Posts: 12,216
5/28/12 11:42 P

Thanks for the reminder, Coach Tanya--I noticed when I was last there, there is actually a new team for people who have just been diagnosed--and it seems to be thriving too!

Pounds lost: 8.0

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Posts: 4,467
5/28/12 4:40 P

Be sure to check out the Spark D Diabetes Condition Center for lots of helpful information.

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_condit
ions.asp?condition=9

Coach Tanya

May Minutes: 1,229

0 187.5 375 562.5

750

SparkPoints: (40,911)
Fitness Minutes: (13,784)
Posts: 2,445
5/28/12 3:47 P

I thank you all for the sage advice.
I don't have health insurance and therefore do not have access to specialists...just the GP at the sliding scale clinic and I can barely afford that. I'm learning that my doctor is woefully uninformed about diabetes and I'm doing more and more research on my own.
Part of the problem with that is there are many different schools of thought about what works best for diabetics and what is safe. I try to weed through it all and *hope* that I'm not making a decision that will adversely affect my health.
I certainly want to avoid lows at all costs and wasn't sure that my instincts were right about the high carb/calorie ranges despite my increase in exercise.

SparkPoints: (79,143)
Fitness Minutes: (80,332)
Posts: 24,851
5/28/12 12:48 P

My dietician recommended only 1200 but that is not enough for me. I've tried it and after exercise and some during the day my blood sugars bottomed out. So I go with what spark recommends. Seeing the dr june 4th. Numbers are creeping up in the morning but it is what it is.

current weight: 182.4

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Posts: 1,260
5/28/12 11:58 A

So much plays into what you need to take-in in carbs.
What kind of carbs
Amount of exercise
How you are feeling that day (health wise)
Obstacles that may get in your way of meal times
I am with those that say that plans are just an idea.....each individual must refine it to fit their life style and numbers!
Pris

Pounds lost: 0.0

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Posts: 12,216
5/28/12 11:28 A

I did some research when I saw the D program... it's based on the ADA recommendations, and the ADA says "A place to start is at about 45-60 grams of carbohydrate at a meal. You may need more or less carbohydrate at meals depending on how you manage your diabetes. You and your health care team can figure out the right amount for you..."

www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/pla
nning-meals/carb-counting/

Basically, I think they set it up for someone who hasn't got any kind of program in place yet. So that sort of makes sense... but I agree, it's way too high. In my opinion, they aren't keeping up with the current research. I don't know ANYONE who's diabetic who can get away with 45-60 carbs in one sitting, without PAYING for it in higher numbers... unless they're used to eating more than that to start with. If THIS is an improvement for those people, just imagine how much they're going to benefit when they have their own customized parameters!...

so...

There are ongoing discussions right now on improvements to the program. With the regular set-up, people can change their carbs, proteins, fats, caloric range... with the D program, you can't. When we have our own programs, set up by ourselves and our medical teams, it's frustrating not to be able to plug it into the SP tracker.... We're hoping that gets changed. Soon...

Meanwhile, I re-set what I can on the tracker, set my own parameter on paper, and just wait impatiently for SP to catch up... they DO have a lot to do, it just surprised me they did this to us in the first place... hm.


Kathy

Edited by: I.M.MAGIC at: 5/28/2012 (11:30)

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Posts: 23,819
5/28/12 11:03 A

You've gotten very wise advice. I say, if you haven't already gotten advice from a diabetic educator and/or nutritionist, do so.

We ARe all different, so you definitely have to find out what works for YOU! I used the SP guidelines, my nutritionist's guidelines, my diabetic educator's guidelines together to do what works for me.

Definitely I eat much less than the carbs recommended on this site, because that's what works for me.

Great question.

SparkPoints: (5,942)
Fitness Minutes: (6,520)
Posts: 50
5/28/12 10:07 A

The plan works for weight loss for me but not good blood sugar control so I tweaked it a bit and try to take in less than 45% carbs. Not a major change but it seems to help me. I lost weight with both their ranges and my range. I recently changed my plan so that I would only lose 1 - 1.5 lbs per week and upped my weight goal to my first weight goal. Good luck to everyone. I am very grateful to this Site for the life changes it is helping me to achieve.

Posts: 1,123
5/28/12 9:45 A

We are all different. I cut my cals and carbs and continued to exercise and I gained back 8lbs so go figure!

Posts: 12,216
5/28/12 9:35 A

I'm surprised the system actually let you do that! When I set my goal weight and the date I wanted to accomplish it, a message popped saying that it wasn't advisable--because it was over 2 pounds a week!

So... I went with what SP recommended. And got scolded by my renal dietician for not eating ENOUGH! LOL

The dietician was right. I RAISED my caloric intake from 1200-1500 a day to 1500-1800--and then I started losing weight! Go figure...

Apparently, I wasn't eating enough so my metabolism slowed down...

Have you had a consultation with a dietician or diabetic educator?... you may want to go there, and THEN revamp and customize your program...

And don't forget to drink plenty of WATER... LOL

Kathy

Pounds lost: 8.0

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Posts: 844
5/28/12 8:31 A

Hi. Calorie and carbohydrate intake needs vary among each of us. I do find the Spark site ranges do not fit my personal needs. Normally I lower the amount of carbohydrates suggested (I eat 15 to 30 grams per meal) and up the healthy fats. Follow the instructions that you have been given by your health care professional. Good luck!

current weight: 1.5  over

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Posts: 16
5/28/12 12:53 A

Good question. I think you have to adjust for your individual needs. Do you workbwith a CDE?

SparkPoints: (58,899)
Fitness Minutes: (6,891)
Posts: 4,066
5/27/12 11:43 P

OK, I will chime in here. The numbers given by any one fits all plans are only estimates and probably set so as to not open themsleves uo to criticism if there is discomomfort to the user of the guide. Remeber, GUIDE is the operative word.

I always adjust to fit my personal profile. Every estimate of my daily caloric intake just to mainatian is way too much for me. The GUIDE tells me that at my weight, I need to take in over 1700 cal. That does NOT work for me. I limit my daily cal consumption to a max of 1200 and the loss has been steady, although not to the very aggressiv goal that you have set for yourself. I wish you will and hope that you can actually maintain 2 lb per week rate. I have lost 51 lb ub 61 weeks on SP. Previous to SP I was at a weight of over 315 so I am very pleased at this. SP has been in incredible experience and I intend to stay with it no matter.

Good luck

Frank

current weight: 170.3

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SparkPoints: (40,911)
Fitness Minutes: (13,784)
Posts: 2,445
5/27/12 10:44 P

I am a female, 40, 5'5 and 310. I updated my fitness goals to include 180 mins of cardio/week.
40 mins of aerobics 3 days and 3 20 min walks.
I use the SP diabetic plan for my nutrition plan and I have set my goal for a 3 pound weight loss each week.
When I updated, my calorie range jumped to 1870-2220 per day! That seems way too high. Even my carb ranges are way out of line with what I've been advised to eat. SP is recommending 58-69 g of carbs at meals and 29-35 g of carbs at snacks. I was told no more than 50 at a meal and no more than 25 for a snack.
What gives?