Let my guard down.

Hi all,
having been diagnosed T2 three years ago I dropped my A1c from 118 to 43 in six months.
I held stead for two and a half years and then slipped.
Nothing drastic, or so I thought. A piece of cake, some chips, a sandwich, etc.
My latest A1c was 75. Major freak out.
I know what I need to do. I go back to how I was just after diagnosis. Much stricter, no cake, chips, bread, alcohol, etc, etc.
I’m fine with that.
I’m hoping for the benefit of the combined wisdom of the group for some motivation.
I eat loads of veg, salad, protein and healthy fats. Very little starchy veg and I’ll cut out all avoidable carbs. Bread, pasta, rice, etc.
I have been eating lots of berries, nuts and seeds.
i struggle with water so I drink no added sugar squash. I’ve tried to find one with Stevia, but so far have failed.
I also drink coffee with milk or cream, but no sweetener, and tea with milk and a Stevia sweetener tablet.
I exercise as much as my old and worn out body allows.
Any advice would be very welcome.
Any red flags in my diet?
Thank you.
Cheers Nick

lovinglife said:

Welcome back to the forum @Nicksellick

We all take our eye off the ball sometimes, it’s human nature, what’s important is that we recognise what we have to do and commit to getting back to it which you are doing so that’s a big step not to be sniffed at.

Reading your post I’ve nothing to add, you seem to know what your doing and what action you need to take, you’ve done it before so you can do it again.

I drink Diet Coke & Irn Brew extra but only with meals - if drinking the squash isn’t affecting your numbers then I see no harm in it. Some people find sweeteners raise their BG as much as sugar, I’m not one of them and it doesn’t affect me.

I do drink water through the day but I usually flavour it with something like muddled mint or sliced cucumber or a few crushed berries. I make a big jug in the morning with loads of ice and add whatever I’m fancying chopped up and keep it in the fridge to drink through the day. It’s not a strong flavour but it just takes the edge of the plainness of the water and can be quite refreshing

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Thank you so much.

MrsA2 said:

I'd only comment on the "lots". Although these are usually good options quantity and frequency will soon make that carb count shoot up.

For example (and I'm not perfect) I limit myself to 8 berries in any one day and only with a meal. Likewise just enough nuts to cover the palm of one hand in one layer, once a day, with a meal
Ie no snacking or constant dipping jnto the packet

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Good advice. Thank you

ianf0ster said:

Hi @Nicksellick A slightly different view as to what may have gone wrong:
While dropping your HbA1C by so much so quickly is admirable, is it possible that you were trying too hard?
I feel that unless a low carb way of eating is enjoyable it will be difficult to sustain. Controlling diabetes is a lifelong thing, not a quick fix.
There is no point in doing yoyo very low carb, higher carb, very low carb, higher carb ... because it will just put stress on your body just the same as the more common very low calorie, high calorie yoyo cycle does.
Finding a level of low carb that suits you is a much better long term approach.

Or did you 'fall off the wagon' because you thought you were 'cured' and so could go back to eating more like you did while developing diabetes?

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Good points, a bit of both I think. A more even keel in the future.