[lenjan]

Just in case anybody needs a reminder, there is a reason the word "diet" contains the word "DIE."

I am doing the whole nine yards -- weighing, measuring, carb-counting, etc etc -- and you know what? IT EFFING SUCKS.

I met with the diabetic educator and the dietitian on Monday. The dietitian was fat. Also has been diabetic since early childhood. Didn't give me a whole lot of hope.

Has anybody done this successfully and lived to tell about it? Because I mean, I'm crabby for a variety of reasons today, but when I measured out a half-cup of whole-wheat elbow mac (blech) and could count the number of noodles in the bowl, I was NOT a happy girl.

Please -- right now, don't tell me I did this to myself. I know that. That's part of what I'm ticked about too, that I let this get this bad. I just want to hear happy stories, if anybody has any.

Thanks.

Candy

[Edahn]

Yeah, I lost 50 lbs on my own by eating smarter, running a *****-ton, and lifting weights. It's very possible, but yeah, you have to make some sacrifices. It's not the worst thing in the world if you ease up on some of your expectations, and the final payoff is WAY worth it, even thought the short-term payoffs are slim. Stick with it for at least a month and you'll see some results.

I would suggest you don't become too obsessed with food (unless you already are, and that's why you're dieting now). Don't think about it all day. When it's time to eat, be attentive instead of scatter-brained (which can easily lead to reckless and mindless eating). When it's time to work out, do it and put in a solid effort.

Maintaining your health gets easier when you put a lot of effort in at the start. Your body's like a car. If you get it services frequently, your trips to the mechanic will be relatively cheap, but if you let it go for years without maintenance, you'll have to put a lot more into it at first.

[Christina86]

((((((((((((((((Candy)))))))))))))))))

Oh my friend... I can definitely feel you. I started a diet too... and it's going over, kinda like a lead balloon. I'm trying to eat salads and whatnot... but then I mess up, and decide to drink (like I've had a drink for two out of 4 days of my diet thus far...) . I saw my doc, and all they gave me was "Canada's Food Guide" which is a nifty thing... but doesn't tell you anything about trying to lose weight.

I need to exercise too... but kinda hard with medical stuff on top of it, ain't it?

I'm trying to cut out unneccessary carbs, sodium, fat, and sugar...

I already miss salt and sugar. My diet... will hopefully last.

Here's to hoping you live through it (I have heard that one can do it... just hard) ... and that we both lose weight, eh?

[lenjan]

I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with food so much as I just have really crappy eating habits (too much sugar) and a bad idea of portion sizes. Mindless eating is a big one for me, too.

Thanks for giving me hope, though. I haven't gotten to the working out part, but I'm hoping to find something I can handle, preferably that doesn't require me to be seen in public.

((((((((Christina)))))))) Good luck, girl. I hope we both make it through!

[serafim_etal]

I'm assuming that since you saw a diabetes educator, then you have recently been diagnosed diabetic. I was diagnosed diabetic 5 years ago. About the dietician being fat...if she's been diabetic since childhood, then she has probably been on insulin since childhood...insulin often causes weight gain (somehting "they" don't like to tell you).

As for the food...I pretty much stay away from grains altogether. Supposedly whole grains are better for a diabetic, but not enough better to be able to eat enough to find them satisfying! Here's something my Doctor told me... leafy, green veggies have carbs, this is true, but a person would have to eat about 5 lbs in one sitting to spike their bgl...and 5 lbs of lettuce is A LOT of lettuce.

The first few months are very hard but things happen during that time. I lost m craving for sweets...now sweet stuff is too rich and I don't want it after a bite. I also dropped 30 lbs in 4 months.

A very good exercise for a diabetic is a long, leisurly walk...especially after a meal..

Good luck!

[lenjan]

Unfortunately, I'm kinda screwed on leafy greens, because I'm on a blood thinner. (They interact badly.)

Very interesting about insulin and weight gain.

Any other goodies you can share??

[nothemama8]

remember to use sugar substatutes without asparatame ( it can be lethal to some ), for salt substatute Low salt, butter salt is pretty good, above all remember to get all your small meals in DON'T skip them they do make it easier

[lenjan]

I have a hard time getting whole "meals" in, I tend to graze all day instead -- which is supposedly better for you anyway -- and yet I'm still always hungry!

This is really annoying.

[serafim_etal]

Well...basically what I did when I was first diagnosed was an Atkins induction diet. I did this to get my blood sugar where it needed to be. Then once blood sugar was ok, I started introducing some carbs. Grazing is a good way for a diabetic to eat. It's recommended that diabetics eat 6 small meals a day. What's important to remember is the "small" part. Half an apple, two slices of cheese and a handful of nuts is a "meal". Try to include protein in every meal. If you have a carb, include fat also...low fat diets are not the best in this situation, unless you are not eating carbs at all. Fat slows down the absorption of sugar. Another thing you can do is check out the about.com diabetes community. There are a lot of resources there...including a large support/information forum...here's the link to get you started there... http://diabetes.about.com/ Once you have registered there is an option to get their diabetes education course emailed to you, over a period of a couple weeks. I found this very helpful. What is really nice about it, is that you can take your time with it (not an hour with an educator) and any questions you have, you can ask on the forum and get lots of answers...the "guide" (moderator...who is a nurse) also replies to stuff on the forum.

