Hello!

[TwilightTeaser]

Hi, just newly diagnosed last week. Not really sure what I'm doing if I'm honest but determined to lose 4 stone.

 

[janw]

Hello and welcome. Do you know what your HbA1c number was when diagnosed? Are you on any meds or just trying diet and exercise first (Lifestyle changes)? They will help us advise you better.

Basically you will need to reduce your carb intake slowly, if you cut them too fast it can cause other problems, so best start tackling one meal at a time - ie maybe breakfast.

Do you know which are the high carb foods? They include potato, pasta, rice, bread, anything made with while flour, veggies that grow under the ground - but beware of peas and sweetcorn too, most fruit except berries.

You don't need to worry about calories, and you can have fats - these are good as they take the place of carbs.
Meats, eggs, fish and cheese are great and mainly 0 carbs. Cream has less carbs than milk - so it has its positives too 🙂

Do you have a blood glucose (BG) meter? Most T2s have to self fund unless on certain meds. Currently the cheapest is the GlucoNavii - it has the cheapest test strips. These are available from Amazon or www.homehealth.com of course there are many other models available, but this one is the cheapest at the time.

It is best to do your finger prick before each meal, then 2 hours after the first bite - you hope to see a rise of no more than 2 - 3 mmol. otherwise look at reducing the portion size of the carb/s, or find an alternative if necessary. This is how you put yourself in control and get that BG at a decent level.

You may also find an online food diary useful, there are many free ones available and some, if not all, will allow you to log any exercise done, be it steps, walking, cycling, swimming, seated exercise or whatever you are able to do. Any thing will help in not only your weight loss, but will benefit you in other ways too.

If you are unsure of anything, or need any queries answered, then don't be afraid to ask. We all have to learn and it is far better to get ideas and advice for those who are walking the same path as you - we are all different, but the journey is similar enough.

 

[Lucyr]

Hello and welcome. Do you know what your HbA1c number was when diagnosed? Are you on any meds or just trying diet and exercise first (Lifestyle changes)? They will help us advise you better.
Basically you will need to reduce your carb intake slowly, if you cut them too fast it can cause other problems, so best start tackling one meal at a time - ie maybe breakfast.
Do you know which are the high carb foods? They include potato, pasta, rice, bread, anything made with while flour, veggies that grow under the ground - but beware of peas and sweetcorn too, most fruit except berries. You don't need to worry about calories, and you can have fats - these are good as they take the place of carbs. Meats, eggs, fish and cheese are great and mainly 0 carbs. Cream has less carbs than milk - so it has its positives too 🙂
Do you have a blood glucose (BG) meter? Most T2s have to self fund unless on certain meds. Currently the cheapest is the GlucoNavii - it has the cheapest test strips. These are available from Amazon or www.homehealth.com of course there are many other models available, but this one is the cheapest at the time. It is best to do your finger prick before each meal, then 2 hours after the first bite - you hope to see a rise of no more than 2 - 3 mmol. otherwise look at reducing the portion size of the carb/s, or find an alternative if necessary. This is how you put yourself in control and get that BG at a decent level. You may also find an online food diary useful, there are many free ones available and some, if not all, will allow you to log any exercise done, be it steps, walking, cycling, swimming, seated exercise or whatever you are able to do. Any thing will help in not only your weight loss, but will benefit you in other ways too.
If you are unsure of anything, or need any queries answered, then don't be afraid to ask. We all have to learn and it is far better to get ideas and advice for those who are walking the same path as you - we are all different, but the journey is similar enough.

That’s a real wall of text so could be a bit overwhelming. Adding paragraph line breaks might make it easier to read.

Welcome to the forum

 

[janw]

That’s a real wall of text so could be a bit overwhelming. Adding paragraph line breaks might make it easier to read.

Welcome to the forum

yes, see your point - my bad as tired but not quite ready to sleep - have made some amendments now with breaks to take a breath 🙂 xx

 

[zuludog]

Hello TWILIGHT TEASER -- Welcome to the forum!

It will all be more than a bit confusing at the moment, so the best thing will be to look at the Learning Zone ( click on red tab at the top of the page), Living With Diabetes and other headings at the top of the Home Page, and older Threads inthe Newbies, Food & Carbs, and Weight Loss Forums - that will be quite enough for now

As you read those & the Forums you will gradually understand what's going on, what diabetes is, and that most of your questions will have been asked before

But please do ask your own questions if you have any or don't understand something, don't feel shy or embarrassed
We've all been where you are, and nothing is too simple or silly to ask about.

 

[TwilightTeaser]

Hello and welcome. Do you know what your HbA1c number was when diagnosed? Are you on any meds or just trying diet and exercise first (Lifestyle changes)? They will help us advise you better.

