New here, would like any and all advice

amberh801
amberh801 Posts: 1
in Getting Started
hello! I've finally reached the mindset needed to stay focused and lose this weight and become healthier! Im a diabetic asks have about 70lbs to lose. I am starting on a low carb diet and would like any advice and tips you can offer! grab and go ideas, recipes,etc.. please give me info to help get me started and on the right path!
thanks
Amber

Replies

  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I would suggest that you look up how to do low carb right (which you might have already done). Doing it wrong can be very bad for you. For example net carbs vs total carbs. If you cut total carbs you may end up constipated from lack of fibre.

    Good luck!
  • kimdyj
    kimdyj Posts: 224 Member
    feel free to add me!
  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
    Being put on Metformin got me on this weight loss/ healthy living lifestyle. I hate to call it a diet but that's what it is. My plan is to lose weight and tone up what I have left. I knew I needed to get healthy but I suppose my doc putting me on Metformin was the last straw. I am trying to watch carbs and keep them to a certain percentage of my daily intake. As far as "grab and go" , for me I avoid any fast food places. Once in a while I allow myself a bagel but for the most part it's oatmeal or low carb snack bars in the morning along with yogurt and/or fruit. It's a continual learning process for me. I know people do "cheat days or meals". I try to avoid them. I do go over my calories occasionally but for me I want to get where I need to be bad enough that having something like a donut or pizza, i avoid as much as I can. For lunches, I try as much as I can to bring healthy stuff to work instead of wasting my lunch time prowling the grocery store trying to justify something to eat. Anyways sorry for the extra long post. best of luck and ADD me if you like. :bigsmile:
  • BokBagok
    BokBagok Posts: 345
    Log everything you eat. And I mean everything. That's my best tip as a fellow beginner.
  • akdollie
    akdollie Posts: 69 Member
    If you want to eliminate carbs you could look into the Paleo foods- There are a lot of good meal ideas you can incorporate even if you are not doing it full time.
  • bobbilum
    bobbilum Posts: 55
    I'm fairly new here myself, and this is the first time I am posting in the message board.

    Welcome, and I am sure there are many here like you and me. I was diagnosed 3 years ago (at age 54) with type 2. I have a strong genetic predisposition, so even though it wasn't shocking, it was a wake up call.

    Yes, we need to count carbs and be honest in our dietary habits. And I am not going to kid you, the first few months are not the easiest. I was pretty depressed and miserable about having to give up all the foods that I loved. Rice, pasta...
    But I did it, and now eating low carb is so second nature that I don't even really give it much thought.

    There are lots of ways to cut carbs, but the best place to start is with a dietician, or a diabetes support class. And for the first few months, test, test, test. You'll need to know how different foods affect your blood sugar. Everyone is different, so how someone else reacts to foods may not be how you do. The favorite saying is YMMV (your "mileage" may vary)

    Personally, I aim for 60-75 net carbs daily. I choose this because I can keep my a1c in the non diabetic range with the minimum dose of metformin (500 mg daily). My doctor has told me that I can quit it if I choose, but since they are finding there are other benefits, and since it is free from my pharmacy, I continue the med.

    Second, exercise. This is every bit as vital as carb counting and taking meds. But start out reasonably. I walk. Outdoors in good weather, but I invested in a dedicated exercise room. I have a treadmill, and a nice flatscreen! I queue up all the shows that I love (but hubby doesn't) and that's my reward for walking. I started out slowly, and have built up to an hour a day at a brisk 4 mph. Nothing beats having a post prandial glucose in the 80's!

    I haven't looked yet to see if there are other groups here with similar issues, but maybe we could hunt around and find one that we can join for support.

    I've lost 55 lbs total so far (30 of them without even trying, the first symptom of my diabetes!) I still have about 20 more to go.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Get thyself to a diabetic educator if you haven't yet. They will have loads of information.

    Start small, read ALL labels. I too am diabetic. My physician and educator want me to aim for no more than 45 grams of carbs per meal (x3 meals a day, plus a snack = 160-165 carbs a day). Make sure you're checking blood sugar two hours after a meal, you're aiming for a blood glucose level of 140 or less.

    Increase your fiber, slowly. I aim for 30 grams a day. Drink LOTS of water.

    I've found the Eat This, Not That series of books to be helpful in my journey.

    Don't overwhelm yourself. Lean proteins, whole grain & high fiber cereals/wraps/breads, low-fat dairy products are your best friends.

    Measure your food! Hear me? MEASURE EVERYTHING. Get a scale and weigh it. You'd be surprised how much better you'll do.

    I'm an Amber too :flowerforyou:
  • thegoodfight24
    thegoodfight24 Posts: 16 Member
    My first advice is: breathe and forget about "70". Next, assess your eating habits. If you're diabetic, are you eating consciously? Are you keeping your sugar levels in check? If you are pursuing a low carb diet, remember that low carb doesn't mean necessarily "NO" carb. Do a little research on that. And most importantly, track EVERYTHING. I can promise you that It will fall into place if you stay committed. Feel free to add me for motivation. Three months ago, I was pre-diabetic with PCOS and weighed 252 pounds. Now, I'm 32 pounds lighter and still losing. Nothing crazy, nothing wild - just good old calorie counting and working out at the gym.

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