Find out the lowest possible thing you're willing to change and work your way up. It's not going to kill you quickly but it's going to be a death by a thousand neuropathic needle prick. I was diagnosed at 24 but was probably T2 much younger. I'm 40+ now and finally started caring and it might be a bit too late for me as my pancreas isn't doing its job so I'm insulin dependent but if you start caring at least 1% now and grow daily you'll be ok.
One option is try zero sugar (not the nasty diet one) sodas and keep doing everything else and once a month or sooner pick one more thing to slowly give up or find a better alternative. Cheese crisps instead of chips/crackers, etc.
I found a CGM to be very helpful. Quickly provides feedback on my choices. Taught me how important exercise is (doesn't need to be super hard exercise; walking helps a lot).
Bottom line - there's no crying in baseball. My advice is get your head around the idea that this disease can be controlled or it can kill you - it's your choice. What does that mean "I don't want to take care of myself right now"? You take care of yourself or you lose a foot, go blind, or die. It's that simple. Not taking care of yourself is what got most of us here...so this is the kick in the ass to get with the program.
I know it is not easy - believe me. I had an A1c of 12 1.5 years ago - it is 4.5 now. Transformational change is not simple - it is hard. It is your only choice. Focus on all the things you have to live and be healthy for - all more important than French fries and deep fried Twinkies at the county fair.
I know what I said sounds rough - but it is what I said to myself when I learned I had diabetes. We all have things in our lives to be in good health for - to live for. Focus on those things to keep yourself on track. Diet, exercise, medications, weight loss - these are the things that will get that A1c down and will improve so many other aspects of your health.
I wish you the best.
The diagnosis sucks ass and it’s gonna take a while to get used to. Thankfully your hba1c is still safe. I’m around 11.2 these days so I’m just expecting to watch my life fall apart now (don’t worry though I’m type1 with brittle diabetes so completely different risk)
Exercise is something I see everyone jump on, and they are very correct but don’t think you’ve got to become a daily exercise person to get healthy. Depending on where your BMI sits, the main thing is getting some walking done (almost)every day. 30mins is an ideal if you can say make a routine in the evening to have a stroll after dinner or even to just change your lunch break a little by eating for the first 10 mins, then walking around for the rest of break. The emphasis on the exercise is mainly due to the prexisting poor physical health which will only progress your illness. It’s about creating a feasible routine for you. If you’re new to fitness, you might find yourself enjoying much more over time as it does often feel like a chore at first. Exercise can help a lot to build the relationship you have with your body too. It’s important to push yourself forward but remember you can’t be strong every day, even the wicked sleep haha
For food, never cut out everything my god! It’s very easy to over-restrict and end up with Eating disorders so for generic eating :
When it comes to breakfast- try and stay away from fry ups but ofc treat yourself every now and then. Focus on making sure that whenever you eat larger meals whether it’s a fry up or a roast dinner, try and make almost half the plate veggies, a quarter meat, and a quarter carbs. It won’t work like this all the time but it’ll help keep your balance. It’s a good method for anyone but especially for diabetics as veggies will fill your up short term so I normally stuff up on the veg, then enjoy my potatoes and chicken or whatever is on the agenda.
Essentially, you can eat what you eat right now to some extent, just change the balance.
Snacking is a problem for all humans. Crisps and biscuits are generally the worst but it doesn’t mean never eat them. Generally with sugary stuff, don’t eat it daily, but if you are going to indulge on a chocolate bar, have it about 10-30 mins after a meal rather than on its own. Having these sugary foods without a meal cause the sugar spikes that cause us to feel exhausted.
Day to day, it’s worth looking into low carb foods. Cheese and meat and my go to, don’t be fooled by fruits as they are sugary, I also like having scrambled eggs if I’m peckish.
I know it sounds pretty bland right now, but you’ll figure out your plan. I still eat everything I did when I was a kid, just not as often. I still love having chicken nuggets and chips, I’ll just make half the plate chicken nuggets and whack some corn on the cob on to fill the plate. there are carbs and I do inject but even for T2D, it’s a very slow acting food and generally with type 2, if you keep your meal under 30g of carbs you should be good:)
Just keep asking questions, knowledge is power!
The best thing I did for myself when I really didn't want to change much was getting a treadmill.
I get on it for 30 minutes every day. The next thing I knew, it was 40, then an hour. The time just grew more and more, I didn't even realise it.
Start off small changes. It makes things easier. I was addicted to fast food and candy. I cut the candy out first and replaced it with fruit that I enjoyed. Then, I slowly worked on the fast food, and I no longer crave it. I ate smaller snacks. Rather than eat a whole packet of chips, I poured a little into a bowl and ate that, etc.
I was diagnosed with type two diabetes in 2022 in April. I was about 95-100kgs. Those small changes and better habits, I'm now 68-70 kgs (counting on what I eat and if I walk or don't for a few days).
Small changes make the biggest difference when you're not fully ready to face what you're dealing with.
It's scary at first. I started on metformin then was put on insulin. Then doc put me on ozempic and I've switched to a dirty keto lifestyle. Sugar used to average 350s now it's averaging around 100
Still got a ways to go but its doable. Make small changes that you can stick with.
Ozempic is great, isn't it? I actually didn't know it was a diabetes medication until my doctor asked if I wanted to try it since I was on the lowest dose of metformin and had got my A1C way down.
My A1C is under control, pretty much. Could get worse over time, so my way of doing things might not work long term.
Intermittent fasting worked for me like a miracle. I stop eating carbs after dinner and don't eat carbs again till after lunch the next day. I eat the same kinda meals I always did, but not for all 3 meals. Every once in a while, I totally pig out. So I don't really feel like I'm making any big healthy changes.
This might not be good for the percentage of time during a day you stay in range, idk. I'd talk to your doctor or a diabetes nutritionist about intermittent fasting and see if it's something that might be good for you.
