Diabetic needs help

chango69

I am a type 2 diabetic with numbers that you do not even what to know, I have lost 23lbs but yet no luck with bring the numbers no ware they need to be. I am ask all of you that do have or have had diabetes how long did it take before you seen results and what did you eat during all of it? Any support in this matter would help.
Thanks

sw 240
cw 213
1st goal 190 April 1
Second goal keep 190 for 3 months
3rd goal 160 Nov, 2011

kettlewitch

I was diagnosed in December with blood levels at about 16. I'm almost 3 months into a healthier lifestyle and metformin and I'm in the 8's. Not sure if u are in the US and measure glucose differently but my doctor wants me between 5 and 7 so I'm getting there. I'm higher on the obesity scale than you so it's doable. Had my eyes checked today and all is good there too. I know that I was diabetic for at least a year before I was diagnosed and my symptoms have pretty much gone.

kettlewitch

Had a look at your profile and as you are in the US guess you do measure differently. Diet wise, I have the standard allowances for sugar, fat etc. And I do edge slightly overly sugar sometimes, but am always under on fat and carbs. My salt can be a but high too, but I'm working on that. Fortunately I'm notthat sweet toothed but ive had to knock the alcohol on the head and have only indulged twice this year.

patio1313

I was diagnosed with Type 2 last August and right afterwards I did a COMPLETE change in my lifestyle. I started eating less and exercising more. And yes when I say I was eating less, yes there were times I was worried that I was starving myself but then my body got used to it.

When I was diagnosed my a1c was at 11.2. At my first three month checkup I dropped it down to 6.2 and then my last appt in February I was down to an a1c of 5.8 (1/10 % off of normal).

As far as what I ate during that time...I basically cut out any and all sugars (voluntary sugars at least) so no sweets. I ate lean meats and low fat cheese, ALOT more WHOLE GRAIN. I kind of got into a pattern of things that I eat (especially during the work week) since I am the type that can eat the same things over and over without getting sick of them. I would still "treat" myself from time to time but the main thing I watched then and still now were CARBS AND SUGAR. Did I start reading labels alot closer...You bet. Also eating slower helps a ton...It takes the body about 20 minutes to start feeling the filling effect of food, so if you scarf food like I do you have tendency to overeat. So I have slowed my eating pace as well.

To me a huge part of this was not only cutting down on my portion sizes and getting rid of the excess carbs that I HAD been eating...Exercise and lots of water help as well.

I went from being diagnosed and weighing 235 pounds to now I am at around 191 pounds. And if I can drop my a1c in the "normal" range my doc is saying we can try taking me off of the Metformin (at least on a trial basis). My Blood Pressure was so high that they almost didn't treat me, they almost packed me into an ambulance and sent me to the ER for fear that I would and I quote, "STROKE OUT" Those words were enough motivation for me to kick myself in the *kitten* and get strict with myself. Now my BP is a perfect 120/70

Now I am comfotable eating some sweets (I will occasionally have a handful of M&M's...Just won't eat the entire bag) and indulging myself with foods that I had cut out for a few months. That is another thing that you will find, there are certain foods that will affect your Glucose levels more...For me it is pizza.

The number one thing that I always try to keep in mind is something that my nutritionist told me. She said you know what, LIFE HAPPENS...sometimes you are going to eat something that isn't as good for you. It is alright, just make sure that it doesn't become a habit. My problem was that ALL I ATE was carbs. Going to Chipotle and being able to eat TWO BURRITOS was no issue. Now I will go there and have a bowl and be perfectly fine.

Just keep trying to make the changes, eat less food but BETTER food, make sure you are getting your exercise on a daily basis, drink LOTS of water and remember, YOU CAN DO THIS...If I can, I am sure you can.

Good luck and drop me a line if you need a motivational kick to the backend.

tamanimtz

My husband is a Type 2 Diabetic; I (thankfully) am not. Although he is the diabetic, I try to eat what he does, so he doesn't feel like he is missing out on anything. He does not have a sedentary position job and is on his feet all day. He is not overweight and tries to stay active. His numbers skyrocket on some days and we have now figured out how to control them...for the most part. Although I don't succeed in getting him to eat healthy all the time (due to his weakness for bread and potatoes); his numbers are the best when he stays away from red meat, eggs, white breads, starches, potatoes, and of course sugar. I try to help him eat more grains, more vegetables and higher protein (in poultry and fish, not beef and pork). Try giving up red meat for a couple weeks (switch from ground beef to ground turkey), stay away from (real) eggs, switch to whole grain bread (not whole wheat), eat your vegetables, and ban potatoes and sugars from your life. Absolutely stay away from fast food and learn to experiment with recipes at home. It has to be a lifestyle commitment for you and your family to keep you healthy. Keep up with your weight loss, it will only be beneficial and good luck!

