Newcastle diet journey

[woowoo82]

Hello!

Been a member of this forum since diagnosis in July 2009 but don't think I've ever posted?!

Started Newcastle diet this morning, weighing in at 15st 7.75lb with fasting bloods of 11.1. Using slimfast bottles (superdrug has them on 3for2) and hoping I can find enough ways to make veggies interesting!

I have 2 small children (10 months and 32 months) and so fitting exercise in is difficult although I barely get time to rest. Haven't bothered going to gp for advice as I know they will just tell me to eat a low fat high carb diet and carry on taking metformin!

I am wondering if there is anybody on here who has completed the 8 weeks and not 'reversed' their type 2?

Also, should I be taking metformin whilst on the diet or should I come off it?

I had lots of questions to ask but now can't remember them!

Anyway, day 1 has not been as bad as I thought it would. Only got back off holiday yesterday and thought it would be hard but as we didn't eat much whilst away (hubby training for a marathon) I had actually lost 5lb over the week, so at least i'm not on a come down from a week of binge eating!

Hoping to update my progress on here over the next 8 weeks and hopefully speak with some people who are doing it/have done it.

Off to bed before my willpower breaks!

 

[sparkyrich]

Good luck with it . I'm just finishing week 2, although I'm not strictly following the ND, I have shakes for breakfast and lunch then a small "normal" evening meal - the piddly veggie ND offering was an insult according to my stomach.
I've almost reached double figures for weight loss ( in kilos) so well chuffed.

Oh, and I'm also using the slim fast shakes but I bought the tins of powder. Under £3 a tin from Boots online to make 12 servings!



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[mitsi5959]

hi
boots are doing the slimfast powder shakes on offer for £2.97, good luck with the diet

 

[carraway]

I'm also doing my own version of Newcastle Diet, I have some Slim and Save shakes as they are lower in carbs than Slimfast.

I already have better levels of energy

 

[suejat]

I started the diet on Wednesday. Living in Spain, and being unable to find ANY shakes locally, I spent a fortune on getting some (French would you believe) sent from UK. I'll email Boots HQ and see if they would send out here.
Today is day three, and I've lost 1.5 kilos (I know this is only fluid, but it's still encouraging)
I normally take glibenclamide, but went a bit too low on day one, so I've stopped taking it for the duration of the diet, and am testing every few hours to make sure I don't go too high!!!

Good luck to everyone else on the diet------ nice to keep a check on us all!!

 

[lessci]

Hi,

I'm just coming to the end of week 3, but I've struggled this week with my protein cravings, and I have slipped and had so chicken and prawns, but kept low cal, just not very low cal and no addtioinal carbs (I'm suprised not really craved them at all) Tomorrow is weigh in and waist measurement day, so I'll see what effect my "naughtness" has had. I'm not aiming to reverse my T2, but to stop from adding any more medication to my metformin, and hopefully reduce from the maxium dose that I'm on at the minute. (It's also a good excuse to go clothes shopping as I've already dropped a dress size!!!)

 

[murph524]

Hi woowoo

4 weeks on the diet today, 2nd and 3rd day for me were the worst, very sore head and tired, but it get's better after that, I am using the asda shakes, I was taking 4 sr metformin nightly, i came down to 3 the day before i started the diet, and i was going to reduce it again when i got into the 5's, My weight loss so far is 16 lbs,

Good luck with your diet and keep us updated with your progress, as it's good to hear how other people are getting on.

 

[suejat]

Well I am fortunate not to have had any side effects such as headaches tiredness etc., but as I am coming to the end of day 3, I feel really fed up and depressed!! It was a real struggle to eat the soup I'd made for supper, and the shake tasted awful ( the same shake that I found more than palatable yesterday!). All this despite being quite hungry. I suppose the fact that I normally have a very varied diet, and am finding this boring might have something to do with it, but I have a dreadful feeling that I am going to have trouble sticking to the regime. Does anyone have any interesting recipes please? I checked the Newcastle MRI centre website, but the recipe page would not load. All the vegetable recipes I have contain cheese, oil, butter or all sorts of other forbidden goodies.

All ideas gratefully considered!

 

[woowoo82]

Thanks guys, good to know I'm not the only person doing this, my friends think I'm crazy!

Think I'll stick to the ready made slim fast, easy to grab as I'm out and about with the kids a lot, even if its more expensive I'm not spending on food so not costing me anymore.

Amazed at my will power so far, even if it is only day 2! Feeling very cold tonight though, so am in bed before 9.30 on a Friday night!


