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Snacking

sjm1308

Well-Known Member
Messages
152
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My problem seems to be snacking. Now I snack a lot. I suppose I could describe myself as a constant grazer. So in turn my bg is constantly high. For example in the evening (my worst) my bg may be 7 before dinner at 6pm. It might raise to 10 after 1 hour and I'll have a 20g snack and so it continues rising. This is a daily cycle for me.

I'm trying to lose weight so on good days with no snacks my bg is a constant 6 or 7 but on a bad snacking day it'll be 14plus. So for me personally it would seem I shouldn't snack or at least snack on low carb foods.

Does anyone else have this problem?
 
Hi @sjm1308, I think the question is why are you snacking, rather than should you or shouldn't you snack? Are you hungry?

Secondly, if you're taking a 20g of carbs snack, why aren't you bolusing for it?

The other thing to look at is your prandial glucose levels. 10 mmol/l 1 hour post meal is a little on the high side, so you may want to consider looking at your bolus timing.
 
Yes I am bolusing all my snacks. My ratio is 2u to 10g before 6pm and 1u to 10g after 6pm. It's more an emotional need than a hunger. I think I remain 'high' because I don't give my bg a chance to come down before I eat. Hmm. I defo need to work on this. I struggle then eat and so continues this awful cycle.
 
sjm1308 said:
. I struggle then eat and so continues this awful cycle
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Snacking is habit-forming without a doubt, but once you break that cycle your unlikely to go back to it (especially when you see an improvement in bg levels and see that you inject less often).

I broke the cycle around 7 years ago after stopping snacking to lose weight, I rarely go back there now and only snack now when my bg levels are dipping low (or when having a treat like an ice-cream when on holidays ).

Mind over matter @sjm1308 .......................
 
Thank you for your reply @noblehead I think it's a problem I'm only just recognising and now I've recognised it I can work on stopping it! And your proof it can be done. I'm sick of how I feel when I'm full and 'high'. Time to make changes
 
Eating 2-3 meals a day spaced a minimum of 4 hours apart will give you the best BG results you've ever seen. It's easier said than done and I fully understand as I've been through grazing spells myself. Although I did bolus accordingly, but that meant upwards of 10 injections a day (which is an issue all in itself)...

There are zero carb and low carb options for grazing which may tie you over between meals if you feel the urge to eat something. But I fully agree with @noblehead that grazing is a habit rather than actual hunger and sadly is part of the reason why the majority of the nation is so overweight...

My advice, exercise as much as you can and take on loads of fluids. Exercise will release endorphins which will leave you with a good sense of wellbeing. A lot of snackers and comfort eaters get their endorphin fix from junk food (which is what most snacks are tbh). Exercise is the better option all day long.

The fluids will also make you feel full, to a certain degree, throttling your urge to eat between meals.

Good luck It can be done and can be maintained. This doesn't mean no snacks for eternity, but certainly less frequent snacks as a direct trade of for better managed and controlled diabetes.
 
I know how you feel, somedays I can't help myself.

I find the problem with snacks is the sudden spike compared to the speed of insulin. Very hard as you'd have to plan snacks well in advance.. which is not how snacks work!

Try low carb snacks, or at least low GI perhaps. Also agree that filling up at mealtimes helps.
And if you want a gold star, exercise takes my mind off it as mentioned above.. it's so hard to do sometimes though!
 
Thank you I really appreciate your time and support guys
 
I really feel for you I play this game too. Morning - fine I know how many units I cover it ok and I don't snack between breakfast and lunch. I usually have a good bg before dinner (unless hormones or other things are at play) then it all goes to pot. I am trying to get a carb ratio for lunch and dinner. It's boredom with me and I know that I have exercise to do in the evening so I will 'work it off'.
 
