Anyone Dis lovers doing the keto diet and dining at WDW?

[TiffanyA]

The problem is that you can only guesstimate the number of carbs. It's going to necessarily be your laziest keto.

My guidelines are as follows:

• Try to stick to steak, fish or shrimp and ask for sauces on the side.
  
• Sub starches for veggies - usually for something else on the menu, whether that be simple broccoli or a more complex cauliflower puree.
• If there will be dessert/ice cream/gelato later, try to save your carbs until then (ie. a quest bar and a few bites of a turkey leg for lunch)
• Pre-package snacks (I can go to town on roasted nuts if I'm not careful)
  
• Limit one glass of wine per day.
• Walk, walk, walk
• Drink water with lite-salt in it

 

[ddpaints]

Interesting that you should post this. My husband was diagnosed diabetic last summer. No one really gave us a hard fast menu to work from so I went to the web and started learning for myself. We don't do Keto but we are Low Carb. Within 8 months his Dr actually asked him who gave him the diagnosis because his numbers were so good. I've been a bit concerned about our trip coming up in April. We will be doing 1 week at WDW and a 5 day Cruise on our ship the Magic. He should be mostly okay because he has become aware of things and avoids them. I do feel bad that he might not get to enjoy and special treats. Does anyone know who offers diabetic friendly desserts?

On another note Swerve is awesome for baking. I've gotten pretty handy with it and DH says he enjoys the treats I've been able to make.

 

[TiffanyA]

You'd basically be following the same rules as us, with more carbs depending on your husband's level of insulin resistance. I'd usually fill that with more fruit. My sister was just pregnant recently and had gestational diabetes. I advised her to eat fruit and greek yogurt for dessert and mostly protein and fats for meals. She was successful when she stuck to these basics (don't get me started on the total fail of nutritional guidelines for diabetes).

I know there is a fruit cart in every park. Table service is great about making things like a berry plate with some heavy cream (yes, I've asked for this before!) There's also Starbucks (sugar free syrup, use half and half or heavy whipping cream). If you're going to partake in something else, I'd choose something with a lot of cream like ice cream or custard - desserts with lower glycemic indexes. Does he use a glucose meter?

 

[ddpaints]

You'd basically be following the same rules as us, with more carbs depending on your husband's level of insulin resistance. I'd usually fill that with more fruit. My sister was just pregnant recently and had gestational diabetes. I advised her to eat fruit and greek yogurt for dessert and mostly protein and fats for meals. She was successful when she stuck to these basics (don't get me started on the total fail of nutritional guidelines for diabetes).

I know there is a fruit cart in every park. Table service is great about making things like a berry plate with some heavy cream (yes, I've asked for this before!) There's also Starbucks (sugar free syrup, use half and half or heavy whipping cream). If you're going to partake in something else, I'd choose something with a lot of cream like ice cream or custard - desserts with lower glycemic indexes. Does he use a glucose meter?

Yes he tests twice daily. For the most part he stays away from sweets, breads, pasta, corn, potatoes, rice. We usually only use sugar alcohols, occasionally a TBS of honey in a recipe that is divided between the 4 of us. We have found that coconut sugar doesn't give him a spike so I do use that when I have a recipe where brown sugar would be better. He only eats berries and an occasional apple as far as fruit goes. Nuts, meat sticks and cheese , pork rinds are the go to for snacks. I'm hoping we can find some low sugar treats especially while we are on the cruise. He is very careful so maybe with him being careful and the extra exercises his numbers will be low enough that he can have a dessert or two.

 

[SouthJersey]

Hi are any fellow people in the keto diet? I'm curious about being gluten free and sugar free at Disney?

I remained keto once during a prep for a show, I basically went whole meat options and got mixed veggies at every table service option. There were practically zero snacks aside from the turkey legs.

Breakfast buffets were a god send, I'd eat a ton of eggs and breakfast meat so I wasn't hungry before the TS lunch.

Chef's at table service locations have a variety of gluten free options and it's very easy to stay low carb. The snacks and kiosks were the real struggle.

