Handy hints and tips

I've started walking as the weather has been too icy for cycling averaging between 5-8 miles a time,it's made a huge impact on my BG readings.Cannot wait to get back to cycling my 40 miler round trip to loch lomond but alas it's out of bounds just now due to restrictions on the lockdown,hopefully not be too long till i can get back to it,as i'm on a weight loss mission.Exercise seems to be a major factor in controlling levels in diabetes.
 
I need to be walking, I am seizing up! Walking makes all the difference I've found in the past. I got to 15stones with walking a few miles daily and wore this fab suit I'd saved to get into, looked great if I say so myself. Few years later got to 15stones sans walking and in the same suit I looked like a sack of spuds! Walking tones you up and makes you healthy.
 
Diabetic Frog said:
1 hour 8 minutes and 8 seconds today. 3.17 miles according to my Samsung app. Tested after and I was 4.8.
Love this app that came with phone, I only discovered it recently. It is inspiring me to beat the day before's record.
Gonna need photos of this suit! @Ditto
Click to expand...
From back then or when I get to goal weight this year, before and afters? :D
 
I've posted before about Richard Vobes on the Thread 'Easy Walking' in the Exercise/Sport Section
He shows how you can find interest and enjoyment in short walks in ordinary surroundings, both in the countryside, and towns

Sometimes I even follow my own advice and get out there myself!
 
zuludog said:
I've posted before about Richard Vobes on the Thread 'Easy Walking' in the Exercise/Sport Section
He shows how you can find interest and enjoyment in short walks in ordinary surroundings, both in the countryside, and towns

Sometimes I even follow my own advice and get out there myself!
Click to expand...
I always look up at the buildings I'm walking past in town. It's amazing the architectural detail you miss if you don't just look up.
 
Be kind to yourself, any other disease people are kind, it feels like food has been my presents all my life. Sometimes just a kind positive word makes you feel good. So when someone says something nice. Pop that down on paper and put it in a jar. When you feel the need look at that note and remember someone was kind and be kind to yourself. Also to one another. Try to make someone's day positive it does come back.
 
Cancer made me lose weight. So i thought to myself this is the only positive thing to come out of my cancers so at first it was to monitor me. I weighed myself everyday. Then as my weight slowly stareted to creep i got up to 75 kg were my dietician was happy. Weigh yourself everyday so if you are gaining deal with it . Honestly it is the best way to go. Up or down your weight deal with it straightaway.
 
I walked a lot more yesterday and lost over 2 pounds overnight and an inch off my tum. It'll go back on today no doubt but it's definitely the walking that gets things shifting.
 
Ditto said:
I walked a lot more yesterday and lost over 2 pounds overnight and an inch off my tum. It'll go back on today no doubt but it's definitely the walking that gets things shifting.
Click to expand...
I have been walking alot more over the last few weeks, and I have seen an improvement in my BG levels.
 
That’s great glad your doing well
 
I was reading 3og protein each meal can be helpful but the most important is breakfast.

So now I am looking for 30g protein, quick, easy, tasty meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think I may be falling short on the protein at this moment.

www.healthline.com

Losing Weight: Breakfast With Protein

Some nutrition experts recommend a 30/30 plan of 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking for weight loss. Here’s why such a routine might work.
www.healthline.com www.healthline.com
 
Use an app to diarize your food, exercise and weight loss. Try arise although its a pay option it has a great database of foods, a barcode scanner to capture your foods. Its really helped me to loose almost 2st with 3 more to go (I'm not affiliated with said app in any way)
 
cazscot said:
Please use this thread for any handy hints and tips you come across to help us on our weight loss journey :D.

(Notherner, or any other moderator can we please make this "sticky") Thanks
Click to expand...
Hi, I'm type 2, been living with it for 16 years, now aged 61. I apologise for this long post.

Already been told I'm heading for diabetic eye damage. Like many people, I put on 2 stone during the pandemic, but the last time I was anywhere near my BMI recommended weight was 40 years ago!!
I did active manual work for 20 years but had to give it up at age 40 because of heart condition and other disabilities, so been sedentary for 20 years. My diabetic meds have gone up and up. ( Diabetes runs in my family by the way). I don't drink or smoke or have a "sweet tooth". I gave up booze 3 years ago, after being addicted to it since my teenage years.
Like lots of you, I've tried so many things - private nutritionist, personal trainer, hypnosis, calorie counting. I am quite heavily disabled from birth, so can't swim or do yoga/pilates or strenuous exercise.

