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[jdmessner]

Is anyone else wrestling with diabetes? Here is what I have experienced over the last few months:

Last May I went to the Dr. for my normal physical appointment. My blood sugar was through the roof. I had never experienced this kind of problem before and was surprised at the results. The next thing I knew, I was put on insulin and Metformin to get it under control. I radically changed my diet and the portions of food I was eating. I started to lose weight initially because of my diabetic condition. However, when I got that under control, I continued to work at losing weight. I have now lost 70+ pounds (15-20 more to go) and have my blood sugar under control. I no longer am taking Metformin or insulin. My diet is mainly meat and vegetables. I have eliminated starchy stuff (breads, corn and potatoes); cheese and dairy products; concentrated sugars; and commercially processed meats.

Smoking meat on the pellet grill has really helped me take the time to focus on what I am eating and allows me to eat good food on a regular basis. While I still have a ways to go, my diet isn’t perfect, and I just starting to work on something called exercise; I have seen a big improvement in my overall health. I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago for a follow up appointment and he was very pleased with the results. All my tests came back looking very good. The only area that wasn’t in line was my cholesterol. Given my change in diet I guess that wasn’t unexpected. However, even that wasn’t too bad (201 instead of under 200 for overall reading).

If anyone has wrestled with this kind of thing and has stories to share, diet info, or low cal/low carb recipes you would like to post I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Trooper]

jd,
You're in good company here as many have quite a list of physical issues bombarding our bodies.
Many probably won't write about it.
I ve been on the Metformin plan for a few years. I hit out at about 216.
Hang in there and work hard at battling this issue.
Nothing is more important than good health.

[Brushpopper]

Keep working on the thing called exercise.  That'll do you more good than you realize.  I actually enjoy it.

My wife's cholesterol is pretty high, thanks to the genetics from her parents.  I started cooking lots of chicken breasts for her since I got my pellet grills.  Hers has gone down quite a bit.  Mine went from the low 200s (eating lots of beef) to the mid 180s and the only thing I can attribute it to was eating more chicken.  Didn't change anything else in my diet, which is pretty limited anyway.  I've had Celiac since my mom weaned me.  Nothing with gluten in it, so no breads, cakes, etc. 

The kids are tired of chicken so I try to cook some beef or pork for them.  And of course I still eat both.  Just not as much anymore.

[Rick]

Congrats on the lifestyle change and getting your diabetes under control!

I have a son with Type 1.  Although Type 1 is a completely different animal, as a family, we have learned a lot about nutrition and read the labels on just about everything we buy.  You can't help to lead a healthier lifestyle when every time you look at a piece of cake or a chocolate shake and think, "Wow, that has to be at least 150g of carbohydrates and 1000 calories."

Tired of chicken?  If you like salmon, it's another healthy protein that can be cooked on the smoker/grill.  When cooked correctly to a perfect Med/Rare at about 120 degrees internal temp, it's delicious.  I use EVOO and a light sprinkle of Plowboys Fin and Feather.  My family loves it.

Congrats again on the weight loss and life style changes.

[DE]

"I have now lost 70+ pounds (15-20 more to go) and have my blood sugar under control. I no longer am taking Metformin or insulin. My diet is mainly meat and vegetables. I have eliminated starchy stuff (breads, corn and potatoes); cheese and dairy products; concentrated sugars; and commercially processed meats."

CONGRATS for a well done accomplishment. That is so Awesome what you have done! You are an example for all of us, especially me!

 

[Bentley]

Can't seem to get there. Quit drinking 11+ years ago, quit smoking in Jan...dont have to use either to live.

Glad you have been able to have success!

I radically changed my diet and the portions of food I was eating.

[DE]

So look here. I eat brisket 4 sometimes 5 times a week. My doctor told me I could have all the brisket I wanted, just cut back on the sugar and carbs. Now, May was the 20th year anniversary of my quadruple bypass. My Blood levels they are happy with, just not my weight. So I am re-educating myself about eating via a program and one of the first questions asked of me was…If you like Brisket so much, why are you in such a hurry to get it out of you mouth and down the tube (so to speak). Don’t you know that there are no taste buds in the stomach. Once it goes down your throat, the party is Over!
Talk about ringing my bell! Duh!!!! It seems I just wanted to keep the shovel going. My mother taught, or tried to teach us to chew our food slowly and put our fork down between bites. Obviously she was successful with my two brothers but not with me. My fault, not hers. So my memory tells me I was about 242 or so when I had my “healthy experience” back in 97. I know after my rehab I was at 205. I was at 261 when I started this re-education and now I am at 244. I eat whatever I want I just changed when and how I eat. I am going for 200 to 205. I now savor each bite and move the “Goodness” (Brisket) around to hit as many taste buds as possible, Savoring each bite. I eat slowly for 10 minutes and take a 5 minute break and resume until I am “comfortable”. By this time as I recall my mother saying your brain will receive the message your full. This is an easy change to make and still eat what you want (except sugar and loads of carbs). In the twenty minutes it take my brain to realize I am full, I could shovel down a whole lot of food which is why I am so big.
But I am changing. I have come to the conclusion that this will be a sustainable change thus long lasting. There are a lot of other things I’m learning as well, don’t get me wrong, it’s not just one thing, but that was the most profound thing to get my attention.

