Hugs my friend. I have had this only 3 years and I know how hard it is. Especially for me as I am Italian, love of pasta and high carb foods. But you have no choice, you have to. Go to a dietitian, they will be able to help you count carbs. Go for sweets that do not have high carbs, like dark chocolate. 120 fasting is not bad. Talk to your doctor, they are the only one that can really help you. Remember, what works for me, might not work for you.

I was diagnosed over two years ago and have lost about 75 pounds since. Hearing about what diabetes can do scared me into eating right. I had a terrible sweet tooth. My only weakness now is dark chocolate. Sometimes I eat a bit extra but it hasn't affected my numbers. If possible maybe you could set aside one, or maybe two days a week where you could splurge a bit. Then the rest of the time stick to a diet. It would give you something to look forward to as a possible reward.

Facebook has some groups that may help:

Reversing Diabetes
Low Carb Eating

Hope this helps. ((Hugs))

jgv2, I understand a diabetes diet because it runs in my family and have had to deal with it as if it were my own. Substitute white rice with brown rice. There are some really great pasta-like pasta out there made from other things other than white flour and water so look into those instead of white pasta; I have also changed to eat this way as a prevention of getting diabetes.

Cauliflower can be made in the same way as mashed potatoes. I've slowly cut out carbs and pile up on my favorite vegetables, I have always been a fan of vegetables but not fruits. The only fruits I prefer are tomatoes and avocados; there is lots that can be done with these.
There are other healthier Flours on the market to avoid white flours. Rocco Dispirito has a healthy cookbook; I believe it's befitting for diabetics. He has a recipe for brownies using beans instead. Avocado can be used in place of oil in baking.

It takes awhile to shop for good healthy food, my brother who is Type 2 spends time at Whole Foods and Cosco (100-dollar club) looking for healthy foods and snacks. He has eliminated anything white and sugar from his diet. He buys a lot of different nuts and keeps them on the counter for a quick bite to avoid temptations. He buys walnuts and blueberries to turn his cereal into a nice breakfast meal. He made stuffed bell peppers the other day using brown rice with spices. He's discovered a little flavored vinegar in water taken before bedtime lowers his numbers. If he wants a small bite of a cookie he quickly downs a lot of water to prevent the glucose from rising. He mainly eats a plant-based diet. I, too, try to eat more of a plant-based diet. I keep it simple most evenings with chicken, veggies and salad. The veggies keep you from consuming a lot of food whereas carbs provoke to keep piling it in and then get a lead feeling in my stomach from eating too much carbs. He eats a lot of avocados. We love cucumbers with oil and vinegar, with s&p. If you go to the Book store you could find a section for diabetics. Also, PBS channel has cooks on or during their campaigning they have speakers on plant-based diets or speaking on reversing diabetes. So get started with your most favorite vegetable and add other wonderful spices and ingredients. Lightly saute a medley of vegetables and add to chicken.

energylost has some GREAT advice!
I was diagnosed about 4 or 5 years ago (lost count....lol).
I changed my diet drastically and decided after many tears that it was going to be a lifestyle change and not something temporary.
My weakness was pizza, breads dripping with butter and seasoning, mashed potatoes and gravy..........and anything high carb!
I made switches such as sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. sweet potato chips instead of regular potato chips.
I added veggies and salads and fruits to my diet.
I stopped drinking soda.....not even diet drinks and only drink water, 1 cup of coffee with real cream and real sugar, and tea (both hot and cold) with NO sugar. I also added nuts and have cut down on meat. I mostly eat a plant based diet. I eat regular peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat toast with some Smuckers "natural" jelly (it's yummy).
I recently added half a cup of oatmeal with cinnamon and a little brown sugar and again.....my sugars are normalish :)
I use to hate chocolate, but added dark chocolate which hasn't effected my numbers.
I also do 45 minutes of stretching EVERY day. I use to walk 2 miles a day, but have been suffering from plantar faciates (a foot disorder which causes severe pain in the feet.....it's a irritation/inflamtion of the tendon in the foot).

