Just starting…again

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  • posted by CaravanSue
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    Hello Frog, I had a random hb1ac test done a short while ago so I do have something to go by, it was 6.9 so I am hoping to be lower than this not higher. I have a good rapport with my GP so fingers crossed she will still back me.
    This morning I tested before breakfast and was 7.1 (2 poached eggs, coffee with milk) 2 hours later was 8.7. I had scrubbed the bathroom from top to bottom and was thinking this will be a good reading. Any suggestions please??

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Good morning all. I have discussed my eating woes on the weekly challenge thread so wont go into detail here but the gist of it is that I HAVE BEEN EATING TOO MUCH. Yeah, who knew. Firstly the recipes in the book can be way out, i.e. No Carb Ploughman says 290 cals, my calculation came in at 370 and that was minus the walnuts and only half an apple. That is a big difference. Generally though my meal time menu is sound and comes in around 700 calories daily. What I have been severely underestimating are my snack. My little piece of chicken which I am thinking 50 cals, no – 120 cals. Anyway I am back to weighing and measuring everything BEFORE I eat it. I am tweaking as I go along so this morning Grilled Apricots and yoghurt says 140 cals, calculation yes it is near enough but my lunch of sardine and cream cheese pate was way out with the cream cheese coming in at nearly 200 calories and the whole recipe is supposed to be 200. Besides verifying the recipe information I will also be cutting right back on snacks as, for instance, my afternoon one seems to be habit not hunger.

    So I hope I am back on track and I have lost half a pound this morning. Better still my BG is around 4.8 and insulin down another unit. That is a plus, plus for me.

    Now who was it – CaravanSue, your daily finger prick is a totally different result from the HbA1c. Use the daily tests to monitor any up or down movement but dont treat them as gospel, they can be wildly inaccurate for many reasons. Food intake, exercise taken the day before, stress levels, illness and so on. The HbAc1 is a very accurate sign of how your BG has been running over a 12 week period and is the average of the 12 weeks. So if one day you were 5.3 and the next 7.8 you are running at 6.5 (that was just an example). I had this discussion with my doctor last time when my test was 6.0 and my daily readings were around 4.5 but sometimes (Christmas dinner) 7.6. They are never the same and should not be compared. Just one other thing, you said your HbA1c was 6.9 and today you read 7.1 – that is a tiny amount of difference. As I suggest, use the daily tests as yard stick to see if it goes up and down and stop worrying, that can put it up too. Lecture over 🙂

  • posted by CaravanSue
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    Thanks SunshineGirl your advice is well accepted.
    I too am struggling with eating too much, but am determined to beat this diabetes.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    I am getting myself back into this woe and have started to lose weight again. BG down to 4.0 this morning and still reducing insulin.

    CaravanSue, if you are struggling with eating too much you have to take a close look at what is happening. Are you consciously eating too much because you need to (hunger), is it boredom, is it calculation error (like mine was). The best way to do this is to log everything for a few days, and I mean everything, like I was forgetting milk in coffee, teaspoon of olive oil in cooking (100 cals). Do this for a few days and see where you can tweak your diet to bring it down to the 800 cals without causing hunger or discomfort. If you are knowingly eating over the 800 you might need to give yourself a talking to and look at your motivation. Diabetes is a very good reason to stick with this and you will get your numbers down. Just KOKO…

  • posted by KrysiaD
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    Sunshine-girl – that’s exactly what happened to me. Was only eating BSD friendly food – but had started not weighing or measuring properly because I thought I could accurately judge portion size. In April – although I had only put on just over 7lbs since Christmas my blood sugars were far too high.

    I was quite shocked when I weighed what I thought was 40g Greek yoghurt and it actually weighed 120g! Two teaspoons of cream in my coffee had turned into 5 – and then there were the nuts and dark chocolate! My weight and blood sugars dropped dramatically when I went back to weighing and logging food.

    Have been reading your posts and would like to congratulate you on the way your bloodsugars are dropping. So good to hear that you are also able to reduce the insulin dose.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Thanks KrysiaD. just shows, even us old timers have something to learn.

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Krysia – I find the illustrations in the recipe book incredibly misleading; for example the yogurt breakfast looks much more than 2 tablespoons, and generally the photographs don’t sit well with the calories (which we know are a bit sketchy).
    Maggie

  • posted by 1960smp
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    Can’t believe I started again only to fall…
    So, going to try again.

