[ma6791]

When I posted last, I was doing fairly good with my eating. I'd been really trying hard since seeing my doctor in July. But it seems like my good behavior never lasts ....right now I'm eating way too much...maybe it's because company just left and I'm just relaxing and letting go. I don't know but this is what happens sporadically (too frequently!)...I'm allowed up to 12 carb serv a day but preferably only 9-10 because I am at least 23 lbs overweight (I think more like 30 really).

My question is how do you get yourself to stick to your diet? and Do you guys ever eat foods you shouldn't or more than you should? I'm mainly asking this of people who are not on insulin as I am only on Metformin. Sometimes it seems like diabetics I talk to online always eat so well and I wonder why I can't seem to stick to it. Am I the only one with this problem?

My last A1C was 7.2. It's been gradually rising for a few years now. My doctor is talking about adding Byetta. I realize that Byetta often helps people lose weight but I feel like I should be able to do it on my own and drugs do not come without some risk. I don't want any more meds yet because I see that when I eat right my bs are usually good. But getting myself to eat right consistently is very difficult!! I asked the doctor to give me until Nov to try and change my eating behavior. So I am desparate to change! If you have any tips/suggestions/advice on how to get yourself to eat right consistently I'd love to hear them.

[dano]

First of all, I would urge you to read the first three threads in the Type 2 Section, if you have not already done so. I would also suggest that you find out exactly what Byetta is and the side effects before you try it. I tried it for four weeks, but it did not work for me.

I count carbs, it works for me. I try to keep my carb count around 30 grams of carbs per each meal. One example of this is breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 pieces of whole wheat toast and 2-3 strips of bacon is 28 grams of carb.

Recently I tried a vegan diet for 21 days. This included no meat obviously, along with no products containing flour, sugar, sweeteners and no soft drinks. The pluses were that my blood sugars were almost perfect everytime that I tested and I lost five pounds. It was an interesting experiment and I plan to implement more of the fruits, nuts and vegetable into my everyday diet.

Exercise is also one of the keys to controlling Type 2 diabetes along with the healthy and nutritious diet. All of this is what we should all have been doing all along. Good luck with your weight loss, I hope the information is helpful.

[ma6791]

Dano, my problem is not knowing HOW to eat, but making myself stick to a proper diet. I am not consistent so my bs aren't either of course. Any suggestions/advice on how you make yourself stick to your good eating ways? I realize it seems that seeing my A1C should motivate me to stick to my carb limits but it doesn't seem to do it for me all the time. I even used to be a nurse and I know the results of not taking care of yourself when you have diabetes but I still can't seem to be consistently OP.

[dano]

Originally Posted by ma6791

Any suggestions/advice on how you make yourself stick to your good eating ways?

I know that I have to do this to live, in my case. I have been counting carbs for more years than I like to admit. I have a son who is T1, since the age of 10, and that was 24 years ago. I originally learned to count carbs and calculate bolus insulin dosage for him.

About 20 years ago, while working out of town, I began to have some serious health problems and I knew it. I called my doctor, who is a friend that I grew up with, and told him that I needed to see him ASAP. He called lab orders in to a local hospital and I had the lab work done and faxed to him. When I got home for the weekend he was at my house early Saturday morning saying that "we had to do something and we had to do it right now". At this point most of my numbers were off the chart, my thyroid had quit, I had hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Fast forward to today; the T2 meds no longer work for me and I am now classified as a T1.5 (insulin dependent). Trust me when I say that I have seen first hand what not taking care of yourself brings. I am much healthier and better off today.

T2 is basically a lifestyle change for the better, we just have to accept it and move forward for those that we love. You can do it! Good luck!

[ma6791]

Dano, thanks for your sincere comments and I can understand how your situations...with your son and yourself...would motivate you to eat right. I guess that's my problem....I haven't had any crisis (yet) so I am still in a half-denial state. I've had enough evidence to finally believe I truly have diabetes .....high bs esp when I've forgotten to take my meds (always take them but occasionally I forget and take them later than usual)...recently I have had some bs in the 200-450 range. Never had that high before. I have some tingly, pin pricks, slight numb feelings in my toes. So I know what's going on. But yet at times I fool myself into thinking I can eat whatever I want. I esp have trouble with my eating in the evening as I have always been a big evening snacker. I know it's not true hunger usually it's just habit.

I've done some reading up on Byetta plus what others say on this site and I don't really want to take it yet. The thing is, it's not just Byetta...I don't think I need ANY other drugs right now...I think I just need to somehow discipline myself to eating less carb because when I eat right (according to my dietician's plan), I get mostly good bs.

[dano]

Originally Posted by ma6791

I've done some reading up on Byetta plus what others say on this site and I don't really want to take it yet. The thing is, it's not just Byetta...I don't think I need ANY other drugs right now...I think I just need to somehow discipline myself to eating less carb because when I eat right (according to my dietician's plan), I get mostly good bs.

It sounds like your are on the right track. Accept it, embrace it, take the bull by the horns and move forward. Good luck!