Acheiving ideal Weight Loss with Diabetes Type 1

[Cinnabon74]

Can anyone direct me or share a sample diet plan to acheive weight loss?

I have had Diabetes for 20 years and I eat healthy and work out 4 - 5 times a week, but a like others on this forum, I want to achieve a 10-15 lb. weight loss.I want to have a good idea of what I need to do. I am stumped and dont see any results at this point, Thanks.

[Super_sally888]

Hi Stacey,

Your email didn't post as they don't allow emails on the public board.
The best diet to help manage diabetes is very low carb, moderate protein, high healthy fats.  This will also help prevent the blood sugar swings that make you feel so bad.

I strongly recommend you look at the book Diabetes Solutions, by Dr. Richard Bernstein.  You can also look him up on U-tube at Bernstein Diabetes University - where he gives a lot of short lectures on how to manage blood sugars.

yes, there is hope.  YOu need to learn the most modern tools and find the latest knowledge.  You can feel better and you can have controlled blood sugars.  It does take some work, but the empowerment and better health that results is really worth it.

[StaceyKirshenbaum]

Please can you email me? My name is Stacey I have been type 1 Diabetic since age 9. I'm now 44.  Im really battling with sugar levels.  From very low to very hi.  I'm feeling the worst I have ever felt. I'm so worried and scared. My Dr is brilliant but they never truly understand how I'm feeling.  Even my diabetic nurse!
I'm 20kg overweight and very awful.
I read this post and your reply really made me feel hopeful. Even though I have been diabetic so long I feel so alone and lost with regard to my health.
My email is ***@****

Many thanks
Stacey

[rubylara]

Hi Janet, I am a type 1 diabetic, needing a change. I feel I'm packing on a few extra kilos and desperatly want to shed them. I have done the "no carb" thing before and like you mentioned, it worked a treat. Can I ask you - what do you eat for breakfast? Would you ever have yoghurt for example? I am wanting to cut out carbs again but not sure to what extreme as yoghurt also has a set amount of carb. Thanks Lara

[fuzzybear876]

Protein shakes can actually add weight to you. As can eating so soon before bed. Your body starts slowing down and preparing for sleep around 7p.m. Also all carbs, complex or simple, can add weight to those with a damaged metabolism such as diabetics. Add more raw vegetables as those will keep your metabolism working. Drink plenty of water to flush your system. Add solid protein (meat) to your dinner. Every morning, drink a glass (8 fl oz) of warm water with juice from half a lemon.

Note: Products that say "low fat" have higher sugar contents to make up for the lack of flavor.

[DB1430]

It sounds like a good eating plan. Can you elaborate on some ways you prepare the foods? Also, what else did you cut out of your diet, and are there more foods that you eat that haven't been mentioned in your post?

Thanks,
Gene F.  

[lou102]

  Is their a single diet you try  to follow? Like atkins, paleo,etc.

[Janet71]

I have been following a low starch/no processed-food eating plan for 4 months and have lost 30 lbs. I have been a Type 1 diabetic for 32 years and haven't found anything that works for me until now. I have cut out bread, pasta, rice, potatoes (white or sweet), corn and sweets. It doesn't matter how "good" the carbs are supposed to be, they still increase your need for more insulin, and over time, this can lead to insulin resistance. I am on an insulin pump and have cut my insulin requirements in half. So basically, I am eating lean protein, roasted soy nuts, nuts sparingly, cottage cheese (almost pure protein) veggies, fruits, and sugar free items with splenda in them. I feel amazing and am so much more energetic. I can keep up with my kids and then some. It may seem drastic to some, but once you cut out the starches, your blood sugars level out, and you don't crave them. Of course, you have to monitor your blood sugars very closely to make sure you don't go too low. The clean fuel I am now eating also helps me burn my food more effeciently, especially if I do eat starches once in awhile. This eating plan is easy if you have kids or other family members who don't want to give up the starches. You make the same meal for everyone, but don't eat the starches yourself. And of course, something like FiberChoice helps with regularity. I was scared to try this at first, but once I did, I was convinced. I will never say "never", but I don't plan on ever going back to my old eating habits.

[diabetesgal1]

Are you on an insulin pump or injections?

I Inject and find that the best way to loose weight is to reduce the amount of insulin significantly and use excersize as a way to bring down my BG level instead of eating to compensate for the excersize.

