Hello

[Fatbellycustard]

Hello everyone. I'm Fatbellycustard, and I've just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I'm hoping to find support and advice amongst this community, and have to confess I'm feeling somewhat ashamed that I haven't looked after myself well enough and it's self inflicted.

 

[Lucylemonpip]

Hi, don’t worry, you are not alone in feeling that. I was diagnosed in October last year with Type 2 and admit that when I got home from the GP’s, I did have a few tears about it and those usual words enterEd my head, which were “I wish I’d.......”.

However, once you start to wrap your head around things, you move forward with better determination and knowledge. Talking of which, the lovely people on this site, have loads of. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions, no matter if you think they are silly. You need to understand things and folk will help you.

Welcome to this site. You’ve come to a good place. 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hello everyone. I'm Fatbellycustard, and I've just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I'm hoping to find support and advice amongst this community, and have to confess I'm feeling somewhat ashamed that I haven't looked after myself well enough and it's self inflicted.

Welcome to the forum FBC, but please try to be kind to yourself. While you may feel that you perhaps haven’t always acted in your own best interests, it is rarely helpful to consider blame or fault with a diagnosis, or to accept feelings of shame and stigma as ‘deserved’.

No one deserves T2, and your diagnosis doesn’t come as part of a deliberate attempt to sabotage your own health. T2 is a much more complex condition than the media and public opinion would have you believe, and it’s rarely a case of A+B=C. It seems quite likely that there’s a reasonably significant genetic component to your story so far (including your tastes, how your appetite works, and what your body actually does with different foods that you eat)

You can’t change the past, but you can decide to use your diagnosis as a catalyst for positive changes towards a healthier, happier you. There are lots of experienced friendly folks here to compare experiences with and no question will be considered too obvious or ‘silly’.

You might find some of the useful links a helpful starting point too - https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/board...for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/#post-938458

 

[Drummer]

Type two really is not retribution for leading a bad life - I was diagnosed after following a cholesterol reducing diet for almost two years and was told I was a very bad diabetic - these days I eat all the things not on the sheet - red meat and fat, and my diabetes is no longer a problem.
I eat steak for breakfast - or other meat - tomorrow it will be chicken thighs left over from dinner today, and I will fry up some mushrooms, and a green sweet pepper and anything else I find in the fridge to go with it.
The so called healthy low fat low calorie diet really doesn't guarantee a healthy Human.

 

[ColinUK]

Hi and welcome 🙂
I’ve watched my weight steadily climb over the last couple of years. I’ve also seen my exercise decrease precipitously. I’ve been stressed at work and have had a heap of other stresses too. So I ate. Quite a lot. I’d have a bag of crisps before cooking dinner (or shoving something in the microwave). Afterwards I’d pretty much always have dessert. Oh and the bag of crisps would be the big bags of kettle chips and the dessert most likely a whole tiramisu or tub of ice cream. I didn’t start out that way but it’s where I ended up.
Is my diagnosis my fault? Well I’m certainly culpable to a degree but to berate myself now for those choices I made then wouldn’t be helpful. I have a diagnosis. I know what that diagnosis means. If I don’t make the necessary changes now then I’d feel entirely to blame for what ever comes down the line heath wise in my future.

I don’t know your experience but I do know you have a choice, you can blame yourself for decisions you’ve taken in your past out you can take control of your future by making better decisions now. And it goes without saying that we are all here to help.

 

[Drummer]

when diagnosed I was almost spherical - I get so fat eating carbs.
My weight loss is just the official figures, I stopped weighing myself when I got to 264lb - I felt so old and dispirited.

 

[ColinUK]

when diagnosed I was almost spherical - I get so fat eating carbs.
My weight loss is just the official figures, I stopped weighing myself when I got to 264lb - I felt so old and dispirited.

I could quite easily have caught you up in a couple of years I’d say. Not that it’s a competition!

 

[Fatbellycustard]

Thanks everyone for your warm welcome and reassuring words, it's very much appreciated. Today is going to be more positive - as you've all alluded to, it's a chance to take stock and make some changes, changes that are overdue - and the re-education process begins.

 

[Ljc]

Hello @Fatbellycustard , welcome to the forum.

Today is going to be more positive - as you've all alluded to, it's a chance to take stock and make some changes, changes that are overdue - and the re-education process begins.

That’s the spirit 🙂.

Actually the re-education process started when you first decided to come here . And we are sure going to surprise you, in a good way.
Firstly though
Their is an awful lot of misinformation out there and not only by misinformed people either, their sadly are con men too selling snake oil at high prices and sadly some GPs/ nurses are rather out of date too.