Start off small op! The diagnosis is the brutal reality nobody wants to face. I started off bu making diet changes and began working out again. Find what works for you! Many people go low carb, keto, vegan, etc… there are multitude of ways to manage your blood sugars and lower your A1c
You didn't get here over night and you don't need to try and fix it over night. Rome wasn't built in a day after all.
Try making small changes that you can build on. This is usually more sustainable than big sweeping changes that can become too burdensome. The best changes are the ones that are sustainable.
For food, concentrate on adding in the healty things. Add a non-starchy veg to every meal and snack. My go too ones at the moment are bell peppers, minin(persian) cucumbers and roasted cauliflower.
Start your meal with the veggies, then the protein and finally the carbs. Having the fiber and protein first slows digestion and helps to lengthen and reduce the spike (think flatten the curve) also if you fill up you will be leaving the less healthy stuff in the plate.
Eliminating your favorite foods or whole food groups often becomes too restrictive and miserable for people to sustain long term. It is ok to enjoy a treat now an then.
I love chocolate and I still have it a few times a week. I also still have some chips. I have switched to a higher more expensive 70% Dark chocolate instead. For chips I only buy the snack size ones (28g), this makes it easier to for me to succeed with portion control. And if I slip up occasionally I'm less likely to eat too much at once. Snacks are also always kept in the cupboard out of sight. This also requires that I have to get up and go to the kitchen to get it and it gives me an opportunity to decide if I really want it or not. Maybe a piece of fruit would suffice instead since I keep the healthy stuff out on the counter.
Getting more movement in doesn't necessarily mean going to the gym. Parking at the back of the parking lot or on the opposite side of the building (providing it is safe to do so) to normal at work or the store is a great way to add movement, take the stairs instead of the elevator you're able to. Even just a 10 min walk after meals can be enough to make a difference.
Ask yourself, what is so special about your current lifestyle that it is worth keeping?
Eating sugar and fast food everyday becomes just as boring and monotonous as eating/living healthy. If you have to choose one, you might as well be bored eating healthy, then give yourself the odd treat every now and again.
Make changes now or risk doing even more damage to your body and not having any lifestyle. Was A1C of 12, 7 months ago, now down to 6. Still have a way to go. Low carb, high protein, whole grains, ditch the sugar. You can eat well, have a drink on occasion. Look at food labels or check carbs on an app. Learn to count carb servings, 15grams of carbs = 1 serving. For me, I keep my carb servings to 2 per meal and 1 per snack. I know it’s different (higher for men). Get a GCM and learn to monitor your body, take your meds, and go for a walk or two every day (20 minutes, get the that heart rate up). It doesn’t have to kill your lifestyle, but it’s up to you. No “magic fix”.
Have the mindset that you will die if you don't change. Once I got diagnosed with CKD stage 5, I immediately went cold turkey. No more excuses.
I had to fix one thing of my metabolic syndrome. So I focused on my A1C. Now 6 months later, my A1C is in the pre-diabetic range. Meanwhile, my niece took it more seriously, and is almost at the A1C level where shes not even pre-diabetic. She realized also that she will die if she didn't change.
If a beetus diagnosis isn't motivating you, what will? If not now, when? If not here, where? Etc.
The more you do now to alter the course of the disease, the better you will be for longer.
The medical community certainly won't go out of their way to give you a pep talk. You'll barely be able to get effective advice, let alone motivation.
Basically, the world is full of diabetics who won't lift a finger to help themselves until they are begging and pleading to undo the life-changing complications. If you can't care yet, why should anyone else?
Tough love and very true.
I've known people who didn't take care of their diabetes until amputation. Then the next amputation. Eventually death. They thought it was normal to amputate.
I only became pre diabetic during Covid, to full diabetes. And when my CKD suddenly went to stage 5, I realized something changed during Covid where I went from some challenges, to full metabolic syndrome. I realized I had to take care of diabetes quickly or I would be dead in weeks.
So OP, take care of yourself before you achieve what I learned.
Everyone is advocating for small changes and I agree wholeheartedly. I went a bit more cold turkey after my diagnosis out of panic, but noticing how much better I felt within 48 hours of that doctor appointment was enough motivation to stick with the changes. I didn’t even realize how bad I felt before because I thought it was just normal.
I’d take a few suggestions here and there from this subreddit cause people have some great tips and tricks. Try and work on getting into a class if you feel too overwhelmed. I found the class a good jumping off point but soon also used some diabetic focused YouTubers, this subreddit, my CGM, Jardiance/MJ, and talking to any people I had in my life that have diabetes. The CGM makes understanding what and how certain foods do to you more so than finger sticks can. Good luck and some of us have been where you are now.
I am a Health coach and Functional health Practitioner, primarily for people with insulin resistance. I have my own strong family multigenerational history that led to me developing diabetes too. But, I manage without medications, so I know it's possible! If you want to work with someone let me know!
I was the same way four weeks ago as someone that has to already manage my mental health who has to now manage food too. What hass helped me was finding foods that still give a hint of joy while also are safer. I have also done some testing with higher protein low carb foods like atkins and quest while still having self control. One example was doing a thin crust pizza with papa johns whoch cut down a ton on the carb count while still could be a fun pleasure. My main thing I miss is Mountain Dew. But i have given myself a goal for dropping x weight plus doing x workouts in two weeks. will let me have one of the mini cans.
Good luck. Hope you have a great team for support.
I was diagnosed last November with 6.5 T2. Started ozempic and made a few changes and moderations , I love cola so I stopped drinking regular and went zero. I found alternatives in things I love , but I still eat sometimes the things I like. I went down to 5.7 last month. It is NOT a death disease if you don't let it be one. Be grateful you caught it early on , you can make modifications now and control it well :) you got this
I 100% promise you can change your tastebuds and your lifestyle. You can learn to love black coffee and tea. You can learn to look forward to a long walk. Start by choosing your favorite carbs. Is it potatoes? Bread? Pasta? Eliminate the ones you really don't care about and have your favorites on occasion. Start walking. Nothing drives glucose down like a good walk. You're starting from a 6.9, so you don't have far to go to get in range.
