Diabetes / nutrition-fitness

steelrod1
steelrod1 Posts: 127 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Good day all:

Kinda new here, I've recently been diagnosed with diabetes. I'm an older man with a lifetime of being active. Several years ago, I had a set back, life. Now all alone on my own struggling with depression and well just Life in general. I'm about 30 days into this Diabetes thing and initially kinda scared me. I'm learning as I go, have some guidance and trying to log all my foods and exercise. This seems to keep me " plugged " in. Doing ok so far, some days are harder then others.

Anyway just looking for others in the same boat for tips on fitness, food and general information. Have a great weekend everyone oh and Go Buckeyes.

Replies

  • ldaltonbishop
    ldaltonbishop Posts: 98 Member
    Welcome, and thank you for your service.

    Being diagnosed with diabetes was a shock to me, too, two years ago. I was given the opportunity to take classes with registered dietitians, and that helped -- basically I learned that balanced meals are important, including controlling but not excluding carbs, and to avoid added sugars. Starting an exercise routine, light as it is, really helped -- and you say you are active, so you've got that nailed. I still think what tipped me into the diabetes zone was several weeks of insomnia and stress over upcoming surgery. So sleep is important.

    I learned that too much protein by itself is hard on one organ, and too much fat by itself is hard on another organ, and of course added sugars spike blood glucose. That's why balanced meals are so important.

    Everybody likes when you eat non-carby vegetables like leafy greens. Fortunately onions, peppers, and tomatoes are relatively low carb, so we eat a lot of fajitas. And we would have anyway.

    You can do this.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    Welcome @steelrod1.
    I’ve had the opposite experience of you. My mother’s family is usually diagnosed with type 2 at about 60 years old. My sugar has been just a little high for years. So I knew this was coming and prepared for it. I still haven’t been diagnosed. I have the symptoms.
    It’s been a lot easier for me to adjust my eating habits, since it was a long relaxed change. My problem is being active every day. It’s just a habit I never developed.
    As @idaltonbishop said, you can do this. Just a few tweaks to your diet.
  • steelrod1
    steelrod1 Posts: 127 Member
    Hey all, thanks for the reply.

    Eating and watching carbs and all is challenging but I'm on it . I have up coming educational meetings with nurse and dietician in mid October. I use to be big on lifting and running, not for several years now. I've been very good walking now, two weeks in at least 30 minutes. Finding the more I walk the more I want to. As the weather begins to change here in Ohio excercise will become challenging. I may check out the local Rec. center for crappy weather days. Health insurance kinda sucks and the VA is very very slow. So thank you for your wisdom. This can be done !!
  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
    I love walking! Ive been listening to some awesome podcasts. There is a book called atomic habits and there are some really good ideas and mindsets. As I walk I totally get sucked into listening to it. I have to b careful to find a podcast that is a match to the time I have to walk.

    I am hypoglycemic- not diabetic. I am trying to learn how my body reacts to certain carbs, and learning timing of lows.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    steelrod1 wrote: »
    Hey all, thanks for the reply.

    Eating and watching carbs and all is challenging but I'm on it . I have up coming educational meetings with nurse and dietician in mid October. I use to be big on lifting and running, not for several years now. I've been very good walking now, two weeks in at least 30 minutes. Finding the more I walk the more I want to. As the weather begins to change here in Ohio excercise will become challenging. I may check out the local Rec. center for crappy weather days. Health insurance kinda sucks and the VA is very very slow. So thank you for your wisdom. This can be done !!

    Hello from a fellow veteran!

    I'm in Massachusetts and LOVE the winter for walking. I just put on more and more layers. '89-91, I was stationed in upstate NY at Plattsburgh AFB, and was issued so much cold weather gear that the challenge was to not get overheated. So break out the parka and mukluks! (Ok, mukluks aren't great for distance walking, but whatever warm insulated hiking boot you like. Plus wool socks.) Save a pair of too large jeans so you can put a layer of pajama bottoms or something underneath. Etc.

    I do stay indoors when it rains, and strength train or practice yoga on those days.

    I did the VA Move program a few years back. I found knowing someone was going to be looking at my weight weekly very helpful. I encourage you to ask for a referral for this.

    https://www.move.va.gov/

    I didn't want to miss work so actually did the remote option, TeleMOVE:

    https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/ss20190220-weight-loss-telemove
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,985 Member
    Hey, welcome to MFP.
    There is a T2D group here. It’s a good place to discuss issues specific to us.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1772-type-2-diabetes-support-group

    I was diagnosed back in February. And it was a total surprise to me. Although the work to get my BS in line has been made easier by the fact that I was already slowly losing weight, and I’ve been managing my husband’s agent orange related diabetes for a decade. I was already aware of what to do, and already doing most of those things.
    Except for daily metformin, and restricting my calories a bit more, it wasn’t a huge shift in habits.
  • steelrod1
    steelrod1 Posts: 127 Member
    Hey all.

    @kshama2001:

    Glad to here from a veteran. Training in bad/snowy weather may be a challenge. I'm up for it however. lol I remember training at Fort Drum, NY, a long time ago, man was that a good time. Anyway I'm interested in that VA program you mentioned, MOVE, never heard of it, and well my doctor and staff never mentioned it. I'm in a small town in northern Ohio, near Cedar Point, we have a VA outpost here and well as the saying goes hurry up and wait. I've checked out the links you posted so thanks for directing me . Appreciate the information.

    So thanks again ( kshama2001 ) keep sharing.

    Semper Fi.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    In addition to walking in the woods, I also work on the trails behind my house and in the state park. It's just me doing the trail maintenance behind my house, so its a lot of work. The ATVs help a lot just by using the paths, so I keep the trails clear for them. We had two big oaks come down over the last few years, blocking both paths. Last March I made a new path to get around one of the trees.

    https://youtu.be/k7eWPYy4bYY

    If the ATVs don't do their part, it gets all overgrown again during the summer and I am eager to get back out there, but it's wet in places, and right now the mosquitos are too intense to spend any significant time in one place.

    I love to garden, and trail maintenance fills that need for me outside gardening season.
  • mke1952
    mke1952 Posts: 2 Member
    I was just diagnosed with prediabetes. I’m on met Forman now and really trying to add more fruits and vegetables. Portions have always been my downfall. I knew this was coming but ignored it. Spending time planning my meals and snacks.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,985 Member
    mke1952 wrote: »
    I was just diagnosed with prediabetes. I’m on met Forman now and really trying to add more fruits and vegetables. Portions have always been my downfall. I knew this was coming but ignored it. Spending time planning my meals and snacks.

    Come and join the group I linked to in a comment above!

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