Healthy Eating advice.

[JPD]

I've always known I've had horrible eating habits, and that I've needed to fix them, and I've told myself that I will get better. I plan on eating better, then I end up making excuses for myself after I 'forget' and go back to my old way of eating.

As of my last physically a few months ago, I was told I was pre-diabetic, and also extremely anemic. <see below for lab values>

While I know better, today I was bad, I had smores pop-tarts for lunch, and a I made a pizza for dinner from a kit, and ate the entire pizza, along with half a bag of croutons.

One think I have noticed, is I tend to go to the junk food root more, mainly because I'm always tired, and have no energy. I was told to take iron 3x a day, but lately I'm lucky if I remember it once a day. I have noticed this has helped a little, but not a lot.


Note: I'm not asking for medical advice just diet advice, but since I'm data driven I'm putting in my lab values for those interested:

Iron-Ref Range (59 - 151 ug/dL) Me-25

Iron Saturation Ref Range(20 - 50 %) Me- 5

A1C Sept-6.0 (Back in Feb it was 5.4)

[Food Lady]

I never made it to pre-diabetic, but my morning glucose was a bit too high and I was almost 220 lbs. I remembered a lower-carb diet had helped me before. I talked to my mom to find out how she eats. I cobbled together a plan that helped me lose 30 lbs and my reactive hypoglycemia went away.

Some things I did:
--Buy "light" bread; it has half the carbohydrate of regular bread if you subtract the fiber from the count. I get Italian style and it does not taste light at all. I really like it.
--I like chili, but the beans are starchy. Solution: eat half a can, not the whole one. And watch it at other meals. Now, half a can will fill me if I put cheese and sour cream. Do not be afraid of eating fat. It will keep you full. If you want, I have links to studies that suggest it's not the problem everyone thought it was.
--Eggs, eggs, eggs! If I have eggs for breakfast I do a lot better as far as hunger all day. I like to fry them in refined coconut oil or scramble in butter. If you're concerned about cholesterol, I have another study saved somewhere.
--Stay away from rice, pasta, potatoes. I don't eat rice or pasta anymore and potatoes are a sometimes thing, like a couple times a month, maybe. They just have such a high glycemic index and load. White flour, too. I'm not always great with that, but I do ok. Brown rice is practically the same as white rice, nutritionally speaking. It's just nothing but starch. I never liked it much anyway. If I really want Italian, I can do some zucchini and Italian sausage (Tofurkey, 'cause I'm vegetarian) with sauce. A good sub for rice is lentils; at least you can discount the fiber in them.
--Stop the sugar. That's the biggest one. Yes, once a month I have pie or ice cream or something. But if I want treats that badly, I make them. Or I eat low-sugar fruit like tart red cherries with sweetener. And that's key: finding sweeteners you like. It's either that or forgoing sweets altogether. Here's my list of favorite things that help me in this endeavor:
--Ideal sweetener: mix of sucralose and xylitol; comes measurably equivalent to sugar or in packets
--Monkfruit extract and stevia come in measureable form, in packets, or in liquid form.
--generic sucralose cheaper than Splenda: many forms also
--Hershey's sugar-free syrup has erythritol and something else. OK, I'm not going to eat it straight, but it's good in my morning mocha.

I like to mix all those sweeteners together because it tastes better.

--Dark chocolate chips: they have sugar, but it's low. Two Ghiradelli chips are only one gram. I put them in coffee or eat a handful. You can melt some into refined coconut oil to make homemade Magic Shell. Or do the same with heavy cream for ganache.
--Fruit is good; too much is bad. Sometimes I eat half a piece and save the rest for the next day. It just depends on whatever else I'm having that day.

My personal general rules:
--All carbohydrate count is minus the fiber. I don't count sugar alcohols, which are usually listed on the nutrition label. Some people count them but I think I can get away with it.
--Try not to ever go over 50 grams carbohydrate in a meal. More is asking for trouble, but I do it occasionally. I aim for 40 or fewer.
--No more than 180 a day, but I try to get around 100 or under if I'm actively trying to lose weight. I lost weight and normalized my glucose on 120-150 a day.
--Try not to eat unless I'm really hungry. If I'm peckish but I know I can eat an hour from now, I'm going to wait. I can do this now because while I get hungry (tummy rumbling) I don't feel like I'm going to pass out. If I really need a snack it's usually nuts or cheese or maybe coffee with cream. I carry snacks with me in my bag just in case.