    Thanks for the tips Sunshine girl. It’s encouraging
    Think one of my problems is I find logging food so darn tedious…..so need to find a way around that

  • posted by 1960smp
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    Totally agree Maggie!

  • posted by 1960smp
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    [img]https://www.flickr.com/photos/16116127@N02/shares/p5R4Fs[/img]

  • posted by Walesy07
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    Hi I’ve just made Red Thai Curry for tea. Very tasty. This is my first day. Gone well so far 😀

  • posted by 1960smp
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    oopsy

  • posted by 1960smp
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     photo IMG_0079.jpg
    Sorry, trying to add a picture, this is my breakfast from MM original book…

  • posted by 1960smp
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     photo IMG_0079.jpg

    Soory folks, trying to work out how to add a picture

    This was breakfast, egg on avocado…

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Nothing like a diet is it 😋

  • posted by CaravanSue
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    My weekend went out the window as I was rushed to hospital suffering with gall stones 😨 so painful.
    I am now too scared to eat for fear of another flare up before I see the surgeon on Thursday.
    I am not giving up but going a little easier on myself till Thursday.

  • posted by Libstar
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    Right, so decided to take a ‘day off’ 10 days ago and its been a feeding frenzy ever since. I actually don’t like the way I feel when I eat so much so don’t know why I do it, its like addiction. I ate 4 chocolate bars and 4 packs of crisps in one sitting! So far today I’ve had overnight oats with grated apple and cinnamon. I find I can eat healthy and look after myself for 2 weeks before falling back into the old routine, Going to make an effort to break the fortnightly cycle. Great forum, really positive and supportive.

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Libstar it is an addiction! Have you managed to detox from refined carbs? Until you manage that it’s going to be really hard, your carb devil will always looking for opportunities to tempt you.
    Did you get any fats in your breakfast? I make sure to include fat in every meal. My carb allowance makes fruit and oats a big no-no, but even so I’d choose eggs, avocado or bacon as choices.
    Give yourself a hug and have a nice lunch 😊
    Maggie

  • posted by Frog
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    whew – not the only one then! Bit of a “lost weekend” BSD wise.
    Had gained a but this morning – hopefully when I weigh tomorrow, I’ll be back at where I was this time last week – fingers crossed!
    Read a blog by someone whose opinion I normally rate, effectively saying “low carb diets aren’t effective in treating diabetes because blood sugars go up again when you stop following them”.
    He didn’t mention whether or not his medication still works if he stops taking it. Pillock.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Not feeling smug, but have managed to get back on track after ironing out a few errors in my thinking. Back down to what I was 2 weeks ago so now going to play catch up and still want that 1 stone by 30th July (that is the end of this challenge I think). Will keep on keeping on. Not got any social events planned for the next week so hoping to behave myself.

  • posted by Frog
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    Well done Sunshine Girl – at least now you’ve worked out where you were going wrong and are back on track.
    My mindset is still a bit more towards “keep on keeping off” and missing things I can’t have, but my weight yesterday was back down to where I was the week before – so not as much lost in my first month back as I’d hoped, but similarly I know where I went wrong!

  • posted by Verano
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    Hi I’m still behaving like a duck ….. paddling madly just to stand still! I think we really do get stale after a while and forget the way we were when we first started. A few days ago I read of somebody weighing lettuce, I used to do that! Maybe life is too short to weigh lettuce but sometimes we just have to go right back to basics for a few weeks. As you said s-g your idea of a ‘matchbox’ piece of cheese weighed far more than you expected …. must have been cooks matches!

    So today I’m going to weigh out my chicken salad for brunch. I’m away this weekend but actually looking forward to being away from all the temptations at home like that extra piece of blue cheese and crispbreads with a glass of red! I really do need to start again.

  • posted by harryjt
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    I think this thread is for me as well! ive just started again from the 1st july.

    after loosing 2 stone 10lbs over a year ago. ive now piled it all back on plus more!

    its completly my own doing. as iive slowly slip back into my old ways.

    i felt so good about myself when id lost all that weight and now i feel pretty low!

    but im back on it. lost 6lbs since the 1st july.

    determined!

    good luck restarters! we can do it!

