I am a Type 2 diabetic (not on any medication yet) and about to start the 8 week Fast 800 diet. My problem is that my husband isn’t diabetic and although he would like to lose a bit of excess weight around his middle, he is otherwise quite slim and healthy. In the past I have found it a challenge to prepare and keep to a diet for myself while at the same time preparing appropriate meals for my husband so that he doesn’t fade away. He is keen to try the low carb approach so I was hoping for suggestions as to how I can bulk up his meals a bit without overdoing the carbs and without cooking 2 different meals.

This has been something I have had to do as well and sometimes it has been less than perfect. We are eating more omelets/frittata than every before which have proved popular. When others have baked potatoes for tea with cheese and baked beans I have the mushrooms with baked beans. When they have bread I miss it out, or sometimes have a slice of Rye bread. We have had pasta and I have not had the pasta but put a packet of grated courgette in the microwave for a minute and had that with the same sauce (or grated carrot which I find nicer, but that is higher in sugar). When having baked or roasted meals I often chop two unpeeled carrots into 3 or 4 chunks and roast them and I have them instead of any potatoes. Some times i just have extra veg and none of the carbohydrate. We all eat brown rice now and more often than we used to. I am trying to work some of the other acceptable carbohydrate into regular meals, but haven’t managed as well as I had hoped. I eat cheesy scones (made with coconut flour) others eat a sausage roll. I tend to skip one of breakfast or lunch and have a large dinner which helps with family eating. Every one else eats lots of fruit whilst I have a few strawberries or half an apple.

I am not T2, but obese, so I don’t worry as much as others do – if I am eating around 800 cals per day and losing weight that is good enough for me.

I’m not diabetic but my husband is. However he won’t do the diet, primarily because he is already underweight. I think he eats too many carbs so I’m trying to serve him the same as me, with extra meat fish or chicken and a few carbs, usually half and half. So if I’m having cauliflower rice, he has half that and half brown rice. It’s only an extra pan for the rice potato or noodle, otherwise the cooking is the same.

Thank you Fofi for your suggestions. It’s really helpful to hear how others are managing the same challenges that I have before me.

Yes I also think my husband is consuming too many carbs and your suggestions are very helpful. Thank you.