less n less Determination HELP PLEASE

Plan your meals, boring but essential, do a shopping list and a menu list, and stick to it. It does make it easier when you know what's in the cupboard. Plan ahead, prepare what you can when you have time, make some snacks and keep them in the fridge, and don't forget to treat yourself with a bit of dark chocolate.

Write down everything you eat and be honest you will be surprised how it all adds up. Test your bs and see the effect it is all having and then look at your toes and contemplate how long you want to be able to see them and keep them because if you do not manage the condition you will be able to do neither.


Diagnosed type II 1998 2 x 80 mg Gliclazide, 4 x 500mg Metformin and 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin - HbA1c - 48 mmol/mol

I have much the same problem. Was very diligent up until two weeks ago. Blood sugars were normal and I had lost 21 pounds. Blood sugars are back up to pre-diabetes levels but thankfully have only put a couple of pounds back on. Next HBA1C is due on the 18th of this month.

I am determined to get "back on the wagon" this Monday.

My problem was the continual comments about how miserable I was on my new regime and how much "better" I am eating normally but then I went hell for leather after my diagnosis.

I think on Monday I will gradually get back to a more sensible diet and take the advice here by writing everything down and avoiding those things that send my BS levels up.

M...

Maitland said:

I have much the same problem. Was very diligent up until two weeks ago. Blood sugars were normal and I had lost 21 pounds. Blood sugars are back up to pre-diabetes levels but thankfully have only put a couple of pounds back on. Next HBA1C is due on the 18th of this month.

I am determined to get "back on the wagon" this Monday.

My problem was the continual comments about how miserable I was on my new regime and how much "better" I am eating normally but then I went hell for leather after my diagnosis.

I think on Monday I will gradually get back to a more sensible diet and take the advice here by writing everything down and avoiding those things that send my BS levels up.

M...

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Hi, given your date of diagnosis as being very recent, your weight loss suggests that you have been on a low carb diet?

I don't mean to sound harsh, but your last paragraph is telling. 'On Monday' ... 'gradually' etc. If your heart is in it start today!

I am T2 diet only. Tried a low-carb diet before I was diagnosed ... been there ... done that. 'Miracle' weight loss etc. This time around I started with my current diet which was keeping me 'stable' in terms of blood sugars and weight (albeit both too high) and general health. So I reduced the portions of what I eat (which is anything bar offal) and my average bG is now 5.9 and I am losing weight at a sensible rate of around 1lb per week. I have not had to avoid certains foods or weigh or measure as I use my 'eyes' and ignore my stomach and I don't worry about the occasional 'spike' (it's the persistent highs over a period that matter). I also don't drink alcohol now, but I'm sure that a sensible intake would not have made much difference.

It takes willpower because the weight loss is very gradual and can be disheartening at times and old habits like eating a whole large bar of whole nut milk chocolate late at night had to go out of the window. Weight loss is not just about what the scales say. In fact it is pointless jumping on the scales every day ... every couple of weeks tells a better story. I can feel my body changing shape and the fact that I am carrying less weight (the 'clothes test') even if the scales are arguing with me. At some point, about 4 months from now, I will bottom out at around 13.5 stones which is my ideal weight at which point I will just carry on without having to 'come off' any diet which can be very difficult for some people. I am only expecting to lose the final stone in weight over 4 months or so, so you can see that I have set realistic expectations.

gezzathorpe said:

Maitland said:

I have much the same problem. Was very diligent up until two weeks ago. Blood sugars were normal and I had lost 21 pounds. Blood sugars are back up to pre-diabetes levels but thankfully have only put a couple of pounds back on. Next HBA1C is due on the 18th of this month.

I am determined to get "back on the wagon" this Monday.

My problem was the continual comments about how miserable I was on my new regime and how much "better" I am eating normally but then I went hell for leather after my diagnosis.

I think on Monday I will gradually get back to a more sensible diet and take the advice here by writing everything down and avoiding those things that send my BS levels up.

M...

Click to expand...

Hi, given your date of diagnosis as being very recent, your weight loss suggests that you have been on a low carb diet?

I don't mean to sound harsh, but your last paragraph is telling. 'On Monday' ... 'gradually' etc. If your heart is in it start today!

I am T2 diet only. Tried a low-carb diet before I was diagnosed ... been there ... done that. 'Miracle' weight loss etc. This time around I started with my current diet which was keeping me 'stable' in terms of blood sugars and weight (albeit both too high) and general health. So I reduced the portions of what I eat (which is anything bar offal) and my average bG is now 5.9 and I am losing weight at a sensible rate of around 1lb per week. I have not had to avoid certains foods or weigh or measure as I use my 'eyes' and ignore my stomach and I don't worry about the occasional 'spike' (it's the persistent highs over a period that matter). I also don't drink alcohol now, but I'm sure that a sensible intake would not have made much difference.

It takes willpower because the weight loss is very gradual and can be disheartening at times and old habits like eating a whole large bar of whole nut milk chocolate late at night had to go out of the window. Weight loss is not just about what the scales say. In fact it is pointless jumping on the scales every day ... every couple of weeks tells a better story. I can feel my body changing shape and the fact that I am carrying less weight (the 'clothes test') even if the scales are arguing with me. At some point, about 4 months from now, I will bottom out at around 13.5 stones which is my ideal weight at which point I will just carry on without having to 'come off' any diet which can be very difficult for some people. I am only expecting to lose the final stone in weight over 4 months or so, so you can see that I have set realistic expectations.

