Anyone like me?

[Sparklygal]

Hi everyone. I don't know whether I have put this on the right board or not. I was wondering if there were any other type 2s here who like me really struggle to get their eating under control? I binge on chocolate and crisps etc nearly every day even though I know I shouldn't. I also know my body can't handle carbs in any form but I just keep giving in to my cravings for sugar. It depresses me because my GP would love to put me on insulin and would have years ago, probably shortly after I was diagnosed in 2005. Insulin would be terrible because I think I'd gain even more weight and be pretty hungry. My last hba1c was 9.4 about 6 weeks ago. It keeps creeping up. I'm actually amazed it's not higher.

I don't really know what else to say and I apologise for moaning, just wondered if anyone understands what I am going through? Maybe we could support each other?

 

[WhitbyJet]

Yes Sparklygal, there are many people who have felt like you do at one time or another, some still do :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

I worry when I read about people having high Hb1ac results, because I have experienced first hand the damage consistent high readings can cause.

Is it possible that you suffer from depression, are you comfort eating?? Or is it that you are not prepared for when an attack of the munchies hits you so you go and grab the nearest available treat there is??

I dont know what kind of dietary plan you would like to follow, but if you were to work out a menu, prepare some food ahead and freeze in portions, both savoury and sweet you will always have something to grab hold of without causing too much damage.

E.g. I am low carb, I always have soups, bread, cake, ice cream and other goodies in my freezer, I am lucky though because I have never truly experienced severe carb cravings unlike some other members.

Have a look at some recipes, look at the pictures of the finished dishes, plan ahead a little, then set yourself little goals, say for example you will eat like this for one week, anyone can manage to stick to a new way of eating for a week, just to try it out, then see how it goes from there.

Dont feel alone in all of this, you will get support from people in the forum, keep posting, talk about things, you can do it, I am sure of it.

Big hugs x x

 

[CollieBoy]

Sparklygal,
I like you (but then I'm easy to please!) :roll: :roll:
Welcome anyway

 

[Sparklygal]

Sparklygal,
I like you (but then I'm easy to please!) :roll: :roll:
Welcome anyway

oh lol. I said to myself just after I posted that could be read two ways my title. :lol: oh btw I liked you too up til you said you were easy to please! :mrgreen:

 

[hallii]

Pull yourself together Gal, shape up or we will send someone round to sort you out.

NO MORE CRISPS, CHOCOLATE OR ANYTHING CARBY,

We want you to live a long and healthy life.

H

 

[Sparklygal]

Yes Sparklygal, there are many people who have felt like you do at one time or another, some still do :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

I worry when I read about people having high Hb1ac results, because I have experienced first hand the damage consistent high readings can cause.

Is it possible that you suffer from depression, are you comfort eating?? Or is it that you are not prepared for when an attack of the munchies hits you so you go and grab the nearest available treat there is??

I dont know what kind of dietary plan you would like to follow, but if you were to work out a menu, prepare some food ahead and freeze in portions, both savoury and sweet you will always have something to grab hold of without causing too much damage.

E.g. I am low carb, I always have soups, bread, cake, ice cream and other goodies in my freezer, I am lucky though because I have never truly experienced severe carb cravings unlike some other members.

Have a look at some recipes, look at the pictures of the finished dishes, plan ahead a little, then set yourself little goals, say for example you will eat like this for one week, anyone can manage to stick to a new way of eating for a week, just to try it out, then see how it goes from there.

Dont feel alone in all of this, you will get support from people in the forum, keep posting, talk about things, you can do it, I am sure of it.

Big hugs x x

Hey thanks, WJ. Some good ideas there, planning is key. I was an obese child and now I'm an obese adult. So I've basically used food for anything other than hunger. If I made a menu and shopping list for a few days (small freezer lol) and maybe even set times to eat could help too. Yeah carbs send me haywire, BG too high with the accompanying lethargy, sluggishness etc.

 

[Sparklygal]

Pull yourself together Gal, shape up or we will send someone round to sort you out.

NO MORE CRISPS, CHOCOLATE OR ANYTHING CARBY,

We want you to live a long and healthy life.

H

Thanks H. Hope you don't send round Gillian McKeith, she could get irritating after an hour or two (was gonna say day or two lol). :lol:

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Just think about the potential effect of diabetes complications as you age such as blindness, limb loss etc etc and hopefully you will see that taking the right action today will avoid that. Carbohydrates are addictive which is why the food industry continues to stuff our foods with them. Fight back and go for low-GI foods, vegetables, proteins, fruit etc. Fat is reasonably OK so have a nice juicy steak! I often have bacon and eggs for breakfast. You can have chocolate but only 85% as it is very low in carbs so you can have it without worrying. Have a dish of healthy nuts available to nibble. Once you get your carb intake down your need for carbs will reduce. I assume you are on Metformin which does reduce the appetite. If you aren't on it then ask your GP.

