Diet

[Paulm80]

Ok another question , if you lose weight down to a healthy weight for your size and maintain that weight, what does that mean for diet, surely if you are in remission and maintaining a healthy weight you can relax on the carb counting?
Or am I totally wrong !

 

[xfieldok]

Depends on whether you want to remain in remission or go back to the diabetic range.

 

[Paulm80]

Depends on whether you want to remain in remission or go back to the diabetic range.

Yes but if you are maintaining a healthy weight a healthy diet then why would you?

 

[bulkbiker]

Yes but if you are maintaining a healthy weight a healthy diet then why would you?

Because upping the carb content may well create the same problems that got you T2 in the first place by not maintaining the weight loss?

 

[Tophat1900]

Ok another question , if you lose weight down to a healthy weight for your size and maintain that weight, what does that mean for diet, surely if you are in remission and maintaining a healthy weight you can relax on the carb counting?
Or am I totally wrong !

The only way you'd know is if you tested to see what happens.

However, I have no idea what your interpretation of "relaxing" the carb count means.

 

[Bluetit1802]

It can lead to a slippery slope. So easily done. It isn't all about weight either. There are countless T2 diabetics who are slim and always have been. You have to remain vigilant.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

I think that there is a difference between"remission" and "cured".

If you are cured (at least in the short term) then BG testing will show an absolutely typical insulin response whatever you chose to eat and also in fasting levels.

If you are in remission (as measured by HbA1c) then BG testing may well show that although you are generally maintaining a good HbA1c your insulin response is outside the normal profile.

One reason, perhaps, to splash out on a Freestyle Libre to check what is really gong on.

Certainly not the time to go "Hey, I'm cured! Lets get back to eating all the nice things I gave up!!".

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Ok another question , if you lose weight down to a healthy weight for your size and maintain that weight, what does that mean for diet, surely if you are in remission and maintaining a healthy weight you can relax on the carb counting?
Or am I totally wrong !

Because it's not about being overweight. The weight is a (possible, as not all T2's are overweight) symptom of not being able to process carbs. You might become less insulin resistant when the weight goes, but if you add carbs back in you'll be right back where you started. With the weight back where it was, too. You have a metabolic condition that can be controlled by diet. I don't know how "relaxed" you want to go with the carb counting, but I would stick with LCHF. Maybe up the carbs a little if you miss them so much, and see what happens? But always keep an eye out.

 

[Paulm80]

Because it's not about being overweight. The weight is a (possible, as not all T2's are overweight) symptom of not being able to process carbs. You might become less insulin resistant when the weight goes, but if you add carbs back in you'll be right back where you started. With the weight back where it was, too. You have a metabolic condition that can be controlled by diet. I don't know how "relaxed" you want to go with the carb counting, but I would stick with LCHF. Maybe up the carbs a little if you miss them so much, and see what happens? But always keep an eye out.

 

[Paulm80]

My point is since diagnoses I've been eating low carb 15-30g a day, I've lost 2 and a half stone in just under 3 months, a healthy weight for someone my build is 12-13 stone I'm currently 15 . Assuming I achieve remission in 3 months( I had a early diagnosis which was good well 54 anyway) if I stay at a healthy weight and low carb 85% of the time, I don't see why it would go back into diabetic range! I'm talking a carvery on Sunday here or the occasional meal out? I've been very stricked so far

 

[Paulm80]

Because it's not about being overweight. The weight is a (possible, as not all T2's are overweight) symptom of not being able to process carbs. You might become less insulin resistant when the weight goes, but if you add carbs back in you'll be right back where you started. With the weight back where it was, too. You have a metabolic condition that can be controlled by diet. I don't know how "relaxed" you want to go with the carb counting, but I would stick with LCHF. Maybe up the carbs a little if you miss them so much, and see what happens? But always keep an eye out.

Don't really miss carbs or chocolate which is a miracle, I do miss my Sunday roast tho or meals out not being a pain in the ass! At home I will eat this way forever quite happily and easily

 

[Flora123]

Because it's not about being overweight. The weight is a (possible, as not all T2's are overweight) symptom of not being able to process carbs. You might become less insulin resistant when the weight goes, but if you add carbs back in you'll be right back where you started. With the weight back where it was, too. You have a metabolic condition that can be controlled by diet. I don't know how "relaxed" you want to go with the carb counting, but I would stick with LCHF. Maybe up the carbs a little if you miss them so much, and see what happens? But always keep an eye out.

