Help please.....

[Missmollymidi]

Quick background....Found out I was T2 after a heart attack December 2019. Hba1c 81. I joined this group and did lots of reading. Changed my diet ( although I didn’t do lots of carbs anyway before just wine and chocolate!). Retested middle of Feb and hba1c had come down to 69.
I have lost 20lbs but need to lose another 24lbs and I’m stuck now. Not losing anything no matter how much I try. I am guessing it is because I am IR?
I am testing bs and keeping a record and although bs has come down it is now stuck in a pattern as well as my weight so guessing again one is working against the other and against me!

typical days bs readings as follows....
Fasting. 9.0
Pre lunch. 9.6. (Eat around 12 ish)
+ 2 hours. 9.8
Pre supper. 6.4 ( around 7ish)
+2 hours. 7.4
Before bed. 8.3 ( 11ish)
I have had as high as 10 fasting and as low as 6 pre supper but the above are pretty much normal pattern for me at the moment along with no weight loss!

I only eat twice a day 12 ish and 6/7 ish - no snacks in between and only drink black coffee and water.
Typical meals would be ( on a small plate)
2 Eggs for brunch with bacon or cheese/mushroom omelette or poached eggs with salmon.
Supper is always meat normally chicken breast/ fish with green veg/ salad or cauliflower rice.
My only vice is 2 strawberries with a small spoonful of greek yogurt after supper.

I am not on any meds for diabetics ( yet) as appointments cancelled at the moment. I really don’t want to take any more medication as on enough already at the moment!
Any ideas would be gratefully received.

 

[DJC3]

Hi and well done for bringing your HbA1c down so much already. Your diet looks pretty good to me so I can only think that you may just have hit a stall, it happens but don’t give up. As you rightly suggested IR could be the cause and nothing is ever really linear in biology. Your body is constantly trying to reset itself and stay the same. Are you drinking enough water by the way?
While you’re waiting for things to progress could I suggest a couple of places to browse around? ( apart from here of course!) the first is DietDoctor.com which is full of really good evidence based info, and loads of recipes. The other is a book by Jason Fung called The Diabetes Code it’s fascinating, and very easy to read.
Good luck

edit to add that I’ve just reread your post and you say you’ve done lots of reading around so you may well have already come across my suggestions.

 

[Missmollymidi]

Hi and well done for bringing your HbA1c down so much already. Your diet looks pretty good to me so I can only think that you may just have hit a stall, it happens but don’t give up. As you rightly suggested IR could be the cause and nothing is ever really linear in biology. Your body is constantly trying to reset itself and stay the same. Are you drinking enough water by the way?
While you’re waiting for things to progress could I suggest a couple of places to browse around? ( apart from here of course!) the first is DietDoctor.com which is full of really good evidence based info, and loads of recipes. The other is a book by Jason Fung called The Diabetes Code it’s fascinating, and very easy to read.
Good luck

edit to add that I’ve just reread your post and you say you’ve done lots of reading around so you may well have already come across my suggestions.

Hi, thanks for the reply. I drink water all day - at least 2 litres if not more. I have both The Obesity Code and the Diabetes Code by Jason Fung. I am moving all day long as well so frustrated that weight is just not shifting ( lost nothing for 4 weeks now) and it’s not like I have nothing to lose )

 

[DJC3]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I drink water all day - at least 2 litres if not more. I have both The Obesity Code and the Diabetes Code by Jason Fung. I am moving all day long as well so frustrated that weight is just not shifting ( lost nothing for 4 weeks now) and it’s not like I have nothing to lose )

That is so frustrating for you. I’m glad you’ve read those books. Have you looked on DietDoctor? https://www.dietdoctor.com/how-to-lose-weight/break-a-stall
It might be useful. If I hit a wall with blood sugar levels creeping higher than I want I follow one of their keto meal plans for a few weeks and it usually helps. I think it might be to do with getting the macros right. Please don’t lose heart though

 

[NéjiSaïdi]