[dagis]

Well, as I calculate it, without your two protien shakes, you are taking in about 960 calories. Women need a minimum of 1300 calories a day to ensure they don't lower their metabolism. Lower metabolism = weight gain. As long as your protien shakes are at least 440 calories, your food intake should be adequate.

That takes care of the food issue. Have you changed up your fitness routine lately? In order to lose the weight, you've got to keep challenging your body by increasing the frequency, intensity and time of your workouts every 4-6 weeks.

If you continue to do these two things, I say just stick with it and you will eventually start to see a change. Good luck.

[Christie2004]

Your diet actually looks very good.  The only change I might recommend is to ADD a protein, perhaps an EggBeater omelet or cottage cheese in the morning, and increase your Am milk to 1/2-1 cup.  Your current breakfast doesn't have much protein.

You might try 1 cup of raw veggies with your lunch, or a salad made with plenty of veggies included.  I'd actually eat a larger salad at night (1 cup is an AWFULLY small salad).  

Otherwise, you look pretty darn good.  Have you been losing, and this is simply a stall, or are you just beginning?  Any "nibbles" from other foods? Sometimes a bite of a cookie here, some extra cheese, and a brownie there can add up to hundreds of extra calories taken in unknowingly.  But you sound pretty savvy with your diet!

If you are working out strenuously and frequently, you need to be sure you are eating ENOUGH.  If you eat too little, your body will actually lower its metabolic rate and become very efficient at storing what little you take in, despite the exercise and sometimes because of it.  
I've had some of my exercise partners break a stall by actually eating a bit more protein, and slightly decreasing the intensity/frequency of their work out routine.  If you have been following yours for a while, try either scaling back slightly or changing what you do.  

Good luck to you.  

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

Cinnabon,
I like the multiple meals per day approach, too and find that eating a modest amount more times a day keeps me from ever feeling completely famished.

I was intrigued by the protein shake and wanted to know how many gms of "sugar alcohols" are in it.  With the Atkins craze these days, I've seen a lot of products that are very low carbo ... until I read the fine print ... and discover that there may be 15 or more grams of sugar alcohols.  Food labelling allows companies to subtract not only fiber grams but also sugar alcohol grams as they computer "Net" or "Impact" carb content.

While all sugar alcohols are not equal from the point of view of BG impact, my nutritionist suggested that I "count" 1/2 the grams of sugar alcohol to estimate the BG impact and/or insulin/ exercise requirement.  That seems to work pretty well for me.  For example, one of my favorite treats, for example, is a low carb ice cream bar.  The label proudly announces "<3 grams of carb." The nutrition label says:
Total carb = 9
Fiber <1
Sugar alcohol = 6
Net Carb = 3

I bolus for the 3 "net carb" and another 3 (for 1/2 of 6 sugar alcohol grams) = my total of 6grams.  In this example, the difference between the "net" and "my net" is tiny.  Some of the wonderful looking treats, tho', have 15, 20 or more grams of sugar alcohols.

What's been your experience?

[Cinnabon74]

My Diet:

Breakfast:

1 slice of wheat bread w/ small pat of Non fat butter
3 oz milk
4 oz of coffee w/ Slenda


Snack:
10-20 Peanuts or Almonds

Lunch:
2 slices of thin baked wheat bread
3 slices of turkey or tuna
1 medium wedge of tomato
1 Cfree Diet coke


Snack:
Prework out
6 oz of protein shake (2 carbs/ no sugar)
2-3 strawberries

WORK OUT-

Dinner:
salad (1 cup of raw mushrooms, spinach, geenbeans)
1 cup LFat cottage cheese
4 egg whites

1 cup of suagr free Jellp

1-2 hr before bed
6 oz Prot. shake(2 carbs/ no sugar)

I do cardio & weight training 4-5 times a week

[Christie2004]

Can you post a typical days menu for us to look at?  Might be able to give you some hints.

There can be lots of reasons for stalled/slow weight loss, and if you give me an idea of what and how much you are eating, we might be able to figure out what you can do.

[JDRF-Team-ES]

I don't have any sample diets to share with you, but there are so many that you should have no problem finding an appropriate one.  From your previous questions, it sounds like you have a lot of questions and concerns about weight and diabetes and I would striongly recommend a visit with your dietician.  She/he will direct you to an appropriate diet for your lifestyle and activity level, while taking into consideration your diabetes. Make an appointment today.  You will feel better knowing that someone is guiding you in the right direction when it comes to diabetes and weight. Again, good luck.
Es