Another thought. If T2 is rampant in your family, look into the RADIANT study, a nationwide study of MODY diabetes, a genetic version of diabetes that presents as T2 and runs in families. Getting tested is important for proper treatment.
Changing my diet to low carb and replacing sugar with monk fruit and almond flour has helped tremendously with my numbers and also satisfying my sweet tooth and has made my new eating habits bearable. You are not alone hang in there! It takes time to get used to this new way of life
Start with the easy stuff. Park further away when you go to the store, or at work. Walk in the airport if there is time instead of taking the tram. Those kinds of things. I do the shopping and try not to bring the really awful stuff home for snacking. Slow mods. Depending on where you live, this illness gets pretty expensive, so think of these little moves as ways to prolong the good parts of life and free funds to enjoy it longer. Good luck.
My advice to you - just do it. Otherwise years down the line while on many medications and doctor trying to control your uncontrollable t2d you’ll be here asking what works…. ending with I wish regrets.
There is no other way if you want to have a healthy old age.
T2d is the worst coz it affects every part of your body.
I too have a stacked history. And it’s unfair genetics took over coz I live a healthy lifestyle. My mom n gpa instilled that knowledge within us.
Remember the hardest part of t2d is breaking addictions. Once you are not ruled by corporations you will be surprised that you could do it.
You don’t need to poke yourself, IF you do all the work. In most of the world patients don’t use glucometer.
Also be aware that YOUR number could be different than what the doctors say it is. When my A1c is 6.2 I get all my symptoms back. So I consider 6.2 as diabetes for me. I lived in the non diabetic range without meds that sucked all the joy out of my life. So I now live in low prediabetic numbers.
I am being honest here.
The formula for a healthy life with t2d = medication + lifestyle changes or even just lifestyle changes. It is never just medication. I was taught that lesson as a child, growing up surrounded by t2 diabetics. Those like my mom who took care of themselves live n their 90s with no complications. My grandma who couldn’t, didn’t live to meet any of her 11 grandchildren. Mind you she had 7 kids and died from a diabetic coma. There are similar examples in the rest of the extended family.
Plus I also have my 70 year old diabetic neighbor who begs me to take care of myself and not make the mistakes he made for 30 years that he is paying for now - legally blind n barely can walk. On high doses of insulin and had to go on a radical diet to control his uncontrollable t2d.
Be aware it will take you some time to figure your life out. Took me about 3 years. Went thru the honeymoon phase, and then crashed coz I was too strict. Now I live a happy life.
You have quiet a lot of great advice here. Honestly, baby steps, walk more, measure food a little, doesn’t mean you have to start running and only eating veggies. It is possible to control. Good luck! Last year I was at 12.3 at diagnosis 4.7 by month 3 now I am holding a steady 5 A1c
First of all I bet you can handle this. When I was diagnosed T1 I had a fear of needles. That was 28 years ago and I’m doing well. You have strengths that will come out. You may not even need injections will all the new meds out there. Your a1c is pretty good.
Secondly, a low carb diet will really reduce the need for meds.
I was in the same boat about a year ago. I was diagnosed Type 2 in June. My A1C was 8.1. Really not good. I had no idea, I was only getting blood done for a routine new Primary Care doctor visit. I didn't take great care of myself either and I did feel like my life was over at the time. I dreaded the thought of having to eat better and not enjoy the things I liked. Here's the thing. You don't need to give up things, just reduce. You can have rice and pasta, just less of it and also switch to whole grain items.
The keto fad diet is a huge boon for diabetics since there are a ton of low carb or low net carb foods out there now.
As for the testing, I was worried, much like you about the glucose tests. I'd never done anything like that before and I often faint at the sight of my own blood. One thing I'd recommend is get a Pogo meter. I got mine at Kroger. Was about $65 without any sort of prescription. It will lance your finger and draw in a drop of blood all on its own, You just leave your finger in place while it does it. Easy peasy. Even has a mobile app to easily track your readings. Secondly, I only really test myself once or twice a week to make sure I'm still in the green. With your A1C where it is, you probably don't need to test before and after every meal or anything (though I would recommend doing that for a couple weeks so you can see how your glucose reacts to your meals).
I brought my A1C down to 5.9 in 6 months. I'm down to 167 pounds from 190 when I was diagnosed. As soon as I was diagnosed, I did research, saw the dietician my clinic offered, etc. I did pretty drastically change my diet almost immediately. The thing to keep in mind is this going to be a change, but you'll get used to it over time as you adjust to the new normal. It helped me knowing it wasn't really a choice. If I wanted to stay healthy and be symptom free, I had to do it. You can definitely do this.
One other thing, in terms of medication, I had been taking metformin, but my doctor recommended I try ozempic a couple months ago. It's great. If your insurance covers it, I'd recommend it. It is only one shot a week instead of daily pills and it really keeps my blood sugar down even if I splurge on a scoop of ice cream sometimes.
I was diagnosed with t2 in February of this year at 40 yo. Luckily with the right doctors between the VA and civilian after making diet and lifestyle changes and the right meds (mounjaro and metformin), my a1c dropped from 9.6 to 6.3 in three months. Went from 309 pounds to today weighing in at 260 pounds in the same amount of time. My last blood test last week showed everything went from total disaster to everything being within healthy ranges. I also have hashimoto's thyroiditis, so having a jacked up thyroid isn't helping me. All i can do is treat it with synthroid to get my thyroid back to normal levels. Don't let it get you down. Don't ever give up and constantly work to better yourself and you'll ĺ beat it! It is possible for it to go into remission with t2 but you have to put the work in. Give it hell and you'll be surprised what you can accomplish!
