Type 2 Diabetic & Ozempic

[user59189]

I'm a type 2 diabetic with pcos and have begun taking Ozempic for weight loss whilst eating low carb. I have binge eating disorder and normally eat a lot of high carb food and chocolate as well I'm now just eating salads or an omelette. I'm really wanting to have something higher in carbs or a chocolate. Is this ok to do once a week ? Im finding it difficult to eat so clean mentally without having something I actually like.

 

[Inka]

Welcome @user59189 It depends. The risk is that one chocolate or whatever triggers a binge. Could you have a non-carby treat perhaps?

 

[Lucyr]

Would you be able to manage choosing and eating the treat without triggering anything? There are some foods I don’t buy because I don’t have good self control and others I buy because I have better self control.

For example dark chocolate I can buy a large bar because I know I won’t overeat that, but I wouldn’t trust myself to buy a large bar of galaxy.

Jelly is low carb and low calorie too so perhaps you could have some of that, with berries in, to feel like having pudding. Or try out some new recipes if you feel a bit stuck in salads? Lots of meats and fish are low carb so there’s lots of options for new things to try.

 

[user59189]

Would you be able to manage choosing and eating the treat without triggering anything? There are some foods I don’t buy because I don’t have good self control and others I buy because I have better self control.

For example dark chocolate I can buy a large bar because I know I won’t overeat that, but I wouldn’t trust myself to buy a large bar of galaxy.

Jelly is low carb and low calorie too so perhaps you could have some of that, with berries in, to feel like having pudding. Or try out some new recipes if you feel a bit stuck in salads? Lots of meats and fish are low carb so there’s lots of options for new things to try.

Thanks. I was planning to just get a small chocolate so there's no temptation afterwards

 

[Drummer]

Thanks. I was planning to just get a small chocolate so there's no temptation afterwards

There are some small bars of low carb chocolate - though I think they are rather sweet tasting as they contain artificial sweeteners. I am not sure which supermarket sells them, they come in packs of, I think, 5 bars. It might help with having 'just the one' rather than having a whole bar.
Low carb is not all salad stuff though. I have stir fry or mixed veges with meat or fish, mushrooms feature quite often, so my meals are fairly substantial and what it perhaps more important in this weather, warming.

 

[Lucyr]

Thanks. I was planning to just get a small chocolate so there's no temptation afterwards

I’d be okay with that personally, you could test bg before and 2hrs after to check whether your diabetes is ok with it, having it on a day you’ve had a good walk might help.

Lidl or maybe it’s Aldi, or both… sells some small bars of chocolate in different cocoa %s but they come in a multipack which might not be what you’re wanting.

It does sound like you also need to look at other things to eat generally though as it doesn’t sound like you’re enjoying the food you eat. There might be some ideas in the food forum?

 

[Leadinglights]

You can still eat low carb with a greater variety of foods than you seem to be allowing yourself.
Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, yoghurts, seeds, nuts, lots of different veg and salad items, like coleslaw.
Nature valley protein nut bars are low carb only 10g per bar.

 

[Maddy56]

I'm a type 2 diabetic with pcos and have begun taking Ozempic for weight loss whilst eating low carb. I have binge eating disorder and normally eat a lot of high carb food and chocolate as well I'm now just eating salads or an omelette. I'm really wanting to have something higher in carbs or a chocolate. Is this ok to do once a week ? Im finding it difficult to eat so clean mentally without having something I actually like.

Hi I’m Maddy. Please take care with Ozempic….. I took Ozempic for high blood Sugars but after two years had to stop it.
I lost my appetite and was feeling very weak.
It’s very hard to eat a balanced diet when you don’t want anything.
Good luck with the weight loss. Everyone’s different I know. I’m having eating problems still now. And high sugars 15-24 am
Best wishes Maddy

 

[Lairyfairy]

I was taken off Ozempic about 3 months ago saying they couldn't get supplies of it. I am rapidly putting the weight back on ... maybe some can get it and some not

 

[Drummer]

I was taken off Ozempic about 3 months ago saying they couldn't get supplies of it. I am rapidly putting the weight back on ... maybe some can get it and some not

It is a standard problem with all varieties of weight control, as presumably you are still eating the same way as when given Ozempic.
Would altering your diet aiming for blood glucose control by diet, and using a meter to test after eating be of any help?
It is the route I used to reverse type 2 and as an added bonus I lost a lot of weight without even having to plan for it.

