Type 2 it is!!

[greenboy990]

Hi there,just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes HbA1c was 80 not the best.
so i'll be on here for tips on weight loss and eating properly.
My downfall was my insane sweet tooth.
My aim like most folk is to try and achieve remission,i love cycling and walking so that will be my go to exrecise,so cheerio mars bars hello fruit..

 

[adrian1der]

Be aware that it is carbs you need to avoid not just sugar. Fruit is quite high especially tropical fruits like bananas. Things with berry in their name are usually OK

 

[greenboy990]

Be aware that it is carbs you need to avoid not just sugar. Fruit is quite high especially tropical fruits like bananas. Things with berry in their name are usually OK

Spot on! i used to live on bread,all sorts, and i like white starches, and deep fried,i really don't have an excuse because i was a chef for 15 years,so i know what the good and the bad is,i fell into the lazy trap of convenience so it's now time to limit carbs and sugar as well as processed and get back to fresh home cooking,sundays are going to be busy in my kitchen.

 

[greenboy990]

Thanks for the info, yes i'm now on 1 tab of metformin and 1 tab of simvastatin I always aim high with everything i do so its about lifestyle change to try and get my levels down to no meds i'm quite active cycling mostly but i'm way overweight 19.5 stone and 6 feet tall so i'm big,the amount of carbs and sugary stuff i went through on a daily basis was a lot,an awful lot,it was always in the back of my mind how much rubbish i put away so from now it's about a change in lifestyle longterm than any short term stuff,faddy diet etc, i see this as a life yellow card so it's the long haul for me.

 

[Christy]

Good for you! Love your attitude! Good luck with it all 🙂

 

[greenboy990]

Thanks for your message in for the long haul ups and downs the lot.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

the amount of carbs and sugary stuff i went through on a daily basis was a lot,an awful lot,it was always in the back of my mind how much rubbish i put away so from now it's about a change in lifestyle longterm than any short term stuff,faddy diet etc, i see this as a life yellow card so it's the long haul for me.

That’s a great attitude @greenboy990 - and I think your chef’s training will really help you as you are clearly interested in food, and skilled in putting together tasty and satisfying dishes - you’ll just work out how to do that with a lower carb load, and what swaps and alternative ingredients work for your BG levels.

It’s great that you recognise this is for the long haul too. So many diets etc are advertised as a quick fix and then ‘back to normal’ which makes them doomed to fail I think. Good luck in developing your new way of eating. Are you planning on using a BG meter to check what different meals do to your BGlevels?

 

[greenboy990]

This week has been a real eye opener for me food wise,started on porridge for brekkie with blueberries,tonight was a wee chicken n lentil daal number i threw together,no rice or naan,these are major changes for me,a couple of slices of granary seeded bread a day instead of 6 slices or so of white bread and butter,still its all about picking the right food choices that i like,i'll never eat broccoli thats for sure,but i'll certainly be cooking more fresh food from now on.

 

[rebrascora]

Not sure if you are aware but porridge is also a very high carb food and the low GI rating doesn't apply to everyone. The glucose from porridge hits my blood stream within 20 mins of the first mouthful and spikes my levels badly. If you are not testing your BG levels then you are unlikely to know if your body can cope with porridge and blueberries or what size portion you can get away with. Weighing carb rich foods is probably more important than choosing low GI versions. Some people including myself even find lentils and beans spike my levels badly, so your dahl would be something I would need to be careful with.... similarly bacon and lentil soup, much as I love it, causes me problems. The way we respond to foods is highly individual, which is why we advocate home testing with a basic Blood Glucose meter. It is the only way to see if your dietary changes are doing what you need them to do or if you are perhaps cutting something from your diet that you could actually continue eating and enjoying.

