Need a lifeline!

I don't know what's up with me but I'm having a terrible time with my food plan... I'm depressed even though the sun is shining, I am grumpy and short tempered... I didn't buy candy for the grandkids Easter baskets, bought little toys so there wouldn't be stuff in the house to tempt me but I'm going bonkers here! All I want to do is bake cookies and pies for the family, like I used to do. (I miss baking for my family... baking wedding cakes is too much like work.) And, I think I ate about 1/4 of the last batch of cookies I baked last week!

I'm craving carbs like crazy and last night I dreamed I was enjoying cocktails again! In the dream my doctor showed up at the bar and I was eating chocolate dipped strawberries with whipping cream and pouring down vodka tonics! I know this is weird but has anyone else had this problem? Am I just losing my mind?

Jeannie, I thought about you on Easter Morning when I was hurrying around getting ready for church. I was wondering if you had my special coffee laced with unsweetened Ghiradelli cocoa and splenda. You promised yourself a cup just as soon as Easter was over. Treat yourself and it will trick your taste buds into thinking you had a chocolate mocha treat. And it must be something in the season change or planets or something because I too am craving carbs and lots of them. I wouldn't go to my favorite Mexican restaurant the other night with the family because I was craving Margueritas, salsa and lots of warm soft tortillas and cripsy chips. I had a cheese omelet at home instead and poured my favorite salsa over it. I was good but I still wanted that Marguerita! I have only been diagnosed for six months, but I have had only two cravings - chocolate (the reason for my coffee) and Mexican food with Margueritas! By the way, I post as JGriffin because my name is also Jeannie.

Jeannie,

Carb cravings are both physical and mental, but you already know this. The physical cravings can be dealt with a lot easier than the mental ones. The further we get away from carbs the less the cravings, they say. Carbs are addictive and we all deal with that addiction in our own ways. I believe the menal carvings come with a lot of built-in guilt, a mulit-edged sword for sure. Sort of a complex carb/complex guilt situation. If our mental state is already fragile guilt only fuels whatever is bothing us. For some of us it is a very serious situation that cannot just be glossed over. For, I would think, someone with your approach to their health it is more of a bump in the road. Perhaps the spring is just wound too tight. I mean, it is not like you work where you are exposed to flour, sweets, and overly-happy people! I have always preferred jobs where I was able to actually help someone as opposed to just helping my employer. I live where there are a lot of sweets around and it does wear you down. It feels good to say no to temptation and tell yourself that you are in control. The only thing I think you can do is look at what is going on in your life and see what is 'undone' and do it, whatever that means and remind yourself that this is a day to day situation and no matter what you did yesterday today is another chance to do it the way you think is right for you. We all will pay the price for these periods of 'carb insanity' in our own ways- suck it up and don't give up......

Well, I thank you all for your kind and helpful thoughts... and I think I'm better. I did the evilest (is that a word?) thing I could think of... Had a piece of Pecan Pie. That pretty much fixed it. I'm not even gonna check my sugar tomorrow morning. Just gonna sail right thru this problem with my blinders on. (I have myself convinced that I can have pecan pie once or twice a year without the world coming to an end!)

I've been so good for so long that I think I wore myself out. Being naughty is a bit fun and now I have that delicious (and guilty) memory of the pie to make me be good some more. Hope you're all doing well on your food plans... Time to get the grill out of the garage and start making delicious, good-for-me grilled foods. In the meantime I want to remember what my son learned from SNL...

"When you die if they give you a choice between regular heaven and pie heaven pick pie heaven... It might be a trick, but if it's not... MMMmmmmm!"

My mom says the best way to cure cravings is to allow yourself a "junk day". It makes it extra fun especially if you call it that! Basically by allowing yourself to indulge everyone once and awhile you wont feel imprisioned by diabetes. Good luck!

Jeannie,

I want to share something with you and everyone else on this board. You are my Angel!! When I joined HW you were the first person to greet me. It was in the fibro forum. I was so stunned by your kindness and sense of humor that you made me feel instantly part of this huge family. I will always be grateful to you for that welcome and for getting me on as a moderator in the fibro forum. I also stuff down insulin each day, as you well know, and it does get tiring. I was diagnosed in '91 and for the first 3 years never touched a sweet of any kind. I was SO good, but at what cost. I do keep very tight control and my A1C's are great but I allow myself to eat treats now and then. Life is just too short and uncertain...start your day with chocolate!

Thanks again Jeannie for being my special Angel.
Chutz

Jeannie.....You and Warren would be so proud of me. My husband and I went to see a movie this afternoon. The popcorn smelled soooo good. I actually had a small bag and a diet coke. I felt like I was cheating on my diet, but when I took my blood sugar tonight before dinner, it was 85. Okay, so I guess you two have made a convert of me. I will keep tight control of my diet, but every now and again I might treat myself too.

That is awesome, Jeanne! Popcorn is one of my favorites! The butter actually slows down the carb absorption a bit so the small amount makes us feel full and content. You go girl!