The most/least successful things to do for managing blood sugar levels

[HHardy39]

Hello, I'd like to ask what people find they succeed with and what they struggle with most when it comes to managing blood sugar?

 

[bulkbiker]

I found that not eating carbohydrates was the most effective form of managing blood sugars.

It had multiple other benefits too!

 

[HSSS]

Agree with limiting carbs.

The hardest thing is the way they are so deeply ingrained in all food options available outside the home making it a juggling act getting what we need without paying for food we won’t eat. Some places have better options and are more willing to swap stuff than others. Cafe’s and coffee houses etc are near impossible.

 

[KennyA]

Hi and welcome to the forums. Like the others, I found that cutting carb intake was the single best thing - blood glucose back to normal in four months, weight loss followed, was able to restart exercise in due course.

The most difficult thing is eating out, especially "fast food", pub meals, most cafes, and when travelling. Airports in particular are a carb nightmare. I carry salami sticks, cheese, and nuts these days when travelling as a fallback. I once had ham egg and chips in a cafe, and got them to do it without chips. That was fine, but then they brought me a huge piece of cake, because I hadn't had the chips. That went back, but they were totally baffled.

 

[catinahat]

Welcome @HHardy39
I think the answers to your questions are all going to be very similar
The most successful for me was limiting carbs like the others, closely followed by intermittent fasting.
Giving up bread was my biggest problem, crusty bloomers still haunt my dreams.

 

[lovinglife]

Eating keto most successful for blood sugars, weight loss, psoriasis, diverticula disease, asthma, getting my life back all round.
Giving up fruit, I miss fruit every day. Oh and crisps -OMG I loved and miss crisps, especially in butties lol

 

[MrsA2]

Another for going low carb, but it wasn't difficult. Seeing the bg control and weight loss without hunger was amazing.

The downside is saying "no" to the unhealthy (for me) offerings provided by family and friends

 

[HHardy39]

I found that not eating carbohydrates was the most effective form of managing blood sugars.

It had multiple other benefits too!

Ooh! What types of things @bulkbiker (if you don't mind me asking - I'm trying to help a family member who's feeling overwhelmed and demotivated, so I'm also looking for some inspiration!)? Thank you

 

[HHardy39]

Another for going low carb, but it wasn't difficult. Seeing the bg control and weight loss without hunger was amazing.

The downside is saying "no" to the unhealthy (for me) offerings provided by family and friends

Thank you for your help @MrsA2. Do you mind if I ask how long it took to see the bg control and weight loss roughly (as I mentioned in another post, I'm trying to help one of my family who's just feeling overwhelmed and demotivated at the moment)?

How did your family and friends take it?

 

[HHardy39]

Eating keto most successful for blood sugars, weight loss, psoriasis, diverticula disease, asthma, getting my life back all round.
Giving up fruit, I miss fruit every day. Oh and crisps -OMG I loved and miss crisps, especially in butties lol

Thanks for sharing @lovinglife. I've read a lot about cutting out wheat and processed foods, not so much about the fruit. How did you find out about that?

 

[HHardy39]

Welcome @HHardy39
I think the answers to your questions are all going to be very similar
The most successful for me was limiting carbs like the others, closely followed by intermittent fasting.
Giving up bread was my biggest problem, crusty bloomers still haunt my dreams.

Thank you @catinahat. Yes, I'm getting that impression, but it's good to know there's something that works for people. How did you do the intermittent fasting?

Shame about the bread! Is even an occasional bit of sourdough out of bounds?

 

[HHardy39]

Hi and welcome to the forums. Like the others, I found that cutting carb intake was the single best thing - blood glucose back to normal in four months, weight loss followed, was able to restart exercise in due course.

The most difficult thing is eating out, especially "fast food", pub meals, most cafes, and when travelling. Airports in particular are a carb nightmare. I carry salami sticks, cheese, and nuts these days when travelling as a fallback. I once had ham egg and chips in a cafe, and got them to do it without chips. That was fine, but then they brought me a huge piece of cake, because I hadn't had the chips. That went back, but they were totally baffled.

Thank you @KennyA, we'll have to put some thought into eating out and travelling!

What sort of exercise have you found most useful?

 

[KennyA]

Thank you @KennyA, we'll have to put some thought into eating out and travelling!

What sort of exercise have you found most useful?

I play football twice a week, because I enjoy it. Don't know about useful. It's not intended to do anything with BGs or weight, but my overall physical fitness has improved this year.

Had to give up some years ago because of excess weight and a succession of injuries. Playing again is great - it gets me out of the house in all weathers, it's sociable, etc.

 

[lovinglife]

Thanks for sharing @lovinglife. I've read a lot about cutting out wheat and processed foods, not so much about the fruit. How did you find out about that?