 

[TiffanyA]

Yes he tests twice daily. For the most part he stays away from sweets, breads, pasta, corn, potatoes, rice. We usually only use sugar alcohols, occasionally a TBS of honey in a recipe that is divided between the 4 of us. We have found that coconut sugar doesn't give him a spike so I do use that when I have a recipe where brown sugar would be better. He only eats berries and an occasional apple as far as fruit goes. Nuts, meat sticks and cheese , pork rinds are the go to for snacks. I'm hoping we can find some low sugar treats especially while we are on the cruise. He is very careful so maybe with him being careful and the extra exercises his numbers will be low enough that he can have a dessert or two.

Sounds like you guys are on top of things then! I've never been on a Disney cruise, but I'd risk asking for the chef (or a manager?) if you want to see if there might be anything they'd recommend. Keep in mind that they may not know what really is low sugar or not. Sugar-free does not mean low carb automatically for example. Gluten-free definitely does not usually mean low carb. I mean I've had very well intentioned people try to push low fat things on me when I've told them I was low carb...

 

[ddpaints]

Sounds like you guys are on top of things then! I've never been on a Disney cruise, but I'd risk asking for the chef (or a manager?) if you want to see if there might be anything they'd recommend. Keep in mind that they may not know what really is low sugar or not. Sugar-free does not mean low carb automatically for example. Gluten-free definitely does not usually mean low carb. I mean I've had very well intentioned people try to push low fat things on me when I've told them I was low carb...

The thing that gets me the most is, looking at what is recommended for a "Diabetic" menu and seeing it was way over the carb sugars that anyone with diabetes should have. I also hate that with more people being diabetic than people having a gluten intolerance, there are so few offerings for diabetic people. You don't think about it until someone you care about (or you) are dealing with things. I felt like I had just been dropped in the middle of the ocean when we got the diagnosis. I did mention to our DCL contact that he has diabetes but unfortunately on the " check this box if you have special dietary needs" all that was available was food allergies, gluten intolerance and low fat. I'm sure we will work it out.
I would love to here if anyone finds any great treats that are keto, low carb or sugar free.

 

[TiffanyA]

I'd bring a box of Quest bars with you (or B-Up, MuscleTech Mission1, D's natural Now Cow etc whatever type of bar you like best). Maybe some SmartCakes and Protein Powder too. You can find all of this at netrition (add dot com for the website). Just because of the very phenomena we are talking about, I know I have to bring stuff myself if I want to ensure that the food meets my dietary requirements.

 

[TiffanyA]

The thing that gets me the most is, looking at what is recommended for a "Diabetic" menu and seeing it was way over the carb sugars that anyone with diabetes should have.

I really hear you. I really do!

My entire family has a horrid sweet tooth. When my sister tested positive for gestational diabetes, she went into a fit. Granted, she was hormonal and craving all kinds of sweet ****, so... She refused to listen to me at first in favor of the nutritionist ("She's been advising people for years - she STUDIED this" blah blah blah) because she thinks my diet is too drastic. The same day, I sent her a car package of things I had picked for her from netrition.

Her "diabetes" nutritionist put her on small meals with dishes that included RICE, POTATOES and GRAINS - albeit in teeny tiny quantities. She told my sister to eat at least 130g of carbs a day. The diet was also LOW FAT. She followed it for the three days it took for my care package to arrive and then gave up because her blood sugar was all over the place and she was HUNGRY and HANGRY. The care package I sent included an assortment of sweets. I was trying to show her that even though she had to be vigilant about carbs (for her baby's sake!) she could still enjoy sweets*. She started listening to me after that.

But I digress. I am absolutely horrified at the number of diabetics that don't understand how diabetes works and what role carbohydrates play. I am even more horrified at the amount of misinformation and bad advice out there given by MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

*About the sweets: Thankfully she is not as sensitive to xylitol as I am. I really wish they made more stuff with erythritol. I react pretty badly to most sugar alcohols except erythritol, but if your husband can do the various other sugar alcohols, that really opens up doors in terms of sugar-free.

