Feeling Bummed: Pre-diabetic with High Cholesterol

dspinkston

I am bummed and struggling: Very recently my doctor informed me that I am pre-diabetic (my blood sugar is 114 -- a count of 90 is normal, I believe, while 125-130 is high), with high levels of cholesterol. He said that if I start eating right and exercising properly now, I can reverse this without meds.

His recommendations: 1) eat a lot more vegetables -- Not being a nutritionist, he couldn't be very specific on that ...only that he wants me to get most of my fiber from veggies 2) severely limit sugar and refined carbs (white bread, rice, pasta...) 3. exercise at my target heart rate for 30 minutes 5 days per week. 4. look at this as a marathon and not a sprint ...make changes that I can live with for the rest of my life.

I am watching all my nutrition stats carefully in MFP now. Still, I am struggling to find a balance that limits carbs and yet gives me enough fiber and enough calories.

I was wondering if anyone else here has faced this ...If so, what tips can you give me? Does anyone know of any sites that give sample menus? I would appreciate any help that this community can give!

flagrantavidity

Don't feel bummed, you know you have a medical issue and you have come to this site to help support in dealing with it - this is a huge first step and I congratulate you in having the courage to do so.

Do a web search for diabetic menu, go to barnes and noble and pick up a diabetic recipe book.

What you don't do is ignore it, wind up on a handful of medication, go full blown diabetic, do hormone therapy and continue with bad eating habits. My mother in-law has done all of this and disregards her health. I am worried about her because she talks about having out of body experiences while driving because her insulin is so out of whack. Yet she continues to eat like nothing is wrong.

I did have high cholesterol, after my lifestyle change I got that under control. I did meal replacement for breakfast and lunch (Soylent) and eat whatever I want for dinner as long as I am under my calorie limit. To help not go over my limit I naturally pick foods that are filling but not high in calories like vegetables, fish, lean meats, ect.

Again, you have taken the first step in the right direction, please continue to control what you can - the food you eat. Let go of the things you can't control; your body's inability to process sugars efficiently. Its going to be OK as long as you take care of yourself.

I wish you the best of luck!

Habiteer

Don't be bummed out. Some people view their doctor's appointment as a "turning point" in their life where they learned what they needed to do. Maybe it's not going to be easy at first. But it'll get easier after a few weeks and it's going to be worth it.

Here's a website I found that has a lot of good foods http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/, I found it with a quick google search, it's from the American Diabetes Association and they are very reliable since they write the guidelines for Diabetes treatment that doctors use.

I wouldn't even think of it as a marathon, as that make it sounds like a chore. I went from pizza-loving, fast food eating, frozen lasagna cooking glutton to preparing nearly all of my own meals with food from Costco or the local farmer's market. It's cheaper, it's tastier, it gives me a lot more energy. It was hard at first to make the changes, but now I'm on pretty much autopilot in the kitchen and market and I'm loving the food. It's just something I like to do now.

smile_laughter

This was me several months ago! My numbers have gone down in both areas (blood sugar levels and cholesterol)

This has been my food, depending on the day. Some of these items may not be recommended by your Dr. Note - I obviously don't eat ALL of this.....these are just a mix of things I eat

Breakfast : wheat toast with small spread of natural peanut butter, black coffee, scrambled egg white, boiled egg white, oatmeal with raisins (don't add sugar)

Snack: unsalted mixed nuts and pumpkin seeds, string cheese, Colby Jack stick cheese, apple, banana (yes, fruit is high in carbs....so you may need to watch this....I am walking and moving quite a bit when I have this)

Lunch: Large salad and peppered turkey (I use a very light vinegrette and only about a teaspoon), lentil soup

Snack : boiled egg white, peppered turkey

Dinner: varies but definitely protein and I avoided rice like the plague.....this really spiked my blood sugar months ago. I can eat it now

Finally - workout, workout, workout. This has saved my cholesterol numbers (good cholesterol is very high now due to healthy fats and swimming)

I am down 10 lbs and feeling great. Friend me, if you want.

treehugnmama

this was me on may 2nd. since may 2nd I have lost 55 pounds and my fasting blood sugar was in normal range for the first time. the weight loss was honestly 2nd to me my main focus was getting healthy. I can only tell you what I did it worked for me but there are lots of ways.

day one I cut out all sugar diet pop amd wheat. I have tried reducing in tje past and was always hungry and Craved more flour sugary things. I did this for 3 weeks. I then cut out potatoes and artificial sweatner as they make me crave and started short walks. walks helped my moods.

