I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 ten years ago and was proscribed metformin.In 2015 I had major heart surgery due to endocarditis.I lost my appetite after the operation and did not eat any solid food for 6 months.My weight dropped from 100 kilos to 70 kilos.The result of this was that i discovered that my diabetes had gone into remission which amazed me.Unfortuneately after my appetite eventually came back [it is now 102 kilos]my diabetes returned and 4 weeks ago i was put back on metformin.At least i know that diabetes can be put into remission by losing weight so i am going to give it another go to lose a lot of weight.I am nearly 67 years old now and the complications of diabetes feel a lot more scary than before.My problem is that i am a compulsive comfort eater, it is my primary addiction.I stopped drinking alcohol 30 years ago and never give it a thought today.I just hope that i can overcome these food cravings otherwise i will be in big trouble.
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
- Status
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome
It sounds like you have been through the mill a bit with your health. Pleased you have come through the heart surgery well but it's a shame that you have now put the weight back on and your diabetes has resurfaced.
What many of us here on the forum have found is that rather than dieting to lose weight we adopt a low carbohydrate way of eating. This involves dramatically reducing our intake of not only sweet stuff but also fruit including dried fruit and fruit juice and most importantly starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, breakfast cereals and even healthy porridge oats, because out bodies break all of those foods down into glucose pretty easily and that spikes our blood glucose levels. That may sound like there is not much left to eat but actually it can be a really enjoyable and sustainable food regime once you figure out what to buy and how to cook it and you often lose weight without even trying to. Because those high carb foods which we cut out provided the majority of our calories, we increase our fat intake to make our meals enjoyable and keep us fuller for longer because fat takes much longer to break down and also slows down the digestion of any carbs we do eat.
The problem with eating carbs is that the more you eat, the more you want and this leads to overeating and the body laying down those extra carbs as fat. It takes a few weeks of being quite strict to break the habit but once you do, it becomes much easier. I was a heavy sugar addict and chocoholic and could eat bread for England as well. Now people can pass around a box of chocolates and offer me some and it takes no effort to say no thank you. I am just not tempted. I can however and so treat myself to a nice chunk of cheese or some olives or nuts whilst they are eating choccies and really savour them, so that I do not feel deprived.
Meat fish eggs nuts and mushrooms are all low carb as is full fat dairy produce but opt for minimally processed ones like natural creamy Greek yoghurt. Leafy green veg are all great for filling you up and are low carb and full of fibre. They taste so much better when they are cooked with a knob of butter or a dollop of cream cheese. Cauliflower is wonderful for us diabetics and can be cooked and mashed with a dollop of cream cheese and a spoon of mustard and served with bangers or gammon in place of potato mash or used to top a cottage pie or fish pie. It can also be finely chopped or grated and used as a replacement for rice or couscous. And of course, who doesn't like a great plate of cauliflower cheese. Stir fries are good and omelettes are great for breakfast or lunch with whatever filling you fancy. I like mine served with a salad and cheese coleslaw. Natural Greek Yoghurt, nuts, seeds and berries like rasps, strawberries and blackberries makes a nice low carb breakfast or dessert. .
I hope that gives you some ideas of how to go forward with managing your diabetes.
It sounds like you have been through the mill a bit with your health. Pleased you have come through the heart surgery well but it's a shame that you have now put the weight back on and your diabetes has resurfaced.
What many of us here on the forum have found is that rather than dieting to lose weight we adopt a low carbohydrate way of eating. This involves dramatically reducing our intake of not only sweet stuff but also fruit including dried fruit and fruit juice and most importantly starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, breakfast cereals and even healthy porridge oats, because out bodies break all of those foods down into glucose pretty easily and that spikes our blood glucose levels. That may sound like there is not much left to eat but actually it can be a really enjoyable and sustainable food regime once you figure out what to buy and how to cook it and you often lose weight without even trying to. Because those high carb foods which we cut out provided the majority of our calories, we increase our fat intake to make our meals enjoyable and keep us fuller for longer because fat takes much longer to break down and also slows down the digestion of any carbs we do eat.
The problem with eating carbs is that the more you eat, the more you want and this leads to overeating and the body laying down those extra carbs as fat. It takes a few weeks of being quite strict to break the habit but once you do, it becomes much easier. I was a heavy sugar addict and chocoholic and could eat bread for England as well. Now people can pass around a box of chocolates and offer me some and it takes no effort to say no thank you. I am just not tempted. I can however and so treat myself to a nice chunk of cheese or some olives or nuts whilst they are eating choccies and really savour them, so that I do not feel deprived.
Meat fish eggs nuts and mushrooms are all low carb as is full fat dairy produce but opt for minimally processed ones like natural creamy Greek yoghurt. Leafy green veg are all great for filling you up and are low carb and full of fibre. They taste so much better when they are cooked with a knob of butter or a dollop of cream cheese. Cauliflower is wonderful for us diabetics and can be cooked and mashed with a dollop of cream cheese and a spoon of mustard and served with bangers or gammon in place of potato mash or used to top a cottage pie or fish pie. It can also be finely chopped or grated and used as a replacement for rice or couscous. And of course, who doesn't like a great plate of cauliflower cheese. Stir fries are good and omelettes are great for breakfast or lunch with whatever filling you fancy. I like mine served with a salad and cheese coleslaw. Natural Greek Yoghurt, nuts, seeds and berries like rasps, strawberries and blackberries makes a nice low carb breakfast or dessert. .
I hope that gives you some ideas of how to go forward with managing your diabetes.
Thanks Barbara,i will take note of everything you said.I think also the NHS might be arranging for me to see a nutritionist.The good news is that because i overeat so much with carbs, cakes,chips,fizzy drinks etc, that i know that when i do stop doing this, after a couple of months ,the weight just falls off me very quickly.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Jonplum
Congratulations on losing the weight before - hope that serves an an encouragement that you’ve done it before so you can do it again!
Hopefully you can develop strategies to control your appetite. I find a lot of regular consumption can be habitual. You get used to eating at a certain time of day, and then at that time of day you get hungry. Keeping occupied and absorbed in something (like a hobby, class or event) can be a good strategy.
Good luck,
Congratulations on losing the weight before - hope that serves an an encouragement that you’ve done it before so you can do it again!
Hopefully you can develop strategies to control your appetite. I find a lot of regular consumption can be habitual. You get used to eating at a certain time of day, and then at that time of day you get hungry. Keeping occupied and absorbed in something (like a hobby, class or event) can be a good strategy.
Good luck,
Thanks Mike.I've realised that I live mostly to eat and then crash out for a few hours.Luckily i am a member of a few self help groups regarding addiction, which gives me something to focus on.I retired from work as a plumber a couple of years ago and the huge space of free time has been taken up by overeating. I hope that the fear of diabetes will concentrate my mind on doing something about it.
- Status