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Hi guys - newbie type2
- Thread starter Modingle
- Start date
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Have a browse around the Newbie, Carbs and Weight Loss threads and come back if you have any questions. I'm living proof that diet, exercise and most of all weight loss (in my case with added metformin) can help to lower blood glucose levels.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi eseddon, welcome to the forum 🙂 Try not to worry too much about your readings currently as you are so recently diagnosed, but do write them down so you can use them for future reference. It would also be helpful to put the readings in context i.e. write down when the readings were taken in relation to food, and what food was eaten. By doing this you will build up a database of what meas you can tolerate well and things where you might need to consider substituting items or reducing portion sizes. In particular you should record the carbohydrate content of what you are eating, and it is most useful to take a reading just before eating and then another reading either an hour or two hours after eating (or both would be best to begin with, so you can find the 'peak' of your blood sugar levels as your food digests. Diabetes is all about carbohydrates and how much, and how quickly, they impact your blood sugar levels. A good method of selecting the best combinations of things is the GI/GL diet - The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction.
A good place to start is by reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and many of our members find the book Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker invaluable in learning about their diabetes and how best to control it.
And do ask questions here - nothing is considered 'silly' and there is a wealth of experience for you to draw on 🙂 Hope things go well with your appointment, let us know how things go 🙂
Thanks to the Northerner and LeeLee I shall go off and do more reading and hopefully learn the way to go. Before I read one more question does the GI give indications of carb levels in food , is their a table showing carbs in potatoes or carrots ?
Thanks Northerner for the advice on the numbers it has settled my mind. 🙂
Thanks Northerner for the advice on the numbers it has settled my mind. 🙂
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I would suggest getting a copy of the Collins Gem Calorie Counter as this contains all the numbers you will need 🙂 Tinned and packaged goods should have the values on the container.
Hello all - just an update to how things are going - following visit to DN I got my results back HbA1c 44/6.2 Cholesterol 5.8 blood pressure 132/80 - so not too bad. I was refused test strips on prescription so buying my own at the moment. I am to be reviewed in 3 months to see how things are going. I had visit to nurse today for weight management and I haven't lost anything over the last 3 weeks despite cutting out chocolate, crisps, cakes and biscuits. I thought I had lost something as a lot of my clothes feel looser so I don't understand what's going on. Nurse took me through understanding food labelling and how to work out carbs and advised me to go home and check my cupboards & fridge and read the labels. I amazed by some of the carb counts in some of the things I thought were 'healthy' e.g Shape delight crumble yogurts average 14.0g per pot and the Go Ahead Yogurt biscuits are 26.6g for 2. These are items I was including in my box for work as I work 10 hour (12-10) shifts broken into 2 breaks then dinner then 1 more break and I try to eat sensibly over the shift. I have sat today on my day off and worked out carb content of a lot of the foods I eat regularly so I know a bit better now what to eat. I'm going to try to stick to 130g day to see how it works.
Monitoring has been going well but I have calmed down from the initial test test test - I test in morning before breakfast and as I eat the same breakfast every morning I don't bother 2 hours after anymore as I know what reading will be. I test before dinner and sometimes 2 hours after. I always test 2 hours after if I try something new to see what effect it is having.
I try to have a walk every day and a session on the exercise bike but will need to up the exercise once the weather improves.
So all in all things are going ok and I think it's finally sunk in what's going on - I did have a bit of a blip on Comic Relief night as the place I work was answering calls for donations and there was so much food and baking on offer I just couldn't resist. I have noticed the old joints don't seem to be aching so much but maybe that's just my imagination lol
Monitoring has been going well but I have calmed down from the initial test test test - I test in morning before breakfast and as I eat the same breakfast every morning I don't bother 2 hours after anymore as I know what reading will be. I test before dinner and sometimes 2 hours after. I always test 2 hours after if I try something new to see what effect it is having.
I try to have a walk every day and a session on the exercise bike but will need to up the exercise once the weather improves.
So all in all things are going ok and I think it's finally sunk in what's going on - I did have a bit of a blip on Comic Relief night as the place I work was answering calls for donations and there was so much food and baking on offer I just couldn't resist. I have noticed the old joints don't seem to be aching so much but maybe that's just my imagination lol
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Sounds like you are doing really well Modingle - well done for getting to grips with things! 🙂 Shame you are having to fund your own strips though, this really infuriates me as it is such a valuable tool, especially in the early days after diagnosis - it is an ignorant and short-sighted penny-pinching action and many people not able to self-fund will end up not knowing how their changes to diet and activity levels are working. Rant over!
As for things described as 'healthy' being high carb, this is unfortunately due to the obsession that all fat is unhealthy, so the marketing emphasises tha lack of fat content but ignores the carbs - which will just as easily pile on the pounds! It could be that, with your exercise, you are creating more muscle which is denser than fat, so your clothes may feel looser as you become more toned, but your weight may not immediately come down.
Keep up the good work, and let us know how you go!
As for things described as 'healthy' being high carb, this is unfortunately due to the obsession that all fat is unhealthy, so the marketing emphasises tha lack of fat content but ignores the carbs - which will just as easily pile on the pounds! It could be that, with your exercise, you are creating more muscle which is denser than fat, so your clothes may feel looser as you become more toned, but your weight may not immediately come down.
Keep up the good work, and let us know how you go!
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