I'm under the impression that Dr. B. doesn't advocate going over 30 grams of carbs per day, particularly for Type 1s. He certainly doesn't tell you how to do it with insulin and diet above the absolute minimum he thinks that people can endure. When I do add more carbs, I start losing very good control and slip into so-so land. And I certainly couldn't go to my doc and say that I need help in eating 50 carbs per day because they would have a stroke that I'm not eating the ADA diet. They don't know and I'm not going to tell them.

So how many are you guys eating and do you still consider it Bernstein?

"So how many are you guys eating and do you still consider it Bernstein?"
Bernstein,Einstein,Frankenstein.What difference does it make
what you call your plan?Bernstein's plan should not be treated
as an absolute.It should only be a starting point though there
may be better starting plans for some of us-particularly type 2's.Studying,testing,modifying our individual regimens would
appear to be the solution to the diabetes puzzle.
Just my thoughts
Eddie

I'm on the Ronstein diet plan....

Ronstein believes that a low carb eating plan must evolve as health levels change.

When Blood Glucose (BG) is completely out of control, carbohydrates should be completely eliminated until BG is within normal ranges. If elimination of carbohydrates cannot bring BG into normal ranges, add supplements or medications. If all of this does not bring BG under control, bend over and KYAGB...

Once control within normal ranges, add carbs until BG is at the high point of control and then decide to either lower carbs again or add supplements or medications to keep BG within normal ranges.

As health improves, exercise and accept that you will be experimenting the rest of your life and you will never find a specific way that will last forever at keeping control.

Always realize you will never know it all and neither will anyone else, no matter what Frickinstein they happen to be.....

Ronstein says... Don't worry, be happy....

Cajun
I agree with your approach for a type 2.It's pretty much the same as what I've done .
VLC alone isn't an option for a true type 1.They need insulin from the getgo.Bernstein has always seemed to be a bit
more relevant to type 1's however I think plan tweeking to
suit the individual is still required.
Cheers to all
Eddie

You guys aren't really doing Bernstein and that's okay. You guys don't have to deal with insulin and especially don't have to deal with antigens to insulin. In a lot of type 1s, our bodies attack insulin. It stops being as effective and as predictable at higher does. I guess my more specific question is at what point does the law of small numbers break down?

I got the feeling that normalization of BG was the important facet of "Bernstein's" plan and that through such normalization one could avoid long term complications from diabetes.

He does go on to "suggest" 6-12-12 or 6-12-12-12 depending on the length of one's day because, I believe, these are the numbers that worked for him. I am pretty certain he went through a boat load of testing to establish them...

I usually stay on the low side of those numbers (20 - 25 g/d) and "control" my BG with basal only (>95% of the time). As I increase my exercise level, I have to increase carbs somewhat since basal changes will take days to equilibrate. Since I don't know any better I use 70 - 120 mg/dl as my "acceptable" range. Before my big screwup excursion, I was averaging just under 93 with a 13 or 14 est. std. dev.

Relative to Bernstein's A1c - I am sure he would call me a slacker...

/smile

Wouldn't that be best determined empirically by the individual and whether or not he or she is able to maintain so-called "normalization"?

Just curious.

For me, with basal only, I know my limits are usually less than 30 g/d and I dont really mind that low a carb intake. I am just not ready to bolus before meals yet since I already take so much basal...

/smie

I'm pretty much sticking to glucose tabs for exercise boosts. I did an experiment with half a tomato today and it raised my BG 70 mg/dl over what I would expect without the tomato.

I'm experimenting. In the past, I would choose things I like to eat and experiment to find the best bolus for those things. I have 3 or 4 thngs I regularly eat for lunch, dinner, etc. I lived that way for years. Fruit salad and cottage cheese would be something I would have eaten and enjoyed in the past. That is so anti-Bernstein, I'm not sure I want to go there right now. But I would like to eventually bring those things back into my diet. It's so much harder now after having Type 1 for over 30 years. My body doesn't respond as well as it used to.

And i need to slow the weight loss before my pants fall down.

How long have you been doing it?

I started Atkins "induction" phase (20 g CHO/day) on February 15 of this year. Started on Lantus about 6 days later. It took me about a month to 6 weeks to get myself properly titrated. This was about the time I found Bernstein's book.

I am still a newbie and it is only recently that I stopped weighing everything out and so on...

/smile

"You guys aren't really doing Bernstein and that's okay."
About Bernstein:
I guess I was doing Bernstein for a couple of years when I
was doing Atkins to lose 45 pounds.I had never heard of
Bernstein at the time but I was doing VLC to lose weight.
I an no longer do VLC because of my rather rigorous exercise
schedule.I feel very crappy when I don't have at least 50 grams
of carbs per day.I proclaim myself as a South Beacher but
I guess I'm not that either anymore.
Good luck with your weight and pants,Susan
Eddie

I think you'll do well, Korban. I was way out of control for a couple of years before starting Bernstein. The old tricks stopped working.

I kind of winged it tonight. I went to Olive Garden and ate a bunch of salad (no croutons), had the mixed grill and ate all the veggies. Probably 2 to 2-1/2 cups of veggies which included grilled onions and a few tomato pieces, 5 or 6 ounces of meat. Had a glass of shiraz. Took my best guess for a bolus on that. We'll see...

Weight loss was a big part of my interest initially in low carb. It worked really well the first couple months or so, especially. That is another reason I like to keep my carb intake (proportional to insulin intake) low.

If I hadn't gotten so many positive "side effects" from lowering my BG's from 240 - 330 down to normal, I probably would have blown my brains out by now. Normal BG's got me off anti-depressants and gave me a surge of energy. It was easy for me to become addicted to LC...

Speaking of pants falling off... I have dropped 4" in my waist pant size since starting this thing... another nice "side effect" for an obese Type 2. A couple more pounds down and I will be in the "overweight category" - whoo hoo!

/smile

I'm sure its tough being a type 1, more so than being a type 2.

If I exercised and it caused me to take any extra supplement, or any additional medication, I couldn't see the point of the exercise, sort of pointless to me in my thinking.....

But, LCU, the biggest enemy in our fight to control diabetes is ourselves... Look at your own words in the quoted post.... These are your words:

"We'll see"

"winged it tonight"

In a previous post you mention that a small amount of tomatoes elevated your BG numbers, but yet you say you went out and ate tomatoes.

It doesn't sound like you're doing Bernstein either..... It sounds like you're doing the LCUstein diet...

I'm not trying to pick on you, but sometimes, we need to see ourselves as others see us. Hope my critique is well taken and not misunderstood. There is also the possibility that Ronstein doesn't know what he's talking about, so take it for whatever its worth, right?

Ron

There is no Bernstein certifying agency. Those of us who use him do so because he gives complete information on how to achieve the goals you choose. My preference is never to be above 100, and to average under 90. I am close but not quite there. He did not choose my goals, although his book did influence my goals. I actually do not keep track of my carbs. I am probably under 50 a day, and I don't eat any really carby food. I generally adjust my diet and not my insulin to achieve my goals. In this I am following Bernstein.