Quick background....Found out I was T2 after a heart attack December 2019. Hba1c 81. I joined this group and did lots of reading. Changed my diet ( although I didn’t do lots of carbs anyway before just wine and chocolate!). Retested middle of Feb and hba1c had come down to 69.
I have lost 20lbs but need to lose another 24lbs and I’m stuck now. Not losing anything no matter how much I try. I am guessing it is because I am IR?
I am testing bs and keeping a record and although bs has come down it is now stuck in a pattern as well as my weight so guessing again one is working against the other and against me!

typical days bs readings as follows....
Fasting. 9.0
Pre lunch. 9.6. (Eat around 12 ish)
+ 2 hours. 9.8
Pre supper. 6.4 ( around 7ish)
+2 hours. 7.4
Before bed. 8.3 ( 11ish)
I have had as high as 10 fasting and as low as 6 pre supper but the above are pretty much normal pattern for me at the moment along with no weight loss!

I only eat twice a day 12 ish and 6/7 ish - no snacks in between and only drink black coffee and water.
Typical meals would be ( on a small plate)
2 Eggs for brunch with bacon or cheese/mushroom omelette or poached eggs with salmon.
Supper is always meat normally chicken breast/ fish with green veg/ salad or cauliflower rice.
My only vice is 2 strawberries with a small spoonful of greek yogurt after supper.

I am not on any meds for diabetics ( yet) as appointments cancelled at the moment. I really don’t want to take any more medication as on enough already at the moment!
Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Seeing items of your diet and your BG and the amount of weight you've lost, it looks like: you're having a degree of IR and maybe some form of stress, anxiety, etc. IR, by itself, stalls weight loss, high insulin levels block fat burning. And if conjugated with stress, which raises stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline), your efforts in bringing down both hba1c and weight wouldn't yield satisfying results. I think, you need to do exercise and meditation so you lower stress hormones and IR. Keeping your low carb diet is a must. Good luck. Strawberries have a low GI, Greek yogurt is basically free from any form of sugar (lactose) and rich in healthy fats, modified protein and lots of Vits and minerals.

 

[NéjiSaïdi]

Quick background....Found out I was T2 after a heart attack December 2019. Hba1c 81. I joined this group and did lots of reading. Changed my diet ( although I didn’t do lots of carbs anyway before just wine and chocolate!). Retested middle of Feb and hba1c had come down to 69.
I have lost 20lbs but need to lose another 24lbs and I’m stuck now. Not losing anything no matter how much I try. I am guessing it is because I am IR?
I am testing bs and keeping a record and although bs has come down it is now stuck in a pattern as well as my weight so guessing again one is working against the other and against me!

typical days bs readings as follows....
Fasting. 9.0
Pre lunch. 9.6. (Eat around 12 ish)
+ 2 hours. 9.8
Pre supper. 6.4 ( around 7ish)
+2 hours. 7.4
Before bed. 8.3 ( 11ish)
I have had as high as 10 fasting and as low as 6 pre supper but the above are pretty much normal pattern for me at the moment along with no weight loss!

I only eat twice a day 12 ish and 6/7 ish - no snacks in between and only drink black coffee and water.
Typical meals would be ( on a small plate)
2 Eggs for brunch with bacon or cheese/mushroom omelette or poached eggs with salmon.
Supper is always meat normally chicken breast/ fish with green veg/ salad or cauliflower rice.
My only vice is 2 strawberries with a small spoonful of greek yogurt after supper.

I am not on any meds for diabetics ( yet) as appointments cancelled at the moment. I really don’t want to take any more medication as on enough already at the moment!
Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Any information about your liver? A fatty liver is one big obstacle. Yet, a healthy diet will be very helpful, in this respect.

 

[Missmollymidi]

That is so frustrating for you. I’m glad you’ve read those books. Have you looked on DietDoctor? https://www.dietdoctor.com/how-to-lose-weight/break-a-stall
It might be useful. If I hit a wall with blood sugar levels creeping higher than I want I follow one of their keto meal plans for a few weeks and it usually helps. I think it might be to do with getting the macros right. Please don’t lose heart though

Thank you. I will have a look.

