Stuck In A Pessimistic Mood

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KJSTDevoe
KJSTDevoe Posts: 6 Member
in Motivation and Support
So, I was recently diagnosed with diabetes on 2/7/13, and although I haven't met with the nutritionist yet the nurse gave me a list of acceptable snacks and a carb range I should be in with every meal. I am getting discouraged because I have gone up 5 pounds since November, and 30 years of bad eating habits is hard to reverse. Plus, I am not seeing any changes with my sugar. It's still high. I know I need to start exercising but after 30 years of a non active lifestyle I dont even know where to begin with that either. Im just stuck and don't know what to do at this point. I guess the purpose of this post is to find other diabetics on MFP and kinda see what there food diaries look like and at least have someone to talk to about this. I am 30 years old, I shouldnt be getting diagnosed with diabetes.

Replies

  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    T2 diagnosis can be a overwhelming. Take a deep breath. Don't think that it all needs to be fixed in a week. Make small changes and then a few more small changes. Rinse and repeat this process over the course of a year and you will have changed your entire lifestyle for the better.

    A good starting point is the T2 group here on MFP

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1789-type-2-diabetes-support-group

    Lots of supportive people with good advice.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
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    There are other people here that can help you with the diabetes part, though you could try entering it in the search if you don't get enough replies.

    In the meantime, I wanted to comment on a few things. First, it IS hard to change all of your habits overnight. Work on them in stages, tackling the most important stuff first. As for exercise, there is a lot of stuff you can do but since you are feeling overwhelmed at the moment, I suggest starting out with something simple--walking. You can build up as you gain more confidence and have a steady pattern going.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    Strap on those tennis shoes and go for a 20 minute walk everyday. Slow at first, build up as you feel stronger. Exercise is a HUGE part of getting your sugar numbers regulated. Follow what the nurse gave you and chose your foods very wisely. I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but diabetes isn't something to take lightly. I know you feel stuck, but those small changes can make a huge difference. Good luck!

    PS. A good friend of mine was diagnosed at 40. Since they she's lost about 50 pounds and really took strides to save her life. She still needs meds and to test, but the weight loss really helped. Her diagnoses is what scared me into losing and I'm so glad I did!
  • bikhi
    bikhi Posts: 175
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    i was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago in January. the doc wanted to put me on insulin that day. i begged her to give me a chance to lose weight and put me on metformin.

    she did and i lost 20 pounds in the first two months. i have now lost 74 pounds and am off all diabetes meds.

    you can do it if i can. the threat of daily needles was enough to get me losing.
  • K_Serz
    K_Serz Posts: 1,299 Member
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    i was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago in January. the doc wanted to put me on insulin that day. i begged her to give me a chance to lose weight and put me on metformin.

    she did and i lost 20 pounds in the first two months. i have now lost 74 pounds and am off all diabetes meds.

    you can do it if i can. the threat of daily needles was enough to get me losing.

    Great Job!!!
  • Rabona0625
    Rabona0625 Posts: 2 Member
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    Well I'm 50 and I don't have diabetes but what I do have is some advise. Walk just start by walking around the block. Slowly increase that to 2 blocks. Load an app that tracks your progress and calories burned. I use RuntasticPro. I used to refuse to exercise when I started my weight loss journey 6 years ago. I lost 52lbs with NO exercise. I joined a gym to maintain what I had list: no way was I going to waist my efforts. I started with step, Zumba, weight training and then I spotted that treadmill. My first mile ever took me about 25 minutes to run. I now run daily, participate in a monthly race usually placing 2nd for my age group. Last December I ran my first 1/2 marathon and now, I can't go a day without pushing myself to do something, anything that makes mr sweat! Find something you love (takes awhile to live exercise so stick with it for a LONG time none of this "I tried it fur a week" stuff). That's all I got except that you will never regret putting forth the effort! Good luck :)
  • OddballExtreme
    OddballExtreme Posts: 296 Member
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    i was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago in January. the doc wanted to put me on insulin that day. i begged her to give me a chance to lose weight and put me on metformin.

    she did and i lost 20 pounds in the first two months. i have now lost 74 pounds and am off all diabetes meds.

    you can do it if i can. the threat of daily needles was enough to get me losing.
    I was also diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes a year ago in January, right on my brother's birthday, the 26th. My doctor put me on metformin and lisinopril (for high blood pressure). I've lost 50 pounds in a year, and two weeks ago he took me off all the meds. Knowing it runs in my family, I didn't take it as hard as most would, but it gave me that proverbial kick in the rear end to start taking care of myself. It can be very hard at first and can feel discouraging. Just remember, your body is undergoing changes it won't like at the start. As you keep going with it in time, you'll get more used to it, and your body will accept the changes.