I am finally succeeding with my weight loss and would like to share what I'm doing in the hope it helps someone else. Here's my rules:
1) Be totally dedicated.
This means: EVERYTHING comes second to the weight loss. So NO "treat" or "cheat" days. ( and decide what a treat or a cheat looks like for you, and stick to that). NO evening pasta meals with hubby, who happens to be a great cook! We are getting our own meals sorted now. I do 3 long walks ( 5 + miles ) per week, and that's using a walking stick.
So everything else I'm doing has to take second place on those days. I am lucky to be semi-retired so I can make my own routines. (Yes it's harder when you work full time at a sedentary job, which I used to do, which is why we're all too heavy).
2) Find a form of exercise you can actually do. It's no good doing something which causes pain or embarrassment. I had to give up my weight building at my local gym because of my joint issues, and I found zoom gym classes too embarrassing - when you can't get up and down from the floor when everyone else is on the next exercise!
So for me, long walks are my main thing.
I see someone else here bought a rower, I had one, but because of my knees I couldn't get down to the floor to use it anymore.So it went out for scrap.
I've now got a manual treadmill at home, on a 15 degree incline, and I walk on it for 15-20 minutes on the days I'm not out walking. Yes they are a bit of a pain, but it's by far the hardest exercise I've done, and it's working for me.
3) Choose a diet which works for you and stick to it. I started on my own version of Fast800 7 weeks ago, followed by 5:2, but I'm not following their plans or paying for their products.
(If this all sounds a bit grim, it doesnt actually stop me having the occasional meal out, or coffee with a friend, but "occasional " means twice a month, not like, every week).
Well, that's it!
I've managed to take off 1 stone 5lbs in 7 weeks. Now I'm in the 5:2 phase it's running at between 1-3 lbs per week. My diet is based on a big bowl of vegetable stew plus a small protein meal every day, with no snacks, no breakfast, everything in a 6 hrs eating window. No bread, plenty of olive oil - pretty much exactly what Dr Mosley advises.
My Blood Sugar is now back to pre-diabetic, between 4-6.5 on my monitor daily. I'm still on my Diabetic meds until I check with my nurse at my annual review.

I've got 16 lbs to go to reach my BMI recommended weight. For the first time in my life I am looking forward to winter, to go on some long frosty walks!
I hope this is helpful.
 
Radical cartoons said:
Hi, I'm type 2, been living with it for 16 years, now aged 61. I apologise for this long post.

Already been told I'm heading for diabetic eye damage. Like many people, I put on 2 stone during the pandemic, but the last time I was anywhere near my BMI recommended weight was 40 years ago!!
I did active manual work for 20 years but had to give it up at age 40 because of heart condition and other disabilities, so been sedentary for 20 years. My diabetic meds have gone up and up. ( Diabetes runs in my family by the way). I don't drink or smoke or have a "sweet tooth". I gave up booze 3 years ago, after being addicted to it since my teenage years.
Like lots of you, I've tried so many things - private nutritionist, personal trainer, hypnosis, calorie counting. I am quite heavily disabled from birth, so can't swim or do yoga/pilates or strenuous exercise.

