Hello from Illinois

[sowski143]

Hello everyone...I'm new to this forum and have had diabetes since 2005. I still don't really know how to control it; my doctor has given me 8 mg of Amaryl every day in the morning and 58 units of Levemir at night. I think the Levemir is really high and I want to reduce it. I have a major problem with food. I love salty foods like chips and whatnot, and I know that is really bad for me. I also don't know what to do when I'm out with friends at a restaurant like Olive Garden. That place is full of carbs! I am slightly picky about food (I despise seafood) and I really want to lose weight and get this under control! I'm hoping this forum can help me :o

[Evermont]

Hi Michelle,
http://www.limeylemon.com/images/XWelcometoDF.gif

We each have our own challenges. Lots of help for you here. When I go to Olive Garden I do the soup and salad. A nice glass of red wine and skip the bread sticks. Not everybody's idea of a great meal but it suits me just fine.

[Janlaton]

A good book that lists calories, fats and carbs is a good starting place, journal every bite that you put in your mouth. I mean every bite! for a month this will help you see how much you are eating. If you can not do with out the chips get the individual serving packs and just eat one pack. Also the baked chips have less fat.

Work closely with your diabetic nutrionist they can help you map out your foods. Find good substitures as above eat lots of salads when you go out and you will find yourself to full to eat a lot of pasta. If you have to eat pastas eat the whole wheat variety so you get fiber. When eating out I always choose an item with a salad no matter what else I have. The salad comes first and if I don't finish the rest so what. Also share entres with the person you are out with. It costs less and you don't need all that food any way.:) Also I like to go to places that allow me to fix my own salad from a bar.

Enough of my soap box for now. Good luck & welcome.

[princesslinda]

Michelle, if you enjoy salty foods, try various nuts or pork rinds. Also, you can bake your own tortilla chips with the low-carb tortillas and have them with salsa or your favorite dip.

As for Olive Garden...we don't go there, as there's not many good choices for me. I eat Dreamfield's pasta at home with no problems when I want/crave spaghetti. I'm sure your friends would understand if you suggested somewhere that had more food choices you can enjoy.

Some of our regular eat-out restaurants are: Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday's, Outback Steak House, PF Chang's, Fuddruckers...there are lots of place you can eat, just watch the carbs and order things that aren't high-carb.

[Alice]

Welcome Michelle! You are living in a "food mecca" in Chicago. My favorite "past city"! I loved eating in all the restaurants...but had to follow a "3 bite" rule in some cases...just too much food in ChicagoLand!

Try enjoying your favorites...just really watch the quantity. Joining Weight Watchers really helps whether you need to lose a few or not...they are great about reminding me about serving sizes...especially pasta.

One WW trick I learned (in Chicago actually) was to use a coffee cup to measure the pasta...or ask the chef to serve 1/2 cup of pasta only...or a cup...whatever you wish.

[morrisma]

Welcome to the club Michelle.

Eating out is one of the more difficult aspects of life with diabetes. Once you get the hang of counting carbs, looking for more healthy options, and recognizing the foods that hurt you the worst, things will get easier.

BTW, doesn't Olive Garden have endless salads or is that another chain? Can't remember but salad (with limited croutons :D) is one way to avoid some carbs. Get a large salad and a small entree or split an entree with a friend.

Good luck!

[sowski143]

Guys, I can already tell you will definitely help me! Thanks a lot for the insight, I really need to get in shape and eat better...I'm going to call a nutritionist and get set up...my endo doctor is SO busy that he's not really available to help, but he's awesome at diagnosing things...I really struggle with cholesterol because you can't eat pasta and rice and potatoes, which leaves a lot more meat, but red meat is high in cholesterol! I can never win!

[pondex]

Guys, I can already tell you will definitely help me! Thanks a lot for the insight, I really need to get in shape and eat better...I'm going to call a nutritionist and get set up...my endo doctor is SO busy that he's not really available to help, but he's awesome at diagnosing things...I really struggle with cholesterol because you can't eat pasta and rice and potatoes, which leaves a lot more meat, but red meat is high in cholesterol! I can never win!

You know if your endo is too busy, tell him that you will pay half of the copay that you pay for his services. You have to get these type of people to understand this is a disease not a cough of some kind.

Stop putting up with this kind of abuse from your health care professionals, I sure don't. If he told me that I would be all over him. You pay a lot of money to see a doctor and letting them not do their job is ridiculous.

[Puppypants]

Hi Michelle! I am from Illinois as well, about 40 miles west of the city.

You have certainly come to the right place for info and support - I think I learned more here than I have from my doctor and educator put together.

