I have recently been controlling my BG by eating only one meal per day. I know it seems crazy, but I only do it this way because I don’t want to worry about insulin 24/7. I still have good fasting BG most of the time and good BG in between meals. I do eat whatever I want for my 1 meal a day though. I eat one of several different meals that I rotate. Each meal has the same amount of carbs and usually a set dose of insulin for each one. On days when I have to eat something in the morning, it is always no carb. It will be just some eggs and sausage. I rarely do this unless I have to go to work and know I will feel sick without any food in my stomach. I also drink a lot of coffee with Splenda and some milk in it. I know this it not a poster model for good diabetes control, but it is a good compromise I have found thus far until I begin to transition into a lower carb diet.
My next step is to have 1 low carb day and one regular food day. Then I want to get to where I am low carb all week and carbs on weekends. I really love food. It’s like a drug to me and so hard to give up. I also know that 50 units of insulin a day is causing damage to my body. I’m just not ready for strict dietary control. I did change a lot though by cutting two meals out, all sweets/snacks, and all sugar drinks. The days of being able to just eat whatever, whenever are over. What do you guys think about this? The ER doc said I’m being too strict only eating once per day.
Oh my dear Blizzard. I admire your determination. I question, though, if it wouldn’t be easier to just go low carb now and be done with it. I’ve been low-carb for over a decade now and never feel deprived. From cheesecake to poundcake too holiday cooking–like stuffing for our bird made with WASA flatbreads—I eat like royalty…
Two keys are figuring out substitutes and adapting old favorites to be low carb—which is a lot of fun. So now I make my family favorite–lasagna–with big chard leaves between layers, instead of pasta. I made one small adjustment in the sauce and then used all my favorite cheeses which are naturally low or zero carb.
However you get there, it’s a great, delicious way of eating. You’ll undoubtedly find friends and/or family members who find they like it, too…Best to you…Judith in Portland…
The trick to building a new diet is substitutions. Remember that some high protein foods also contain fiber. Fiber will counteract carbohydrate. In general, subtract 5g of carbs for every 5g of fiber you eat.
What are your higher protein foods that you love?
I like your gradual approach to lifestyle changes. I really like your simplification plan for med regimes. I don’t think 50 units of insulin per day is bad for you in any meaningful way. I’d leave that up to God.
That seems kinda on par with what I take, although on the low end. Yesterday I was busy at work, so I only ate dinner (taco bell), plus a bagel in the morning. But, I got low BG in the evening and ate a bunch of candy, which I later dosed for.
22 units meal bolus (38%)
36 units basal (62%)
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Total = 58 units
I’m 5’9" and 170 lbs - a BIG eater, and pretty active, type 1. You can see I’m on a high carb diet (different than you). This data suggest that I under bolus for meals in the morning (actually should be pre-bolusing) and over-bolused in the evening.
I think the tricky thing about one meal per day, is getting the 50/50 ratio correct, although I don’t loose any sleep over that. See how eating (relatively) low carb meals (for me) brought the % of bolus insulin down to 38%? That’s kinda low. Should be closer to 50%. Do type II’s calculate that, typically? Maybe not.
I go through phases where I eat one meal per day - especially in the summer months when its hot.
Do you think type II’s are, in general, more bolus-centric animals? I think that, as a type 1, I am far more interested in the basals.
I’ve read other people who target this 50/50 basal/bolus ratio before. I don’t understand its rationale. I eat a lower carb diet and more often than not end up around 62/38. My total daily basal insulin is always larger than my total daily bolus insulin.
I suspect that some doctors observed that many of their patients ended up at 50/50 and then the docs decided that it was something to target. Until someone explains a logical rationale for this ratio, I will not give it any weight and will not use it as a target or goal.
I think its just a data point, to put things into perspective. Like, if I’m trending at 75% bolus, we might infer that I am not taking enough basal and am doing a lot of correction (which can be easily verified in more detailed records).
If I’m not real hungary in the summer months, it might fall 30% bolus/70% basal. But, that’s generally correlated with it being hot outside and me being slow and imobile like a lizard. I don’t do well in the heat. I think its that I’m diabetic and have poor circulation. Maybe its because I’m Minnesotan. We tend to loose consciousness above 80 degrees, LOL.
Where do the low carb dieters generally fall? 30/70? Its more about just knowing where your average is. There will be deviations, unless your a really consistent eater, like blizzard2014. As a fairly high carb eater, I am pretty consistent around 50/50, so if your low carb you might expect, what? 40/60? 30/70? Depends on the person.
If you saw the ratio shift dramatically from that and you felt you were eating normally, then you might suspect a shift in your baseline bolus or basal. Its a data point to correlate with other variables, like any other.
Do you think you’re getting enough calories and nutrition?
If you eat eggs and sausage as your only meal one day, then it’s unlikely that you’re getting any fruit/veggie nutrients or hitting minimum calorie levels.
I’m not necessarily against once per day (though I’m not for it), but you’d need to eat a large meal with a variety of foods at the very least. Otherwise you’ll likely end up malnourished.
I’ve tried intermittent fasting before, which basically sounds like what you are describing. For one week I tried 16 hours of fasting with an 8 hour eating window (basically eating between 12p and 8p). For me, the hunger mid- to late-morning was just too much for it to be viable to continue. Even at the end of the week-long test, I had thought my body would adjust and hunger would subside but it never seemed to. Blood sugar control was phenomenal outside the eating window of course, which is what you are going for, but for me it just wasn’t worth it. I could very well have been doing something wrong, so if you are doing 1 meal a day and not experiencing hunger please let me know the secrets
Because high levels of Insulin in the blood can cause hypertension and other complications from some stuff I have read online. I might be wrong though.