 

[greenboy990]

I'm at the stage where i've just been diagnosed with a HbA1c level of 80 and been advised to ditch the bad foods,as weight loss is the priority at this stage 19.5 stone and 6 feet tall,i would normally have 2 bacon rolls or white rolls with sausage for breakfast and i would get through a ton of chocolate biscuits and sweets on a daily basis,so i'm initially swapping all the bad stuff for wholegrain cereals, fruit and low carb bread options, lean proteins etc.I've ordered Glucose meter so will start testing levels,exercise isn't a problem for me as i'm well over average as far as being active goes,i regularly do 5 mile walks and 40 mile bike rides round where i live,and i don't drive,so at this stage it's about changing diet,weight loss and once i start testing finding out what foods work for me and what i need to avoid.I'm currently on 1 tab metformin and 1 statin for cholestrol.I'll be no stranger on this website as it's a great source of information from people in the same boat as me and i'm grateful as a newbie for all info received.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I'm at the stage where i've just been diagnosed with a HbA1c level of 80 and been advised to ditch the bad foods,as weight loss is the priority at this stage 19.5 stone and 6 feet tall,i would normally have 2 bacon rolls or white rolls with sausage for breakfast and i would get through a ton of chocolate biscuits and sweets on a daily basis,so i'm initially swapping all the bad stuff for wholegrain cereals, fruit and low carb bread options, lean proteins etc.I've ordered Glucose meter so will start testing levels,exercise isn't a problem for me as i'm well over average as far as being active goes,i regularly do 5 mile walks and 40 mile bike rides round where i live,and i don't drive,so at this stage it's about changing diet,weight loss and once i start testing finding out what foods work for me and what i need to avoid.I'm currently on 1 tab metformin and 1 statin for cholestrol.I'll be no stranger on this website as it's a great source of information from people in the same boat as me and i'm grateful as a newbie for all info received.

Sounds like you have made some great changes @greenboy990 - and hopefully you will begin to feel their positive impact over the coming weeks and months.

You are absolutely right to start with those ‘obvious culprits’ of chocolate and biscuits. Erratic BGs can be quite exhausting, and can make you feel really hungry, which prompts you to grab easy snacks which spike BG, which can end up as a vicious cycle.

Hope your meter gives you some helpful information. Don’t be disheartened if some of your ‘good’ wholegrain choices reveal a lot of BG upheaval - as @rebrascora says, glucose reaction to foods is highly individual, and it’s a question of finding what works for you.

Good fats can be an important part of the diet, they make you feel fuller for longer, and can help slow the absorption of carbs. My personal opinion is that low fat options aren’t always better, and sometimes may be significantly worse in terms of BG outcomes which has negative health implications perhaps just as much as the fat does!

Looking forward to hearing how you get on over the coming weeks 🙂

 

[greenboy990]

Thanks for all the information,this is just the beginning of a lifestyle change as i do not see this as a diet,but swapping out foods for the good stuff.In time i'll find out what works and what doesn't.My next appointment to the doc/nurse since diagnosis in mid march for my next "official" HbA1c test will be interesting,but for now it is all about weight loss,6lb off since last week,so off to a good start,exercise won't be a problem as i walk miles if it's too icy to cycle otherwise i'm on my bike every day off.I'll keep refererring to the website for good advice as i will find it invaluable in the future.

 

[Lucyr]

Good luck with your changes. I think making changes slowly is the best way to go, so not going all out and cutting all carbs out straight away but first cutting out the obvious culprits and switching to whole grain carbs for a while first. A hba1c of 80 is quite high and reducing blood sugars too quickly can cause eye problems such as retinopathy, so gradual changes over time are best.

 

[greenboy990]

Thanks for your input.I agree with your comment entirely slowly is the key,what i've done is cut out the sweets,biscuits and cakes as i consumed A LOT ,and swapped out things like white bread for vogel and such types,wholemeal pasta etc,i'm a chef so i've started cooking a lot more fresh food instead of buying pre packaged processed stuff,more stir fry vegetables etc.I had an eye scan last year and thankfully everything is fine at the moment,so what i'm initially focussed on is losing weight as i'm over 19 stone.

 

[Lucyr]

I’m also trying to lose weight and counting calories using the nutracheck app, there is a cost but I find it worth it as the app is uk based with pictures to easily find foods. My fitness pal is a free option but can be very US based.

 

[greenboy990]

I'm measuring portions using labels etc and i've been using fitbit for fitness as well as garmin when i cycle which is a lot when it's not -4c.

 

[Lucyr]

Ah I like the fitbit. I bought one this week and it’s motivating me to walk more! Good luck with continued weight loss and stay around the forum for peer support.

 

[greenboy990]

my fitbit stats have increased to almost double the steps as my job is quite active as i work in transport plus i've been doing 6 plus mile walks on days off just now as it's too icy to cycle,so fitbit is great to motivate you.