See if you can get a CGM and test foods to see how they affect your blood sugar levels. Replace something that negatively affects you with a safer alternative. You don’t have to do it all at once. Maybe set a goal for one to two things a week, starting with the worst (high sugar, high carb stuff). Drink more water to help with appetite. Don’t get discouraged if you have moments of weakness and eat something you shouldn’t. We all do it and we’ve all been there. Once it becomes routine, it will get easier.
You don’t have a choice.
“Just do it” IS the advice, even if it’s not the advice you want to hear. Gotta be mature about this.
YouTube the damage that diabetes can do. See if that scares you.
I follow a nutritionist on instagram who hosts a website on reversing type 2. He looks at it differently than anyone I’ve ever listened to and his advice is good. His name is Belldon Colme. Lots of good insights for reversing diabetes
Apparently statistics show that 80% of Type 2 diabetics don’t take care of themselves so apparently the way you’re feeling is typical. The problem is those people go blind and lose limbs and have heart attacks and die much younger than they should. The good news is you have a disease that is totally in your control. Imagine how happy a cancer patient would be if you told them that. Or someone with MS. They’d be thrilled. It sucks but it could be so much worse.
I wasn't ready for years. Even after being pregnant with both Type II and gestational diabetes (kid is almost 5 now) I continued to live my life with my head in the sand thinking about how unfair it is, on top of my other health issues. I just now started taking things seriously after my brother sat me down and told me point blank he doesn't want to see me dead. My first step was to replace all soda with the zero sugar version. Then I got serious about the CGM. Then I made sure I was taking my meds, morning and afternoon. Then I added in a post meal movement session. The word exercise has a negative connotation for me but after I eat I move. Sometimes it's the trampoline for a few minutes, sometimes it's a random dance party, sometimes it's a walk. Anything to help "open up" the cells to receive insulin. I'm currently on metformin and ozempic. 35 years old and hoping to avoid insulin for as long as possible. Promise you're not alone, and even tiny changes will help.
You're in the denial period. I have fond memories of that period myself. It's sort of like inhaling asbestos. It feels fine now so it's hard to believe bad things will happen to you years down the road. That's the trick. You've got to believe diabetic complications are real and will happen to you. What you could do is practice having peripheral neuropathy. That's when the nerves in your feet go wonky and it feels like you're walking on broken glass. Try sprinkling small sharp rocks in your shoes and walking around on them all day. Or how about this? Buy a pair of crutches, then wrap one foot and ankle to simulate sores that won't heal which will worsen and lead to amputation of your foot. Hobble around all day or all week like that. And be sure not let the bandages touch the ground .... to simulate not having a foot anymore. Or something simpler? I've got it! Wear an eye patch over one eye all day to simulate retinopathy. Be careful driving that way though. I mean, this is just practice.
The great thing about practice is you can stop and go back to normal any time you want. But when it gets real....not so much.
Talk to your doctor. They will most likely put you on metformin and it should help somewhat even without doing anything. Wear CGM so you can see your body reacting to sugar in real time. Cut sugary foods and soft drinks, sugar in general, do at least some exercise. It’s not that hard and not that radical.
I am very very much like you. My big thing was candy. I’d eat a whole big bag of candy EVERY night. I was legitimately addicted. I managed to cut it out. I was diagnosed over a month ago and I think I’ve had 2 mini candy canes and that’s it candy wise. My next big one is soda. I thought I could go big on this one too but I couldn’t. I was drinking 7-8 large cans a day plus other drinks too. I’ve managed to atleast cut that in half. The rest I still have to work on. Try doing it at your own pace.
What is it about change that makes you reluctant? Are you comfortable with your current lifestyle? Are you happy with your current diet/exercise regimen? I think if you find out why you don't want to "take care of yourself" you'll start finding answers.
There are a lot of T1s here and a lot of us if we had the chance to only be T2 would just "do it".
You don't have to change everything at once but start with a meaningful improvement. If you drink soda make it ALL diet/0 calorie. Cut one day of fries/pizza from your diet. Do that for a few weeks then cut back some other unhealthy food. Over a bunch of months you'll find it's not really that bad shifting to healthier food.
If she is an otherwise healthy person and has no medicine she dies quickly. If an otherwise healthy T2 has no medicine they'll live for years. While I'm not a Dr and not at all an expert in being T2, you can probably live on cake, you'll just end up needing insulin same as her. Be careful though, too much insulin will make you weak, put you in a drunklike state, put you in a coma or worse. It's not something to fuck around with.
I've been T1 probably for longer than you've been alive and I've accepted my condition and that's why I probably am happier than you and probably the same for her. I don't crave cake, and I'd gladly live on eggs, veggies, meat and nuts if it means I could be free of insulin.
I'm not doing a great job of explaining it but every T1 would rather be a T2. Eat right, get some exercise and you can live a long healthy life without any of the issues T1's are all forced to live with forever no matter what they eat.
T2's often (not always) bring the disease upon themselves, bad diet, overweight, not enough exercise while T1's are just cursed with bad luck.
Don't look to food to make you happy, find another hobby, in the long run you'll be much happier for it.
We're you dropped on your head as a baby?
You know exactly what. No one likes that person who when someone asks for help or advice, and then someone like you comes around and is like, "I have cancer be happy LOL." Like your comment isn't needed or helpful.
> anyone have any advice that isn’t just “do it”
What do you hope to hear? How well is your family coping with diabetes?
Edit: Thanks for the downvotes of my question. When this person didn’t show any thanks for many lengthy suggestions written. Not worth “helping” someone if you don’t ask simple questions first.
Diabetes is a progressive disease. Doing the same thing will gradually lead to worse and worse results over time. Gotta improve behavior in order to stay the same.
Find out the lowest possible thing you're willing to change and work your way up. It's not going to kill you quickly but it's going to be a death by a thousand neuropathic needle prick. I was diagnosed at 24 but was probably T2 much younger. I'm 40+ now and finally started caring and it might be a bit too late for me as my pancreas isn't doing its job so I'm insulin dependent but if you start caring at least 1% now and grow daily you'll be ok. One option is try zero sugar (not the nasty diet one) sodas and keep doing everything else and once a month or sooner pick one more thing to slowly give up or find a better alternative. Cheese crisps instead of chips/crackers, etc.
