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Constant hunger and falling off the Wagon

bridg3

Member
Messages
24
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I'm in constant hunger, Diagnosed in December and I've been doing low carb since then and lost 3 stone but in the last 2 months I cant shake this constant hunger that’s never been there before. Its led to some silly choices like 4 Sandwiches at 11pm at night or crisps. My overnight numbers are normally between 4-6 and only once in the last month has it been over 7 but im putting on a little weight again and worried. I tend to Walk to and from work so usually do about 15-20 thousand steps a day and try to limit my carbs to 50g per meal and 2 apples a day as snacks but its just not doing it now. It worked fine for the 1st few months. Any idea’s could it be I need to reduce my metformin or stop taking it. I was on 1x500mg twice a day but after loosing 3 stone it was dropped to 1 x 500. Struggling to get an appointment to see my Nurse or doctor and having to wait nearly 3 weeks.
 
My weight lose has been slow but am getting there. Like you, I went through a stage of feeling constantly hungry which resulted in eating all the wrong things, putting weight on and my bs levels rising. So instead of cutting everything out all in one go, I gradually reduced the amount I ate. I am now eating half the amount of food that I was eating 2 months ago. I have started to drink alot more tea and squash to help me fill up. I admit that I constantly think of food but I do think that's when I am bored
 
How is your dairy consumption?
If I eat to much dairy the weight starts creeping up and so do my numbers.
I try and limit cream to a max of 2 x a week, only small amounts of cheese but can do plain yoghurt and chocolate granola without issue
 
I too have re-started the munchies . I can go all day without food, no problem. But once I start, I struggle to stop. Yesterday I did not eat until 7.30pm, a 24hr fast. Ate a cold turkey salad with egg mayo and new pots in butter. Then later on a chunk of cheese, then some celery, nuts and 2 squares of 90% choc at 10pm. My weight is stable around 64Kg, but my BG in the morning is creeping up. 7.3 this morning and 5.7 half hour ago with no food an an hour in the gym this morning. The nly good news today is a VO2 Max score of 43.3, which is excellent for a man of my advancing years.
I think I have no choice but to get back some discipline, problem is I do not need to lose weight, maybe I should delay evening meal to 8-8.30? Eat celery as a snack? Years ago I would have a couple of beers and a tuna sarnie about 10pm. At least that wont happen again.
Apples are my next temptation, the new season is upon us, Katy, Discovery, Early Windsor.......
 
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Is is hunger (haven't eaten for a while, and could do with something...)
or is it carb cravings (ravenous, need to fall headfirst into carbs NOW?)

If hunger, then I suggest you either eat more fat at meals, or have small snacks handy - like cheese, nuts or peanut butter.

If cravings, then you must still be over your personal carb tolerance. Sad to say, my carb tolerance is well under 50 g a day, and yours may be too. I find that certain foods trigger cravings more than others (bread, pasta, and anything made with flour are the worst for me). Will power is very over rated against carb cravings. It works - of course - but sooner or later they catch you when you are tired, or stressed, or irritated, and suddenly with no conscious decision, you realise you just ate half a loaf...

I can honestly say that low carbing is the only way of eating I have EVER tried that liberates me from the endless hunger/cravings. And if I ever DO experience them, I have found that eating fat will kill them dead. A couple of slices of cheese, a tablespoon of peanut butter, coffee with cream... they all crush cravings.

Hope that helps.
 
Plain Yoghurt has consumption increased, don't eat cream, my Daughter beats me to any cheese in the house. problem is my numbers don't really go up not past 7 anyway and I do tend to be good as far as sweets and treats go, its the carbs I crave, give me the option at the moment of chocolate cake or a small bowl of pasta i'd choose pasta. I normally don't eat bread white or brown but feeling hungry so often I find myself making up a sandwich
 


I never considered the amount of carbs I could be eating. I was given a figure by my Nurse of 50g per meal and have just stuck to it. I know if I've had veg sir fry with chicken for dinner and no carbs pretty much an hour later I could eat again. I'll try reducing it try a little cheese to try and curb it. Thanks all
 
To find I'm hungry when I've nothing to do on a night mentioned this to nurse and she told me to think of something else or keep busy (type 2 diabetic
 
Watch the carbs and definitely increase the amount of fats and oils in your diet. The more carbs you eat the more you'll want to eat something carby - you can get into a vicious circle. Look at recipes for low catb bread and cakes (either here on the forium or via Google) if they're the sort of foods that are tempting you.

And have a look at one of the low carb nutritional calculators (e.g. http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/DietMakeupCalc.php), which can help you check whether you're getting the balance of carbs, protein and fats correct for your particular requirements.

Robbity
 
Try taking it down to 50 grams of carb per day instead of per meal. Increase the fats and give it a week or two. I don't see how the metformin would make you hungry and if anything it was helping your body deal with a fairly high carb load for a diabetic. If anything reducing the metformin may be causing your sugars to be bouncing up and down more and that could be causing the hunger. Give a lower carb diet a chance, you can always raise it back up if it does not suit you.
 
I would try eating more protein (it's very filling) and veg (not root)/ salad whilst keeping the same amount of carbs at mealtimes. That is what I always do when I am hungry, even between meals, and this has worked for 54 years.
 
water, black tea or black coffee is my answer to the munchies/hunger/boredom eating
 
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