I am finally succeeding with my weight loss and would like to share what I'm doing in the hope it helps someone else. Here's my rules:
1) Be totally dedicated.
This means: EVERYTHING comes second to the weight loss. So NO "treat" or "cheat" days. ( and decide what a treat or a cheat looks like for you, and stick to that). NO evening pasta meals with hubby, who happens to be a great cook! We are getting our own meals sorted now. I do 3 long walks ( 5 + miles ) per week, and that's using a walking stick.
So everything else I'm doing has to take second place on those days. I am lucky to be semi-retired so I can make my own routines. (Yes it's harder when you work full time at a sedentary job, which I used to do, which is why we're all too heavy).
2) Find a form of exercise you can actually do. It's no good doing something which causes pain or embarrassment. I had to give up my weight building at my local gym because of my joint issues, and I found zoom gym classes too embarrassing - when you can't get up and down from the floor when everyone else is on the next exercise!
So for me, long walks are my main thing.
I see someone else here bought a rower, I had one, but because of my knees I couldn't get down to the floor to use it anymore.So it went out for scrap.
I've now got a manual treadmill at home, on a 15 degree incline, and I walk on it for 15-20 minutes on the days I'm not out walking. Yes they are a bit of a pain, but it's by far the hardest exercise I've done, and it's working for me.
3) Choose a diet which works for you and stick to it. I started on my own version of Fast800 7 weeks ago, followed by 5:2, but I'm not following their plans or paying for their products.
(If this all sounds a bit grim, it doesnt actually stop me having the occasional meal out, or coffee with a friend, but "occasional " means twice a month, not like, every week).
Well, that's it!
I've managed to take off 1 stone 5lbs in 7 weeks. Now I'm in the 5:2 phase it's running at between 1-3 lbs per week. My diet is based on a big bowl of vegetable stew plus a small protein meal every day, with no snacks, no breakfast, everything in a 6 hrs eating window. No bread, plenty of olive oil - pretty much exactly what Dr Mosley advises.
My Blood Sugar is now back to pre-diabetic, between 4-6.5 on my monitor daily. I'm still on my Diabetic meds until I check with my nurse at my annual review.

I've got 16 lbs to go to reach my BMI recommended weight. For the first time in my life I am looking forward to winter, to go on some long frosty walks!
I hope this is helpful.
Click to expand...
Well done you are doing Fantastic
 
Because I know I have to report to someone (Dr, diabetic nurse, wife, daughter) I keep things in check as best I can by...

Getting as much information about diabetes, food, people's successes, as I can and try to work out what might be useful to me. This web site and forum have been brilliant and have helped me a lot.

I set myself long term and short term goals. I find this essential as 'flying blind' does not work for me.

Then by using an analytical approach (which I like to do) I do four things

1. I adjust each of my meal contents for specific daily nutrition goals. I analyse every food, recipe, meal for calories, carbohydrates, protein, fibre, fats, salt, cholesterol, solids, fluids, fruit portions, nut portions.

2. I test my BG regularly to see what gives good/bad results and use that information to adjust my diet. It is so useful to actually see the BG results.

3. I analyse all of the health and nutrition data that I gather, producing lots of interesting and useful graphs which the doctors and DSNs have all said they find very useful/helpful. Regardless of that, I find them useful/helpful. It also means that they struggle to argue their occasional nonsense. Data is King!

4. I do report my findings (usually graphically) to the doctors and DSN. Wife and daughter are not so interested sadly as I would find that to be very motivating.

I use the 3 E's for my overall strategy focus

1. Eating (and all the associated planning and analysis associated with eating)
2. Exercise. (I am not that keen on exercise so I just get on with it. But walking on the beach is ok)
3. Expectation. I set myself sensible expectations to avoid disappointments

Things have worked well.

And finally, I try not to get too disappointed if I miss a goal or things go temporarily out of whack. It is inevitable as the body does its own thing regardless of what I may want. However, it is always possible to put things right. So I set about doing the corrections when needed. It keeps it interesting/challenging. Its a long journey...

And finally, finally, I allow myself to have little treats along the way, as long as they are accounted for in my diet analysis. I rarely have any treat just off the cuff, but it does occasionally happen, like when my wife suddenly buys me an ice cream as a surprise when we go to the sea side (but then I adjust my diet when I get home). For today my planned treat is a small chocolate eclaire.

And finally, finally, finally I do look back at where I have come from and how ill I felt at diagnosis compared with where I am now and confirm that it is through all the effort that I now feel so much better. I do feel that I have achieved something good and worthwhile. Especially not now carrying around 35Kg of useless fat !!! I look better too.

I never ever ever want to go back to where I was at diagnosis, so I remind myself all the time of the progress and successes I have seen in me.
 
