugar level has been great. His next A1c test will be in July. He plans to stick faithfully to his diet until the test. The question he wants me to ask is, after the test, if he goes to a pizza buffet and pigs out on pizza - one time only, what are the consequences likely to be? Is it OK or can something disasterous happen to set him back, is it dangerous or what?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but ya don't know 'til ya ask.

 

[diabetes86]

As I understand it

every time your BG goes over 140 you are doing damage to your body, baby steps. Not a lot of damage but damage. I plan on sticking around for a long time so every step counts.

will his leg fall off... no
PS
get the meat lovers pizza with extra cheese. It will have less of an impact on his BG than a plane cheese pizza.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

As someone that was very obese and totally addicted to all carbohydrates when diagnosed and then quit carbs cold turkey, lost 100+ pounds, i have to ask your husband, WHY would he WANT to do something like that?

If he can break his carb addiction, then by July I don't even think he'll WANT pizza. I know you'd have to pay me a lot of cash to take a bite of pizza, thats for sure.

 

[Shanny]

There IS some risk in taking a detour like that . . . and not of immediate disastrous consequences, but unless he can be sure he's pigheaded enough to get right back on the low-carb ride, he might find it doubly difficult to reclaim the territory once he stirs up the old carb addiction. Kinda like an alcoholic having "one" drink . . .

For myself, if I were to carb up on all my old favorites, I'm not at all sure I could return to low-carb as strictly as I do now. Even if I were able to, I'm sure my numbers would be outta whack for days if not weeks. That's one of the things that keeps me honest now - it takes too long to get my ducks back in a row if I go astray. And Eric has a point, by July he may have lost the craving . . . I know I'm not jonesing for baked potatoes or fresh homemade sourdough bread anymore (well, maybe just a wee bit for the sourdough . . . ).

 

[Raindance]

I have some Carbquik and there is a recipe on the box for pizza. Don't know how good it will taste, but I'll give it a try. Maybe that will satisfy his craving, and you might be right, by July he could decide it's not worth it.

 

[Wink]

Hubby and I have a favorite pizza place with amazing pizza. We went there once since my diagnosis but I only ate the toppings. It's not quite the same but it was better than no pizza at all and it worked for my BG.

 

[Eeyore]

Please take it from someone learing the hard way... One day off the diet becomes two, then a week. All of the old cravings come back and it is soooo hard to resist. You figure, "What's the problem? I've been good and deserve a treat." I don't think there would be any lasting damage from ONE MEAL of pizza, but would it open a doorway that should just stay closed?

 

[moon]

Cravings are funny things. I'm mostly doing okay, but when I wish I could have something I tell myself I can but choose not to.

In the top 5 addictions for me is ice cream. I made it, experimented, inhaled, savored - ice cream and I were one.

I'm too much of an addict to have it in the house, and too much of a purist for the carb-free stuff to satisfy, just don't care for the taste. So, I decided I'd check out the mini Ben 'n Jerrys to see what the carb count was. Bah - not good, not worth it. But - I found the Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappaccino was 16 carbs and bought one of those mini containers. When my bs was down around 90 I tried one after eating some fatty meat and only went up 10 points. Score! I savored it that little container, took 5 minutes to eat what used to be maybe 3 bites.

Now, I know I can't do that very often, but it was awesome. A week ago I saw they were having a sale on these and there was only one Vanilla Bean left (the others have more carbs) so I grabbed it, and drove across town home to put it in the freezer before continuing on with other errands. How intense is that!

The great thing is - that treasure is still in the freezer. Before diabetes a half gallon of ice cream would be gone by now, and now while I still adore ice cream, I have this control. It's a miracle. Hope it lasts.

 

[fgummett]

All great advice above. For me once the carb addiction was beat if I ever did try one of my "old favourites" it was usually a disappointment and I was left wondering what all the fuss had been about.

On the other hand some can manage "just a taste" without going backwards.

On the other, other hand why not plan a different treat: such as a juicy rib-eye steak, with lightly steamed broccoli slathered in butter, maybe with a baked potato skin(only) filled with cheese, butter, bacon bits, chives and sour cream. Possibly followed (if still hungry) by a bowl of heavy cream with a few wild berries mixed in and dark (70% cocoa or higher) chocolate shaved over top?

 

[Shanny]

Geez, Frank - I can't thank you enough for that glowing description of my favorite steak in all the world & the requisite fixin's!

All great advice above. For me once the carb addiction was beat if I ever did try one of my "old favourites" it was usually a disappointment and I was left wondering what all the fuss had been about.

On the other hand some can manage "just a taste" without going backwards.

On the other, other hand why not plan a different treat: such as a juicy rib-eye steak, with lightly steamed broccoli slathered in butter, maybe with a baked potato skin(only) filled with cheese, butter, bacon bits, chives and sour cream. Possibly followed (if still hungry) by a bowl of heavy cream with a few wild berries mixed in and dark (70% cocoa or higher) chocolate shaved over top?

 

[fgummett]

Geez, Frank - I can't thank you enough for that glowing description of my favorite steak in all the world & the requisite fixin's!

Come Saturday mornin' I'll be at the Farmer's Market bright 'n early to get my allowance of grass-fed (and grass-finished) rib-eye... I just wish I could afford it for breakfast every day!

 

[beefy]

I've done similar things to 'pigging out', by eating things most of us wouldn't...

BUT... I prepare for it by:

1. Eating a fairly HIGH carb meal (like 50g of carb) the meal BEFORE the 'pig-out' meal. (This is so my insulin response during the pig-out meal will be appropriate to the carb-level, since research has shown insulin response at any given meal is based on the previous meal's intake) Then;

2. Exercising for 2.5 to 3 hours at a moderate-to-high intensity starting 50 minutes AFTER the first bite of the meal mentioned in step 1... (to prevent a high from the carb and to help deplete glycogen stores... depleting your glycogen stores means much of the glucose in your next meal will go to replenishing those stores, instead of floating around as elevated blood glucose) Then;

3. Eating my pig-out meal, from start to finish within 30-40 minutes at the most, then ensuring I'm back home within 60 minutes of starting the meal... Then;

4. Testing at the one hour (after beginning the meal) mark, and every 30 minutes after for 5 full hours once home, being ready to jump on my bike again should I need to 'adjust' my blood sugar from a high to a normal reading.

Now, that seems like a LOT of preparation, testing and work, and it is. And I've since learned that I DO NOT get away as 'free' as I think I do...

Issues arising from the 'pig out'.

1. Constipation (going from no/low-carb to crazy amounts of white bread pizza crust is NOT kind to my system.)

2. Increased cravings for several days. I think it's due mostly to increased insulin in the system, and partially a psychological effect.

3. Slightly wonky blood glucose readings for two days after. Usually I'm hit by liver dumps MUCH MORE after eating poorly, even when I've prepared for it...

4. I feel like CRAP for a couple days - both physically and emotionally. I tend to 'grind' on myself for doing stupid things.

Overall, in my opinion it's just NOT worth it. Not even remotely.

 

[jwags]

I rarely cheat but once in awhile when we go out to eat, I do give in. This weekend we were out of town and went out to eat Mexican on Friday. I was starving and dinner seemed to take forever to come and yes I relented and ate chips . My bgs have been 20 points higher for 3 days even though I have been exercising and eating low carb the rest of the time. So one pig out meal won't kill you but it will drive up your numbers and it will start the cravings all over again. Personally I like to reward myself with non food items. Things like pizza, I like to figure out ways to make it low carb so you can eat it all the time. One thing I do find since low carbing is that I have become even more sensitive to carbs when I do dedide to eat them.