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Trying to get fitter to lower hbalc

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Kimblewoman

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi everyone,I am new to this site and just wanted to say back in 2016 I was told I was a type2 diabetic,but my hbalc was just 48 so I was told to change my diet and exercise more .,no Meds yet .I was completely shocked as while my mum and my sister had the condition,I never thought I would get it .I was not that much over weight,I ate quite healthy and I worked at that time as a housekeeper ,so was quite fit ,anyway I went on the expert course my doctor sent me on ,which really helped .I soon realised my waist which had always been quite big ,while my hips and legs slim ,this may have contributed to me getting this .I managed to keep my diabetics under control with a new lower carb diet and exercise but sadly last year having suffered a loss ,my hbalc rose to 59 .I was then in August 2019 put on metformin slowing on one tablet increasing up to 3 per day ,to begin with I felt quite sick on them ,but now not too bad ,my most recent hbalc in January 2020 has seen my hbalc level drop to 50 ,though I was pleased with that ,I wanted to do better so I gave up eating lunch and only having a good breakfast and dinner and desert and have now joined a gym in the hope that by the end off March/early April when I am due another hbalc test to see if I have lowered it even more .I have seen what diabetics can do to you ,my mother is on insulin and has many complications off this condition,but it does has to be this way for everyone ,so my aim is to try my hardest to get into remission and led a healthy life ,sorry for the lengthy story .
 
When you describe your meals as 'good' does that mean that they do not spike your blood glucose?
I found that I was really unable to cope with carbs a long time ago, but when diagnosed I used a glucose meter and found that my Atkins diet level of 50 gm of carbs a day to control my weight was also the level which kept my blood glucose levels in the normal range - not at all surprising if you think about it.
There is a lot of advice about fasting and exercise, but for me, the thing which was most effective was the fewer carbs in the diet - which I could watch, week by week changing the amount of glucose in my blood.
 
My good meals which really don't affect it is salmon noodles small amount veg ,the times I eat I try to limit 50 to 60 off carbohydrates. I also had to buy my own meter and test strips to experiment which foods spiked it most and they say by fasting you burn your body fat which can be used for energy. I will let you know when I have my test whether this approach is helping me and pleased to hear lower carbs has helped you
 
I only eat twice a day, and I eat first thing and then again in the evening as I found that my levels were better if I did that rather than fasting for longer.
I do avoid things which are high carb - anything made with grain is right off the menu. I eat salads, stir fries or roasted veges, and berries with cream as a dessert in the evening a couple of times a week.
Eating low carb seems to be a very powerful tool to control blood glucose levels, and it can be adjusted to suit each individual person and what they can cope with when used in conjunction with a meter. That was how I found out that peas and beans spike me more than they should do, so I have to watch how much of them I eat.
 
Hi @Kimblewoman - welcome to the forum. You seem very self aware, which is great. Thats half the battle isnt it. Your story reminds me a little of myself, with mum and 2 brothers diabetic, i was just waiting my turn and it came unexpected last April. But ive been pretty much left to my own devices to educate myself (although im being monitored (see text below) - I always thought I had a healthy diet, i got up to a size 14 during menopause but most of that has gone now...And now i have been self testing with my monitor, i see i have been eating far too many carbs on the plate and my portions were a little on the large side. But i have had to completely change the ratios of carb to veg & protein. Hopefully im doing it right, finally! (The BG monitor says i am, and im a steady figure throughout the day, with no real spikes recently) I adjust what i eat to my meter, some things have surprised me. Thats the nature of the beast, we all react differently to different things. And like you, im waiting for that dreaded follow up HB1Ac test, mine is mid April - only that will tell me if im on the right track.....race you to it 😉
 
Yes let's see how well we have done ,keep up the good work though. I educated myself by reading books and going on websites .I do think though meters and test strips should be available to everyone,as I believe it really helps you understand what foods you can eat and what foods to avoid or limit further ,the test strips are so expensive but I think it is worth it .I will let you know my result when I get it .
 
I guess, as you test more and more and get to know those foods which cause a problem, and limit/avoid them, then we will need to do far less testing than we do now. Thats my hope anyway!
 
I hardly need to test now, as my diet is sorted - but I have a Tee 2 meter from Spirit Healthcare as they are not very expenive at all and have had good reports.
 
Welcome to the forum @Kimblewoman

Glad you‘ve found a system that suits you. Hope you are pleased with the results of your recent checks.
 
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