Advice from long termers appreciated

[PenfoldAPD]

So, in the grand scheme of things I'd like to think I've been doing pretty well. I stopped the meds, I'm often in the 5s in the morning. But - it's the relentless of diabetes that is killing me. Constantly checking labels, constantly thinking I can't eat that.

One of my main loves has always been food, eating it, cooking it, reading about it, entertaining. I feel that is gone. I had a Delicious magazine gift subscription every year, I've told my parents they shouldn't renew it.

I'm going out tomorrow night and I've checked the menu numerous times to see what I can eat. You can easily say 'oh you'll be ok, relax' but that's an easy routine and then you have high BGs.

Maybe I'm just having a bad week. I just would appreciate some advice from those I admire on the forum who just seem to manage it month after month. Do you have bad days too? Is it ok to feel low at times.

Thank you - this forum is amazing and every day I am thankful for the amazing support.

 

[Freema]

sometimes it is just so anoying to be diabetic, and thats why I have thought of putting in some planed sinfull days all around the year and have those days to look for in joy... how about 1 day every second month , but no more than that where at least the evening meal could be whatever one would enjoy to eat...

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

Personally I stopped eating packaged factory processed food, so I don't have any labels to read. Since I switched to animal derived foods only, it's been pretty good. Bacon and eggs for breakfast and a ribeye steak for dinner - I look forward to every meal. I can't say I miss all the other food. I used to bake my own bread, but I don't miss that. I do fast for a day or two once in a while just so I can experience feeling hungry, otherwise I'd almost never feel hungry.

When going out for dinner at a restaurant I never found it too difficult - just avoid pasta and sandwiches and tell them to hold the potato. These days it's a bit more of a challenge for me. But I don't see why you can't still cook and entertain. When I first went low carb I just cut out wheat, potatoes, rice, and sugar. That leaves a very large variety of food to cook with, especially when you can now include lots of fat. It might be a bit of a challenge, but if you have people over you could cook up some decadent high fat dishes with lots of bacon and butter. There are lots of LCHF recipe books and web sites. You might want to look into paleo cookbooks, as well.

But, yes, I think most people with type 2 have bad days occasionally. I do, but not because of the food.

Food for thought: Depression is a known side-effect of statins.

 

[poshtotty]

I wouldn't consider myself a long-termer but have been committed to LCHF for over 2.5 years now and don't have any desire to return to my previous eating regime. I travel a lot so eating while on the road/in hotels has been a challenge but I've overcome that by always taking my own food with me in a cool bag.

Checking labels doesn't arise very often as I mostly cook from scratch, or buy things that I know to be safe. I still eat out socially and usually order a standard meal or whatever my dining companions are having, but leave potatoes/rice/anything carby on the side of the plate. I'll have a plate of cheeses instead of desert, or just a coffee with cream or an Irish coffee

Making low carb choices becomes instinctive after a while but on the rare occasions I weaken, I make sure I exercise immediately afterwards even if it is only a brisk walk around the block. Unfortunately I never feel unwell if I increase my carbs so have no deterrent, except to watch my BS rise alarmingly.

Christmas is always a challenge especially as like you I'm a bit of a foodie and loving cooking, baking and experimenting with new recipes for the family but this year I plan to adapt a sublime mince pie recipe to a low carb version and will cook the traditional fare that the family enjoy and expect but will have low carb versions or substitutes myself.

Hang in there! You've done so well in such a short time and shown total commitment. Be gentle on yourself too.

 

[chalup]

Hi, I think everyone has bad days and bad weeks even if they don't choose to admit it. Eating out is difficult whether it is a restaurant or at a friends house. I have spiked very high after eating an omelette out, you just have no control over whats in it. The thing is that you can only do so much and you can't avoid the joys in life. Entertaining is much easier as you have control of the food. I still enjoy cooking even though I can't eat some of what I cook. I do feel low sometimes and whine in my own head. The temptation to say chuck it and eat something bad is there but tomorrow will be better and if I stay on track there will hopefully be lots of tomorrows.

 

[Totto]

So, in the grand scheme of things I'd like to think I've been doing pretty well. I stopped the meds, I'm often in the 5s in the morning. But - it's the relentless of diabetes that is killing me. Constantly checking labels, constantly thinking I can't eat that.

One of my main loves has always been food, eating it, cooking it, reading about it, entertaining. I feel that is gone. I had a Delicious magazine gift subscription every year, I've told my parents they shouldn't renew it.

.

Weekend I made duck with red cabbage and it was awesome. Today I had herring with fried onions and cream sauce, equally delicious. Only labels to check was the cream and the butter so very easy.

Throw in a handful of walnuts, a piece of cheese, half an apple and I'm a happy woman.

No need to make it difficult. If it's food you want, that is. Don't buy things with labels, go for the real stuff.

