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Too busy to take care of yourself

lucylocket61

lucylocket61

Expert
Messages
6,394
Location
Wrexham
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
What do you do on the days when you are too busy to remember to test, or eat regularly?

Or days when you cant get to good food eg. out somewhere where all the food is junk?

Would a day off really harm me?

I am type 2 controlled (or not) by diet only.
 
No I think that an occasional day off is good for you but even so I try not to be really bad. Whether those days off are planned like say weekend treats or unplanned because of workload etc makes no difference imo.
 
If I know I am going to be out and about then I pack a lunch to take with me. This might be a big chicken salad or cooked sausages, boiled eggs, crustless quiche and veg etc. I usually take something I can graze on. :)
 
Actually, diabetes is a life changing event, or at least it was for me and although i am not controlled by the disease, i am controlling it. However in order to do so and hopefully 'live long and prosper' as Spock would say you actually have to take time to look after yourself otherwise its down the slippery slope you go and all the complications will eventually appear and you will regret not looking after yourself. Its up to you to make time to eat well, test and do all the things you need to do as a diabetic to stay ahead and keep well. It wont happen on its own. OK, we alre all human, slips are made, we fall off the wagon now and then but are you saying you do this on a regular basis? Ime on a diet for the rest of my life as far as ime concerened. I eat at every mealtime, especially breakfast and having lost a lot of weight havnt felt so good for ages even though i wasnt really heavy when diagnosed last July.
I think you should consider standing back and have a good look at your life and see where you can improve your lifestyle. Ime not trying to preach at you[yes i fall off the wagon] but not too many times of late. You have this problem for life, it wont go away so its over to you.

Andy
 
lucylocket61 said:
What do you do on the days when you are too busy to remember to test, or eat regularly?

Or days when you cant get to good food eg. out somewhere where all the food is junk?

Would a day off really harm me?

I am type 2 controlled (or not) by diet only.
Click to expand...

How would you cope if you were dealing with your child having diabetes? You certainly wouldn't take a day off so you have to parent yourself and eat well but don't go overboard on foods that upset your management.
 
OK, Thanks, I get this now. Even though my Doctors says I only have Mild Diabestes, every meal and day counts.

so, is there a site which show alternative packed lunches and stuff please? I am the worlds worst planner and like a zombie in the mornings. And I cant get my head round what to eat instead of a sandwich.
 
lucylocket61 said:
OK, Thanks, I get this now. Even though my Doctors says I only have Mild Diabestes, every meal and day counts.

so, is there a site which show alternative packed lunches and stuff please? I am the worlds worst planner and like a zombie in the mornings. And I cant get my head round what to eat instead of a sandwich.
Click to expand...

There are some suggestions on this thread, but a nice leafy salad with boiled eggs, tomato's, cucumber, radish, celery, what ever you like. Even slices of green peppers (red and yellow peppers are slightly higher carb). You can add cooked meat, chicken, etc as well. You could make it all up the night before and pop it in the fridge.

My own view is the same as is expressed here. Diabetes is a life long condition that has to be controlled every day. As has been mentioned on this forum before, and odd treat is ok. but daily management is the only way to stave off diabetes complications.
 
lucylocket61 said:
And I cant get my head round what to eat instead of a sandwich.
Click to expand...

Have you tested yourself after a Burgen sandwich? You may find that 18g low GI carbs in a Burgen sandwich is OK for you, lots do but you wont know unless you test :thumbup:
 
I had a look at Burgen but both varieties have nuts or seeds in, and I have jaw problems and cant eat them :(
 
Good idea. I have a wide mouthed flask to carry it out with.

No root veg - is that correct? Only plants which grow above the ground?

And I can use the meat bones for stock :)
 
lucylocket61 said:
so, is there a site which show alternative packed lunches and stuff please? I am the worlds worst planner and like a zombie in the mornings. And I cant get my head round what to eat instead of a sandwich.
Click to expand...

Being a driver by day, and a keen angler packed lunches were a big issue for me when I was first diagnosed!

Now I make really "meaty" salads in a seal-able plastic box the night before - for tomorrows fishing trip I've packed a camping stove, and bacon mushroom and eggs for breakfast, and a large box of salad with two cooked chicken breasts sliced up and all mixed in for lunch. snacks are covered by a small box of strawberries

Much nicer than a couple of limp ham sandwiches :)

Mat
 
lucylocket61 said:
Good idea. I have a wide mouthed flask to carry it out with.

No root veg - is that correct? Only plants which grow above the ground?

And I can use the meat bones for stock :)
Click to expand...

You could add meat or fish if you fancy. I tend to stick to the above ground rule, but sometimes it is wrong. Sweetcorn is out. Peas are pretty high. Red onions are lower carb than white.

Try googling low carb soup. I bet a load comes up :D
 
Find things out there that you CAN eat and dont look back and panic about the things you cant. theres so many foods out there that make a very tasty meal :)
Cheese is great - i have it with just about everything!! cream cheese, cheddar, all sorts :wink:
 
When I'm working I make a salad that I'm going to have for lunch after I've eaten the evening before, so I can just grab it from the fridge on the way out. Before I'd always go to the sandwich shop and get a baguette, but those days are long gone now. I never thought I'd be so organised, but I've got used to it now.
 
I have found a couple of things really useful.

The first is to have a few really small tupperware pots - I have a couple that are about 1"x1"x2" and one about twice that size. I have another that's big enough for a small salad and another cylindrical one for soup. This are the good type with the clip on lids.

The second key thing is to have lots of different things in the fridge, so that you can vary what you put in the pots each day. A quick peak in the fridge would reveal (in addition to salad stuff), cooked beetroot, cooked meatballs, greek yoghurt, a bowl of red berries, silverskin onions, sun dried tomatoes.
I also have pilchards, peppered mackerel, peanuts and cherry tomatoes.
In the morning I always put peanuts and greek yog with fruit in the smaller pots and today I had onions, meatballs, beetroot and sun dried tomato in the 3rd. Then I took some soup (Waitrose essential is good and lowish carb).

That way I get to snack and can eat mostly anywhere. You can even have the soup cold and drink it straight from the pot.

It takes me about 10 mins in the morning, but I do it just before I go out and once I've had breakfast and a shower. It's quite fun really.
 
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