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Need to lose some weight

C

Clairesdiabetesjourney

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
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I am recently diagnosed T2 (just) and GP has put me on 500mg SR Metformin and Atorvostatin.
I haven't really had much advice in terms of diet / weight loss other than "eat a healthy diet and move more" The Diabetes Nurse basically said go as ultra processed as possible which I am doing to a degree however cost plays a factor here.
I am pretty time poor with work and other commitments and have family who are somewhat picky as well which complicates matters.
I am currently feeling super exhausted too.

How do you all cope with improving food? where do I even start? Everything I read seems to contradict its-self! Thanks
 
Welcome.
Clairesdiabetesjourney said:
How do you all cope with improving food? Where do I even start? Everything I read seems to contradict itsself!
Click to expand...

Here's a good place to start with food from Dr Kim Andrews at Freshwell, just use the Meal Planner as a guide and choose what you eat and drink from the Green and Amber lists. Make sure you get enough protein and healthy fat. That should bring your weight down.

To keep an eye on your protein, carbs, fat and other nutrients as well as charting weight loss I'd suggest Cronometer (free version).
 
Hello Claire and welcome to the Forum!

I am T2 and take Metformin & insulin. Here are a few comments, probably not in perfectly flowing English grammar, but I'm sure you'll manage

Yes, 'eat healthy and move more' is good advice, but as you look into that you'll see that it becomes tricky to follow as there are different opinions & points of view

Firstly though, I am very surprised that you were told to 'go as ultra processed as possible' as this is the exact opposite of what you should be doing
I suspect that somewhere along the way there has been a mistake or misunderstanding, as Ultra Processed Food - UPF - the longer name for what we often call Junk Food, and is usually full of sugar, starch, seed oil, preservatives, dyes, and so on
It is also expensive for what you get

You should be going for fresh or frozen or minimally processed food, preferably prepared at home -vegetables, 'straightforward' minimally processed meat & fish .... dairy such as natural yogurt with a bit of added fruit, not flavoured sweet yogurts that contain starch & sugars or sweeteners ... and all the rest of it .....
You know, all the healthy stuff you hear about!
And reduce or eliminate carbohydrates from your diet - not just sugars such as sweets, cakes, biscuits, but also starchy food such as bread, rice, potatoes, pasta
This is not easy, but it gets easier as you get used to it,

You can cut the cost by -

choosing carefully what you buy in a supermarket .... ALDI & LIDL are known for lower prices though I haven't done my own cost comparison ..... but you will, hopefully, be buying mostly non processed food anyway

you usually have to be referred to a Food Bank but many towns have some kind of community food store where anyone can shop; maybe not as full a range as a big supermarket, but it all helps
In my local store I can buy 12 items for £5 - fresh, frozen, canned, and non food; sometimes bread & short life veg are free

LIDL have bargain boxes of short dated fruit & veg for £1-50 usually only available in the morning, and you probably need to pick over & refresh in cold water, but they're good value
Other supermarkets have similar schemes - find out

Are there any traditional greengrocers or Asian shops near you? - they are usually reasonably priced

Have a look at Iceland, Farm foods, and discount stores - B&M etc. Search around in the freezers & store generally and you can find fresh, frozen, and minimally processed food

For diet advice & recipes Search this DUK website, and YouTube, though as with anything on t'Net you have to be a bit cautious .... and probably have to translate from the American!

One of the symptoms of diabetes is feeling tired & weak ..... as you control & manage your diabetes you'll feel better .... so you can do more ..... so you'll feel more better (!) ..... so you can do more .... and so on

I see you take Atorvastatin. I used to but then I developed Statin Ache and stopped taking it
This brings us on to the whole subject of statin side effects, cholesterol levels, and so on

Now, this is only my opinion, but it seems the whole demonisation of fat & cholesterol was down to dubious & selective research on behalf of the American food & pharmaceutical industry - Search YT for statin side effects, cholesterol levels, Ancel Keys ( the American doctor who promoted the low fat, cholesterol is evil approach)
While you're at it, also look at videos about UPF, Mediterranean diet, low carb diet, and follow the links & prompts
There are loads of videos, some quite long, but watch a few and you'll get the idea

For a long time doctors used to prescribe statins automatically but opinions are changing, though slowly
And I believe that statins are the second most prescribed drugs worldwide, after anti depressants, and their turnover runs into billions of dollars

Months ago I changed to a low carb, mostly Mediterranean style diet, and came off Atorvastatin & Lisinopril, and lost 15kg
The only fats I eat are proper butter, not the soft margarine type spreads, olive oil, and naturally occurring in meat, fish, dairy
I don't do any deep frying and I don't use cheap seed oils such as rapeseed, maize, corn, soya, sunflower or general 'vegetable oil'
My Diabetes Specialist Nurse is both surprised and impressed that my Blood Pressure and cholesterol levels are acceptable without medication

I also do Tai chi and go for regular short walks .... if you can't manage that Search YT for indoor exercises, weight loss, yoga/pilates, etc, etc ... there's loads to go at!

