Food and weight becoming an obsession.

[chr1234]

Hi,

I have been type one since 2011 diagnosed at 17 years old. In my first year of being diagnosed I gain over a stone and a bit due to having to treat numerous hypos over the honey moon period. Once this had ended I began the dangerous slope of avoiding insulin in attempt to loose weight. I saw a therapist for this and it is no longer an issue, however the issue now is food and weight is becoming an obsession. I did loose over a stone before however I gained this back when I started eating 'normally' aka introducing more carbohydrates. I weigh myself daily, avoid carbs but then sometimes have them because I know my body needs them. Then the next day feel bloated and guilty. I had been following a LCHF diet however even that isn't giving me the results I want. (I am on the contraceptive injection which has caused me to feel more hungry! Will not be continuing with is method) I exercise once if not twice a day yet I am still not where I want to be. I feel I am at a loss and don't see any hope of food not being such a big deal, which I feel at 21 years old is a real shame.

Did/does anyone else feel like this? How can I stop and finally be happy with diet?

Sorry for my little rant/life story!

Many thanks,

Charlotte

 

[donnellysdogs]

Charlotte

What is your BMI?

What are your blood levels on an average day?

 

[chr1234]

I'm 6ft 2 weighing 12st 8, so my bmi is 22.7, which I know isn't high but my lowest weight when I dieted was 11st 8.

My sugar levels on average I would say are 7/8. My last blood test came back as 8.4 not my best. The nurse wasn't too pleased. Having said that when I wasn't looking after myself it was in the teens!

 

[jack412]

who told you your body needs carbs? some here are on 20g a day from veg and salad
a lot of T2's are on LCHF for life as a way of eating, it's important to settle into a pattern that works for you. adjusting carbs adjusts weight up or down with normal protein and increased fats/oils

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KYYnEAYCGk

 

[chr1234]

But LCHF isn't even getting me the results I want. I did it for over 4 months and only lost two pounds ...

 

[jack412]

do you use a food counter to check now and then?
also a BMI of 22.7 isn't high and you will lose slowly,
30g of carb, 50g protein and the rest fats/oils to 1500 cal ..will take weight of anyone
you may need to bolus for some of the protein, but it varies, some are 50%

 

[chr1234]

Yeah I use my fitness pal every now and then, maybe my protein is too high, I have been having protein shakes after my runs as I have been training for a race ...maybe I'll try this ratio! Thanks

 

[donnellysdogs]

How many carbs a day are you having?

Are you having enough calories?

I'm a size 8/10 and although I don't eat a lot (one meal of 12-50 ish carbs a day) I eat enough calories to sustain my weight. If I wanted to lose more weight I would actually have to eat more fat. If I want to gain weight I have to eat more carbs.

As your BMI is **** good what size clothes are you wearing? I don't go necessarily by the weighing scales.. Although they are by the loo and I do jump on them everyday. I go by the size of clothes I wear, and more importantly the tone of my body. I am classified by all my GP's for years as "lean and mean"- because my tone is good.

Are you toning up with your exercises? As with your BMI this is also important... Weight isn't as muscle is more heavy than fat with our bodies..

I am also a gardener so work my legs and arms hard, although I do very little other exercise besides walking.

When I added more fat/protein in I lost 10lb in weeks that I didn't want or need to loose!
Now I have a balanced, less dairy but more avocado's, olives, dressing etc I maintain my weight...

 

[donnellysdogs]

Have you had a recent hba1c test done?

 

[chr1234]

I've been having around 30g max I'd say. This is where I get confused because on low carb high fat I will eat loads and not gain but never loose, and when I did restrict and count calories I still didn' loose! I wear size 12, sometimes a 14 (my booty gets in the way!) see I want to be lean and mean! I am currently doing fitnessblender hiit workouts which involve toning too.

 

[chr1234]

Yes it came back as 8.4

 

[jack412]

Yeah I use my fitness pal every now and then, maybe my protein is too high, I have been having protein shakes after my runs as I have been training for a race ...maybe I'll try this ratio! Thanks

if you are in training, I'd up the fats for energy
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8BY4fyLvZ

 

[donnellysdogs]

This is tough because you say you eat loads, could you list what one day of food for you looks like?