 

[Lucyr]

I was taken off Ozempic about 3 months ago saying they couldn't get supplies of it. I am rapidly putting the weight back on ... maybe some can get it and some not

Are you eating more now you’ve stopped taking it? The ozempic doesn’t cause you to lose weight directly, it does it through reducing appetite. If you eat the same way as when you were taking it then you shouldn’t be gaining weight.

Perhaps a food diary, or some calorie & carb counting would help to get back on track with your diet? Or an app like FoodView where you don’t count anything but take photos of everything to look back on yourself or to share with someone else for accountability?

 

[Lairyfairy]

I have found that I have felt much more hungry since coming off ozempic. It is really hard to control it at times. I am going to write a food diary "warts and all" to try and see where I am having the most trouble although I know it is carbs! I am trying not to eat them but sometimes the alternatives aren't satisfying the hunger.

 

[Leadinglights]

I have found that I have felt much more hungry since coming off ozempic. It is really hard to control it at times. I am going to write a food diary "warts and all" to try and see where I am having the most trouble although I know it is carbs! I am trying not to eat them but sometimes the alternatives aren't satisfying the hunger.

Try having healthy fats as they will be more likely to stem the hunger than carbs as carbs will encourage your pancreas to produce more insulin which can then make you feel hungry.

 

[Lairyfairy]

I def can't eat nuts ... I can't stop once I start.

 

[rebrascora]

Sticking with low carb helps me manage my sugar addiction and comfort/binge eating. Like @Lucyr I can buy a big bar of 70% dark chocolate and it doesn't trigger me and I can have half a square with a spoon of crunchy peanut butter and it is satisfying and enough, but if you gave me a bar of Dairy Milk, even if it was only a small bar, it would set me off and I would want anything and everything after that and would almost certainly go out and buy more, if I didn't have any in the house, or have to seriously battle my self control, not to go out and get more, and get very agitated because I was craving so much.

I know those foods are toxic physically and mentally for me now and I am much happier without them. This is why I continue with low carb even though I am Type 1 and have insulin. I can't cope with that slippery slope and the cravings and after the first few months on low carb, the craving more or less stopped. I found low carb treats (usually higher fat ones that help to satiate my hunger) and my tastes changed a bit (not that I couldn't go back to eating multipacks of Snickers at the drop of a hat if I was presented with one) but I don't crave them as long as I avoid them and for me there is no real satisfaction in eating them, I just want to finish the one I am eating and start the next one and when I get to the end of the pack, I still feel empty, rather than satisfied, but now I would also feel incredibly ill because when my BG levels get to mid teens my heart pounds like a steam train and I feel awful and I know it is making me ill. Just not worth even one square or bite of those higher carb chocolate bars for me because it undoes all my hard work and I have to knuckle down and try to get the cravings back under control again and it will take several days, maybe even a week to straighten myself out.

When I was first diagnosed I can remember sitting in the retinal screening waiting area, feeling pretty sorry for myself as it was approaching Easter and it had just hit me that I would never be able to have another Cadbury's Cream Egg. Then a guy in a wheelchair came in who was only partially sighted and had lost a leg to diabetes and that kind of brought it home to me that I was feeling badly done to because I could never eat another CCE and there was this guy unable to walk and see..... and it really put things into perspective for me.

I would suggest you learn to make omelettes and salads enjoyable and find lots of other enjoyable low carb meals. I love a good omelette with lots of tasty fillings like mushrooms and cheese and onion and peppers and maybe chicken or ham and fried in some real butter and served with a large side salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and served with a big dollop of full fat cheese coleslaw. Yum!! Maybe you are using one of those low fat sprays to cook with and low fat coleslaw or mayonnaise as those are the things which will take the enjoyment and satisfaction from low carb foods. Once I embraced natural fats and stopped feeling guilty about eating them, low carb became enjoyable and sustainable. Today, I had 2 cups of coffee with real double cream for breakfast with nothing else to eat and I really enjoyed them (it is my little daily luxury) and I have worked all day since then doing very physical work and apart from having to have a couple of jelly babies at one point to prevent a hypo, I haven't needed anything else all day and just having some homemade curried veggie soup now with some pate stirred into it, which probably sounds horrid, but it actually tastes so good I have gone back for seconds. I don't need or crave bread with my soup anymore as long as it is filling! Dessert will be some nice cheese either with olives or half a sliced green apple or it could be some creamy Greek style yoghurt with a few berries and some cinnamon and mixed seeds.... which is normally my breakfast but since I didn't have it this morning I might have it tonight.

