Anyone type 2 diabetic???

Options
theyoyoer
theyoyoer Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ho everyone, I'm into my 4th day of being diabetic type 2, im on medication for it and changing my food choices for the better and cutting out the cr*p, just wondering if anyone knows of food groups etc which are no/smallest amount sugar and no / low carbs which are good fillers???

Replies

  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 980 Member
    Options
    Berries and vegetables, predominantly. Although you may not find them filling.

    I drew up a list (which I eventually put in to a spreadsheet) of all the fruits, veg, salad stuffs etc etc that I typically eat. I then researched the number of calories and the number of carbs, per 100g, for each. I did the same for the chicken / ham /beef / canned fish that go into my lunch.

    As a result of that list, I started buying raspberries (even frozen ones if necc) instead of blueberries to go in my morning (no sugar) soya yoghurt. I also add chia seeds to increase the fibre intake and to make it seem more filling. A few days a week, I'll have a cooked breakfast of grilled bacon & tomato, scrambled eggs and mushrooms as that has minimal carbs. I've also learned which bread is best for me to buy for the rare occasions I want a slice of bread. I've pretty much stopped buying oranges and bananas.

    For lunch, I usually have a huge salad (no dressing, unless I'm adding antipasti artichokes from a jar, in which case there will be some oil added by default) andI add a different protein each day. However, I used my list to determine which brand of tuna, mackerel, salmon etc was lowest in cals / carbs and now only buy the brand of each that is best for me, based on the nutritional info.

    It's habit to have a packet of crisps after my lunch, so I switched to buying multi-packs of lentil crisps and popcorn. They're not lower in carbs per 100g, but the packet sizes are smaller so you automatically consume fewer carbs.

    In the evening, I favour cauliflower and broccoli over peas to go with my dinner. I still have rice, potatoes and pasta - but in much much smaller quantities than I'd have eaten before.

    All of the above on their own make small differences, but they add up.

    I've stopped looking at sugar - it's a subset of carbs and the carbs will be turned in to sugar in my body, therefore I only look at the carb numbers.
  • ALZ14
    ALZ14 Posts: 202 Member
    Options
    Protein is key, followed by fats. When you pair protein and fat with a carb (steak with a baked potato for example) it helps your body process the carb intake better than eating the carb alone.

    As a diabetic you will still need to eat carbs, just in different amounts.

    Everyone’s body handles different carbs in different ways, so it will take you awhile to figure out what works for you. Some people can handle white bread some people can’t. Some people do okay with potatoes and others can’t. There will be trial and error, so being honest about what you are eating, the amounts and what your blood sugar readings are will be key to figuring out what works best for you.
  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 39,437 Member
    edited October 2020
    Options
    I was diagnosed type 2 diabetic when I was hospitalized last year with the flu/pneumonia ... I was on insulin, victoza , Metformin ...I am happy to say I am off all meds related to Diabetes ... my a1c went from 8.1 to 6.2 ...I eat low carb/keto ...wishing you the very best on your journey :) You are welcome to take a look at my diary ... it is open to all
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Options
    What meds are you on? The number of carbs you need to eat will partly depend on if you are on meds which can cause hypoglycemia.

    @ALZ14 has good advice about mixed meals - carbs solo hit your blood much faster than carbs combined with other foods.

    I strongly recommend a technique called eating to the meter. If you don’t currently have a glucose testing machine, get one, even if you have to use your own money. Get one which has inexpensive strips so you aren’t afraid to use it often, and test after each meal until you learn your own tolerances. Different diabetics have different reactions to the same foods. For example, I have a friend who can’t eat tomatoes without a spike, whereas tomatoes barely move me. I can eat a ton of potatoes but even one small flour tortilla will spike me. Everyone is different, and no doctor or dietician can tell you about your own body. Unless you test you are just guessing. Until you learn your own tolerances, test after every novel meal, and weigh and log your portions so you know what you’re eating!

    When I was diagnosed my a1c was 11. Following weight loss and exercise, and learning to eat correctly to stay within normal levels, my a1c has been under 5 for four years now. That’s not a diabetic or prediabetic level, it’s a normal a1c level. Despite having normal bg levels I am still diabetic and still have to watch my carbs and exercise, but having normal sugars greatly lowers the risk of organ damage and complications over time. I still take metformin because it acts as an appetite suppressant for some people and I have no side effects with it, but no other meds.

    Some of the foods I have come to rely on are green vegetables, cacao powder, dark chocolate, Greek yogurt, and oatmeal. But mainly what I do is when I want more carbs I exercise first. I can eat a bunch of carbs following a long run! And a heavy strength routine will keep my levels lower than usual for 24 hours afterwards. There are a bunch of things I don’t eat because the carbs aren’t worth it to me, such as most candy and bread, and a handful I can’t eat because they spike me even in small amounts, such as pecan pie. But mostly, once I got my weight under control and my exercise up, I am able to eat at least small portions of almost everything I want.

    You can do this! It’s a bit of a learning curve but diabetes is very manageable if you do the work!

Categories