    Like BigGuy47 said,
    T2 diagnosis can be a overwhelming. Take a deep breath. Don't think that it all needs to be fixed in a week. Make small changes and then a few more small changes. Rinse and repeat this process over the course of a year and you will have changed your entire lifestyle for the better.
    Take your time with it. It's not a TV show where things get solved in 30 minutes to an hour. Just believe in yourself and don't let anything or anyone stand in your way. :flowerforyou:
  • harvo
    harvo Posts: 4,676 Member
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    So, I was recently diagnosed with diabetes on 2/7/13, and although I haven't met with the nutritionist yet the nurse gave me a list of acceptable snacks and a carb range I should be in with every meal. I am getting discouraged because I have gone up 5 pounds since November, and 30 years of bad eating habits is hard to reverse. Plus, I am not seeing any changes with my sugar. It's still high. I know I need to start exercising but after 30 years of a non active lifestyle I dont even know where to begin with that either. Im just stuck and don't know what to do at this point. I guess the purpose of this post is to find other diabetics on MFP and kinda see what there food diaries look like and at least have someone to talk to about this. I am 30 years old, I shouldnt be getting diagnosed with diabetes.

    I am diabetic also and I will tell you it is not an easy lifestyle when you love food like I do. That being said you should never exceed 45 carbs a meal (according to a chart I got from my educator). Eat a meal, a small snack, a meal, a snack, ameal and a snack...high protein when possible. Rmember this, the only difference between a good day and a bad is is YOUR attitude. Good luck!
  • ginastone2
    ginastone2 Posts: 28 Member
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    Turn on your radio (music has a way with motivation). Walk/March in place while you are doing housework, take a break and dance when a good song comes on. I do this when I am folding clothes, washing dishes, cooking, etc. The personal trainer that I am working with in a class that I am taking says that you get health benefits when you exercise and keep your heart rate up for 10 minutes at a time - JUST 10 MINUTES!!! Do that and it will help to regulate your blood sugar and help boost your metabolism. Do it several times a day and reap even better benefits.

    Don't be pessimistic. You have no time for that. Get up in the morning and tell yourself you can do this. Positive self-talk helps the brain believe it. I KNOW you can do this! If I can, anyone can!!!! :-)
  • mousepaws22
    mousepaws22 Posts: 380 Member
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    Are you in the UK? Davina McCall DVDs are quite good for beignners I think, not too hard. Look at the earlier ones though rather than the more recent ones. I also second the walking suggestions, especialy if you can listen to music as well.
  • MSam1205
    MSam1205 Posts: 439 Member
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    I was 56 When my Dr walked in and said "congratulations, you are now officially a Diabetic" I nearly died:noway: . Yes he is blunt and to the point, but that's what I needed. It was 3 weeks before Christmas in December 2011 and that very day I started my reasearch and have learned how to cut carbs, make better food choices, and MOVE! I started swimming laps at local Aquatic center. 5 laps killed me:sad: I can now do 20. I saw these women having fun doing water aerobics and now I do it 2-3 times a week. It is so much easier to move under water and you do work! My sone left and now I walk the dog as long as the sidewalks are clear (Buffalo Snow ya Know! :laugh: ) and walk the mall sunday mornings. I have a Wii fit and some videos. There are lots of options to start exercising, I know it's just MY procrastination if I don't do anything.

    I went to a diabetes class that really helped me understand what I was dealing with, difference between type 1 and type 2, and that it wasn't a death sentence if I was willing to change. I take metformin, I try to be good about checking my sugars, and I avoid food triggers like pasta, breads,etc 90% of the time because I know they are big triggers for me. I hit a roadblock and so chose to start working with a nutritionist. She reviews my diary, has me add lots of fiber, and has shown me that sometimes packaged foods are not all bad (fiber plus bars :love: )

    You can do this!! You will need support from family and professionals and maybe some meds, but lots of us are doing it every day. Come join us!!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

    You
  • Diyah13
    Diyah13 Posts: 76 Member
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    I'm sorry to hear about the things you are going through. My physician warned me of T2 diabetes a few years ago, and with my cholesterol climbing, I had to make a change. I started small. Really small. I had to make me feel better to tackle the challenge, so I changed my hair style and invested in some new clothes. That was fun. Then I got onto MFP and started tracking what I ate. I found where I could change my diet somewhat while still enjoying the foods I have known all of my life. Even the bad ones. I'm still a work I progress, but the things I wanted to change are showing results.

    Please don't give up. Just do one thing today. And then another in a week or so. Then another in a week or so after that. You'll get there. :)

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