Stressing over GD - please help!

Shannon1110

So this is only my third day testing and I'm already stressed.  I'm having trouble figuring out meals, mainly because if I have 2 pieces of bread for a sandwich with lunch and that's 2 carbs and I have 1 carb left I have no idea what to add as the last carb.  The nutritionist told me that fruit blows up your numbers so I'm afraid to eat any.  I'm finding myself afraid to eat carbs at all.  I know your fasting number is supposed to be below 95 and I've been at 89, 92 and 90 but is that too close to 95?  My numbers after eating have ranged between 103 to 113 but are usually closer to 110 -113.  Are those numbers too high?  I'm just hoping that I can control this with diet because my baby was measuring 32 weeks yesterday and I'm only 30 weeks.  Any advice you have is greatly appreciated!

Gherkina

Hang in there!  It's definitely frustrating, especially since certain foods will react differently for each of us.  I'm not sure if your numbers are "too high" but I'm going under the assumption that as long as I'm lower than what they tell me, it's fine.  If they tell me under 100, I'm happy as long as it's 2 digits.  If they wanted it lower, they should tell me that.

Anyway, keep experimenting.  I focus a little less on the GD diet that the nutritionist gave me and a little more on eating balanced meals and making sure I have snacks throughout the day so I'm not starving.

My numbers fluctuate more when I focus too much on my carb numbers, as weird as that sounds.

Gherkina

Oh, and are you a milk drinker?  Adding some milk is a great way (for me at least) to add a carb.  Maybe that would work for your lunch?

dafodils_lament

If you are eating small pieces of fruit and not big giant ones you should be fine to fit some fruit into your diet, or buy things like fruit and applesauce cups that the carbs are listed on the packaging. not sure if they are available where you live but here by me there are Chaquita prepackaged apple slices with a tiny cup of caramel dip that one pack is 17 grabs of carbs (so basically 1 carb choice). Also if you can find Weight Watchers or another light bread you should be able to get 2 slices of bread for your one carb serving so that you can have some more food. I wouldn't go throwing a huge amount of a bunch of different foods together but as long as your sugar averages are good one high number shouldn't throw you off so perhaps try a food one meal to see if in combination with what you typically eat your numbers track high or if that food doesn't affect you that much.

I was surprised I had a soup with pasta in it the other day and then meatloaf and mac and cheese for another meal and neither of those sugars were higher than the other "low carb" meals. I just measured my mac and cheese out and had a smaller portion of meatloaf than I might have otherwise.

daintie

I know it is so hard at first, but you will get the hang of it once you start experimenting and notice how your body reacts to certain foods.  Keep a log of your meals and snacks, that helped me tremendously.  I tend to eat fruit with either lunch or dinner when my numbers tend to be lower.  Also if you like cottage cheese, that is great to pair with a fruit as a snack.

jmwater7

I find that if I am worried about adding fruit.... I have a 1/2 of an orange. 

I don't neccessarily listen to the nutriotionist because after I listened to her my numbers shot up.

 For breakfast- egg whites and cheese, two pieces of some kind of bread and small glass of milk ( if I feel like it) and my numbers are under 100.

For lunch- peanut butter sandwich, salad, cheese stick, nuts, 1/2 orange- that's when I am at work--- or I make enough dinner to have it for lunch.

If I am home-- I will have grilled cheese, I make pizza on whole wheat english muffins,

For dinner- last night I made sausage and peppers, green beans, small baked potato, and apple with peanut butter- my number was 118 needs to be under 120.

It depends on how your body will react--- try different things to get your numbers to go down.  You really have to play with it and concentrate on eating a healthy blanced diet.  If you are hungry, I find that adding more veggies or a salad fills me up more.  I also add milk if I am down a carb.

ToBeMrsT

It sounds like you are fine.  As long as you are under the numbers then don't stress.  Plus remember one high number isn't a big deal either-- it's when you get like 3-4 in a row that you need to call your doc. 

My fasting numbers are always within 3-4 of what they want it under and I've been told that that's great. 

I have fruit with lunch every day,  often times as my afternoon snack, and sometimes with dinner.  You really have to see what works for you.  Of course you have to watch the portion size, but having a small orange with lunch has never been an issue so far for me.  For me I can't do sweets.  I know some people can sneak a bite or two in, but I can't. 

Don't be afraid to have carbs, but definitely make smart choices and count the amount you are having.  How many grams of carbs does your bread have?  There are breads that have 5-10g of carbs which is low and you would barely be over 1 carb choice (counting a carb choice as 15g). 

GL!

ShannonLK

As long as my fasting number is below 95 and my after meal numbers are below 120 I'm a happy camper!   So, number wise it sounds like you are doing just fine!

 

TxTeacher

My nutritionalist nurse told me to eat fruit--that it doesn't count as a carb.  I do so every so often.  My numbers haven't been skyrocketing, so I am ok with that.  My numbers have to be 140 or below one hour after meals.  I have had some in the 150's and my dr. said as long as we stay in that range he will not put me on meds.  I also was under the impression that fasting needed to be 90 or below, but when I talked with my dr. he said that was super strict and as long as it was under 100-105 it was ok.  It's hard and frustrating, I understand!  I am into my 4th week and really just watch what I eat and limit the portions.  Also, some days I can eat the same meal at the same time and get different numbers.  It's hard but you can do it!

Shannon1110

Thanks everyone!  I get stressed over the numbers because I worry what they would look like if I wasn't on the diet.  I know that's the whole point of the diet but I'm worried that if they're on the high end of acceptable and I'm eating exactly the way the nutritionist told me to eat, that it's a bad sign.  I am trying not to stress too much over this because the doctor also said stress will make my numbers higher.  Ugh!