Recently Diagnosed Type 2

[indio02]

Currently Monday to Saturday I have a breakfast of 10% fat greek yoghurt with blueberries, crushed walnuts and wheatbean at around 5am then do a 5k before work. I then don't eat anything till between 2 & 3pm. Lunch is normally a salad bulked out with a whole grain ie freekah, bulgur etc or a sourdough tartine again with salad and some sardines or tuna in olive oil. Supper would be normally be something plant forward.... Friday was an Ottolenghi braised fennel recipe with orzo.

I'm somewhat conflicted when it comes to carbs at the moment. I've massively cut down but can't see a point when I'm eating litte to no carbs*. I'm awaiting my HBA1C next month which I think will determine how I proceed. My current focus on portion sizes and a serious acknowledgement to lowering carbs has led to a weight loss of nearly 4 stone since January.

* I like to run home 3/4 times a week a distance of around 7.5 miles but the focus on lowering my carbs has meant I've struggled with energy levels.

 

[bulkbiker]

I'm somewhat conflicted when it comes to carbs at the moment. I've massively cut down but can't see a point when I'm eating litte to no carbs*. I'm awaiting my HBA1C next month which I think will determine how I proceed.

Are you pescatarian ? I see no meat...

Do you measure your blood sugar levels? That would be a good thing to start doing so you can keep an eye on what your food is doing to your glucose levels.

Waiting for an HbA1c is sometimes not the best way to monitor and you don't get any updates on the way.

 

[indio02]

Are you pescatarian ? I see no meat...

Do you measure your blood sugar levels? That would be a good thing to start doing so you can keep an eye on what your food is doing to your glucose levels.

Waiting for an HbA1c is sometimes not the best way to monitor and you don't get any updates on the way.

I'm not a vegetarian just don't eat that much meat. Probably 2/3 times a week and tend to go for quality for ethical and health reasons. Its petty much how I was brought up. I have an obscene number of cookbooks. I really don't eat "processed" food and if I want cake or ice-cream etc I find it far easier to whip it up myself with known ingredients than buy expensive supermarket rubbish. I was fat and got diabetes purely and solely because I ate too much not because of what I was eating.

I have been measuring my BG but it's all been pretty stable with average fasting at 6.3, pre-meal 5.3 and post meal 7.7. I've had a couple of spikes after some wholemeal cous cous (with roasted vegetables) 12.6 and a homemade dal with brown rice 12.8. I've stopped eating cous cous and rice.

I feel that my first post diagnosis HBA1C will give me an idea of my trajectory going forward. I know I needed to cut down which I've done but it kinda terrifies me I won't be able to eat carbs especially bread.

I'll shut-up now!

 

[Drummer]

I'm not a vegetarian just don't eat that much meat. Probably 2/3 times a week and tend to go for quality for ethical and health reasons. Its petty much how I was brought up. I have an obscene number of cookbooks. I really don't eat "processed" food and if I want cake or ice-cream etc I find it far easier to whip it up myself with known ingredients than buy expensive supermarket rubbish. I was fat and got diabetes purely and solely because I ate too much not because of what I was eating.

I have been measuring my BG but it's all been pretty stable with average fasting at 6.3, pre-meal 5.3 and post meal 7.7. I've had a couple of spikes after some wholemeal cous cous (with roasted vegetables) 12.6 and a homemade dal with brown rice 12.8. I've stopped eating cous cous and rice.

I feel that my first post diagnosis HBA1C will give me an idea of my trajectory going forward. I know I needed to cut down which I've done but it kinda terrifies me I won't be able to eat carbs especially bread.

I'll shut-up now!

No need to cut out bread, it is actually rather satisfying to work up a recipe for low carb bread and be able to make rolls or loaves which don't raise your BG levels - cake and icecream can also be low carb with the right ingredients, chocolate which is not mostly sugar is a bit of a shock, best grated and added into something else at first.
These days I am not eating much, but when recovering from type 2 I really needed nutrition to recover from the high carb low fat mantra pushed at me by my GP and the surgery nurses.

 

[indio02]

No need to cut out bread, it is actually rather satisfying to work up a recipe for low carb bread and be able to make rolls or loaves which don't raise your BG levels - cake and icecream can also be low carb with the right ingredients, chocolate which is not mostly sugar is a bit of a shock, best grated and added into something else at first.
These days I am not eating much, but when recovering from type 2 I really needed nutrition to recover from the high carb low fat mantra pushed at me by my GP and the surgery nurses.

I've always found it quite hard to talk to people about my food and diet as it just seems such a personal subject especially these days. People seem to think your judging them if you say you don't eat X or you prefer Y doublely if there's a health or cost component to it. I point blank refuse to eat chorley wood bread but if buying bread there's a local baker that does excellent sourdough. A mates friend told him he thought I was a poncy git for spending nearly £5 on a loaf when it was £1.20 in the supermarket. Yet he regularly spent £20+ on a Friday night pizza.

