Hi all, I am so glad I found this diabetic forum as I have recently been told I am pre-diabetic. I don’t have a weight problem and am reasonably active, but I do have a very sweet tooth and I seem constantly hungry in between meals and crave for sweet things. Has anyone any idea what I could have apart from yoghurts and fruit which I eat twice a day. Not much seems to fill me up! Thanks
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- Thread starter Tomara
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Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
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- Type 2
Welcome to the forum.
You are likely having low fat as that is what has been pushed as being healthy for years but in order to help with blood glucose levels then cutting carbohydrates and making sure you have plenty of protein and healthy fats. Full fat Greek yoghurt is what many have, avocado, eggs, cheese, nuts are all good options. Be a bit careful with fruit as some are high carb like bananas, mango, pineapple, grapes but berries are lowest except blueberries, other fruits somewhere in the middle.
There are recipes for low carb cakes and biscuits on the website sugarfreelondoner which may satisfy your sweet tooth but better to reduce the sweet things you have and re-educate your taste buds.
Having filling low carb meals will stop you feeling hungry. Have a look at this link and you will see there are lots of options. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
My go to snack is nuts, either as they are or in the form of a cereal bar such as Nature Valley, KIND or my recently-discovered Plants brand. Cereal bars more than satisfy my sweet tooth. Nuts have the added advantage of being mostly fat but it's predominantly the 'good' unsaturated fat. The only downside for anyone watching calories is that they're high calorie.
It pays to check out the nutrition panel on cereal bars though as they vary a lot in terms of carbs. 10% or thereabouts is what I look for, less than 10% if possible.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Are you eating enough protein and getting natural fats?
The substitute fats, usually seed oils are not going to provide essential elements required for hormones and other chemicals, and the raw materials to repair cells in our brain and nervous system, plus I have found that I no longer get sunburnt after cutting out sunflower seed oil (which is a bit ironic) I used to need factor 50 sunscreen just to go outside.
I found that eating two proper meals a day was all I needed to keep my blood glucose normal. After getting back to the top end of normal my weight reduced and I feel so much better.
Over time I have eaten less as I am never hungry.
Today I scrambled three eggs, added grated cheese and a tomato, to eat for breakfast, and I am going to cook chicken for dinner. My husband is just percolating some coffee so I'll have some of that in a minute, with cream.
The substitute fats, usually seed oils are not going to provide essential elements required for hormones and other chemicals, and the raw materials to repair cells in our brain and nervous system, plus I have found that I no longer get sunburnt after cutting out sunflower seed oil (which is a bit ironic) I used to need factor 50 sunscreen just to go outside.
I found that eating two proper meals a day was all I needed to keep my blood glucose normal. After getting back to the top end of normal my weight reduced and I feel so much better.
Over time I have eaten less as I am never hungry.
Today I scrambled three eggs, added grated cheese and a tomato, to eat for breakfast, and I am going to cook chicken for dinner. My husband is just percolating some coffee so I'll have some of that in a minute, with cream.
Thanks, it’s great to have some feedback with very helpful suggestions. I eat a lot of yoghurt but only low fat, so that seems to be a mistake for starters! I look for everything low fat which probably doesn’t help my constant hunger. Just a little afraid of full fat incase I put on weight. I will check out those cereal bars as well as the useful links that I will read up on
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
It is the combination of high carbs and high fat which is more likely to put weight on so cutting the carbs and sticking to not low fat rather normal fat is ok for many. As it helps to stop people feeling hungry when they are more likely to snack on high carb foods it can work for many people.
- Relationship to Diabetes
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Welcome to the forum @Tomara
Sorry to hear you’ve had that conversation about being at risk of diabetes. It can come as quite a shock, and trigger all sorts of emotions, so be kind to yourself.
Great to hear that you are looking to make some positive changes, and tackle your diabetes risk head-on.
Many members who join in your shoes (or with a new diagnosis of diabetes) later reflect that they feel fitter, healthier, and more full of energy than they have in years having recalibrated their menu, cut out some of the empty calories, and switched to a more balanced approach.
As others have said, it can take time for your tastebuds to adjust, but looking to make it a new ‘way of eating’ rather than a short term joyless punishment before switching back to old habits can make a really positive and sustainable change. It might be that some of the significant glucose variations you have most likely been experiencing from foods that suited your sweet tooth were both encouraging the build up of fatty tissue, and also triggering hunger pangs as your BG levels dropped back.
Evening out those glucose values to more gentle curves could help reduce your snackishness?
Sorry to hear you’ve had that conversation about being at risk of diabetes. It can come as quite a shock, and trigger all sorts of emotions, so be kind to yourself.
Great to hear that you are looking to make some positive changes, and tackle your diabetes risk head-on.
Many members who join in your shoes (or with a new diagnosis of diabetes) later reflect that they feel fitter, healthier, and more full of energy than they have in years having recalibrated their menu, cut out some of the empty calories, and switched to a more balanced approach.
As others have said, it can take time for your tastebuds to adjust, but looking to make it a new ‘way of eating’ rather than a short term joyless punishment before switching back to old habits can make a really positive and sustainable change. It might be that some of the significant glucose variations you have most likely been experiencing from foods that suited your sweet tooth were both encouraging the build up of fatty tissue, and also triggering hunger pangs as your BG levels dropped back.
Evening out those glucose values to more gentle curves could help reduce your snackishness?
Welcome to the Forum from another pre-diabetic. I got mine back to normal, albeit the higher side. Unfortunately this time it has crept back to 42 so need to try to get it down again. GPs not too worried and checking again next year. They let me see the Diabetic Nurse as I was upset about the relapse and she was very helpful and reassuring.
My problem is that it is not weight related so have nowhere to go with that. I started at 9 stone 2 lbs when all this first began in 2017, ended up losing weight and was 7 stone 10 lbs. GP was horrified and told me to stop losing weight as it was not weight related. Hba1c did not come down either!! It did eventually even when I put some back on.
GP put it down to insulin resistance with getting older (I am 70).
I am now making another attempt to get it back down.
I find having a glucose meter helps too as I can check what foods suit me.
My problem is that it is not weight related so have nowhere to go with that. I started at 9 stone 2 lbs when all this first began in 2017, ended up losing weight and was 7 stone 10 lbs. GP was horrified and told me to stop losing weight as it was not weight related. Hba1c did not come down either!! It did eventually even when I put some back on.
GP put it down to insulin resistance with getting older (I am 70).
I am now making another attempt to get it back down.
I find having a glucose meter helps too as I can check what foods suit me.
Thanks for all your encouragement and help. I am determined to conquer the sweet food that I crave. I did it with sugar in coffee and tea yrs back and now can’t drink either if it’s got sugar in! Onwards and upwards from now on.
- Relationship to Diabetes
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Haha! Exactly the same happened to me. It doesn’t even vaguely taste like either drink now if I accidentally sip a cup with sugar in it. I’m currently teaching my tastebuds to like black coffee for camping trips. Pretty much there already 🙂
That’s the spirit!
I gave up sugar in drinks years ago and went on to sweeteners. I weaned myself off those and can now manage without them. It has been the same with the sweet stuff and I can now manage with them only occasionally. I also gave up bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal when first diagnosed pre-diabetic and now I can manage without those or just small portions occasionally.
If someone had told me years ago I would get like this I would have laughed at them.
If someone had told me years ago I would get like this I would have laughed at them.
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