Newbie checking in

Hello,

I'm new to this forum. Was diagnosed pre-diabetic about 4 years ago, but did nothing about it. Recently a very dear friend of mine lost all her toes on the left foot and her right leg just below the knee to complications of diabetes. Well I can tell you it was a wake up call for me. Fortunately, my condition is still pre diabetes, a true gift from above. I am on a carb counting regimen - 3 meals of 50 carbs and 2 snacks of 25 per day. Have lost about 10 lbs with about 50 more to go. Tracking my FBS in the am and once a day 2 hrs after a meal. For the first month I was using a very old meter and discovered it was unblalaced. Am now using an Accu-Check compact plus. Levels are somewhat up and down. Anywhere from 141 fasting to as low as 101. After meals running about 142 - 103. Have just begun to walking 30 mins 3x per week.

I'm hoping to turn this around so that I do not become diabetic - though it is very prevalent in my family - and am open to any help and pointers.

BTW - DH is type 2

Hi Caro and Tommi, we're in the same boat I think.  I'm still "pre-diabetic", not on meds and want to stay this way as long as I'm able.  In January, I started a no-carb regime and nearly daily exercise and have lost 20lbs.  I've lowered my A1c from 6.6 to 5.6, and my cholesterol is much lower too.  Most of this is because I cut out carbs.  200 carbs is very high indeed!  Even though many doctors and the ADA still recommend carbs to be a major part of the diet, most folks around here on the forum don't agree as carbs are what gives you high blood glucose readings.  If I have to snack on something between meals, it's cheese or nuts (peanuts, pecans, walnuts or pistachios).  Also, there's a tasty cheese puff that you can read about as you look over these threads on the forum.  No carbs in that at all.  Tommi, I'll bet you can lower your A1c by cutting down on carbs, too.  That's great work you're doing with Dare to CARE, Caro.  Keep us updated on how you're both doing.

Lanie

Personally, I found the money I spent on a dietitian to be wasted. She recommended 220 grams of carbs a day for me- which was more than what I was eating routinely when I was diagnosed. She was also very confused about how I could get enough protein as a vegetarian.

I went to Borders, bought a book that contains nutritional info, and began to cut down the carbs until I found the magic number that allowed me to stabilize my blood sugar.  I heartily recommend Dr. Bernstein's book- he walks our walk as a diabetic (type 1). He makes good sense. I do eat a few more carbs than he recommends, but I follow his principles 2 out of 3 meals every day.

Good luck! sandy