Pre-diabetic diagnosis ~ how do I approach this lifestyle?

SazzySuze
SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
edited November 2024 in Social Groups
Hi. I'm new to the low carb lifestyle and new to MFP. My doctor recently told me that I had pre-diabetes but still had time to turn this thing around. She said to eat more veggies and fruits and less processed foods and my grains needed to be whole grains. That's about all she offered in terms of advice about my eating, so I'm guessing low carb is the way to go. I've been staying away from pasta, rice, sugar, and breads and eating more veggies and fruits but decided to actually start counting carbs today to help me lose weight. I need to lose about 50-60 pounds to be at my ideal weight. Right now I have my nutrition goals set for 15% carbs, 20% protein, and 65% fats (based on some of the posts I've seen) and 1,312 calories. Does this seem doable for someone with pre-diabetes or should these macros be looking a lot different in my case? Also, I noticed that fruits have a lot of carbs. Should I not eat fruits or does the fiber kind of cancel out the carbs, so to speak? Please be gentle. ... I've seen what happens in the forums. Like I said, I'm new and unlearned. Open to suggestions!
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Replies

  • GSD_Mama
    GSD_Mama Posts: 629 Member
    You probably don't want to eat too many fruits as they are full of sugar/fructose. Eat berries instead. Grains, regardless of what kind, all are carb loaded. Here is keto calculator to help you with setting up your macros.

    http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    Please read this link at the top, a lot of information to educate yourself. My best wishes!!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    Welcome! You're not alone. Probably something like 1 in 4 people are pre-diabetic, insulin resistant, have metabolic syndrome, etc.

    For me, it helps to understand that the cause is the combination of an excess in carbs + a chronic excess in calories. If you reduce both, you'll be fine.

    Also, it's helpful to understand that your body is telling you that low-carb should be a way of life for you. So find both a level of carb intake and a mix of food that you can stick with for the long term.

    Set a gram target for carbs, not a percentage. If you want a couple tried-and-true methods, check out the New Atkins or Protein Power books.

    Fruit is OK in small quantities, but berries are better.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    The most important thing for you to do is to exercise and lose weight. Low carb is fantastic and an absolute blessing for some of us but you don't want to fall down the low carb rabbit hole and lose sight of exercising and losing weight being key. It's perfectly ok to start off incorporating more exercise and activity into your day, logging your calories, eating more whole foods and slowly bringing your carb count down to a healthy level that matches your activity.

    The only exception to the slow approach would be if your appetite feels out of control and you're always hungry. If that's the case the macro range you have above seems like a good start. You will have to limit some fruits and even vegetables when eating a strict low carb diet. Best wishes. :smile:

  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    edited April 2015
    Thanks everyone! I did use the keto calculator and put in 50g carbs and 70g protein to get started and these were the percentages that it kicked back to me. I tried to lose weight last year solely based on calorie counting and wasn't very successful. I would hit plateaus that lasted for months and my significant other hated that I was so crazy with the calorie counting (weighing my food, taking forever to make choices at restaurants, etc). I would like to take a "relaxed approach", but I'm not sure that's even possible. It would help if I only had to worry about carbs but seems like calories are a big deal, too. Ugh. My knees and feet are pretty bad so the only exercise I do is a walk in the evenings, but I chase a toddler around and clean house most of the day. Thank you all for your help.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    Suze. It sounds like you are heading in the right direction. I finally cut carbs to 5% is protein 15-20% and fats 75-80% and walk at least a 1/4 mile daily but now spring is here I do some manual labor keeping up the place. I was 63 when I got serious last Oct and cut out carbs and in very POOR health. Seven months later not only have I lost 20 pounds without going hungry or cutting net calories in any real way but just stayed away from most all carbs unless they are about 50% fiber like in almonds and coconut meat.

    Main thing is to get started as you have done. If you can stop doing new damage with your new eating lifestyle over the next few years you may reverse some current damage since you are still so young.
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    Usually, if you take care of the carbs, the calories will take care of themselves. The weight loss will come if you stick with it. You'll stick with it if it becomes a habit. It'll become a habit if you log everyday and hang out here. :)
  • KaysKidz
    KaysKidz Posts: 208 Member
    I am also prediabetic and doing low carb. I would double check your calories, that seems awfully low. My macros, without exercise, are 75 carbs (I tend to net well under 50), 100 protein and 144 fat. But, I have over 100lbs to lose and get almost 2,000 calories a day. I usually eat 1600-1800. I have lost 14.6lbs since cutting bread and pasta from my diet, in one month.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    Thanks. You guys are giving me a lot of hope which is dearly needed. Many in my family have died as a direct result of high blood pressure and diabetes. I'm 40 years old with a 2 year old daughter that deserves to have me there at her graduation.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    KaysKidz wrote: »
    I am also prediabetic and doing low carb. I would double check your calories, that seems awfully low. My macros, without exercise, are 75 carbs (I tend to net well under 50), 100 protein and 144 fat. But, I have over 100lbs to lose and get almost 2,000 calories a day. I usually eat 1600-1800. I have lost 14.6lbs since cutting bread and pasta from my diet, in one month.

