1st Christmas as a Diabetic

[Sue Morton]

Gosh I was walking round the shops on Monday and they had all the Christmas fair out you know the cakes and chocolate and it dawned on me that I wont be able to eat the chocolates etc - we normally buy a tin of Roses or Quality Street which do last us until around March or May if we have 2 tins the following year but it was such a blow to me to realise this is my first Christmas as a diabetic and how hard it is going to be. I love my mince pies and I realised I wont be able to have any.

How have other diabetics got on with Christmas especially as its the time to "eat Drink and be merry" does this cause problems :?:

Love to hear from you all
Sue

 

[daisy1]

I had a couple of days off from my diet last Christmas, eating what I wanted to, and testing, mainly out of interest. I didn't in fact go out of the brackets my dr gave me! Then straight away back on the diet. I intend to do the same this year, being careful though, but don't think a couple of days will do me harm. I am also type 2 by the way. It was also my first Christmas as a diabetic.

 

[cearapeter]

Everyone falls of the wagon some time. Christmas is as good a time as any. Every year I allow myself a few days around Christmas and my reading also stay pretty ok. But as soon as Christmas is over, back to the diet (I'm diet control only).

I also do the same at by birthday and Easter. I feel its your overall control thats vital.

Enjoy and dont let diabetices take over your life. You control it.

May I be the first to wish everyone a very happy Christmas.

Ceara

 

[cugila]

I go along with the others ...... Never let your diabetes ruin any special occasions. If you do it will control you. Have fun, eat, drink and be merry as they say. I always just have small portions of everything, drink in moderation, as the rest of the year. I think after all the efforts of tight control throughout the year we are entitled to a 'bit of slack !'. Lifes too short to worry about a few days over indulgence.

I might have more than the customary 2 pints of Guinness and definitely a few more glasses of Red Wine - a few tots of my favourite single malt also goes down well !

Then after the indulgence back to the usual routine. Never had any problems with that.

 

[anniep]

I think Christmas day is no time to be weighing your roasties. But the chocolates lasting for weeks - no. Have one or two mince pies at special times. ie treat yourself but don't let go for long.

 

[Lemonie]

I'm so glad to hear it's ok to let go over Christmas. I wasn't looking forward to missing the roasties and parsnips. I don't have a sweet tooth so not bothered about sweets but there is a melton mowbray pork pie with my name on it :wink:

 

[Sue Morton]

Thanks everyone I was really dreading it. My one love other then Christmas dinner and all the other goodies is the supper with boiled ham and pork pie love the pork pie, crackers and cheese and pickled onions ummm :roll: .

At least now I can look forward to having a reasonable Christmas and I hope everyone else enjoys theirselves and the BS' are good to us.

Thank you for your responses.
Sue

 

[anniep]

The other thing that I look forward to with my christmas dinner is the gravy, I have given it up because it is too carbiferous, but christmas day roasties and gravy yum yum - i'll miss the christmas pud quite happily for that.

Mid you since last christmas I have found out that I can't eat wheat, so Christmas Pud is out anyway, I wonder how you can make a christmas pud out of meringue?

 

[lovinglife]

Last year was my first as a diabetic - but we have been having diabetic Christmases for many years as my dad has been T2 a long time and they always come to us - there are lots of great recipes in the recipe section not all easy on the waistline but good for BS - if you search "Christmas" on the forum there was a thread about it last year with tips from lots of people.

As to the mince pies - well they are lethal aren't they :twisted: - but my son made me some mini ones last year with filo pastry and some meridain (sp?)mincemeat - it has less sugar in than the norm but still high so be careful- I got mine online but I am sure you can get it in any health food shop - just have to keep reminding ourselves that they're a treat or we will pig out before we know it :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Well it's nice to hear all of your attitudes towards Christmas. In the whole time I've been a diabetic - 3 & a half years - T2, I've never had any sugar, or anything with sugar in it! My GP said 'Oh you can still have a bit of sugar. No need to cut it out altogether.' But then my DN told me I must stop having any. Then, another nurse, when I told her I would miss having a piece of my daughter's birthday cake, said 'You can still have a small piece, it won't do you any harm.' Didn't know what to believe, so kept off it and suffered watching my family tuck into mince pies, Xmas pudding and cake!
Do any of you still eat the above things then, but in small portions?

 

[daisy1]

Mince pies I just have one or two over the whole Xmas period, a small portion of Xmas pud at Christmas and New Year and every day a biscuit (just one!) with my afternoon tea! I have checked my levels and found them to be OK. The everyday biscuit gives me the willpower to be careful for the rest of the day, looking forward to my treat. No children so no problem with birthday cake!

 

[anniep]

I also find meringue better than cake -though as I said I now find I can't eat wheat so bye bye cake anyway : cry:

But a small neringue and cream maybe with a bit of fruit if you are lucky enough to be able to eat it and I have had a treat and as the meringue nests I bought in asda had only 12g carb in, one it is not too bad for a special occasion. And much lower carb that a slice of cake.

