Pre-Diabetic Nutritional Goals/Macronutrients/Micronutrients

inshapeCK

A couple of months ago, my bloodwork came back as pre-diabetic for the first time in my life.
My mom became pre-diabetic sometime when she was overweight.
Once she lost a ton of weight and lessened her sugar intake she was no longer pre-diabetic.
I have already lost most of the weight I want to lose so losing a ton of weight isn't the answer for me.
My mom's aunt lost a foot or a leg when she was diabetic so that propelled my mom to lose the weight once and for all and also has me wanting to make healthier choices so I don't become diabetic.

My doctor told me that the bloodwork is based on the previous 3 months and the 3 months leading up to my bloodwork I ate a ton of junkfood and sugary treats so I am hoping that's what caused me to become pre-diabetic, however, I know I struggle to eat healthy on a regular basis but I am trying my best to make some better choices going forward but I am overwhelmed with figuring out how much of each nutrient I can eat and what my limits should be. I have tried looking up information online and in library books but I am on information overload and no farther ahead.

I am back to measuring and logging my food and drinks as often as I can but I don't know if the MFP nutritional numbers are accurate for me when it comes to being pre-diabetic, as I feel like the amount they have given me might be too much.

I am a 42 year old female.
In June of 2016, I reached my highest weight of 170 pounds.
Today I weigh 140 pounds.
I have lost 30 pounds in about 3 years so about 10 pounds a year.
I am about 5 feet 5 inches.

Under settings I have put that I am lightly active and want to lose half a pound a week.
MFP says the following is what I can eat but I think some should probably be less like sugar:

Calories: 1,560
Carbs: 195
Fat: 52
Fiber: 25
Sodium: 2300
Sugar: 59

What do you think about the above numbers?

What nutrients are most important to monitor for diabetes?
Sugar?
Carbs?
Fat?

If possible, I may try to talk to a registered dietician but in the meanwhile I thought I would reach out to all of you since you are often a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Oh and to keep it honest and real, I hate cooking, and I dislike lots of healthy foods but I am trying my best to change and to make better choices.

As for exercise, my previous goal was 20 minutes, 6 days a week.
I have now upped it to 30 minutes, 6 days a week.

MichelleSilverleaf

With diabetes, it's carbs and especially sugar that one would have to pay close attention to. Being pre-diabetic the same would likely follow. I still blow the sugar limit MFP gives me every day but I consume A LOT less sugar than I was before I was tracking, and my last bloodwork came back fine. So I don't worry about it too much anymore. Your number for sugar seems fine but no one says you have to actually eat that much if you don't want to.

Dilvish

I too had the scare. In October last year my blood test came back in the diabetic range. I was 269 lbs. I opted to reverse it. 3 months later for my next blood test, I lost 26 lbs. My blood work was back to normal ranges.

Sugar in all it's forms is the enemy. Learn to recognize all their names on packages (like maltodextrin or corn syrup) and read nutrition labels. Potato flour, white flour, rice, pastas are all full of simple sugars. Try to opt for less than 150g of carbs per day. Crackers, chips, biscuits etc. are some of the worst!

Ultimately the easiest way to avoid simple sugars is to cut out anything packaged and learn to make your own meals. Fruit is okay but opt for non-tropical where possible (pineapple, bananas etc.) and try not to eat more than 2 servings per day...all types of berries are the best.

Its okay to have something high carbs once in a while but remember that the older you get and the more often you eat simple carbs, the more likely your pancreas will shut down.

I haven't completely given up things like bread, rice or pasta or even soda for that matter, but I choose them far less often than I used to. I also tend to stay away from packaged foods and fast food. I was eating them about 3 times a week and now I'm down to once or twice a month.

Exercise is also important. Find an activity you can enjoy and do it as often as possible for the rest of your life! Dropping more weight is always a good idea because being overweight causes strain on your organs and it makes a big difference if you are carrying that weight around.

Even though I am now down a total of 35 lbs., I have a long way to go. It's a slow process now but I am determined to not have my blood sugars go up again!

FYI a friend of mine was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 7 years ago. In the first year he dropped 60 lbs. (at 5'5" he was 220 lbs. down to 160) and since then has managed the disease without drugs or insulin shots through diet and exercise alone. He turns 62 this year.

MichelleSilverleaf

Dilvish wrote: »

Sugar in all it's forms is the enemy.

Citation needed.

lemurcat2

Dilvish wrote: »

I too had the scare. In October last year my blood test came back in the diabetic range. I was 269 lbs. I opted to reverse it. 3 months later for my next blood test, I lost 26 lbs. My blood work was back to normal ranges.