 

[Hiitsme]

Hi @PenfoldAPD
I'm only a year longer than you so not that long term. I get days of feeling really down about keeping going and always watching what I'm eating. I use walking to help keep my numbers down and this weather doesn't help. I'm having to force myself to go out in the cold and I'm not sure I will keep going if it gets too icy. I think you've down really well.

 

[bulkbiker]

Still love food and still enjoy eating out. Just have to be firm with waiting staff and tell them what you want. I have so far never been told I can't substitute green veg for spuds/chips etc. Have something salady for a starter then something meaty for main. If you need dessert then I think almost everywhere does a cheeseboard. I have really enjoyed finding new things to cook and hubby and family are getting more interesting things like the creamy aubergine dauphinoise. If I cook then they eat what I do! Although at the weekend we had some friends visit.. made them kedgeree for Sunday brunch and a huge omelette Arnold Bennett for me, smoked haddock, four eggs, cream. also aded prawns and bacon. Completely stuffed afterwards. Guests looked a bit envious!

 

[Deespee23]

Penfold - don't give up now! There's still loads of stuff out there that we can tweak (look up my recipe for Imam Bayildi - eggplant wiv no meat but it will blow you away -My personal guarantee, no less!

Yeah keep going man, after all....just remember, We are Right & They are Wrong.....just let the rest of 'em "suck it up" (not to mention having to keep disposing of the bits that fall off or just stop working....)...after a while, the labels become like favorite books and you know 'em off by heart!!

Remember, recipes don't arrive fully formed under a mushroom one fine May morning
....... they are born, they evolve and they are perfected - so your books could contain the seeds of great diabetic dishes - you are uniquely placed to spot these lurkers, cos you know what's what! What to go in, what to come out...you get the picture!

Modestly harks back to my own creation, thin sliced filet steak with garlic, black peppercorns and double cream sauce - try served on spiralised courgette "noodles". You can add mushrooms and onion if you like but watch total carb loading. I don't really see any reason why dishes like that shouldn't be served up to our "normal" friends to see what they think . Might even be a few converts, I reckon!

Anyway, ATB








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[Brunneria]

There will come a point when a switch flips in your head, and it stops being about what you can't eat, and starts being about what you can.

No way of knowing when it will happen though.

I love food, flavour, texture, subtlety, intensity. But I don't really enjoy finiky fussy cooking. So I tend to make good appetising food with real ingredients - and all of those things are easy and enjoyable with LC. There are some incredible recipes out there, and I would have no qualms about feeding carb eaters MY food, because I actually think it tastes better without the empty carb calories mucking up a perfectly good meal

 

[chalup]

Yep, I every now and then make a totally low carb meal, usually a brand new recipe, and feed it to the definitely not low carb family. Sometimes it's a hit, other times not so much but thats the way all new recipes seem to go.

 

[walnut_face]

@PenfoldAPD i am with @Brunneria when she says "There will come a point when a switch flips in your head, and it stops being about what you can't eat, and starts being about what you can."
As I was gloating the other day, I was in France today, ate at a restaurant
Starter was a plate of different pate's and cold meat, one of those pate's was 100% animal but probably 75% fat. Main was an escalope of Turkey in a butter sauce with mushrooms, a grilled tomato with weeds on it, carrots, and fries. I left most of the fries. Instead of dessert I was offered a platter of cheese, all for €13 plus wine.
I know you like your cheese and biscuits. Please substitute some of those biscuits for celery, press some Danish blue in the groove, or if you're feeling flush, roquefort.
As you know France isn't an easy place for low carbers or veggies.
Challenge @debrasue and you, lets make a day (weekend?) of it in northern France in 2017 and have a low carb gastro day? It can be done.

I have been in this only as long as you, I have days when it doesn't go according to plan, even though I have nearly always cooked from scratch to a meal plan, it dont matter. tomorrow comes with a new beginning.
Please throw that back at me when I have an off day

 

[Enclave]

I have only been T2 for three years .. I have to admit my wife is good at creating meals from very little. She took my T2 as a personal challenge .. We are vegetarians and now LCHF .. Its great .. my meals are tasty and interesting .. We never eat out as my wife has some food allergies and after a few unpleasant episodes we don't eat out.
Do we read ingredences on any pre-made foods .. YES .. looking at the carbs is easy ... scouring in ingredences for some herbs, seeds and rapeseed oil is time consuming .. But if we want to eat them without killing my wife it has to be done.
Try not to keep looking back at what was enjoyable food wise for you .. Look forward to lots of new foods.

 

[Energize]

So, in the grand scheme of things I'd like to think I've been doing pretty well. I stopped the meds, I'm often in the 5s in the morning. But - it's the relentless of diabetes that is killing me. Constantly checking labels, constantly thinking I can't eat that.
.