 

[Etty]

Hi Sparklygal,
I know what you are feeling and sympathize. But it is possible to get your appetite under control if you are willing to make the effort.

First of all, I would suggest you clear the decks--forget about portion control, calories, advice about saturated fat or fat in general etc. All of this will just confuse you, when 99% of your problem is your appetite. And forget about the psychology too. My sugar cravings could happen to me at any time-- whether I was bored, sad, happy, calm, excited or whatever. There is an emotional aspect to cravings, but don't get caught up in thinking that emotions are the cause. The cause, especially if you have been obese from childhood, is most likely a metabolic physical one, not mental or emotional.
My advice is to follow either the Atkins induction diet of under 20g of carb per day (worth buying the book " a New Atkins for a New You", or look at Viv's Modified Atkins thread on this forum). Or eat like this Swedish doctor advises:
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf, omitting all sweet foods to start with.

When I first experienced the lack of sugar cravings, I was amazed. I had forgotten, if I ever knew, that it was possible to feel like that. Once you have that experience, you will be inspired to continue eating low carb.

 

[CollieBoy]

Pull yourself together Gal, shape up or we will send someone round to sort you out.

NO MORE CRISPS, CHOCOLATE OR ANYTHING CARBY,

We want you to live a long and healthy life.

H

Thanks H. Hope you don't send round Gillian McKeith, she could get irritating after an hour or two (was gonna say day or two lol). :lol:

Don't worry we don't get excited about your poo, just your blood sugar :twisted: :twisted:

 

[BlindFaith]

Don't worry we don't get excited about your poo, just your blood sugar :twisted: :twisted:

:lol: :lol: :lol:
That made me giggle, although the mental picture I got just after made me shudder a bit.
Gillian McKeith just annoys me to no end - if you can stand her for a couple of hours you're a bigger person than I am. I can't see her on TV without wanting to give her a slap!!

I'm a chocolate freak as well; although I am waging an ongoing internal battle about eating it (so far, I'm winning...but only just!)
There's a Chocolate Paradise thread in the Low Carb forum here, you might find something in there that you can make to satisfy your sweet tooth without making your blood sugar suffer.

 

[Patch]

I am JUST like you. I have a natural compulsion to overeat. It is like a knawing hunger that I can't control - partly in my brain, and strangely, partly in my mouth (I call it "mouth hunger"). I sometimes pig out on chocolate and crisps. (Boost, Starbar, Cheesy Puffs, Nachos, etc... All VERY bad stuff).

When I eat, I get depressed. And it goes in cycles.

Sometimes, I look at really fat people and think to mysef "they must be SO happy - eating whatever they want, whenever they want". Of course, this isn't true, but my own mind makes the connection between eating and feeling good, and eating and getting fat - so being fat (and the eating that goes with it) must also make you feel good? Right??? Wrong. :thumbdown:

I am also a prolific yo-yo dieter. Recently I have been on a 2 week diet that REALLY helped me get my eating (especially my snacking!) under control. If you google "Commando Diet" you'll find a 2 week diet sheet, with 3 set meals everyday, and NO snacks in between. For me, the set meals were great - when diets allow you to make choices on what you eat at each meal I find that straying is more likely to happen.

Goo dluck to you - I know EXACTLY how you feel, and can reassure you that you CAN get on track!

 

[purplekat]

I'm just like you too Sparklygal. Some days I'm really good at avoiding the bad foods/minimising them, then other days I give in a little, then other days I struggle to care (even though I've actually made myself ill reading up about complications etc). Think food has been an emotional crutch for me since I was young, so trying to give up that crutch after close to 30 years (I started using it very young), is very difficult And then there's all the social eating, habit eating, stress eating etc to break too. Possible to change, but it requires putting the effort in, which is where I'm struggling.

 

[claymic]

Sparklygal

It could have been me writing your post. You described exactly what I used to do. Knowing that what you are doing is wrong but you keep doing anyway - it is how we punish ourselves for those things that make us sad, upset, angry, happy, nervous, and any other emotion under the sun.

It is alot of baggage to let go of and as purplekat said above i have been comfort eating since i was young.

What i found is helping me is drinking alot of water but mainly when I eat, i have a bottle of water and i have a sip of water, then 2 mouthful of foods, then a sip of water etc.....this helps me to slow my eating down and recognise more then i feel full...and when i feel full i stop.

if you are like me i used to be able to devour a mountain of food and my mind would not register that i am full and would not stop until i would feel like i cant breathe anymore.....

do not give up...keep a food diary .....and also may i suggest keeping a journal of some sort....and just write down in it whatever comes to your head - it feels so much better to pour everything out even if it is on paper, so you are not thinking about it....which affects how you feel.....which could lead you to eat and eat....

hope this help a tiny bit
take care
claudette xx

 

[Sparklygal]

Thanks for your replies everybody, good to know I am not on my own.