newbie needs help [Archive]

ketchuplover

10-26-2006, 05:14 PM

Greetings earthlings. I've recently found out I have diabetes type 2. I'm 46 y/o male,5'9" 210 lbs. On Monday I got a glucometer and introduction to diabetes from a woman at a local clinic. Sorry but I don't have any stats to give you regarding test results. I just remember everything was above normal. The clinic worker told me to consume 2000 calories/day & 60g carbs/meal(which I take means 180g carbs/day)

Does that sound right? A couple days(Tuesday evening) ago my BGL was 312mg.

I'd appreciate all the help I can get. TIA

ps. Yes,I am eating low carb ketchup.

pps. On another site I was told to eat only 25g of carbs/day. I'm confused :(

Cyborg

10-26-2006, 05:20 PM

The more exercise you get, the lower your insulin resistance. Carbs affect your bg the fastest and the by the most amount. Protein affects your bg to a lesser degree and much more slowly. Some carbs affect your bg more than others, take a look at the glycemic index of foods for more info. Reducing or modifying your carb intake while increasing your exercise should help with the numbers...

BlueSky

10-26-2006, 05:48 PM

...... The clinic worker told me to consume 2000 calories/day & 60g carbs/meal(which I take means 180g carbs/day) ..... pps. On another site I was told to eat only 25g of carbs/day. I'm confused :(
Well, you have the two extremes there. Advising a diabetic to eat 180gr of carb a day is irresponsible, in my view. It is a bit like telling an alcoholic to stay permanently drunk :hmmmm: 25gr of carb a day would bring you BG right down and help you lose weight. But you probably need to compromise with something you can sustain in the long term.

A diet is not the way to go. You need to find a way of eating that you can comfortably live with. And get lots of exercise. I find that 50-70 gr of carb, together with 4x weekly gym workouts, keeps me in pretty good shape. :)

trpack

10-26-2006, 07:10 PM

Welcome to the group Ketchuplover, I agree with Bluesky, you need enough carbs to keep you going but you need to bring them down enough to bring your numbers down. My doctor told me 2000 calories a day and to keep the carbs under 100, but my diabetic educator told me that 225 carbs per day was more realistic. I listened to my doctor and it has been great for me, but it took a lot of experimenting and testing.

Harold

10-26-2006, 11:46 PM

kgm0612

10-27-2006, 05:56 AM

Welcome to the forum!

Karen

ProudNanaof5

10-27-2006, 06:12 AM

Welcome :wavey: Glad you joined us.

ketchuplover

10-27-2006, 09:52 AM

Welcome ketchuplover,

You have a valid question about how many carbs a day, but this is not the forum to discuss it in. As you read this forum and others you will find it is a hotly debated topic. So if you would please ask it in the type 2, Diabetes, or dieting forums.

Sorry about that. Perhaps you could move this thread to the appropriate place? Thanks everyone for your answers. I'm going to cut my carbs to as close to 90 as I can get.

I say diabetes should be changed to livabetes. Who's with me?

ketchuplover

10-31-2006, 03:25 PM

I've eaten 214g of carbs today. Am I in trouble? Thank you

xMenace

10-31-2006, 05:35 PM

I've eaten 214g of carbs today. Am I in trouble? Thank you

I'd say no, but 2000 calaries is absurd for someone your age and size. That's what a groing teenager might eat. See a qualified dietitian please.

Stuboy

11-01-2006, 04:25 AM

I've eaten 214g of carbs today. Am I in trouble? Thank you

I dont know much about how Type 2's "should" eat, but i consume between 200 and 300 carbs a day usually!

CycloneKitty

11-01-2006, 04:39 AM

I dont know much about how Type 2's "should" eat, but i consume between 200 and 300 carbs a day usually!

Yeah - I with you. At least 200 carbs a day for me. To eat under 100 a day is well - i would never have even considered it. I need at least 60 just to treat a hypo. I guess everyone is different tho - but if u r consuming zero carb food - such as cheese and meat products - imagine the fat content you would be consuming. Argggg

:egg:

Stuboy

11-01-2006, 04:43 AM

i eat around 80 in the morning (cereal and milk) 80 at lunch (two sandwiches (4slices wholemeal) crisps, yoghurt) and then whatever i have for tea, which agian is usually at least 50 carbs. anything from 20 carbs to 150 in an evening meal i've had so far sinse i started "counting" (more like estimating)

ketchuplover

11-01-2006, 11:52 AM

I was worried because someone said 180g of carbs a day was too high. This morning my bs was 119. I thought I more full of bs :) Thanks for responding.

ladytaz

11-02-2006, 05:47 PM

Hi :wavey: ketchuplover! Welcome to the group! YaY on bringing your levels down!!

