Diabetes Community

I don't deny myself anything..if I crave something, I eat it.

everything in moderation....

A food I most miss indulging in is"026. unlimited fruit

And to leave it on a positive note: I have allowed myself to have more of it in the past year. Life is too short and I agree with dgarner - all things in moderation.

A food I have learned to love is....hmmm...I always ate a pretty wide variety of foods, and if I didn't like a particular thing (like raw onions or milk), I didn't worry about it. I WISH I could learn to love cottage cheese. It would be a good calcium/protein source. I'm working on liking Greek yogurt - sprinkle with Splenda and mix in some berries and it's fairly tolerable.

Michelle
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Wow...where did that 026 come from???

Sometimes I miss pizza. I was one of those who could eat a half of a large by myself (and the other half was eaten by a skinny cheerleader who could never gain weight...grrr). I have pizza very seldomly now, maybe once or twice a year, and only a small piece.

I am learning to embrace veggies. I used to only eat canned green beans, and only if they had a lot of salt. I have learned to cook so many different kinds of veggies now.

I do pizza at home now. I use a flatbread that is high in fiber and low in carbs-the same types that came out after the sandwich rounds. I add my sauce of choice-I check the carbs on them. Then a little Pepperoni, and some shredded cheese with oregano, in the oven on the open rack for a few minutes, and we have a decent pizza. try it also with veggies, or anything you like-pretty dang good if I do say myself. Oh yeah my wife and I split one, and have a bowl of veggies with it.

Oh my goodness, Caprice, there are SO MANY THINGS I can't have that I used to love eating. I'm GLAD I can't have them, as they weren't good for me, though.

Cheetos, light cheddar cheese potato chips, chocolate covered peanuts, brownie bites from Costco, FRUIT...I used to LOVE FRUIT, especially pineapple. I can only have small amounts of fruit now, or it sets me off very high. I was a BIG bread eater. I've cut WAY down to one or two slices of whole grain a day. I LOVED pasta, and ate it often. I only have it once a week, if that, and very small portions of a whole wheat one. I LOVED lasagna! I never have that now. I only ate pizza once in a while, then. I do miss that. I have the small pepperoni ones from Lean Cuisine once in a while, with a salad. I used to make a great chocolate cake for parties that was amazing. I don't eat that anymore. I DO have the low carb cheesecake(just two spoonfuls at The Cheesecake Factory if I go with 2 or three others and split it. I miss McDonalds hot fudge or caramel sundaes. I LOVED chocolate covered Sees caramel candy or Almond Rocha. I only had that at Christmas time, when other people had them out. I liked trail mix with peanuts.

So you can see, I've entirely had to change my way of eating the past four years. I just try not to think about what I can't have and concentrate on all the newer things I DO eat now.
I actually enjoy a lot of what I have now, and don't deprive myself of a good steak, lamb chops, (once in a while), and eat more fish, salmon, tuna, white meat chicken, more salads and vegetables, etc. Mostly, I really miss my fruit. The candy I can live without.

I try to think about what it would be like not to be able to taste anything. My dad lost his sense of taste in his older years. My girlfriend's husband who had the motorcycle accident lost his sense of taste. Now THAT would be hard. So I try to think about the GOOD things I CAN have, and how I can taste these things. Then, I don't dwell on what I can't or shouldn't have for my heart, cholesterol, or diabetes.

There are so many things to be joyful over than just food. Many of us in society make food a big part of celebrations.
It can make it hard for us to enjoy like we did before. One of my friends just found out she had a gluten allergy. She's changed her whole way of eating, BUT she feels so much better. There are so many things out there now in Ca. for people with gluten allergies, even little stores that make cupcakes and other things. She's not diabetic.

I've learned to love lentils, whole grain bread and whole wheat thin spaghetti, and best of all ...myself, not to eat all that stuff that was bad for me before. That's the best part of becoming diabetic. I've learned to respect my body, and make it more healthy.

A food I miss indulging in is a sandwich I created many years ago to satisfy my awful sweet tooth: (I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't post it here).

2 sl. toast soaked in maple syrup (yeah, yeah, I know, 57 carbs/tbsp.....that's why I miss it)

Cinnamon

Spread lots of peanut butter over the syrup

Sprinkle on raw oats, wheat germ, whatever

When ya bite into it, the syrup sorta oozes out of the toast & it's.........ecstasy. I've also been known to pour a little puddle of extra maple syrup......for dipping...........

Caprice, if you're not diabetic, try it & let me know what you think.

'scuze me, I gotta go

Oh my, my BS just shot up 100 points reading your description...lol. But it made me think of a favorite breakfast when we were kids - toast with peanut butter, then spread marshmallow fluff over the top and pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. I wonder why we never thought to add chocolate???

Michelle

When I was a kid, after tasting a marshmallow, I kept asking my parents if we could grow a marshmallow tree in the back yard. My dad never did answer, except "Hee, hee, hee."

Photo:

I still love Cheetos. There isn't a bit of real food or nutrition in there but I will occasionally buy a bag and portion them out. Growing up in the mid west we had cheese doodles which were the puffy kind but I prefer the crunchy kind. Everything in moderation.

Caprice:

I am not a sandwich fan but I love artisan bread to dip in broth, butter or just savor with a wonderful cheese and glass of wine. I love sourdough and bread with herbs, specifically rosemary. Yes I do miss making a meal out of bread and a wonderful broth.

The food I have learned to love? Hmm...I have learned to love grains like spelt cooked like rice and quinoa. I probably would never have made the effort to find them and try them if I had not read about them here.

I agree with the artisanal bread lovers, and really miss good breads. (Insert BIG sigh!)

When we went to Italy last year, I had all sorts of breads to dip in olive oil or balsamic vinegar. They had a truffle spiced olive oil that was divine. I watched my portions and allowed myself some everyday. Don't think it hurt a thing, as my A1C still came down .2 of a point on the next fasting.

Ah, me too, me too! Love really good quality bread and will have a small piece with seasoned dipping oil when it's available. I like the crust end and that is usually the smallest piece in the bread basket. And fortunately I don't have a problem restraining myself. If I eat more, there will be less room for the rest of the meal.

Michelle