I now have potatoes and sweatner in moderation and have been able to up my exercise. worked for me personally but I also have pcos.

you can do this and when you kick diabetes *kitten* it will feel so great. I remind myself everyday I don't eat sugar because of diabetes not because of weight loss. for me it's easy to justify the calories even if it is sugar but if it is to avoid a health crisis it harder to justify the sugar
honestly I felt like garbage the first month and now I haven't felt this good in years!

you can do this!! you will beat this! you just have to find what works for you! I found a love of doing laps in the pool I never would have guessed. best of luck to you!

dspinkston

Thanks very much for the encouragement and tips ...at first I was struggling and felt so alone in this (even though my husband and sons have been supportive, they didn't know what to do either. ) I appreciate each of you taking time from your day to help me! I will definitely draw from your suggestions and look forward to healthier days ahead.

cspeed54

I am new to this site and stumbled on your post. I was recently told the same information from my doctor who suggested I follow the South Beach Diet. I have since found a wonderful site called Kaylyn's Kitchen. She has hundreds of recipes broken down into different categories like South Beach, meatless, heart healthy, etc. I will be rooting for us both!

cwolfman13

dspinkston wrote: »

I am bummed and struggling: Very recently my doctor informed me that I am pre-diabetic (my blood sugar is 114 -- a count of 90 is normal, I believe, while 125-130 is high), with high levels of cholesterol. He said that if I start eating right and exercising properly now, I can reverse this without meds.

His recommendations: 1) eat a lot more vegetables -- Not being a nutritionist, he couldn't be very specific on that ...only that he wants me to get most of my fiber from veggies 2) severely limit sugar and refined carbs (white bread, rice, pasta...) 3. exercise at my target heart rate for 30 minutes 5 days per week. 4. look at this as a marathon and not a sprint ...make changes that I can live with for the rest of my life.

I am watching all my nutrition stats carefully in MFP now. Still, I am struggling to find a balance that limits carbs and yet gives me enough fiber and enough calories.

I was wondering if anyone else here has faced this ...If so, what tips can you give me? Does anyone know of any sites that give sample menus? I would appreciate any help that this community can give!

I had the same stuff going on four years ago. You can still eat carbs, but you want more whole food sources...veg, some fruit, and thing like whole oats, lentils and legumes and whole food starches like potatoes and sweet potatoes. Another big thing is to watch your servings...the problem most people have with carbs is huge servings...a serving of pasta is about 2 ounces dry...I'd wager that most people eat 3-4x that amount. A serving of potato is about 150 grams...again, pretty small and people tend to heap portions onto their plates.

I still eat pasta, but only maybe a couple times per month...I tend to opt for brown rice over white and more often we have quinoa when we're going to have stuff like that.

I eat on average 6 servings of veg per day and a couple servings of fruit...usually berries and other lower GL fruits like an apple.

I don't eat much in the way of "junk"...I used to be a big soda drinker and now I only have one every once in a blue moon...I don't eat a lot of highly processed food stuffs either...mostly whole foods and meals prepared from scratch, whole ingredients and/or minimally processed food stuffs like canned tomatoes, etc.

Losing some weight will also go along way...changing my dietary habits and getting in regular exercise has made a ton of difference, but it also takes time...nothing happen overnight. It took me about a year to get my cholesterol in check...much shorter time from for my blood sugar...I had that under control within about 12 weeks or so.

mis1022

Wow I am feeling bummed right along with you. I have lost about 30 pounds so far this year so I was excited to see my numbers which were always borderline... and they got WORSE. I was soooo mad. Really made me want to give up, I feel better with the weight loss but makes me feel like I can't control the sugar no matter what.

Now my pity party is over, I adjusted my carb intake to 40% and wow it's hard. I used to eat low fat and cal but carb heavy. Now switching to more cheese and lean meat for snack instead of low fat crackers.

In three months I go back and see how they look.

dspinkston

cspeed54 ...Thanks for the info on Kaylyn's Kitchen ...I also am rooting for us both!

cwolfman13 ...Thanks! It is helpful to know that 6 servings of fruit and veggies is a good number.

mis1022 ...I am glad that you didn't give up; I know that both of us can beat this! I also am going back to my dr in 3 months (shortly after Christmas) -- I hope that your numbers are much better when you go back, and that you are able to glean as much help from this thread as I have!

treehugnmama

mis1022 wrote: »

Wow I am feeling bummed right along with you. I have lost about 30 pounds so far this year so I was excited to see my numbers which were always borderline... and they got WORSE. I was soooo mad. Really made me want to give up, I feel better with the weight loss but makes me feel like I can't control the sugar no matter what.

Now my pity party is over, I adjusted my carb intake to 40% and wow it's hard. I used to eat low fat and cal but carb heavy. Now switching to more cheese and lean meat for snack instead of low fat crackers.

In three months I go back and see how they look.

my numbers took 4.5 months to drop. at 3.5 months they were still high. blood pressure was still high even after 40 pounds off but at 4.5 months and 55 pounds things started to come together....I still have 90 to loose.

dspinkston

Update: I just wanted to post an update to let everyone know that I am feeling a lot better! When I posted my comment, I was trying to eat only vegetables, and was afraid to eat anything else ...so I was only getting around 600 calories per day (and feeling terrible on so few cals!). After reading your comments I realized that my dr said MORE veggies, not ONLY veggies! Also, my husband spoke with a nutritionist at his workplace; she sent home sample 1200-cal and 1500-cal menus and such ...and the advice that I eat a good variety of foods (with emphasis on vegetables, moderation, and portion control). Recipes from Kaylyn's Kitchen and checking out the Mayo Clinic website, etc. have helped a lot also.

