Thread by @DocRunner1

1/11 Many people cut out sugar + carbs as a way of reversing type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes or improving their health #LCHF
At a recent group consultation many of my patients shared worries about how to avoid carbs in restaurants as 🇬🇧emerges from lockdown

Here are my top tips👇

2/11 Think carefully about your choice of restaurant - some may be easier to manage than others

3/11 Put aside time to think about the meal in advance

It's hard to think clearly when arriving in a busy restaurant

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

Try looking at the menu online before you go and have a think about your food and drink choices before you arrive

4/11 Think carefully about what you'll drink

Beer has a lot of carbs, wine/spirits far less BUT watch the mixers
A small can of tonic water has about 4 tsp sugar - even diet tonic has 1 tsp
Diet Coke is better than Coke but I wouldn't put either in my body!
Soda water = no sugar

5/11 And remember that alcohol lowers your inhibitions and can affect your decision making

6/11 Watch out for those pre-dinner nibbles. How about some olives?

7/11 Don't worry about being a bit awkward when ordering, it's OK - you're the one that's paying the bill

Think about asking for a salad instead of chips or potatoes or ask for a burger but without the bun

8/11 Swap out the starchy carbs, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pasta and rice for vegetables grown above ground like cauliflower, courgette, peas, broccoli, cabbage, spouts etc

9/11 If you're eating Asian food/curry, Thai etc watch out for the rice and the naan bread. Instead think about having another meat/fish curry or a vegetable side dish (without potatoes) instead. Chickpeas (chana) and lentils (dhal) are good alternatives for many people

10/11 Desserts are always tricky. Options for me include cheese (but no biscuits) but I often simply order a different starter rather than a dessert - I don't mind if the person serving thinks I'm weird! 🤪

11/11 Lastly, don't worry if you fall off the wagon and are disappointed with yourself

Take it as an opportunity to learn how to handle it better next time, put it behind you and move on

It's not a catastrophe, just a bump in the road to better health

Enjoy your meal out 🍽️😋