    MFP actually set my calories for 1200. I changed them to 1312 based on information from the keto calculator mentioned above. I'm 40 years old, 5'2", 164 pounds. Knowing my measurements, does that still seem low? Have you made any changes to your diet other than cutting bread and pasta?
  • KaysKidz
    KaysKidz Posts: 208 Member
    SazzySuze wrote: »
    Have you made any changes to your diet other than cutting bread and pasta?
    Yes I have, but those were the easiest and most obvious changes for me. Did that for a couple weeks, then started tracking and getting more serious. Now I measure/weigh nearly everything, make sure I am at a deficit. And keep my carbs in check. I am learning a whole new approach to cooking and eating food. I am finding that my food has more flavor and I am enjoying what I eat. :) I am loving my new way of life!
  • KaysKidz
    KaysKidz Posts: 208 Member
    SazzySuze wrote: »

    MFP actually set my calories for 1200. I changed them to 1312 based on information from the keto calculator mentioned above. I'm 40 years old, 5'2", 164 pounds. Knowing my measurements, does that still seem low
    It looks like your base calories just to function is 1362, so you shouldn't go below that. What calculator did you use? I plugged your numbers into this one. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    KaysKidz wrote: »
    SazzySuze wrote: »

    MFP actually set my calories for 1200. I changed them to 1312 based on information from the keto calculator mentioned above. I'm 40 years old, 5'2", 164 pounds. Knowing my measurements, does that still seem low
    It looks like your base calories just to function is 1362, so you shouldn't go below that. What calculator did you use? I plugged your numbers into this one. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    I used that same calculator but I may be doing something wrong. :/ I put in 5'2", 164 pounds, my age, and lightly active and it says 1875 calories. It says my body fat is 43% so I put in 43% in that box. Under carbs I put 50g. Under protein it says 57 is no exercise and 93 is very active, so I put in 65. Next area I put in 30% deficit and it says I need to eat 1,312 calories and 95g fat a day. With all that input, it says I'll lose 4.7 pounds in the 1st month. I tried a lower deficit and it only had me losing about 2 pounds a month which is very discouraging. What am I doing too little or too much of in my calculations?
  • Teneko
    Teneko Posts: 314 Member
    You're stressing losing fast.
    Relax and work on getting good eating habits and getting better. The weight will come off when it wants to. Most people have great results on low carb / keto, but I really wouldn't fret the "let's drop a ton of weight ASAP" part.

    Anecdotal evidence in support of diet / lifestyle changes:
    Fiance's friend found out recently that he is diabetic. As in, had to take insulin. Fiance's been on the keto diet for a while, and lifts / works out regularly. He started taking his buddy to the gym with him and started him on a light routine. He also coached him on eating. Although the friend is still quite stubborn, he did stop his soda habit and now drinks plenty of water. His sugar cravings are still bad, and he unfortunately indulges them still (although with Atkins bars at least, instead of ice cream). His friend walks a very fine line between low carb, and "treating himself". The good news is that after just a few months with exercise and better diet, his doc says he doesn't need the insulin anymore and doesn't need to keep seeing him. Wow.
    I'm going to fix up some keto frosting for my fiance to take back to his friend to try to help keep him on track and still satisfy those cravings. Hope he stays better, and hope you can get yourself healthy as well.