Sorry for the wall o' text. This is my favorite subject. BTW, proof this works. Same shirt, difference of a few months:

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/t...11908279_o.jpg

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/t...74885414_o.jpg

[Seshat]

Everyone's metabolism is different. What works for one person may not work for another.

There are reasons you eat the way you do. Analysing what they are will help you find other, healthier ways to achieve the same result.

Example: pizza from a kit. Assemble yourself a kit comprising a tortilla base (instead of a potentially oily or buttery pizza base), a canned tomato paste or italian tomato sauce, lean sausage (or whatever meat you like), pre-grated cheese and canned or pre-cut (maybe frozen) veg. This gives you control over what's in it.
Even better, you can convert it to a burrito kit or taco kit by buying mexican-style tomato salsa and different meat and veg.

That does, however, take more shopping effort. If you hate shopping for food, think about shopping online. Most of the online shops we use keep a list of what we've bought in the past, so we can just check the box for the things we're low on this week.

I discovered that I had a bad habit of constantly eating small amounts of sugar - because I was using that to maintain my blood sugar levels. Learning the 'glycaemic load' information taught me that I could maintain my blood sugar levels in a healthier way by eating slow-digesting meals. Four or five slow-digesting healthy meals keeps me healthier than constant snacking on fast-digesting sugars, and maintains similar blood sugar levels.
But oh GOD it felt WEIRD for the first few months, and it took me a couple of years to develop the correct balance for me.

And now it's harder for me to prepare meals, and I'm reverting. So I need to fix that.


Now, specifics:
You have no energy because you have no iron. Also because your blood sugar is low. Catch 22: it's hard to do the thing that'll fix the problem because of the problem.

If you can afford it, try stopping at a sandwich place (eg subway), and getting something rich in iron and vegetables. Such as a steak and cheese, light on salad dressing (though a pure olive oil and herb, or oil herb and vinegar dressing would be good for you). Stuff every veg you can stand on it - I avoid pickles and olives, but get extra capsicum and onion.
(Note that this is a temporary solution, until you have the energy to shop and cook for yourself. But you can 'cook' sandwiches for the rest of your life and be healthy! You just might need a nutritionist's help to make sure you get the right toppings.)

Buy it take-away. Eat one portion, put the rest in the fridge. If you're still hungry in half an hour, halve the next portion and eat that half. If you're still hungry half an hour after that, eat the remaining half.

Use that pattern. As long as you know you can eat more if you're still hungry, you won't feel deprived.

When - not if - you flub and have a bad day, forgive yourself and continue with your plan starting at the next time you eat.

HOWEVER, be aware that each 'failure' is a potential pointer to something that's not right with your current plan. For instance, if you gorge on oily fish (even fish-and-chips in beer batter), that might point to a lack of essential fatty acids.
So discuss 'failures' with your nutritionist, if you have one. Ask for help figuring out if they're pointing to a nutrient lack, or a circumstance issue.

[MoonCat]

You want to get that A1C down. 6.0 is not low. My last bloodwork it showed 6.0 and I already have diabetes. If you get two such readings in a row, you've got it too.

Check out the American Diabetes Assn. website, they have a lot of good food suggestions. Ask for a referral to see a nutritionist or dietitian. And do it NOW. I was diagnosed as diabetic less than two years after being told I was pre-diabetic.

Also, you gotta move more. Exercise is a major thing. Find something you like and make a plan. Docs recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, but it can be in three 10-minutes sessions if you like. Walking is pretty safe and it worked for me. Losing even a small amount of weight will help your body handle the glucose better. Once you begin to lose weight, keep up the healthy diet and the moving. Think of it as maintenance.

[jedimaster91]

See if your doctor can recommend a nutritionist. You can also sometimes chat with someone through your insurance company for a discount on your premiums, so that's worth looking into as well.

In the mean time, start with small changes and work your way up to larger ones. For me, I'm a soda junkie, so I try to replace one soda with a glass of water and limit my caffeine intake. Buy brown rice instead of white. I started using raw sugar instead of white sugar and there's really no difference in taste. Have a salad with your meal instead of fries. And not iceburg lettuce; I prefer the spring mix kind. More nutrition, better taste. Then I add things like fruit, nuts, and chicken, and opt for a vinaigrette dressing instead of Ranch. Look for tasty fruit and veggie recipes that you will want to eat. I have a simple side dish that is bell peppers, onions, a little garlic and some Worcestershire all sauteed together. Reach for an apple instead of the candy. Apples and peanut butter is a phenomenal snack, especially during apple season when you can get the really good apples. I prefer sweet apples like Honeycrisps and Jazz. Those also bake up really well without getting all mushy. Baked apples with some cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins are all kinds of delicious. Dried apples are simple to make even without a dehydrator (low setting on an oven for several hours) and taste amazing. I could eat dried apples all day long. And they're better when you dry them yourself as opposed to buying a bag of dried apples at the store. Keep them in a sealed container and they'll stay good forever. My parents still have sealed jars of apples they dried in 1987 that are still good. So, so good.

