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Sustainable lifestyle change

Flamingo74

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
I am T2, diagnosed approx 2 months ago and prescribed Metformin 500mg.

I have worked really hard to change my diet/lifestyle and have been really strict with myself following a low carb diet and intermittent fasting. I have lost a stone in weight so far and am feeling positive and determined.

At what point, if any, can I add in an odd treat? Maybe an ice cream or milkshake, square of chocolate or is this now a complete no-no.

I am not looking to cheat, if I can’t have these things then I can’t. My main aim is to reverse the T2 and keep myself well.
 
High cocoa content chocolate(85% or more) and low carb ice cream (something like Oppo) should be ok providing they don't lead you down the wrong path. As with everything it's a case of the amount you have and testing the effect on blood glucose..
In your shoes I'd be tempted to wait a bit longer before introducing food types that could trigger old addictions..but you know yourself I don't.
Frozen raspberries with double cream can make a nice low carb ice cream alternative.
 
Hi @Flamingo74 welcome to the forum. It is up to you whether you try something new it’s not cheating at all. If you test try it and see what effect it has. Chocolate wise I often have a couple of squares of 70 to 85% dark chocolate and I do have ice cream occasionally. I know some, like @Rachox, have Oppo ice cream (I think that’s what it’s called) but I have Kelly’s Cornish which may be too carby for some! However I am lucky in that I seem to be able to tolerate more carbs that many on here - I average between 100 - 130g per day but do occasionally go higher or lower and have managed to keep my hba1c within non diabetic levels for approx 5 years.
 

Honestly? I would wait for a while till you’ve got cemented into the lifestyle and curbed cravings. Plus testing will always help out, when you’re in the 4’s and 5’s most of the time and feel good then indulge now and then. But please make sure to test so you are not spiking but IF will help to curb things a bit too. You still have to live but @bulkbiker has some amazing suggestions there that really helped me to transition well.
 
I’m not currently testing, my diabetic nurse didn’t think it was worth it presently. My Hbac1 was really high (106) so I know I have a long way to go and am committed to making this better.
 
Flamingo74 said:
I’m not currently testing, my diabetic nurse didn’t think it was worth it presently. My Hbac1 was really high (106) so I know I have a long way to go and am committed to making this better.
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Unfortunately that seems to be the advice given by most diabetic nurses which is, quite frankly, wrong. If you can please invest in a meter as this will show you how different foods affects your blood glucose and you can adjust your diet accordingly and help you in your endeavour to reduce your hba1c. Several on the forum use Tee 2 meters and @Bluetit1802 has some good information on meters.
 
Flamingo74 said:
I’m not currently testing, my diabetic nurse didn’t think it was worth it presently. My Hbac1 was really high (106) so I know I have a long way to go and am committed to making this better.
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Hmm I think you'd be far better off getting a handle on your blood sugars. The motivation factor of watching them go down is powerful.
 
Flamingo74 said:
I’m not currently testing, my diabetic nurse didn’t think it was worth it presently. My Hbac1 was really high (106) so I know I have a long way to go and am committed to making this better.
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I agree with Daphne about this rather sorry piece of advice given to folks myself included. Being the swot I am however , I’d already purchased one before but it’s really only in participating in this forum that I learnt to use it.

They’re not to expensive and I’d say it’s a way to see for yourself just how you are doing and how what you eat directly affects you as well as what you do eg. Housework, exercise, stress etc
 
I agree with all of the above, not testing is like driving without a working speedo and you only know you’ve done wrong when the speeding ticket arrives! If you are going to indulge in some low carb treats such as dark chocolate or Oppo ice-cream (Oppo make cheesecakes too), then you need to test to see if you can tolerate them. I didn’t eat any of these til my HbA1c was back to non diabetic.
Here’s some info on meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free which has the cheapest strips available. However I found itto be becoming less and less reliable. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go:

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
 

How often and when should I test ?
 

Thank you. Will look into these.
 
I make my own..Frozen strawberries, coconut milk, a little unsweetened almond milk, teaspoon of vanilla essence. I put all the ingredients into my Ninja blender and pulse a few times..Delicious ice cream. It actually tastes like the really good parlour ice cream, and I know what has gone into it..
 
Flamingo74 said:
How often and when should I test ?
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Before eating and around 2hrs after starting the meal. You want rise of no more than 2mmol ideally and hopefully less. More means you haven’t process the amounts of carbs you ate efficiently so that quantity will need adjusting next time you eat the meal or if it’s bad not eat that food anymore. These changes (ie small differences in before and after) can happen pretty quickly with good food choices.

In a perfect world a highest reading at the 2hr mark would be no more than 7.8mmol but many members like less once they have things in hand. It can take some time so don’t panic if it takes longer for the overall levels to come down.

A fasting reading first thing is the other time people check. This is often the last reading to come into line and reach desirable levels, maybe even a year or more in some cases. For now I’d do a few of these so you know where you are starting from but focus more on getting the food right. These fasting readings will follow in time.
 
As others have already said, by testing you will have a better idea of what you can and cannot have. I regularly make chocolate mousse for a treat.... 2 squares of Lindt 90% melted into 60ml double cream and a sprinkle of erythritol. Minimal carbs and feels very indulgent.
 
Hello and welcome @Flamingo74! If you Google "eat to your meter" you will find tons of information and reasons about why all type 2 diabetes sufferers should use a blood glucose meter. It is unfortunate that many "professionals" do not yet emphasize this critical life saving information, how can you possibly get better if you do not have the means to help yourself...
 
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PamJHS said:
Re meters, can I ask about getting rid of 'sharps'?
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The only sharp I use is a lancet which I change on average about once every 3 months (if I remember) I usually stick it in the box the test strips came in and dispose of that in the bin.
 
Central advice is not to provide meters and strips for type 2s, but a few GPs will prescribe them. I have to buy my own but I'm glad I did.
I used it to check how low I needed to go to get my blood sugars under 5.7, which foods triggered spikes and how much carb I can eat in one meal. At first I did a fasting blood and before and 2hrs after meals, then less often but did one every time I ate more carbs or added back a food I'd not had since starting low carb.
I was lucky - my blood sugar went down while on 85g of carbs a day as long as I never ate more than 30g in one meal. However, I found strawberries raised my BS more than the same amount of carbs in raspberries.

Now I usually test once a week to make sure my BS is still under 5.5.
 
PamJHS said:
Re meters, can I ask about getting rid of 'sharps'?
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In Alberta, you can get containers from the drug store (free) to place your sharps in and return them for disposal (free), the same for needles for insulin users. I personally use a new lancet each time I test and place the used ones in a small empty jam jar with the used test strips until full, then get a sharps container from the drug store. I'm sure there must be similar programs worldwide...
 
PamJHS said:
Re meters, can I ask about getting rid of 'sharps'?
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Assuming you are in the UK.

I asked the council for a sharps disposal box. If you pay council tax you are entitled to one which they will deliver to you.
 
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