Why can't healthy just be easy once in a while?
Here's my dilemna....with diabetes you should eat three meals and three snacks about three- four hours apart. Your blood sugars can bottom out if you don't. I am using a combination of things that I learn here and the WW program. I get 29 points a day to use as I want. Well, sometimes, I have those 29 points used up by dinner and I don't feel a need for a snack or want one. But the days my body says food needed, sugars low....I have to go over my 29 points and pay the consequences. Now I know those of you who use WW also will remind me of flex points, but at this time, Flex points are too tempting to use them on unhealthy foods, so I try not to. Any ideas, I know it's a simple answer, but I can't see it right now.

The second thing is, I have been starving the last two days. I could eat everything in site.
Heatlhy, not healthy, you name it, I even thought of fixing liver and onions. UGH!!!!!!
What do you do when you are so hungry and really don't need or want to eat, but you do want to eat. Does that make any sense whatsoever?

thanks for any and all help as always.

Are you giving yourself activity points when you exercise? That could give you enough for an extra snack here or there.

I have not been able to make myself journal and count points lately. I'm feeling resistant to the whole thing right now. I am hoping that when I get a little less stress in my life I can pick it up again.

But when I was doing it successfully, I had to plan things fairly carefully to have enough points to be comfortable, even using flex points and activity points.

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...I could eat everything in site...

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When I feel like that, I have some Shredded Wheat and skim milk. That's not exactly a decadant treat , but it is filling.

What wonderful suggestions, thank you one and all. I knew it was a simple answer and that I was making it way too hard. I do exercise in the AM...the pool is much quieter, usually, this week we did have a big "Summer Sports Olympics" in town, so too many kids to make it worth it in the AM...had to swim at 10:00 p.m.
So the pups and I did do our walk while it was cool. I hate exercising later, it reves me us too much to sleep.

Eating, I've seen the dietician and she and I have adopted the WW plan to work for me. In fact, she suggested more points and more protein, which helps. The 100 calorie snacks are like using Slim Fast, etc., only in an pinch.Although, they are good, I can see where for me one bag wouldn't cut it.

Thanks for the food ideas, anything different is greatly appreciated.

I know that this is just a phase, but, phases for me tend to lead to habits and I wanted to nip this one before it got out of hand. Again, thanks so much for the ideas and support. You are all terrific. PAT ON THE BACK!!!!!!

Sandy's post reminded me...

When I fall off the wagon, I often feel like I am starving the first couple of days back on the wagon. I don't know if it is the stretched stomach theory and I'm waiting for my stomach to shrink back.

I know in my case, a lot of it is in my head and fortunately I don't have time to post all the details.

Maybe, if you can get on plan and wait out the two days of being too hungry - things will go back to normal? That's what happens for me. Maybe it does for you, too.

I know that you will figure this all out. I know that you posts are really thoughtful and insightful and that you will figure it out.

Denise

Another thought that I hope helps...
I find that my blood sugar levels are more stable throughout the day if I exercise in the morning. I know that you swim most days or walk. Do you do it in the morning? Could you do some AM activity on your off days for exercise just to get blood sugar evened out? I think a 15 miunte walk would help.

Cathy,
I went through a period of being really hungry a few weeks ago. I don't know why, but I was ravenous! Sometimes it is because I have eaten too little or too much. Sometimes it is stress.

One of the reasons I did not go to WW was the fact that I need to be on a diet good for diabetics becuase of my healht issues. I konw that WW does that for many people, but I was so clueless about how to use the points to keep myself feeling good. I needed more direction. I saw a dietican who talked to me a lot about insulin levels and blood sugar levels. We came up with a timed plan of eating that turned everything around. (Sometimes I do not do it, but when I do all is good.)
Here is my general plan:
B- whole grain cereal and milk
S- 2-3 servings of fruit.
L- protein/ complex carb/fat combo
S- protein/carb combo
D- Same as lunch

I space these out every 2-3 hours. I do not go more thant 3 hours without eating

One of the reasons I posted somewhat negatively about the 100 caloire snacks is that they have white flour and sugar. These things really make my blod sugar go crazy. When I eat even one bag of something like that I get terrible cravings and am hungry. It is not just the calories, but the aftermath that can last for days.

I am in the cam with Denise about setting up well spaced meals and snacks. This might help. I know that the meals and snack are small, but at least there is another coming in a couple hours.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sandy,

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Originally posted by cobismom:
with diabetes you should eat three meals and three snacks about three- four hours apart.

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I get REALLY hungry if I go four hours. I can't go that long. If I eat every 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon and early evening. I'm never hungry. That is the schedule that works for me.

Would a schedule like this work with your diabetes?

8am breakfast
11 1/2 of lunch
1:30pm other 1/2 of lunch
4pm snack
6:30 dinner
9pm snack
11pm snack

I'm fortunate because I'm not hungry after about 7 or 8 at night - but I could see with your diabetes that you probably need to have snacks in the evening. Are you ok going 8 hours at night? (Sorry if this is a dumb question - I don't know too much about diabetes...)

If you had 3 - 6 points every time you eat you could spread your points out through the day...

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What do you do when you are so hungry and really don't need or want to eat, but you do want to eat.

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I REALLY eat by the clock. I don't wait until I'm hungry. I get cranky when I wait until I'm hungry. It isn't pretty. Ask my family.

I usually eat at 8am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30, 5 & 7. Sometimes, it feels like I'm eating all day long, but at least I'm very seldom hungry. I eat some pretty filling foods like fruit, oatmeal, yogurt, beans, ww bread with protein that stay with me. If I get REALLY hungry, I realize that it is probably stress and not true hunger. I have a glass of water and a carrot or some brocolli - and I know that another "scheduled snack" is usually no more than 45 mins. away and I can always wait that long.

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Does that make any sense whatsoever?

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Yes, you are making perfect sense.

I made a list of filling 2-4 point lunch/snack sandwiches. I'm not 100% sure that they will work with your diabetes...

2 slices of 100% whole wheat bread or whole wheat pita with some combo of fat free mayo, mustard, relish, carrot curls, tomato slices, lettuce, cucumber, onion and add:

cooked egg whites or Better 'n Eggs
Boca burger (vegetarian burger)
fat free bologna
couple oz tuna
couple oz of chicken breast
slice of cheese
bean salad (make egg or tuna salad but put in smashed garbanzo beans instead of eggs/tuna - try it!)
cooked eggplant with a slice of provalone cheese or grated parm cheese
1 1/2 slices of bacon
1 1/2 slices of bacon w/ 1/2 TBS of peanut butter (sounds weird buy I love it with tomato on a toasted sandwich!)
tofu slices sprinkled with soy sauce and "fried" with 1/4-1/2 tsp. of oil in nonstick pan

Or if you are not allowed to eat 4 slices of bread a day... You could turn the above in to a salad topping.

Also see that thread with the 100 cal healthy snacks

Hang in there, I hope this helps! Anything that isn't helpful - feel free to ignore.

Sending you ((((hugs))))

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GoingSkiing,