Hi
My name is Maria & I am here because I feel like I've lost all hope. I am frustrated. I have tried EVERYTHING to try and lose weight. I am prediabetic, glucose impaired tolerance that makes it harder, if not impossible, for me to lose weight. My appetite is RAVENOUS because of the high blood sugars.
I have tried eating healthy, low carb, Weight Watchers, walking, gym, the dreaded diet, you name it & I've tried it.
I feel like giving up & just let this disease take over my body
I don't know what else to do or try.
Sorry this message is really negative. If you've lost weight with diabetes & I need to lose a significant amount, 20kg or more, please tell me how you did it, thank you.
I've been trying low carb for the last 8 or 9 months. I've lost almost a stone or 7kg and it is slowly going down. I like the slow part because slow hopefully means that I will keep the weight off. My BG readings are mostly very good.
You mentioned low carb, that means very very little (don't have to cut it out completely) bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, and anything made with flour - biscuits, cakes, pastries, etc. It goes without saying that sweets and chocolate are out, though you can have a little dark chocolate (not Cadbury Bournville), I have a couple of squares most evenings. I allow myself something small occasionally, especially when exercising, for example I went for a walk this morning and took a snack with me which included 2 chocolate hob nob biscuits. Whilst on holiday and doing a lot of walking I might pinch just one finger of a Kit-Kat bar from my wife. It isn't easy, previously I would have taken a whole one, or had half a packet of biscuits, or a whole pack of Jaffa Cakes. Look for healthy snacks, I've tried carrots, fruit, nuts, and assorted veggies.
It seems that most 'berries' are good for you and I enjoy a small bowl with a drop (or 10) of fresh cream.
I've gone from 2 bowls of cereals in the morning to eggs, cheese, ham, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, etc. Some days I will have egg and bacon, occasionally a sausage too is ok. It takes time to adjust, and of course in the morning especially a little extra prep time.
We bought smaller plates and dishes, I know it sounds silly but it does help, we now don't fill the smaller plates! We also bought some electric kitchen scales to better measure portion sizes and I have to admit that my perception of a healthy portion was way way out when we compared it to the recommended portion sizes on the packet/can or in a recipe.
You didn't mention drinks? Alcohol probably doesn't help (I don't drink) but neither does fresh/bottled fruit juices, fizzy drinks, sugar free or otherwise, I've switched over to bottled water and now that I've got used to it I really don't miss the drinks I used to drink.
It takes time to build up a new healthy way of living/eating, I currently live in Germany and last week I found a new pizza base that has about 6gm of carbs for the whole thing. I was hesitant the first time I tried it and found it was ok, my BG level afterwards were pretty normal, so last night I had another one and really really enjoyed myself, and my BG readings at bedtime were perfect. Pizza really isn't a bad option, it is all about the toppings and the base. It is trial and error, just make sure that you keep trying.
I tried the gym, total waste of time and money. I enjoy walking and cycling so now I do at least 30 minutes a day and try to get it nearer to 60 minutes without making it seem like a chore. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get on as we get into the cold wet dark nights, but I know I must try.
Look at product labels, it is normally the total amount of carbs that you should be looking at, low fat yogurts for example are high in total carbs.
I do wish you all the best, don't give up. I can't go into my story but suffice it to say that I just swallowed the tablets the Dr gave me and figured out it was all going to be ok, but it isn't ok. At the end of the day your health should be one of the most important things to you, family is important too, but if you're not well because of your diabetes you will not be good for your family, you need your health!
Sorry for the long answer, I hope I've said something that will help.
