# Please help I need a diet plan



## Mark s74 (Feb 27, 2017)

Firstly I'm new to the forum so would like to say hi to you all.im type 2 diabetic and need help to find a diet plan that works for me I have asked my doctor and diabetic nurse if I can see a dietician but they say I don't need it just stay away from carbs and sugar but my problem is I don't like most vegetables or any salad .I have bought a few books but it's all food I won't eat. If anybody could help me find a book or diet plan somewhere I would be eternally gratefully thank you


----------



## Kaylz (Feb 27, 2017)

Mark s74 said:


> Firstly I'm new to the forum so would like to say hi to you all.im type 2 diabetic and need help to find a diet plan that works for me I have asked my doctor and diabetic nurse if I can see a dietician but they say I don't need it just stay away from carbs and sugar but my problem is I don't like most vegetables or any salad .I have bought a few books but it's all food I won't eat. If anybody could help me find a book or diet plan somewhere I would be eternally gratefully thank you


What kind of foods do you like, things like fish, chicken, meat are all a good thing to have but we do also need vegetables so might have to start trying to find something you do like veg wise x


----------



## Mark s74 (Feb 27, 2017)

Hi thanks for your reply pretty much only like peas sweetcorn peppers onions and can eat carrots but I'm not a big fan


----------



## Bubbsie (Feb 27, 2017)

Mark s74 said:


> Firstly I'm new to the forum so would like to say hi to you all.im type 2 diabetic and need help to find a diet plan that works for me I have asked my doctor and diabetic nurse if I can see a dietician but they say I don't need it just stay away from carbs and sugar but my problem is I don't like most vegetables or any salad .I have bought a few books but it's all food I won't eat. If anybody could help me find a book or diet plan somewhere I would be eternally gratefully thank you


Hi Mark...it can be hard work determining what you can and can't eat with diabetes...like you I rarely ate vegetables...couldn't face the prospect of eating vegetables on their own... didn't like them...and still don't...now do have some...disguise them with other foods...slip spinach/lentils/pulses into casseroles...stews...curries...there are plenty of ideas on the forum...have a look at the 'what have you actually eaten today' thread...will give you some ideas...what about fruit? ...some are off limits (for me)...loaded with sugar...usually berries are a good bet...I 'hide' those in a Greek yoghurt...or with cream...not surprised your doctor & nurse offered little support...many are advised to read a book and get on with it...don't despair you'll get plenty of support/ideas here...I'm still not the best with VEG...but getting better at it slowly...and there are plenty of things you may be able to tolerate that will surprise you...just wondering if you are testing your Blood Glucose (BG)...that is a sure fire way to see what effect the food you are eating has on your blood sugars...do you take medication?...tell us a little about yourself...will give an indication of far you've come in the diabetes 'fight'...good luck from a fellow salad hater!


----------



## Ljc (Feb 27, 2017)

Hi Mark. The good thing with your gp and nurse, they are not telling you that you *must eat lots of carbs* like a lot of them do. 
It's practically impossible to stay away from carbs, even the humble err sorry horrid lettuce has some carbs.
So how about starting out by cutting down on the starchy carbs, things like potatoes, rice bread and pasta, grapes are little sugar bombs , fruit juice is full of sugar too. 
Their are lower carb breads available, new potatoes have lower carbs than mashed , only have a spoonful or two of rice with your curry or something else that you like on the menu instead of rice.

Just to give you a few ideas,
Providing you eat meat, all meat is fine for us, including high meat content sausages and burgers, eggs, cheese , some nuts are low carb.  
We often tolerate berries better than other fruits 
I still have chips be they from the chippy or oven chips, only about 6 though, unless I'm being naughty.


----------



## grovesy (Feb 27, 2017)

Welcome. 
Why not tell us what you would normally eat.


----------



## Mark s74 (Feb 27, 2017)

Wow thanks everyone I have already had more support on here in an hour than I have had from my gp and diabetic nurse in 2 years.i take 2 500mg metformin a day I am keeping my bg between 6.5 and 7.5 although I'm finding it tough to keep it well managed and stable thanks for the suggestions


----------



## grovesy (Feb 27, 2017)

Thoose levels are within targets. So you are not doing to bad.


----------



## Mark s74 (Feb 27, 2017)

I eat a lot of chicken and pork I have changed from beef mince to pork mine to try and cut down on fat.i eat too many potatoes and white rice (tried brown rice don't like it) and not enough veg lol


----------



## Bubbsie (Feb 27, 2017)

Mark s74 said:


> Hi thanks for your reply pretty much only like peas sweetcorn peppers onions and can eat carrots but I'm not a big fan





Mark s74 said:


> Wow thanks everyone I have already had more support on here in an hour than I have had from my gp and diabetic nurse in 2 years.i take 2 500mg metformin a day I am keeping my bg between 6.5 and 7.5 although I'm finding it tough to keep it well managed and stable thanks for the suggestions


Agree with grovesy...those numbers are GOOD...within the NICE guidelines...it is tough particularly at the beginning Mark...however once you have a bit more 'practice' at this diabetes lark (figure of speech only)...much of what you do will become like second nature...I had little or no support from GP initially...had several discussions with him...now I do have his attention...even though it seems as if you may be fighting a losing battle with your health care providers...that relationship can improve...be persistent with them...demonstrate how you are exercising good control (shown in those levels)...and often they do sit up and take you seriously.


