New to all this

[Rox]

Hello
I got my blood test results and was told that I am pre-diabetic and need to lose weight and cut my sugar intake........ I am really struggling to follow this..... I love sweet stuff..... Chocolate, biscuits, etc..... I know what I have to do, but am finding that it is easier said than done...... I also feel overwhelmed too. Is anyone finding it hard too?

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi Rox
Welcome to the forum. Getting a diagnosis of even prediabetes is a bit of a wakeup call but you are in good position to do something about it to prevent the condition developing into diabetes with all the potential complications it can lead to.
The foods which are a problem for the body to cope with unfortunately are those high carbohydrate foods like cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks but also starchy foods like potatoes, pasta, rice, cereals, bread which all convert to glucose which pushes the blood levels up.
Things which you regularly have have to become treats but in your case reduction in portion size may be sufficient to bring your levels down to normal. You would still have to be careful with those foods long term so a dietary regime which suits you is important for your long term health.
Losing weight and getting more exercise will all help.
Have a look at the learning zone as there is lots of information for newly diagnosed. Work through in your own time and feel free to ask any questions.
It is a shock and support from your G P tends to be a bit sparse at the moment but there is plenty of support here.

 

[Inka]

A good way is to keep a food diary for a few days @Rox Then you can identify places where you can improve your diet. Small, sustained steps can lead to big changes 🙂

If there are foods you simply can’t resist, it’s easiest not to have them in the house. You can still eat well. You might find an app like MyFitnessPal or similar helpful as it’s a good way to see how your diet is going and if the balance of foods you’re eating needs changing. Remember it’s not just the sweet carbs that you have to watch. All carbs can put your blood sugar up. Simply reducing your portion size and having extra green veg instead is a good initial step.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi Rox
Welcome to the forum. Getting a diagnosis of even prediabetes is a bit of a wakeup call but you are in good position to do something about it to prevent the condition developing into diabetes with all the potential complications it can lead to.
The foods which are a problem for the body to cope with unfortunately are those high carbohydrate foods like cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks but also starchy foods like potatoes, pasta, rice, cereals, bread which all convert to glucose which pushes the blood levels up.
Things which you regularly have have to become treats but in your case reduction in portion size may be sufficient to bring your levels down to normal. You would still have to be careful with those foods long term so a dietary regime which suits you is important for your long term health.
Losing weight and getting more exercise will all help.
Have a look at the learning zone as there is lots of information for newly diagnosed. Work through in your own time and feel free to ask any questions.
It is a shock and support from your G P tends to be a bit sparse at the moment but there is plenty of support here.

What I also meant to say was have a read around the forum as you will get some ideas about how other people make those changes to their diet.

 

[Rox]

What I also meant to say was have a read around the forum as you will get some ideas about how other people make those changes to their diet.

Thanks for the info...................

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear that you told you are at risk of developing diabetes.

Yes feeling overwhelmed, and finding it really tough is not at all uncommon.

Some of your tastes, preferences, and the ways in which your body responds to food will be based on habit, custom, expectation and environment, and others are hard-wired.

So don’t be too hard on yourself if you are finding it difficult. But be encouraged that many, many members of the forum have trodden this path before you, and have succeeded against these difficulties.

Even those who describe themselves as ‘sugar addicts’ have seen their tastes change, and have finally been able to make changes that they have wanted to make for some time.

Keep asking questions, and feel free to vent and release your frustrations along with celebrating your little wins - we are right here for you 🙂

 

[mark king]

Welcome @Rox It can be a worrying & confusing time.
I'm T1 and have to watch my carb intake but I don't ban any foods.
My normal food is a controlled carb intake and I stock/choose those that suit me better eg for breakfast cereal it would be portion of weetabix or shreddies or all bran, they all have carb info on their boxes.
Similarly I follow the same principles with other daily meals.

Then, when/if I have a hypo I treat my self with one of the higher carb products that I have to hand. Sometimes it is necessary to take FAST ACTING carbs but this comes with understanding your body more. Examples of fast acting carbs are Lucozade, sweets etc.