Hello all

[Starwarsfan]

Hi,
Just found out this afternoon that I have pre diabetes. To be honest I wasn't shocked, though I should have been.
Now it's time to make some major changes as the nurse said yesterday when taking the blood.
I've registered for a living well group for a bit of a kick so hopefully that will help.
My BP has increased and need to loose about 6 to 7 stone.
The major drawback is that I travel most weeks for work so spend most of the week in hotels eating in pubs etc (I know it's a hard life ). I can be sensible for a few days picking the lowest calorie meals etc but that doesn't last long. Especially when sat in a room on my own bored.
Take care

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Starwarsfan 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum, prediabetes is a bit of a wake up call to make some changes to your diet so you do not progress to a diabetes diagnosis. Losing the weight you need to will be one of the things that will help.
There are a number of approaches people can try but whatever you chose has to be enjoyable as otherwise it will not be sustainable as you have found already.
Some people go down a low calorie route and that can be easier now calorie information is on restaurant menus, some try a shakes -based approach to give then a kick start to losing weight, others will find a low carbohydrate approach will work for them in losing weight and reducing blood glucose. Choosing meals without potatoes, chips, rice or pasta and asking for extra veg or salad and of course avoiding the temptation of puddings will help.
This link may help you with some principals of low carb with some do's and don'ts as well as some menu ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi Starwarsfan, welcome to the forum.

Pre-diabetes can be shocking but you're in a good position to take some preventative action. Working away does make it difficult though I find there's always something you can choose that would help you along your journey.

You're essentially trying to reduce carbs/sugar so having things like a steak and salad or vegan staples and veg can help. If you've got weight to lose then that would be a great start and could do well to keep diabetes away.

I'd grab a menu beforehand and make a plan of what you'll eat. We've got lots of info on the forum and main site so do have a look around and let us know if we can help.

 

[Drummer]

Going low calorie is a hard way to try to lose weight, and even though I was harangued and insulted for failing - it never worked for me.
All my life eating high carb has made me feel unwell, so I naturally ate low carb, but that was not something I could get away with for long periods.
However, once diagnosed type two and told how bad I was, I used the diet sheets to light the barbecue and have gone into remission, lost weight and feel a lot better.
I found that a blood glucose meter was a great help in finding out what I could and could not eat.

 

[42istheanswer]

I would suggest that part of the solution for you might include something to stop you being bored in the hotel room, if that's part of what's making it hard for you to keep to the dietary lifestyle you want to choose. Perhaps a hobby that keeps your hands busy, like knitting, crochet, painting tiny models?

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @Starwarsfan, Personally I think it unlikely that a 'living well group' will help you much with T2 diabetes.
The problem we have is that we have (and sometimes still are) eating waay to many carbohydrates for our bodies to manage. If we cut down on the carbs (eat to our BG meter) then in most cases weight will fall off without consciously eating fewer calories or doing more exercise, as a by-product. Living Well usually takes the eat less and move more approach i.e. trying to treat the symptoms rather than the cause. But see how you find it, you may disagree with me.

Eating in pubs and hotels isn't a problem unless you are vegetarian or worse still vegan. Just eat mainly protein with low carb veg e.g. If steak, chips and green beans ask them to hold the chips and give you an egg instead.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Hi,
Just found out this afternoon that I have pre diabetes. To be honest I wasn't shocked, though I should have been.
Now it's time to make some major changes as the nurse said yesterday when taking the blood.
I've registered for a living well group for a bit of a kick so hopefully that will help.
My BP has increased and need to loose about 6 to 7 stone.
The major drawback is that I travel most weeks for work so spend most of the week in hotels eating in pubs etc (I know it's a hard life ). I can be sensible for a few days picking the lowest calorie meals etc but that doesn't last long. Especially when sat in a room on my own bored.
Take care

I can understand that.
The same applied to me.
Travel, expense account, boring nights.
Ignore the "low carb" tribe, it doesn't happen in hotels.

I tried to get out, take walks, hit the hotel gym, but that failed.
The only thing that worked for me was a low calorie diet and weight loss.
(Bummer when you have an expense account though)
If you can get out, do it.
I took the company car out, hit the beach in the evenings, (driving means no bar), walked, but still came back to a low fat, calorie restriction, and eventually a shake based Newcastle diet.