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Finally diagnosed, officially type 2 diabetes

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Martin9

Martin9

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi all, been finally diagnosed with type 2,(bit scary) and started on Metformin. I have managed before the drug therapy to reduce my BMs from double figures to the 6.5. -7.5 range by diet of 1200kcals/ day, and the diet has certainly reduced my fasting blood sugars, but despite an initial weight loss of 2-3 lbs the weight has stubbornly stayed at same weight for around 5 days now, does untreated diabetes hamper weight loss..?
 
Welcome to the group from another Martin.....

Sounds counter intuitive but to aid weight loss (and especially as a T2) count the carbs & not calories, many of us have reduce our carb intake significantly.... My approach is to cut or reduce carb sources such as Bread, Rice, Pasta, Cereals & Starchy vegetables, instead, replacing them with green leafy vegetables grown above ground.... Avoid foods advertised for weight loss, as manufacturers put in more carbs to replace the flavor lost by reducing the fat content. Lastly don't fear the fats, they will aid you progress, good quality, avoid vegetable, corn, soy, canola oils & the such.
 
Martin Canty said:
Welcome to the group from another Martin.....

Sounds counter intuitive but to aid weight loss (and especially as a T2) count the carbs & not calories, many of us have reduce our carb intake significantly.... My approach is to cut or reduce carb sources such as Bread, Rice, Pasta, Cereals & Starchy vegetables, instead, replacing them with green leafy vegetables grown above ground.... Avoid foods advertised for weight loss, as manufacturers put in more carbs to replace the flavor lost by reducing the fat content. Lastly don't fear the fats, they will aid you progress, good quality, avoid vegetable, corn, soy, canola oils & the such.
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Thank you for your advice, it's still making me freak out a bit, to replace all the starch as above with green leaves is so not gonna work ..but thanks
 
Martin9 said:
Thank you for your advice, it's still making me freak out a bit, to replace all the starch as above with green leaves is so not gonna work ..but thanks
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Welcome to the forum Martin

You might find the ‘what did you eat today’ in the food section gives you ideas from a variety of different approaches, and various options people have found both satisfying and BG friendly.

Edited to add link: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/what-did-you-eat-yesterday.30349/

There are literally hundreds of pages, so just dip in and out of it 🙂
 
Hi. Think Carbs not Calories as Calorie counting is of very little value for weight loss compared with Carb counting. 'Calories' have been heavily marketed globally over the years with questionable relevance as the body does not work the same as a test furnace.
 
Thanks for the advice to all...!
 
Hi Martin and welcome to the forum. Ive struggled with my weight for years and have really struggle to lose weight since diagnosis (lost 7 stone in 2 and a half years before diagnosis). I don't go as low carb as some but that's through choice as I know that I wouldnt to stick to it. Ive reduced the amount of carbs that I eat and change the types of carbs to more slow release types. You have to find what is right for you for the long run.
 
Hi @Martin9 It is a bit daunting at first, hearing about everything you shouldn't eat. But bear in mind you will be helping yourself enormously if you just cut down on the baddies aka carbohydrates. The good news is there are plenty of alternatives. So you give up your cornflakes and have bacon and eggs instead, that is good news surely (as long as you are not a veggie) you give up boring old pizza and have yummy fathead pizza, hmmm, you must try it. https://www.ditchthecarbs.com/fat-head-pizza/ Stop having same old, same old ice cream and replace it with fresh berries and thick double cream.

Is it sounding better now? I hope so. It worked for me so it can work for you. Good luck!!
 
Hi Jeandp
Thanks for interesting answer is cutting out the carbs(baddies) good for the diabetes side of things or the weight loss side or could be good for both I suppose....?
 
I used low carbing to control BG levels and got down to normal, and then realised that I'd lost over 40 lb without trying - so I can only recommend ditching the high starch and sugary foods and roasting some meat or other protein source of choice, and then adding in some delicious low carb foods to go with it.
On the menu tonight is lamb with courgettes and mushrooms plus a large salad and then jelly and cream, with berries if I can find any in the freezer (they hide under all the pork beef and lamb and the fish and chicken and all the frozen veges)
For most type twos low carb is a normalizing diet, as it lowers the insulin over production and allows weightloss as well as sorting out blood glucose levels.
 
Thanks Drummer..!
 
Hi Martin9, I’m also type 2 and have chosen the low carb path, I’ve never been happier, my bloods came down from a starting point of 22 to an average of 5 to 6 and my weight is dropping. I love a good salad but I also am finding a variety of stir fry veg using things like asparagus, mushrooms, courgette then add a little red pepper for colour, Chinese cabbage......anything that grows above ground gets thrown in at some point. I’m exploring different kinds of omelette fillings and eating full fat Greek yoghurt or sugar free jelly as a desert. The only carb I do have for convenience is Burgen bread, they do a small loaf where the slices are not quite as big as a full size loaf, I use that for toast on early mornings or a sandwich on the go :D best advice I was given was to test, that way you learn what works for you or doesn’t. I was having a few raspberry with my yoghurt but my bg kept spiking, I removed the fruit and was fine.....! It really isn’t anywhere near as hard as I thought it would be 😉
 
Ok thanks peeps, this morning I changed my normal 2 weetabix breakfast to poached egg and small peice wholemeal toast
Weetabix x 2 = 25.8g carbs plus the semi skimmed milk ! (around 5g carbs)
Egg & toast. = 8.9g carbs

Hope this helps thanks all for your advice ..!
 
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The only way you will know if it is OK for you is to test. Test before eating then again 2 hours after, if there is no spike then that food is ok for you.

I can tolerate Weetabix protein, 1 only, with almond milk. Also Burgen bread is fine for me but not wholemeal. We are all different though.
 
Thanks Jeandp, my before breakfast BG was 6.0, so will maybe check after, but it took 3 stabs at different fingers before I got a big enough blood sample for testing, bit loathe to do again ..
 
Thanks Jeandp
My stabber is on 4.5 there's only one higher setting i.e. 5 on my stabber, I'm trying not to go final setting already ..but thanks for your advice & encouragement it's all new to me this !
 
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We have all been there and I for one am still learning. My before breakfast reading was 9.2!! Hope painless pricks helps.
 
Been in my local Tesco looking for Burgen bread no luck
 
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