    -T.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    Thanks Teneko. I guess I am wanting to lose it fast, but I thought a pound a week was actually reasonable. Ugh. The anecdotal evidence is nice. I cut out sodas over a year ago, and have been making slow changes to my diet ever since my father died about 2 years ago. It was like a blow to the face to hear from my doctor that, despite my efforts, I am pre-diabetic and still headed on a downward slope. Before then, I had been patting myself on the back for all the changes I've made. I'm frustrated not knowing what to do to help myself. I told my doctor that same line and she just said "Well, if you hadn't made those changes, then I'd be making a full-blown diabetes diagnosis right now." I guess that was supposed to make me feel better. Anywho... thanks for telling me about your fiance's friend. :)
  • Keliandra
    Keliandra Posts: 170 Member
    edited April 2015
    SazzySuze wrote: »

    I used that same calculator but I may be doing something wrong. :/ I put in 5'2", 164 pounds, my age, and lightly active and it says 1875 calories. It says my body fat is 43% so I put in 43% in that box. Under carbs I put 50g. Under protein it says 57 is no exercise and 93 is very active, so I put in 65. Next area I put in 30% deficit and it says I need to eat 1,312 calories and 95g fat a day. With all that input, it says I'll lose 4.7 pounds in the 1st month. I tried a lower deficit and it only had me losing about 2 pounds a month which is very discouraging. What am I doing too little or too much of in my calculations?

    1312 seems low...but you are a small person in height, so it actually may be correct. :)

    Here is what mine are:

    Female
    261 pounds
    69 inches
    45 years
    49% body fat
    Sedentary. Typical desk job, little to no exercise.

    1887 kcal Base Metabolic Rate
    2265 kcal total daily energy expenditure

    My personal macros:

    1785 kcal Daily Calorie Intake
    75 g Carbohydrates (17%)
    90 g Protein (20%)
    125 g Fat (63%)

    This puts me at about a 20% deficit.

    ROFL 164 pounds is my GOAL weight! Also, keep in mind that I am full on diabetic because I ignored the warning of pre-diabetes. This mornings BG reading was 185, after 50 units of insulin last night. :( Of course, I almost doubled my carb intake yesterday, too.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    Keliandra, 164 is probably not a bad weight at all for someone of your height. At my height,164 is in the obese range at 43% body fat. I'm so confused on what to do. I wish I could afford to visit a dietitian and them just tell me what to do. I'm a better follower than I am a leader. How much weight are you losing at a 20% deficit on an average week, if I may ask? 75g carbs seems more doable than 50. I can do without the bread and pasta and rice, but veggies and fruits? I need those, I think. Or maybe I'm just fooling myself. I had a large serving of broccoli today for a snack and it was 9g carbs. I could hardly believe it. 9 g just on freaking broccoli. -.-
  • Keliandra
    Keliandra Posts: 170 Member
    I do a salad every day. I ate a box of raspberries last night. On average, I lose 5-9 pounds a month. I just got back onto eating like this after losing my focus and putting back on 35 of the 52 pounds I had lost. Here is what a typical day looks like for me.

    Breakfast
    Butter - Unsalted, 1 tbsp (in the coffee btw)
    Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 8 fl oz
    Egg, Generic - Egg, Large Grade A, 2.25 whole egg
    Land of Lakes - Heavy Whipping Cream, 4 tbsp
    Nestle (Coffee Mate) - Creme Brulee Creamer, 2 Tbsp

    Lunch
    Chicken Breast - Skinless/boneless/grilled, 3.55 oz
    Baby Spinach, Raw, 1 cups
    Carrot, Raw - Any Form, 1 oz
    Cucumber, Raw - Any Form (With Peel), 1 oz
    Hidden Valley - Original Ranch Salad Dressing, 35 ml
    Baby Spring Mix, 1 cups
    Radish, Raw, Red, 1 oz
    Tomato, Grape, 2 oz
    Cabbage, Purple, raw, 1 oz
    Sliced almonds or roasted sunflower seeds, 1 oz
    Cheese, Cheddar, sharp, 1 oz.

    I usually do a protein bar as my snack around 3 pm. Dinner usually consists of 1 cup of a hot veg and 5-7 oz of meat. Dessert is berries, or dark chocolate. May also have hot tea with cream or butter at night too.


  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    I didn't even eat breakfast this morning and I'll be within 100 calories and 10g carb of my target if I don't eat anything else. :/ I don't know how I'm supposed to make this work. Still about 2 1/2 hours til dinner and I feel like I'm starving to death. :( I would love some fruit, but I don't have enough nutrients left at the end of the day to afford it.