[jdmessner]

…If you like Brisket so much, why are you in such a hurry to get it out of you mouth and down the tube (so to speak). Don’t you know that there are no taste buds in the stomach. Once it goes down your throat, the party is Over!

DE - I think you hit the nail on the head. It is about portion control, savorng the good stuff, and eliminating most of the bad. I do think this is a sustainable diet and I hope I can keep the pounds off and the sugar levels down for the long term.

I guess I don't feel that what I have done so far is really much of an accomplishment. I look at all the stuff I used to eat and realize how badly I was treating my body. It is sad that it took getting sick to be a motivating factor for turning around my dining habits. What's even worse is that if I had been able to do things in moderation I would be able to eat most anything today.

[Fire708]

Congrats are in order! It’s hard to change habits built up over a lifetime and I applaud your success.
It’s amazing what a diet change can do for your body and how well the human body can recover.

[dk117]

So look here. I eat brisket 4 sometimes 5 times a week. My doctor told me I could have all the brisket I wanted, just cut back on the sugar and carbs. Now, May was the 20th year anniversary of my quadruple bypass. My Blood levels they are happy with, just not my weight. So I am re-educating myself about eating via a program and one of the first questions asked of me was…If you like Brisket so much, why are you in such a hurry to get it out of you mouth and down the tube (so to speak). Don’t you know that there are no taste buds in the stomach. Once it goes down your throat, the party is Over!
Talk about ringing my bell! Duh!!!! It seems I just wanted to keep the shovel going. My mother taught, or tried to teach us to chew our food slowly and put our fork down between bites. Obviously she was successful with my two brothers but not with me. My fault, not hers. So my memory tells me I was about 242 or so when I had my “healthy experience” back in 97. I know after my rehab I was at 205. I was at 261 when I started this re-education and now I am at 244. I eat whatever I want I just changed when and how I eat. I am going for 200 to 205. I now savor each bite and move the “Goodness” (Brisket) around to hit as many taste buds as possible, Savoring each bite. I eat slowly for 10 minutes and take a 5 minute break and resume until I am “comfortable”. By this time as I recall my mother saying your brain will receive the message your full. This is an easy change to make and still eat what you want (except sugar and loads of carbs). In the twenty minutes it take my brain to realize I am full, I could shovel down a whole lot of food which is why I am so big.
But I am changing. I have come to the conclusion that this will be a sustainable change thus long lasting. There are a lot of other things I’m learning as well, don’t get me wrong, it’s not just one thing, but that was the most profound thing to get my attention.

another little trick.  Drink a large glass of water BEFORE sitting down to eat. 

DK

[MN-Smoker]

I have some bad blood work a couple years back.
I couldn't believe it because I'm somewhat of a healthy looking person.

I changed my diet instead of taking meds.  Ate more veggies.

No matter what you eat, you really only eat so much.  If you can eat vegetables first at every meal, it can really cut down on the carbs and meats.

I've really tried to pass on bread as much as possible.  Also, I've had to cut out beer and ice cream, two of my favorites.   I still have both, but only once every couple weeks instead of nightly or every other night.

Veggies and meat is a good way to go.  Try to work in fish a bit more over red meats.  (I know... on a BBQ forum???)

Part of BBQ'ing is about quality over quantity.

[DE]

DK117 "Drink a large glass of water BEFORE sitting down to eat."

That a good thing to do for sure, but I have learned to drink thru the day, 60 oz + of a mixture of Orange Juice and Water. It's a 7 to one ratio, 1 being orange juice and the other water. Now I'm not going to tell you it taste better than the sweet tea I used to drink that much of if not more but
it also doesn't contain Splenda which is whole other discussion. The taste does grow on you and it has just enough sugar to ward of those false hunger pains. Thirst can feel like hunger. Appetite is our mental craving for certain foods. Hunger is our true physical need for food. I am trying to learn the difference.

"False hunger can never be satisfied because it was never true physical hunger!"

[Chris__M]

My tale isn't anything to do with BBQ.

I have a soft spot for biscuits (cookies to you). I used to find it very difficult to just eat one and often could go through the packet.

So I stopped buying them. But then I would have friends round, and would either buy biscuits for my guests, or someone would bring them, and there would always be some left in the kitchen the next day. But not the day after.

So instead of denying myself treats, I bought a kitchen safe. This is a plastic storage container with a time-controlled lockable lid. So I could take a biscuit or two to have with my morning coffee, and spin the dial so the safe would not unlock until time for afternoon tea. Or I could have a snack bar in the evening, watching TV, but set it not to open again until the next morning.

It worked a treat, but I found out something about myself I never knew. It wasn't necessary to lock the box for hours. One hour would do. It turns out my craving for biscuits happens once I eat one, and for up to about 60 minutes after. If I can get through that hour, then I have no less self-control than anybody else.

So that makes it fairly easy. When I go to the safe to get a snack or biscuit, I can make a rational decision on whether I want/deserve one or two. If I lock it for an hour, then all that time that I really really want another, they are locked away from me. By the time the box unlocks I'm like "Another biscuit? Nah, maybe later."