bmreed0920

Type 2 here. I've been taking Januvia with my dinner each night and have lost about 8 pounds. I have diagonised in 2008 and really didnt take it seriously until this last November when I broke my arm in a car accident. The EMS was freaking out when I told him I was a diabetic. Like I was going to die from a broken arm. So because of that I decided to take it serious since everyone else does. I've been doing Jenny Craig and it has helped a lot. My sugars stay between 90-120 when I wake in the morning. Two hours after I eat it is usually between 120-180 depending on what I ate. Which is the range my doctor wants me to be in. I eat 3 snacks and 3 meals a day. It keeps me from getting to low or from getting to high. I watch my net carbs as well. Jenny's not for everyone. Before I started Jenny I was eating half my plate in non-starch veggies, 1/4 of the plate in starch, and the remaining in lean meat. I also added a fruit to each meal except for dinner or my night snack. I had low fat milk for my drink for breakfast and water with everything else. Snacks were usually a piece of fruit and crackers or cheese. Wheat thins became my fav to snack on. I also limited my servings. Just remember Net Carbs. Net Carbs = Carbs - Fiber. I hope this helps. You can add me if you want to. I'm always looking for new friends.

Andi_Mo

I was diagnosed with Type 2 last August and right afterwards I did a COMPLETE change in my lifestyle. I started eating less and exercising more. And yes when I say I was eating less, yes there were times I was worried that I was starving myself but then my body got used to it.

When I was diagnosed my a1c was at 11.2. At my first three month checkup I dropped it down to 6.2 and then my last appt in February I was down to an a1c of 5.8 (1/10 % off of normal).

As far as what I ate during that time...I basically cut out any and all sugars (voluntary sugars at least) so no sweets. I ate lean meats and low fat cheese, ALOT more WHOLE GRAIN. I kind of got into a pattern of things that I eat (especially during the work week) since I am the type that can eat the same things over and over without getting sick of them. I would still "treat" myself from time to time but the main thing I watched then and still now were CARBS AND SUGAR. Did I start reading labels alot closer...You bet. Also eating slower helps a ton...It takes the body about 20 minutes to start feeling the filling effect of food, so if you scarf food like I do you have tendency to overeat. So I have slowed my eating pace as well.

To me a huge part of this was not only cutting down on my portion sizes and getting rid of the excess carbs that I HAD been eating...Exercise and lots of water help as well.

I went from being diagnosed and weighing 235 pounds to now I am at around 191 pounds. And if I can drop my a1c in the "normal" range my doc is saying we can try taking me off of the Metformin (at least on a trial basis). My Blood Pressure was so high that they almost didn't treat me, they almost packed me into an ambulance and sent me to the ER for fear that I would and I quote, "STROKE OUT" Those words were enough motivation for me to kick myself in the *kitten* and get strict with myself. Now my BP is a perfect 120/70

Now I am comfotable eating some sweets (I will occasionally have a handful of M&M's...Just won't eat the entire bag) and indulging myself with foods that I had cut out for a few months. That is another thing that you will find, there are certain foods that will affect your Glucose levels more...For me it is pizza.

The number one thing that I always try to keep in mind is something that my nutritionist told me. She said you know what, LIFE HAPPENS...sometimes you are going to eat something that isn't as good for you. It is alright, just make sure that it doesn't become a habit. My problem was that ALL I ATE was carbs. Going to Chipotle and being able to eat TWO BURRITOS was no issue. Now I will go there and have a bowl and be perfectly fine.

Just keep trying to make the changes, eat less food but BETTER food, make sure you are getting your exercise on a daily basis, drink LOTS of water and remember, YOU CAN DO THIS...If I can, I am sure you can.

Good luck and drop me a line if you need a motivational kick to the backend.

Amazing and inspiring story!

susanswan

My husband is a Type 2 Diabetic; I (thankfully) am not. Although he is the diabetic, I try to eat what he does, so he doesn't feel like he is missing out on anything. He does not have a sedentary position job and is on his feet all day. He is not overweight and tries to stay active. His numbers skyrocket on some days and we have now figured out how to control them...for the most part. Although I don't succeed in getting him to eat healthy all the time (due to his weakness for bread and potatoes); his numbers are the best when he stays away from red meat, eggs, white breads, starches, potatoes, and of course sugar. I try to help him eat more grains, more vegetables and higher protein (in poultry and fish, not beef and pork). Try giving up red meat for a couple weeks (switch from ground beef to ground turkey), stay away from (real) eggs, switch to whole grain bread (not whole wheat), eat your vegetables, and ban potatoes and sugars from your life. Absolutely stay away from fast food and learn to experiment with recipes at home. It has to be a lifestyle commitment for you and your family to keep you healthy. Keep up with your weight loss, it will only be beneficial and good luck!

Thank you for quoting the diet I am already following courtesy of Dr. Oz's YOU: ON A DIET! I also find when I follow this diet to the letter I have NO CRAVINGS for junk food or sweets. I'd love to still eat them, but it isn't worth the price. I could LIVE on sugar and starches. But there is life after white flour, potatoes, and beef as well. My mom died a HORRIBLE death after being hospitalized for 6 months. She was only 68 and had insulin dependent diabetes for 42 years. She had every complication there was to have and in the end we pretty much had to "stop all treatments" if you know what I mean...... I wasn't going to say this, but I do want to illustrate how bad it can be. What 'killed' her was a blister on her toe. First Gangrene, then a below the knee amputation was the best they could do, then that didn't heal so an above the knee amputation was the next torture for her. Soon that was found to not be healing. There was no where to go after that. It was 15 years ago and I still miss my mom terrebly. I'll never get over that horrible end to her life. She was only 68.

