Diet and Diabetes: how to stick to your diet (part 1)

July 17, 12:14 AMDiabetes ExaminerRobert Scheinman

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  You are what you eat

“Too much of everything is just enough” - John Barlow

The desire to eat until we burst may be an evolutionary adaption from our days as hunter gatherers but now it is downright dangerous. One of the first goals of the person, newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is to go on a diet. We all know how agonizingly hard that is. Patients trying to diet literally lie in bed so hungry that they cannot sleep. A practical solution must address two questions: firstly, how can we keep to our portion size and secondly, how can we generate a feeling of satiation so that we are not starving all of the time?

The scenario is so common: sitting at the dinner table, you eat your portion of food and it seems so small. The serving dish sits there beaconing – urging you to eat “just a little more”. Let’s address the “small” issue first. Many people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight and have been so for quite some time. Unfortunately, the body is used to that weight and really is pissed off at you for trying to change it. One of the things it will do to you is fill you with hunger pangs. If you are extraordinarily disciplined you can go cold turkey but that is a really tough way to do it. Instead, consider carefully how much you eat and what it is. How much of it is carbohydrates, how much is protein, and how much is fat? A nutritionist can help you with this. Next, begin to decrease the amount but do it SLOWLY. More importantly, begin substituting food types. As we discussed in a previous article, vegetables are free. You can eat as much of them as you like. Keep in mind that the really critical food type that we want to limit is carbohydrates as these are the easiest source of blood sugar.

Craving for carbohydrates is another common issue. There is something addictive about carbs. Unfortunately, this will require some discipline. A great strategy is to set up your portion ahead of time and remove the rest from your sight before you sit down to eat. This is an especially good strategy at lunch. That huge burrito really should be two lunches but after eating half, it is so easy to convince yourself that you really need that second half. When eating dinner at home, serve yourself your realistic portions of food and if you are worried, load up extra on the vegetables. Get the rest of the food off of the table. This will require some help from the rest of the family but they really should be there for you. Once again, a nutritionist consult with the whole family may get them into the game. When eating out, almost always the dinner is enough for two meals. Get the waiter or waitress to serve you just half of the portions and place the remaining half in a to-go container that will be given to you with the check. Make sure that the bread basket goes away. If you are traveling, order a half portion.

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