Eating Out and Diabetes

Aesop101
Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was diagnosed with Diabetes on December 18, 2023. My A1C was an amazing 14.7. I had no idea how bad that was until the nurse said it was the highest she's seen in this office. I was in trouble. I've always been able to rise to the challenge. This diagnosis is my greatest health challenge and it's a tough one.

Prior to being diagnosed I felt sick and nauseated for more than a year. Mostly it was nausea and as such I lost over 70 LBS because I could only eat one meal. I passed it off as a bug. What prompted me to call the doctor was that I became dizzy and fainted. I had been dizzy several mornings in a row.

Besides thinking it was a bug I had many other things wrong. I purchased a Sub at a sandwich shop and became ill and was ill for 3 days. My tummy was uncomfortable. Later I purchased one of my favorite sandwiches at a Burger Biggie and became ill again. Then one day I fixed my favorite Bologna sandwich with cheese and once again became nauseated. This bologna must be bad. I threw it away. Then after being diagnosed and told to cut back on Carbs. Then I began to realize it wasn't the eateries or the bologna it was the bread. I'm tickled that I never said anything bad about the eateries. That would have been horrible.

Today I still go out to eat occasionally. I try to pick places that are diabetically friendly. There's a smorgasbord that my family and I enjoy. That is one of the most diabetic friendly places I have ever been to. I never realized it before. They have quite a large salad bar and baked fish and other meats. Of course, previously it was, Where's that Fried Chicken! I've been to several other family places since then and most are limited to salads. However, most of the salads have grilled chicken (Yum!). Some of the places have such a pleasant atmosphere that it's just where you want to be.

I don't know if I should name any names of businesses, but I will. I treated my kids to Wendy's. I figured I would just not eat the buns. My DIL said you can have the sandwich wrapped in lettuce. I'm all in. That was one of the most delicious hamburgers I had ever eaten. It seems the bun distracted from the taste of the meat. Never expected that. As a side I had a small chili. That did have 22 grams of carbs. I thought that was a bit high but not horrible. I think according to my Nurse Practioner I'm allowed 70 carbs per meal. I doubt that I have 50 per day.

I hope you all enjoy the article and if it spurs any ideas that would be wonderful.

Replies

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    Sounds like you figured it out! What you can eat out will depend primarily on how much you're willing to spend... grilled fish, shrimp, chicken, steak with a side of vegetables are often going to be options at most sit down restaurants. And yes, burgers without the bun are almost always an option (figured this out when trying to eat out as celiac).
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
    Seems that Celiac Disease has some things in common with diabetes. That is stay away from carbs.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    Aesop101 wrote: »
    Seems that Celiac Disease has some things in common with diabetes. That is stay away from carbs.

    Kind of, but not necessarily. I eat a lot of rice. About 50% of my calories every day come from carbs. It's about not eating wheat, barley, and rye... which yes, cuts out many of the highly processed carbs people eat.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,987 Member
    edited March 25
    No need to completely stay away from carbs if you’re diabetic.
    I love me some rice, or gluten free bread.

    Just in moderation.

    And I would be lost without fruit.
    Apples, oranges, strawberries, blueberries, melons of all kinds.

    Back to the restaurants…. Yeah.
    We had to cut way back on restaurant meals a decade ago. My husband has been diabetic for decades and between the massive carbs, as well as the sodium content of most of such meals, it was too much. We reduced to one restaurant meal a month. Less even since the pandemic.

    These days if we have to go to the VA or something like that I pack a breakfast and a lunch. If we’re out too late we’ll stop at a favorite grocery on the way home and grab a sushi plate or a hot meal from their deli.

    Still over the average carbs and sodium, but overall much better than most restaurant meals.

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