Hi I am new and............

[GlasgowEileen]

Hope I can find some inspiration to turn my type 2 diabetes around. I have known for a year now and my numbers are going up! I KNOW I am harming myself and feel in danger but just can't get myself to stay committed to any healthy living for more than a few days. I have a very sweet tooth so any good ideas are welcome.
Thanks

 

[grovesy]

Why not start by making small changes at first.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Eileen and welcome.

I was a self confessed sugar addict when first diagnosed and I have comfort eaten sweet stuff for most of my life.
I remember going for my first retinal screening not long after diagnosis and sitting in the waiting room thinking that I would never be able to have another Cadbury's Cream Egg (it was approaching Easter and I was still reeling from the shock of diagnosis) and feeling pretty desperate about that and then a partially blind man sat opposite me and I realised that no sugar was worth risking my sight and there were others far worse off than me. I had gone cold turkey with sweet stuff from the moment I developed symptoms but I think that moment was an acceptance that I needed to get over it and move on.

My tastes have changed so much since then and I now find pleasure in eating sour and bitter things which before I would have pulled a face at. I feel that my taste buds are now much more sensitive to a full range of flavours and the occasional square of 70% or 85% dark chocolate is enough whereas before I would have eaten milk chocolate until it came out of my ears and still not been sated. I am not going to tell you those first few weeks were easy but it was definitely worth while breaking the habit and I never want to go back to the way I was.

Do be aware that diabetes is not just about sugar though. Our digestive systems break down all carbohydrates into Glucose which gets absorbed into our blood stream so we also need to reduce consumption of starchy carbs like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc too.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Welcome to the forum Eileen, from a fellow T2.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @GlasgowEileen (loving your username, i am now singing a Dexy’s Midnight Runners song in my head!)

Sorry to hear you are finding things so difficult

But it’s great that you have joined the forum for moral support, and encouragement.

We have lots of members here who have faced similar challenges with food habits, taste preferences and the struggle to keep going when things get tough.

Some find it is most helpful to go all-in, while others find a more gentle gradual approach suits them better. Some find it easier to just remove everything from the house that they don’t want to be tempted by, while others find it more successful to have some treats occasionally rather than ‘falling off the wagon’ after a short period on an unsustainable diet.

No one can tell you which is the right approach for you - and you may find that a blended approach works better where you do different things at different times - but the important thing is that you find your way. And that you eat what you choose, not what anyone else tells you that you must, or mustn’t.

It is your diabetes and you will find a way to manage it in your way. And it’s clear that you can already see that your numbers are moving is a direction that you don’t want for a while now - so what’s imoortant is not what has happened before, it’s what are you going to do next.

You can do this! One day at a time. One moment at a time. And we will be cheering you on every step of the way.

 

[GlasgowEileen]

Hi Eileen and welcome.

I was a self confessed sugar addict when first diagnosed and I have comfort eaten sweet stuff for most of my life.
I remember going for my first retinal screening not long after diagnosis and sitting in the waiting room thinking that I would never be able to have another Cadbury's Cream Egg (it was approaching Easter and I was still reeling from the shock of diagnosis) and feeling pretty desperate about that and then a partially blind man sat opposite me and I realised that no sugar was worth risking my sight and there were others far worse off than me. I had gone cold turkey with sweet stuff from the moment I developed symptoms but I think that moment was an acceptance that I needed to get over it and move on.

My tastes have changed so much since then and I now find pleasure in eating sour and bitter things which before I would have pulled a face at. I feel that my taste buds are now much more sensitive to a full range of flavours and the occasional square of 70% or 85% dark chocolate is enough whereas before I would have eaten milk chocolate until it came out of my ears and still not been sated. I am not going to tell you those first few weeks were easy but it was definitely worth while breaking the habit and I never want to go back to the way I was.

Do be aware that diabetes is not just about sugar though. Our digestive systems break down all carbohydrates into Glucose which gets absorbed into our blood stream so we also need to reduce consumption of starchy carbs like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc too.

Thanks for taking the time to share. I am now going through this website and am taking notes so I can plan. I will have good and bad days but your encouragement is fantastic.
I am going to try the Mediterranean diet to start with so I can get myself cooking from scratch on a more regular basis. Small steps.....
Eileen

 

[GlasgowEileen]

Why not start by making small changes at first.I think that is very sensible advice. I am taking time out to read up and plan.

thanks
Eileen

 

[GlasgowEileen]

Welcome to the forum @GlasgowEileen (loving your username, i am now singing a Dexy’s Midnight Runners song in my head!)

Sorry to hear you are finding things so difficult

But it’s great that you have joined the forum for moral support, and encouragement.

We have lots of members here who have faced similar challenges with food habits, taste preferences and the struggle to keep going when things get tough.

Some find it is most helpful to go all-in, while others find a more gentle gradual approach suits them better. Some find it easier to just remove everything from the house that they don’t want to be tempted by, while others find it more successful to have some treats occasionally rather than ‘falling off the wagon’ after a short period on an unsustainable diet.

No one can tell you which is the right approach for you - and you may find that a blended approach works better where you do different things at different times - but the important thing is that you find your way. And that you eat what you choose, not what anyone else tells you that you must, or mustn’t.

It is your diabetes and you will find a way to manage it in your way. And it’s clear that you can already see that your numbers are moving is a direction that you don’t want for a while now - so what’s imoortant is not what has happened before, it’s what are you going to do next.

You can do this! One day at a time. One moment at a time. And we will be cheering you on every step of the way.

Thanks so much. I have spent the last couple of days going through the website and am taking notes. I have decided to try the med diet as I like to follow things and helps me plan better which I believe is one of my "many" issues with food.
Today I feel as though Im making progress Im building up to really getting into it.
Thanks for your support it is really helpful.
I now have Dexy's fiddles in my head 🙂
Eileen.

 

[rebrascora]

Sounds like you have a good plan. We all fall off the wagon occasionally, so don't be too disheartened as and when it happens. There is a saying that diabetes has no memory, so tomorrow is always a new and potentially better day. What happened yesterday is gone, so don't let it bring you down.
I find it really helps me to have plenty of low carb treats in the house that I can go to when I feel like my resolve is weakening or I feel the munchies coming on. Some of them are things that previously would have been considered naughty and maybe that thought even helps a bit, almost like I am cheating when in fact I am not.... Things like a salami stick or a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter (with or without a square of dark chocolate) or Aldi do packs of 4 Gluten Free Nut bars which are chocolate coated and only 5.9g carbs per bar or my guilty pleasure, pork scratchings... these are all high fat and high protein foods but low carb. I also have healthier low carb options available like a pot of olives or boiled eggs (usually with a dollop of full fat mayonnaise) or veggie sticks with sour cream dip. Having these snacks available helped me make good choices diabetes management wise when I otherwise would have fallen off the wagon with my diet.