Diabetes Community

A year ago I was at 279lbs.; A1c @ 9.1; Age 56 - male height - 5' 9" and felt terrible. I was on the burrito/Hagen Daz diet w/ television remove control in one hand, fork or spoon in the other. I started getting numb spots on the bottoms of my left foot (why not the right, I do not know).
I knew I needed to do something and I started reading the WebMD columns on diabetes and weight control, what foods did what and so forth.
I started with some high dollar weight control plans and it helped but the real world was out there so I watched what slim and healthy folks ate while at lunch etc., read some health nut books, read WebMD all the time, listened to medical professionals and developed my own system and it goes like this:
I cut out all High Fructose corn syrup, I've heard pros and con about this substance but I figured I could live without it. I read all ingredient lists at the market for carbs per serving and sugars etc. I also kept an eye on the total calories etc. and embarked on a 1800 calorie a day diet, w/ no more than 45 carbs per meal.
Jan. 15, 2011-plan start:
Morning at wake up - small bowl of sugar free high fiber cereal (shredded wheat or similar) w/stevia for sweetening, skim milk, black coffee in mug for drive into work.
9:00am - water, banana, hard boiled egg w/calorie free hot sauce, salt & pepper;
Noon - cafeteria entrees like chicken breast, hamburger patty, roast beef, or 1/2 portions of things like lasagna, spaghetti w/Parmesan, I ate whatever the item of the day was but used my head with the items, no potatoes , except once in a while - a small baked; veggies if not smothered in butter or sauce; salad w/vinegar and light olive oil. fruit like apple or cantaloupe slice mabey both.
2:00 pm - apple, hot green tea.
3 - 4 pm - Drive home - water and a banana
Dinner: 1/2 Togo's daily special sandwich ($3.99 eat half one day, half the next) loaded with all the trimmings sometimes light mayo. Or, 1/4 of foot long at Subway (or - 1/2 6" sand.), mabey a small glass of juice or skim milk but always a full glass of water.
Late night snack - no sugar added yogurt (Ralph's has a good carb lite brand)
I also tried to stay away from artificial sweeteners but use Splenda if that's all I have around.
I felt bad for awhile while on the diet but soon I started to feel better and now feel very good (excellent is down the road).
I do not feel hungry at all and I think the spacing and eating 5 - 6 times a day as written above helped tremendously.
as of 06/21/2011-
weight - 243 lbs (down 36 lbs); A1c - 5.9% (considered non-diabetic but I am still on half the diabetes medication I was on last year and and hoping to stop taking it all soon)
I hope this helps someone else. I'm still working on it.
Goals: no more diabetes medication; get down to 200 lbs and see about more after that.