Any Type 1 Diabetes dieters out there?

Just started my healthy lifestyle changes today and I'm wondering if there are any other diabetics out there trying to lose weight? I've been an insulin dependent diabetic for over 15 years and have gained about 50 pounds over that period of time. Last year I was successful in shedding about 15 pounds by cutting out simple carbs and being more active, but all that weight came back over the holidays. I'm a compulsive binge eater and I love to bake, so the holidays are such a tempting time for me!

Diabetes brings unique challenges to losing weight and I usually find that when I start eating healthier (smaller portions, less simple carbs) and being more active, I go through a transition time of frequent low blood sugars. Of course, when my sugar is low, I eat sugar to bring it back up. My goal is to use glucose tabs instead of junk to bring my sugar up. It's so easy to binge when my sugar is low and that just starts me on a downward spiral!

Would love to find someone on this journey who can relate.

Replies

  • Been a type 1 diabetic since I was a freshman in high school, 28 years now. Have steadily added weight over the years, to the point I now need to lose about 50. I have been on a pump for the past 10 years and love the freedom and flexibility it gives me however with that flexibility it has given me the ability to eat pretty much whatever I want to eat whenever I want to eat it. Lows are typically treated by eating until I feel better, which means that I over-eat to compensate for lows (which are typically in the middle of the night). Waking up in a cold sweat and binge eating in the middle of the night is really tough to recover from and I am usually screwed up for the next 24 hours...

    Needless to say I am hooked up to Fitbit as well as tracking everything through MFP. I think I am going to purchase the scale from FItbit as well, all of them sync together and are interesting to say the least in terms of all of the statistics you can see about yourself.

    I am almost ashamed to say that I have never sought any other T1 diabetics over the years to become friends with that can relate to what I go through on a daily basis. There are many things that "normal" people simply can not relate to that a diabetic goes through during the normal course of living. High's, lows the mental side of diabetes....
  • firemanfive0
    firemanfive0 Posts: 228 Member
    Hi, I personally am not a Type 1 but my wife is and understand this medical condition from a spouses viewpoint. Feel free to add me as a friend.
  • hi my name is mary im 31 yeas old and i am to a type 1 diabetic.....man its hard to say.21 years of diabetic struggle ugh. for years i lived a life of complete his say around 300 or higher. how im not dead im not sure. i am one of three type 1 in my family all girl all with american indian background. on top of everything i started pumping when in 2007. gained 60lbs. i weighed 168lbs when i started loseing weight. now im down to 121lbs i have been lighter but have gained sice winter startedbecause i cant get outside and im an outside person. i think my goal to get healthy went into over drive when my 31 year old cousin who had type 1 died of a heart attack related to the condition. i am back on the low carb low cal diet as of today. i try to stay between and no higher then 22 units a day including my basil and bolus rates.i have been down to as low as 12 units a day. currently at 21. i usally fallow a meat and veggie diet hardly any bread or carbs. i replace alot of noodles,rice,pizza crust with lettuce leaves,cauliflower,spaghetti squash. look up the recipes on line. by the way im completey alone in the diabetic community here. we live 19 hours from home no family, my husbands navy and hes gone alot. i depend on my 9 and 6 year old to know what to do in case i get to low. i workout 6 days a week one morning cardio next morning strentgh training. feel free to add me as a friend.
  • spartanpanther
    spartanpanther Posts: 1 Member
    Hi! I'm Allison, and I just turned 30 and have had Type 1 diabetes for 6 years. I am looking to lose about 20-25 lbs. I've been playing with the Striiv Play, and getting into reliably using MFP over the past couple of weeks. It is absolutely difficult to balance diabetes, added exercise and change in diet, and the rest of my life! As I increase my exercise, I am becoming more sensitive to insulin, leading to more lows and the need to consume sugar!

    Please feel free to add me as a friend! I would love help keeping motivated with people who get it!
  • Hi
    I have type 1 diabetes about two years, not have fun balancing blood sugar levels. I count the carbs, take the correct amount of insulin and next test is very high. Exercise does help me, but I have fibromyalgia. So more exercise, more pain, equals less exercise and hard to control blood sugars. I like MFP, it helps keep track up to those carb, insulin, andv ery handy when talking to doctors. They don't seem to believe me when I say I am sticking to a diabetic diet. Good luck with it all. If you want to friend, got for it.
  • Hi
    I have had type 1 diabetes for about 2 years. Not very good at controlling blood sugars. I am about 70 pounds over weight. Usually I am good about the carb I am eating. I am a stress eater, which has led my to being over weight and having diabetes. Been trying very hard to keep carbs low, but every time I test bs are hi. Exercise does help me, but I have fibromyalgia. So more exercise, more pain, equals less exercise and hard to control blood sugars. I like MFP, it helps keep track up to those carb, insulin, and very handy when talking to doctors.

    Find it hard to not eat when BS gets lower, even when not correct range. Celery sticks and salads help, but still feel hungry. They say hunger will go away when my body gets use to lower bs, but WHEN. Well here to a healthy, none binging, losing weight 2013.
    Bye for now, feel free to freind.
  • forestplay
    forestplay Posts: 63 Member
    I"m a T1, pumper and also trying to lose a few pounds. Anyone still looking, please send me a friend request. We've got to stick together!

    -Bob
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    Type 1 diabetic here. Diagnosed at age 12 and I will be 46 in April. I use a MiniMed pump and I lost a staggering 110 pounds in one year on MFP. No diabetic complications and I leading a healthy, active, new lifestyle.
  • shortxtina
    shortxtina Posts: 9 Member
    Hey, T1 diabetic here as well. I'm 28 and have been diabetic for 18 years and on a pump for over 10. I agree as a diabetic trying to lose weight seems like an uphill battle, you do well, exercise and eat right and then at 4am you wake up sweating and needing to eat, and I tend to binge... I've been struggling with the bouncing back and forth as I increase my activity and watch what I eat. I've found it crazy helpful to lean on my medical team... I visit with my Diabetes Educator every 2-3 months and will send her my pump readings in between if I'm having trouble and then I've worked with the nutritionist to give me lower carb/calorie options for snacks or meals on the go for my busy lifestyle... I always thought a nutritionist was a waste of my time, but sometimes it's a small piece of advice but it really works. I've been able to lower my basal rate and my weight is slowly decreasing. If you want to add me as a friend please do... we all need as much support as we can get! Best of luck everyone!!
  • Marthablodgett
    Marthablodgett Posts: 1 Member
    Hey there, T1 diabetic as well and really struggling to lose weight. It seems the harder I work at it the slower it comes off. I am getting exercise every day and counting my calories here but I am having no luck with getting the weight off, I've even gained a few pounds! Any advice would be welcomed!