Posting here because of the email newsletter I just received...I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2007 and I remember how overwhelming it all seemed at first! For me the hardest part was the portion control of foods that are low-calorie, but contain carbs, because they were the things I could eat a lot of on other diets and not worry about. With diabetes, you can't just snack mindlessly on anything.

My biggest challenge besides adapting to the diet was adjusting to the idea of having an "illness", which hit home big time when I tried to find individual health insurance and kept getting turned down. I went a long time without insurance before I found a plan that would accept me, and that was a really scary time when I felt like I had "failed."

The New Healthy You Club has been such a great source of support for me as I try to lose weight and manage this disease -- please post here if you're going through any of this same stuff or have a loved one who is. I know it can be overwhelming, whether you've just been diagnosed or have been dealing with it a long time. This is a very welcoming and supportive Club, so please feel free to post! :)

So sorry to hear of your setback! But glad the whole experience had a positive outcome. I have heard good things about Byetta -- something I plan to ask my doc about at my next appointment.

I got a bit more motivation on keeping in compliance this weekend. I went to my local hospital for attention on a different matter and because of the stress of that and having eaten right before I came to the hospital and having forgotten my Byetta injection that morning my blood sugar was hovering just below 300. Not good. The nurses were concerned and I was afraid they weren't going to let me leave after my treatment for the other issue. Their sincere concern helped me resolve to keep on track with my meds and so far I haven't missed anything in 2.5 days. I also have a renewed commitment to make good choices on the food front and to do an extended walk with the dog each day. So far so good & one day at a time!

Glad you're part of the Club! I, too, have diabetes (type 2, diagnosed in June 2007). I can totally relate to your going through "denial" phases. For me, the hardest part of having this disease is dealing with the idea that I am not supposed to have "fun" involving a lot of food anymore. So many of the holidays that involve pigging out end up being stressful for me -- if I don't eat all the stuff I feel resentful because everyone else can eat it and I can't, and if I do overeat I feel bad because I'm not managing the disease well and could be risking health problems. And then I just kind of throw up my hands and go crazy and overeat because it all feels so unfair!!

In the periods where I fall off-track I worry about what I could be doing to my body, but it is just so hard to stay on track all the time. The only thing that helps me is to remind myself that I HAVE to eat, I can't just quit eating, so the only way to deal with diabetes is one day at a time, and to only think about today's three meals and today's exercise. I know this will get easier as I lose more weight, and I do notice a big difference in how I feel on the days that I stay on track. I try to remind myself how good that feels to motivate me to do it all again tomorrow. This weekend with all the barbecues and junk food was not a good weekend for managing this illness, but I am working to get back on track today.

Another thing I've found to be helpful is a piece of advice from Leslie Sansone -- she says if you don't feel like exercising one day you should just do it for five minutes and then quit. Most of the time you will end up doing it longer once you get into it, and even if you don't it's still better to have gotten a few minutes of exercise than none. I have used this many times when I didn't feel like working out, and even if I only did a half-hour of walking I felt a lot better physically and mentally afterwards.

Glad you're here -- and looking forward to hearing what works for you! :-)