Mine is a salmon salad... About 11g carbs with stuffed peppers, 6 olives now, an avocado, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, cucumber and a homemade olive oil ninerette dressing. I then have walnuts and 2g of dark choc. If hubby is around I may have a torte bar 11-15g carb as well. When I've been working all day I may swop the torte bar for a homemade small bowl of fruit salad. This is my main type of meal pretty much everyday come sun or rain. I may vary with other fish and cut the pudding out, I may have fishcakes, corned beef etc. tomorrow will be meatballs and home made sauce and veg...

When I lost weight I had added in more dairy (double cream and cheese to my meal). If I want to gain a few lb I just add in a slice of bread each day and guaranteed by the end of a week I will have put 2lb on.

I am on a pump so it is easier for me to have just one meal a day.. Although I have done this for at least 95% of the last 30 years of being diabetic!!

I ask what your hba1c is because you must balance your insulin too....a hba1c of 8+ is indicating that you are running too high. Which you know. As you have cut the carbs like a few people T1's find their basal rates/injections can need changing to give slightly more...

 

[jack412]

one thing, you are doing your BMI with calipers? because if you are fit, the muscle with throw out the weight BMI

 

[chr1234]

No bmi is just done in a calculator online.

I usually have 2 eggs, 2 slice of bacon and maybe half an avocado for breakfast, then a snack of nuts, (I eat alot of nuts :/ could go through a 200g bag in one day!) then lunch is usually vegetables (like cucumber, courgette low carb ones) with either mayonnaise and more eggs or tuna with a 85% dark chocolate bar. I then for dinner have 1 egg, cream cheese (around 50g) with some meat and again low carb veg. Also I have a few chunks of cheddar throughout the day also.That's usually my average day. I am a massive snacker I must admit!

I have never had a really low hba1c. Think just under 8 has been my lowest. I am in my final weeks of uni so it's been pretty stressful and then this constant stress of my weight doesn't help, kind of silly really!

 

[Mrsass]

Hi, could the stress of uni be playing a part do you think?

I can't see any problems with the food you're eating, maybe could add a little more fat but someone else may have a better suggestion.

Do you drink alcohol?

The contraceptive injection I imagine won't help, how long have you been on that?

What insulin are you on?

Abbie

 

[jack412]

I would get to a decent gym and get your caliper BMI done, there is also a water displacement way of doing it too,
https://www.google.com.au/#q=water+displacement+bmi

the only thing I'm certain of is that you are a lot less than 22.7 because of your fitness.

 

[noblehead]

Did/does anyone else feel like this? How can I stop and finally be happy with diet?

Food should be enjoyed and not something that makes you miserable and fed-up.

There's nothing complicated about losing weight, if you burn more calories than you consume then you will begin to lose weight and the best way of losing weight is by doing it slowly over a long period of time - that way you are less likely to put it back on.

Why don't you ask to see a dietitian and discuss your diet with them and see if they can help, good luck.

 

[chr1234]

Maybe I will have a look into that! Thanks jack!

Hi Abbie, I think stress of uni most properly does, also my blood sugars go up when I exercise which doesn't help. I do drink but haven't much recently, and if I do I always have vodka with diet mixers.

I have had 4 shots of the injection now, this time it's been a nightmare and has caused my hunger to increase greatly as well as non stop bleeding for over three months (TMI sorry!!) but I am due my next one next month however I will not continue with any hormonal contraception after this experience.

I am on humalog and lantus.

Thank you everyone for your help, it's great talking things through.

 

[tim2000s]

Hi Charlotte, looking at what you've written in terms of diet, I wouldn't expect you to lose weight. I think you need to take a couple of days of proper calorie counting on what you are eating.

I suspect that your snacking contains far more calories than you realise, especially if it is nuts and cheese. Your main meals suggest you are taking on around 1700 calories a day, however you only need 50g of nuts and 50g of cheddar to have added an extra 500 calories to what you eat.

The other thing to be aware of is protein. If you are eating more than 20% of your calories from protein sources, you will be seeing it being converted to glucose, a process diabetics are more likely to see take place.

You clearly aren't overweight, so your other alternative is to throw all your energy into your end of uni exams, blast through them, take a couple of weeks relaxing and then target your body image. That way you can give both things that you want to give 100% to the attention they deserve.