Am I eating enough

[Jodee]

Do you test throughout the day? Any chance of posting your daily diet in the menu thread? I seem to be the only one posting at the minute. I'd be really interested in your menus as well Drummer. I'm aiming to have my clothes fall off me! Fat chance.

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/what-did-you-eat-yesterday.30349/page-374

Hi Ditto, I've not seen that daily diet thread, will check it out and record what I am doing, but what I do is just what I do, (I am steadily losing grams - over past month I've gone from 72.2kg to 70.0kg so slow but sure progress at the moment. I do have naughties now and again although the nurse told me not to at all for next month any way to see how I am doing on the 500mg dose of metformin daily.

After the month has passed I will be given the blood testing kit, but for now only know recent test rests and my eyes are still not right, I hope I don't have permanent damage to vision.

Yes I would be interested in what other are doing as well with their daily diets. recipe etc. I do refer a lot to dibestes UK recommendations but its always nice to know what others are doing.

Have a great day all.

 

[HOBIE]

I actually didn't say. What do you do Hobie?

More to the point, any suggestions about my query - am I eating enough?

I am actually retired. 🙂

How far do you walk in a day & how much exercise ? now that you are retired ? Keeping active is good for the body.

 

[Jodee]

How far do you walk in a day & how much exercise ? now that you are retired ? Keeping active is good for the body.

Is my query a difficult one to answer with so many considerations to take into account?

Any hoooooo If it helps:

Weather permitting I walk out 2 x daily, I don't walk far, I garden I do the housework, I walk around the shops etc.(not every day, about twice a week) just as much as I feel up to doing at the moment.

With my other health issues and the high blood glucose at the current time I tire easily. I am not a 5 mile a day walker. Probably 1 -2 miles max and not every day.

Does that help you answer my query at all? "Am I eating enough"

Thanks for any insight you can give.

My main concern is I have enough balanced nutrition.

I am aware keeping active as much as is possible is a good health option for any illness or without illness especially as we age.

I won't be answering question about how much my clothes weigh or how much housework I do, or how often I garden or for how long 🙂 😉 just so you know

It would be advantageous not to have any health conditions that disrupt ability to be active, I need to get the blood glucose level down (which I am sure is going to give me more energy) but at the same time eat enough nutrients to help the body stay in balance generally.

 

[HOBIE]

I don't think you quite get it. You seem to be eating lots but you are the only person can know. A banana & an apple in one meal. How many carbs is that ? 🙄

 

[Jodee]

I don't think you quite get it. You seem to be eating lots but you are the only person can know. A banana & an apple in one meal. How many carbs is that ? 🙄

Oh dear there seems little point in continuing conversation, perhaps I will ask admin to delete this post.

You think I am eating too much. I don't eat a banana and an apple in one meal. perhaps you did not read my post fully. it was 2 columns covering 2 days.

I posted only to get an idea what people thought.

 

[Jodee]

well that didn't work so well, I had 2 columns with 2 days food. Amended to have the 9: between days / columns.

2nd post after first post explains

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I don't think you quite get it. You seem to be eating lots but you are the only person can know. A banana & an apple in one meal. How many carbs is that ? 🙄

The banana and apple are on consecutive days I think.

I will try to reformat the list to separate the days In case it is causing confusion.

 

[Jodee]

The banana and apple are on consecutive days I think.

I will try to reformat the list to separate the days In case it is causing confusion.

If you can't happy for you to delete the post everydayupsanddowns, thank you.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

It looks like you are eating a moderate/low carb diet @Jodee with a good amount of veg, salad and nuts too. You are also allowing yourself a little treat every now and then, which can really help sustain the approach to eating long term.

How do you feel you are getting on with it? Are you generally happy with the variety?

I’m not sure if you are currently checking your blood glucose levels with a meter, but this might help to further refine your diet, and could show you whether you body is happy with the approach you are taking - and also reassure you about the occasional pics of fruit / biscuit etc - if you can see the effect they have on your BG, it make is easier to eat them or save them for more occasional treats if needed.

Members here who struggle to get a meter from their GP often opt for meters with a lower cost strips, such as the SD Codefree.

 

[Northerner]

Hi Jodee, having looked at your food diary I wouldn't really describe what you are eating as 'high carb', but a moderate/low carb with good variety. Of course, some people go very low carb and it may seem a lot to them, but the thing to bear in mind is what your body can tolerate well, and this is a very individual thing 🙂 Testing would help you determine this, and help you to tailor things more closely to keep good control, as others have suggested 🙂

 

[Jodee]

It looks like you are eating a moderate/low carb diet @Jodee with a good amount of veg, salad and nuts too. You are also allowing yourself a little treat every now and then, which can really help sustain the approach to eating long term.

How do you feel you are getting on with it? Are you generally happy with the variety?

