Re: HUNGERY SCARED TO EAT
Hi sandysan,
I'm obese, diagnosed with Type 2 in February this year, and I've lost 10kgs (stone and a half) without going hungry since diagnosis. Also reduced my hba1c from 128 to 63, and my fasting blood glucose from over 28 to on average 6.2
I follow a low glycemic load diet. I started out by cutting out ALL white carbs - flour, sugar, pasta, bread, rice, potatoes - and cutting down drastically on fruit. Instead I ate meat, fish, cheese, eggs, vegetables, nuts. I indulged my sweet tooth with 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate, or with berries (strawberries, raspberries) with thick cream. Now, 8 months later, I find I can eat a small quantity of potato (say one handfull of oven chips), as long as its with plenty of protein and fats, without upsetting my BGs too much.
I would suggest that you cut out the carb for a short while and see how you go, one of the bad things that carbs do is make your BGs yoyo up and down, and that will only make you feel hungrier. White carbs are absorbed into the body very quickly so your body responds by trying to produce a lot of insulin. Your insulin and your meds will try to bring your BGs down rapidly, BUT the bad thing is that when your BGs drop so quick the body automatically panics and sends messages saying "I'm hungry - now!!!" Protein fills you up without causing the yoyo "I'm stuffed.... I'm hungry...." cycle.
Try an omelette for breakfast, or bacon and eggs. Snack on nuts, or cheese with celery sticks. If you're feeling adventurous and love cooking, look up recipes on the net that use ground almonds or coconut instead of flour and make low carb baked goods. I had banana choc chip muffins today - coconut flour instead of wheat flour, and I use erythritol and stevia instead of sugar. Low carb and low calorie compared to ordinary muffins, and my BG hardly moves. I got fed up of diet coke drinks though, and was close to dispair until I discovered that sodastream do a nice selection of diet syrups - now I can have my ginger beer or fruity pop again.
Like quite a few T2s my diabetes is genetic - I have an aunt who is diabetic as are her 2 children (all T2 with onset in their 40's), and other members of my mother's side of the family have it too. My doctor says that my obesity is because of my T2, not the cause of it, and I'm steadily and healthily losing the weight now, even though I've been on gliclazide since diagnosis.
YMMV of course, no 2 people respond exactly the same, and the most important thing is to figure out what works for you, but keep reading the forum. There's so much help and advice here, as well as shoulders to cry on! Good luck and let us know how it goes.