Katers, I’m very bad about fruits and veggies. I absolutely hate them. I am also on Warfarin, so it can be tricky adding veggies into my meals due to Vitamin K. I have to be careful. I suppose one day I will learn to eat veggies more. I used to have an appalling diet prior to diagnosis. 15 sodas a day, smoker, high stress job driving truck, pounding snacks, eating 5 plates at the buffets. It all changed when I got blood clots and lung issues. To be honest, I can’t eat like I used to due to it will make me sick. If I eat too much food, my stomach backs up and I get sick. If I even smoke a cigarette these days I will be sick. That is partly the reason for the major change in eating patterns. I do utilize low carb on days when I am feeling really unwell. On those days when I think I will be sick, I don’t want insulin inside y system, I eat just meat and cheese. I make philly cheesesteak sandwiches without the bread. Just the meat, onions, bell peppers, and cheese on top. My blood sugar will only spike to 120 from that meal, but it will stay 120 for 6 hours because I do not use insulin on those days. I simplified too for work. I was working a very physical job with limited time to get the work done. I can’t afford to have a hypo on the job. Every time I will eat breakfast that is not low carb, I will end up with reactive hypo. That is why I skip breakfast most days.
I can deal with bolus insulin. I would hate the long acting though. I don’t want to have to worry about going low at night. Even if I was a type 1, I would still limit my meals. Now if I was healthy I would have a harder time, but it is much easier having stomach issues I like to simplify things. The only salads I ear are iceberg lettuce, since it has no nutritional value and thus has no Vitamin K. If any of you guys are on blood thinners, you would understand not wanting to rock the boat when you have your INR stable. Right now my INR is a bit high at 4.2, but I’m scared to mess with it and have it drop low. If you eat veggies on blood thinners, you have to eat the same amount each day. You can’t skip a day. I might have to incorporate something into my diet eventually.
My doc is not a good doc. I actually bought Novolin R on my own and began experimenting on my own until I figured out how to use it safely. I got my A1C down from 7.3 to 5.4 with the mealtime insulin. I knew I was going to have trouble following a diet so I decided to treat with meds until I can change my lifestyle. Now that the doc sees me using insulin with good results, he prescribes it to me and also the needles. I always have sugar on hand in case I have lows, and I monitor closely. I had originally started out with Novolin N, but that had no effect on my mealtime blood sugars. I only spike after meals, and still have good fasting numbers. I want to try some of the newer meds, but not sure my insurance will pay. I would have tried sulfa drugs, but they can have sever reaction when mixed with Warfarin that can cause such hypo events people have fallen and broken bones. I research all meds before I take them. My doc is actually pleased I inject. He said he can’t get half of his diabetic patients to take their meds. Any how, sorry for the ranting. I appreciate all of the support. I have been down in the dumps lately with some other new medical issues. What’s funny is if I would have never had the blood clots, I would have never known I had diabetes. I hadn’t seen a doc in over 11 years. I would still be damaging my body and probably ended up on dialysis before diagnosis.
I hear you on being hungry. I would wake up at 11 am and then go to work at 7 pm to 11 pm. I would just eat one to three long sticks of beef jerky if I was hungry. Very light snack, and it would not raise the blood sugar. Then I would get home from work and eat my one big meal. I kind of tend to eat even when full to feel satisfied. I have to eat a lot, so I do it once a day. Some days, by meal time, I’m like a rabid starved dog and have to force myself to wait 20 minutes after injecting to eat. That happens sometimes. You’re not yourself when you’re hangry.
Katers, the egg and sausage is breakfast on the days when I decide to eat 2 meals. I just do one no-carb meal to not have to use insulin and then the carb meal at night. I usually get around 2000 calories per day. Occasionally I get 2500 calories per day though. If there is a day I don’t want to deal with BS levels or potential Hypos, I just eat low-no carb that day. That’s the only perk of being a Type 2 I guess. You can skip the insulin if you use diet to control.
Judith, you are absolutely right about controlling this with diet. I feel guilty for continuing to eat carbs when I am still in a phase where I can control this without insulin. I can’t stop Metformin though. Without Metformin, even on low carb diet, my fasting numbers shoot up to 130. I already need at least one med to control this. I know there is no going back to cakes, 15 sodas a day, five plates at the buffet. But I still like to eat pizza and a burger from time to time. I can eat a Bigmac and large fries from MacDee’s. Just need 30 units of insulin to do so. I only do that a few times a year. I eat 1 large pepperoni pizza from little Caesars once a month though. Fifty units and my BS is 120 2 hours after the meal. For me, quality of life is just as important as quantity. You have to be able to enjoy yourself sometimes. I know one day my BG will go to 300 just from eating a piece of steak.
True Robert. I would eat beef jerky if I had to work 8 hours. I was only working 4 hours though. But I have to look into office work again of which I will just drink coffee. Food when I work in the office just makes me lethargic. If I had to eat three meals a day, I would do two low carb and one carb meal. But I simplify because sometimes I get frustrated with worrying about all of the stuff you have to deal with having diabetes and just want a respite from it all. I now that my BS will never go above 140 with eggs and bacon, or sausage. Or from beef jerkey etc.
Glad you were able to get your A1c down!! That’s a great level. I hope you’re able to stay off basal insulin too. Looks like things are going fairly well so far.
I don’t have blood clot problems, so I’m not sure how best to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need. However, it’d probably be good to ask the doc what vitamin supplements you can take if you’re not going to eat any of these foods. I’ve experienced a vitamin deficiency in the past (though not the same kinds of vitamins), and it wasn’t fun at all. You may find that that you feel healthier overall when you’re getting these vitamins regularly.
Yeah. The A1C is good, but I really need to have it checked again soon. If it is still good I will continue my current course of action. If not, then I will re-think things.
