Learning very slowly

[Charlie_sugar]

Hi all. Been diagnosed with type 1 for just over a year, overall I have been coping well. During lockdown my diet has consisted of carb loaded food, my insulin has therefore increased and my clothes are much tighter. Is there anyone else out there who can relate?
I have always had yo-yo weight since being a teenager, but right now I think I'm blaming being diabetic for all my issues, has anyone changed their love of carbs and taken back control of their life?

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome

Yes I was a sugar addict and ate a ridiculous amount of bread and potatoes and pasta as well pre diagnosis. What helped me was that I was initially assumed to be Type 2 due to my age and my poor diet, so I was put on oral meds and started to cut the carbs out of my diet to bring my BG levels down.... I ended up eating very low carb (approx. 20-30g carbs a day) in order to get my readings into single figures before I was started on insulin. Thankfully this was 6 weeks after diagnosis and I had managed to curb my addiction, lost weight and rather enjoyed being in control of my eating again, so despite being encouraged to eat normally, which I tried for a few days, and found it was really hard to balance my insulin, I went back to low carb but increased my fat intake which was the big game changer. Fat keeps you feeling full for longer so you don't feel the urge to snack, it provides slow release energy throughout the day whereas most carbs burn out after 2-3 hours causing you to feel hungry again and fat tastes good. I start my day every day with a cup of coffee with double cream in it and some creamy Greek Natural yoghurt with a few berries and seeds and chopped nuts and sometimes that will see me through until tea time or I might have a chunk of cheese or some nuts at lunchtime. I eat less than half what I used to, now that I eat low carb and more fat and it tastes good and my weight is stable.

Hope that helps you. Keeping busy and active is also important.

 

[Inka]

Hi @Lys 🙂 To be fair, lockdown has messed with shopping and eating habits a little. That and the stress too that can lead to eating more sometimes.

If I put on weight, I find just ‘tidying up’ my diet helps a lot. Usually I’ve been eating too many biscuits/crisps/snacks, etc So hopefully you can make a few small changes and feel more comfortable in your clothes again.

I also find not buying food I can’t resist helps a lot, as does planning meals ahead.

 

[SB2015]

Hi all. Been diagnosed with type 1 for just over a year, overall I have been coping well. During lockdown my diet has consisted of carb loaded food, my insulin has therefore increased and my clothes are much tighter. Is there anyone else out there who can relate?
I have always had yo-yo weight since being a teenager, but right now I think I'm blaming being diabetic for all my issues, has anyone changed their love of carbs and taken back control of their life?

I was convinced that my summer clothes had shrunk whilst they were in storage!
It has been all too easy to choose extra treats which for me have been carby.
The carb counting helps as it can then match to the insulin.

I did have a very carby diet when I was diagnosed and I think that the carb counting helped me to adjust my diet. We set a new carb target that we aim for in each meal. Initially it looked like very little. Changing to smaller plates helped us view it differently, and now we are quite used to this amount.

This will pass. Be kind to yourself through this strange time.
Match your insulin to carbs you do eat as that will help keep your levels in target.
If you want to start to make adjustments to your diet perhaps choose one meal.
When I wobble I like to sort breakfast first as that then gives me a good long run of being on target. Other meals are less predictable in my normal life. In theory the lockdown should have made it easier, but I think the uncertainties around Covid have not helped.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Lys

Food and weight management can be tricky with T1, but insulin does give us a lot of freedom to choose carbier options than many T2s on D&E can easily manage. At the end of the day you need to find a flexible and enjoyable way of eating that suits your BG, your tastebuds and your waistline, and that is sustainable in the long term. And that will be unique to you - because everyone is different, and different foods and tastes are important to different people 🙂

Maybe take a look at the ‘what did you eat yesterday’ thread in the food section for some lower carb meal ideas for starters?

What did you eat yesterday?

Wonder if I could take ordinary paracetomol. I never take painkillers normally, under any circumstances but this toothache is dire. I take paracetamol when needed, in fact I've just taken 2 as I've got a painful shoulder. Have you spoken to your dentist? I hope the pain recedes soon...

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