    Morning
    coffee with stevia and half and half

    Lunch
    turkey burger, no bun
    lettuce
    onions
    slice of tomato
    a pickle
    mayo and mustard

    Snack
    big bowl of broccoli

    Dinner
    cup of green beans
    about 6 oz. balsamic onion pot roast (diced tomatoes, seasonings, boneless chuck roast, onions, balsamic vinegar, beef broth)
  • KaysKidz
    KaysKidz Posts: 208 Member
    edited April 2015
    ^^ That is what I get when I plug your stats.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    KaysKidz wrote: »
    ^^ That is what I get when I plug your stats.
    I get that, too. Then below that is where I'm sure that I'm doing something wrong. It says my body fat is 43% so I put 43 in the box under "how much body fat do you have". Then it asks about carbs and I put in 50g. Then it talks about protein needs being based on activity level and choose a number between 57 and 93. So I put 65. Then I put in 30% deficit because 20% had me losing about 2 pounds a month and 30% says I lose 4.7 pounds a month. Then THAT'S when it tells me that I need 1,312 calories and 95 g fat daily. Now I've went and eaten a lot of pork rinds because I know they are carb free but I've went way over my calories and fat grams for the day. :( I'm so frustrated.
  • GSD_Mama
    GSD_Mama Posts: 629 Member
    How did you measure your body fat? Is it accurate?
    Drop stevia and add coconut oil or butter to your coffee, drop half and half and use whole milk heavy whipping cream instead. This will keep you fuller longer

    Try cutting your broccoli by half, add some proteins like bacon. Onions and tomatoes have carbs, use in moderation.

    Balsamic vinegar, how much carbs/sugar is in it? You can try dry rub and smother your meat with butter instead of all those carby spices. Add mushrooms, sautéed spinach with olive oil and cream cheese, it's delicoiuse and filling.

    Just count your carbs, you can try lower amount if you're not losing and go from there.
    Good luck and keep experimenting, something will have to give soon or later. Be patient with yourself, remember, it takes time to see the benefits!
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    itcphotog wrote: »
    How did you measure your body fat? Is it accurate?
    Drop stevia and add coconut oil or butter to your coffee, drop half and half and use whole milk heavy whipping cream instead. This will keep you fuller longer

    Try cutting your broccoli by half, add some proteins like bacon. Onions and tomatoes have carbs, use in moderation.

    Balsamic vinegar, how much carbs/sugar is in it? You can try dry rub and smother your meat with butter instead of all those carby spices. Add mushrooms, sautéed spinach with olive oil and cream cheese, it's delicoiuse and filling.

    Just count your carbs, you can try lower amount if you're not losing and go from there.
    Good luck and keep experimenting, something will have to give soon or later. Be patient with yourself, remember, it takes time to see the benefits!
    I went with the body fat percentage that the keto calculator suggested I had. I'm not sure if that's accurate or not. I'm already over on the protein macro, too, and if I had used more fats like butter and such then I would be even more over my calories and fats than I am now. Maybe I don't understand how this works? Balsamic vinegar has about 2g carbs per Tbsp and used 1/4 cup for the entire roast. I plan to eat 1/6 of that roast. It's an old recipe I have that my significant other loves and I thought it would be ok because it was mostly just meat and veggies. Once I started adding everything up, it was a lot more than I originally thought. Probably won't make it again anytime soon. Am I not supposed to worry about the calories and just focus on the carbs? I think it's going to be terribly difficult for me to try to control both of those things at once because the fat I need to help keep me full has a lot of calories and I'll go over my targets every time.
  • Teneko
    Teneko Posts: 314 Member
    I'm 5'4 and currently weigh 141 lbs (hovering between 140 and 142 lbs). I was 152 lbs last October. According to the numbers I am using, I should be losing a pound a week, but I'm not. It's incredibly slow, but I am seeing my body shape up and fit into my old jeans so I am trying not to stress it.

    My numbers are:
    Your Daily Goal:
    1,300 calories
    16 g carbs (5%)
    108 g fat ( 75%)
    65 g protein (20%)

    I'm pretty sedentary, but do a light workout now 3 times a week. I do not document the workout or "eat back" the calories burned. I figured it helps account for inaccuracies in logging.

    My daily meals end up looking kinda like this:
    Breakfast:
    2 slices bacon
    1 egg fried in the bacon grease
    Bulletproof variant on coffee
    Sometimes jello with heavy cream

    Lunch:
    85g broccoli (sometimes spinach with cream cheese and/or olive oil and vinegar instead)
    1 Tablespoon (14 oz) unsalted Kerrygold butter
    1 slice (28 oz) cheese
    2-3 oz of meat (often sliced roast turkey lunch meat, fancy ham, pork chop - CHECK THE LUNCH MEAT. I don't get the stuff that has more than 2g carbs per serving)
    Probiotic tea

    Dinner:
    2-3 oz meats
    Sometimes cabbage or sauerkraut sauteed in bacon grease
    Fat to limits / taste

    Dessert / snack:
    (One or more of the following)
    Cream cheese and butter frosting
    Lilly's dark chocolate with stevia
    Chamomile tea with heavy cream
    Chicken broth / stock, sometimes with oil added
    Fat drink with whey protein if I need extra protein, almond-coconut milk, macadamia nut oil

    I do have a little more variety and other things that I eat, but the above is pretty typical on a work day. I find it easy to have things I can put together quickly with little fuss.

