Hi all, I am Sarah. I'm a former chef who left the restaurant in July due to overwhelming stress, burnout, exhaustion & anxiety. I was just diagnosed with T2 diabetes yesterday. I have been changing my lifestyle ever since I left the kitchen, but this is a wake up call for me to lose some serious weight (60#), get stress & anxiety under control and exercise. Hopefully this app will help keep me motivated.

I am sad & ashamed that I let my self down and my poor lifestyle contributed to my diabetes. I am aiming to turn it around by the end of 2016. I don't know if that is realistic, but it's what I want to do.

Hi. My name is Doug, I live in the UK and I've been Type 2 Diabetic for 3 years. I work shifts which include nights and struggle to find good quick meals for shift workers, not to mention snacks. I also like beer and chocolate and would love someone to come up with ideas as to which chocolate is less damaging to my blood sugars and a low carb beer....

My sugar levels are on the whole steady, but possibly a bit high. But this should improve as I've just started swimming again and swim about 2000m a week, for now.

Hi everyone, I'm not new to MFP ,,I was diagnosed with type 2 a year ago. I've managed to lose 40 pounds and get off one med...but since getting off the one I've had to be very careful with counting carbs. My goal is to lose more and get off the other med.

Hi I was diagnosed with T2 last year and basically ignored it for several months, which obviously didn't help. So now I am trying to get my numbers under control and so far not doing too well. I'm trying to relearn what to eat and watching carbs. I recently started going to the gym too and am hoping to maybe lose enough that I can no longer be a diabetic. Trying to figure this out and finding that there is a science to it. Many trials and errors so far. I will be starting on Metformin as soon as my mail order meds arrive and hoping that helps. Looking for motivation, advice etc. Thanks ☺

Hi! I'm Melanie, I'm a T2 diabetic, diagnosed 11 years ago. I managed it well for 5 years on Actos, but when my medication received a black box warning by the FDA, my doc would no longer prescribe it and my insurance company wouldn't pay for it. I was switched to Metformin, which made me very ill, much worse than the normal upset tummy people get, so I was put on insulin, a long lasting and fast acting.

Fast forward 5 years, I gained a ton of weight and really struggled to lose any weight without major calorie restriction, to the point where it just wasn't sustainable. I was up to 310 units of insulin a day and was very depressed. Last December after significant research, I decided to try a low carb, moderate protein, high fat diet. I've lost 59 lbs and dropped my insulin down from 310 units a day to just 10-20 units a day.

I still have a very long way to go on my weight loss journey, and I'm just taking it one day at a time, but for the first time in years I feel really positive about my health.

Hi, I'm new to T2 and this group. I just started using MyFitnessPal "for real" today, but I guess I signed on originally in 2011. I'm sure this group will be helpful for me, and I'm hopeful I can help someone else, too.
Mike

Hi, my name is Frank. I'm 38 and was diagnosed with T2 last week... I'm not shocked, since I have been living in denial for a while. Up until this year, I had not had insurance for a while. But I finally bit the bullet and went to the doc to confirm what I already knew to be true.

Based on the initial testing, I am not required to be on insulin, which I am relieved by. I was prescribed Metformin & Lisinopril, but had an allergic reaction to the Lisinopril (angioedema) and spent the weekend in the hospital... Awesome... So, I'm sure meds will change.

I have been on MFP for a while... Several years ago, I lost 70 pounds doing P90X and counting calories. It was great and MFP was a huge part of my success. Today, P90X is just too hard on my joints and too demanding a regimen to sustain.

The plan, as of now, is to drop the carbs substantially, count the calories religiously, and start low impact exercise immediately. I'm going to be doing DDP Yoga and swimming in our neighborhood pool.

My first long-term goal is to stay off of insulin. The second would be to get off of meds. The third would be to stay off of meds. This is all brand new to me, though, so I value encouragement and helpful tips.

I'm working through a bunch of emotions about the whole thing, but the bottom line is that I have a wife of 10 years and three kids (8, 6, and 2) who need me and whose lives I want to share a lot more of. There is really not anything else to say, but let's get started. Cheers!

Hello, all. I was diagnosed two decades ago, but at the same time, I was diagnosed with another illness that was, according to my doctors, supposed to kill me by the end of 2011. Well, guess what . . . .
So with those two diagnoses, I decided not to deal with the diabetes. I recently changed my mind.
I have been using insulin for a week now, and I know a little more than at the start, but I am still floundering. Thought I could learn more here.

Hi, I'm LA...new to the group. I'm "pre-diabetic" and have been for over a year. I was recently diagnosed with a benign pancreatic tumor and am preparing for surgery. My doctor told me when they remove the tumor they are taking part of the pancreas with it. As a result, I will likely have type 2 diabetes and be placed on insulin, since I will not have a fully functioning pancreas. I need to lose 50-60 pounds to try and get this under control.