 

[ddpaints]

Oh My! I think part of the problem is they don't want to understand, the other is that the Dr is always right and if you don't have a degree you know nothing . While my husband was at scout camp with my son, one of the men got to talking with him and found out his (then ) recent diagnosis. He said and I quote " OH yeah they told me a few months ago I had diabetes too , guess I should try to watch what I'm eating " All the while munching on a churro. DH was at almost 400 when he had his blood tested and 350 when we got the call and went to the emergency room. I told him he needed to make a decision then and there because I didn't want to raise the kids alone but I sure as heck could if he didn't straiten up. That was it . At first I tried the diabetic plan on e-meals but I was having the same results your sister was having, the rice ,corn , bread carb city. I started doing a lot of research and a week later changed over to the low carb plan. DH has breakfast burritos (low carb tortillas) almost every morning, a salad with all the veggies on top for lunch and usually a low carb dinner. Now that he has leveled out we can have a cheat night once in awhile and have pizza or hoagies but he is still cautious with that and doesn't order the fries and a bunch of other things. His morning numbers (or scores as we call them) hasn't been over 110 in 8 months and his usual range in the evenings is between 79 (if he doesn't snack on nuts all day) and 94.
Thank you for the link. I may try some of those bars just to change things up for him a bit.

 

[jerseygirlmk]

Interesting that you should post this. My husband was diagnosed diabetic last summer. No one really gave us a hard fast menu to work from so I went to the web and started learning for myself. We don't do Keto but we are Low Carb. Within 8 months his Dr actually asked him who gave him the diagnosis because his numbers were so good. I've been a bit concerned about our trip coming up in April. We will be doing 1 week at WDW and a 5 day Cruise on our ship the Magic. He should be mostly okay because he has become aware of things and avoids them. I do feel bad that he might not get to enjoy and special treats. Does anyone know who offers diabetic friendly desserts?

On another note Swerve is awesome for baking. I've gotten pretty handy with it and DH says he enjoys the treats I've been able to make.

I need to get that swerve lol. Have an amazing time!

 

[TiffanyA]

Maybe dark chocolate from The Ganachery in DS?

 

[soniam]

I eat (well mostly try to eat) keto at home but usually break at Disney or other vacations. However, I have found that I really like to eat keto for my meals, even while on vacation. Here are some options that I have found.

Most places have salads, just be sure it doesn't have dried fruit, too much regular fruit, or sugary dressing. I usually opt for caeser, ranch, or blue cheese. Obviously not tortilla strips, wontons, or beans.

A lot of signatures have mains that are basically protein with some sauce. Tiffins is a good example.

For a quick breakfast, I get hard boiled eggs from the grab n go at the hotel and bring my own sugar free almond butter. Some beef jerkies are pretty low in sugar, if not sugar free, and taste like bacon

BBQ is good if you can get it without the sauce.

My boss, who's keto, told me a good trick. We sometimes have pizza brought in at work. If you really get stuck eating it, then just take the cheese and toppings off the crust and eat that. It's pretty high in dairy fat, which may not be great if you are in fat burning/weight loss mode, and you usually have to do more than 1 slice. Face it, most takeout pizza has pretty bad crust anyway. I wouldn't recommend doing this often though.

For alcohol, you can always order a sugar free flavored vodka with club soda. At home, I used sugar free flavored club soda and add regular or flavored vodka.

Skipper Canteen - Sustainable fish
Homecoming - Jaspar board w/o crackers. pickles maybe too sugary too, deviled eggs
Earl of Sandwich has good salads
Steakhouses are a great choice. They usually have good seafood too.
Breakfast buffets are usually pretty easy, if you can avoid the temptations.
Lunch and dinner can be harder at buffets, but there is almost always meat or fish and a salad bar and non-starchy veggies.
I have been know to each the hamburger patty from between the bun

EDIT: You won't find this at Disney, but I have become addicted to high quality pork rinds. They are basically protein and some fat, mostly from olive oil. But they really cure that crunchy salty craving. I particularly like the Pork Cloud brand in rosemary flavored.

