Pre diabetic

I just got my blood work back and found out that I am prediabetic, I am very scared. It runs in my mother's family, My aunts and Grandparents all have it, I have been trying so hard to lose wait, I am looking into the lapband as I just cant seem to drop the weight AND KEEP IT OFF!! I would love to hear from any one that is having success staying off insulin by weight loss. My weight Yo Yo's all the time. My exercise plan is sparetic at best, My job requires me to do alot of driving, I drive 45 hours per month. I am presently 46 yrs old & 244 lbs, I have the best success when I go on the Atkins Diet. My problem I just lack the Stick-to-it-ness that it takes to stay healthy. I am now on a 1200 calorie diet and have seen only a 3 lb weight loss in about a month which hardly makes it work while. I just cant stand the thought of going back to the Atkins plan again.

Donna

Atkins is pretty extreme, how about Southbeach or the Salmon and salad diet?

Do you plan your meals on your days that you drive?  Maybe have a cooler full of healthy snacks?

Hi Candy,

I do infact pack a lunch, some slimfast shakes etc, Some days like to day its tough staring down another packed lunch which was red grapes, 3 oz deli turkey, baby carrots and cucumber slices. I pitched that healthy meal in the back seat and went to Micky D's drive thru and had a cheeseburger fries and a diet coke. Today my calories added up to 1860!! I have been trying to keep it at 1200 but.... some times you just gotta have what you gotta have.

Hi, Micky D's is not good for your sugar at all.

Do you have a blood anyalzer yet?  If you do check your count before and after Micky D's.  You are in for a surprise.

First thing you do is you don't try living on 1200 calories or doing Atkins.  At your size you need minimum 1800 a day in order to function properly and lose weight at the same time.  At 1200 you'll be heading for Micky D's because you're starving.  On Atkins you're risking heart-disease to go with the diabetes. 

I was 200+lbs and in poor shape about 3 years ago.  I was advised to follow a low-GI diet which is one that is low in sugars and refined starches.   I switched to wholegrains, more vegetables, fresh fruit, lean meat/fish.  I cut out takeaways, ready-meals, processed/packaged foods.  High GI foods such as white bread, white rice, potato crisps, baked goods.... off the menu.   Home-cooked meals, oatmeal for breakfast, wholemeal bread and other 'natural' foods... on the menu.   Low GI was created with diabetics in mind.

Eating these foods in moderate portions (you always have to control the amounts) and adding in some light exercise... a half hour walk each day, was enough to get me down to 150lbs which is where I am now.  It wasn't torture or misery.  I didn't starve and therefore I didn't feel like bingeing either.   My BP and cholesterol level improved.  My asthma cleared up and I am now at low risk of diabetes.  I can highly recommend it.

Start taking things seriously.  You can have Type II diabetes with a lap-band and still need insulin.  Best of luck.

You'll be okay.  You can do this.  I was pre-diabetic and on metformin.  I've been steadily losing weight on 1600 cals/day.  I am vegetarian.  I am not on diabetic meds anymore and I'm well on my way to a healthy weight.  So it is possible.

You don't need a high-protein, low carb/low calorie diet to succeed.  It may actually be more harmful than helpful to your efforts to eat such an extreme diet.

I eat 6 times a day, at regular intervals.

Breakfast (early, no more than 15 minutes after waking up): 3-400 cals
Mid-morning snack: 1-200 cals
Lunch: 3-400 cals
Afternoon snack: 1-200 cals
Dinner: 2-300 cals
Evening snack: 1-200 cals

I usually eat the same foods for breakfast, lunch, and snacks every day.  I have "themed" dinners for each night of the week.  Tuesday is Mexican food night, for example.  I have discovered some healthier alternatives for Mexican food and I use these in my dinners.

Breakfast is a high fiber, low sugar cereal with lowfat milk and a small piece of fruit. 

Snacks:  Low or nonfat yogurt and berries or granola, Apple and pb, a banana and a glass of milk, 1 piece reduced fat string cheese, or 1/4 unsalted nuts.

Lunch:  I like a large salad (3 cups mixed greens like spinach and arugula with a variety of chopped vegetables, a SMALL drizzle of olive oil), and a low sodium vegetable soup, a piece of fruit, and either an unsweetened ice tea or a diet coke.  Or I'll make a sandwich loaded with veggies and pair it with some fruit and lowfat cheese.

Dinner: A good start would be steamed veggies, brown rice, and some kind of bean dish - lentils, black beans, kidney beans, chili, whatever you want.  A,lso, more salad - bulk up on fiber and you will feel full and stay full.  And your sugars will be more stable.

How to go about themed dinners: Mexican night, Italian, Country cookin', vegan, whatever you want.  Choose a night of the week for your themed dinner (ex Tues is Mexican night).  Then each weekend set aside 20 minutes of your day and choose the recipe for your "theme".  You can get basic ideas from vegweb.com or check out the healthy recipes on this site. 

Once you figure out what you'll cook (it's really easy), then make your grocery list based on this and whatever foods you'll be having for breakfast, lunches.

It may seem like a lot of work now but you'll definitely adjust to it.  In the end you will definitely save a lot of money on food (instead of going out all the time), you'll be eating healthier, you'll be a better cook, and you'll feel a lot better!

PM me if you need any more help.

 

Remember, you can do this.

Original Post by gi-jane:

First thing you do is you don't try living on 1200 calories or doing Atkins. At your size you need minimum 1800 a day in order to function properly and lose weight at the same time. At 1200 you'll be heading for Micky D's because you're starving. On Atkins you're risking heart-disease to go with the diabetes.

I was 200+lbs and in poor shape about 3 years ago. I was advised to follow a low-GI diet which is one that is low in sugars and refined starches. I switched to wholegrains, more vegetables, fresh fruit, lean meat/fish. I cut out takeaways, ready-meals, processed/packaged foods. High GI foods such as white bread, white rice, potato crisps, baked goods.... off the menu. Home-cooked meals, oatmeal for breakfast, wholemeal bread and other 'natural' foods... on the menu. Low GI was created with diabetics in mind.

Eating these foods in moderate portions (you always have to control the amounts) and adding in some light exercise... a half hour walk each day, was enough to get me down to 150lbs which is where I am now. It wasn't torture or misery. I didn't starve and therefore I didn't feel like bingeing either. My BP and cholesterol level improved. My asthma cleared up and I am now at low risk of diabetes. I can highly recommend it.

Start taking things seriously. You can have Type II diabetes with a lap-band and still need insulin. Best of luck.

I second what GI-Jane says about a low-GI diet.  Please don't starve or get the lap-band.  Good luck.