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[julie54]

Hi everyone!! And good luck to all of you who are trying the Newcastle Diet. I was diagnosed at the end of May with type 2 - which came as an absolute shock and surprise, as I had genuinely had no symptoms!! Like so many other people, I searched the internet for information - having refused to take the medication which was offered by my G.P as the way forward!! I actually showed my G.P. the Newcastle Diet as a potential alternative/starting point - but she was totally adverse to anything other than pills!! So, I went my own way and started the ND and stuck rigidly with it for a month - and to be honest probably would have stayed the whole 8 weeks, had it not been for the fact that it was my birthday and a holiday in Portugal coming along! But what I can say is that despite the ND being very arduous - (lets face it anything which involves using shakes and vegetables as the only food source is going to be arduous!!) what it did do for me was set me on a path where I knew I COULD lose weight and COULD control blood glucose levels. It is incredibly hard to maintain - but not impossible! After the month, I then went on to low carbohydrate in terms of diet, and the weight does continue to go, albeit of course at a slower pace. And my blood glucose levels remain very acceptable and I know that throughout this past 3 months I have not put my health at any risk. And that is a nice feeling!! I have wondered about posting about my experience with the Newcastle Diet, but I figured all information is good information - and so I am giving my view on it. It did me a real favour in focussing me on what I needed to do - it lost me a good amount of weight as a kick start - it lowered my blood glucose levels to acceptable levels. And my journey continues!! I would not hesitate to return to the shakes regime if I feel the need to kickstart the weight loss again - but for me - what I learned is that the key to getting type 2 diabetes under control is to initially lose the extra weight - through whatever means is the most acceptable to you - and that when the weight is under control - it is again up to the individual to maintain the control over type 2 diabetes because control is the key - not cure. I applaude all of the people who take on the Newcastle Diet - it has a lot going in its favour - not least of which it gives the discipline for each person to take control over weight loss and a way to a controllable diet for type 2 diabetics. I still have a way to go - but I do feel that I am in control of the condition - rather than the condition being in control of me. The Newcastle Diet regime is - for me - a tool in my box which I can call upon for that extra 'boost' for weight loss - and for me - that is quite a good place to be. julie

 

[mitsi5959]

well done!!
i have been on the diet for 4 weeks, loads on energy, dont know what to do with it!!! i plan do go on a low carb diet afterwards, could you tell me what sort of things you are eating for breakfast

 

[julie54]

For breakfast, it is usually one of two types of breakfast - depending on how I feel!! Of course, there is bacon, eggs, sausage (I always buy sausages with maximum meat content - and low carbohydrate!), tomatoes, mushrooms. An omelette is always nice - either plain, or with chopped lardons or cheese or whatever takes your fancy!! Or if I don't have time/dont feel like that for breakfast, I have full fat yoghurt (Greek usually) with some raspberries and a few chopped almonds. I also add a teaspoon of sweetener to make it a bit sweeter. I did do kippers once with a poached egg, but that wasnt one of my favourites - but if you like smoked fish, it is another alternative. Breakfast always sets me right for the day!!!

 

[suejat]

Hi Julie,
I feel so much better after reading your post from friday. I was feeling really down, deprived and depressed----- the only side effect I have so far noticed with the diet. You cheered me up considerably!!

I read today that citric acid interferes with ketosis, and I have been eating tomatoes, which contain citric acid. As someone who has been through the diet, what veggies did you eat lot of, and which sparingly?

Thanks again for your post.

 

[woowoo82]

Mitsi, glad to see you have lots of energy, can't wait for that to happen! Yesterday was day 4, it was tough, was craving food badly, although I think it's mostly all in my mind! Motivated myself by going through my wardrobe and pointing out everything that will look and fit better once I've shifted a few pounds! Also cheated and jumped on the scales this morning, 4lb gone already and an inch off my waist, visible results definitely help motivate!


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[julie54]

Hi suejat! It lifted my spirits to hear that my post cheered you up - it is a hard journey to do on your own!! But keep at it - it will be worth it!! In terms of vegetables - what I did was make up the soups which are listed on the sheets accompanying the ND information - do you have those?! If not - here is the link to the diet sheets:

