need diabetes dieting help and support
 

just starting to try again...for the umpteenth time...52 years old, motherof 7, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 4 years ago, and have never gotten serious about taking care of myself. Overweight forever, I'm currently at 227 pounds, and need to get to about 150,,,but my current goal is to lose 8 pounds in the first month.

I'm re-reading all my diabetes education materials on counting carbs, am committing to 10,000 steps per day, will try to drink 32 ounces of water per day (bleck!), and will try to choke down the 5 meds I'm supposed to take each day.

I am very private about my weight-I find it hard to talk to people about it. Maybe chatting online will help me-I want to be around for many more years, and it's starting to dawn on me that simply wishing forit won't make it happen!

Hello and welcome. Im afraid i dont know anything about diabetes and the diet to follow but i wanted to say that you will get to your goal with the great support on fitday. Im sure there will be members who can advice you more. but you certainly sound determined and you are right to read all the information on whats best for your health. Stick with it and although i cant offer help from the diabetes side of things im always here to help with keeping your spirits high. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

I'll second that! Welcome leo!
 

There is a ton of support here. And lots of ladies with lots of experience to share.

I do know a bit about diabetes and the best thing you can do is get your weight under control. I think you will be surprised how much better you will feel after a couple of weeks of 10K steps and good, healthy eating. There have been a number of posts over the months by folks who have conquered diabetes, so here are my prayers that you become one of those stories too!

Pam

PS: try adding either Crystal lite or Propel to that water. I'm with you, plain water isn't very appealing all by itself.

Hey, welcome to the forum. I'm here doing the same thing you are, trying to get healthy for the sake of my family. So far I'm doing pretty well, fitday is a great tool when it comes to keeping yourself on top of the calories. Personally I don't have diabetes, but it runs in my husband's family big time. So we keep a pretty close eye on the honey and the kids around here. Good luck and you might consider checking out the 100+ club. There is a really great group on that thread, super supportive and super friendly. My advice on the water is to make it into green tea, it's much tastier and it also boosts your metabolism.

Thank you!
 

Thanks almeeker, runbikeski, and traceymc for the warm welcome! I can use your continued encouragement-your stories of success and of getting support here is exactly what I needed to hear to get this journey on the road!

Look for more posts from me, with questions, and small steps of success!!

Here I go!

Oh and I forgot to give you a big thumbs up on the 10K steps. I got a pedometer for Christmas, I love that dumb thing! I put it on in the morning and wear it all day every day. I do worry that one of these days I'm going to send it through the washing machine, yikes!

Hi there,
I'm 36 and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 4 years ago this summer. I lost about 60 pounds through diet and exercise and have been maintaining since. Currently I have regained about 8 pounds and would like to lose those, but I'm at a 20 BMI so I'm still in the healthy range!

I will say that all the doctors and nutritionists I met with didn't know a thing about diabetes! The diabetes forum saved my life and my sanity. I learned about different types of carbs, what my numbers should be, when to test, etc...There is a lot of love and support on that forum. I don't visit anymore, but for the first 1 1/2 I was there several times a day.

For me, losing the weight was key to keeping my diabetes under control as was finding ways to continue to enjoy food without being unhealthy. I used to love carbs (especially sweets). I don't eat them at all now because I think of sugar and white flour as a drug. Once you stop eating them, you lose the cravings. I still eat carbs, but only things like low carb wraps, steel cut oats, fruits and veggies. It's a matter of determining what is good for your body. Always test 2 hours after a meal. That will help you figure out what your body can and can't handle.

There are lots of low carb options out there, but you have to search the internet for them. I have tried a lot of things from netrition.com and carbsmart.com. When a cookie craving really strikes, I make a peanut butter cookie with 1 cup peanut butter (all natural, no sugar), 1 egg and 1 cup z sweet sweetner (cooks much better than splenda). I top each cookie with a small bite of 85% dark chocolate. Delish and about 40 calories each.

I wish you luck. Congrats to you for taking charge of your health. It really does feel so much better to know you are doing what is right for your body.

Thanks so much for the information and the inspiration! I've pretty much dealt with the diabetes by ignoring it-putting off doctor's appointments, not testing, not taking meds daily...and for a lot of reasons, I'm ready to turn things upside down in my life and get on track...I look forward to visiting more with you as I move forward!

Clapping my hands here for your new direction and your new determination, I think for most of us that's half the battle.

You know the funny part, I'm not a diabetic, but I'm doing most of the diet recommendations in peacemaker74's post, and I feel so much better for it. Good luck honey.

I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy. At first I was heartbroken, but it has turned out to be a real blessing. I HAD to stick to the diet. So I didn't gain huge, and after a short break from the diet, I went back to a modified version. Now I'm 18 lbs lighter than I started.

If you like, I can email you the spreadsheet I used to track food and sugars.