Another 3 months of winging it!

J

Jennybean

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
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I had my long awaited appointment with the DN last week. I think i had it in my head that she would fix all of my problems by giving me a plan to follow.
I realise that is totally lazy of me and that i should be taking responsibility for my own health, but i get overwhelmed so easily and that leads to me just shutting down.

Long and short of it is that I don't need any meds (I'm guessing that's good news that means my levels aren't too bad?) and she thinks i can reverse this with diet and lifestyle changes. No monitoring and aiming for 800 calories a day and low carb food choices. She will retest me in 3 months time. We will discuss statins then too.

I have lost 13lbs in the last 4 weeks by eating healthier (not necessarily diabetic friendly to begin with - as i discovered when i went over my food diary entries to calculate nutrition and one day totalled up to 290g carbs) On that note, what is actually classed as low carb? I've seen conflicting advice from 40g a day which just seems impossible, to 130g.
I told her i am finding it extremely difficult since weighing and counting everything now, the fear of eating the wrong thing has stopped me eating anything at all on some days. I have constant food noise, zero energy and my depressive thoughts have increased tenfold.
I asked about the soups and shakes option, and she said that would be something to possibly consider after the next 3 month bloodtest if my bloods haven't improved. She is positive they will have, i wish i had her faith.

I have been referred to the eye specialist and when i asked for dietitian advise, she said that she will get the education team to contact me but she couldn't tell me how long the wait would be for that.
My foot check was all good.

I just feel like i have been put on hold until February. I am not very resilient. I've already told my sister that i wont be going to hers for our annual Christmas meet up - the thought of eating anywhere terrifies me. I know I'm heading for a binge.

For reference, my bloods at diagnosis in Oct were 56, my BMI was +45, my cholesterol was moderate. I have severe anxiety that makes it very difficult to leave the house.
 
Hi Jennybean and welcome. Coming to terms with Type 2 diabetes is difficult at first. But being positive, an HbA1c is at the lower end of the diabetic scale, and explains why you have not been given medication initially. Also that's a great weight loss for 4 weeks, so again a positive start.
It's not possible to give hard and fast rules for food choices for Type 2, as everyone is different. It's a question of what suits your own body and metabolism. Initially I would suggest you aim for less than 130gm carbs a day, but don't be too drastic, as a sudden drop can affect your vision. The reason you have read about 40gm a day is because some people are far more resistant, and need to be lower, but you won't know until your next test. To make it easier to monitor your carbs I suggest you get an app, like NutraCheck or MyFitnessPal. I understand the fear of eating the wrong thing, but apart from the obvious things like crisps, pastries, cakes, biscuits, sweets etc. I believe in moderation, not abstinence. If not you can't maintain, and as you fear, might binge. But the occasional treat is possible if you stay under 130gm carbs for that day.
Many of us look for alternative foods to reduce or replace carbs. For example, I will have a slice of Warburtons no added sugar wholemeal medium sliced bread from a 400gm loaf, with my boiled egg, rather than a couple of doorsteps. I make a lot of my own soups, so I know exactly what went in them, and I make a lot of slow cooker meals. Cauliflower has become my new best friend as a substitute for potatoes and rice. Edamame bean pasta instead of wheat pasta, beansprouts instead of rice or noodles. Others will no doubt offer other suggestions, such as celeriac mash. It's worth looking at the freshwell website and reading Leadinglights posts as they always offer excellent advice.
Today I'm having 100gm carbs, with boiled egg and soldiers, mini quiche and salad, roast pork with cauliflower and 3 veggies. So I'm not starving myself as I bulk out my meals with extra low carb veggies or slightly larger protein portions!
Regarding Christmas, we are going out, but I will say no to the stuffing, bread sauce, yorkies, and stick to one medium or 2 small roasties. It would help if you could get your sister onside, so she doesn't hassle you. I have had to do that with my dining companion and they now understand when I say no to pudding, I mean no! In fact when it comes as part of the meal, they get to eat 2 puddings!
I am sure with your reduced carbs, and weight loss you will see greatly improved results in February. Just take it one day at a time. The reason you have to wait 3 months is that the HbA1c measures blood glucose over a 3 month period, so no point in retesting any earlier.
Best wishes
 
Hi @Jennybean , well done on the weight loss. Good to hear that your hbA1c result is at the lower end of the diabetes zone and you may not need medication. @Felinia has given you great tips and advice about low carbs. If you are finding it difficult to keep counting and weighing foods then following a meal plan for a week using the freshwell app will help. Carbs and Cals is also a good book as it shows photos of portion sizes of many common foods as well as the carbs and calories.
When you have recorded the meal info the first time. Just refer back to it and make the same portion size. This means you will spend less time weighing and counting.

Don't despair. Lots of people feel overwhelmed by diabetes at the beginning.
It will get better and there is a lot of support on this forum. Keep us posted on your progress, the good the bad and the downright frustrating.
 