@PenfoldAPD
Yes, you've done amazingly well and achieved what many would have considered impossible, so well done However, I can understand, I think, how you might be feeling. To me, it's a bit like having to keep an elastic band taut, not easing it off, nor wanting to increase the pull (in case it suddenly 'pings') To have achieved what you have, you must have been focusing on your diet, exercise etc 100+% and, to me, that has to be pretty intense pressure so it's going to take its toll eventually.

To me, it sounds like your brain is saying 'I've had enough of this. I need a break' but, with diabetes, you can't afford to take a break, certainly not a decent one. Diabetes doesn't take holidays - you're stuck with it 24/7, in spite of how you would just love to shrug it off, if only for a few weeks, or whatever. That's how I sometimes feel. I feel 'trapped' but I would suggest it's all part of accepting that we have this issue (diabetes) whether we like it or not. Other people have their individual 'issues' which we might see or not. I have a degree of arthritis and would just love to be able to do 'normal' things but I physically can't. Maybe that's easier to accept (if that's the right word?) as I physically can't do otherwise. Diabetes is something you can ignore for a while but you know it's likely to be harming you, hence the trapped feeling.

I'm sure you are just feeling the pressure, along with the onslaught of Christmas, which brings all sorts of problems/temptations/choices etc in addition to the normal pressure of Christmas. In addition to that, the days are short, the afternoons get dark so early, the weather cold and damp with, potentially the worst of the winter yet to come. I expect you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark? Horrible! To see the sunshine and go out for a walk would be so good, but you can't because you are at work. It might be worth having your Vit D levels checked, even as it's not long since summer weather. A low Vit D level could affect your mood etc.

Maybe chill out, recognise you've had a very intense time getting your glucose levels down etc, pat yourself on the back and remind yourself how much better you feel since doing all this, how fit you are and maybe get stuck into a new project as you've essentially 'beaten' your last project

Just my thoughts. Hope it might trigger some better thoughts, eh? Good luck and have a Happy Christmas (although a bit early )

 

[Lamont D]

I'm with one or two others, that labels mean they have been processed and tested and found to have certain ingredients in them that is more likely to be beneficial to what your body needs to be healthier. I'd rather have fresh food, cook it myself and add whatever I want to have with it on the spur of the moment or how I shopped to intend to eat it!
Since fasting has become a huge part of my daily habits, food doesn't bother me, as I'm never hungry and eat to enjoy what food I do have.
I travel quite a bit and take either a fresh food snack or a meat and salad bowl. Or you can get fresh salad from certain outlets. If in a restaurant or hotel, I've discovered that if you request a very low carb meal for dinner or breakfast, they will be as helpful as possible.
If you get bored with eating something then change it and experiment, you can tolerate small amounts of certain 'baddies' that can mix in with good fats that will slow digestion to not spike you. As in low carb soups, curry and casseroles.
Since getting over the fact and acknodgingvthat I can never go back to the chip buttie days, I have finally accepted unless they find a cure, that my diet will be very low carb and fasting will be my lifestyle forever, if I want to be fit and healthy!
I have conquered this condition and nothing will ever persuade me, even if my pancreas decides to take me down again, that it won't win! The goodies will win, hate baddies!
Bring it on!

 

[Mbaker]

Look mate it's ok to feel frustrated by diabetes, you're only human, so shows you have a soul. You put in a lot of effort I notice with your FBG and no doubt elsewhere, you're bound to get fatigued. Cut yourself some slack, it is almost like a bereavement having to change lifestyle, but on the upside you are alive and kicking and have made seriously good progress. Try and find the subtle differences you can introduce when cooking your own food with different spices; recently I roasted nuts, which added a completely different dimension, my meal yesterday was leeks, broccoli and cut up gammon with half a low salt Oxo vegetable stock - this turned hum drum into a tasty meal (next week I will add avocado on the side).

Your numbers look like they are followings a similar trajectory to mine, one of the pay backs is when for some reason you miss breakfast and you realise with LCHF that you are not hungry.

 

[Resurgam]

I have been low carbing for decades - my first born was a low carb baby and he is 34 now. I have had to stop on doctors orders a couple of times, for no real reason. I really missed the way of eating - it makes me feel so well.

 

[PenfoldAPD]

Wow, just wow - all the encouraging responses here are why I love this forum.

I'm going to read all the points later (I obviously have to get to the pool for 6:30am for the daily swim!) and reply, I've woken up this morning feeling so very grateful for the support here - even if I was a little high at 7.0 today. I am a good diabetic and need to realise that.

Thank you all

 

[Snapsy]

What a brilliant thread! I'm butting in as a type 1 on the type 2 forum but wow, so much support and inspiration - it's really helped me too.

 

[carty]

I was diagnosed in 2009 and have been LC ever since and I fully agree with all posters on this thread Last night some one was asking about my DB and what. I ate even I was surprised at the variety of good food that I ate and my friend said that she was going to try some of my ideas as my way of eating seemed much better than hers .My favourite snack by the way is a soft blue cheese with walnuts and avocado served with a glass of red wine if in the evening !
CAROL