As for the exercise...it's important to start slow...especially if you haven't been exercising in a while. And I mean REALLY slow! A half hour stroll is a perfectly fine start to exercising for a diabetic. Here's why...if you jump in and do a serious workout, while that may be just fine as far as how you feel goes...your liver will dump sugar into your blood to "fuel" the exercise...and you end up with a dramatic INCREASE in blood sugar instead of the lowering you are trying to get. You can slowly increase your exercise and this won't happen as much because your body has gotten used to the idea and the fact that the sugar is already there. I did nothing but walking the first month. I slowly increased my distance and speed; now I can go out and play two hours of tennis without a problem...provided it's after a meal. Always exercise after a meal...for the same reason as starting out slowly. If you haven't eaten then your brain tells your liver there is no fuel...increase in blood sugar. If your doctor has put you on meds, be careful also. Glucophage/metformin (brand name/generic name) will not cause any problems, but there is a class of drugs called sulfonylurias (glucotrol is one such drug) that can cause low blood sugar. If you are taking one of the latter, make sure you check your sugar right after exercise and again an hour later. If it's going low (under 70), eat something right away...but make it something small...a slice of cheese, a piece of bread, half of a granola bar...or you could use a diabetes specific thing, like Glucerna snack bars. You may also notice that as your blood sugar gets to where it needs to be, you may feel like it's too low...it's normal to feel this way for a little while because your body is used to being too high. Just remember...70-100 is normal...it is still ok to eat something if you are at 83 and feel like you are going to pass-out though...your body will get used to being in the normal range and that feeling will go away in time (meaning in a few weeks, not the first time it happens)...so go ahead and eat something if you feel low at a normal reading...just make sure it is no more than 15 carbs, so you don't get a spike and start yo-yoing your blood sugar.

[Doh2007]

Are you actually hungry; is your stomach growling? Or is it emotional hunger? Are you feeling deprived?

I use Splenda for sweetening. Protein and fats will slow down your metabolism as will fiber, vinegar and lemon juice. I use olive oil which is a "good" fat. Try to have a little protein with each meal or snack. Low fat string cheese is a lifesaver. Good old celery stuffed with a little peanut better is also.

I have a recipe for brownies made with beans instead of flour that is, believe it or not, really a treat. Let me know if you'd like to have it.

Cherries are in season right now and have a low glycemic index (http://www.glycemicindex.com/)

Finally, DIETS SUCK!

[Perna]

I'm doing really well with sparkpeople.com and eating within the guidelines there but what I want. Their tools are really great and the whole site's fun. I haven't been hungry at all and have lost nearly 15 pounds this month (gee, only about another 105 to go). There's whole bunches of people with diabetes there (as in thousands of people) in the same boat struggling together and lots of success stories.

I'm trying to avoid the diabetes (and ditch the asthma and high blood pressure, etc.).

[lenjan]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Half an apple, two slices of cheese and a handful of nuts is a "meal".

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

For a squirrel, perhaps!! Good Lord.

Thank you for all the great info, though.

[lenjan]

Hmm, hadn't heard of that site, I'll check it out. Congrats on the loss! Keep it up! We're in roughly the same boat, so I know it can be overwhelming to recognize how far there still is to go, but damn, this stuff is hard. Be sure to reward yourself!

[sabby]

Hey candy.....have you checked out the Discovery Health Channel? They have what's called the National Body Challenge with all kinds of practical help and tips on how to eat healthy and excercise. It's all free and you might find some interesting stuff there!

Discovery Health

[serafim_etal]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
For a squirrel, perhaps!! Good Lord.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

LOL...that's about how I felt at first too! But remember, this is 6 times a day! And of course, that is just one example. It could be half a chicken breast and steamed brocoli, or half a can of tuna on a piece of sourdough toast with cheese melted on top (really yummy, by the way). This is not specifically a "weight loss" diet...it's a diabetic diet, which will encourage weight loss as well.

[(JD)]

Apples are great for me too! And I love block cheese cubed. I just can't join another site and be active (no reason to join then?) But I am going to knuckle down and lose these last few pounds...beginning tomorrow (June first.)

Remember, once you've lost all the weight you wish, you can eat everything you want (just with more restraint.) You've eaten how you wanted all these years, so what's a few months of servitude to the healthy food nuts?

Just thinking that once I am down to my desired weight, I will feel so much better again, and won't be starving when I need to eat, knoshing all day. (oooo no dancing!)