Hate my figure and scared to be a diabetic

[Joelleen]

Im 24 yrs old and 175 lbs 5'1... Im scared to be a diabetic... When i was pregnant i developed a gestational diabetes... Need to lose weight so badly... Any one have a effective diet and no supplements? Thank you.

[Barb135]

Well, of course, you have to eat what's available.  All of the the things you grow are good for you.  

I'm confused about the sweet potato leaves.  Do you eat the leaves or the potatoes.  Sweet potatoes are very good for you, low in fat, with lots and lots of vitamins/minerals.  They could easily take the place of some of the rice.

What types of meat are available and how is it usually prepared? Baked, boiled, fried? Fried meats are the least good for you.

With the limited foods you have available, I wouldn't recommend going vegetarian; you would miss too many nutrients.  Meat and meat products provide iron and vitamin B12, which are essential for energy production.  They are also full of protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer.  

Both mangos and papaya are very good for you.  Mango is one of my favorite fruits; sometimes is expensive here, though.

[Joelleen]

Brown rice is expensive here than white rice... Our srice upply came from my parents harvest, im a catholic so i can eat any meat but i cant choose variety, our set up here is whatever the foods in the table, thats what we eat, our daily budget for foods breakfast to lunch is $2 or 90 pesos in our currency... I have a small vegetable garden... Papaya, sweet potato leaves, and okra. Thats it... The only fruit that i can afford is in our garden too. Native mango which is seasonal and atis... Is it safe if i go vegetarian with no rice? Sorry if i have many questions... I do not have any friends that i can tell my weight problem. So i really appreciate your time to listen and finding answers to my questions..

[Barb135]

Yes, your housework counts as exercise and it does sound like you stay busy.  Is there a chance you could up the 20 minutes walking to 30 minutes? Or make sure you dance (excellent exercise) every day; even if it only takes 10 minutes, it'll burn calories.

Do you have access to brown rice?  It's a whole grain, so takes a lot longer to break down in your system, than white rice does, so you stay fuller longer. Brown rice is much healthier and can be used in any recipe that white rice can be used in.  

I think in your country, rice is pretty much like white potatoes where I come from. I've had to learn to limit the amount of white potatoes I eat, even though I love them and they've been a staple all my life. When I eat potatoes, I have to keep the portion small.  I might add, that I'm also a great fan of rice, but I've switched from white rice to brown.  I find very little difference in the cost, here.

I'm sorry, but I'm not real familiar with your culture, so I don't know what veggies you have available there.  It's okay that you don't buy a lot of fruit, because fruit has a lot of sugar that's not good for losing weight, though it does have a lot of necessary vitamins/minerals.

I also don't know what availability you have for meats.  Rice can be cooked in a beef or chicken dish, which adds a lot of nutrients. It can be used as a side dish for fish.  It can be added to vegetable dishes, etc.  Just eat smaller portions of the rice, than you do the meat and/or veggies.

When you fix your plate, 1/2 of it should contain vegetables, 1/4 should contain the protein (meat), the other 1/4 should contain your starch (rice).  Veggies can be fixed with herbs, spices, etc....... just stay away from the cream sauces, cheese, and oils.

Do  you have access to nuts and seeds?  Both of those have a lot of nutrients and "good" fats.  Beans are excellent sources of protein and fiber, and if you have access to them, could replace some of the rice.

High protein (meat, eggs, dairy) and fiber (veggies and whole grains) will fill you up faster and keep you feeling fuller longer, so you won't need so much food, so often.

Make sure you stay away from all junk food, like cookies, cakes, pastries, candy, sodas, chips, etc.

[Joelleen]

Tnx barb135... Veggies is ok... But fruits is not. Because its too expensive to buy... The only food that can easily found here is white rice which i think is the reason why i came to this situation... I do walk 20 mins/day, sweeping backyard, pumping water and carry pale with full of water 30 mins/day... I do also some dancing but not everyday and if i did it only takes 10 mins... I also do laundry manually with my hands b/c we dnt have washing machine so i think thats way enough to my daily activities to burn cal.. The only prob is my daily cal intake, what food can replace to white rice? Thanks a lot for your time reading my post and advice me as well.

[Barb135]

You don't have to go to a gym or fitness class.  You can walk, do yoga, hula hoop or whatever will get you moving.

I understand that poverty might play a role, however, many times, if you shop carefully, buying fresh veggies/fruit is less expensive than buying boxed or processed foods.  The bottom line, really is to watch portion sizes.  If a container has more than one serving, make sure you eat only one, not the entire container.

[Joelleen]

Thank you guys for great ideas... Im a plain simple housewife ang has no time to go to the gym or fitness class so hula hooping will be great for me... And my waist line is 41 inches... Omg!!! Its hard to say that... Even my hubby dont know that... My self confidence is poor... I cant even interact or socialize with other. Im just staying at home with my baby and do the household choir im from a poor country philippines.. So poverty is one factor on my weight... Cant eat variety of food... Sorry about that... Cant help but to self pity..