Sugar in all it's forms is the enemy.

No. Not only would that include fruit, but for the most part the risk factor for T2D is being overweight or obese and having genetics prone to it. If you were 269, that's the issue. As in your case, losing weight typically fixes the problem.

I do think that people should eat healthful diets for lots of reasons, and if you happened to eat a ton of added sugar, that's probably related to why your diet was too high in calories and likely not that healthful, but fixating on sugar as the reason for T2D (vs. obesity) is wrong.

And again fruit contains lots of sugar and is quite healthful, as that sugar is not only delicious, but comes with fiber and micronutrients.

mmapags

lemurcat2 wrote: »

Dilvish wrote: »

I too had the scare. In October last year my blood test came back in the diabetic range. I was 269 lbs. I opted to reverse it. 3 months later for my next blood test, I lost 26 lbs. My blood work was back to normal ranges.

Sugar in all it's forms is the enemy.

No. Not only would that include fruit, but for the most part the risk factor for T2D is being overweight or obese and having genetics prone to it. If you were 269, that's the issue. As in your case, losing weight typically fixes the problem.

I do think that people should eat healthful diets for lots of reasons, and if you happened to eat a ton of added sugar, that's probably related to why your diet was too high in calories and likely not that healthful, but fixating on sugar as the reason for T2D (vs. obesity) is wrong.

And again fruit contains lots of sugar and is quite healthful, as that sugar is not only delicious, but comes with fiber and micronutrients.

All of this^^. You can't take what would be corrective measures that a T2D with a history of obesity would need and apply them to the general population. A person with T2D has pursued some combination of overeating and lack of exercise for a long time.

To correct that, losing weight, reducing carbs and exercise (to utilize and reduce blood sugars) are all a good idea. For the general population, even including those who are moderately overweight, this can be overkill and can eliminate otherwise healthy foods for not reason.

inshapeCK

Thanks to everyone who gave me their input.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, knowledge and experience.

AnnPT77

Dilvish wrote: »

.
<snip>
Potato flour, white flour, rice, pastas are all full of simple sugars. Try to opt for less than 150g of carbs per day. Crackers, chips, biscuits etc. are some of the worst!
<snip>

The bolded are primarily starchy foods. Starches are complex carbohydrates, not simple sugars.

This is a common misunderstanding, possibly because the bolded items are often "highly processed" foods, thus considered simple or simplified foods (not very complex combination of macro- and micro-nutrients), or because some people consider them less desirable foods and see "simple" as pejorative.

Some people, such as diabetics, may need to limit or manage carbohydrates, both complex (starches) and simple (sugars). But it's useful to understand the nutritional terms, and use them accurately, lest one believe or spread myths.

nvmomketo

I monitored carbs in general. Sugars are usually in high carb foods do I limit those. Carbs with fibre tend to be easier to handle but they should be watched with a blood glucose monitor. Testing yourself around meals us the best way to know how foods affect you.

kizanne2

Doctors who counsel on nutrition and blood sugar are more worried about the glycemic index or insulin response your body has to food.

When you eat high glycemic foods your body releases insulin often times too much which then bombards your cells which can lead to insulin resistance which is the primary cause of Type II diabetes. You may have insulin but your cells aren't utilizing it and your blood sugar builds. After a while your cells you can be damaged, some people damage or wear out their insulin making components of their pancreas. There can certainly be a genetic component as to how well you body acts with these stressors and your pancreas may be more prone to wear out or you can be more prone to insulin resistance.

So simple processed foods like white bread often have higher glycemic indexes than say a complex starch like oatmeal. Protein and fat are very low glycemic index and usually stablize your blood sugar and help lower A1C numbers assuming you don't continue the glycemic ride. While fruits are bad for you they do contain simple sugars and some have much higher glycemic impact than others. Berries are generally at the lower end and something like orange juice is at the high end (which is why they give it to people whose blood sugar has dropped too low it hits hard and fast with sugar). So if your goal is to lower you A1C check out articles on glycemic index.

In general high simple or processed starches and sugars will raise your blood sugar quicker and trigger more of an insulin response. Food like protein, fat, complex starches or high fiber foods will like blueberries will have a more metered response and lower overall blood sugar on normal calories intact.

There are also some foods which help reduce insulin resistance (improve insulin sensitivity) such as tumeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, grapefruit, soluble fiber, green tea, apple cider vineager.

Here's some info from the American Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/glycemic-index-and-diabetes.html

mfp4kc

Yes, and turmeric is one that may be better absorbed in supplement form vs food form.