Basically you will need to reduce your carb intake slowly, if you cut them too fast it can cause other problems, so best start tackling one meal at a time - ie maybe breakfast.

Do you know which are the high carb foods? They include potato, pasta, rice, bread, anything made with while flour, veggies that grow under the ground - but beware of peas and sweetcorn too, most fruit except berries.

You don't need to worry about calories, and you can have fats - these are good as they take the place of carbs.
Meats, eggs, fish and cheese are great and mainly 0 carbs. Cream has less carbs than milk - so it has its positives too 🙂

Do you have a blood glucose (BG) meter? Most T2s have to self fund unless on certain meds. Currently the cheapest is the GlucoNavii - it has the cheapest test strips. These are available from Amazon or www.homehealth.com of course there are many other models available, but this one is the cheapest at the time.

It is best to do your finger prick before each meal, then 2 hours after the first bite - you hope to see a rise of no more than 2 - 3 mmol. otherwise look at reducing the portion size of the carb/s, or find an alternative if necessary. This is how you put yourself in control and get that BG at a decent level.

You may also find an online food diary useful, there are many free ones available and some, if not all, will allow you to log any exercise done, be it steps, walking, cycling, swimming, seated exercise or whatever you are able to do. Any thing will help in not only your weight loss, but will benefit you in other ways too.

If you are unsure of anything, or need any queries answered, then don't be afraid to ask. We all have to learn and it is far better to get ideas and advice for those who are walking the same path as you - we are all different, but the journey is similar enough.

HI, thank you so much for your response! It is all so overwhelming and I don't really know where to start.

I don't have to take my BS levels and just need to change my diet. The GP let me know that 7 and over was diabetic and I number was 7 and also another reading was 44 and should be less than 42. I am not even sure what these stats mean! I am trying to eat only wholefoods but I am just starving all the time

 

[Wheelz]

Hi, I'm a new member here too but I've been diagnosed diabetic since 2013. I was initially diagnosed T1, but I'm actually a T2. I use insulin rather than meds.
Yes, it was confusing at first, overwhelming at times but after 9 years or so of being diabetic it has become second nature (although diabetes likes to throw the odd curveball occasionally).
The best advice I can give you is to stick at it, listen to your doctor/nurse & the great advice you'll find on here. It WILL get easier for you. Adapting to a new diet takes time & I recommend exercise. Exercise will increase your insulin sensitivity & thus give you overall lower blood sugar levels.
Don't see diabetes as a bad thing, look at it like a blessing, a wake up call to improve every aspect of your health. The more you care for yourself, the easier it will be for you.

 

[Leadinglights]

HI, thank you so much for your response! It is all so overwhelming and I don't really know where to start.

I don't have to take my BS levels and just need to change my diet. The GP let me know that 7 and over was diabetic and I number was 7 and also another reading was 44 and should be less than 42. I am not even sure what these stats mean! I am trying to eat only wholefoods but I am just starving all the time

Those two different numbers are a bit confusing The 44 mmol/mol would be your HbA1C result but at 44 would put you in the 'at risk or prediabetes' zone so the 7 without knowing the units it is difficult to know what the G P meant.
However making some changes to your dietary regime should see your levels reduce to below 42mmol/mol as that would be normal.

Reducing your carbohydrate intake but making sure you have protein and healthy fats instead should help to stop you feeling hungry. Some modest changes will probably be sufficient, so cutting out cakes, biscuits and reducing portion size of things like potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, cereals and tropical fruit and high carb snacks. Basing meals on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy and vegetables and salads and fruits like berries, nuts and seeds.

Have a look at the thread What did you eat Yesterday for ideas of what people have for meals, bare in mind some people will have different amount of carbs depending on whether they are dietary managed, on oral meds or insulin so you may notice quite a difference.
Many people follow a low carb regime which would be less than 130g total carbs per day but some people do go lower to manage their level but they determine what suits them by home testing with a blood glucose monitor.

 

[Drummer]

I went low carb from diagnosis - and my Hba1c and blood glucose levels were rather high. In weeks I was seeing normal blood glucose and at 3 months I was no longer in the diabetes range of Hba1c - and I soon realised that I had lost a lot of weight, so much that my clothes were sliding off me. The weightloss was quite unplanned, it just vanished away.
We do not need carbs, certainly not at the levels considered 'normal' so it is an easy way to restore normality.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @TwilightTeaser

Glad you have found us!

Well done on your determination to lose weight. Have you developed a plan for that? Have you managed to lose weight successfully in the past? And what strategies worked best for you?

Sorry to hear that you are feeling hungry all the time. Many T2 members here seem to find that getting the balance right for their individual metabolisms between proteins, good fats and reduced levels of carbohydrates is vital both for blood glucose management and also for weight management.

We have a friendly and helpful weight loss section with lots of members trying different approaches to aim to reach their target weight.