YIPPPEEE!!! Pre-diabetes update:

Gill, I do frequently, mind they are nicer with chocolate spread

Aldi do fantastic oatcakes at about a third less, they are around 69p per box and are lovely. They also do great bags of mixed nuts and fruit for a very reasonable price. I think that weightwatchers food is a rip off Silverfish, often very unhealthy as they emphasise the low fat but keep quiet about the high sodium. If you can find them, Nairns do a fantastic range of flavoured oatcakes, such as cheese, fruit and ginger. Just pop one of the little packs in your handbag and you have a no danger snack.

Even a dozen oatcakes, I recommend Nairns smooth they are irresistible. had weight watchers for breakfast and they are dry and hard. Nairns everytime-yellow box.

Thats a good idea Mamie. You dont have to go without to eat well. We found the Patrick Holford books very useful. For example, if you have a plate of feta cheese, avocado, olives, hummus, salad and oatcakes you are not going to be going without anything yummy, not eating dreadful cardboard diet food, and it is only a case of opening a few tubs from the fridge and peeling an avocado!

Good news GillT57. Congratulations to Mr 57. I have been wondering if we should start a thread on low GI / salad ideas? We have to read enough about cake on here!

Good news for us here too, DH was diagnosed as pre-diabetic six months ago and told there was no going back, he came back really angry with the attitude of the practice nurse. he went yesterday and has lost 18 lbs since last visit, bloods nearly normal, six months more on meds and then should be off them. He drastically reduced potatoes, pasta, bread, eats lots of oatcakes, porks out nibbles on strawberries and nuts and feels heaps better.

Gill

Good morning Silverfish first of all, stop referring to yourself as naughty you are an adult, not a child, and the guilt tripping after having eaten what you maybe shouldnt will lead you into eating more inappropriate foods. This is how the monolithic diet industry works. Diets dont work, changing eating habits does, go online, there is lots of help, and try to take notice of what Mamie says, all makes sense, you wont feel hungry, and you can eat oat cakes! Oat cakes with good healthy organic peanut butter is a great savoury nibble, or with hummus. Home made hummus is so easy, you just need a blender, throw in the ingredients. And, dont buy cakes and biscuits for your GD, you are not doing her any favours. I have been where you are now, and sitting feeling sorry for yourself and making excuses then eating more rubbish is not the answer, unless the question is do you fancy being diabetic?

thank you for your ideas, I have tried today but being alone I have been a bit naughty, mind not as much as a normal day.

We are both still steadily losing weight; OH has lost two stone and I have lost one and a half and need two more pounds to get out of overweight BMI into normal. We never have eaten much sugar, but have cut it out almost completely and gone to low GI, spelt flour in bread, quinoa, red rice and pearled spelt in salads. Very small amounts of new potatoes a couple of times a week, small quantities of organic meat, fish and masses of salads. No fruit juice but still eating and enjoying the lovely summer fruits.
Lots of exercise maintaining the garden as the winter diet will involve lots of vegetable soup.
OH is not quite out of pre-diabetes but the level was down considerably on the last test. His arthritic knee is very happy too.
We honestly have not missed anything or felt deprived and the Persiana cookbook continues to be a source of inspiration.

I meant to add that eating lots protein fills you up too.

Ah Silverfish - I do sympathise. I seem to be addicted to binge eating if I eat sugary things like biscuits, cakes, chocolate etc. Also bread. One sandwich is never enough. I am on 17 day diet, which cuts out wheat, sugar and most carbs except fruit and veg. Yes it it pretty boring but only for the first 17 days. Do you like things like tinned tuna/salmon? I am eating only home made food, mostly salads, soups, or egg/chicken/fish and veg., natural yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit. I have found after 3 or 4 days on this, I no longer crave the bad things! My treat is a glass of wine.
It is very hard when we love food - especially cheddar cheese! But do give something healthier a go - the first few days will be the hardest but you will feel so much better. And yes, walking is brilliant too - gives a mood boost too.
Good luck and take care of yourself.

Another thought, as you are familiar with PC why not try Nutracheck. Its an online weight control programme, good fun with great forums. Cheap too.