  • posted by tigs
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    Ohh! ALL my favourite people! Love you each one and well done on where you are at. What a thrill to see you still here. I did so well 18 months ago but woe, life got in the way yada yada.
    Day One – TICK (1 July)
    Day Two – TICK
    Day Three – wine and carbs++ as the hunger hit and I fell so easily
    Day Four – TICK
    Day Five – underway

    Really need your support and very happy to cheer for all too

    tigsxx

  • posted by Verano
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    A milestone for me today …. this is my second anniversary of eating the BSD way. So, I guess it’s time to take stock again.

    The last few months have been really hard for me. After several holidays I have ended up around a stone higher than at the beginning of the year. In the past I have dealt with holiday gains very quickly and got myself back on track but for some reason this year that hasn’t happened. I have to admit, although, I don’t eat simple carbs, my portions have increased and I’ve stopped weighing and counting. All in all I’ve been feeling rather down BUT last night I met somebody I’d not seen for several years. ‘Wow’, he said, ‘you look fantastic ‘. Well what a lift. I realise I’ve been dwelling far too much on my weight gain and failure to lose it this year. I need to look at the bigger picture and concentrate on my successes.

    I have taken on board JGwen’s ‘Why’? I know what I would like to achieve in the future and more importantly ‘WHY’. So here goes, clean slate, new journal and the start of year 3. I will do my very best to build on my successes and make this year the best yet.

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Happy anniversary Verano! You seem to have identified why you’ve had a hiccup and what to do about it. As you say it’s all too easy to lose the big picture and forget our achievements, just dwell on what’s gone wrong. How fortuitous to run into an old friend who reminded you of how far you’ve come!
    JGwen’s suggestion that we think about the Why’s is such a clever one, we often get fixated on the scales overlooking all the many benefits we’ve achieved.
    I hope you feel that you’re in a better place – and goodness knows you deserve to be, you’ve given so much help to me and so many others. Be kind to yourself 🙂
    Maggie

  • posted by alliecat
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    CONGRATULATIONS V., on your Anniversary, as well as epiphany moment! I have a tendency to minimize
    my accomplishments, too, so it’s good to remind ourselves from time to time, or have the good fortune to
    be reminded by others 🙂 We all recognize your achievements, and applaud you for them. Brava, my friend!

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Bonne anniversaire Verano, we are a right couple of oldies on here (not our real age, we are youngsters). I too have looked back at how much I have achieved and. although I am only a stone lighter than 2 years ago – that sounds bad – I have had success with my BG and other medical markers.
    But of a glitch last night when the electricity went of in the middle of a storm, no way to cook and nothing good to eat in as I shop on a Thursday. Opened a jar of pate and had that (shared it) on oat cakes and Ryvitas. Never mind, it was only one meal and everything is fine here although our gazebo has been shredded to bits. Another day and something else to buy.

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Oh sunshine-girl you are having disappointing weather! Hope they’ve sorted out the power, infuriating about the gazebo.
    Fingers crossed for lots of ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
    Maggie

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Maggie, it has been in the mid 30’s for the last 3 weeks and we always know it has to break sometime. However, I have never seen a storm like this but the only damage was the gazebo – it is only an oversized tent cover but hard to find a replacement at this time of year as they will all be sold out. My tomatoes had been flattened but I managed to drag the stakes back up and bend them in the right direction.

  • posted by Frog
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    2 years – well done verano
    used to love big storms when I lived in the south of France Sunshine Girl

    just in from a not so abstemious night out. I looked at the menu in the afternoon, passed on my favourite spinach borek; wisely chose the haloumi salad – probably no carb apart from a single cherry tomato, and I eschewed the bread, rice and potatoes.
    Only to discover the salad contained LOADS – I mean half a brick – of haloumi.
    It was great, I ate it, enjoyed it.
    then the three bottles of wine – but that was between three of us.

    V strange (young & good looking) bloke on the way home v insistent that I go for a drink with him. I didn’t, but that’s the third time in recent weeks. Sort of flattering I suppose – but there are distinct disadvantages of losing weight.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Managed to find a new tonnelle (gazebo). We have had to replace the whole thing as it was not just the cover that was ripped, the supports were bent out of shape too. Another €170 said bye bye to. Hubby always wants to pay a lot of money for one like €500 but it would have still ripped to pieces. Yes Frog the storms are magnificent but the bl—-dy French will not put their electricity underground and the wires are still on poles. So the outages are a real pain in the butt.

    My weight is back down to 3 weeks ago and under the 77kg although I am relaxing on the whole losing weight thing and concentrating on lowering blood sugar, although I do know they go hand in hand. Hopefully I can do a bit of both but without the pressure of having to lose a stone in 3 weeks sort of diet. Just take my own time.