@Drummer wasn't joking when he was talking about having a fry up and eating red meat .
You see it’s carbohydrates our bodies can no longer tolerate too well.
We have no problems with protein in any form and providing you don’t have a medical condition that requires a low fat diet , good fats. So dairy is fine if you like it
Sugar is just another simple carbohydrate and is already included in the carbohydrate content on the back of packs and tins

Many people find that they lose weight quite easily on our types of diet .
I eat good tasty food , not just lettuce leaves and fresh air lol.
Tonight I am having , 2 sausages done in my frying pan , some fried onions about 6 oven chips and some mushrooms .
My sausages however are high meat content ones as it’s the fillers they use to bulk out the meat in many brands that boost the carb content, so go for the high meat content ones, same with burgers, apologies if you are vegetarian or vegan. Some people chip other veggies, me I prefer not to. We often need to be carful with fruit , many find fruit with berry in its name are tolerated better. Avoid fruit juice .

Do have a read the the Useful links for people new to diabetes link , that is at the top of the newbies forum. Just scroll down to the T2 section.
I suggest you start with , Maggie Davies letter,, it very informative however it was written ages ago when we all believed fat was the enemy.

Test review adjust by Alan S

If you want to test (recommended) to see how the various carbohydrates affect you , so you can make informed choices rather than cutting out carbohydrates that your body handles well , you will find a link for the SD Codefree glucose meter that uses the cheapest testing strips we know of £8 for a pot of 50 where glucose meters sold in chemists use strips that cost £15 or more , you will need to buy more pots of test strips as you’ll get through them fast and a box of lancets.

 

[ColinUK]

Hello @Fatbellycustard , welcome to the forum.


That’s the spirit 🙂.

Actually the re-education process started when you first decided to come here . And we are sure going to surprise you, in a good way.
Firstly though
Their is an awful lot of misinformation out there and not only by misinformed people either, their sadly are con men too selling snake oil at high prices and sadly some GPs/ nurses are rather out of date too.

@Drummer wasn't joking when he was talking about having a fry up and eating red meat .
You see it’s carbohydrates our bodies can no longer tolerate too well.
We have no problems with protein in any form and providing you don’t have a medical condition that requires a low fat diet , good fats. So dairy is fine if you like it
Sugar is just another simple carbohydrate and is already included in the carbohydrate content on the back of packs and tins

Many people find that they lose weight quite easily on our types of diet .
I eat good tasty food , not just lettuce leaves and fresh air lol.
Tonight I am having , 2 sausages done in my frying pan , some fried onions about 6 oven chips and some mushrooms .
My sausages however are high meat content ones as it’s the fillers they use to bulk out the meat in many brands that boost the carb content, so go for the high meat content ones, same with burgers, apologies if you are vegetarian or vegan. Some people chip other veggies, me I prefer not to. We often need to be carful with fruit , many find fruit with berry in its name are tolerated better. Avoid fruit juice .

Do have a read the the Useful links for people new to diabetes link , that is at the top of the newbies forum. Just scroll down to the T2 section.
I suggest you start with , Maggie Davies letter,, it very informative however it was written ages ago when we all believed fat was the enemy.

Test review adjust by Alan S

If you want to test (recommended) to see how the various carbohydrates affect you , so you can make informed choices rather than cutting out carbohydrates that your body handles well , you will find a link for the SD Codefree glucose meter that uses the cheapest testing strips we know of £8 for a pot of 50 where glucose meters sold in chemists use strips that cost £15 or more , you will need to buy more pots of test strips as you’ll get through them fast and a box of lancets.

So right about the test strips. I wish I’d ordered more than I initial did as I’m getting through them at a huge rate of knots. That’ll slow as I learn more of course but right now I’m off to order a bulk shipment!

I’ve got the SD Codefree that lots of folks on here suggest precisely because the strips are less expensive than other makes.

 

[Fatbellycustard]

Hello @Fatbellycustard , welcome to the forum.


That’s the spirit 🙂.

Actually the re-education process started when you first decided to come here . And we are sure going to surprise you, in a good way.
Firstly though
Their is an awful lot of misinformation out there and not only by misinformed people either, their sadly are con men too selling snake oil at high prices and sadly some GPs/ nurses are rather out of date too.

@Drummer wasn't joking when he was talking about having a fry up and eating red meat .
You see it’s carbohydrates our bodies can no longer tolerate too well.
We have no problems with protein in any form and providing you don’t have a medical condition that requires a low fat diet , good fats. So dairy is fine if you like it
Sugar is just another simple carbohydrate and is already included in the carbohydrate content on the back of packs and tins

Many people find that they lose weight quite easily on our types of diet .
I eat good tasty food , not just lettuce leaves and fresh air lol.
Tonight I am having , 2 sausages done in my frying pan , some fried onions about 6 oven chips and some mushrooms .
My sausages however are high meat content ones as it’s the fillers they use to bulk out the meat in many brands that boost the carb content, so go for the high meat content ones, same with burgers, apologies if you are vegetarian or vegan. Some people chip other veggies, me I prefer not to. We often need to be carful with fruit , many find fruit with berry in its name are tolerated better. Avoid fruit juice .

