Christmas Guilt

Just start again tomorrow. I think you will see an improvement by February. I find I need the occasional deviation from the diet to be able to stick with it the majority of the time. Some intermittent fasting will also speed up the blood glucose reduction.

Please don't beat yourself up about it, we're all human and faced with a mountain of Christmassy goodies it is nigh on impossible not to indulge yourself so soon after diagnosis.
This was my first Christmas since I was diagnosed but I have had longer to practice low carbing yet still I indulged and come my next A1c I will refuse to feel guilty.
Cut yourself some slack, get back in the saddle and carry on low carbing, you will probably see a nice fall in your A1c come Feb. Good luck.

Eat carbs in haste, repent at leisure.

You haven't ruined things - just a small step backwards maybe - you know you can do this so back in the saddle and off you go again x

No I don't think you ruined anything for Feb and when you get congratulated for your excellent results you can remind them that you did well despite xmas.

Put the guilt in the bin along with the mince pies, the main thing is that you get back on plan asap!

ashbash28 said:

Hi guys,

So I'm fairly newly diagnosed.. 27/11/17...I had my birthday a week later 04/12/17 and was so good I didn't even touch any bad food. Have been cutting carbs since and really working hard to lose weight. Then Christmas happened. I find it so much harder to stick at when my family don't understand and keep saying a little bit won't hurt...you still have to live etc. Anyway, I've eaten more carbs than I'd like to admit to and snacks that I shouldn't have. I had a hba1c of 59 when I was diagnosed and my goal is to get below 50 before my next blood test in February. Is this still doable or have I ruined myself completely? Feeling so guilty it's unreal and quite angry with myself that I didn't stick to things for Christmas as the only person I'm cheating is myself.

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Hi Ashbash
I’ve had Christmas pudding which I know I shouldn’t have had. Out of curiosity I checked the blood glucose and it was 9.6
I only had a dessert spoonful but was surprised it went up that much. No more pudding next year.

JanCoo said:

Hi Ashbash
I’ve had Christmas pudding which I know I shouldn’t have had. Out of curiosity I checked the blood glucose and it was 9.6
I only had a dessert spoonful but was surprised it went up that much. No more pudding next year.

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But did you test before you ate it and two hours after your first bite having nothing to eat in between?
We learn that as individuals we all have our own 'trigger' foods.

ashbash28 said:

Hi guys,

So I'm fairly newly diagnosed.. 27/11/17...I had my birthday a week later 04/12/17 and was so good I didn't even touch any bad food. Have been cutting carbs since and really working hard to lose weight. Then Christmas happened. I find it so much harder to stick at when my family don't understand and keep saying a little bit won't hurt...you still have to live etc. Anyway, I've eaten more carbs than I'd like to admit to and snacks that I shouldn't have. I had a hbac1 of 59 when I was diagnosed and my goal is to get below 50 before my next blood test in February. Is this still doable or have I ruined myself completely? Feeling so guilty it's unreal and quite angry with myself that I didn't stick to things for Christmas as the only person I'm cheating is myself.

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Hi @ashbash28 welcome to the forum. The hba1c test is an average of your blood sugar over three months so you should be ok. Don’t be too hard on yourself over the Christmas excesses most of us have been there and it’s not the end of the world - just put it down to experience and climb back on the wagon.

Totally doable! I managed to go from 51 to 49 in 2 weeks of no carbs and running a mile a day on the treadmill. Then got down to 42, 3 months later.. then gave up smoking, gained a stone, stopped exercising and went back to 51!! Aiming to get back to 42 again soon ..

ashbash28 said:

Hi guys,

So I'm fairly newly diagnosed.. 27/11/17...I had my birthday a week later 04/12/17 and was so good I didn't even touch any bad food. Have been cutting carbs since and really working hard to lose weight. Then Christmas happened. I find it so much harder to stick at when my family don't understand and keep saying a little bit won't hurt...you still have to live etc. Anyway, I've eaten more carbs than I'd like to admit to and snacks that I shouldn't have. I had a hba1c of 59 when I was diagnosed and my goal is to get below 50 before my next blood test in February. Is this still doable or have I ruined myself completely? Feeling so guilty it's unreal and quite angry with myself that I didn't stick to things for Christmas as the only person I'm cheating is myself.

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Don’t feel guilty and don’t feel bad about yourself. Of course you can hit your goal before Feb. Spending time with others often bring us to not being able to stick to our plans, whichever they might be. But you’re determined and already working to achieve your goal. You’ll make it, feel good about what you’re now doing for your health.

ashbash28 said:

Gosh. That's crazy! I dread to think what mine have been but I've only just got a blood glucose monitor so now needing to learn how to use it and when to do it etc I'm just worried as I really don't want to end up on medication unless it's vital so I know I should've just accepted that Christmas 'goodies' are now the enemy!

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I am going to think of them as 'Loveable Rogues' not trustworthy but lovely to look at

ashbash28 said:

I'm just worried as I really don't want to end up on medication unless it's vital

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Hello Ashbash, even if, worst case scenario, you don't hit your target A1c due to a few slips at Christmas, your GP should understand. Probably all his patients, diabetic and with other problems, and even he himself will have fallen below their usual standards at this difficult time! I have a friend who was diagnosed diabetic and threatened by his GP that he would soon have to start injecting insulin. This was rather clever of the GP, as my friend was motivated to make a big effort, and he surprised his doctor with a lower A1c next time. BUT recently he was invited to a big week-long wedding celebration and gave in to all those false friends who tempted him to over-indulge. For a whole week he ate and drank far too much and all the wrong foods. A week later he was due for his next A1c test and he was terrified it would be high and his GP would insist he start insulin. Well, it was high, but he explained what had happened and his GP allowed him to retake the test after a few weeks when the effects of the wedding would have passed off. The result was better so he is safe for the time being (until the next wedding!)

Guilt is just a waste of time. Stuff does happen.No change is complete and overnight.
From what you've written you clearly understand where you were and where you want to be and doing a good job.
Families not understanding is sometimes tricky and they need to be slowly educated, it's a bit of shock to them too.
It's been +3 years for me and my SiL was going to give me some chestnut amaretti..... till my wife suggested that it might not be such a good idea as I don't do carbs......
Wish you well.

Agree with the others. Don’t beat yourself up and your aim of reducing HbA1c by February is totally doable. I was in your position this time last year - relatively newly diagnosed and had started low carb but not in earnest. Ate all sorts over the Christmas break, but got right on the low carb wagon come January 1st and have not looked back.

Just put Christmas behind you, follow your plans and I’m sure you’ll be celebrating in February!

Be kind to yourself...as others have a few days of not beimg as strict won't ruin it. I've had a couple of mince pies and the odd choc....nigh on impossible at xmas with goodies around not to habe a few treats x

My blood sugar spreadsheet for this month resembles the Himalayas, with a ruddy great Everest-like spike occurring on December 25th. Probably just coincidence.
I took myself out for a couple of bracing walks and got back on track. Just New Year's Eve to negotiate now...