[jerseygirl]

Hi Michele
I new here also nice to meet you. regarding cholesterol I lowered mine from 319 to 209 in 3 months by watching sat fat and exercising. limit fat to 67 gr for 2000 cal diet. now I maintain cholesterol around 155 for the past several yrs. Just pick the right things to eat. you can do it. good luck

[kgm0612]

HI Michelle & Welcome.

The key to losing weight is to cut back on the carbs and exercising......walking is great.

Karen

[Janlaton]

Didn't think about it earlier but another great way to weigh less is water aerobics and swimming. With summer upon us sign up for pool or go to the Y or lake. It is a great outhing.

Get a good book on counting carbs that also shows the fats and calories. The one I use shows all three and it is helpful in losing because it shows all 3 then it reminds me to not over do on any even though my main one to study is the carbs.:T

[notme]

Hi Michelle, Welcome to Diabetes Forums. I am sure you will find a lot of help here and good friends!

Welcome aboard!

[Phonelady61]

Hi Michelle welcome to this forum . I have a problem with a dr that says he is too busy to see you . I would tell him then I am too busy to pay you and I will find someone else . I have an appt with an endo at the end of this month and if he comes off at me like that . I am italian and i dont put up with stuff like this from anyone much less a health care provider . That is unacceptable . I have been struggling with the primary to get me back on insulin because i know my body he does not . I got instead put on two oral meds because he thought it was better for me . Crapola !! it was better for him cause he thought he knew me better than I know myself . Unacceptable . You know your body better than anyone else . just find a really good endo that you are comfortable with . good luck and keep posting with us this is a wonderfull site and they are so helpfull here . we are a great bunch of ppl that understand or we try to anyway. :)

[sowski143]

I want to make it clear; my doctor has time for me, it's just that the office is so busy, it's hard to make an appointment....that to me means the doctors are awesome!! I love my doctor, he is always there to talk to me, and takes a vested interest in me and my health. :top:

[terryok123]

try the Guide to Healthy Restaurant Eating, by hope warshaw, published by the ADA .. it works for me but I still like pasta!.. sometimes.

[jacobsam622]

Healthy choices from olive garden

If You’re Looking For Low Fat Options…
This olive branch will lead you to our delicious low fat entrées..

Ask for low fat salad dressing with any of our salads.


If You’re Watching Carbohydrates…

Savor one of our grilled entreés with fresh vegetables in place of potatoes.
Choose whole wheat linguine with your pasta selection for a good source of fiber, providing 3.75 grams of fiber in our lunch portions and 6 grams of fiber in our dinner portions.


If You’re Limiting Sugar…

Try our delicious no sugar added Torta di Chocolate dessert, sweetened with sugar alcohols.
In addition to these items, we proudly offer delicious choices for our Gluten Intolerant guests. For more information, ask for a manager.

U.S. Menu Information | Canadian Menu Information
LOW FAT SELECTIONS
Information based on full portion as served. CALORIES TOTAL FAT g % CALORIES FROM FAT FIBER g
LUNCH ENTRÉES AND SOUP
Capellini Pomodoro 409 9 20% 6
Venetian Apricot Chicken 328 7 19% 4
Linguine alla Marinara 340 6 15% 5
Shrimp Primavera 483 11 21% 6
Minestrone Soup 164 1 8% 5
DINNER ENTRÉES
Capellini Pomodoro 644 14 20% 10
Venetian Apricot Chicken 448 11 22% 4
Linguine alla Marinara 551 8 14% 8
Shrimp Primavera 706 18 23% 8
KIDS ENTRÉE
Grilled Chicken 349 11 28% 4
SALAD DRESSINGS
Low fat Italian Dressing Dressings contain 2 grams or less fat per fluid ounce. Our serving size is 2 fluid ounces.
Low fat Parmesan - Peppercorn Dressing

SELECTIONS UNDER 20g CARBOHYDRATES
Information based on full portion as served. CARBS g FIBER g NET CARBS g
APPETIZERS
Stuffed Mushrooms 14 2 12
Mussels di Napoli 19 1 18
LUNCH ENTRÉE
Grilled Chicken Spiedini** 14 4 10
DINNER ENTRÉES
Herb-Grilled Salmon 18 6 12
Steak Toscano* 15 5 10
Mixed Grill** 19 7 12

*Served with seasoned broccoli or grilled vegetables in place of potatoes, per guest request.
**Served with seasoned broccoli in place of potatoes, per guest request.
NO SUGAR ADDED DESSERT SELECTION
Information based on full portion as served. CARBS g FIBER g SUGAR ALCOHOLS g
DESSERT
Torta di Chocolate 63 11 34

Olive Garden has made an effort to provide complete and current nutrition information

[DarthDiabetes]

Welcome, and next time you are at the olive garden, get the mixed grill without the potatos, ends up being like 20 carbs or so and still good with the salad. Even adding a bread stick would keep you at 35 carbs.