I am not new to CK, but have done the carbo creep slide over the past year. Diagnosed a few years ago with pre-Diabetes, I "lost" that designation with my next fasting glucose after changing my diet and losing 40 pounds.

I've gained about 15 of those pounds back and am re-centering myself with diet.

One of my frustrations with the CK program is the Food Diary. I eat almost no processed or packaged foods, so the endless lists of brand name foods are of no use to me.

When I want to create a meal, I have to do it on paper and then load it into the program which seems very clunky and has led me away from using the Food Diary.

I could not find any values for a pureed vegetable soup made from homemade vegetarian borth....and when I began to create one, I could not find cooked onions, only raw. I know the values of vegetables change when they are cooked and this seemed like a pretty basic food stuff.

What are folks who eat whole foods, homecooked foods, and few packaged foods doing with the Food Diary?

I know what you mean about the diary though I can usually find a generic listing for non-brand items. If I can't find something on CK I will research on the internet. Based on what I find I can usually come up with an approx. value that I'm comfortable with. For me the most important thing is to keep track. Even if the numbers are off I find I can control my BS by avoiding the obvious pitfalls (white rice, pasta, simple carbs) and making sure I diary everything I eat. The CK data base is far from perfect but I haven't found one any better.

Has anyone heard of Dr Richard Berstein?? He truly believes that the ADA is way off as far as carbs. On his diet you have 6 carbs for breakfast and 12 carbs each for lunch and dinner. It is kind of the Atkins diet---but it is for life. Just wondering if anyone else has read his book....

I haven't heard of Dr. Berstein. However, I have always questioned the ADA carb allowance numbers. I had to take several in depth nutrition courses in college and I was always surprised that the ADA would recommend such high carb intake numbers for diabetics. I would not recommend the ketosis associated with the Atkins Diet for everyone, but eating the volume of simple carbs that now make up the typical American diet is essentially suicide by food. Eating only Dr. Berstein's 30 carbs a day would be nearly impossible. I am a diabetic and in the last few months I have been able to completely control my blood glucose through diet. However, I consume far less carbs than the ADA recommends. I had heard many times from dietitians that the ADA is a bit of a racket and works to maintain the diabetic population with pharmaceuticals as opposed to diet. Corporate pharmacies make too much money treating chronic diabetes. I had always thought that to be a little too much of a conspiracy theory, until I was able to control my own health with diet and not using the recommendations from the ADA. My doctor has tracked my intake and sees no problems long term. The take away here is that your own health needs are specific to you. Work with your doctor, stay informed and don't be afraid to try something a little outside the box.

I have run into the exact same problem. I am controlling my diabetes completely using diet, and I tend to eat a lot the same meals over and over since I know exactly how my body is going to handle that meal as it relates to blood glucose. It takes a while, but once you load your own personal meals in the diary - a single click add everything you need for the meal. After a while, you have to look up other things less and less.

Just received my A1C results... 5.7 and glucose... 87

I'm eating approximately 40 to 75 carbs per day. It is amazing how easy it is---if you do not eat "junk' food! (Which I was.....!) My treat each day is two pieces of Dove dark chocolate...yummy! I never thought I could control my sweets to two pieces, but I do not want to be a diabetic. I've watched what my husband is going through. His A1C has dropped to 6.4 from 8.2 --- counting and controlling the amount of carbs in your diet - works!

Hello,
I was wondering what kind of food you were eating a day to keep your carbs down to 40-75. I am pre-diabetic that struggle with keeping carbs within a reasonable amount. My doctor right now has me eating 120 carbs a day. If you have some great recipes or foods that you have found helpful and would like to share that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!

I'm finding that keeping my carbs down makes me feel so much better. I don't have the highs and lows I used to have. I'm not as hungry either. For me it's like a runaway freight train when eating carbs. I eat some and crave more, then eat those and crave even more. I can keep my carbs down, but that makes it hard to get the calories in. I am thinking that as I lose, get closer to my goal weight, I can start adding in carbs; but, if the cravings return, then the carbs will go. Right now I am eating veggies for my carbs. I guess I am bascially following Atkins (which really isn't a bad word). I do know that in the past, when I started adding the carbs back, that is usually when I wander and lose the losing. I read online "American Diabetes Association: Help for Diabetics" and it really sounded like what I feel and believe happens with me. Every person is unique and to be honest I am jealous of people who can eat so many carbs, lose weight, and feel great. It's just not what I can do and I have to accept that and work with it. You really need to do what works for you.