    I would like to point out that stress causes your body to generate cortisol. Cortisol can interfere with weight loss and ketosis. If you're stressed, you're probably going to have problems. :( Try to relax and don't stress so much. You'll be sabotaging yourself. Fiance and I have both learned that the hard way...

    -T.
  • Keliandra
    Keliandra Posts: 170 Member
    Update: no dessert tonight. Hubs made steak and asparagus!
  • Twibbly
    Twibbly Posts: 1,065 Member
    edited April 2015
    SazzySuze wrote: »
    Keliandra, 164 is probably not a bad weight at all for someone of your height. At my height,164 is in the obese range at 43% body fat. I'm so confused on what to do. I wish I could afford to visit a dietitian and them just tell me what to do. I'm a better follower than I am a leader. How much weight are you losing at a 20% deficit on an average week, if I may ask? 75g carbs seems more doable than 50. I can do without the bread and pasta and rice, but veggies and fruits? I need those, I think. Or maybe I'm just fooling myself. I had a large serving of broccoli today for a snack and it was 9g carbs. I could hardly believe it. 9 g just on freaking broccoli. -.-

    Honey, there are people at many levels of watching their carbs here. The important thing is, they're watching. A lot of us do keto or under 20 carbs per day for various reasons, but that doesn't mean you have to. If you're a better follower, pick a plan like Atkins or Protein Power and stick to it until you, yourself, are comfortable fiddling with it. Do what works for you. 75 grams of carbs, while it may seem high compared to some of our numbers, would still probably be worlds better than your previous diet. If you can cut out the grains & do 75, then do it. If you need to follow a plan find a plan. If you can tell us your general guidelines, we can probably help you find it.

    Remember that you and your health are worth spending some effort on, but driving yourself crazy won't help.

    *hugs*
  • Twibbly
    Twibbly Posts: 1,065 Member
    Oh, one more thing: if you find you're stressing about food and not knowing what to do and can't get your brain to quit freaking out, find something else to do. Personally, I like detailed coloring books (they make gorgeous mandala ones) to calm my brain and make it process at least in a somewhat non-panicked fashion for a bit. Your thing might be music, walks, a cup of hot tea, long baths, or reading. Don't be afraid of relaxing.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    edited April 2015
    Twibbly wrote: »
    Oh, one more thing: if you find you're stressing about food and not knowing what to do and can't get your brain to quit freaking out, find something else to do. Personally, I like detailed coloring books (they make gorgeous mandala ones) to calm my brain and make it process at least in a somewhat non-panicked fashion for a bit. Your thing might be music, walks, a cup of hot tea, long baths, or reading. Don't be afraid of relaxing.

    Thanks for your insight. I do find myself going crazy a little and my significant other noticed it last night, too. Normally I go for a walk in the evenings but didn't have time yesterday due to a meeting I had to attend. I've only been truly counting things for one day and was already wanting to just give up. If I could just wrap my head around that this is a measuring tool only and to help be be more accountable. ..not an instrument that I must please with every bite of food that goes in my mouth (like feeding a demon to keep it happy).. then I'd be happier and less stressed. Nevertheless, some things are easier said than done. For some reason I feel like I have to have it all figured out right now. I don't know why I'm like this but I am. Gonna get busy with extra housework today and get my evening walk in. Thanks again. :)

  • tlmeyn
    tlmeyn Posts: 369 Member
    I am no expert, but many ho claim to be experts say cutting over 25% is asking for trouble. Maybe you should kick that percentage back a little. I know we all want the weight to go away quickly. I just came out of a maddening 2.5 week stall. I wanted to cut back to 1200 cals but then I got a 'whoosh', and some pounds gone overnight, and I am not dehydrated....
    It might be a little slower than you want, but the slower you lose it the more likely it is to stay off, right?
  • tlmeyn
    tlmeyn Posts: 369 Member
    edited April 2015
    Oops. Double posting
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