    I am really enjoying the Food As Medicine course with FutureLearn and would recommend their full range of free courses to anyone. Short courses (i.e. 3 or 4 weeks), around 2 to 3 hours a week mainly watching videos of the tutors imparting their wisdom, no tests or exams but short quizzes to check your understanding and commentary boards where you can discuss your own views and how you are getting on with other course members who are far-flung and varied. On that note, I am noticing more and more BSD’ers doing this course and hope to keep saying hi to them. Have a good weekend everyone and KOKO…

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Today I have been busy sorting our a house sitter for our holiday and the end of September. So many people applied to do it and I have answered every email (9 in total). I could just press the decline button on each but I think that is rude so have had quite a task. The site I use is brilliant, if anyone is interested in either using a sitter or becoming one, get in touch and I will pass on the details. Anyway, we have chosen someone so that is a weight of our minds. Talking about weight, I have lost another quarter of a pound so technically I have 10lbs to lose by the end of this month. Dont think that is possible but I am still going in the right direction.

    Enjoy the weekend and lovely weather if you are having it. Good luck to England. I dont watch football but will have it on in the background just to see how we are doing.

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Sunshine-girl, daughter could be very interested in the agency. She’s a maitre d’ a cruise line so has 2 months off in 6 and would like to do something other than kick her heels!
    Thanks,
    Maggie

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Maggie, if you send me your daughters email address to mine at piscinegirl@gmail.com, I will send her the link to the site. The reason to do it through me is she will get a 20% discount on her first years membership. I dont know what it is for sitters but for me as a pet owner it was £100 less 20% i.e. £80. We saved that the first time we used a sitter as it would have cost us nearly €200 in the cattery for a week. They are called TrustedHouseSitters.com so she can have a look before signing up and if she has any questions she can contact me direct for a chat. She will probably have to look after pets but she can choose cats, dogs, rabbits etc or sometimes it is just a house sit. There is no obligation even after I have contacted them.

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Thank you so much sunshine-girl. She’s out right now but I’ll tell her when I see her.
    Maggie

  • posted by caronl
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    Hi CurlFitGirl and congratulations on Day1. Just take it one meal at a time and think about where you are heading not where you have come from. I find is very easy to beat yourself up about past mistakes! One of my big regrets is not having followed this way of eating earlier. I have just put on a size 12 Tshirt this morning – first time in 45 years…. 45 years of worrying about my weight, Slimming World, WeightWatchers…… You are coming to this way of eating as a relative spring chicken, so good for you!

    There is a strong thread of perfectionism in your posts – and very familiar: last supper syndrome, “writing off” a day or a diet if there is a blip. So pleased that you have come back. One thought that helps me (picked up from a blog on SparkPeople and with apologies for repetition) is to think about an eating slip-up as a traffic offence. If you got a speeding ticket, would you think “what the hell” for the rest of the day?? Parking fine, jumping the lights etc? Obviously not. So why do we treat eating mistakes so differently? If you make a bad choice, just move on. Don’t write the day off, nor this way of eating. It is a life changer. Good luck!

  • posted by alliecat
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    I so agree with Caronl, curlfitgirl 🙂 Take this one day at a time, or one meal at a time, if necessary. Pre-planning
    is key, and you will have that mastered in no time, and it will soon be as familiar to you as any other daily task.
    Best wishes for your success!

    Allie

  • posted by Frog
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    I had frozen avocado today
    It wasn’t quite as nice as fresh avocado, but convenient – just shoved it in a box with a boiled egg and some prawns, and it had all thawed out by the time i went to eat it. Given the number I’ve bought recently that have either been bruised mush or as hard as bullets. it’s not a bad option.

  • posted by 1960smp
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    Starting week 2 it would seem I am down by almost 3pounds….it would def have been more but I have been mixing some other low carb recipes along MM ones and may well have overdone the calories. Finding 800 cals hard if am honest!

    I need a procedure ( have done for 12 months ) but local NHS hosp turned me down saying my BMI needs to be under 30! Just worked out that’s a 3 stone loss required!! felt so humiliated but it should spur me on , however, I find I wanted to eat everything not allowed…

    I will give this week a real good go. Drinking water is so doable right now as its hot, hot, hot and that always traicks my tum into feeling full.

    So, to all of us keeping on keeping on, lets do this….all the best!!

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