Fruits are full of sugar (carbs) , the only ones I eat now are berries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and sometimes a piece of apple. It’s not sugar you are looking at but all carbs.

All carbs turn to sugar so things like bread, rice, pasta, flour, fruits, below ground veg such a potato, carrots, parsnips with the exception of celeriac are high in carbs (sugar). Have a good read round the low carb forum for loads of good info. Foods that are good are red meat, chicken, fish, pork, good high meat sausages, cream, butter, olive oil, avocados - above ground veggies, a few nuts be careful with peanuts and cashews.

Read the low carb recipe thread for some ideas also Google Diet Doctor which is a great site for info, charts on high to low carb, recipes and even meal plans to get you started. Don’t subscribe as most of the info is free to access. Take your time to digest and learn. Your family member is lucky to have you

 

[HHardy39]

Agree with limiting carbs.

The hardest thing is the way they are so deeply ingrained in all food options available outside the home making it a juggling act getting what we need without paying for food we won’t eat. Some places have better options and are more willing to swap stuff than others. Cafe’s and coffee houses etc are near impossible.

Thank you for the advice @HSSS, we'll have to do some experimenting with where we go out.

How do you manage limiting carbs? - different people seem to do different things!

 

[HHardy39]

Fruits are full of sugar (carbs) , the only ones I eat now are berries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and sometimes a piece of apple. It’s not sugar you are looking at but all carbs.

All carbs turn to sugar so things like bread, rice, pasta, flour, fruits, below ground veg such a potato, carrots, parsnips with the exception of celeriac are high in carbs (sugar). Have a good read round the low carb forum for loads of good info. Foods that are good are red meat, chicken, fish, pork, good high meat sausages, cream, butter, olive oil, avocados - above ground veggies, a few nuts be careful with peanuts and cashews.

Read the low carb recipe thread for some ideas also Google Diet Doctor which is a great site for info, charts on high to low carb, recipes and even meal plans to get you started. Don’t subscribe as most of the info is free to access. Take your time to digest and learn. Your family member is lucky to have you

Thank you for all your advice and help @lovinglife, I'll go and have a look!

 

[catinahat]

Thank you @catinahat. Yes, I'm getting that impression, but it's good to know there's something that works for people. How did you do the intermittent fasting?

Shame about the bread! Is even an occasional bit of sourdough out of bounds?

For me the intermittent fasting just seemed to follow on naturally from low carbing.
T2's have trouble using carbs for energy so instead of being able to use the glucose from carbs it was being stored as fat, I was getting fatter and hungrier.
When I started to use protein and healthy fats for fuel, my hunger and the extra weight just seemed to magically disappear. Instead of eating every few hours and waking up ravenous, I found my self hardly thinking about food at all, sometimes missing meals without even realising.
Breakfast was the easiest meal to cut because I just wasn't hungry, I found I was eating it out of habit. Why eat if your not hungry, now I don't really have any set times to eat, I just eat when I need to, sometimes two meals a day sometimes one, occasionally none.
I must admit not having bread is hard and I have been so tempted on many occasions. There are low carb breads out there and I've tried a few but found them to fall short of the real thing. My problem with having the occasional treat is basically I'm a breadaholic, one slice or one sandwich wouldn't be enough, the occasional treat would go to once a month, a week, a day. Bread is definitely my kryptonite.

 

[HHardy39]

I play football twice a week, because I enjoy it. Don't know about useful. It's not intended to do anything with BGs or weight, but my overall physical fitness has improved this year.

Had to give up some years ago because of excess weight and a succession of injuries. Playing again is great - it gets me out of the house in all weathers, it's sociable, etc.

@KennyA Sounds like fun! And definitely useful if you enjoy it and it's sociable I'm glad you're enjoying playing again.

Thanks for your help and advice.

 

[bulkbiker]

Ooh! What types of things @bulkbiker (if you don't mind me asking - I'm trying to help a family member who's feeling overwhelmed and demotivated, so I'm also looking for some inspiration!)? Thank you

When diagnosed I weighed 23 stone and had
T2 diabetes
Sleep apnea
Acid reflux
Needed to pee every 30 minutes (including during the night)
Shortness of breath
Inability to walk far without multiple rest stops.

All of the above have now gone completely.... I do still snore a bit but that's about it.

 

[filly]

Thank you for the advice @HSSS, we'll have to do some experimenting with where we go out.

How do you manage limiting carbs? - different people seem to do different things!

I track everything on Cronometer. Set it for Keto. Then tend to watch carbs more closely as need to keep below 20 if possible but can have a day at 30. Bearing in mind I am also losing weight. Good Luck.