Anyway, one of the benefits of home cooking is knowing what goes in and you can taylor the amount. I now use 6" cake pans rather than 8" or 10". I've also massively reduced the amount of sugar to no noticeable difference to my taste. Also I've found making it yourself means you make it less so eat it less ie its a genuine treat rather than the oh so easy chuck it in the trolly at the supermarket.

Am still taken by what Michael Pollan said.... "Eat food, not too much and mainly plants" Great advice!!

 

[Leadinglights]

If those are typical blood glucose results that have been pretty consistent for the 3 months before the next HbA1C then I think you will be pretty happy with the result.
Your lack of energy are possible because you are not eating enough protein and healthy fats to compensate for the low carb.
You are dead right about the bread most bought bread is not worth eating. If you make your own bread then making it into small rolls makes it easy to judge the portion size.

 

[indio02]

Your lack of energy are possible because you are not eating enough protein and healthy fats to compensate for the low carb.

At first I thought it was just the change in diet but nearly 3 months later I find that eating more carbs before a run makes it so much easier both mentally and physically. I did 14 miles yesterday evening inc. a warm-up & cool-down after having a whole grain porridge (Rye, barley, Oat flakes & wheat bran with whole milk) for breakfast along with a Freekah salad and sourdough for lunch. In total I'd probably eaten about 1/3rd more carbs than on a normal day. The run felt really good and it continued after. 3x10k's during the week were a real struggle.

Before diagnosis I was doing around 200 miles a month but I'm now struggling to do 125.

 

[Leadinglights]

At first I thought it was just the change in diet but nearly 3 months later I find that eating more carbs before a run makes it so much easier both mentally and physically. I did 14 miles yesterday evening inc. a warm-up & cool-down after having a whole grain porridge (Rye, barley, Oat flakes & wheat bran with whole milk) for breakfast along with a Freekah salad and sourdough for lunch. In total I'd probably eaten about 1/3rd more carbs than on a normal day. The run felt really good and it continued after. 3x10k's during the week were a real struggle.

Before diagnosis I was doing around 200 miles a month but I'm now struggling to do 125.

You need to find a balance of having enough energy to do the running which is obviously an important part of your life and not having the carbs which are increasing blood glucose, but if those were odd occasions when you had the double figures then it should not be too much problem. Adding some protein and healthy fats to your meals could help you. Nuts, eggs, avocado, seeds but meat and fish. You are not mentioning much in the way of vegetables so maybe you are lacking in some vitamins and minerals.

 

[Bristol1970]

Hello everyone, hope your all well on this sunny day I'm recently diagnosed Type 2 and put on metformin. I hear some get side affects but would like to hear some positives if there are some?
I need to get into the habit of food planning and prep, any tips or pointers would be helpful. I have a love hate relationship with food and need to make a positive enjoyable experience. TIA

Hi, I was diagnosed in December 2022 and had the triple hit of type 2, high cholesterol and high blood pressure and was put on medication for all three (Metformin 2 x 500mg a day) since then I have managed to reduce my cholesterol to normal levels (at last test in Feb) and my hba1c went from 53 to 44 with my blood pressure also much better. I've lost 35 lbs and feel so much better in myself. I've followed pretty much a low carb diet aiming for around 130 grams per day by reducing but not cutting out all the carb heavy foods. I think the metformin has helped with this, my appetite is much less than it used to be, although the carb reduction has also been part of that too I think. I struggled with the metformin for a week or two, upset stomach mostly but once I got through that I have had no side effects or issues with it. Hope this helps.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi, I was diagnosed in December 2022 and had the triple hit of type 2, high cholesterol and high blood pressure and was put on medication for all three (Metformin 2 x 500mg a day) since then I have managed to reduce my cholesterol to normal levels (at last test in Feb) and my hba1c went from 53 to 44 with my blood pressure also much better. I've lost 35 lbs and feel so much better in myself. I've followed pretty much a low carb diet aiming for around 130 grams per day by reducing but not cutting out all the carb heavy foods. I think the metformin has helped with this, my appetite is much less than it used to be, although the carb reduction has also been part of that too I think. I struggled with the metformin for a week or two, upset stomach mostly but once I got through that I have had no side effects or issues with it. Hope this helps.

The power of dietary changes is evident in your result, well done. More of the same for a bit longer should see you at normal level and then as long as you regard your dietary changes as your new normal way of eating no reason not to keep it there.

 

[Bristol1970]

The power of dietary changes is evident in your result, well done. More of the same for a bit longer should see you at normal level and then as long as you regard your dietary changes as your new normal way of eating no reason not to keep it there.

Thanks, yes in reality it's probably mostly down to the dietary changes with a helping hand from the medication I would assume. I feel so much less sluggish as well.