Just started, need weight loss for medical issues

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katiebug7932
katiebug7932 Posts: 3 Member
in Getting Started
i am new here...learned I have type 2 diabetes...currently on meds (metformin). Really want to change my eating habits and force myself to exercise! Need motivation and positive energy/thoughts. I get discouraged and frustrated with weight loss! Learning to take care of me!

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  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
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    That's great! Everyone gets discouraged and frustrated sometimes. Its an effort, and it doesn't always go the way we wish it would. But stick with it and it will be worth it!
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
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    If you are T2D then you really NEED to look into trying and following a Ketogenic Diet/Lifestyle. I came just about as close as possible as it is to be diagnosed with T2D and not actually be diagnosed but it was a close thing. My mom is T2D. Her mom was too. I made the decision to make a drastic change in my life for health-related purposes about a year ago. I got my mom on the diet too. To date I have eliminated 112 pounds. To date mom has been taken off ALL of her Diabetic medication, her water pill, and ALL of her high blood pressure medication. Mom's cholesterol meds have been cut down to only half a pill a day. I believe by the end of this year she will most likely be taken off of that medication too. Mom has also eliminated somewhere between 50-60 pounds. My diary is open so feel free to friend me. A good place to start is this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Science-Carbohydrate-Living/dp/0983490708. It's written by two doctors in such a way so that lay people with no medical background can easily understand how and why the diet works so well. Good luck to you!
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
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    I follow a low carb/keto diet, but I won't go so far to say you need it as a T2D. I have found it useful for controlling hunger and blood sugar spikes, but you may not find it as useful. If you're interested in going keto or low carb, there are groups here on MFP that can give you support. For a group, I'm partial to Low Carber Daily Forum.

    You can do this and *any* improvement in your diet will improve your health. You don't have to jump into keto, just start logging to see where you can make small improvements. Sometimes, the small ones are enough. Good luck!
  • coco_bee
    coco_bee Posts: 173 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I am prediabetic trying to prevent T2D. I limit my bread but find it almost impossible to stop bread completely so I think I would fail at being totally carb free. I just cant do it! A sandwich is so quick to make, convenient and filling.

    The good news is along with regular exercise, I have stopped consuming cakes, biscuits, chocolate, donuts and all high calorie sugary foods on a daily basis - they are for occasional treats only and I've never been addicted to soft drinks thank God.

    I agree with 2Poufs - any improvement, small or otherwise, is definitely another step towards better health.

    Please feel free to add me as your friend katiebug (if you want to) - we all need motivation and encouragement from each other :)
  • Brin1956
    Brin1956 Posts: 168 Member
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    coco_bee wrote: »
    I am prediabetic trying to prevent T2D. I limit my bread but find it almost impossible to stop bread completely so I think I would fail at being totally carb free. I just cant do it! A sandwich is so quick to make, convenient and filling.

    The good news is along with regular exercise, I have stopped consuming cakes, biscuits, chocolate, donuts and all high calorie sugary foods on a daily basis - they are for occasional treats only and I've never been addicted to soft drinks thank God.

    I agree with 2Poufs - any improvement, small or otherwise, is definitely another step towards better health.

    Please feel free to add me as your friend katiebug (if you want to) - we all need motivation and encouragement from each other :)

    I've had a love affair with bread since I was a kid. I try really hard to leave it in the store but I buy it for my family. This is my number one problem bread/
  • coco_bee
    coco_bee Posts: 173 Member
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    I've had a love affair with bread since I was a kid. I try really hard to leave it in the store but I buy it for my family. This is my number one problem bread/[/quote]

    Me too. This is my problem too as I also love bread. I have Vogels now (wholegrain) but my 1st love is white bread. Especially warm from the bakery w butter oh yum! Grew up on the stuff. Anyway, the only way I could get some sort of control over this was to stop having butter or margarine. I still buy bread for my family too but bread by itself is dry and unappealing to me. I use avocado for spread to have in my sandwich for lunch. Bread and butter is a rare treat for me now, as are cakes and all the other goodies mentioned.