Anyway, I am very grateful for MFP and this community! I don't go back for a re-check until the end of this year -- but for now am happy to be feeling better than I have in months!

laur357

In addition to the sites you're using, you might want to look at the Skinny Taste website: http://www.skinnytaste.com/ . Tons of well-done recipes, and the nutrition breakdown is calculated as well. Things are tagged for different diets, such as low-carb, so you can pick the recipes that have less rice/pasta and other refined carbohydrates.

dspinkston

laur357 wrote: »

In addition to the sites you're using, you might want to look at the Skinny Taste website: http://www.skinnytaste.com/ . Tons of well-done recipes, and the nutrition breakdown is calculated as well. Things are tagged for different diets, such as low-carb, so you can pick the recipes that have less rice/pasta and other refined carbohydrates.

Thanks ...I just checked it out, and this looks like a great site that will help me branch out to include more foods!

lorrpb

I was prediabetic for several years and slipped into the diabetes range, ironically, the same week as I started on this journey. My doctor gave me a 4-6 weeks before putting me on meds. I started losing weight and working out, prob about 15-20 lbs in that time. At my next visit I'd had enough improvement that she agreed to hold off 2 more months. By then I'd lost around 30 pounds as I recall. At that visit, my glucose was entirely within the normal range & cholesterol had dropped, although it was not in a concerning level to begin with. My doc just threw her hands up and said, "Diabetes is no longer an issue for you." End of story.

Since you asked about nutrition, I did cut back on carbs mainly as a calorie reduction strategy, but that macro was still about 50%. Weight loss and exercise were the major factors, IMO.

dspinkston

Thanks, lorrpb ...That's encouraging!

NewGemini130

I'm there too, trying to reverse prediabetes. Hopefully your doc also did an A1C test- much more informative than one blood sugar reading. Which by the way 114 is only high assuming you were fasting at the time. Check out Dr. Neil Barnard (I got some his books from library). I love him; he advocates a plant-based diet to reverse diabetes. I know that's not for everyone but it's the approach I'm taking and he las lots of info useful even if you don't 100% adopt plant-based. I get 3-mos labs in early Dec.- most redoing the A1C and my triglycerides were thru the roof (340 maybe?). If you are overweight, getting to normal weight is the number one thing to reduce your (our) risk. Friend me if you'd like!

wils5150

dont worry about it. doctors love tossing out "pre-diabetic" 114 is awful even if you were fasting. drop some weight and I can almost be certain your numbers will be fine

octopusplum

Almost all plants are high in fiber. Honestly just find some you love: leafy green vegetables are my favorite.

For high cholesterol I try to just go with at least one truly vegan meal a day. And not your snack. Exercise, exercise, exercise.

courtneyfabulous

dspinkston wrote: »

I am bummed and struggling: Very recently my doctor informed me that I am pre-diabetic (my blood sugar is 114 -- a count of 90 is normal, I believe, while 125-130 is high), with high levels of cholesterol. He said that if I start eating right and exercising properly now, I can reverse this without meds.

His recommendations: 1) eat a lot more vegetables -- Not being a nutritionist, he couldn't be very specific on that ...only that he wants me to get most of my fiber from veggies 2) severely limit sugar and refined carbs (white bread, rice, pasta...) 3. exercise at my target heart rate for 30 minutes 5 days per week. 4. look at this as a marathon and not a sprint ...make changes that I can live with for the rest of my life.

I am watching all my nutrition stats carefully in MFP now. Still, I am struggling to find a balance that limits carbs and yet gives me enough fiber and enough calories.

I was wondering if anyone else here has faced this ...If so, what tips can you give me? Does anyone know of any sites that give sample menus? I would appreciate any help that this community can give!

Vegetables and greens, beans, lentils, low sugar fruits like melon and berries- these are all low carb high fiber. Veggies in the squash family are particularly good- zucchini, summer squash, spaghetti squash, butternut, cucumbers...

Try cutting down your portion of carb rich foods like rice and potato- I do 1/2 cup as a serving- and increase portions of veggies & greens.

dancefess

I'm in the exact same place turn d 50. Had dr appointment a few weeks ago. I'm prediabetic and now my cholesterol is way high. Came to MFP because my daughter had used it. I also have mild sleep apnea which they say should resolve if I lose weight. You are not alone

Evamutt

I'm excited about my hubby's health so want to share. He was on insulin for 11yrs and cholesterol meds & heart meds for A fib. He lost all his weight using the nutribullit making fruit/veggies drinks. He is off all of them & in great health. He went from size 3X to XL/LG Funny thing is, he did it by accident. He got all his upper teeth pulled, our son gave him his old nutribullit & he put all his meals into there, he had to ,for a while. Now he's had dentures for about 4 months, is eating solids but still makes a few shakes a day & has lost more weight, about 60lbs

Evamutt

I make a breakfast shake, eat food rest of day but have kept under my calories for 93 days & lost 22lbs. I too was(am?) prediabetic & my Dr kept bugging me about loosing weight. I haven't seen her since i lost the weight but have appointment next Wednesday. I hope my numbers have come down