It is amazing that after having such a poor diet for many years, I have adopted a healthy lifestyle and am loving feeling better.
I also eliminated fried foods. Every now and then I cheat just a little and grab 3 or 4 french fries from my friends meal (with permission from them of course....lol).
I hated giving up pizza, but about a year ago, I cut myself a very small bite from my grand daughters pizza and induldged.

I found if I cheat, I do it at lunch time meal as it gives me time to work it off throughout the day.

I also take 2 tablespoon of applecider vinegar in a glass of ice cold water before bed or an hour after my meal which keeps the "morning phenomenon at bay. I also added eating a little cheese with my "drink" before bed which helps even more (most cheese doesn't have any carbs....yeah!!!).

It takes some getting use to the change, but now I don't even think about it much any more. I do keep a very tight schedule on eating AND exercise.
I always check the menus of the restaurants I eat at so I can decide ahead of time what I can eat.
I don't eat at fast food restaurants any more.

I also found out that in the frozen food sections at the stores, they carry broccoli and cauliflower tots.......yummy!
I drizzle a little olive oil and sea salt on them and bake them in the oven and broil them just a bit at the end :)

I have gotten VERY creative which kinda is like playing a game with the food.
You will be surprised at what foods you CAN eat. Focus more on what you can and the other bad stuff will fall away.

Big hugs sent your way!!!!!

Don't be afraid to splurge, especially at the holidays.
Do it during the day......just set yourself limits. Tell yourself you will only eat 4 cookies or one slice of holiday cake in the early afternoon.
If you over do it.....forgive yourself and about a half hour later, drink the vinegar water (it takes some getting use to, but it beats having high blood sugar when you over do it).
I use regular apple cider vinegar from Walmart (Great Values), although it is recommended to use Briggs with the mother in it....blech!

Take care and hang in there!

Hi - I also love carbs and sweets - but have recently lost 35 pounds and have had very few carbs - what has helped me is that I go to overeaters anonymous. why don't you try it - you have nothing to lose except some weight !

I like food like crazy, I've been a cookie and a foodie for almost 20 years, so I've found some things that I can actually have that won't make me sick. First, pasta. That's a Hard one. But, you can either buy and cook a spaghetti squash, or visit sprouts, trader Joe's, or somewhere like that, and they have a selection of noodled veggies, you blanch them in salted boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes, drain, add sauce and cheese, you can broil it at the end for 1 minute to get that browning on the top.
Also, there are lots of brands of pasta that are not just white semolina. Hogsdon Mill makes a whole grain pasta that cooks up like white pasta, it's so fantastic. Look for whole wheat, whole grain pasta, and Google Search the ancient grains. These things don't spike my sugar, though I do have to work it off a little more.
As far as sweets, I've relied on low glycemic fruit to help me out. Walgreen's carries the biggest selection of sugar free candy, it helps but too much will give you the dire rears :( learn how to make cheesecake and make it with splenda. (or order one) You can make toppings that aren't as unhealthy. Breyers makes low carbs, super low sugar ice cream, it's in the frozen section at the regular grocery store. Kroger makes carb master labeled dairy products, and their yogurt is pretty good, oikos has a good sugar free one too.
You can have bread, but just one slice. No jelly or honey, yes peanut butter or sugar free nutella (buy or make it). Test often so you can find out what spikes you and what doesn't. READ EVERY LABEL OF EVERYTHING YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH. You may benefit from sticking with a dietitian too. Let us know how you're doing since you posted this.

I was diagnosed 13 years ago and in my research, I have learned that this wonderful disease makes you crave sugar and carbs. It's very detailed as to how. You can read about it online in articles that are everywhere. This is where I think this disease is so horrible, the more you eat carbs and sugar, the worse you get. But the more you try not to eat those things, the more your body tells you that you have to have them NOW! I finally found something that worked for me. I no longer crave sugar or carbs, fell better than I did at 18, off all meds, and am finally losing weight! I found this book that has literally changed my life! Check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed!
https://tinyurl.com/yc8c7z9y