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/di ... ecipes.pdf

I made the vegetable soup, the mushroom soup, and I made a vegetable variation soup with cauliflower/carrots/onions/cumin seeds/curry powder and blended them (I bought myself a soup maker where you just chuck it all in and it gets on with it itself!!). I also made the red pepper soup and chili soup. In terms of raw veg, I confined it to just salad using lettuce, spring onions and tomatoes (I know tomatoes have some carb in them but they were not on the ND restricted list, so figured they gave some carbs but not of any concern) - low fat dressing on it. At the end of the day, Roy Taylor is quite clear in stating that the main aim is a significant weight loss achieved through low calorie diet - but that this is restricted to a maximum of 8 weeks. As I say, it gave me a great start to weight loss, brought down my blood glucose levels and these continue with a low carb eating plan. I know I am not cured - but I do know I am controlled - and as my journey is continuing I don't yet know what my eventual outcome will be. I figure it took me a long time to reach the point of being diabetic - so it will also take time to get this under control and keep it that way. Let me know if I can be of any further help - even if it is just to cheer you up and spur you on!!

 

[suejat]

Hi Julie,
I tried to get on this before, but kept getting a message that this link was no longer available.This time it went straight through.
Interesting to see that carrots are included, cos they are loaded with carbs!

Anyway, this is day six. I intend to stay on the diet for two weeks, then have two weeks eating low cal and low carb, but not so extreme, and then go back on the diet for another two weeks. If that doesn't achieve the desired results, I'll do it all over again,
but I really hope it does!

Weigh in is on wednesday morning. My starting weight was 67.7 kilos,(approx 10.5 stones) and fasting BG was 172 (sorry-- that's in Spanish money-- need to divide by 18 to get approx English equivalent ----- about 9.5) and it is slowly coming down-- 151 this morning-- 8.3. I'll let you know how it progresses.

So, thanks again for the support, and help. It is really appreciated.

 

[julie54]

Well done for getting to day 6!! I found that once I had reached the one week stage, it actually felt as though it got easier and I didn't miss 'proper' food so much!! I am guessing that you are in Spain?? If so, you have a small benefit in that eating salads is not so hard when the weather is hot!! The soups are really ok - blended so that they are thick and do fill you up. Cauliflower certainly has become my new best friend vegetable - having tried the cauliflower mash which I now do with hot meals instead of potatoes! I also tried the cauliflower rice rather than having ordinary rice with curry etc. I haven't had any white carbohydrates since the beginning of June (i.e. potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, pastries, cakes etc) and can honestly say that I haven't missed them because eating low carb gives sufficient variety and is filling!! There are loads of recipes in these forums for low carbohydrate meals - one of my favourites is to make a quiche using ground almonds and butter for the crust - and filled with eggs/bacon/cheese etc. A slice of that does the trick and is handy to have in the fridge if you just want to grab something quick to nibble!! But all of this you can investigate further when you have given the ND a couple of weeks - although you seem to not have too much weight to lose. For me, it was Professor Taylor's explanation of visceral fat - ie fat around the pancreas - which made a lot of sense. The very low calorie diet is aimed at losing the visceral fat to assist the pancreas to improve functionality. I have always been a sort of 'logic' person - so if it sounds logical and common sense I am more prone to go with it. Feel free to pm me if you want to - I don't profess to be anything of an expert - just someone who has done that journey and in that sense can share my experience. And if you are in Spain - boy am i jealous!!! Really cold and windy here now - summer is definitely over!!! Keep up the good work!!! :thumbup: Julie

 

[mitsi5959]

hi to all of you that are on the newcastle diet!
a lot of what julie is saying makes sense and is inspiring, i am on the 5th week of the newcastle diet, at first you think omg am i going to manage on just milk shakes and veg, is it going to fill me up, after you get past the first week, its does start to get better and as the weeks go by, you see the weight coming off, your blood results going down, it inspires you to carry on. i went in denial of my diabetes and was eating all the cakes, chocolates, chips pizzas, everything carb, its weird i do not crave any sugar, but have craved protien in the last 2 weeks, have weivered and had gammon, but missed a shake to compensate for this, i log everything on my fitness pall, so i can look back and see my progress, i added excercise 2 weeks after going on the diet, theres a few good apps to inspire you for excersise when your ready, i use couch to 5k app on my treadmill, my doctor didnt prescribe me a glucose meter, so i bought one myself which i document everytime i use it. if you do get off track, dont punish yourself, just try and get back on track.
i add flavour to my veg with- fresh chillie, dried chillie, lemon juice, spices, fresh herbs, i dont know if its physiological, but sometimes i vary the way i cut my veg, slice, dice, use potato peeler, grater, so they dont always look the same on the plate, i also cook my veg al dente, so that i feel like i am chewing something, never thought i would like cauliflower and am enjoying eating it as one of my veg. As the weather is getting cold, i tryed warming up my milkshake as a hot drink, surprisingly taste pleasently nice. i dont really feel hungry on this diet. it is nice to see a waistline again, have gone from 12 st- 13 lbs to 10-4 1/2 lbs, droped two sizes in clothes, nice to get back in some of my old clothes, i have been using this time to look at what i will eat after the diet finishes and also understanding how to read food labels.
my mum was diagnosed type 2 diabetes at my age, she is 74 and ignored all of it, she has been on insulin for the last few years, unfortunatly she was very ill last year and ended up in hospital, when she came out hospital i had to look after her 24hrs a day for a good few weeks, bathing her, waking up in the night taking her to the toilet, watching her cry in pain, she has all the symptoms of diabetes, eyes, kidneys,poor circulation, hypos, although she is a lot better now, as we have managed to get her insulin and bloods in a better place, careing for someone 24/7 was exhasting and my hands go up to those carers that look after the sick 24hrs day on!
but i have also realised that it would be unfair to put my children through the same agony of watching there mother suffer, because she carried on ignoring her own diabetes. i have come to the conclusion that i need to be responsible for my own health, as i have seen what diabetes can do, if it is ignored.
i am due to have my fasting blood test in the next two months and will post my results.
good luck everyone....fantastic forum, with a wealth of information and support