They say to shop the perimeter of the grocery store since that's where all the fresh and healthy foods are. All the processed junk is in the middle. But buying healthy food doesn't do much good if you don't know what to do with it. Jessica Seinfeld has written a few cookbooks with healthier meals that I really like. You can also find cookbooks (or recipes online) that are geared toward healthier choices. If you start getting a lot of fresh produce, it may mean more trips to the store for fewer items each trip. Produce tends to go bad quickly so you have to use it quickly. Frozen will work in a pinch, though.

Use caution with low fat and artificial sweeteners too. The manufacturer has to cut the fat/calories/sugar, but the food still has to taste good or no one will buy it. So other stuff has to be added in to get the taste and consistency that would normally have been provided by more fat/sugar. Some people react strangely to artificial sweeteners. I had to quit buying sugar free drink mixes because they made Mr Jedi's joints ache. I don't particularly care for the taste of artificial sweeteners either, but some people don't have a choice in the matter.

Be sure to also talk with your doctor if you decide to start an exercise plan. It's a good idea to make sure it's safe for you to do so, especially if you haven't exercised much in the past. Again, start simple. Park your car a little further back in the lot and take the stairs instead of the elevator.

[csquared]

The first thing to do is clean out the kitchen. You can't snack on it if you don't have it. Get rid of all the card ladened snack food and processed foods.

The second is to stock the kitchen properly. Fresh vegetables, lean meats. If you want things that are quick and easy, stock up on items like Healthy Choice and Amy's frozen dinner. Also looks for healthy soups (low sodium and low carb). Just don't overeat them. If you need to snack, snack on vegetables.

Look up The American Diabetes Assoc. Exchange/Constant Card diet.

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/t...11908279_o.jpg

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/t...74885414_o.jpg

Way to go Food Lady. Looking good!

[Food Lady]

Way to go Food Lady. Looking good!

Thank you! Great advice on the veggies. I admit I don't eat enough of them. I like them but lack prep time. Need to work on that.

[JPD]

Ugh, well I've had a horrible start. I ended up running late, so when I got to campus I went to the store in the hopes of getting something small and somewhat nutritious. I ended up getting a pizza lunch-able, and when at the check out, I ended up getting a king size candy bar.

I told myself I'll be better after class, and had the plan too as well. During class I got hungry, and searching through my bag I found a pack of peanut-butter crackers (not horrible, but not great)

After class my plan was to go to subway and get a sandwich. Getting there, and looking at the food, nothing that I actually liked looked appetizing. I ended up going next door and getting a bagel and two doughnuts.

Even though I ate less then 30 minutes ago, I keep thinking that I'm still hungry, and I'm doing my best to convince myself not to go to Dominoes for bread-sticks.


I think my biggest weakness is there is a lot of food I can't eat, either to extreme dislike of the taste, the texture, or the food combinations of the items, which makes it hard for me to find things to eat when I'm not at home, and even when I am at home.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Even though I ate less then 30 minutes ago, I keep thinking that I'm still hungry,

Try to get some protein and fiber in each meal and snack. It'll help keep you from feeling hungry too quickly. A little healthy fat helps, too.

[Seshat]

proteins, wholegrains (where the digestive system has to work to get at the core of the grain), and healthy fats (mostly vegetable oils, small amounts of oily-not-fatty fish) slow down your digestion.
So do partly-cut or uncut vegetables and fruits, because your digestive system has to get through the cell wall. Mashed veg, much of the cell wall is pre-julienned. :P

You've mentioned pizza and/or pizza-like things twice now; so I suspect that's a good place to start.
Buy a small pack of any sort of flatbread: pita bread, tortilla, whatever your grocery store has.
Think about what flavours you like in pizza. Tomato in a sort of sauce-y or paste-y form? Mozarella cheese? Capsicum (bell pepper)? Olives? Onion? Mushrooms?
Get a single capsicum, a small jar of tomato sauce/paste, a small thing of mozarella, a few olives... no, this isn't the most cost-saving way to get them, but we're trying something new. Start small, if you like it you can buy larger later.

