Things have to change

[Clockendkaty]

Hallo everyone

I have decided to keep a diary to try and motivate myself.
I am 46 and diabetic, I have been fat all my life, one of my earliest memories is of my mum being unable to find me any jeans to wear when I was about 10. The shop assistant gave up and said most of the girls who come in this shop are really skinny! Thanks s lot.
Anyway I was diagnosed as diabetic about 5 years ago. For the first three years medication has kept it under control but the last couple of years have been a bit rubbish. My partner of 20 years died of a brain abscess at the age of 45. My autistic son was really badly affected by his dad's death, he started high school and it was suggested he leave after 5 days! It took months to find him a special school and his first few months there were a real struggle - he seems to be settling down now though. The final straw was my mum being diagnosed with bladder and kidney cancer just before Christmas. My mum lives with me, she has been a total rock in the last couple of years and her being so ill made me realise that I have to get healthy to be there for my son for as long as possible.

I had my diabetic check just before Christmas and my levels were out of control. My doctor, who is wonderful, and has two autistic sons herself agreed to give me till March to sort out my levels or it was going to be insulin for me.

So having read about the VLCD that Newcastle University had some diabetic patients do, and speaking to a pre diabetic friend who is evangelical about healthy eating and low carbs, I decided to do a VLCD. I picked All About W8 because it offers more than just shakes and soups.

Originally I wanted to do the rapid plan but their dietician contacted me very quickly and said that I should really be doing the 50/50 as due to the medication I am on I could suffer a hypo on rapid. I wasn't particularly happy about this but I was impressed with their customer care.

So 50/50 it is. I started Wednesday and it's been remarkably easy. I like most of the food, the water isn't a problem and cooking for mother and son (even bacon sarnies) hasn't tempted me yet. But the best thing is that my blood sugar has reduced by 1 every day since I started the diet and that was the whole point.

Katy

 

[RainbowRose]

hello and welcome, just want to wish you luck on your plan

You seem a very strong woman and you have had a lot to cope with in the past and now. You are being very sensible in your decisions and i wish you success with it all.
Keepin a diary on here and sharing the ups and downs will motivate you, we are a friendly lot and will offer you lots of support and advice along the way.
You have a lot to cope with and i reckon you are doing very well already, make sure you take some time to concentrate on yourself too lovey

I have a wee 6 year old autistic son, who is my pride and joy. i too need to be around for him for a long long time yet, so getting healthy is far more important to me also than the appearance side of things, though looking better will be a nice bonus!

Keep posting, keep focused, i look forward to chatting with you

 

[Clockendkaty]

Thanks Rainbow Rose

I read some of your diary yesterday and found it really inspirational. I have just seen my doctor and she is really pleased with me and has advised me on reducing my medication as I lose weight, so she has faith in me. I am also going to teach my son Tom how to cook his own bacon sarnies so I don't have to!

Katy

 

[Barb]

Good for you Katy, positive changes already making a difference, you must be feeling so encouraged. it must be hard, with all that you have to deal with, to focus on yourself, but you must. Without you being well, everything will only get harder.

I do wish you well and hope that this excellent start you have made continues until you get to your goal. Be kind to yourself and come on here lots for encouragement and support.

 

[Clockendkaty]

So first night out since started diet. Arsenal v Leeds and the return of the magnificent M Henry. I had the porridge for breakfast, a smoked mackerel salad for lunch and a shake for tea just before leaving. I tried to drink all my water in the morning but don't think I got anywhere near 3 litres today. The journey to the Emirates takes over an hour and there are no toilets on the tube (dosen't stop some people though). So the game was frustrating but the place erupted when Thierry came on and the place nearly exploded when he scored. I have to admit to having a little tear in my eye when it happened. There is no experience like being in a huge crowd all overcome with jubilation.

On the way home my friends were hungry Dan had a hot dog with onions and Sharon a bag of chips. Man they smelt good but I didn't succombe - not even one 1 chip. I felt very virtuous.

On the tube going home Dan got bitten by a dog. It was a tiny peck from a spaniel you would think he had had his entire hand bitten off by a Rottweiler.

Then home and now sleep.

Good luck to everyone wi tomorrow.

Katy

 

[Clockendkaty]

I was sooooo hungry yesterday and I'm not sure why. I drank loads of water, had my two meal packs and a nice dinner (pork chop with apple, broccoli, carrots and peas) but I was just starving.

The day had started so well I had checked my blood sugar and since I started the diet on Wednesday my fasting blood sugar has halved so that is fab and the real reason for doing the diet but a friend stayed over and she had toast, my mum had toast, then she asked me to go to the bakers and buy some decent bread for her - I had to refuse, the thought of going to the bakers and all those glorious smells filled me with horror. I compromised and agreed to go to Greggs to buy her some there. She is so wrapped up with herself after her operation (which is understandable) she doesn't think about what it is like for me to go into a bakers, like sending a recovering alcoholic into an off licence!