I’m not sure if you are currently checking your blood glucose levels with a meter, but this might help to further refine your diet, and could show you whether you body is happy with the approach you are taking - and also reassure you about the occasional pics of fruit / biscuit etc - if you can see the effect they have on your BG, it make is easier to eat them or save them for more occasional treats if needed.

Members here who struggle to get a meter from their GP often opt for meters with a lower cost strips, such as the SD Codefree.

Thanks everydayupsanddowns I quite like the variety at the moment but I will probably want to include other options at a later date. I enjoy a good currey 😛

The SD Codefree looks like a good option, although the diabetic nurse is fixing me up with a BG monitor at beginning of June.

The optician said he wouldn't want to test my eyes unless I know my BG is normal. Also I need to monitor my BG if I need to take a course of oral steroids, but hopefully I'll not need them for a good while again.

 

[Jodee]

Hi Jodee, having looked at your food diary I wouldn't really describe what you are eating as 'high carb', but a moderate/low carb with good variety. Of course, some people go very low carb and it may seem a lot to them, but the thing to bear in mind is what your body can tolerate well, and this is a very individual thing 🙂 Testing would help you determine this, and help you to tailor things more closely to keep good control, as others have suggested 🙂

Thanks for your input Northerner, I don't have my BG monitor yet I guess I will get a better idea of things when I do. I am not sure how my body will react to very low carb, I am always a bit concerned about taking in enough nutrition.

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for your input Northerner, I don't have my BG monitor yet I guess I will get a better idea of things when I do. I am not sure how my body will react to very low carb, I am always a bit concerned about taking in enough nutrition.

With your meter you will be able to tailor your diet to exclude or reduce the elements that cause the biggest problems, and that doesn't necessarily mean going very low carb. Some of the common substitutions you can make for high carb items can be more, not less nutritious e.g. cauliflower mash or rice, sweet potato mash, courgetti spaghetti etc. 🙂 It does take time and experience, but remember it isn't something you need to 'solve' overnight, just be methodical and you will get there I am sure 🙂

 

[Drummer]

I am rather puzzled about what you are calling 'nutrition' - it is the stodgy sugary carbohydrate heavy foods which are lacking - flour is fortified to add in some benefit from eating it, as it is naturally poor in micronutrients, vitamins and minerals.
By not eating foods naturally poor in the essentials for life, the low carbers are going to be better nourished.

 

[Jodee]

Many thanks northerner, very helpful. Yes I agree re foods and carbs.

I am wondering about the quantity of eggs per week that is ok. And the amount of fish.

In the past it was 3-5 eggs a week but am wondering now if it may be ok 1 a day or even 2 a day?

Fish always used to be maximum 3 times a week because of the mercury absorption, it depends on the fish of course.

 

[Jodee]

I am rather puzzled about what you are calling 'nutrition' - it is the stodgy sugary carbohydrate heavy foods which are lacking - flour is fortified to add in some benefit from eating it, as it is naturally poor in micronutrients, vitamins and minerals.
By not eating foods naturally poor in the essentials for life, the low carbers are going to be better nourished.

A balance of nutrients for the bodies health needs in line with the diabetic plate.

Not all stodgy food (as you describe) is lacking in nutrients. A banana for instance has a lot of nutrients. So does Brown Rice.
Portion size is optional of course.

2 sites I look at, that may be of interest to you (or not)

Banana (select serving size small raw ) https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2
(scroll down below the advertisements) for the vitamin content, then scroll down further for the mineral content - includes fats and carbs

Brown Rice 100g cooked: https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5707/2

https://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/nutrients-food-and-ingredients.html

Medical news today on Bananas https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271157.php
https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2

Enjoy your food - I always do 😛

 

[Jodee]

Breakfast today:
1 weetabix
4 blueberries
small half banana
2 level dessert spoons of yoghurt.

cup of tea
water

Lunch
1 boiled egg
half small Avocado
1 cracker with boursin cream cheese

Cuppa and water

4pm cracker with boursin cream cheese + 1 pear

Full of stodge 😉 but feel great and satisfied 😛

Dinner
Heaps of leafy greens with 2 dessert spoons of live natural yoghurt
Baked beans on toast (small slice of granery.

Evening 2 x cups of tea and 1 choc biscuit

More water

 

[Leonora]

Hi Jodee. That's the type of diet I was eating but it raised my BGs too much. Far too much! I ended up working out what was good for me by a process of elimination. Carbs of any sort were the devil in disguise. I cut my carbs for a few months and then started to add a few carbs into my evening meal. It took me a year to get my head around it so honestly - no rush. The secret is testing before and after until you find what works for you. We are all different. Some of us can eat more carbs than others. I now have a carb free day 1 day a week and fast on Saturdays when I am at my most busiest. Good luck on your quest.

 

[Jodee]

Many thanks Leonora 🙂

Do you ever eat out Leonora?

I am a bit concerned about it with bg being high at the moment.

 

[Drummer]

That intake of carbs would have me flat out - you must have a terrific constitution.