Last edited:
Great advise from the others but you could look at the Freshwell link https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/ to see if any of the meal plans would suit you.
It is difficult to do both low carb and low calorie as it can become too onerous but focusing on one or the other usually can work for many.
Once you have got your eye in with weighing the high carb foods, if you are going to have those, then after a while you will be able to just eyeball them with the occasional reality check to make sure portions haven't drifted upwards.
 
silver minion said:
Hi @Jennybean , well done on the weight loss. Good to hear that your hbA1c result is at the lower end of the diabetes zone and you may not need medication. @Felinia has given you great tips and advice about low carbs. If you are finding it difficult to keep counting and weighing foods then following a meal plan for a week using the freshwell app will help. Carbs and Cals is also a good book as it shows photos of portion sizes of many common foods as well as the carbs and calories.
When you have recorded the meal info the first time. Just refer back to it and make the same portion size. This means you will spend less time weighing and counting.

Don't despair. Lots of people feel overwhelmed by diabetes at the beginning.
It will get better and there is a lot of support on this forum. Keep us posted on your progress, the good the bad and the downright frustrating.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I used Carbs and Cals to go over my food diary, that's when i got the rude awakening that actually my version of healthier eating was still awful. The book lives by my side now! So helpful having the images alongside the weights x
 
Leadinglights said:
Great advise from the others but you could look at the Freshwell link https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/to see if any of the meal plans would suit you.
It is difficult to do both low carb and low calorie as it can become too onerous but focusing on one or the other usually can work for many.
Once you have got your eye in with weighing the high carb foods, if you are going to have those, then after a while you will be able to just eyeball them with the occasional reality check to make sure portions haven't drifted upwards.
Click to expand...
Yes you signposted me to the freshwell page on my newbie post. I can't follow the meal plan because there's too much on there that i won't eat, but i have incorporated some of the recipes that i will eat into the last couple of weeks. So thank you for the recommendation.
We've had the cottage pie over the last 2 days, surprisingly yummy swapping potato for swede which is something I've never eaten before!
 
Jennybean said:
Thank you. I used Carbs and Cals to go over my food diary, that's when i got the rude awakening that actually my version of healthier eating was still awful. The book lives by my side now! So helpful having the images alongside the weights x
Click to expand...
I found that book very useful, it was and still is my bible.
 
Jennybean said:
Yes you signposted me to the freshwell page on my newbie post. I can't follow the meal plan because there's too much on there that i won't eat, but i have incorporated some of the recipes that i will eat into the last couple of weeks. So thank you for the recommendation.
We've had the cottage pie over the last 2 days, surprisingly yummy swapping potato for swede which is something I've never eaten before!
Click to expand...
I'm not one for following meal plans either, I'm not that organised, but just followed the general principals, meat, fish, eggs, veg, keeping to 70g carbs per day and find it very doable and is now just my normal way of eating.
It is just about giving you ideas for picking out what you do like and you can make substitutions to suit you.
 
Leadinglights said:
I found that book very useful, it was and still is my bible.
Click to expand...
Me too, use it most days for carb counting as we cook a lot of food from scratch.
 
Felinia said:
Hi Jennybean and welcome. Coming to terms with Type 2 diabetes is difficult at first. But being positive, an HbA1c is at the lower end of the diabetic scale, and explains why you have not been given medication initially. Also that's a great weight loss for 4 weeks, so again a positive start.
It's not possible to give hard and fast rules for food choices for Type 2, as everyone is different. It's a question of what suits your own body and metabolism. Initially I would suggest you aim for less than 130gm carbs a day, but don't be too drastic, as a sudden drop can affect your vision. The reason you have read about 40gm a day is because some people are far more resistant, and need to be lower, but you won't know until your next test. To make it easier to monitor your carbs I suggest you get an app, like NutraCheck or MyFitnessPal. I understand the fear of eating the wrong thing, but apart from the obvious things like crisps, pastries, cakes, biscuits, sweets etc. I believe in moderation, not abstinence. If not you can't maintain, and as you fear, might binge. But the occasional treat is possible if you stay under 130gm carbs for that day.
Many of us look for alternative foods to reduce or replace carbs. For example, I will have a slice of Warburtons no added sugar wholemeal medium sliced bread from a 400gm loaf, with my boiled egg, rather than a couple of doorsteps. I make a lot of my own soups, so I know exactly what went in them, and I make a lot of slow cooker meals. Cauliflower has become my new best friend as a substitute for potatoes and rice. Edamame bean pasta instead of wheat pasta, beansprouts instead of rice or noodles. Others will no doubt offer other suggestions, such as celeriac mash. It's worth looking at the freshwell website and reading Leadinglights posts as they always offer excellent advice.
Today I'm having 100gm carbs, with boiled egg and soldiers, mini quiche and salad, roast pork with cauliflower and 3 veggies. So I'm not starving myself as I bulk out my meals with extra low carb veggies or slightly larger protein portions!
Regarding Christmas, we are going out, but I will say no to the stuffing, bread sauce, yorkies, and stick to one medium or 2 small roasties. It would help if you could get your sister onside, so she doesn't hassle you. I have had to do that with my dining companion and they now understand when I say no to pudding, I mean no! In fact when it comes as part of the meal, they get to eat 2 puddings!
I am sure with your reduced carbs, and weight loss you will see greatly improved results in February. Just take it one day at a time. The reason you have to wait 3 months is that the HbA1c measures blood glucose over a 3 month period, so no point in retesting any earlier.
Best wishes
Click to expand...
I think I've probably taken it too far out of fear. My average calories a day have been around 700 this week (was 400 last week) so I'm trying to raise it to 800 like the nurse advised. My average carbs are now at 68g a day.
I will definitely feel better when i get to speak to a dietician. Or maybe i just need to invest in a bgm in the black friday sale, so i can see how the things i am eating cause me to spike. I don't like the thought of constantly pricking my finger though x
 