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You weren't sounding harsh at all, you were entirely correct. I should start immediately but I need to work up to it and get my head around to where I want to go again and what I need to achieve. As I said I went hell for leather after diagnosis which in retrospect was the wrong way to go about it but at least I have learnt from that mistake.

M...

I agree with gezzathorpe if you dont have the will power to stick diligently with a very low carb diet then change what you are doing and try something else.

Low carb diets are great in the short term but few people can stick with them for the long haul anyway and often make changes to include more carbs but reduced portions, this if you can do it will result in better long term weight loss anyway and will often control bg levels effectively too. You want know if it will work for you until you try it.

If you cant follow a low carb diet or a reduced cal/portion type diet then you may want to speak with your GP about an increase in meds to control your bg levels.

Alternatively you could try a quick fix and read about the Newcastle Study diet, but this should only be tried with medical supervision or at least after discussing it with your doctor and it should only be done for a short 8 week (I believe) period.

There are alternatives to low carbing but whatever you chose to do dont beat yourself up if you fail or it doesnt work out for you, just move on and try something else. There are almost as many diabetic diets as there are diabetics, find what works for you.

Maitland said:

gezzathorpe said:

Maitland said:

You weren't sounding harsh at all, you were entirely correct. I should start immediately but I need to work up to it and get my head around to where I want to go again and what I need to achieve. As I said I went hell for leather after diagnosis which in retrospect was the wrong way to go about it but at least I have learnt from that mistake.
M...

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Hi, this is my personal view which may run counter to that of others' to an extent, so it's obviously up to you to choose. If your weight is 'stable' rather than increasing, then I suggest that you reduce portions a bit (eating more times during the day helps if you are a one meal a day person). It's the same principle as 'low-carbing', just less drastic and, at the end of it, you are already onto new habits without having to come off a diet or starting to increase carbs etc. Don't forget that all food has goodness which your body needs.

If this works for you, you should notice an improvement in your bGs before weight loss. Patience and will power are needed as your weight won't drop off rapidly, and I don't think there is any point in jumping on the bathroom scales every day! You will very likely hit weight-loss plateaux which can last up to a few weeks, but you should continue to notice other changes, e.g. body shape etc. and, one day, you should hear the magic words 'have you lost some weight?' I got that from people I had never met but who saw me wandering past every day! At some point you will stop losing weight altogether, at which point you can decide if you want to lose more. When I proudly visited my GP having reached my 'ideal' weight she pinched my stomach and said I could do with getting rid of another 1/2 stone!! If you want the occasional Indian or Chinese, then I suggest you just do it... you've got to 'live' as well.

Around 6 years ago, I was 18.5 stones. I reduced my alcohol (which was heavy) and started eating five times a day instead of once a day, which is breakfast, lunch & dinner and a sensible snack during the morning and afternoon if I felt hungry, which got me through to the next meal. I found, and still do, that eating early in the evening rather than later helps but that's not always possible to achieve.

Snacks were, and still are, a piece of fruit maybe with a piece of cheese if it was impractical to eat anything else, in spite of what some people might say about fruit, or peanut butter on toast etc. No **** from the vending machines though! I reduced my weight to 13.5 stones in 8 months and held it for nearly 3 years simply by carrying on that way... no further effort required. I then made the mistake of drinking again, which gradually put me back up to 16 stones. I am now off the alcohol again (sensible amounts are, I'm sure fine) and down to 14 stones in about 4 months and average bG 5.9.

Hope this helps a bit in some way.

Sid Bonkers said:

I agree with gezzathorpe if you dont have the will power to stick diligently with a very low carb diet then change what you are doing and try something else.

Low carb diets are great in the short term but few people can stick with them for the long haul anyway and often make changes to include more carbs but reduced portions, this if you can do it will result in better long term weight loss anyway and will often control bg levels effectively too. You want know if it will work for you until you try it.

If you cant follow a low carb diet or a reduced cal/portion type diet then you may want to speak with your GP about an increase in meds to control your bg levels.

Alternatively you could try a quick fix and read about the Newcastle Study diet, but this should only be tried with medical supervision or at least after discussing it with your doctor and it should only be done for a short 8 week (I believe) period.

There are alternatives to low carbing but whatever you chose to do dont beat yourself up if you fail or it doesnt work out for you, just move on and try something else. There are almost as many diabetic diets as there are diabetics, find what works for you.

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Excellent post Sid!

I've found that practising portion control is the most important aspect of controlling BGs. Realising what a reasonable portion is, is the hardest bit... weigh everything, (and test) until you become aware of how much of a food you can/should eat.

I can make delicious meals which include sensible portions of low-GI alternatives: wholegrains, wholewheat pasta, brown basmati rice (Sainsbury's so organic one is fab!.. not like the chewy brown rice I've tried in the past, and I've tried a few :lol: ) Fill up on 'grown above ground' veg. You'll always have to restrict your carbs to some extent, but you CAN find a balance which will work for you. Develop your own recipes using the food that's good for you...make it fun!

If you've a lot of weight to lose, then low-carbing is good for losing weight quickly, but IMO it's not for the longer term, as it can be torture when all around you are digging into those lovely carbs. You can feel that you are missing out, and ....fall off the wagon, BIG TIME.

As Sid said... find out what works for you....and what you can live with in the longer term. (weigh and test)