 

[chinooker]

I eat keto and we are headed to Disney World the week before Christmas. We are staying in our RV at Fort Wilderness, so I will have the option for my own food. That being said, one big draw of Disney is the food! We have made all of our dining reservations and I will be eating all the steak and salad with ranch that I can fit in. I will utilize starbucks for my standard order- cold brew with a little sugar free syrup and heavy whipping cream! I've been keto for 6 months and lost 40 pounds- no going back now!

 

[MandLBee]

I eat keto and we are headed to Disney World the week before Christmas. We are staying in our RV at Fort Wilderness, so I will have the option for my own food. That being said, one big draw of Disney is the food! We have made all of our dining reservations and I will be eating all the steak and salad with ranch that I can fit in. I will utilize starbucks for my standard order- cold brew with a little sugar free syrup and heavy whipping cream! I've been keto for 6 months and lost 40 pounds- no going back now!

Keto Strong, Keto On!
Me too, 6 months, 40 pounds. I am not going to break my stride at Disney. It helps that three of us are Keto, and we are also at Fort Wilderness.

 

[TiffanyA]

I do keto/low carb for my health - my cholesterol was through the roof. 3 years in and my numbers are all in the ideal range. I only lost modest amount ~20 pounds, but I didn't have that much to lose anyway. I converted my husband along the way and our son also eats low sugar. Keep Calm and Keto On!

 

[jerseygirlmk]

I do keto/low carb for my health - my cholesterol was through the roof. 3 years in and my numbers are all in the ideal range. I only lost modest amount ~20 pounds, but I didn't have that much to lose anyway. I converted my husband along the way and our son also eats low sugar. Keep Calm and Keto On!

That's amazing!

 

[4Hawks]

I haven't been to Disney yet since I started Paleo, but these are the things I like to bring when I travel:

- Rx Bars
- Macadamia nuts
- Hard boiled eggs
- Deli meat
- Jerky (I like the EPIC brand because it's low sugar)
- Raw veggies (celery or carrots)
- Strawberries or blueberries
- Nut butter pouches (I love Justins)
- Flavored sparkling water (LaCroix)

On our upcoming trip, we plan to eat brunch and dinner at table service restaurants (healthier options, imo) and eat snacks the rest of the day.

 

[4Hawks]

I do keto/low carb for my health - my cholesterol was through the roof. 3 years in and my numbers are all in the ideal range. I only lost modest amount ~20 pounds, but I didn't have that much to lose anyway. I converted my husband along the way and our son also eats low sugar. Keep Calm and Keto On!

This is what I'm trying to achieve with a paleo diet. I have only been on it for a few months and my numbers have already improved. I eat about 50-75 g of carbs per day.

 

[TiffanyA]

This is what I'm trying to achieve with a paleo diet. I have only been on it for a few months and my numbers have already improved. I eat about 50-75 g of carbs per day.

That's great that it's working for you too! 50g-75g a day is the limit I gave my sister when she had gestational diabetes and it worked like a charm for her.

The whole lipids thing can be a rollercoaster, since when you start to lose weight, your LDL will naturally increase and let me tell you, doctors LOSE THEIR MINDS when they see this. I recommend waiting at least three months into the diet to restart lipid testing - more if you started out with more to lose. I had done a lot of reading on this, so I tried to prepare my doctor and did my best to stick to my new way of eating. It was important to change my mentality to understand that was a permanent lifestyle change and NOT just a temporary diet! My numbers did not fall enough to suit my doctor until about a year into my journey, but he was amazed at my 37 triglycerides reading, lol.

Anyway, I actually started out Paleo too, but found to get to my ideal numbers, I had to move to being in ketosis. That said, my threshold for carbs to be able to stay in keto seems higher than most. I am around 35g of carbs on a daily basis. When I am at Disney, I increase that allowance up to 50g of carbs though I recommend spreading them out if possible to minimize any possible insulin spikes.

It is important to me to walk the line between not feeling like I am denying myself while also realizing I am making choices for my health and well being. Being a little less strict on vacation while still making overall good choices has allowed that.