Gotta take control

I'm 37 a single mom, a favorite Aunt to 8 nieces n nephews, newly diagnosed with diabetes, need to loose almost 200pounds! Any meal planning or help is greatly welcome n appreciated

Replies

  • cluegirl5
    cluegirl5 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi!
    I'm also newly diagnosed. I'm 24 and my diagnosis came very, very suddenly.
    I'm fortunate enough to not only have a nurse in my family but also many diabetics and I'm more than happy to talk to you throughout this journey! More than anything people just keep telling me "get ready for your life to change A LOT" which is less than comforting.

    For me, starting out, it's been really helpful to write out what I plan on eating for a day (I keep a white board on the fridge and fill it in the morning as part of my a.m. routine). I usually have a high protein, low carb breakfast like eggs, Canadian bacon, and a small portion of fruit, lunch a salad and tuna, and dinner a small portion of protein pasta with maybe a quarter cup of sauce (Classico has the least amount of carbs) with steamed veggies and 3 oz baked chicken breast, and then 2 snack through it the day (one protein like nuts or cheese and one fruit... berries are the best because you can have lots of them!!). I'm still working on learning recipes that will work for me, but it's all about finding a balance with carbs and sugars. I stick to about 35 carbs per meal and about 15 per snack.

    What I do may not work for you, but it's a pretty basic start. Next I want to start experimenting with cauliflower (pizza crust, stir fry, etc)

    And don't be afraid to treat yourself. Just make sure it's not too big of a treat. My birthday was soon after my diagnosis and I cried to my doctor that I was going to miss out on birthday cake (silly, right?). But she assured me that I could have my cake. I just had to watch my portion and what else I had for dinner with it.

    You won't be perfect starting out. I still have days where the last thing I want to see is another portion of broccoli. But your health and your family are more important than that indulgence.

    Don't kick yourself for slip ups. Just remind yourself the next meal is an opportunity to improve.

    (And don't forget to get walking!!!!)

    So far I've lost 22 pounds and I have about 50-60 more to go.

    Feel free to keep in touch, I'm sure we both could use encouragement throughout our journeys.
  • jacklynjacklyn
    jacklynjacklyn Posts: 5 Member
    Hi im jackie and im new to this community chat so im not sure how it works but i hope we can become good support buddies. :) thank you have a great day
  • RainyJoMommy
    RainyJoMommy Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you all. It's been a slow start but I doing good. Trying to cut out the cravings. I've lost 7pounds, still a lot more to go but it's a start.
  • deteriminedAMY
    deteriminedAMY Posts: 22 Member
    Hi all just got started AGAIN on June 1st . Add me as a friend... we are all here to support each other through the good , the bad, the ugly, and the days that you just don't feel like but you know your going to cause it's about you!!!
  • CoffeenSquats
    CoffeenSquats Posts: 982 Member
    Best of luck to you!
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Welcome!

    I clicked on your post because of the title... control is a beautiful thing. It is so satisfying (eventually) to live our days knowing we *can* control what we eat, how much time we spend on the couch, and that we can be as strong and fit as we want to be.

    I don't have any knowledge about diabetes and how it's managed, but I would just caution you not to try to overhaul your entire diet & lifestyle overnight. You don't mention if your doctor has prescribed a particular diet/calorie allowance for you, but often when people begin a new weight loss program, they make themselves so miserable trying to eat *clean* and/or trying to live on 1200 calories, that they quickly derail. This will be a long process, and the more comfortable we are during it, the more likely we are to stick with it.

    I see your updated post that you have lost about 7 lbs in 2 weeks- congratulations! That sounds about right for someone at your starting weight. Just remember, as your weight goes down, the rate of loss will slow too, but that is normal & desirable. So glad you are tackling this now and not waiting a moment longer! :)