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Sorry to mention it Already, Christmas Dinner

A

AmandaS

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18
Hi, I have had some lovely help from this forum before and have returned for more advice. I am a type 2 diabetic. I've recently booked my Christmas Shopping delivery slot so thoughts turned to Christmas dinner. I have been very careful with my diet the last 3-4 months and managed to get my Hba1C down from 80, to 39 in that time (With the help of mounjaro and losing weight fast as I has an undignosed overactive thyroid.).
However, I really want to enjoy a Christmas dinner but I'm honestly scared about eating so much carbs again all in one go. I worry I'll make myself ill or something. I will/would be having Aunt Bessie's vegetarian Toad in the Hole, lots of veg, vegetarain gravy, but my favourite part, and the one I used to overindulge on, roast potatoes. Obviously I'll be having a lot less potatoes than I used to! I do need some carbs as I'm on Dagpagliflozin. I also purchased some 'Diabetic chocolate' on Etsy that I would like to have some time over Christmas Eve/Boxing Day too. How do you navigate Christmas and indulgence? Will one or two 'bad' days really be harmful? Do you indulge over Christmas?
Thanks.
 
Thank you for starting this thread, this has also been on my mind. My downfall is going to be turkey sandwiches on white bread.
Going to be interested to read the replies
 
Hi Helen, Thanks for your reply. Lol, you like the oft mentioned turkey sandwiches? Do you plan on any other indulgences? I did find a diabetic friendly advent calendar, So Free No Added Sugar Vegan Oat Milk Advent Calendar. I'm not vegan but acording to Google it is low sugar and carb and is not sweetened by Maltitol (Causes blood sugar spikes.).
 
I used to be really bad for chocolate but the mounjaro stopped the cravings. Unfortunately I need to go up the next dose as they are coming back! I don't want to go up a dose just yet though as my poor body is also dealing with a severe Vitamin deficency and the I've only been on the tyroid medication for 2 weeks. I think it's got enough to be going on with as I do get all the Mounjaro side effects so don't want to add more stress on my body just yet. I haven't given into the chocolate though!
Do you like mince pies, Christtmas Cake, etc, or are they too sweet for you too? I just plain don't like them, lol.
 
I honestly don't eat them. To be honest over Christmas we don't tend to get much in.
Ill buy my boys an advent calendar and hubby some shortbread but that's it really.
 
AmandaS said:
Will one or two 'bad' days really be harmful?
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Oh the whole probably not.
Some time it does more harm than good to deprive yourself of any kind of treat.

My philosophy is better choices. :bookworm:
If you are going to have chocolate, dark chocolate with a high Coco count is better.
Turkey sandwich, brown bread multigrain & whole meal bread are better than white. (complex carbohydrate digest slower less of a glucose spike).
Roast potatoes: boil some potatoes and leave then in the fridge overnight ( this reduces the carbs) then roast the next day.

If you google it there are probably plenty of alternative, substitutes or preparation ideas out there for almost all the foods you enjoy at Christmas.
:bag:
 
AmandaS said:
Wow, I wish I was like that. My mum was a very savoury person and wasn't fussed by sweet. I have been compensating by organising lots of chocolate for my releatives for Christmas. I've become a feeder! :oops::p
Click to expand...
I look like Scrooge every year when I don't buy anything. I buy a lot of cereal every week and I always say that it would be cheaper to buy a cow with the amount of milk I buy.
 
Thank you so much There Is No Spoon (Great username btw!). I did ascribe to the better choices by going by the diabetic friendly chocolate. I know there's no such thing as diabetic food but like you say, mitigation. Thank you for the roast potatoes tip. I'd have to go for the alternative and substitues, I'm a lousy cook and hate doing it! ;D
 
There is no Spoon said:
Oh the whole probably not.
Some time it does more harm than good to deprive yourself of any kind of treat.

My philosophy is better choices. :bookworm:
If you are going to have chocolate, dark chocolate with a high Coco count is better.
Turkey sandwich, brown bread multigrain & whole meal bread are better than white. (complex carbohydrate digest slower less of a glucose spike).
Roast potatoes: boil some potatoes and leave then in the fridge overnight ( this reduces the carbs) then roast the next day.

If you google it there are probably plenty of alternative, substitutes or preparation ideas out there for almost all the foods you enjoy at Christmas.
:bag:
Click to expand...
I will definitely do the potato thing and I will have to try brown bread turkey sandwiches.
 
AmandaS said:
Thank you so much There Is No Spoon (Great username btw!). I did ascribe to the better choices by going by the diabetic friendly chocolate. I know there's no such thing as diabetic food but like you say, mitigation. Thank you for the roast potatoes tip. I'd have to go for the alternative and substitues, I'm a lousy cook and hate doing it! ;D
Click to expand...
My husband does all the cooking. I get bored and forgot about it and then it burns
 
helenb1979 said:
I look like Scrooge every year when I don't buy anything. I buy a lot of cereal every week and I always say that it would be cheaper to buy a cow with the amount of milk I buy.
Click to expand...
lol. Can I be nosy and ask what cereal you buy? I eat Surreal. It's expensive as most 'alternative' food is. I don't know if you're allowed to do links on here, but if you like more savory they do Peanut Butter flavour and cinnamon.
 
