# Dieting as long as I can remember. Help needed



## maddisonsquare (May 30, 2016)

good morning. I have always been overweight. I am now just over 20st. Diagnosed T2 2 years ago and on Metformin. 
I joined a gym and go twice a week and my shape is changing but my eating habits are dismal. 
I have tried every diet out there from the age of 16 to today and none last. I have asked doctor for advice but the don't advocate any one diet and say eat less and exercise more. 
After too many years of swapping from one diet to another and I hate to think what it has cost in money!!! I want to follow a lifestyle I can adhere to for the rest of my life. Increase my exercise as I do enjoy that. But it's the 'diet'. I just don't know which to follow. 
Do you think it can be that easy - eat less and exercise more. 
I would welcome any advice. I have my annual diabetes check this week and would love to think at next years check I can make a huge difference. 
Goal is to be medication free. 
I look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you. Xxx


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## grovesy (May 30, 2016)

I have found be reducing portions and carbohydrates, has helped me.


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## maddisonsquare (May 30, 2016)

Thank you. I am thinking that low fat isn't good as has sugars added. So go back to basics. Fruit. Meat. Veg. I have even considered doing myself my own 'ration booklet'. I have naively ignored my T2 for over 2 years and concentrated on trying to lose weight. Maybe I need to reverse that sentence and I am thinking the weight will reduce naturally and organically xx


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## Northerner (May 30, 2016)

maddisonsquare said:


> good morning. I have always been overweight. I am now just over 20st. Diagnosed T2 2 years ago and on Metformin.
> I joined a gym and go twice a week and my shape is changing but my eating habits are dismal.
> I have tried every diet out there from the age of 16 to today and none last. I have asked doctor for advice but the don't advocate any one diet and say eat less and exercise more.
> After too many years of swapping from one diet to another and I hate to think what it has cost in money!!! I want to follow a lifestyle I can adhere to for the rest of my life. Increase my exercise as I do enjoy that. But it's the 'diet'. I just don't know which to follow.
> ...


Hi maddisonsquare, good to hear from you again, but sorry to hear that you are still struggling  Portion size is certainly important, and there are lots of other things you can do that will hopefully help, both with your weight and your diabetes management  I would suggest starting a food diary and writing down the amount (in grams) of any carbohydrates in everything you eat and drink for a week or two. This will give you a true indication of your carb intake, and also provide a good reference for you to look for areas where you might improve things so that your diet is more 'diabetes-friendly' - things like reducing potatoes and adding more green veg, for a simple example. Many people are very inventive, and use cauliflower rice and courgetti spaghetti - browse the Food section for ideas  Do you test your blood sugar levels to see how well you are tolerating your meals? If not, I would highly recommend doing it. Have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand to process. If you don't have a meter and test strips it's worth getting your own - the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50.

Why am I saying all this when what you want is to lose weight? Well you answered your own question really, getting good control of your blood sugar levels will really help with this, and in getting that good control you will more than likely start to lose weight. This is the main thing to concentrate on, as establishing a good diet that gives you stable blood sugar levels is more important than going all out on a 'quick-fix' diet of any kind, as the new you will need to find a diet you are happy with, can stick to, and keeps you healthy  In terms of what to eat, I would suggest having a look at the GL (Glycaemic Load) Diet - The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction, and describes how to to select and combine foods so that they have a slow, steady impact on blood glucose levels.

Good luck , and please let us know if you have any more questions


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## Copepod (May 30, 2016)

Many members have found that joining a real life group such as Weightwatchers or Slimming World. In some areas, GPs or other NHS staff can refer patients to groups, and even subsidise membership - try here for a group near you: http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Weight loss support groups/LocationSearch/1429
Some areas can also offer cheap deals on physical activities eg health walks swimming pool or gym use. Through the summer, some councils offer special events, free of charge, in local parks eg Leeds is offering 3 introductory orienteering sessions in each of 3 parks from June to September, plus there are lots of triathlon related events, around the ITU championship on 11 / 12 June.


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## Amigo (May 30, 2016)

Hi Maddisonsquare. I think your sentence 'but my eating habits are dismal' explain what's causing the problem. This isn't about intellectualising what you need to eat because you already know, it's more about mentally and emotionally being able to embrace it. It could be a course of therapy like CBT may help because sometimes attitudinal and other factors impact on our inability to do what we absolutely know we must. My friend had bariatric surgery (I'm not suggesting you should) because she was massively overweight but hated food! She never enjoyed cooking or had a good relationship with food at all but couldn't stop it overwhelming her.

You need somehow to find the mind set to do it because it isn't a 'diet' you need really, it's a whole life change to your relationship with food. And I hope that doesn't sound preachy because I know exactly how it feels to have to do this. And you're right, weight watching diets are not always compatible with diabetic needs. When I look at WW products, I'm always surprised at the high carb content.

Good luck!


