Good morning all.
I am really struggling with my blood sugar control and my weight issues right now. Actually it's more than "right now", it's an on-going issue. I cannot stop myself from over-eating. I start off the day with a good healthy meal, but then somewhere it gets out of control. I pray about it. I journal. I start the day logging my food/ points into weight watchers, but I go haywire aruond 11 to 12. Sometime I eat up all of my points before noon. (Its usually all "healthy" , high fiber foods though).
Once the points are all gone, I just keep on that same bad track and keep the foods coming in. I think extreme thoughts, like trying to go on all liquid diets, or using diet aids, thinking that these things may help me gain some self control. I am searching for something to "fill" me up. I also won't exercise once I've used up all my points because it seems so fruitless. I've already blown the day.
To make matters worse, I suffer from gastroparesis, which is nerve damage in my stomach that makes me stay "full" ( supposidly). I think now that I should stop taking the two medications that I prescribed so I can always feel full and in pain again after I eat like I did before the diagnosis. Oh wait, that doesn't work, I over-ate then too.
So, what do YOU do? Does anyone else have this HUGE issue? I am scared to eat as I fear it will start me off on that same cycle again. Day after day after day ...after day. I know that having my blood sugars consistently above 200 is causing me damage, but I just can't stop.
Please offer your advise.
Thanks. Rebecca
Hey Rebecca -
I have found a few things in terms of myself and binge eating:
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If my blood sugar is high, like over 190 I am HUNGRY. I try to stop and realize that it is the HIGH that is making me hungry and that I am not actually so, So testing before eating seems to help mentally there.
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If I am low and do not treat right - I graze and graze and stuff myself silly. Dumb move cause then I wind up high and sick to my tummy. So here I have to say ok Gina juice box first wait 15 and then if your hungry eat.
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If I’m bored or angry I eat by my emotions and not my head. Once I was sooo mad at my poor husband that I ate street meat in NYC (like a shish kabob) and a JUMBO pretzel and then just stopped myself barely before I went for a dirty water hot dog. Wake up Gina you are only hurting yourself. This is what WW calls emotional overeating.
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If I don’t eat enough protein I am starving. I think what has helped a bit is that fat free chiobini or other greek yogert in the am, or egg white or even a fat free hot dog (yes for breakfast). Protein seems to carry me farther.
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Also, I now allow myself to eat bits throughout the day - 7:30 breakfast, 9;30 fruit, 1pm lunch, 4:30 fruit, 8pm Dinner and 9:30 FF Ice Cream or something. If i have food to look forward to I tend to graze less (not a perfect world but hey this does help me some days ). FF chicken broth, tea, water, seltzer, diet coke are also good fill ins to fill me up. I also can not buy BIG anything. I buy or repackage single serve foods - 100 call packs, yogerts, pretzels, etc …
I dunno if this helps you but it helped me a bit. I totally have issues with binge eating and it’s something with diabetes that we need to get our heads around and make lifestyle changes everyday to deal with. Starving ourselves won’t work and stuffing won’t either.
As for exercise, do it for your heart and your health to reduce stress and avoid complications. You will get to love it. But we can leave that for another post.
Today is a GOOD day. Live in the moment.
Good Luck,
Gina
Wow, Gina. Thanks for the thoughtful advise. I actually went to a local WW meeting this morning so I can be accountable and re-learn some of the tools I need. I woke up early today… ready and motivated to start this day. I was sooo full from yesterday’s binge that I just ate a small lunch. 4 points only. Mostly protein. But enough carbs to let me get in an hour workout in the gym without crashing.
I’m glad I’m not alone out there. I really do appreciate your note.
Kind regards, Rebecca