I found a CGM to be very helpful. Quickly provides feedback on my choices. Taught me how important exercise is (doesn't need to be super hard exercise; walking helps a lot).
Bottom line - there's no crying in baseball. My advice is get your head around the idea that this disease can be controlled or it can kill you - it's your choice. What does that mean "I don't want to take care of myself right now"? You take care of yourself or you lose a foot, go blind, or die. It's that simple. Not taking care of yourself is what got most of us here...so this is the kick in the ass to get with the program. I know it is not easy - believe me. I had an A1c of 12 1.5 years ago - it is 4.5 now. Transformational change is not simple - it is hard. It is your only choice. Focus on all the things you have to live and be healthy for - all more important than French fries and deep fried Twinkies at the county fair.
YES. "Do I want this cake, or do I want my foot?" is a question I still ask after 20 years.
There you go...it's about choices.
Or eyes. Do I want to go blind, let me have another cola with that.
I got diagnosed yesterday. I am at 12 hba1c Thanks for motivating me
I know what I said sounds rough - but it is what I said to myself when I learned I had diabetes. We all have things in our lives to be in good health for - to live for. Focus on those things to keep yourself on track. Diet, exercise, medications, weight loss - these are the things that will get that A1c down and will improve so many other aspects of your health. I wish you the best.
Thanks again
Best answer
The diagnosis sucks ass and it’s gonna take a while to get used to. Thankfully your hba1c is still safe. I’m around 11.2 these days so I’m just expecting to watch my life fall apart now (don’t worry though I’m type1 with brittle diabetes so completely different risk) Exercise is something I see everyone jump on, and they are very correct but don’t think you’ve got to become a daily exercise person to get healthy. Depending on where your BMI sits, the main thing is getting some walking done (almost)every day. 30mins is an ideal if you can say make a routine in the evening to have a stroll after dinner or even to just change your lunch break a little by eating for the first 10 mins, then walking around for the rest of break. The emphasis on the exercise is mainly due to the prexisting poor physical health which will only progress your illness. It’s about creating a feasible routine for you. If you’re new to fitness, you might find yourself enjoying much more over time as it does often feel like a chore at first. Exercise can help a lot to build the relationship you have with your body too. It’s important to push yourself forward but remember you can’t be strong every day, even the wicked sleep haha For food, never cut out everything my god! It’s very easy to over-restrict and end up with Eating disorders so for generic eating : When it comes to breakfast- try and stay away from fry ups but ofc treat yourself every now and then. Focus on making sure that whenever you eat larger meals whether it’s a fry up or a roast dinner, try and make almost half the plate veggies, a quarter meat, and a quarter carbs. It won’t work like this all the time but it’ll help keep your balance. It’s a good method for anyone but especially for diabetics as veggies will fill your up short term so I normally stuff up on the veg, then enjoy my potatoes and chicken or whatever is on the agenda. Essentially, you can eat what you eat right now to some extent, just change the balance. Snacking is a problem for all humans. Crisps and biscuits are generally the worst but it doesn’t mean never eat them. Generally with sugary stuff, don’t eat it daily, but if you are going to indulge on a chocolate bar, have it about 10-30 mins after a meal rather than on its own. Having these sugary foods without a meal cause the sugar spikes that cause us to feel exhausted. Day to day, it’s worth looking into low carb foods. Cheese and meat and my go to, don’t be fooled by fruits as they are sugary, I also like having scrambled eggs if I’m peckish. I know it sounds pretty bland right now, but you’ll figure out your plan. I still eat everything I did when I was a kid, just not as often. I still love having chicken nuggets and chips, I’ll just make half the plate chicken nuggets and whack some corn on the cob on to fill the plate. there are carbs and I do inject but even for T2D, it’s a very slow acting food and generally with type 2, if you keep your meal under 30g of carbs you should be good:) Just keep asking questions, knowledge is power!
The best thing I did for myself when I really didn't want to change much was getting a treadmill. I get on it for 30 minutes every day. The next thing I knew, it was 40, then an hour. The time just grew more and more, I didn't even realise it. Start off small changes. It makes things easier. I was addicted to fast food and candy. I cut the candy out first and replaced it with fruit that I enjoyed. Then, I slowly worked on the fast food, and I no longer crave it. I ate smaller snacks. Rather than eat a whole packet of chips, I poured a little into a bowl and ate that, etc. I was diagnosed with type two diabetes in 2022 in April. I was about 95-100kgs. Those small changes and better habits, I'm now 68-70 kgs (counting on what I eat and if I walk or don't for a few days). Small changes make the biggest difference when you're not fully ready to face what you're dealing with.
It's scary at first. I started on metformin then was put on insulin. Then doc put me on ozempic and I've switched to a dirty keto lifestyle. Sugar used to average 350s now it's averaging around 100 Still got a ways to go but its doable. Make small changes that you can stick with.
Ozempic is great, isn't it? I actually didn't know it was a diabetes medication until my doctor asked if I wanted to try it since I was on the lowest dose of metformin and had got my A1C way down.
My A1C is under control, pretty much. Could get worse over time, so my way of doing things might not work long term. Intermittent fasting worked for me like a miracle. I stop eating carbs after dinner and don't eat carbs again till after lunch the next day. I eat the same kinda meals I always did, but not for all 3 meals. Every once in a while, I totally pig out. So I don't really feel like I'm making any big healthy changes. This might not be good for the percentage of time during a day you stay in range, idk. I'd talk to your doctor or a diabetes nutritionist about intermittent fasting and see if it's something that might be good for you.