I think that's enough for now, I'm sure you'll get other opinions & advice, but it should hopefully all be in the same sort of vein
 
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Hi Claire, I think when you said you were advised to go "as ultra processed as possible", I think they probably meant to say to AVOID ultra processed food? Eg: ready meals, take away, and/or any food that has lots of ingredients, especially highly processed things or additives or e numbers....
But yes, with a busy life its hard!
Everyone's relationship to diabetes and to food is different, so I think the best advice to give is that we all have to find a path that works for us, and what works for one person, may not work for someone else, and vice versa.
Diabetes can be fickle like that!

I had a terrible diet, often eating many "bad" things every day, some sweets, lots of bread, potato or rice or pasta with everything, lots of baked goods, cakes, pies, lots of takeaways and lots of ready meals. Looking back now it is obvious I was eating cr*p? Now I have learnt so much, I have a completely different diet, mostly low carb. I still eat LOTS, but its lots of the "good" stuff, eg: salad, veg, fruit, almost all home cooked and now very rarely eat takeaways, ready meals, etc.
For example I eat lots of poultry, fish, meat, salads, nuts, apples, berries, etc, so I don't go hungry!

Its worth thinking about it being a whole new lifestyle regime, rather a "diet", whatever you find that works for you, has to be viable on a long term basis going forward and obviously needs to fit in with your lifestyle, so around your family, works, pets, etc.

It also worth being careful with fruit and veg, often lauded as being healthy, when in fact some fruit and veg have lots of carbs/sugars, so may still need to be reduced or avoided. Eg, most below ground veg are higher in carb, potato, sweet potato, parsnip, etc, whereas most above green veg are lower, eg: cabbage, cauliflower, brussels, salads, etc.
Likewise with fruit some are high in carbs./sugars, eg, banana, exotic fruits, most pineapple, etc, and some are lower carbs, eg: most berries, apples, etc.

Some peeps (me included) can happily eat porridge in the morning with no issue, but others find it sends their blood glucose (BG) levels sky high, so avoid it. As above, you have to find what works for you.
 
Somebody mentioned the Freshwell program, here is the link https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
I found costs of meals reduced because what previously was doing 4 portions now does 6. So some for the freezer for home made ready meals.
Buying in bulk and freezing can help on costs and frozen berries and veg are just as good as fresh to incorporate into meals.
 
@Clairesdiabetesjourney welcome to the forum. I was diagnosed a year ago. On second blood test I was 64 which is quite high. I started on metformin increasing one tablet a week reaching 4 but the following week I was put on an SGLT2 and metformin reduced to 2. I was put on a statin two weeks later but am retired. I'd put on weight after an early menopause although in last 10 years hadn't put on any more. I asked for a diabetes test when id been called in about my cholestral increasing. In the following 2 weeks I cut out processed meat, cakes and pastry. The first test was 69. I cut out rice pasta and cut down bread and potato. I started eating chicken or fish with extra veg and realised my jeans had fallen down. I lost a stone before I went on metformin. I then came to this forum and got more ideas. In particular I usually have Greek style yoghurt and berries with a few nuts or seeds. Alternatively I have eggs.
The doctor must have said try and avoid ultra processed food.
The Freshwell site/ app has a good graphic showing good food not as good and too avoid. I got myself a blood glucose meter and realised my bg spiked if I ate pasta or rice. I now put curry on cauliflower or another softish veg or you can buy pouches of cauli or broccoli rice. You can also buy alternatives to pasta.
If you have a freezer batch cooking is a good idea. Buy a chicken or two and do a casserole with lots of veg.
I have new potatoes and still have bread if I am out.
Caldesi and Moseley have advice meal plans and recipes. A short walk after your meal is good.
As you are only just diabetic don't panic. Some people tighten their diet a lot. Look at the remission thread. Meanwhile eat mindfully.
As far as metformin is concerned I see you are on SR slow release [ as am I] it is said to be kinder to your stomach.
Ask anything you want.
 
hi Claire and welcome to the forum , where to start ? as other ppl have said start by limiting ultra processed food its very hard to stop eating it but try to limit eating it where you can and try to eat whole food , try to avoid anything with a long list of ingredients and try to keep it simple ,look at portion sizes too anyway good luck on your journey hope that you find sum thing that works for you as everyone is different ie if i eat porridge i have to weigh it out as i know through trial and error what a big portion will do to my sugar levels some ppl can tolerate oats for me i have to be more mind full .As well as the freshwell program and other links of what to eat here's another link from the british and irish heart society and look at the green column anyway welcome
 
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