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Leadinglights said:
Welcome to the forum, I hope you will find some useful information to help you get to grips with the changes you will need to make. Metformin just helps the body use the insulin it produces a bit more effectively in conjunction with dietary changes and getting more exercise if you can.
How much you need to do will depend on what your HbA1C result is as that tells you how far into the diabetic zone you are, the threshold is anything over 47mmol/mol.
In any case reducing the carbohydrates in your diet is need and this link may give you some ideas for doing that, it is a low carb approach which is suggested as being no more than 130g carbs not just 'sugar' per day, it is not NO carbs. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
There are some meal plans if you like something more prescribed or you can just follow the principals of low carb.

@jayne1967 you may also find this useful and it may be suitable depending on what, if any medication you have been prescribed.
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I've been prescribed metformin. My HbA1C result was really high...77.
 
jayne1967 said:
I've been prescribed metformin. My HbA1C result was really high...77.
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Yes that certainly is high enough to start making some changes, you will hopefully find some useful hints and tips in the link I posted. The first thing is to cut out cakes, biscuits, sugary drinks including fruit juice and then work on reducing the other high carb foods like potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, breakfast cereals, pastry, tropical fruits and basing meals on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts with plenty of veg, salads and fruit like berries.
 
I was only diagnosed on Wednesday and I've not had a biscuit/cake/chocolate etc since. I've had porridge for breakfast, tuna salad for dinner and chicken stir fry for tea. I have had wholemeal pitta bread, apples, strawberries, satsumas but only 3 portions of fruit. I've had a few Brazil nuts. I'm confused with carbohydrates....I know to limit bread, pasta and rice but do you have to check all foods for carbs
 
jayne1967 said:
I was only diagnosed on Wednesday and I've not had a biscuit/cake/chocolate etc since. I've had porridge for breakfast, tuna salad for dinner and chicken stir fry for tea. I have had wholemeal pitta bread, apples, strawberries, satsumas but only 3 portions of fruit. I've had a few Brazil nuts. I'm confused with carbohydrates....I know to limit bread, pasta and rice but do you have to check all foods for carbs
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I would say to start with you do because there are hidden carbs in lots of foods, the foods you are usually safe with are meat, fish, eggs, cheese but even vegetables and fruit have carbs, some more than others.
The book or app Carbs and Cals is very useful as it gives the carb values of a whole range of foods with different portion sizes. Your portion size is also important so having some scales to weigh things is a good idea as it is easy to underestimate how much something weighs.
Wholemeal products have essentially the same carbs as the white version.
Examples from my Carbs and Cals. Wholemeal pitta full size 60g = 27g carbs, medium apple 131g =16g carbs, strawberries 140g portion =8g carb, satsuma medium 10g carbs. Brazil nuts pretty low 1g carb.
Some people cope with porridge OK some don't so you need to watch your portion size 220g porridge made with semi- skimmed milk is about 30g carbs but it will vary depending on the type of oats.
When you check the carbs of foods some thing will be a surprise, I made a list of the carbs of the foods I regularly had with the portion size.
Your lunch and dinner look splendid choices.
 
I weigh my porridge dry before cooking and on the label on the back it says 40 grams of oats are 24 grams of carbs . That is what I have each morning made with half water and half milk. Plus a few blueberries added. I then keep a record of my carb intake with all other food for the rest of the day by reading info on packaging Manage to keep it under130 grams . So am I misunderstanding what you say as 220 grams of porridge seems an awful lot to only have 30 grams of carbs. I use Scott’s rolled oats by the way. If I could have 220 g and only be having 30grams of carbs I’d be well happy as it really fills me up for the mornings . Hope you don’t mind me asking but I am still learning. My readings were 46 so prediabetis
 
Theo said:
I weigh my porridge dry before cooking and on the label on the back it says 40 grams of oats are 24 grams of carbs . That is what I have each morning made with half water and half milk. Plus a few blueberries added. I then keep a record of my carb intake with all other food for the rest of the day by reading info on packaging Manage to keep it under130 grams . So am I misunderstanding what you say as 220 grams of porridge seems an awful lot to only have 30 grams of carbs. I use Scott’s rolled oats by the way. If I could have 220 g and only be having 30grams of carbs I’d be well happy as it really fills me up for the mornings . Hope you don’t mind me asking but I am still learning. My readings were 46 so prediabetis
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The nurse I saw recommended to have porridge for breakfast
 
Theo said:
I weigh my porridge dry before cooking and on the label on the back it says 40 grams of oats are 24 grams of carbs . That is what I have each morning made with half water and half milk. Plus a few blueberries added. I then keep a record of my carb intake with all other food for the rest of the day by reading info on packaging Manage to keep it under130 grams . So am I misunderstanding what you say as 220 grams of porridge seems an awful lot to only have 30 grams of carbs. I use Scott’s rolled oats by the way. If I could have 220 g and only be having 30grams of carbs I’d be well happy as it really fills me up for the mornings . Hope you don’t mind me asking but I am still learning. My readings were 46 so prediabetis
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That was made up porridge, I am only going from the info in Carbs and Cals book. I suppose it partly depends on how much milk is added, interestingly it says the same amount made with water is 18g carbs. Also not specified is the type of oats
 
jayne1967 said:
What about weetabix?
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Carbs and Cals says 1 weetabix is 14g carbs, only you can decide what might be OK and are those carbs worth it in terms of what you are having for the day.
Would 1 be sufficient to stop you feeling hungry until lunch time. You could have some full fat Greek yoghurt and a few strawberries and that would likely be enough until lunch.
Or have eggs for breakfast.
 
Oh I never weigh it once made up as too messy might give it a try. Nice to hear that your nurse recommended porridge J. as it makes me feel better because I really like it made as I said obviously without sugar. As for weetabix well I have 2 of those occasionally as it says on box that 2 are 26 grams of carbs . Again I make a note of carbs at each meal and it’s surprising how you learn to read and understand them . It does say they are ok on the uk diabetic website. My nurse also said branflakes are ok but never had those just stick to my porridge every morning.
 
I like branflakes might alternate with porridge/weetabix. There's so much to learn
 
Yes I eat eggs especially avocado mashed on whole meal toast with 2 poached eggs on top. For lunch lovely and fills me up. I’m fine as long as I’m full as have a good appetite. Martin who is on the forum also told me about Celeriac instead of potatoes occasionally and I enjoy that . It cooks easily so I have it mashed or roast and also fills me without all the carbs of potatoes.
 
My nurse told me 2 slices of whole meal bread per day is ok. They all vary don’t they . Probably makes a difference if you’re pre diabetic or type 2. I wouldn’t know. Worth finding out as we’ve got to be able to have something to enjoy. Just hope I’m doing the right things as still learning myself. I’ll know when I go back and have a blood test although they said next year would do.
 
jayne1967 said:
I don't like yoghurt and obviously won't be having toast
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That is a shame you don't like yoghurt. There is quite a difference between the low fat ones and a full fat Greek or Greek style yoghurt and it can take a few trials of different ones.
Have you tried the Quark Kvarg deserts which are a bit different to yoghurt but still low carb and there are different flavours.
 
Welcome to the forum @jayne1967

I’ve taken the liberty of splitting your post and the replies you received into your own thread, so that responses don’t get muddled with replies to another newbie 🙂

We have members who get on well with porridge, some like a single weetabix (I think @Martin.A is one?) but others struggle with cereals however high in fibre they are - so really it’s a question of experimentation.

I find a slice of seedy toast actually works well for me. It’s all about finding something that suits you as an individual 🙂
 
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