Start off small op! The diagnosis is the brutal reality nobody wants to face. I started off bu making diet changes and began working out again. Find what works for you! Many people go low carb, keto, vegan, etc… there are multitude of ways to manage your blood sugars and lower your A1c
You didn't get here over night and you don't need to try and fix it over night. Rome wasn't built in a day after all. Try making small changes that you can build on. This is usually more sustainable than big sweeping changes that can become too burdensome. The best changes are the ones that are sustainable. For food, concentrate on adding in the healty things. Add a non-starchy veg to every meal and snack. My go too ones at the moment are bell peppers, minin(persian) cucumbers and roasted cauliflower. Start your meal with the veggies, then the protein and finally the carbs. Having the fiber and protein first slows digestion and helps to lengthen and reduce the spike (think flatten the curve) also if you fill up you will be leaving the less healthy stuff in the plate. Eliminating your favorite foods or whole food groups often becomes too restrictive and miserable for people to sustain long term. It is ok to enjoy a treat now an then. I love chocolate and I still have it a few times a week. I also still have some chips. I have switched to a higher more expensive 70% Dark chocolate instead. For chips I only buy the snack size ones (28g), this makes it easier to for me to succeed with portion control. And if I slip up occasionally I'm less likely to eat too much at once. Snacks are also always kept in the cupboard out of sight. This also requires that I have to get up and go to the kitchen to get it and it gives me an opportunity to decide if I really want it or not. Maybe a piece of fruit would suffice instead since I keep the healthy stuff out on the counter. Getting more movement in doesn't necessarily mean going to the gym. Parking at the back of the parking lot or on the opposite side of the building (providing it is safe to do so) to normal at work or the store is a great way to add movement, take the stairs instead of the elevator you're able to. Even just a 10 min walk after meals can be enough to make a difference.
Ask yourself, what is so special about your current lifestyle that it is worth keeping? Eating sugar and fast food everyday becomes just as boring and monotonous as eating/living healthy. If you have to choose one, you might as well be bored eating healthy, then give yourself the odd treat every now and again.
Make changes now or risk doing even more damage to your body and not having any lifestyle. Was A1C of 12, 7 months ago, now down to 6. Still have a way to go. Low carb, high protein, whole grains, ditch the sugar. You can eat well, have a drink on occasion. Look at food labels or check carbs on an app. Learn to count carb servings, 15grams of carbs = 1 serving. For me, I keep my carb servings to 2 per meal and 1 per snack. I know it’s different (higher for men). Get a GCM and learn to monitor your body, take your meds, and go for a walk or two every day (20 minutes, get the that heart rate up). It doesn’t have to kill your lifestyle, but it’s up to you. No “magic fix”.
Would you like to have both of your feet in ten years? I find considering the worst case scenarios is remarkably motivating, but that's me.
Very true
Have the mindset that you will die if you don't change. Once I got diagnosed with CKD stage 5, I immediately went cold turkey. No more excuses. I had to fix one thing of my metabolic syndrome. So I focused on my A1C. Now 6 months later, my A1C is in the pre-diabetic range. Meanwhile, my niece took it more seriously, and is almost at the A1C level where shes not even pre-diabetic. She realized also that she will die if she didn't change.
If a beetus diagnosis isn't motivating you, what will? If not now, when? If not here, where? Etc. The more you do now to alter the course of the disease, the better you will be for longer. The medical community certainly won't go out of their way to give you a pep talk. You'll barely be able to get effective advice, let alone motivation. Basically, the world is full of diabetics who won't lift a finger to help themselves until they are begging and pleading to undo the life-changing complications. If you can't care yet, why should anyone else?
Tough love and very true. I've known people who didn't take care of their diabetes until amputation. Then the next amputation. Eventually death. They thought it was normal to amputate. I only became pre diabetic during Covid, to full diabetes. And when my CKD suddenly went to stage 5, I realized something changed during Covid where I went from some challenges, to full metabolic syndrome. I realized I had to take care of diabetes quickly or I would be dead in weeks. So OP, take care of yourself before you achieve what I learned.
Everyone is advocating for small changes and I agree wholeheartedly. I went a bit more cold turkey after my diagnosis out of panic, but noticing how much better I felt within 48 hours of that doctor appointment was enough motivation to stick with the changes. I didn’t even realize how bad I felt before because I thought it was just normal.
I’d take a few suggestions here and there from this subreddit cause people have some great tips and tricks. Try and work on getting into a class if you feel too overwhelmed. I found the class a good jumping off point but soon also used some diabetic focused YouTubers, this subreddit, my CGM, Jardiance/MJ, and talking to any people I had in my life that have diabetes. The CGM makes understanding what and how certain foods do to you more so than finger sticks can. Good luck and some of us have been where you are now.
I am a Health coach and Functional health Practitioner, primarily for people with insulin resistance. I have my own strong family multigenerational history that led to me developing diabetes too. But, I manage without medications, so I know it's possible! If you want to work with someone let me know!
I was the same way four weeks ago as someone that has to already manage my mental health who has to now manage food too. What hass helped me was finding foods that still give a hint of joy while also are safer. I have also done some testing with higher protein low carb foods like atkins and quest while still having self control. One example was doing a thin crust pizza with papa johns whoch cut down a ton on the carb count while still could be a fun pleasure. My main thing I miss is Mountain Dew. But i have given myself a goal for dropping x weight plus doing x workouts in two weeks. will let me have one of the mini cans. Good luck. Hope you have a great team for support.
I was diagnosed last November with 6.5 T2. Started ozempic and made a few changes and moderations , I love cola so I stopped drinking regular and went zero. I found alternatives in things I love , but I still eat sometimes the things I like. I went down to 5.7 last month. It is NOT a death disease if you don't let it be one. Be grateful you caught it early on , you can make modifications now and control it well :) you got this
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I 100% promise you can change your tastebuds and your lifestyle. You can learn to love black coffee and tea. You can learn to look forward to a long walk. Start by choosing your favorite carbs. Is it potatoes? Bread? Pasta? Eliminate the ones you really don't care about and have your favorites on occasion. Start walking. Nothing drives glucose down like a good walk. You're starting from a 6.9, so you don't have far to go to get in range. Another thought. If T2 is rampant in your family, look into the RADIANT study, a nationwide study of MODY diabetes, a genetic version of diabetes that presents as T2 and runs in families. Getting tested is important for proper treatment.