It was pretty much the same thing for me ...

hey! You're diabetic, here's some prescriptions, take them, watch what you eat, and see the doc in a few weeks! (I was diagnosed in the ER)
me: uhhhhh
Doc wasn't of much help either!

So I researched on the net ;) Found a few Diabetes forums and went from there!

About carbs .... from what I've heard, the average for a male is 65 grams per meal and I think 40 grams per snack. Of course it's best to see a dietician to fit a meal plan to you and your specific needs. You should also be eating 3 (smaller) meals and 2 or 3 snacks per day.

ketchuplover

11-03-2006, 10:02 AM

ladytaz

11-03-2006, 10:34 AM

I'm too use to eating once a day.

I was used to eating twice a day. You have to MAKE yourself eat the 5 or 6 times a day! I have to pay attention to the time, and remind myself to eat about every 4 hours or so! I don't always make it! Sometimes, I'm just so busy that I litterally forget to eat!!

Also, you aren't eating huge meals. They're smaller meals than you're probably accustomed to! It's kind of like snacking or grazing all throughout the day. Like three large snacks, and two or three smaller size snacks, that are in between the larger ones. Rather than having one or two or even three big meals a day, like most are accustomed to eating.

For example. In the mornings, I usually have a Lite Yogurt, or a Sugar Free Pudding for breakfast. This works well for me. Some people I know have a fried egg and a slice of toast. I think it's best to start your day out on the lower carb side. Depending upon your morning numbers. If you're on the low side, well, of course, you would want to have more carbs.

For lunch, I'll often have a sandwich of some sort. Peanut Butter and no sugar jam, bologna, roast beef, ham, grilled cheese ... whatever. I sometimes have a salad. Like today, I'm fixin to make me a grilled chicken salad. YuM! ;)

Supper always varies for me. I don't make "special" suppers usually. I make hamburger helper, Roast (pork or beef) with baby carrots and taters, Chicken Alfredo, Chicken and rice, Stroganoff, Baked pork chops w/bbq sauce .... I just limit the amount I'm having and fill up on non low carb veggies.

My snacks are ususally a yougurt, or pudding, sometimes just a slice of bread with some peanut butter, or maybe cheese and crackers or even some raw veggies like broccoli, cauliflower or baby carrots. I even have a cookie or two once in a while!

I'm not saying it's easy, because it's not! It definitely takes getting used to!! And the frustration factor is through the roof!! After a while, your body seems to get more used to it, and it'll often tell you when 4 or so hours have gone by.

If you don't at least try, you'll definitely never get the hang of it! And you can't expect yourself to get the hang of it in a day or two or a few even. It took me a couple months to "learn" how to eat properly!

Having a good support system helps a lot too. Especially from those who are dealing with it on a personal level, like all of us here! And ... that is what we all here are for!! To share our experiences, to learn from and to help others! ;)

Now .... I'm off to make me that grilled chicken salad! I'm starving! ;)

ketchuplover

11-04-2006, 04:36 PM

Thanks for your informative post :)

ladytaz

11-04-2006, 07:46 PM

Thanks for your informative post :)

you're welcome ;)

ketchuplover

11-06-2006, 06:43 AM

My bs was 107 this morning. A record low for me :)

ladytaz

11-06-2006, 07:04 AM

My bs was 107 this morning. A record low for me :)

YaY!!! :five: That is AWESOME!! :thumbsup: I rarely have that low of a morning number!!

Mine wasn't so good! 152 :( and I dunno what's going on about it!

ketchuplover

11-06-2006, 04:55 PM

YaY!!! :five: That is AWESOME!! :thumbsup: I rarely have that low of a morning number!!

Mine wasn't so good! 152 :( and I dunno what's going on about it!

(((ladytaz))) I've cut my calories down. Have you tried that?

ladytaz

11-06-2006, 05:04 PM

(((ladytaz))) I've cut my calories down. Have you tried that?

yea, carbs, calories ... It's not any of that. I'm doing well during the day. I'm a bit stressed these days. But I'd think that would affect me thruout the day, not just in the mornings! *shrugs* Hopefully it'll pass soon, as I won't be able to see my new doc (a diabetes specialist endo) until Jan 9th. My morning numbers have never been in the 'good' range too much from day one. But they are usually around 130 or so ... have been for some months now. For the past week, I don't think they've been under 145 or so! (I'd have to look!) highest was 174 I think it was. I dunno??

ketchuplover

11-24-2006, 02:57 PM

hope everybody had a nice thanksgiving or thursday :)