Hello RADICAL CARTOONS and anyone else who's interested

I used to do a lot of hillwalking when I was younger, but as my legs & knees began to ache I gave up most exercise, and got myself into a bit of a rut, just using Lockdown as an excuse not to do anything much

But I gave myself a serious talking to, and have been getting out & about more --

I've mentioned this before, but watch YouTube videos by Richard Vobes or The Bald Explorer - two channels for the same sort of thing
He shows how you can find interest and enjoyment even on fairly short walks and easy ground
He is based in Sussex, so I will probably never do any walking there, but you can use the same ideas in your area

I've started walking around my town, which is an old run down industrial area, but it's surprising what you can find - old Victorian buildings & architecture; Parks; Canals, Patches of countryside, especially very early in the morning to watch the mist or the sun come up, and so on
I've even dug out my camera
Find a devious route into the town centre and have breakfast in a cafe or even Wetherspoons

I've started doing Tai Chi, which is gentler than things like Judo or Karate
There is spiritual stuff about motivation, life force, & energy levels, but if you want, you can just ignore that and treat it as an exercise
There are a series of short movements that you join together in a sequence called a Form. As you become more proficient, so you can do more movements and longer Forms
That's why you sometimes hear of people 'doing their Form'
Have a look on YouTube, there are loads of videos
Some are a bit slow and clunky as they are instructional, but some of them are by experts, and are very graceful; then you realise -- 'Ah yes, that's what it's all about'

I have indoor hobbies - model planes, knife making, and leatherwork - but they too had slumped a bit; now my enthusiasm has picked up more

My weight had crept up - from about 83kg to about 86 or 87kg, but I'm back on the straight and narrow; let's see if I can get down to 80kg by Christmas
 
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Gwynn that sounds like a Plan. I love it and would love to succeed like you. Can I ask for more information . Do you plot the graphs on an app . I am speaking to a dietician next week got an appointment . Yes she will work out calories for me to go by but also what other macros do you chart as well as carbs . I tried snd failed miserably myself. So seeking advice but if you could tell me more it n me at help me too. You have done so well just having a plan . Exercise helps so much but with my arthritis I do Nordic walk n. Few exercises but average about 8000 steps a day. Even then I’m sore. I sit to iron and drive which I feel hurt so should count too but don’t add steps . My instructor got Nordic said just fo as much as I can and keep at a level I can . I’m sure you are doing more so that should help. My next op is 8 th December for revision hip so fingers crossed this will help.
 
Nayshiftin: Hi.

One thing I cannot cope with is not knowing what to do! So I like to have a plan. For T2 my plan was to get it into remission. Big plan, no detail.

The tough bit was working out how to execute that broad sweeping global plan and that's where the shorter term goals and strategies worked and also learning what I was up against (this forum was instrumental in that).

Where did I get the shorter term goals from, again from this very forum. The message for many T2s seemed to be go lower carb, higher fat, higher protein, reduce weight and get off my backside and exercise. A tough message when you feel very poorly and are obese and very unfit.

Thats all well and good as a strategy but flying blind just doesn't cut it for me (actually flying on instruments (blind) does ok with me).

Armed with the idea of reducing carbs to less than 100g a day if possible and adjusting all the other bits and bobs (protein, fibre, fats, salt, cholesterol, fluids, etc ) in line with the NHS guidelines, I worked out what the ideals for me were (for starters).

But for all aspects what I needed was feedback and how to plan meals. Was I on target or just winging it and missing by a mile.... so

1. Exercise > 30 minutes a day. Feedback: That was an easy one, take a stop watch and walk

2. Nutrition. Ahh. Big stumbling block. All those different aspects for each and every food, for each meal, for each and every day. It's enough to make your head explode !

Three possible routes

1. Write everything down and calculate everything (or at least the bits you are interested in). Way too time consuming and error prone AND boring. But many people seem to do this successfully.

2. Use one of the many good Apps on the internet. Probably a very good way of sorting this but it isn't the route I chose to take. Why? I felt that I needed to really engage with what I was diagnosed with and how I wanted to try to fix things.

3. Write an App so that all, the relevant aspects are covered, all the desired graphs are automatically plotted, reports are generated for the GP. Sounds horrendous and I wouldn't expect any sane person to go down this route. However as I am an old school programmer, software designer, I decided to do it this way. No small job and 10 months later I am still improving it. Besides it gives me something to do that is more interesting than train spotting.

With the constant feedback and the ability to change things on the fly I have been able to manage things more easily and very successfully.

The secret is knowing where you are, knowing where you want to be, forming a strategy to get there, finding the right tools to help you, analysing lots of feedback from whatever you do. And adjusting things after looking at the feedback.

So, long post. Let's summarise

1. Discover where you are at. HbA1c, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, what foods you presently eat and how many carbs a day you presently consume, etc. Some of this will be from your GP and some you will have to work out for yourself.

