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Pre diabetes diagnosis

C

catwoman1982

Newbie
Messages
4
Hi all,
I was told 3 months ago that I have prediabetes, with a HBA1C of 45. I must admit I haven't changed my diet in that time, apart from one keto attempt for 2 weeks. I had my bloods taken again 2 days ago and am feeling quite scared for the results. I think the reality is hitting me now and I really don't want to end up with diabetes. I am on the diet dr website and while it is a great place I find many of the meals on there complicated, I am the worst cook and not creative at all when it comes to food so I really need simplicity. I guess my question is how did you guys find it going low carb? I am so addicted to chocolate and feel like I'm never going to be able to leave it. Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
Hello Catwoman1982,
Well done for reaching out, there are many friendly and helpful people on this forum. it would help if you give us some idea what you are currently eating and cooking.
Normally I cook, but atm, have restricted cooking facilities so I am starting to compile a list of ready meals available from supermarkets. There are usually a few in each. Would this be something you could do? It's a bit of a pain checking every meal, but once you know which are suitable for you, it makes shopping a lot easier.
Don't give up, prediabetes can be reversed.
 
SlimLizzy said:
Hello Catwoman1982,
Well done for reaching out, there are many friendly and helpful people on this forum. it would help if you give us some idea what you are currently eating and cooking.
Normally I cook, but atm, have restricted cooking facilities so I am starting to compile a list of ready meals available from supermarkets. There are usually a few in each. Would this be something you could do? It's a bit of a pain checking every meal, but once you know which are suitable for you, it makes shopping a lot easier.
Don't give up, prediabetes can be reversed.
Click to expand...
Hi there, thank you for your reply.
I eat eggs for breakfast, my meals are usually some sort of meat with veg, sometimes a takeaway from the chipper, now and again. I mean my meals aren't too bad its more the chocolate cravings I have mostly that seems to derail my attempts to go low carb.
 
Hi @catwoman1982 and welcome to the forum.
Regarding your chocolate ‘addiction’ and there can’t be many people that don’t like chocolate! I gradually reduced the amount I ate each day whilst getting darker and darker chocolate, this gets you used to the different tastes. I usually eat 85% Tesco dark chocolate but occasionally go mad and eat Hotel Chocolat 100% buttons! Give it a try, you might be surprised!
 
catwoman1982 said:
Hi there, thank you for your reply.
I eat eggs for breakfast, my meals are usually some sort of meat with veg, sometimes a takeaway from the chipper, now and again. I mean my meals aren't too bad its more the chocolate cravings I have mostly that seems to derail my attempts to go low carb.
Click to expand...
Meat and veg, eggs and fish, poultry and that sort of stuff can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Dietdoctor has some amazing meals on there... That are too complicated for me too. Half the time I wouldn't know where to even get the unpronounceable ingredients from. So I just go with my eggs with cheese, or salmon, pork, beef, whatever. It doesn't have to be hard, it just has to be low carb. I'll add in some salt and pepper, maybe some other herbs and spices, and that's it.

But what about chocolate, you say? Wellll.....

I just today, shopped for about 260 euro's worth of chocolate at a little speciality shop the next town over. (Euro's and pounds are near enough the same right now). I want to make my friends and family feel loved in this horrible year, so it's chocolates all around, and it's a big group of people. Drawback being, the owner knows EXACTLY what I like, and what I need far as the T2 goes... I actually went behind the scenes today in her storage room, and got to shop products that won't be in the shop for a bit yet. So... I got stuff for my family, but a bucketload for myself too. If you are a true lover of the good stuff... Go for extra dark. Lindt 85%, 99% or 100% is fine, and from what I understand Aldi has Moser Roth, which is supposed to be a good extra dark one as well. (I don't usually go to Aldi's, parking's hell there). There's some really good Peruvian chocolate out there, Zotter's Labooko is great, and there's some brands that carry, believe it or not, entirely sugar free chocolates or praline's. Just don't eat a lot of them, because the sweetener used is a great tasting one, but more than 5 pieces and you'll be running to the bathroom all day. (It's a laxative). If chocolate is the only thing keeping you from going low carb... Then it just stopped doing that. You've got options. And they don't have to cost the world, I just went nuts with special stuff for my family and friends, and myself, haha. But really. If you stop eating a lot of processed foords and snacks, you might end up with a little extra grocery money left over to go to a speciality shop, or get the nice Lindt's from the supermarket. If dark is too dark for you, add a mouth full of unwhipped, unsweetened cream or clotted cream, or a walnut or pecan, it'll take the bitter edge off. But as your diet changes, so will your palette... While the 85% seemed really bitter to me once upon a time, I now thoroughly enjoy the 100% from Lindt.

You're going to be fine. ;) And T2 isn't a foregone conclusion, alright?
Jo
 
catwoman1982 said:
Hi there, thank you for your reply.
I eat eggs for breakfast, my meals are usually some sort of meat with veg, sometimes a takeaway from the chipper, now and again. I mean my meals aren't too bad its more the chocolate cravings I have mostly that seems to derail my attempts to go low carb.
Click to expand...
Do you like dark chocolate? Many of those are less sugary and you can possibly educate your taste buds to prefer those. Specially the 70% or higher ones. Otherwise it's down to restraint and willpower, best exercised at the shopping stage. There are times when i can have chocolate in the house and eat one or two squares, but not at the moment. If I am at all stressed then it's better not to buy it. So much easier to resist the purchase than the eating.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
Meat and veg, eggs and fish, poultry and that sort of stuff can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Dietdoctor has some amazing meals on there... That are too complicated for me too. Half the time I wouldn't know where to even get the unpronounceable ingredients from. So I just go with my eggs with cheese, or salmon, pork, beef, whatever. It doesn't have to be hard, it just has to be low carb. I'll add in some salt and pepper, maybe some other herbs and spices, and that's it.

