Hi, all

[Miss Kayleigh]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the site. I am looking to completely overhaul my eating and fitness habits.
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in April 2018. I am 25 years old and I weigh 9st. The consultants were baffled and done further tests to establish the type of diabetes as they thought it could be type 1 or genetic. My diagnoses remains as type 2 as there’s no evidence to suggest that it’s another.

I’m wondering if anyone can share their healthy habits to get started. My eating is shambolic.

Thank you

 

[trophywench]

Well if you really are T2, the only thing your body has trouble with are carbohydrates so you need to cut down on them.

How much carb do you usually consume each day? - you'll need to start consulting the backs of packets, tins, bags and if not on the packaging, consult the internet. Until you can recognise what they are in, you can't reduce them - so let's start by making a list of those that contain A Lot.
Sugar, flour (hence anything with flour in it, eg bread, cake, pastry, batter, some sauces) Pasta, rice, spuds, other root veg, a lot of fruit - bananas are about the most along with tropical fruit eg mango and pineapple, peaches and juicy soft pears and oranges - berries have about the least.

Nobodies suggesting you pack in eating all of them, but you'll need to test to see how much of what, you can safely consume - so we highly recommend you invest in a blood glucose meter and strips to use at home and thus be able to see how you're getting on. Here's a good way of going about this

Test, Review, Adjust

Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.

loraldiabetes.blogspot.com

 

[Miss Kayleigh]

Well if you really are T2, the only thing your body has trouble with are carbohydrates so you need to cut down on them.

How much carb do you usually consume each day? - you'll need to start consulting the backs of packets, tins, bags and if not on the packaging, consult the internet. Until you can recognise what they are in, you can't reduce them - so let's start by making a list of those that contain A Lot.
Sugar, flour (hence anything with flour in it, eg bread, cake, pastry, batter, some sauces) Pasta, rice, spuds, other root veg, a lot of fruit - bananas are about the most along with tropical fruit eg mango and pineapple, peaches and juicy soft pears and oranges - berries have about the least.

Nobodies suggesting you pack in eating all of them, but you'll need to test to see how much of what, you can safely consume - so we highly recommend you invest in a blood glucose meter and strips to use at home and thus be able to see how you're getting on. Here's a good way of going about this

Test, Review, Adjust

Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.

loraldiabetes.blogspot.com

Hi, I have a fair knowledge of diabetes since being diagnosed. I know what foods I should limit, however, I find it hard to adjust (two kids and university) has made it difficult not to snack on rubbish, I.e. crisps. I hardly eat bread, rolls or pastries etc. I consume pasta about 2 times a week.

I have no idea what foods my body can tolerate better than others because I never feel any different. I also currently use the Caresens dual meter but I was advised by my nurse that I don’t need to check my blood sugars as often as others (with the exception of during my last pregnancy)

How many carbs should you consume in a day? I’m unsure of a balance between very low and how much are actually required.

 

[Drummer]

You don't need any carbohydrate, but can probably tolerate enough to make your diet varied colourful.
Using your meter to test two hours after starting to eat can show you those foods which cause spikes. At first you might need to test just before eating to see your starting point, but once numbers come down then afterwards is probably enough.
We need to eat protein and fat to maintain and fuel our bodies, but if you are eating what I think of as normal fats, from the food choices made, then there is no need to add in large amounts of fat. I eat chicken thighs rather than fillets for instance, and nothing with reduced fat.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have no idea what foods my body can tolerate better than others because I never feel any different. I also currently use the Caresens dual meter but I was advised by my nurse that I don’t need to check my blood sugars as often as others (with the exception of during my last pregnancy)

How many carbs should you consume in a day? I’m unsure of a balance between very low and how much are actually required

Welcome to the forum @Miss Kayleigh

I understand how hard it can be to put what you know in theory into practice, especially as part of a busy family life.

Possibly one of the most powerful things you could do between this weekend and the next, is to keep a brutally honest food diary, with all of your meals, snacks and drinks.

Eating can so often become automatic, that it can be next to impossible to remember with any accuracy what you have eaten more than half a day ago.

Your food diary will be even more helpful if you are able to estimate/calculate the carb content of your meals/snacks too.

Then in the following week you can use the before/after pairs of BG checks to examine the effects of different meals on your BG outcomes - ultimately you are aiming for a rise of approx 2-3mmol/L at each meal between before and 2 hours after. At the beginning the numbers themselves matter less than the ‘meal rises‘ you are seeing.

If you can adjust yoir meals (mainly reducing/swapping carbs) to aim for the 2-3 rise, then your overall numbers and levels will should down gradually in time, which is easier on the body, circulation and fine blood vessels, than a sudden change.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂

 

[Drummer]

I am a type two so I want to be in ketosis, using fat for fuel.
I actually eat just under 40 gm of carbs a day, as I can do that and be just at the top edge of normal Hba1c. I have salad, low carb veges and berries once in a while.

 

[brisr949]

But its what works for each individual. 40 gms for one person could be 70 or even 100 for another. For the OP i would do what @everydayupsanddowns has said and see what works for her.