One son eats tons of Cheerios. The other one eats a ton and a half of coco pops each day.
I don't eat cereal much but now I know there is a peanut butter one I think I will try that
 
This topic comes up every year and there's lots of good tips on those threads too. Here's just 1, more if you search Christmas
P

Thread 'Ultimate (hopefully) Christmas Thread - Tips, Tricks, "Hacks", Coping Mechanisms, Swaps, Recipes - Anything goes!'

So, it's basically been winter since the 1st August here in the UK, plus I was in a shop today and saw a Christmas seasonal aisle being constructed. There's a lot of serious talk around here - and rightly so - but we all deserve to enjoy the Christmas period whether you celebrate it or not.

As a diabetes newbie, I'm sure I'm not the only person thinking "how the hell am I going to get through Christmas with all the temptation everywhere, family gatherings, social pressures, impromptu drop-ins, receiving food gifts, and work pressures (yep, I'm talking to you Carole, and all your homebaked...
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For me, I find it gets easier each year as my tastes change and habits become ingrained. The main Christmas day roast is easy, 1 small potato, a tiny taste of stuffing, loads and loads of turkey and veg.
Milk chocolate now tastes horrible to me so family buy me various dark chocolate bars, cheesy snacks and other low carb stuff I'd never buy for my self,
Main present is a bottle or 2 of very good Scotch, brandy or rum which I make last all the next year.

There's no "one right way" to do Christmas. Do what works for you, and your body and your family, balance is all
 
helenb1979 said:
One son eats tons of Cheerios. The other one eats a ton and a half of coco pops each day.
I don't eat cereal much but now I know there is a peanut butter one I think I will try that
Click to expand...
Before becoming diabetic I used to love Crunchy Nut Cornflakes. I like the Chocolate Pops (Surprise! lol) Surreal. They have recently changed them and I prefer the old version but they are still nice.
 
MrsA2 said:
This topic comes up every year and there's lots of good tips on those threads too. Here's just 1, more if you search Christmas
P

Thread 'Ultimate (hopefully) Christmas Thread - Tips, Tricks, "Hacks", Coping Mechanisms, Swaps, Recipes - Anything goes!'

So, it's basically been winter since the 1st August here in the UK, plus I was in a shop today and saw a Christmas seasonal aisle being constructed. There's a lot of serious talk around here - and rightly so - but we all deserve to enjoy the Christmas period whether you celebrate it or not.

As a diabetes newbie, I'm sure I'm not the only person thinking "how the hell am I going to get through Christmas with all the temptation everywhere, family gatherings, social pressures, impromptu drop-ins, receiving food gifts, and work pressures (yep, I'm talking to you Carole, and all your homebaked...
  • Winner
  • Like
  • Friendly

For me, I find it gets easier each year as my tastes change and habits become ingrained. The main Christmas day roast is easy, 1 small potato, a tiny taste of stuffing, loads and loads of turkey and veg.
Milk chocolate now tastes horrible to me so family buy me various dark chocolate bars, cheesy snacks and other low carb stuff I'd never buy for my self,
Main present is a bottle or 2 of very good Scotch, brandy or rum which I make last all the next year.

There's no "one right way" to do Christmas. Do what works for you, and your body and your family, balance is all
Click to expand...
Thanks so much MrsA2. I must appolagise, I never thought to search further than the first page. I appreciate you finding that thread for me. I hope you get your drink from Santa this year and really enjoy it. :)
 
AmandaS said:
Thanks so much MrsA2. I must appolagise, I never thought to search further than the first page. I appreciate you finding that thread for me. I hope you get your drink from Santa this year and really enjoy it. :)
Click to expand...
No apology needed, I did exactly the same my first Christmas. Its daunting isn't it? We've all been there, being newbies
 
I don’t indulge in extra carbs - did it the first year & really regretted it, I missed out on everything going on, struggled to keep my eyes open & felt rough for days afterwards. Christmas is one day - 2 at the most

I have Christmas Lunch, I’m not a vegetarian so apologies for the mention of meat - I have turkey with high meat pigs in blankets, a lot of above ground veggies, 1 small roast potato, low carb cauliflower cheese, I make my own cranberry sauce. I make a low carb lemon cheesecake. I buy low carb bread for sandwiches, last year I made sausage rolls with Panda low carb flour, and a chocolate pudding with their ready mix

I look forward to my Boxing Day tea more than my Christmas lunch when I do have a treat of cold cuts with pickles etc and 6 or 7 homemade chips with low carb bread & butter. Then back on track.

None of us in the house over indulge really. Treats I buy are a couple of really good cheeses, good quality meats, some nuts and some 90% chocolate, sometimes I make nut bark with melted chocolate a few nuts, a sprinkle of cranberries I’ve dried in my air fryer & some coconut flakes & a sprinkle of seasalt

We have Brunch on Christmas Day with lunch after the King. Brunch is full size pigs in blankets, meats, cheeses, berries, Greek yogurt, egg bites, I sometimes but low carb bagels.
 
Hi Lovinglife, thanks for your reply. :) No worries about the mention of meat. I was very millitant about it as a teenager but as I've got older I think live and let live, it's up to the individual and their own conscience. I understand a lot of people do eat meat. My trouble is I'm too fussy, lol. I don't eat dairy apart from butter, I'm teetotal, vergetrain and autistic so don't like the texture of a lot of food...Yeah, fussy. :D I think that's why I do want a bit of a treat a Christmas and funnily enough, I have no problem with a lot of sweet food lol. But as before, I'm trying to mitigate that as much as possible.
 
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