 

[julie54]

Well done Mitsi! There is no doubt that determination and high motivation play a huge role in completing a diet such as this - but people on these forums - like yourself - prove that it can be done. Obviously, watching your Mum suffer when she was so poorly has helped with your own motivation - but it still takes grit-like courage!!! And what a good daughter you have been - to care for her so well when she needed you. I also care for my two elderly parents - who are now 89 and 80. They are both quite well at the moment, but over the course of the last year my Dad has gone through both pneumonia and cancer - both of which he has bounced back from! He is Glaswegian and I just tell him that it must be true that the Scots are made from iron girders!!!

And isn't it nice to get back into some of those old favourite clothes!! I have made sure that I have binned all my 'bigger sizes' - on the basis that I ain't going there again!!!

I do think that positive mental attitude goes such a long way in dealing with this following diagnoses. I almost saw it as a challenge - especially when my G.P. showed such a lack of encouragement towards anything other than taking medication!! I do think that Professor Taylor is right when he says that for some 'highly motivated' individuals, following a very low calorie diet can being very good results - its just a shame that so many G.P's don't give any credence to the fact that there are a lot of 'very highly motivated' people who should at least be given the opportunity of following diet rather than pill popping straight from the off! I am not of course saying that medication doesn't play a part in the control of diabetes, but my view is that I have to at least try diet control first - then if I fail, there is a fall-back in terms of medication. Had I taken the medication straightaway, I wouldn't know if the results which I am achieving were as a result of lifestyle change or the pills. This way, I can at least be sure that it is the diet/lifestyle changes which are making the difference to the blood glucose levels.

I had the usual argument with the G.P. about a meter - with them stating that they are of no benefit to Type 2's. Once again, their policy just being to give tablets and 3 monthly HbA1C blood tests. I even reminded them that Sir Davids Nicholson, the Chief ~Executive of the NHS was recently diagnosed with Type 2 - and guess what - he told them that he didn't want to take medication - but he was immediately given a meter and strips. He made a speech to an NHS Conference stating that he was testing 4 times a day and keeping a graph of his results!! I was incensed - to the point that I e-mailed him and pointed out that he was so much more fortunate than the vast majority of type 2's who are denied this facility!! I was even more surprised though when he actually replied - empathising with my situation and encouraging me to continue to engage with my Health Care Professionals and wishing me success in the continued management of my condition!!!

Quote from his reply:

Thank you for your email of 14 July 2013. I was sorry to read about your
frustration with the care and support you are receiving following your diagnosis
with Type 2 diabetes. Putting patients and carers at the centre of their care is
integral to our new NHS, and I am delighted to hear from someone who is so
evidently passionate about being in control of their own health and treatment

However, I used this as potential leverage with my Diabetic Nurse at the Practice - and actually got a meter and strips - she said I could have them as I had proved my motivation in the results!!!!

So what I say is - use whatever information you can get to your advantage - and just don't accept 'No' for an answer - keep at them. And keep up with the diet and the good work which you are doing. You have taken control of the condition - rather than the condition taking control of you. :thumbup: Julie

 

[julie54]

Incidentally, you might want to take a look at the following - which Sir David Nicholson gave me the link for!! It might help if you are having no luck with your G.P. regarding prescribing test strips:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Ad ... k-0613.pdf


Julie