New member

[collette_froggatt]

Hello Everyone, I am new to this forum, however I am looking forward ti getting some good advice. I have Type 2 Diabetes and have had this for about year now. Didn't know I have it and thought it was the menopause because a lot of the symptoms are the same. Its been gradually coming on but really tired lately and urgency in urinating, thirsty and I do get brain fog and I have got numbness in my fingers. I must admit I have been in denial about my weight and combine this with lack of exercise. I do have low thyroid function and to be honest I do know what I need to do to fix all of this, which is more exercise and less calorific intake. I walked 5 km today and I am getting pains in the back of my heel, which I think is achilles tendonitis. I want to loose weight and reverse my diabetes before its too late as Im diet controlled at the moment. However, I work 4 nights a week and I want my food to be tasty and convenient so I can take it to work. I would be grateful for any input given.

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @collette_froggatt and welcome to the forum.
You say that you know what to do, so it's strange that you only mention exercise and lower calories.
Have you not heard the 2 main reasons people fail to either lose weight or to get healthier:
1. All calories aren't equal because the digestive system is driven by hormones- it isn't like a boiler.
2. What you eat matters more than how much you exercise (beyond a minimum e.g. 30 min brisk walk 5 times per week). The popular phrase is that 'You can't outrun a poor diet'.

For weight loss and diabetes I found a low carb way of eating worked amazingly well, because all carbs digest into glucose and high carbs causes high glucose causes high insulin (in Type 2's) in order to remove it. Unfortunately High insulin pushes blood glucose into your fat cells making you gain weight.
Cutting calories can reduce your resting Metabolic rate, which means your activities use fewer calories and you feel more tired - it's a form of starvation.

 

[janw]

Hi and welcome.
Calories do not really matter, it is lowering our carb intake and ensuring we have enough good fats and protein that count. Reduce carbs SLOWLY, one meal at a time can be best (dinner, lunch or breakfast) as reducing too fast can create other problems - slow and steady is far better 🙂 I try to keep my carb limit to below 130g per day, lower if possible, but I don't beat myself up over it - I see it as swings and roundabouts. Plenty of water to flush your system, and exercise if you can - walking, swimming, dancing round your kitchen, sitting and lifting/lowering tins of baked beans - it all helps.
Check out keto and low carb (or even low carb high fat) recipes on Google, plus there is the "what did you eat yesterday?" thread on here - see what other T2s have to get some ideas. Eggs are great, cream is better than milk, cheese is good for you - I'm sure you will find plenty of food-to-go ideas for work.
I'm on diet only, diagnosed last year and I've lost around 1.5 stone so far, so it can be done. Got by HbA1C blood test booked for next Monday, ready to see my DN on 9th June - keeping my fingers crossed my numbers have gone down again.
Good luck - we are here to walk the path alongside you, you are never alone x

 

[Leadinglights]

It is more about carbohydrate intake rather than calories so looking at your diet with respect to the carbs you are having, so things like cereals, potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, tropical fruits as well as the obvious cakes, biscuits and sugary drinks including fruit juice are the main culprits, so reducing portions or cutting out completely by making substitutions is something to consider. Many foods regarded as healthy foods are not so for Type 2 diabetics.
This link might give you some ideas as it is a low carb approach which has been successful for many people. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
Many people imagine there is very little they can eat but as you will see from the link and from the various posts and threads here there is plenty of tasty meals which are low carb by basing meals on meat, fish, cheese, eggs, veg and salads and fruits like berries with small portions of any high carb foods.
Having a home testing blood glucose monitor helps many people to find the amount of carbs they can tolerate by testing before they eat and after 2 hours where an increase from the meal is less than 3mmol/l indicates it is OK. Inexpensive monitor having the cheapest test strips is the GlucoNavil, on line suppliers. You get a few strips with the kit but should buy more at the outset. It allows better food choices and enables you to check weekly progress or test if you feel unwell.

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi collette_froggatt, welcome to the forum.

Ii think the diet part is the most difficult for most people so you're in good company! Along with the great advice above, I'd keep a food dairy for a week of what you eat and then look for simple ways to reduce and replace.

Reduce the carbs and sugar and replace things that just flat out raise your blood sugar levels beyond reason. That might mean steak and a dressed up spinach salad instead of rice or a nice cooked breakfast of sausages, eggs and bacon cooked in the oven instead of porridge.

You can still eat well but you're just redefining what well means to you and your body.

We've got a really helpful food section and some info on our main site that may be of use https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/forums/food-carb-queries-recipes.4/

I have type 2 diabetes – what can I eat?

If you've just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, one of the first things you might be worried about is food. You’re likely to be faced with what seems like an endless list of new tasks. Medical appointments, taking medication, stopping smoking, being more active and eating a healthy, balanced...

www.diabetes.org.uk