Travelling with diabetes.

Hi Jo,

I haven't travelled for more than 3 weeks, so haven't really got any advice on obtaining/keeping insulin abroad.

On the weightloss front, I am probably going to say the same old boring stuff as your doctor, but it works for me. When I want to lose weight, I eat less food and when I want to gain, I eat more. The most influencial food in terms of losing and gaining weight (and hence, the one I focus on) is the carbohydrate in my diet. Having counted and recorded EVERYTHING I eat, every insulin shot and all exercise I do for the last 6 months, I find I lose weight when eating anything under 150g of carbohydrate per day. I gain weight - muscle or fat, depending on activity levels - if I eat more than 250g of carbs per day. I.e. Lift weights at the gym = gain muscle. Do nothing = gain a spare tyre. Anything between 150g and 250g of carbs per day tends to keep me stable, with average exercise/activity levels.

Everyone is different, obviously, but due to the way a diabetic's body works, carb counting has been the easiest method for weight management I've found.

I eat as balanced a diet as possible, majority made up of fresh fruit and vegetables and keep sweet treats to a minimum. I don't exclude them, as the odd treat makes me happy But I definitely eat less sugary stuff than when I was not diabetic.

Hope that wasn't too samey.

Sam.