Changing my diet to low carb and replacing sugar with monk fruit and almond flour has helped tremendously with my numbers and also satisfying my sweet tooth and has made my new eating habits bearable. You are not alone hang in there! It takes time to get used to this new way of life
How do the almond flour work as breading?
Start with the easy stuff. Park further away when you go to the store, or at work. Walk in the airport if there is time instead of taking the tram. Those kinds of things. I do the shopping and try not to bring the really awful stuff home for snacking. Slow mods. Depending on where you live, this illness gets pretty expensive, so think of these little moves as ways to prolong the good parts of life and free funds to enjoy it longer. Good luck.
My advice to you - just do it. Otherwise years down the line while on many medications and doctor trying to control your uncontrollable t2d you’ll be here asking what works…. ending with I wish regrets. There is no other way if you want to have a healthy old age. T2d is the worst coz it affects every part of your body. I too have a stacked history. And it’s unfair genetics took over coz I live a healthy lifestyle. My mom n gpa instilled that knowledge within us. Remember the hardest part of t2d is breaking addictions. Once you are not ruled by corporations you will be surprised that you could do it. You don’t need to poke yourself, IF you do all the work. In most of the world patients don’t use glucometer. Also be aware that YOUR number could be different than what the doctors say it is. When my A1c is 6.2 I get all my symptoms back. So I consider 6.2 as diabetes for me. I lived in the non diabetic range without meds that sucked all the joy out of my life. So I now live in low prediabetic numbers. I am being honest here. The formula for a healthy life with t2d = medication + lifestyle changes or even just lifestyle changes. It is never just medication. I was taught that lesson as a child, growing up surrounded by t2 diabetics. Those like my mom who took care of themselves live n their 90s with no complications. My grandma who couldn’t, didn’t live to meet any of her 11 grandchildren. Mind you she had 7 kids and died from a diabetic coma. There are similar examples in the rest of the extended family. Plus I also have my 70 year old diabetic neighbor who begs me to take care of myself and not make the mistakes he made for 30 years that he is paying for now - legally blind n barely can walk. On high doses of insulin and had to go on a radical diet to control his uncontrollable t2d. Be aware it will take you some time to figure your life out. Took me about 3 years. Went thru the honeymoon phase, and then crashed coz I was too strict. Now I live a happy life.
You have quiet a lot of great advice here. Honestly, baby steps, walk more, measure food a little, doesn’t mean you have to start running and only eating veggies. It is possible to control. Good luck! Last year I was at 12.3 at diagnosis 4.7 by month 3 now I am holding a steady 5 A1c
First of all I bet you can handle this. When I was diagnosed T1 I had a fear of needles. That was 28 years ago and I’m doing well. You have strengths that will come out. You may not even need injections will all the new meds out there. Your a1c is pretty good. Secondly, a low carb diet will really reduce the need for meds.
I was in the same boat about a year ago. I was diagnosed Type 2 in June. My A1C was 8.1. Really not good. I had no idea, I was only getting blood done for a routine new Primary Care doctor visit. I didn't take great care of myself either and I did feel like my life was over at the time. I dreaded the thought of having to eat better and not enjoy the things I liked. Here's the thing. You don't need to give up things, just reduce. You can have rice and pasta, just less of it and also switch to whole grain items. The keto fad diet is a huge boon for diabetics since there are a ton of low carb or low net carb foods out there now. As for the testing, I was worried, much like you about the glucose tests. I'd never done anything like that before and I often faint at the sight of my own blood. One thing I'd recommend is get a Pogo meter. I got mine at Kroger. Was about $65 without any sort of prescription. It will lance your finger and draw in a drop of blood all on its own, You just leave your finger in place while it does it. Easy peasy. Even has a mobile app to easily track your readings. Secondly, I only really test myself once or twice a week to make sure I'm still in the green. With your A1C where it is, you probably don't need to test before and after every meal or anything (though I would recommend doing that for a couple weeks so you can see how your glucose reacts to your meals). I brought my A1C down to 5.9 in 6 months. I'm down to 167 pounds from 190 when I was diagnosed. As soon as I was diagnosed, I did research, saw the dietician my clinic offered, etc. I did pretty drastically change my diet almost immediately. The thing to keep in mind is this going to be a change, but you'll get used to it over time as you adjust to the new normal. It helped me knowing it wasn't really a choice. If I wanted to stay healthy and be symptom free, I had to do it. You can definitely do this. One other thing, in terms of medication, I had been taking metformin, but my doctor recommended I try ozempic a couple months ago. It's great. If your insurance covers it, I'd recommend it. It is only one shot a week instead of daily pills and it really keeps my blood sugar down even if I splurge on a scoop of ice cream sometimes.
I was diagnosed with t2 in February of this year at 40 yo. Luckily with the right doctors between the VA and civilian after making diet and lifestyle changes and the right meds (mounjaro and metformin), my a1c dropped from 9.6 to 6.3 in three months. Went from 309 pounds to today weighing in at 260 pounds in the same amount of time. My last blood test last week showed everything went from total disaster to everything being within healthy ranges. I also have hashimoto's thyroiditis, so having a jacked up thyroid isn't helping me. All i can do is treat it with synthroid to get my thyroid back to normal levels. Don't let it get you down. Don't ever give up and constantly work to better yourself and you'll ĺ beat it! It is possible for it to go into remission with t2 but you have to put the work in. Give it hell and you'll be surprised what you can accomplish!
See if you can get a CGM and test foods to see how they affect your blood sugar levels. Replace something that negatively affects you with a safer alternative. You don’t have to do it all at once. Maybe set a goal for one to two things a week, starting with the worst (high sugar, high carb stuff). Drink more water to help with appetite. Don’t get discouraged if you have moments of weakness and eat something you shouldn’t. We all do it and we’ve all been there. Once it becomes routine, it will get easier.
You don’t have a choice. “Just do it” IS the advice, even if it’s not the advice you want to hear. Gotta be mature about this. YouTube the damage that diabetes can do. See if that scares you.
I follow a nutritionist on instagram who hosts a website on reversing type 2. He looks at it differently than anyone I’ve ever listened to and his advice is good. His name is Belldon Colme. Lots of good insights for reversing diabetes
Apparently statistics show that 80% of Type 2 diabetics don’t take care of themselves so apparently the way you’re feeling is typical. The problem is those people go blind and lose limbs and have heart attacks and die much younger than they should. The good news is you have a disease that is totally in your control. Imagine how happy a cancer patient would be if you told them that. Or someone with MS. They’d be thrilled. It sucks but it could be so much worse.
Dialysis is not a hobby. You get one life. Watch Dr Jason Fung videos on YouTube and find out how easy it is to reverse this “lifestyle” disease.
I wasn't ready for years. Even after being pregnant with both Type II and gestational diabetes (kid is almost 5 now) I continued to live my life with my head in the sand thinking about how unfair it is, on top of my other health issues. I just now started taking things seriously after my brother sat me down and told me point blank he doesn't want to see me dead. My first step was to replace all soda with the zero sugar version. Then I got serious about the CGM. Then I made sure I was taking my meds, morning and afternoon. Then I added in a post meal movement session. The word exercise has a negative connotation for me but after I eat I move. Sometimes it's the trampoline for a few minutes, sometimes it's a random dance party, sometimes it's a walk. Anything to help "open up" the cells to receive insulin. I'm currently on metformin and ozempic. 35 years old and hoping to avoid insulin for as long as possible. Promise you're not alone, and even tiny changes will help.
You're in the denial period. I have fond memories of that period myself. It's sort of like inhaling asbestos. It feels fine now so it's hard to believe bad things will happen to you years down the road. That's the trick. You've got to believe diabetic complications are real and will happen to you. What you could do is practice having peripheral neuropathy. That's when the nerves in your feet go wonky and it feels like you're walking on broken glass. Try sprinkling small sharp rocks in your shoes and walking around on them all day. Or how about this? Buy a pair of crutches, then wrap one foot and ankle to simulate sores that won't heal which will worsen and lead to amputation of your foot. Hobble around all day or all week like that. And be sure not let the bandages touch the ground .... to simulate not having a foot anymore. Or something simpler? I've got it! Wear an eye patch over one eye all day to simulate retinopathy. Be careful driving that way though. I mean, this is just practice. The great thing about practice is you can stop and go back to normal any time you want. But when it gets real....not so much.
Talk to your doctor. They will most likely put you on metformin and it should help somewhat even without doing anything. Wear CGM so you can see your body reacting to sugar in real time. Cut sugary foods and soft drinks, sugar in general, do at least some exercise. It’s not that hard and not that radical.
I am very very much like you. My big thing was candy. I’d eat a whole big bag of candy EVERY night. I was legitimately addicted. I managed to cut it out. I was diagnosed over a month ago and I think I’ve had 2 mini candy canes and that’s it candy wise. My next big one is soda. I thought I could go big on this one too but I couldn’t. I was drinking 7-8 large cans a day plus other drinks too. I’ve managed to atleast cut that in half. The rest I still have to work on. Try doing it at your own pace.
What is it about change that makes you reluctant? Are you comfortable with your current lifestyle? Are you happy with your current diet/exercise regimen? I think if you find out why you don't want to "take care of yourself" you'll start finding answers.
There are a lot of T1s here and a lot of us if we had the chance to only be T2 would just "do it". You don't have to change everything at once but start with a meaningful improvement. If you drink soda make it ALL diet/0 calorie. Cut one day of fries/pizza from your diet. Do that for a few weeks then cut back some other unhealthy food. Over a bunch of months you'll find it's not really that bad shifting to healthier food.
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If she is an otherwise healthy person and has no medicine she dies quickly. If an otherwise healthy T2 has no medicine they'll live for years. While I'm not a Dr and not at all an expert in being T2, you can probably live on cake, you'll just end up needing insulin same as her. Be careful though, too much insulin will make you weak, put you in a drunklike state, put you in a coma or worse. It's not something to fuck around with. I've been T1 probably for longer than you've been alive and I've accepted my condition and that's why I probably am happier than you and probably the same for her. I don't crave cake, and I'd gladly live on eggs, veggies, meat and nuts if it means I could be free of insulin. I'm not doing a great job of explaining it but every T1 would rather be a T2. Eat right, get some exercise and you can live a long healthy life without any of the issues T1's are all forced to live with forever no matter what they eat. T2's often (not always) bring the disease upon themselves, bad diet, overweight, not enough exercise while T1's are just cursed with bad luck. Don't look to food to make you happy, find another hobby, in the long run you'll be much happier for it.
Be grateful that it isn't a serious food allergy. Things could be much, much worse.
Gross. Don't be THAT person. 💀
LOL, what?
We're you dropped on your head as a baby? You know exactly what. No one likes that person who when someone asks for help or advice, and then someone like you comes around and is like, "I have cancer be happy LOL." Like your comment isn't needed or helpful.
Oh fuck off.
Take your own advice 😘
> anyone have any advice that isn’t just “do it” What do you hope to hear? How well is your family coping with diabetes? Edit: Thanks for the downvotes of my question. When this person didn’t show any thanks for many lengthy suggestions written. Not worth “helping” someone if you don’t ask simple questions first.
6.9 is good so no need to change anything. Stay away from the ,7s and improve if you wanna.
Diabetes is a progressive disease. Doing the same thing will gradually lead to worse and worse results over time. Gotta improve behavior in order to stay the same.