Hi, My name is Jessica.. and I just got diagnosed with T2 exactly one month ago... It is all.confusing at the moment.. I will get to understand and learn to live with it.. I am currently taking Metformin twice a day and I am exercising regularly now that I got diagnosed..

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Hi Jessica and Kim!
Welcome!
I was diagnosed April 2015 and probably like you was completely overwhelmed but don't be too scared. You just need to get fit, eat right and if you need to..lose some weight.
One of the most comforting things the doctor said to me when I was diagnosed and crying in the examining room was that everyone needs to do this...diabetic or not. Good choices that everyone needs to embrace...so remember that and it will help. Also the type 2 support group has lots of great and helpful people!!!
To start I would say walk every day or do some sort of exercise. Don't start extreme because you need to make this a lifestyle change I have lost 76 lbs (I play with w 5 lb range) and am on maintenance but all I did was walk (and not fast) every day for the fist 9 months of the year it took me to lose the weight. I now do lots of different things but with evrryone going on, walking is a great one till you settle in and get a bit fitter!!

Also the second thing I would suggest is trying to drink at least 8 cups of water every single day. We need to protect and not stress out our kidneys!!

To start with your diet, there are lots of ways to help keep your blood sugar more stable bit above all, I would go by the advice of your doctor..here is what Is working for me...lots of people here follow this sort of diet..it is moderate carbs and balanced diet and other follow a low carb, high fat with success but for me it wouldn't be sustainable. Follow your medical advice and listen to your body(important)
Eating as much real food (less processed) as you can do at least you know what you are eating this is a big one for me!

Eating more veggies..(non starchy ones) make then the focus of your meal!!

Lean meat, chicken, turkey, fish...

Carbs..when I started I would keep my total carbs PER MEAL at around 30-35 which is lower...that included fruit, veggies, dairy...all sources of carbs but you can play around with that..the diabetic associations recommend around 40-45 carbs per meal which was too high for me when I was starting..would send my blood sugar to the moon 2 hours after eating so I cut it down until I saw some sort of normal readings.. Spread your carbs out with your meals if you can..there will always be exceptions! Keeps the blood sugar more stable.
Now that I exercise lots more..running, swimming, extreme exercise classes at the gym I can eat around 40-50 carbs per meal without too much bother. I eat my carbs always with fat and/or protein and fiber to temper the blood sugar post meal.
I have always kept the 80/20 rule and that meant birthdays, holidays etc I could and do celebrate with cake etc but not with wild abandon lol! Get right back to healthy and you may boy believe this but the longer you eat healthy..the less you will crave the junk.


Eat enough..don't starve yourself.

It sounds overwhelming but it's not as bad as what you think when you were diagnosed...everyone will cheer you and support!!!
You will likely find you will be in the best shape and feeling so great once you get into the groove. It's a journey and a learning process...take it day by day..this meal, this walk, this decision. Its easier that way!!!!
Lots of us feel better than we have in ever!!!
It's normal to feel bummed, mad, cheated and why me...the stigma of type 2 as well but believe me you will feel like a champion!!! Everyone needs a project...this is a big one for us. YOU CAN DO THIS!! I repeated that every single day and still do..more to do with exercise now tho haha!
Hope that helps you!!!! Welcome aboard!!!!!

Welcome Edward!! Sounds like you have a great attitude!! One thing that helped me was the doctor told me...the way we eat and exercise for diabetes is the way everyone should eat and exercise!!!!You are definitely not alone!!!

I was recently diagnosed with diabetes. I had gestational diabetes when i was pregnant with my girls so it wasn't completely a surprise but still really disappointed! On medication now but hoping to get to a point where it's manageable with diet and exercise. Also hope to lose another 20 lb or so.

Hi I'm Cecilia I have type 2 diabetes and over weight so I have started a 1200 calories a day diet to help with both I am only on pills at the min and want to keep it that way lol my sugar levels are a bit high was at 24 but now at 14 so getting there ANY RECIPE TIPS would be great thanks x

I am so happy that I found this group! I am actually crying right now after reading the stories.

I am 52 years old and have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes for about 13 years. I am new to MFP (this is only my 7th day). I have tried so many medicines and even some long acting and short acting insulin. I really don't think I would need medicine at all if I could control my emotional eating. I have joined the emotional eating group, also.

I am a recent widow that is looking at living on a fixed income, so the cost of meds and healthy foods is really a concern for me at this time and I need to get healthier so my health care will not be such a financial burden. And the grief associated with the loss of my husband and beginning a new stage of life is not helping me very much.

I am just happy to be able to find a place where perhaps I can encourage others in their struggles, and I can be encouraged.

Thank you so much!

Joyce Ann