 

[lovinglife]

I only indulge on Christmas Day - I never did eat sweets and stuff so that bit is easy for me - not tempted - (I am very lucky I know!)

Christmas lunch I allow myself a couple of small roasties - a couple of parsnip batons - a bit of gravy - and bread sauce :shock: :lol: - I make my own cranberry sauce - a spoonful of Christmas pud and fresh cream. cheese with about 3 crackers and a small glass of port- I snack on nuts if I feel the need- teatime is also a celebration as its dads birthday so I make a low carb trifle or cheesecake- cold cuts with pickles and everything else - I buy a farm baked organic white loaf from our local farm and have one slice of that with my cuts.

I lied! :evil: I do indulge boxing day too - I just love cold turkey and chips for my lunch every year - I use tesco healthy choice - I can have a good handful of these without any damage - then I have my mince pie - mmm - then its back on the wagon - all of this of course is helped along by a good bottle of red and maybe a couple of glasses of dry white :lol:

Tested loads last year and never went above 8 (if my memory is correct) so was very happy with that for one day- IMHO its one day a year and a little bit of everything to keep you happy is better for you rather than total abstinance and being miserable

 

[daisy1]

Yes that reminds me I also have red wine, a couple of nice bottles between the 2 of us for both Christmas and New Year. I don't worry about the BGs at all as it doesn't do anything to my levels but I am careful of the calories as I need to count them too because I need to lose some more weight, (carb counting isn't enough on its own for me) and I would regret it afterwards when I get on the scales. :shock:

 

[Anonymous]

I also make a no sugar trifle - sugar free jelly and sweetner in custard, so harmless enough, and I always make lemon cheesecake. But, my absolute fav used to be the Xmas pudding. Every year I sit and snarl at my poor family while they're eating theirs! Wel, I will have a tiny portion this year and see what my sugar does!

 

[theblokefromstoke]

I don't know about you guys but I simply cannot eat these things. Its Ok saying have a roasty or two - i'd like nothing more but I know an hour later my BG will be through the roof and i will end up having to go to bed feeling lousy.

I don't know how anyone else feels but I go into a state thats like a hangover if i go too high or too low. I can get my BG back into check quite easilly with the tablets or going for a run or the likes etc but the feeling awful lasts for at least the rest of the day.

For me, I do intend enjoying my xmas day but as I restrict my carbs because of the above I intend having extra turkey and Ham to fill the Potato space on my plate. Starter will be the salmon and soup without the roll. I will have the Cheese but not the biscuits.

Later I reckon I can eat the pork out of the pork pie and enjoy left over turkey with some coleslaw or mayonaise whilst others are eating the quality street.

For me, the past 12 months incentive to eat sensible has been easy as the unwell feelings are still fresh in my mind. When I look at a cake or the likes it screams headache and tired at me and i will walk a mile before i eat it.

 

[jaykay]

I've just started thinking about Christmas and was getting disheartened but your posts have cheered me up. I shall allow myself one day to be a bit naughty :twisted:

 

[daisy1]

Sorry, Carl - we have made it difficult for you. Everyone is different and a lot of people can't afford to have the least little treat even at Christmas. I guess those who can including myself (but with extreme care) are the lucky ones. I think it makes us feel better just talking about it, or thinking about it...
I do hope though that you will manage to have an enjoyable Christmas with your family and your dog and cats

 

[Sue Morton]

Just thought of one good blessing and that is the money I will save not spending it on that tin of quality street even though my husband said I can still buy it for him there is no chance if he wants one he will have to buy it himself.

We never have christmas pud as we are usually to full to eat it. But I love making scotch eggs on christmas eve etc but maybe if I take things reasonably I can still have one as home made are so much nicer especially when you make your own bread crumbs and if i make the bread crumbs with the lowest carb one might just get there. Brown bread crumbs with seeds should be interesting :roll:

I'm going to a christmans lunch the last one with my ex employer (retired in July) this is a little worrying for me - what if you take a extra metformin after the lunch will this help do you think :?:

There must be a lot of us newbies this year just realising that Christmas this year wont be the same. There is an old saying " a little of what you like does you good" but not in this case :mrgreen:

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and New Year and that your comments have helped not only me but others wondering and dreading this 1st Christmas as a diabetic. I know we don't have to let it take over our lives and we will eventually get there and learn how we will react to certain foods and live a good life. Thanks for all your help and comments that have got me through the first months of confusion.

Sue

 

[sarnie100]

Hi everyone, it's been good reading all your posts on Christmas and what you can and can't eat and the different ideas people have... I too am a fairly recently diagnosed type 2 and the last week or two it has crossed my mind 'what on earth can I eat at Christmas'.... I didn't have a clue but I like the idea of just relaxing on it a bit for a couple of days and then straight back to diet after....'moderation' I guess has to be the key... I'm still getting to grips with what I can and can't eat so any info on here is useful.... my favourite at the mo is Garners sweet picked onions (thinking this would be good with some turkey).... does anyone know if they would be okay to eat... I guess ordinary pickled onions would be best. :?: