Female food addict w/type 2 diabetes

I agree. Go as soon as you can! You are probably not really a food addict, but are craving food because your sugar is out of whack.

Praying for you!! :1_grouphug:

 

I come from a family that genetically has seen almost every member top 500# in his or her lifetime. It is only with care that I remain at a weight where I can still function in society. Along the way, I've read a good number of nutrition and diet books. Oh, I've lost about 40 pounds doing the things that I'll mention below. I'm NOT a fanatic about any one system, and prefer to just eat less, move more, and watch labels like crazy (it is amazing just how many calories, fat, or carbs (sugars) are packed into some common items!). My wife, who has a deficient thyroid has dropped off her meds and is loosing weight using the same techniques, down 20 pounds so far. We both are making moves to simply MOVE more every week with aqua aerobics, walking, working around the home and yard, taking in shows where we have to walk up and down exhibits, etc., instead of television and eating as the main family activities.

From what I gather, in type 2 diabetes (which a number of my family members have) is that an excess of insulin is produced first (before diabetes sets in) that overloads the receptors designed to handle the insulin load. This is typically from over-eating foods with carbohydrates (which are good for you in reasonable quantities). Carb-loaded foods are basically anything "white" -- breads, pasta, rice, cereals, potatoes, and other starchy or sugary foods like cake, candy, sweet corn, etc. To the body, a plate of pasta is identical to a piece of cake -- both turn into sugar in the blood stream that needs insulin to metabolize.

Load up with sugars (carbs) and you over-produce insulin, which tends to outlast the sugars, in turn setting up difficult cravings for more sugars (carbs) because the body has excess insulin production. Eventually, the process breaks, and diabetes sets in, requiring extra insulin shots to deal with the sugars in the blood.

The cure is to wean oneself from the sugars (carbs) by focusing on eating proteins and to a lesser degree, fats. This is essentially what the diabetes diet, the Atkins diet, the Sugarbuster's diet, the Suzanne Sommers diet, Southbeach diet, etc., are all about -- limiting (a lot initially -- then less as you grow accustomed to dealing with sugar input) carbs in the diet until the cravings cease, which generally happens within about 2 weeks.

When re-introducing carbs into the diet (critical for good health) they should be natural, and fiber packed versus processed and lacking dietary fiber. That includes whole grains (which are actually rather difficult to purchase -- have to read a LOT of labels), natural fruits and vegetables, and very little, if any, sweets, cokes, candy, pasta (unless true whole wheat), white rice, potatoes, bread, etc.

My wife and I have found a few good products that help. Genesis or Ezekiel bread is awesome, and because it is made of sprouted grains (according to the ingredients list found in the Bible!) it features a ton of protein and fiber, plus slow release carbs compared to regular white bread.
http://www.foodforlife.com/sprouted-grain-difference/genesis-1-29.html

We use wild or yellow rice. Potatoes in limited quantities, with skins intact, very little white flower (less than 5# a year), Splenda instead of regular sugar, whole grain everything, fresh veggies and fruits (especially berries) instead of canned or processed, and actual butter and olive oil (in limited quantities) instead of other processed oils and fats that are not helpful.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipes/healthy-cooking/low-carb-diet/Main.aspx
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/low_carb/
http://genaw.com/lowcarb/

 

I'm sorry you've got this going on!

Get to the doctor! And don't fast, when your body is stressed your sugar can skyrocket whether you've eaten or not.

Have you considered doing stuff that isn't controlled exercise, but still gets you moving? I used to have a blast on a nature trail just walking down it looking for birds, or taking my camera and walking around looking for good shots. Stuff like that gets exercise in without you being bored and focused on it being exercise. Maybe think of a nice place and make it a goal to walk there and spend a few minutes in prayer.

Make quality a goal in food. It's a lot more fun and a much better eating experience if you cook something really fancy and pretty. Getting creative and carving a flower from a turnip or making a bright and colorful dinner in small portions lets you enjoy a lot of color and taste and feel good about having made it AND about eating it.

I have the opposite problem...my husband can tell you I can get into a snit and not eat for days, but the weight just stays on. I was walking and walking for a while (I used to not be able to go far until I got on meds for nerve pain) but now it's too hot outside, so if you have that problem, I'm not sure what to say. I'm personally considering getting some exercise tapes to do at home. It sounds SO stupid but you know what? I actually had fun doing the really light Richard Simmons workout tapes. I was embarrassed even with nobody else in the house at first, but it really was fun! Videos for pregnancy exercise are also low impact and can be hilarious. I just can't do the ones where they're all 3 pounds and wearing hot pink spandex. We also talked about getting a Wii.

 

For sure, trying to cut back by not eating is probably the worst way to loose weight of all. It seems logical... No food into the body, loose weight, and that will work if you can deny yourself long enough to get to the true starving point (when your body starts to consume its own resources to survive), but in the shorter term (most of us never get to the starvation point) not eating will just cause the body to stack on fat for that "rainy day to come."

I've watched my mom and other family members do the no-eating thing, then cry when they get on the scale and gain weight with just a couple of ounces of food. This is typically followed by a bing where the fast is broken by a "so what, I've tried everything" mentality.

Eliminate self-destructive behavior! Eat GOOD, eat WELL, and eat THE RIGHT AMOUNT of the RIGHT FOOD, and then move as much as you can and you will see success.

 

I was diagnosed with Type 2 at age 60 (4 years ago). I immediately changed my eating habits and way of cooking and baking. I am on pills for that along with pills for high blood pressure and cholesterol.

I have a blood test and see my doctor every three months, and everything is usually within an acceptable range. I don't poke my fingers and check my blood, but I'm simply careful what I eat. I also don't put salt in anything, and I eat low-fat or fat-free foods. Yes, I had to sacrifice a lot of taste, but I got used to it. I also learned to use all kinds of other spices and herbs instead of sugar. Now I don't miss the fat, sugar and salt so much. The most difficult was finding sugar-free soft drinks that I could stand to drink, and I managed to find two. I use powdered fat-free milk, and it's surprisingly good.

I, too, am a food addict (especially sweets), but my health is more important than my food addiction. I satisfy my "sweet tooth" by baking without sugar (most of the time). I found a good tasting artificial sweetener called Splenda that works very well. I often make microwave brownies with just a small amount of brown sugar for added taste. I use 1 cup of Splenda and 1/3 cup Splenda/brown sugar blend, and I use cocoa instead of regular chocolate; cocoa is sugar-free. I make other sweet things with only the regular Splenda and no sugar whatsoever. I've been thinking about trying to wean myself off that small amount of brown sugar, but I tried the brownies without it and didn't like them.

I know what it's like to try to overcome a food addiction. It's not easy but not impossible either, depending on how important your health is to you. Sacrifices have to be made, or the diabetes will end your life before you possible want--like the pastor I knew who died at age 38 from diabetes. Then there was another man I knew who lost a leg to diabetes.

My #1 craving is peanut butter. I keep a jar of it here all the time and have a small amount of it every day. I tried to give it up entirely and couldn't for very long. So I limit myself to a couple of tablespoons per day. If only someone would make peanut butter without sugar. Why doesn't someone think about diabetics who love peanut butter and want to be able to eat as much as they want?

I'm sure there is unsweetened chocolate that I could buy instead of the cocoa, but cocoa is a lot cheaper. Also, while not eating might lower your sugar level, it could also lower it too much. Even diabetics need a small amount of sugar, but you have to eat it sparingly, and DON'T FAST! Blood sugar that is too low is also very dangerous. Many foods have natural sugar in them also, including fruit and vegetables. Even things that are good for you can contain sugar. Learn (as I had to do) to be a label reader when you shop. Blood sugar that is too low causes dizziness in me. That is my sign to eat something with sugar in it. When I do, the dizziness goes away.

 

Have you tried using stevia instead of the more artificial stuff? It's all the way natural and very sweet...a different kind of sweetness. I don't know about the blood sugar part though, maybe you can ask your doctor?

My husband didn't get the sweetness at first, but now he does, but still uses more than I ever would. For me, a tiny drop or half a packet of the crystals is VERY sweet tasting.

I'm trying to convert to honey more than sugar. Better for you, and a tiny bit gives a lot of sweetness. Well, the kind I try to get anyhow...no processing, just raw. Ten times stronger than processed imo!

 

I am surprised you haven't been to an endocrinologist. I have been diabetic and it is been "under control" sort of.... I just went to the E doctor the first time last week and I feel better about it than going to my primary care now. See if you can get a referral. More modern meds.

 

Dear HB,

So many doctors really don't understand what the oral medications combined with long lasting insulin do to your food cravings. Lantus makes me want to eat all the time.

Prayin hard.

 

The interesting thing right now for me is that I have had a great appetite all my life. I am on meds now that I have a little appetite. I hate it.

 

I suggest you look up the Canadian Diabetic Association for their diet and foods to use or not use. It is an excellent program for diabetic of all kinds.

As a diabetic, I regret to tell you that you will always be hungry..it just behaves that way.

Six small meals a day is far better than the normal three. Use smaller plates,,it looks like more food!

All the best. My strokes were caused by my blood sugar getting out of control and it shot my blood pressure over the roof...I lost 90 pounds during that bout and almost died. Control is that important, and do take it seriously.

Cheers, and all the best,

Jim

 

Difficult to control diabetes should have the involvement of an endocrinologist. Get one without a referral from your GP or if your insurance requires a referral to see specialists, insist on one or get a new GP.

Another thing to consider is a low GI (Glycemic Index) diet which you may have already heard about. Low GI carbs take longer to absorb, keep your blood sugars more stable, reduce hunger, keep you full longer and help you lose weight. This site has a massive database of all foods and can tell you if it has a low or high glycemic index. Stick with the low GI, avoid the high GI.

You seem to recognize that your addiction is like that of other addictions where psychiatric help might be needed. Have you considered seeing a psychiatrist? While food addiction is currently not an eating disorder formally recognized in the DSM-IV (the bible of psychiatry), the next version DSM-V is considering adding an entry for binge eating disorder. (Link).

Hope that helps and you can improve your diabetes control.