2. Set yourself some small achievable sustainable goals. Reduce carbs to less than xxx grams a day, reduce weight to yyy Kg, increase exercise (if possible) to zzz minutes of ? A day, etc. For me it was carbs less than 100g a day, weight down to 55.5Kg, exercise greater than 30 mins walking a day.

3. Get a means of obtaining the feedback that you need to be able to see your progress and successes. Part of that will be blood glucose testing and finding out what foods aftect you badly (or not). Now I will be very interested to learn how you tackle this part.

4. Get a means of being able to print out or display your graphs (whatever they are) to your GP and DSN (and youself).

5. Engage with the people on this forum who are incredibly supportive, helpful and informative.

I can give you more detail if you really want it, I just don't want to put you off and I realise that it is very focussed on how 'I' work.
 
Gwynn said:
Nayshiftin: Hi.

One thing I cannot cope with is not knowing what to do! So I like to have a plan. For T2 my plan was to get it into remission. Big plan, no detail.

The tough bit was working out how to execute that broad sweeping global plan and that's where the shorter term goals and strategies worked and also learning what I was up against (this forum was instrumental in that).

Where did I get the shorter term goals from, again from this very forum. The message for many T2s seemed to be go lower carb, higher fat, higher protein, reduce weight and get off my backside and exercise. A tough message when you feel very poorly and are obese and very unfit.

Thats all well and good as a strategy but flying blind just doesn't cut it for me (actually flying on instruments (blind) does ok with me).

Armed with the idea of reducing carbs to less than 100g a day if possible and adjusting all the other bits and bobs (protein, fibre, fats, salt, cholesterol, fluids, etc ) in line with the NHS guidelines, I worked out what the ideals for me were (for starters).

But for all aspects what I needed was feedback and how to plan meals. Was I on target or just winging it and missing by a mile.... so

1. Exercise > 30 minutes a day. Feedback: That was an easy one, take a stop watch and walk

2. Nutrition. Ahh. Big stumbling block. All those different aspects for each and every food, for each meal, for each and every day. It's enough to make your head explode !

Three possible routes

1. Write everything down and calculate everything (or at least the bits you are interested in). Way too time consuming and error prone AND boring. But many people seem to do this successfully.

2. Use one of the many good Apps on the internet. Probably a very good way of sorting this but it isn't the route I chose to take. Why? I felt that I needed to really engage with what I was diagnosed with and how I wanted to try to fix things.

3. Write an App so that all, the relevant aspects are covered, all the desired graphs are automatically plotted, reports are generated for the GP. Sounds horrendous and I wouldn't expect any sane person to go down this route. However as I am an old school programmer, software designer, I decided to do it this way. No small job and 10 months later I am still improving it. Besides it gives me something to do that is more interesting than train spotting.

With the constant feedback and the ability to change things on the fly I have been able to manage things more easily and very successfully.

The secret is knowing where you are, knowing where you want to be, forming a strategy to get there, finding the right tools to help you, analysing lots of feedback from whatever you do. And adjusting things after looking at the feedback.

So, long post. Let's summarise

1. Discover where you are at. HbA1c, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, what foods you presently eat and how many carbs a day you presently consume, etc. Some of this will be from your GP and some you will have to work out for yourself.

2. Set yourself some small achievable sustainable goals. Reduce carbs to less than xxx grams a day, reduce weight to yyy Kg, increase exercise (if possible) to zzz minutes of ? A day, etc. For me it was carbs less than 100g a day, weight down to 55.5Kg, exercise greater than 30 mins walking a day.

3. Get a means of obtaining the feedback that you need to be able to see your progress and successes. Part of that will be blood glucose testing and finding out what foods aftect you badly (or not). Now I will be very interested to learn how you tackle this part.

4. Get a means of being able to print out or display your graphs (whatever they are) to your GP and DSN (and youself).

5. Engage with the people on this forum who are incredibly supportive, helpful and informative.

I can give you more detail if you really want it, I just don't want to put you off and I realise that it is very focussed on how 'I' work.
Click to expand...
A million thanks for that. I am very interested . I’ve got the exercise that I am working on to a t with fit bit and that I am achieving greatly. The dietician is phoning Tuesday so I am expecting to chat and aim at goals with her . How to graph ah I did not know you were a profession web thingy . I’m more tech phobic . I guess to summarise I’d start with small goals get that then aim at next . Well done . Thank you I appreciate your kind reply
 
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