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Another prediabetic here. Get yourself a blood glucose meter and learn what foods increase the readings. You can quickly achieve a reduction ahead of the longer term benefits of weight loss as carbohydrate restriction targets the problem of elevated blood glucose.
  • coco_bee
    coco_bee Posts: 173 Member
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    Hey great advice yarwell thank you! I will get me a blood glucose meter tomorrow :) I now wonder why my doctor hasn't suggested I do this already.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    You don't need motivation, you need discipline. There are an uncountable number of "I need motivation" threads on these boards. You'll learn from them that overwhelmingly those who succeed at weight loss attribute it to discipline and those who fail attribute it to a lack of motivation.
  • rotill
    rotill Posts: 244 Member
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    The wonderful thing is that if you get on a good diet you will quickly feel the change. I do not have diabetes, but had to change the way I eat for my health. I absolutely loved cakes and candy, and didn't deny myself much! I had a set-back this spring/summer and didn't watch what I ate (bread is so convenient, desserts and drinks are so social and nice), and I immediately got several of my old health issues back: swelling, rashes, sleep problems etc. Getting back on track once I noticed what I was doing to myself was not hard!

    My relatives who have diabetes 2 all live by watching the glycemic index rather than going low carb. It lets you eat regular food as long as it has enough fiber that you don't get blood sugar spikes. So no white bread, but whole grain, brown rice and whole grain pasta, but no potatoes, etc. It takes a bit of effort to read up on it, but once you get it, it is pretty easy to practice in everyday life.

    Good luck!
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
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    Good luck to you!

    Make small changes in your diet, you don't have to make drastic changes to get good results and control your diabetes. My husband is a T2D, he made a few small changes switching from regular soda to diet, he now takes a 20 minute walk with me after dinner, eating at a small calorie deficit, and in 6 months he dropped 30 lbs and his A1C went from 7.9 to 6.4. He did not give up desserts or white bread, he just logs them and makes sure he doesn't over eat them.
  • katiebug7932
    katiebug7932 Posts: 3 Member
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    coco_bee wrote: »
    I am prediabetic trying to prevent T2D. I limit my bread but find it almost impossible to stop bread completely so I think I would fail at being totally carb free. I just cant do it! A sandwich is so quick to make, convenient and filling.

    The good news is along with regular exercise, I have stopped consuming cakes, biscuits, chocolate, donuts and all high calorie sugary foods on a daily basis - they are for occasional treats only and I've never been addicted to soft drinks thank God.

    I agree with 2Poufs - any improvement, small or otherwise, is definitely another step towards better health.

    Please feel free to add me as your friend katiebug (if you want to) - we all need motivation and encouragement from each other :)

    Thanks! Right now I have to start small as if I take it too fast I get overwhelmed and just say forget it! But I agree small changes will lead to bigger ones! I was "pre diabetic" for a long time and just didn't listen:(. I have a bad family history of diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure. Well I'm 35 and on meds for all those! I am hoping also by making these small changes my husband will want to be encouraged to!
  • ShashayLee
    ShashayLee Posts: 178 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I've finally listened to my dr's advice of losing wight & getting exercise. I'm down 41 pounds & my blood sugars for the first time in ages are in the normal range. I'm amazed at how well i now feel. Keep it up & yes small changes work well
  • katiebug7932
    katiebug7932 Posts: 3 Member
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    GiveMeCoffee wrote: »
    Good luck to you!

    Make small changes in your diet, you don't have to make drastic changes to get good results and control your diabetes. My husband is a T2D, he made a few small changes switching from regular soda to diet, he now takes a 20 minute walk with me after dinner, eating at a small calorie deficit, and in 6 months he dropped 30 lbs and his A1C went from 7.9 to 6.4. He did not give up desserts or white bread, he just logs them and makes sure he doesn't over eat them.

    Sounds like a good plan! My A1c was 6 this week it was 6.9. I always knew I needed to make changes but always made excuses or just said to heck with it. But reality sets in when the doc tells you (nicely) one day I might end up on insulin. Small changes here I come (fingers crossed) :). Good luck to you husband!
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
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    If its bread the does you in that you're really dying for, I highly, highly recommend LC foods bread. I have tried at least half a dozen different brands of low carb bread and so far I find I like their bread the best. They offer several kinds: pumpernickel, rye, white, multigrain, and cinnamon. They also offer three different kinds of bagels. I prefer the bagels over the bread because the carbs are lower and I can have two slices to make a sandwich I can really hang onto in the sink my teeth into as opposed to one slice of regular bread as an open-faced sandwich. Even though they also sell hamburger buns, I also prefer to use the Bengals as hamburger buns. These are all low carb products by the way for me very reputable company. If you are interested, their website is www.Holdthecarbs.Com.

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