Do have a read the the Useful links for people new to diabetes link , that is at the top of the newbies forum. Just scroll down to the T2 section.
I suggest you start with , Maggie Davies letter,, it very informative however it was written ages ago when we all believed fat was the enemy.

Test review adjust by Alan S

If you want to test (recommended) to see how the various carbohydrates affect you , so you can make informed choices rather than cutting out carbohydrates that your body handles well , you will find a link for the SD Codefree glucose meter that uses the cheapest testing strips we know of £8 for a pot of 50 where glucose meters sold in chemists use strips that cost £15 or more , you will need to buy more pots of test strips as you’ll get through them fast and a box of lancets.

Thanks, Ljc - really helpful advice.

No, I'm definitely not a vegan or vegetarian, although equally not a dedicated carnivore either. But it is reassuring to know there will be foods I like that I can eat. Puds and sweets should be easy enough to cut out - they're not my favourite part of the meal anyway. I like curries, chilli, stews, casseroles, chickpeas, lentils and grains as well as chicken and fish, veg and dairy - and good quality sausages and burgers too. I'm guessing part of the learning curve will be to watch the carbs that go with each meal, make those I do have wholegrain and not processed, and watch portion sizes (my undoing). And cutting out alcohol.

 

[ColinUK]

Thanks, Ljc - really helpful advice.

No, I'm definitely not a vegan or vegetarian, although equally not a dedicated carnivore either. But it is reassuring to know there will be foods I like that I can eat. Puds and sweets should be easy enough to cut out - they're not my favourite part of the meal anyway. I like curries, chilli, stews, casseroles, chickpeas, lentils and grains as well as chicken and fish, veg and dairy - and good quality sausages and burgers too. I'm guessing part of the learning curve will be to watch the carbs that go with each meal, make those I do have wholegrain and not processed, and watch portion sizes (my undoing). And cutting out alcohol.

That you like spicy foods will be useful because that’s where the variety comes. You may have to watch the chickpeas, lentils and grains however. But test to see if that’s the case for you because everyone is different.

 

[Fatbellycustard]

That you like spicy foods will be useful because that’s where the variety comes. You may have to watch the chickpeas, lentils and grains however. But test to see if that’s the case for you because everyone is different.

Again, thanks for the advice. I'll go carefully with grains and pulses until I know how they affect me.

 

[ColinUK]

Again, thanks for the advice. I'll go carefully with grains and pulses until I know how they affect me.

There’s tonnes of info out there on low carb Mediterranean and that seems to be a very powerful way of eating when you’re T2 - there’s also the food / recipes thread on here too.

 

[Fatbellycustard]

There’s tonnes of info out there on low carb Mediterranean and that seems to be a very powerful way of eating when you’re T2 - there’s also the food / recipes thread on here too.

Low carb Mediterranean sounds promising! I'll investigate ....

 

[Ljc]

Their is a very long running thread on here https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/what-did-you-eat-yesterday.30349/ where shine our halos and bare our sins.

We also have some great innovative cooks on here , they invent their own recipes or adapt old favourites
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/forums/recipes.21/
Both threads may gibe you some good ideas .

Many people find rice shoots up their BG (blood glucose ) levels, cauliflower rice makes a good substitute

 

[Drummer]

Thanks, Ljc - really helpful advice.

No, I'm definitely not a vegan or vegetarian, although equally not a dedicated carnivore either. But it is reassuring to know there will be foods I like that I can eat. Puds and sweets should be easy enough to cut out - they're not my favourite part of the meal anyway. I like curries, chilli, stews, casseroles, chickpeas, lentils and grains as well as chicken and fish, veg and dairy - and good quality sausages and burgers too. I'm guessing part of the learning curve will be to watch the carbs that go with each meal, make those I do have wholegrain and not processed, and watch portion sizes (my undoing). And cutting out alcohol.

Be aware and cautious that whole grain is likely to cause as many problems as the processed grain - the starches are still there, no difference between them.
There is 'a healthy diet' and there is a healthy Human, and the one doesn't guarantee the other. Humans seem to have become interested in grains because they can be converted into alcoholic drinks, and begun to grow them to make beer with - the true paleo diet would seem to be more red meat and alcohol than coarse scones and fruit.