Hello @Jennybean.
I bought a test meter straight from the Spirit Healthcare site, after registering and confirming I was diagnosed as diabetic I did not have to pay the VAT on meter strips or lancets etc.
I have been in remission for some years, as it took only 6 months to get back to normal numbers, and found that the shakes do not work for me. Low calorie never did anyway, so I was perhaps too optimistic about the fasting/shake/small meal plan. We live and learn.
If you are an ordinary type 2 then any meat, fish, eggs, cheese, full fat dairy is probably going to be fine for your daily meal plans.
Since diagnosis I have never counted calories - low calorie never worked before but low carb did.
I have no problem in staying under 40 gm of carbs a day - in fact now that I have stopped the shakes I find I can't eat the meals which put me into remission. My stomach must have shrunk right down.
You might find Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution book some help with planning what to eat and giving recipes and meal plans. There are millions of copies around - or there were. They were available for pennies.
I do feel more cheerful now that I am eating normally again (normal for me that is) and am making plans and getting on with things again - must try to stay out of mischief. After the two months of the shakes diet I need some smaller clothes so will get on with that as everything is either hanging or sliding off me.
 
Sounds very much to me like you've been really sensible so far, @Jennybean !

You say you 'won't eat' too many things mentioned on the Freshwell site - but you also mention swede which you'd never even tried before but discovered you do actually like it. Hence, I ask you to consider at least some of your 'won't eat' list - are they on there because you are not familiar with them and don't know how to prepare and cook them or whether you'd like the taste and they're too expensive to buy and just try to see if you do or not - or what? (I must admit there are things these days that I've never even seen, some I've never heard of, as well as the things I have tried and already know I don't like - and my husband, ditto. I don't think either of us has ever tried hummous. It could be utterly fab - but as neither of us really wants to snack between meals and its been many years since either of us has had anything to do with party catering - is there any point really in me making the effort of buying any?
 
Jennybean said:
I think I've probably taken it too far out of fear. My average calories a day have been around 700 this week (was 400 last week) so I'm trying to raise it to 800 like the nurse advised. My average carbs are now at 68g a day.
Click to expand...

Be proud of the progress you have made so far, @Jennybean - especially given your struggles with anxiety.

Your weight loss should really help improve your insulin sensitivity, especially if you are losing weight around your abdomen.

And great to hear that you’ve been checking, and trying to improve your menu too - but sorry to hear you’ve been scared to eat from time to time :(

It does sound a little like you might have cut things back a little enthusiastically? And maybe you don’t have much room for manoeuvre?

Hope you can find a way of eating that suits your levels and perhaps gives you a bit more flexibility, and which might be a bit more sustainable for you?
 
Jennybean said:
I think I've probably taken it too far out of fear. My average calories a day have been around 700 this week (was 400 last week) so I'm trying to raise it to 800 like the nurse advised. My average carbs are now at 68g a day.
I will definitely feel better when i get to speak to a dietician. Or maybe i just need to invest in a bgm in the black friday sale, so i can see how the things i am eating cause me to spike. I don't like the thought of constantly pricking my finger though x
Click to expand...
I got a monitor and did the finger pricking for a couple of weeks. That taught me what foods I could and couldn't eat, and with the help of the app, I also learned about portion control. After that I just test for new foods (and my fingers recovered!!)
 
Hi @Jennybean Your DN has not put you on any meads which speaks volumes for the effort and attitude to are showing to get yourself in the right place and reduce your HbA1c of 56, which is not too high, to a more acceptable level.

To lose 13lb in 4 weeks is a great achievement and that alone will help reduce your HbA1c levels plus exercise and a healthy diet.

Don't get too hung up on the carbs and calories as a few either way won't make much difference, but as a rule less than 130g of carbs and a calorie intake of between 800 and 1200

You said

I asked about the soups and shakes option, and she said that would be something to possibly consider after the next 3 month blood test if my bloods haven't improved. She is positive they will have, i wish i had her faith.

I for one, agree with your DN, so be proud in what you have achieved so far, because you are doing really well.

So keep posting and asking question

Alan 😉
 
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