I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, then Type 2 diabetes about a year and a half ago. I sort of always knew I would get it; all of the women in my family have it, though I would also say that if T2D runs in my family, so does the inability to say no to a brownie. :)

In hopes of staving off the T2D diagnosis, I switched to a Drs. Barnard-MacDougal-Esselstyn type of veganism and my HA1c skyrocketed. I was cutting my fats further and further; my doc begged me to upped my protein and fat, but I was SO SURE that if I could lose the extra fifteen pounds I had hanging around through a HCLF diet, that I would be okay.

Finally, my doc offered me a blood glucometer. I could see how various meals and foods would affect my blood glucose in real time. I now know, with data to back it up, that grains like rice and corn send my numbers through the roof–like a quarter cup of brown rice sends me up into the 200s. I’d gone back to an omni diet in hopes of bringing my numbers down, and now that I feel like I mostly know what various foods do to my blood sugar, I’m ready to transition back to more vegan meals. Tempeh and tofu are both really great for me, but it’s been a tough road not being able to have rice with my tempeh black bean chili or toast with my tofu scramble. (And by that I mean first-world tough, not counting-pennies-to-feed-my-family tough.)

Looking back at this post gives me ideas to try and the wish to get back to a diet that aligns with my beliefs. It reminds me that even when I am SO SURE of my food dogma, as I was that HCLF would solve all my health issues, it is through living our lives as an n=1 case study that we find what each of our optimal way of eating is.

Thank you for being generous, thoughtful, and open-minded in your advice, and just bad-arse in general, Sayward!

I would love to see some low carb – high protein recipe posts in the future! My roommate has been embracing the meatless monday trend but has really struggled with this too.

I always recommend it because the numbers aren’t as simple as “oh I had an egg so I have x amount of protein” for a vegan diet you will want to check your protein from your carbs, your veggies, and everything. And as Sayward said above, vegan “protein” usually have carbs attached to them, so you will want to pay attention to that. And then there are veggies that you might over estimate the carbs you are getting from them, since we have the tendency to just think of vegetables as carbs.

Anyways, I used cronometer to try out a high protein diet, and it was really handy. It does also make it easier to cut out carbs since it will show where you get most of your protein, vitamins, etc and it makes it easier to think “Well that bagel has 12 grams of protein, but it ate up most of the carbs I could have in a day” I don’t use it everyday, I just use it as a way to just watch what I am eating from time to time.

AND, I’ll point out that I said 40% carbs, not 20%. AND, I’ll say that I agree with you 1000% that generalized internet “wisdom” is to be mainly ignored. My query was really just because you see so much conflicting advice (from nutrition professionals; I don’t watch 22-year olds on youtube!) about the best macro ratios and I am forever fiddling with my own goals–precisely in order to determine what’s best for me.

(And it’s not the fiber per se that I need – but prunes specifically; there’s something magical in those little gems. They’re also delicious and FILLED with nutrition and antioxidants–they’re higher in most nutrients than even the most expensive “superfoods”. And I’ve never had any blood sugar issues with them, perhaps especially because I usually eat them with an ounce of nuts. All of which is to say, they’re for me – perhaps not for everyone, but they are most definitely for me!).