 

[christmas]

Hi! We seem to have really similar health histories, I also have type 2, PCOS and am in recovery from binge eating disorder.

The absolute killer for me has always been portion size, or not being able to stop once I'm eating something really tasty, so I started by just making myself a smaller portion/little plate of whatever I was eating then going back for more if I felt like it. I didn't really change what I ate at first, just the portion size, but eventually started replacing big sandwiches with crackers, cheese, nuts, and grapes (all on a plate together to make little cracker sandwiches), or hummus (especially the flavoured hummus' that taste really good) and veg sticks.

I still have sweet things, but I try and pair them with something really filling - like I'll have porridge with chocolate chips (and a banana usually) in it to satisfy my want for chocolate. Even a baked banana with some chocolate buttons stuck in it before it goes in the oven is lovely. Same for apples with peanut butter and chocolate chips or similar. I try not to do it often but sometimes the sweet itch needs to be scratched, and I find when I really want something and I don't let myself have it or anything like it that can be a trigger for a binge.

I read a while ago that high volume foods (even if that volume is just water) tell the body that it should be satisfied, so I also eat a lot of soups and salads as they have high water content. There are some really really yummy ones and you can have a slice of crusty bread and butter or a big spoon of rice or something in it if you're really wanting carbs! And don't be afraid of salad dressing - if a tablespoon of a dressing that isn't technically 'healthy' means you choose the salad over a binge or a less healthy meal, that's still the better choice!

Also - if you're having anything make sure it has protein! It's one of the best ways to feel full and satisfied and have it last. Shredded chicken breast works wonderfully in a salad or soup, or cut up boiled eggs in a salad, or any protein source that you like.

Don't let perfection be the enemy of good - and let yourself eat the things you want, just find smart ways to work them in. Its about building something you are happy and healthy doing consistently.

Added edit: I also was on Ozempic at the time I started to do smaller and more frequent meals and that really helped me control the side effects. I also avoided anything that was greasy as that gave me the WORST indigestion I've ever had, as well as eating more than a bit of rice as it swells a bit more after you eat it and that doesn't feel good at all on the Ozempic in my experience.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi! We seem to have really similar health histories, I also have type 2, PCOS and am in recovery from binge eating disorder.

The absolute killer for me has always been portion size, or not being able to stop once I'm eating something really tasty, so I started by just making myself a smaller portion/little plate of whatever I was eating then going back for more if I felt like it. I didn't really change what I ate at first, just the portion size, but eventually started replacing big sandwiches with crackers, cheese, nuts, and grapes (all on a plate together to make little cracker sandwiches), or hummus (especially the flavoured hummus' that taste really good) and veg sticks.

I still have sweet things, but I try and pair them with something really filling - like I'll have porridge with chocolate chips (and a banana usually) in it to satisfy my want for chocolate. Even a baked banana with some chocolate buttons stuck in it before it goes in the oven is lovely. Same for apples with peanut butter and chocolate chips or similar. I try not to do it often but sometimes the sweet itch needs to be scratched, and I find when I really want something and I don't let myself have it or anything like it that can be a trigger for a binge.

I read a while ago that high volume foods (even if that volume is just water) tell the body that it should be satisfied, so I also eat a lot of soups and salads as they have high water content. There are some really really yummy ones and you can have a slice of crusty bread and butter or a big spoon of rice or something in it if you're really wanting carbs! And don't be afraid of salad dressing - if a tablespoon of a dressing that isn't technically 'healthy' means you choose the salad over a binge or a less healthy meal, that's still the better choice!

Also - if you're having anything make sure it has protein! It's one of the best ways to feel full and satisfied and have it last. Shredded chicken breast works wonderfully in a salad or soup, or cut up boiled eggs in a salad, or any protein source that you like.

Don't let perfection be the enemy of good - and let yourself eat the things you want, just find smart ways to work them in. Its about building something you are happy and healthy doing consistently.

Added edit: I also was on Ozempic at the time I started to do smaller and more frequent meals and that really helped me control the side effects. I also avoided anything that was greasy as that gave me the WORST indigestion I've ever had, as well as eating more than a bit of rice as it swells a bit more after you eat it and that doesn't feel good at all on the Ozempic in my experience.

You sound to have a plan of action which I hope works for you. You seem to like cooking so you might like some of the recipes on the website sugarfreelondoner for a variety of sweet and savoury low carb recipes.