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## maddisonsquare (May 30, 2016)

Thank you everyone for your comments and help. I think my first step is to forget diet foods. I know they don't work. But something in me tells me to buy them. 
I need to realise that I can simply eat smaller meals and exercise more and be aware of my carb / sugar intake and to reduce this all over time. To embrace the new foods and meals I can have and watch how exercise can change my body. My meals are usually what I call 'beige' and they need to be colourful with veg and fruit and salad. The 'beige' needs to be reduced. Over time. Not over night. I am excited. I think I may finally have realised what I have been and am doing wrong. But my brain is already saying - can it be that simple. I think the single answer is yes xxx


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## Amigo (May 30, 2016)

maddisonsquare said:


> Thank you everyone for your comments and help. I think my first step is to forget diet foods. I know they don't work. But something in me tells me to buy them.
> I need to realise that I can simply eat smaller meals and exercise more and be aware of my carb / sugar intake and to reduce this all over time. To embrace the new foods and meals I can have and watch how exercise can change my body. My meals are usually what I call 'beige' and they need to be colourful with veg and fruit and salad. The 'beige' needs to be reduced. Over time. Not over night. I am excited. I think I may finally have realised what I have been and am doing wrong. But my brain is already saying - can it be that simple. I think the single answer is yes xxx



Sounds to me like you're entering a different phase and way of thinking which will get you there. Maybe you do need to plan more and make smaller more appealing meals. Sending very best wishes.


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## maddisonsquare (Jun 22, 2016)

Northerner said:


> Hi maddisonsquare, good to hear from you again, but sorry to hear that you are still struggling  Portion size is certainly important, and there are lots of other things you can do that will hopefully help, both with your weight and your diabetes management  I would suggest starting a food diary and writing down the amount (in grams) of any carbohydrates in everything you eat and drink for a week or two. This will give you a true indication of your carb intake, and also provide a good reference for you to look for areas where you might improve things so that your diet is more 'diabetes-friendly' - things like reducing potatoes and adding more green veg, for a simple example. Many people are very inventive, and use cauliflower rice and courgetti spaghetti - browse the Food section for ideas  Do you test your blood sugar levels to see how well you are tolerating your meals? If not, I would highly recommend doing it. Have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand to process. If you don't have a meter and test strips it's worth getting your own - the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50.
> 
> Why am I saying all this when what you want is to lose weight? Well you answered your own question really, getting good control of your blood sugar levels will really help with this, and in getting that good control you will more than likely start to lose weight. This is the main thing to concentrate on, as establishing a good diet that gives you stable blood sugar levels is more important than going all out on a 'quick-fix' diet of any kind, as the new you will need to find a diet you are happy with, can stick to, and keeps you healthy  In terms of what to eat, I would suggest having a look at the GL (Glycaemic Load) Diet - The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction, and describes how to to select and combine foods so that they have a slow, steady impact on blood glucose levels.
> 
> Good luck , and please let us know if you have any more questions


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## maddisonsquare (Jun 22, 2016)

Hi Northerner, I have ordered the SC Codefree Meter today and download the 'Test, Review, Adjust by Alan S'. And will read that this evening. 
Thank you for your advice. xxx


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## JTI (Jul 11, 2016)

One thing that work for me was the following 'diet'. I made it up to be honest but it just worked for me. 

I started with a 'normal' breakfast (for me that was 2 weetabix or 2 toast with butter and tea or soft boiled egg and one buttered toast). No snacks in the morning(just tea or coffee), a normalish lunch - (usually a bought sandwich - 2 slices of bread and whatever filling - or jacket potato. I would then have a fruit or yoghurt in the late afternoon. . The hard part was giving up my customary daily chocolate bars and crisps with lunch.

Then for dinner I would just have grilled or baked lean meat (usually in a sauce of some kind), hot vegetables and salad,  and some fruit for dessert (so no starchy carbs). I would pretend it was a 3 course meal - salad, then meat and veg, followed by fruit.

I did this 6 days a week with 7th day being a cheat day, perhaps a bit of chocolate or heavy evening meal on the 7th day or occasionally a big mac meal for lunch instead (it is a cheat day after all!). To clarify I allowed myself 1 big or occasionally 2 smaller cheats on the 7th day. I planned my cheat day around social events.

I drank a little more water (but probably not the '8' glasses a day).  I drank tea and coffee. I didn't drink carbonated drinks. 

I did resistance/weight training and taekwon-do - both just twice a week. Also I had to walk 25 minutes to and from work.  In 4 months I lost 20 kg. I kept the weight off for 6 years - until my job/location changed to very sedentary with no walk to work and I made poor dietary choices again.

So essentially the diet is literally just having less for dinner and having higher activity levels. No calorie counting - no real restrictions on food - just no starchy carbs for dinner and being sensible for breakfast/lunch. 

The irony was I lost weight despite using the sugar/fat laden Chicken tonight/Home pride sauces. I would have probably lost more weight if I didn't rely heavily on these sauces - but I wasn't married then, and I couldn't cook well!

This worked for me. I wouldn't have been able to stick to it for 6 or so months without the cheat day! To maintain it after the six months, I added one starchy carb (smallish portion) to my evening meal and had my fruit in the late afternoon. 

I hope it helps.


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## HOBIE (Jul 16, 2016)

Can you imagine being on a diet from the age of 3 . I really do enjoy missing lunch at times


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## HOBIE (Jul 16, 2016)

Good luck Maddison S


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