hi Sarahcan, I am a newbie too and have found this site really helpful as i too am trying to understand what my diagnosis means to my lifestyle. I was interested when you said you were in denial - i too found it a shock and it has made me search for ways to be in remission, although i will have to accept that i am diabetic and will always have to maintain my weight loss, low carb diet and exercise to keep my blood sugar in range. I have a finger prick meter and am using it to test various scenarios such as what happens if i eat fish and chips, or what effect does a 30 minute walk have on my blood sugars. The other thing you mentioned was the My Sugr app which i downloaded a week ago and am using it to record my readings. Whilst it doesn't replace an official HbA1c reading from your doctor, the site does offer to estimate your HbA1c after inputting 21 entries over 7 days. I have one more entry to make today to see what the site estimates for me. I was 50 at diagnosis and don't go till November for my official blood tests but I have made a lot of changes to my diet and exercise as i started with a bmi of 39, which is high, and weight loss seems to be key in controlling blood sugar. It helps to keep me motivated to see proof that methods i am using are working.
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
New-ish and in denial... :(
- Thread starter Sarahcan
- Start date
- Status
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Sarahcan
Great to hear you are so determined to get your diabetes on track. Hopefully with the shared experiences and encouragement of forum folks, you will find a way to manage your diabetes in a way that is sustainable for you long-term.
Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a completely honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with an estimate of the total carbohydrate content (not just the sugar content, total carbs is far more useful). It might sound like a bit of a faff, and will involve weighing portions, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu.
Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, the process might also suggest some likely candidates for swaps, portion reductions, or using lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’). It’s not that you have to avoid all carbs entirely (not wise, and not really even possible), but choosing the right types, and keeping an eye on portion sizes can be a really powerful strategy.
it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term. Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
Good luck, and keep us posted 🙂
Great to hear you are so determined to get your diabetes on track. Hopefully with the shared experiences and encouragement of forum folks, you will find a way to manage your diabetes in a way that is sustainable for you long-term.
Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a completely honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with an estimate of the total carbohydrate content (not just the sugar content, total carbs is far more useful). It might sound like a bit of a faff, and will involve weighing portions, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu.
Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, the process might also suggest some likely candidates for swaps, portion reductions, or using lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’). It’s not that you have to avoid all carbs entirely (not wise, and not really even possible), but choosing the right types, and keeping an eye on portion sizes can be a really powerful strategy.
it’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term. Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.
Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
Good luck, and keep us posted 🙂
its good you are using an app to log things but do take that part of it seriously. even if its only for a few months - log everything you eat as best as possible. log every blood reading and then look at the data.
the reports that the app can generate are really informative. and if your nurse/doctor are good they might spend a few minutes looking at the reports with you to provide suggestions.
its good that you are here. for me I find logging in to the website or forum and reading one of the articles or learning centre pages everyday keeps me taking this condition seriously and keeps me on track to hit my goals but at the same time still enjoying what i eat (most of the time)
the reports that the app can generate are really informative. and if your nurse/doctor are good they might spend a few minutes looking at the reports with you to provide suggestions.
its good that you are here. for me I find logging in to the website or forum and reading one of the articles or learning centre pages everyday keeps me taking this condition seriously and keeps me on track to hit my goals but at the same time still enjoying what i eat (most of the time)
NotWorriedAtAll
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/They
This is my preferred one when I can get it.
- Status