I thank God every day that it wasn't too late for me to turn my diet around....so far. It is a horrible disease with more tradgedy than you can imagine waiting for you if you don't do everything possible to keep your numbers in line. Donuts and pizza and beer are not worth the trade. Please take care of yourselves. Please.

mauryr

@chango69,

It has been about 6 months(or so) and about 60 lbs since I started making a genuine effort to lower my blood sugar through diet and exercise. I started to see improvements in my blood chemistry after I lost about 25-30 lbs. I had high a1c, high fasting glucose, as well as very high cholesterol and other lipids.

Not anymore.

I don't know for sure, but I "feel" that it's the exercise component that has helped the most with blood sugar, more so than diet. For me, the key ingredient in successfully executing an exercise regimen was finding stuff that I liked, and that was challenging. For me, I found that I liked racquetball - even though I'm not really very good at it (I'm generally a spaz, completely non-athletic). Since I can't play r-ball every day (way to hard on the body - especially the shoulder) I use the elliptical every other day. Lately, I've added other cardio exercises to mix it up a little (treadmill, rowing machine) and occasional strength training.

You asked about diet:

I eat lots of protein. I have a steak (4 or 5 oz, lean,lean, lean) for breakfast several days a week. They're quick and easy to prepare. I found a local butcher shop that sells fresh, cut to order steak for far less than it costs in a grocery store.

I also eat an orange or an apple pretty much every day, shortly after my arrival at work ( which is after the gym ). This holds me over until lunch usually. Occasionally I'll have another fruit late in the day as well, if I feel hungry.

For lunch, I often have "surimi". I have found that I really like surimi - that's the imitation crab that they put in some california rolls, and in the "krab salad" at sizzler - albeit without the creamy sauce. A half cup of surimi has only 70 cals, no fat at all, and it's quite satisfying - and inexpensive, for a high protein meal. (Trans-ocean brand "Crab Supreme" is a good value, and it's on sale often at the store I frequent) Sometimes, I'll pop a (small) potato in the nuke as well. Relatively low cals per unit of fat, and very high potassium. Also, I sometimes have ground turkey meatballs. Frozen, and nuked. (Foster Farms Italian style, bought in a large freezer bag is a good value, again especially on sale.)

For dinner, I don't really have any pattern; I eat pretty much whatever I'd like. (I eat out quite often, as I live near a Thai neighborhood in LA - Yum!) I am conscious not to pig out, though.

Generally speaking, after I lost about 40 lbs, I stopped being as militant about my diet, though I still count calories and keep them low. I just don't restrict myself with respect to what types of food I eat as much. I have pretty much anything I want - as long as it's in moderation, and in line with my total caloric intake goals. For example, if the others at work are ordering pizza and wings, I'll join in. The difference is that now, I'll eat just a few wings and one slice, instead of an entire order of 20, and 3 slices.

Another example - I now eat candy every now and then, but in small amounts - a gummy worm or two, 5 or 10 jelly bellies for instance. I have found that this is more than enough for me now. I just want a bit - a taste - not a meal. I never liked sweets too much, so candy has never been a problem food for me.

I have noticed that after the first few months of regular exercise, my appetite has been greatly reduced overall, and it's severely reduced immediately after exercising - the effect lasts a couple of hours. That makes it much easier to decline all of those opportunities to eat. I also don't really want to gorge as much as before, even at a buffet. I think that some of this is psychological.

At my last blood test, about two weeks ago, my a1c was 5.6, the highest number in the "normal" range, cholesterol at 199 - highest in the normal range, and the "good cholesterol" was on the high side. I haven't been taking any drugs (was taking metaformin, simvastatin) for a couple of months now, either, but don't tell my doc.

Keep it up. You'll get your results at some point.

chango69

I just wanted to say thanks you all for stepping up and talking about your issues about diabetes and all the motivaiton towards me and help me to see that if others can I can.

all of you made a big difference in my view and that I am doing the right things just take time, some times we want thing do like fast food, we wanted now.

So thanks you and the ones that are now my friend, I will keep you posted on my jounery.

lottcj

The doctors have told me that even losing 10 percent of your biody weight will bring down your sugar. However, if they were way to high to start with that may not be enough to get them back into the optiimal range. Exercising for thirty minutes brings my sugar down about 50 points immediately. Try testing before and after exercise and see what happens. Everyone's body reacts a little differently. Just as a postnote you will be suprised how much better you will feel when your sugar is back into the optimal range. I know from experience. Good luck!!

kettlewitch

tested my blood after gym today and it was5.3. couldnt quite believe that so did it again an hour after eating and still only 6.4. bonus