Hello everybody!

how are you?

Lots and lots of great advice already so I will say . I will add that staying active on this site and interacting with these wonderful people helped me get to where I am today. This team is full of so many caring, supportive people as you have already seen. Looking forward to getting to know you!!

pat

welcome you have got great advice just adding one piece take it slowly & have fun doing it 2

I just wanted to say thank you!!!!

Welcome! I certainly 2nd the advice to NOT BLAME YOURSELF!!! As said, genetics plays a huge role.

Definitely get test to make sure you are not type 1, as Valerie suggested. Good advice.

As she also said, diabetes is a carb intolerance problem so definitely you need to go as low as you can, and make sure that the carbs you DO eat are the right ones for you.

DO get a consult with a Diabetic Educator or Registered dietitian. This will help you better design an eating plan that you can stick with and that will help you. It is very important to pay attention not only to the foods eaten, but portions.

Diet, meds and exercise only work TOGETHER. Not singly. So make sure your plan includes all three.

DO keep a journal so if you have any difficulties with the meds you can accurately tell your Dr. about them

DO test your blood sugar often. It will help you determine if you're on the right path to controlling your sugar.

DO get your support here! Wherever you can get it!

I can tell you for sure that nutrition, exercise and meds helped me get to the point where I have my blood sugars controlled and in fact no longer need meds. That happened gradually as I lost weight, built muscle from strength training and endurance with cardio and learned how to properly eat.

Hang in there. We're here for you. Ask questions! Get your answers! Be your own best advocate.

current weight: 100.0

170 152.5 135 117.5

100

WENDYHEDRICK

You are on the right track now. It sounds like many of us you had to get over the "I can eat what I want and leave me alone" itis. It seems like somehow we are losing our freedom to dieting, but it really is not. Since I let go of that controling part of me I have enjoyed for the most part getting to know how my body and food work together. Now when I eat I feel good about it not, ashamed or frustrated. You are way ahead of the game if you start today while you are so young. It took me until I was in my 50's to realize that I am important enough to put myself first instead of everything around me. Now I have more to offer those around me because I am a better happier me. Welcome to this team, there are some totally great people here on the same journey you are on so we can help you support your health.
Susan

current weight: 274.1

301 263.25 225.5 187.75

150

Wendy, Welcome to the team. You will learn a lot here as we are all diabetic and on the same journey to better health. Check in often. It is amazing what you can learn here.

Valerie, what is the test for T!? Is it a special test?

Hi Wendy. Welcome! First of all, don't continue to blame yourself for having Diabetes. It is not caused by being overweight--a lot of it is genetics/predisposition. You can help control it by losing weight, yes, but studies have shown that only losing a little bit can drop the numbers a lot (when you are testing your glucose before/after meals). The classes will help you learn how to count carbs properly. You will learn what foods (and quantities!) you need to keep your numbers in the right range. It seems daunting at first, but you will get the hang of it pretty quick. Using the Spark trackers for meals and exercise really help! It helps count your carbs, fat, calories and more. You will be okay. Anytime you need encouragement come to Sparkpeople! We will help you on your journey.

Welcome to the team. Don't beat yourself up over this. Beat it instead. With the right diet and exercise you can overcome it. Don't let it get you down. Learn everything you can and conquer it!

current weight: 139.7

188 175.925 163.85 151.775

139.7

Wendy, first things first! You ABSOLUTELY MUST forgive yourself; you HAVE DONE NOTHING to cause type 2 diabetes!!!

If it were only excess weight that caused type 2 diabetes than over 2/3s of the American population would have it. There has to be predisposition to the disease in order to get it, and it most likely comes from somewhere in your family history. So please, don't beat yourself up.

Secondly, I would ask your doctor to have you tested for type 1. When a woman has gestational diabetes and then becomes diabetic later on, it's usually assumed it's type 2, but I myself developed type 1 after having gestational diabetes and I know of four other women (in my support group) that can tell the same story.

Get tested to be sure you're using the best treatment!

My best advice would be to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat to the minimum you're willing to live with. Diabetes is a carbohydrate intolerance disease; those foods aren't doing you any good. It's strict, but weight literally falls off when you cut your carbs way down. Hang in there, and give yourself a gentle hug!

Valerie

Pounds lost: 8.6

0 13.9 27.8 41.7

55.6

Hi, my name is Wendy, I'm 34 years old and I was diagnosed with Diabetes type 2 a month ago :( . This isn't the first time I see diabetes right next to my name, when I was pregnant with 2 of my daughters I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I guess I feel like I let my self down, I am the result of all my bad choices and bad habits. But I am here to change that. I'm on metformin and tradjenta , I didn't want any meds but my doctor said I had to at least until I get my sugars under control. So here I am, thank you for taking me in. I was feeling pretty lonely, I haven only told my husband about my diabetes, no one else, I know my parents are going to be disappointed and I am going to get a few "I told you so" "I told you to loose weight" " I told you to exercise" and I know they are right but I don't need any of that right now, right now I need support and I hope this great website and this great group can help me achieve my goals! so thank you and I am glad to be here