----------



## grovesy (Feb 27, 2017)

All the meats should be ok even beef. The potatoes and rice is more of a grey area. I find mash potatoes push my levels up but I am ok three new potatoes. Rice you need to experiment with types and portions,to see what suits you or not, as we are all differnt.


----------



## ianbilly (Feb 27, 2017)

Mark s74 said:


> I eat a lot of chicken and pork I have changed from beef mince to pork mine to try and cut down on fat.i eat too many potatoes and white rice (tried brown rice don't like it) and not enough veg lol


If you can cut the carbs as mentioned, your body will burn the fat anyway so go for it with Beef & fattier meats, the high protein is good for you. Just have a smaller portion of Basmati rice or whole wheat pasta and have more of the main bit of the meal. Aim for like under a quarter of a plate and its a start. Good luck with it @Mark s74


----------



## trophywench (Feb 27, 2017)

You may think I'm nuts here, but - do you like Indian food?  I ask because they do various vegetable dishes - where eg spud or cauli doesn't taste of spud or cauli, it tastes of curry! - but, you get the different textures of whatever it is.  White cabbage is another thing that becomes a totally different animal in a Balti - veg Balti (usually peas in this as well as other stuff where we go) and a tandoori chicken breast - yum yum yum!

They aren't disguised at all as far as looks are concerned - but simply don't taste of what they actually are.

I am not at all keen on cooked courgette.  However, raw courgette I love!  Oooh - and crispy fried courgette flowers - may sound batty - and I'm not entirely sure whether they class as veg, but they aren't meat or anything else!  (Think you need to visit Greece in May to sample them though) 

One day out at a rather nice buffet style dinner at an hotel (at a 'do') a friend's husband behind me in the queue with our plates said Oooh - smoked eel! in a really appreciating tone - my tummy nearly turned over at the thought, and I wasn't feeling any better really when I spotted it (he's taller than me LOL) but he insisted I tried it.  So I let him put a teeny teeny bit on a separate plate.  Sat down, made sure I'd got a drink and some plain bread, to take the taste away - knock me down with a feather  - delicious!

I now do not knock anything - until I've tried it first!


----------



## Martin Canty (Feb 27, 2017)

Mark s74 said:


> I don't like most vegetables or any salad


In my previous existence (pre DX) veggies never really made it onto my plate except onions, celery, peppers, potatoes & carrots.... Since DX I am constantly refining my diet & find that dinner now consists of a lot of green veggies & salads, the point being that tastes can change with a little perseverance. One trick (like Jenny suggests) is to change up the taste a little, Brussel Sprouts sautéed in  butter & garlic is a favorite of mine. Very rarely do I boil veggies as I think it takes a lot of the taste away, instead preferring them raw, sautéed, steamed or air fried.


----------



## Nig3lMac (Feb 27, 2017)

whats air frying Martin?


----------



## Martin Canty (Feb 27, 2017)

Nig3lMac said:


> whats air frying Martin?


It's essentially frying food using fan fed hot air for heat rather than oil or contact..... I just drizzle a little oil on the food, season, shake it a little & add to the frying basket.... Put the frying basket in the 'frying chamber & the hot air does the rest. does veggies, meat & fish very well & very little mess


----------



## Radders (Feb 27, 2017)

I think the taste of most vegetables is improved by cooking them at a higher temperature, e.g. Stir Frying or roasting. My stepson who is not a veg fan loves my stir fried onion, mushrooms and peppers, sometimes with julienne carrots. Any green veg sautéed with garlic and/or onion takes on a more savoury flavour. As Jen and Martin have said you just need to spice them up and blend them. Certain vegetables when cooked create the flavour that is the basis of monosodium glutamate which used to be sold as a flavour enhancer. These veg include garlic, mushrooms and celery.


----------



## trophywench (Feb 28, 2017)

Sprouts sliced and sautéed with chopped up bacon - toss a few almonds in and get it going then turn the gas up to high until it JUST starts to catch - serve immediately,

Drool .......


----------



## Bryan Osborne (Feb 28, 2017)

There is some really great advice on here and you will get it warts and all. 

I have been diagnosed for just three weeks and with help I an getting control of my BG somewhere between 5.4 and 7.0 most days now.

I think the best bit of advice I got was to pack up the "Bakery," "Bread" and those "Carbs" that are high on the GI index. This was backed up with the advice to get a Meter and Test, Test Test. On waking, BEFORE Breakfast. Two hours after and then before and two hours after for each meal and then bedtime. I am sure that most GP's will prescribe the lancettes and test strips if you identify that you are "mapping" your BG to your diet. 

The one thing I found that surprised me is that if you get the portion size per food right then there is little that you can't eat. I have made the life change regarding the sweets and foods that are silly to eat as a T2.

I am quite a big fella (even though I am wasting at 64) around 95kg. However, I try to stick to a meal portion size of no bigger than my clenched fist. If I want a snack I take it AFTER my +2hrs mealtime test. 

Even in a week and a bit, I have found a core of foodstuffs and portion sizes that gives me enough variety. I love a small porridge and blueberries for breakfast, I love lean medallion of bacon and egg also! 

I have rediscovered Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Carrots and well cooked lean meat. Natural Yogurt with raspberries or fresh blueberries?

So don't panic! 

If you are still high on your BG in a good "testing" regime try smaller portion sizes of what you suspect the culprit to be or perhaps go to four smaller meals per day? Remember you need the carbs and the calories to stay health and "spreading" the loading over the day avoids big BG spikes.

Anyhow you will find a lot of support on here, I have and I am grateful to all.


----------