Does that mean if you are slim at DX you will never become less insulin resistant as you haven’t lost weight? I have maintained my Hba1c for just over a year but even taking a nibble of something carby can make my levels shoot up. It seems I may never be able to choose to treat myself, although not that I want to!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

My point is since diagnoses I've been eating low carb 15-30g a day, I've lost 2 and a half stone in just under 3 months, a healthy weight for someone my build is 12-13 stone I'm currently 15 . Assuming I achieve remission in 3 months( I had a early diagnosis which was good well 54 anyway) if I stay at a healthy weight and low carb 85% of the time, I don't see why it would go back into diabetic range! I'm talking a carvery on Sunday here or the occasional meal out? I've been very stricked so far

It'd go back into the diabetic range if you go back to eating carbs on a regular basis. I don't see the harm in occasionally having some, but, you know... Your meter'll tell you.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Does that mean if you are slim at DX you will never become less insulin resistant as you haven’t lost weight? I have maintained my Hba1c for just over a year but even taking a nibble of something carby can make my levels shoot up. It seems I may never be able to choose to treat myself, although not that I want to!

With people who are TOFI (Thin Outside, Fat Inside), there IS fat there to get rid of: right on the liver and pancreas. You can't see it on the outside, but an ultrasound would pick it up. So there's ground to be won there. And uh... I know I don't get peaks like I used to, but when I eat something that's bad for me, I still get them. Not as bad, but they would be there. I'm three years into low carb, one year of which keto, and 25 kilo's lighter than when I started out. This isn't a matter of months thing. It's basically for life. Sorry.

 

[Daphne917]

Don't really miss carbs or chocolate which is a miracle, I do miss my Sunday roast tho or meals out not being a pain in the ass! At home I will eat this way forever quite happily and easily

@Paulm80 you do not need to miss out on a carvery - Just load your plate with plenty of meat and veg. I am lucky in that I seem to be able to tolerate a higher number of carbs than many on this forum and tend to average between 100 to 130g carbs per day so just at the outer limits of being low carb and include high protein bread and potatoes in my diet. I have also maintained my hba1c at non diabetic levels for 5-6 years. If you want to eat other foods when you’re out why not test at home first to see whether or not you can tolerate more ‘carby’ foods?

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Yes but if you are maintaining a healthy weight a healthy diet then why would you?

As you know type II can be for two reasons, lower production of insulin and/or insulin resistance. If neither of those change then the fact that your HbA1c is good and you are what you call in remission is all down to your reduced carb intake. Therefore increased carbs will result in higher BG.

I think "in remission" may give a false impression. The disease is still there, it's just that you're not giving your body the carbs to get high BG.

 

[Resurgam]

I lost weight as I was keeping my blood glucose levels normal.
These days I can cope with eating more carbs for a day, in terms of blood glucose levels - but I need to get my average back to under 40 gm of carbs per day for the week as I will have put on weight and it will take time for it to drop again.
Although there is such a 'thing' about weight and being the right weight for your height, it has little to do with not being diabetic.
I have not lost weight for ages, but I have lost fat - I can now heave knitting machines about like I used to twenty or more years ago, so I have gone back to work.

 

[Bluetit1802]

My point is since diagnoses I've been eating low carb 15-30g a day, I've lost 2 and a half stone in just under 3 months, a healthy weight for someone my build is 12-13 stone I'm currently 15 . Assuming I achieve remission in 3 months( I had a early diagnosis which was good well 54 anyway) if I stay at a healthy weight and low carb 85% of the time, I don't see why it would go back into diabetic range! I'm talking a carvery on Sunday here or the occasional meal out? I've been very stricked so far

You are trying to run before you can walk. You haven't yet reached your ideal weight. You still have some way to go. You cannot assume you will achieve remission simply by losing weight. Even if you achieve a non-diabetic HbA1c at your next test, it doesn't mean you are in remission. How do you personally define remission? You need several HbA1c's in the non-diabetic range before you can consider remission.

As for a Sunday roast, I have had one every week since diagnosis, 5 and a half years ago. There is no need not to have one. Just eat the meat and veg, maybe one small roast potato, and put lots of butter on your veg instead of gravy. It actually makes it taste better.

 

[Marie 2]

It really depends on the person. My husband was able to lose weight and go on Metformin and it solved most of his issue. He can basically eat what he wants carb wise. Just makes smarter choices about any junk carbs, lots of salads, lots more veggies, whole grains, carrots and tomatoes more for snacks etc. He is still losing weight and doesn't seem to suffer from the side effects of Metformin and has an A1C of 44 (6.2%) now. he will probably decide to stay on Metformin as he likes some junk food off and on.

Someone else can respond very differently and if you are low carb, any carb can sometimes effect you more because you are not used to it.

 

[Flora123]

With people who are TOFI (Thin Outside, Fat Inside), there IS fat there to get rid of: right on the liver and pancreas. You can't see it on the outside, but an ultrasound would pick it up. So there's ground to be won there. And uh... I know I don't get peaks like I used to, but when I eat something that's bad for me, I still get them. Not as bad, but they would be there. I'm three years into low carb, one year of which keto, and 25 kilo's lighter than when I started out. This isn't a matter of months thing. It's basically for life. Sorry.

I had an ultrasound of my liver and pancreas and was told they looked perfectly normal which confused my endo no end. I can’t afford to lose any weight.