Quote:
Originally Posted by Amisi
I'm just so sick of this "carb counting" nonsense. EVERYTHING has carbs in it!!
When I was first diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, the doctor was a real moron. He didn't even refer me to an endochrinologist. He just told me "no carbs and no sugar" and expected me to come back to see him monthly. He had me so freaking confused, put me on all different meds and totally screwed me up. I just gave up on it because his "professional instructions" were impossible to follow (no carbs? no sugar? what are you supposed to eat?!?!)
I'm still confused by it all and have about lost hope on getting it under control. I'm way overweight.... I have no clue where to start... I hate fish; I'm not a huge meat-eater. Soooo... and I supposed to survive on cucumbers and romaine lettuce with an occassional fat-free hot dog or an egg???????
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I know what you mean -- I no longer call them carbs -- I call them crabs because they make me crabby.
For a month or so, write down every thing you eat and count the carbs.
Carbohydrate Counting - American Diabetes Association
And frankly -- I just type carb count and item and google tells me.
In the same book as your food diary, write down your blood glucose meter readings. Learn what foods affect you, and not. Go whole grain on breads and pastas -- and if you buy bread, keep in mind those wide bread loaves like Sara Lee, or BrownBerry Ovens (actually I think they are all wide loaves anymore) are one slice servings -- each slice is 20+ carbs.
Each meal AND SNACK has to be COMPLETE. You need protein and carbs and veggies or fruit. The days of grabbing an apple and being done with a snack is OVER. A snack is now a little cheese or a piece of ham, a couple of whole grain crackers and a veggie or fruit.
For me:
Breakfast is cereal -- or oatmeal. I prefer old fashioned oats, I cook 1/2 cup in the microwave. I add frozen blueberries after it's done and WAY too hot, a little brown sugar and toss in some walnuts, top with milk. Around 35 carbs.
Lunch is a sandwich -- I make my own bread (whole wheat with additional seeds and grains), it's a smaller home style loaf and I can use two pieces of bread. I make egg salad, or a peanut butter and jelly, or ham. With egg salad or ham -- there's lots of veggies on the sandwich. About 35 carbs.
My snack is a three triscuits, a stemlet of grapes, and a celery rib stuffed with my home made lower fat pimento cheese (8 ounces low fat cream cheese, 8 ounces low fat sharp cheddar grated with the large hole grater, a 4 ounces jar of minced pimentos drained, and light mayo. Toss the cream cheese into the mixer and beat, add the pimentos and beat, add the cheese to mix and add mayo till it's loose enough to spread easily. Store in the fridge) Should be about 15-20 carbs.
Dinner is pretty easy -- we've started eating fish, but before I was the chicken queen. Chicken or fish and veggies and salad, and dessert -- could be a little ice cream, could be a cookie or two, but life is not worth it without dessert. I try to keep it under 30 carbs.
And if at night I'm starving -- well, that means I won't sleep -- then I'll eat a cup of yogurt before bed. Around 20 carbs.
This is a lifestyle change, and lifestyle changes ARE HARD.
You also have to add in exercise. Exercise helps regulate the glucose. And exercise means getting your blood pumping and working up a sweat. Given that I work a physical job (I'm a janitor) I was a little miffed to find out the fact I push a 16 pound vacuum cleaner back and forth for a 1/4 of a mile a day DOESN'T COUNT AS EXERCISE. But I've been doing that for a very long time and I'm used to it.... and it doesn't affect me as exercise anymore.
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