Silverfish I wouldn't say I dieted as such. My GP said to lose some weight. Apparently if you just lose 10% of weight it can help. I lost a stone by not drinking the fruit juice like it was water (I thought I was being healthy by drinking it but didn't realise just how much sugar there was in it) He said to leave treats for weekend and not to deprive myself. I did speak to our diabetic nurse at the surgery who said for me to cut out carbohydrates completely. To me that's nuts. I followed what my GP said as I trust him completely. I think the reason my sugar levels were 6.6 last year was because I had been sitting around for almost 3 weeks with shingles, not exercising (which is another way to control the insulin problem) My DH and I go for a walk between 40 mins and 1hr 30 mins at least 5 times a week. Him for his heart and me for pre-diabetes. So:

Cut down on treats.
Don't deprive yourself
Try to lose 10% of body weight
Cut out fruit juices and drink water instead
Exercise if possible at least 35 minutes a day.

Good luck and don't despair. Pre-diabetes can be beaten, diabetes is there for life.

You can do it Silverfish remember type 2 diabetes can knock up to 10 years off your life.

ok thanks Aka, will try anything. might have to be 'WILL NOT BE DICTATED TO BY AN OATCAKE' .

If cakes are your weakness then write this out in large letters and pin it in your kitchen...

I WILL NOT BE DICTATED TO BY A CAKE

Advice? OK, the best advice is to plan ahead.

Write out a menu plan for the week. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and a treat once a week, only. Plan filling nutritional meals that you enjoy. There are plenty of great fresh soups in cartons (avoid tinned or packet) these days, that's lunch sorted.

And I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and start cooking from scratch.

When you get an attack of the 'munchies' wait 30 minutes and use the time to go online and find tasty meals.

Finally you don't have to lose lots of pounds every week. A regular loss of 1lb a week is best. And get moving. Walk, swim, whatever suits your lifestyle.

Im on waiting list but they said it was long. Ana, I just hate to feel that food controls me and I cant escape it. I don't care much for alcohol and have never even tried drugs not even pot in my hippie days (mind I would like to try it just once). So why am I addicted to food. I can only think its because of my job I work long hours without anything to eat and assume its done something to my metabolism, I often go 8 hours with only water to drink then pig out. I never used to be like this.

It does sound as though you have problems regarding food, Silverfish - I can sympathise as although I don't have a weight/diabetes problem I have very little appetite and struggle to eat enough 'proper' food. My problem is that I feel full after half a child-sized portion!

I can only suggest going back to your GP and explaining how you feel. I agree that NHS diet sheets are pretty useless. Perhaps counselling might help, although I realise the waiting list may be long...?

Im quite screwed up I know so any advice would be good.

I was told I had pre diabetes over a year ago and went on the horrible diet, then they said my sugar was low enough to be not pre diabetic, I also lost a stone, but since then Ive gone a bit mad with eating things I thought I could never have again. I don't like meat certainly not enough to make a meal with, I always have diet cola, never have sugar on my food, ive labelled it poison. I hate cooked meats like ham, I hate having to make enough for 2 meals then have to eat it the next day, I usually work late so I cant get anything cooled enough to freeze. I usually don't fancy anything ive cooked. I live on eggs, salad with rocket not lettuce and oatcakes, I eat about 2 boxes every 2 days.
I buy biscuits and sweet things for my little GD and I make cakes for her too. Cakes are my weakness especially with lots of icing etc. Im absolutely fed up of watching what I eat . On top of that I watched a programme about the things they put in food and Im really scared of most things in the supermarket now. Ive really got a phobia about food, plus im always hungry even after quite a lot to eat.

Paper!

Nuts are good to nibble on. What do you mean, you don't cook for yourself, Silverfish? Why not? Easy to make a chicken and veg (lots of) stew, shove it in the oven, eat some and freeze the rest. You surely don't live on a diet of ready-meals and/or fast food - no wonder you're in danger of becoming diabetic!

Silverfish you sound really fed up about this. I'm sure you must be daunted by the thought of changing your diet overnight. I suggest that you do it in small steps. First give up things with added sugar - sweet cereals, cakes, biscuits and desserts. Hard I know but if you do end up diabetic it will have to be done. I never have cake, biscuits or sweets in the house. I just don't buy them then I can't eat them.
If you drink cola shift to diet. If you have sugar in tea or coffee shift to sweeteners. Keep eating fruit in reasonable quantities as you do this will help you as you give up the less healthy sweet stuff. If you really want something sweet eat a banana or an apple or a few strawberries.
Hope this idea helps you to retrain your taste buds out of wanting sweet stuff.

what I need is something to pig out on. I can cope with a diet if I can have a plate of junk food now and again to satisfy my cravings. they are saying now that a portion is the amount you can hold in your palm. Im used to a huge plate of fish and chips with bread and tea/cola and followed by a dessert or something to nibble later. I just have a craving to nibble. I have even tried paper but is so tasteless. I hate those veggie dinners and I don't cook for myself so I guess I will just have to be diabetic.