When you get home, take a short break. Then wash the veg you've chosen, and chop them up. (If you don't know the ways to handle veg, ask us. Don't worry, I wasn't born knowing how to peel onion or get the pith out of capsicum. Or how to store mushrooms!)

If you didn't buy any meat that needs cooking, you can just take one of the bread pieces out of the packet, spread some tomato on it, then sprinkle the chopped veg over it. Sprinkle the cheese on top of that, and put the whole thing under a grill or in the oven at 'moderate' heat (can someone provide that in farenheit please?) until the cheese has melted.

If you find you put too much/too little onion on for your tastes, you can do it differently next time. If you don't like pita bread, try a tortilla next time. If this particular tomato sauce isn't your thing, change it for next time. And so on.
You can also heat it for longer/less time, on a higher/lower setting.
The advantage of cooking for yourself is that you can tweak everything.

You might also notice that this recipe sounds identical to the recipe for a salad wrap, except for the heating-it part.
By adding or removing ingredients, you can modify this basic recipe to provide enough interesting, different meals ... well, forever. But don't worry, between us, the group of folks on this board has enough different ways to cook that you won't be stuck with variations on flatbread sandwiches.

[MoonCat]

BTW, if you want to get the glucose level down you need to go light on the carbs. That means all forms of sugar, white flour, white rice; check the nutrition labels for the total amount of carbs in packaged products. You want to keep individual servings of carbs low because they add up and they WILL boost your glucose level. Whole grains are great, especially stone ground whole wheat; also legumes, sweet potatoes, blueberries--these are foods recommended by the American Diabetes Assn. The legumes cause your glucose to increase slowly, which means your body can handle it better.

Each meal that you consume affects your body's ability to process the next meal. So if you eat a lot of carby stuff, you're going to compound the problem.

Start your day with protein: lean meat, peanut butter (a tbsp or two), an egg, are all good choices. This helps you handle carbs eaten later, such as on break or at lunch. Half your plate at lunch and dinner should be veggies. One quarter of the space is the protein; the last quarter of space can be carbs/starches. If you know you can't resist a snack or dessert (cake, pie, cookies, ice cream, etc), then skip the carbs/starches at dinner so you can have that snack or dessert without doubling up on the carbs.

Fat, protein and carbs are the fuels that our bodies run on, but we need to balance them. The hardest thing for me was keeping to ONE serving of each thing, especially my favorites like pasta and baked goods.

[Victory Sabre]

I really don't have any advice, beyond what already has been given.

However, I will say that if you have the willpower to avoid the bad foods, you'll eventually have no desire to eat them.

I used to have a big sweet tooth. I loved candy and soda pop. I gave it up, and it no longer appeals to me. The last time I had a soda pop was in 2007.

Sorry for the wall o' text. This is my favorite subject. BTW, proof this works. Same shirt, difference of a few months:

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/t...11908279_o.jpg

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/t...74885414_o.jpg

Holy cow foodlady! Congratulations on the weight loss. You look amazing. Keep up the good work.

[wolfie]

Get a single capsicum, a small jar of tomato sauce/paste, a small thing of mozarella, a few olives... no, this isn't the most cost-saving way to get them, but we're trying something new. Start small, if you like it you can buy larger later.

If you find yourself using a lot of bell peppers, you might want to check if any stores in your area carry bags of frozen sliced mixed (red, green, yellow) bell peppers (around here, Almost Perfect sells them, along with "fajita mix" - chopped mixed bell peppers and onions). Big time saver over chopping your own and getting rid of the seeds, and works out to roughly the same price per pound.

[MoonCat]

Wolfie makes a great point. It helps to prepare things ahead of time so you can just grab them and go. You might want to get some snack size baggies or lidded containers. Take a few minutes in the evening to fill them with healthy snacks like berries, cut up fruit or cheese, etc. Keep 'em in the fridge and in the morning, grab what you'll need for the day before you go out the door.

Some people like to cook on the weekends and divide up the food into freezer containers so during the week, they can just take something out, nuke it and dinner is ready. I'm not one of them but it does sound like a good idea, if you have the time.

[Food Lady]

Whole grains are great, especially stone ground whole wheat; also legumes, sweet potatoes, blueberries--these are foods recommended by the American Diabetes Assn. The legumes cause your glucose to increase slowly, which means your body can handle it better.

Keep in mind that these are recommended to people who (for the most part) are on medications that artificially lower their glucose, such as metformin. If you're not on one of those, even whole grains may raise it. I know people who "eat to their meter". If any food raises their glucose too high, it's out, whole food or not.