I am a bit of a grazer and prefer small meals ( at least my digestion does) , so I eat at 8, noon, 3 and 6:30. I will have a few nuts, a bite of cheese or a few raw low carb veggies as snacks. I take small doses of insulin for my small meals and my lantus doesn't do anything for me during the day so I rely on bolus only during the day. My bolus seems to be gone around 2.5 hours so if I don't take insulin I just rise. This is where eating four small meals works for me and keeps me steady. I cannot eat carbs a snacks.
One carb raises me about 10 (US) so I could not eat a 20 carb snack without insulin.
 
I used to snack all the time. Instead of reaching for a snack drink a glass of water. The body can confuse thurst with hunger. I find cashew nuts and apples a good snack substitute. Like everything though in everything in moderation
 
Hi @sjm1308 . You're not alone on this, I think it's a common problem throughout society.
It can be very difficult to just stop snacking, it can be depressing which ultimately leads to unnecessary snacking.
Maybe as suggested take smaller steps, I find Nairns oat biscuits a great snack, 2 come in at around 9g of carbs and shouldn't affect BS to much, because of what they are they take a bit of time to eat and are quite filling. You could try setting a snack to one side and mentally agreeing a time when you will eat it, then over time extend the time from maybe 3 hrs to 3 1/2 hrs and so on.
Good luck
 
Are you on the right long lasting insulin?? the background insulin (or so I was told!) should cover a 15g carb snack xxx
 
Snacks are just great aren't they? You reach a moment in the day when you stop, maybe have a cuppa and just like everybody else (the non diabetic population) a little snack would be nice. It seems everybody does it, it feels normal, at work, at home with the family, just a quick biscuit...I am lucky that I am not a grazer particularly and can go hours quite happily between meals, as long as I am busy! If I stop or feel tired I can be tempted, especially when someone else is having just a little snack! I have learnt that just that one biscuit will push my otherwise stable BGs up, not hugely but significantly. When I do feel like that snack I usually have nuts or cheese or something like that, I feel I'm still satisfying my need without the guilt and as others have said once you change your habits it actually does become quite easy! As long as you are snacking on something, make it a bit different! Otherwise if you have succumbed to the biscuit tin, bolus, we are all human
 
You definitely identified me - if I'm busy I'm good not thinking about food. Sit down (especially at my mums) and it's right what can I have
. To be fair my issues aren't with biscuits I don't have a sweet tooth (good job) but I love crisps! These are hard for me too as they are fatty which I find a bit of a bolus nightmare. I must say though if I cut them out for a week I go off them a bit and my tastes change hmmm
 
I snack and bolus. The only time I don't snack is after my evening meal as I don't like risking my BS being messed up before bed. I have carbs and bolus for them, but don't snack if my BS is out of range. I also try to keep my snacks below 25g carbs.
 
but I love crisps! ... fatty ... bolus nightmare. I must say though if I cut them out for a week I go off them a bit and my tastes change hmmm[/QUOTE]
I weaned myself off crisps, if it's cheese n oniony crackly crrunch you like, try ryvita(the sesame type is tasty) and a scrape butter? And marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder (powdered cheese n oniony flavour stock, sold in a greenish tub w orange lid)...
 
Dearbhla said:
but I love crisps! ... fatty ... bolus nightmare. I must say though if I cut them out for a week I go off them a bit and my tastes change hmmm
Click to expand...
I weaned myself off crisps, if it's cheese n oniony crackly crrunch you like, try ryvita(the sesame type is tasty) and a scrape butter? And marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder (powdered cheese n oniony flavour stock, sold in a greenish tub w orange lid)...[/QUOTE]
I have had a bit of a snack binge this weekend
. It's a new day tomorrow and I am going to be more persistent with quitting the crisps. I will have a go at some of these ideas
 
azure said:
I snack and bolus. The only time I don't snack is after my evening meal as I don't like risking my BS being messed up before bed. I have carbs and bolus for them, but don't snack if my BS is out of range. I also try to keep my snacks below 25g carbs.
Click to expand...
Great advice I think it's maybe me snacking when bg is out if range doesn't help. Am going to make sure I don't snack above a certain number.
 
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