But what about chocolate, you say? Wellll.....

I just today, shopped for about 260 euro's worth of chocolate at a little speciality shop the next town over. (Euro's and pounds are near enough the same right now). I want to make my friends and family feel loved in this horrible year, so it's chocolates all around, and it's a big group of people. Drawback being, the owner knows EXACTLY what I like, and what I need far as the T2 goes... I actually went behind the scenes today in her storage room, and got to shop products that won't be in the shop for a bit yet. So... I got stuff for my family, but a bucketload for myself too. If you are a true lover of the good stuff... Go for extra dark. Lindt 85%, 99% or 100% is fine, and from what I understand Aldi has Moser Roth, which is supposed to be a good extra dark one as well. (I don't usually go to Aldi's, parking's hell there). There's some really good Peruvian chocolate out there, Zotter's Labooko is great, and there's some brands that carry, believe it or not, entirely sugar free chocolates or praline's. Just don't eat a lot of them, because the sweetener used is a great tasting one, but more than 5 pieces and you'll be running to the bathroom all day. (It's a laxative). If chocolate is the only thing keeping you from going low carb... Then it just stopped doing that. You've got options. And they don't have to cost the world, I just went nuts with special stuff for my family and friends, and myself, haha. But really. If you stop eating a lot of processed foords and snacks, you might end up with a little extra grocery money left over to go to a speciality shop, or get the nice Lindt's from the supermarket. If dark is too dark for you, add a mouth full of unwhipped, unsweetened cream or clotted cream, or a walnut or pecan, it'll take the bitter edge off. But as your diet changes, so will your palette... While the 85% seemed really bitter to me once upon a time, I now thoroughly enjoy the 100% from Lindt.

You're going to be fine. ;) And T2 isn't a foregone conclusion, alright?
Jo
Click to expand...
Hi Jo,
Haaha, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the meals on diet dr are a tad complicated lol.
And if I'm being totally honest I don't have time to be preparing things like mayonaisse from scratch. I think you are spot on by how simple you keep your meals. Salt and pepper is the way I think.
I am not keen on dark chocolate but am going to make myself become accustomed to it, I think it is needed if I'm going to succeed at low carb eating. I also stay away from Aldi over the parking issue lol.
Are you here in ireland? I live in county Mayo myself :)
 
SlimLizzy said:
Do you like dark chocolate? Many of those are less sugary and you can possibly educate your taste buds to prefer those. Specially the 70% or higher ones. Otherwise it's down to restraint and willpower, best exercised at the shopping stage. There are times when i can have chocolate in the house and eat one or two squares, but not at the moment. If I am at all stressed then it's better not to buy it. So much easier to resist the purchase than the eating.
Click to expand...
Yes I think i do need to retrain my taste buds with the dark chocolate absolutely, because I don't see me abstaining from it in life but if I can go for the one you mention it will likely make it all much easier.
 
Hello and welcome,

I agree with @Rachox that there are many on here who like chocolate. I'm spoilt in Australia as we have a brand of 'milk chocolate' with very low carbs- 3 squares is only 1 gram of carbs. I often have 3-6 squares. However, there are a lot of other options. Grating the dark chocolate into some thick cream can work. Having diet jelly can help with the sweet cravings as will. I also do peanut butter mixed with thick cream occasionally for a 'dessert'.

There is also real custard that is low carb as well.

As for simplicity that is easily possible- stick to food that have very low carbs- meat, fish, eggs, cream, cheese- quite a few.

Good luck and welcome.
 
catwoman1982 said:
Yes I think i do need to retrain my taste buds with the dark chocolate absolutely, because I don't see me abstaining from it in life but if I can go for the one you mention it will likely make it all much easier.
Click to expand...
As you go low carb its amazing how much your tastes will change. I too was a chocoholic, now (8 month in) and one square of dark is enough to satisfy me... and it used to be 200g or more of milk. I'd be and feel sick on that amount now.
Try not to focus on what you eat now, but look ahead to being slim and healthy, and still eating nice things!
 
Hi and welcome. You don't need any complicated meals. Just keep the carbs down and focus on proteins, fats, veg and non-tropical fruit. Have 85% Dark Chocolate as anything less will be high carb.
 
catwoman1982 said:
Hi Jo,
Haaha, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the meals on diet dr are a tad complicated lol.
And if I'm being totally honest I don't have time to be preparing things like mayonaisse from scratch. I think you are spot on by how simple you keep your meals. Salt and pepper is the way I think.
I am not keen on dark chocolate but am going to make myself become accustomed to it, I think it is needed if I'm going to succeed at low carb eating. I also stay away from Aldi over the parking issue lol.
Are you here in ireland? I live in county Mayo myself :)
Click to expand...

Don't rush it with the really, really dark stuff. Try Lindt 85% and have cream or nuts handy. Or make rocks. (Mix melted dark chocolate with pecans or macadamia's. Less work to just pop those things into your mouth though.) I currently find that 85% one very (too) sweet. If you low carb, your sense of taste gets more intense, so don't start on the heavy stuff until you notice it's changing and it should go smoother, transition-wise. I used to find 99% intolerable, it was so bitter! Now I can detect sweet notes in there. And I have some every day.

Aldi makes bad location choices universally, I'm smack-dab in the middle of The Netherlands. ;) I long to see Ireland one day...
 
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