Hello, All! I am new to this website, but have been a Diabetic since 2005. My A1Cs are great and I have gone over my diet with Nurse Dieticians at Scripps Whittier Diabetes Clinic where I live. I take Actos only and am able to control my Diabetes by diet. Numbers are good, but I take medications that "poof me up." So, it means I am going to have to exercise twice as hard, but I am willing to do that. Last time I was in the hospital for heart problems, I spoke to a nurse that lost 50 pounds using Glucerna shakes instead of a meal at lunch time. Has anyone tried that? I carry the bars with me for snacks and emergencies, but never tried meal-substitution. Anyone have any experience with that? I'd appreciate any feedback before I try a not-eating-a-meal type of program.

Welcome to the message boards! I haven't tried using a shake to replace a meal myself, mostly because I prefer to eat "real" food. But I know several people who've used this approach successfully. Before you make any changes to your eating habits, definitely talk with your diabetes education team to get their input and suggestions.

Welcome!

I'm in agreement with Lynn on this one - talk to your doctor first. A change in eating habits like that needs to have the stamp of approval from a medical professional first to make sure you won't harm yourself. I have tried meal replacement (before my diabetes diagnosis) and found that I felt very deprived on it. I would tend to overeat when I went off it again and gain all the weight back. It just never worked well for me.

Hi and welcome!

I agree with Lynn that you need to talk with your doctor and/or nutritionist about a meal replacement plan. Our bodies are all different and may react differently. I know I personally don't like meal replacements on just a psychological level, although I have tried them on occasion. I prefer eating a regular, but healthy, meal instead. I tend to feel like I'm not getting all the food I need otherwise. Again, this is purely psychological for me. I do know people who do quite well on meal replacement programs.

Let us know what you decide to do and how it works out!