Anyhow I managed to get through without cheating - I did worry about my sanity when the cat food smelt appetising though, and today is weigh in day which I had forgotten. Best get to it.

Katy

 

[Clockendkaty]

When I started the diet on Wednesday I had a rather dodgy pair of manual scales which bounce around and aren't entirely accurate. So later in the week I bought some electronic scales which I haven't used unti today. According to my manual scales I have lost 6 pounds, the electronic 3 pounds!!!!

So I will say I have lost 6lbs but I will adjust my weight on here by 3lbs and use the electronic scales from now on. So that's excellent I am pleased but my blood sugars are the real reason for doing this and the test after dinner today will be the real judge.

 

[Clockendkaty]

Aaggghhh what a nightmare. My blood sugar has got do low so quickly I nearly had a hypo tonight. I started to feel lightheaded, dizzy and sweaty. I had an apple but that didn't help. I also got diarrhoea (sorry) so had to keep rushing to the toilet which doesn't help when you're about to pass out! My mum got off her sick bed and cooked me a piece of chicken which I had with a salad followed by some nuts. I feel much better know apart from a headache. So I will start reducing my meds tomorrow re my GPs instructions. I am glad I didn't immediately grab a bar of chocolate or jam sandwich which I would have done in the past and it just shows how amazing a low carb diet is for diabetics.

 

[Sweethearts]

hello, hope you're feeling alot better

 

[Clockendkaty]

Yes much thank you Linzlinz, it's just a bit scarey, I've had it before but never so near to actually passing out.

 

[Clockendkaty]

I am feeling much better today. I have reduced my medication as my doctor suggested and my blood sugar was still down to 5.2 before dinner. I am utterly obsessed with my blood sugar, far more than I am with my weight.

I had boiled eggs a la Heston tonight. I am not watching his new show - I have un sky plussed all cookery shows - but I heard him on the radio so decided to try his way. I'm not very good at boiling eggs which is a bit embarrassing for someone who went to catering college for 2 years. So it was OK if a little well done for my taste. I had asparagus with it which was fine but it wasn't soldiers. I will test my BS in a couple of hours and maybe gliclazide free by next week.

 

[Barb]

You are doing so well Katy, your motivation re your BS is so strong I just know you are going to succeed. Just mind you don't overdo it!

 

[Clockendkaty]

Agh thanks Barb. My mum keeps telling me not to overdo it but for the first time since I was diagnosed I feel like I have this horrid thing in my control rather than vice versa.

My BS was 4.5 before dinner but that probably was because I finally went to Zumba. I had a banging headache three quarters of the way through but I think that was dehydration. I felt so energised after the class I am normally dead on my feet.

Tomorrow I am cooking a roast dinner for 8 and will probably cheat a little bit but I will try and stay away for carbs. Luckily I find when I cook a huge dinner I'm not that hungry.

Katy

 

[slimsarah]

Hello, glad to see you're feeling better. Just read your diary, you do seem very determinded

Its so hard when others are eating fastfoods and you just look on, yesturday my whole family had chippy tea..... arghh the smell, even if you're not hungry your mouth waters for them haha but that feeling afterwards when everyones stuffed and you are feeling fantastic that you didnt succomb is just ACE isnt it. Well done xxxxx

 

[Clockendkaty]

Hmmm. I did succomb!!! 3 roast potatoes, some home made stuffing and bread sauce. I avoided the pudding - luckily I don't have a particularly sweet tooth. I feel guilty - but only a bit. My BS should be interesting to say the least. But there is nothing more to tempt me until the summer (yes my life is THAT mundane), and much as I enjoyed my lunch I know I can do without it. Ohh gotta go Thierry is coming on.

Katy

 

[slimsarah]

I'm sure just a few things on one meal won't make much of a difference

Xxx

 

[Clockendkaty]

Hmm forgot to weigh myself today! I am back at work and unless I get up at 5am I just don't have time in the morning to do everything, to be honest I was more concerned with getting the recycling out than how much I weighed. I have been having two meal packs during the day but by the time I get in, cook for my mum and son and then myself I am beyond starving. I have some ham in the fridge so tonight I couldn't help myself and gorged on it, at least that stopped me shoving my head into the saucepan full of the creamy mash I had made for the others! Life would be so much easier if I could follow the rapid plan and have all meal replacements rather than 50/50 which means having to cook a meal for myself, I am just too tired to think at the moment.