 

[Missmollymidi]

Seeing items of your diet and your BG and the amount of weight you've lost, it looks like: you're having a degree of IR and maybe some form of stress, anxiety, etc. IR, by itself, stalls weight loss, high insulin levels block fat burning. And if conjugated with stress, which raises stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline), your efforts in bringing down both hba1c and weight wouldn't yield satisfying results. I think, you need to do exercise and meditation so you lower stress hormones and IR. Keeping your low carb diet is a must. Good luck. Strawberries have a low GI, Greek yogurt is basically free from any form of sugar (lactose) and rich in healthy fats, modified protein and lots of Vits and minerals.

Thank you. I am very lucky in that I love my life and don’t think I have any real stress or anxiety - apart from wanting to get this under control. I do plenty of exercise as I have 3 horses and dogs and also lucky to have land with my house so plenty to do outside all the time. I have started tai chi and loving that.

 

[Missmollymidi]

Any information about your liver? A fatty liver is one big obstacle. Yet, a healthy diet will be very helpful, in this respect.

Not sure - docs say my bloods are all good. I am guessing I would have a fatty liver as I have read all diabetics do?

 

[NéjiSaïdi]

Not sure - docs say my bloods are all good. I am guessing I would have a fatty liver as I have read all diabetics do?

Ok, check the status of your liver. The bad news: people with T2D have a fatty liver, the good one: with the appropriate healthy life-style visceral fats disappear and the liver, and other organs, regain their normal function.

 

[TeddyTottie]

Perhaps give intermittent fasting a go? I try to include IF (one meal a day) a couple or three times a week so I get a 24 hr fast. I find it helps me with stalled weight loss, particularly if I do it for 2 days on the trot. I don’t really plan these days, I always eat my first meal around lunchtime anyway and if I am not particularly hungry I just miss it out and voila! - an IF day just happens.

 

[dipsydo]

As you have had a heart attack you may be on statins which can increase blood sugar , I am not suggesting you stop statins just that they can increase blood sugars so making so making it more difficult to reduce your blood sugars. We are all different but I changed my eating habits so that I now eat my main meal around midday and that I eat in a 8 hour window between 12 and 6 pm this seemed to help to bring down my blood sugar. Might not work for you but maybe worth a try

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Sadly some people just have a very low metabolism. My wife has a very low carb diet and is very disciplined. She's not diabetic. She always struggles to keep her weight down. On the other hand I have a higher metabolism and my food intake is quite a bit higher than hers but I can control my weight.. She also exercises more than I do in the gym.

 

[Missmollymidi]

Perhaps give intermittent fasting a go? I try to include IF (one meal a day) a couple or three times a week so I get a 24 hr fast. I find it helps me with stalled weight loss, particularly if I do it for 2 days on the trot. I don’t really plan these days, I always eat my first meal around lunchtime anyway and if I am not particularly hungry I just miss it out and voila! - an IF day just happens.

Hi, I sort of do intermittent fasting. I don’t eat before 12 and stop before 8pm so go quite a while without eating each day. Maybe I should try 1 meal a day or mixing it up. Thank you.

 

[Missmollymidi]

As you have had a heart attack you may be on statins which can increase blood sugar , I am not suggesting you stop statins just that they can increase blood sugars so making so making it more difficult to reduce your blood sugars. We are all different but I changed my eating habits so that I now eat my main meal around midday and that I eat in a 8 hour window between 12 and 6 pm this seemed to help to bring down my blood sugar. Might not work for you but maybe worth a try

Thank you. I can’t take Statins as they make me really ill! I normally only eat my two meals between 12 and 6pm. Both about the same size so maybe I could try a larger meal at lunchtime and a smaller one in the evening.

 

[Missmollymidi]

Hi. Sadly some people just have a very low metabolism. My wife has a very low carb diet and is very disciplined. She's not diabetic. She always struggles to keep her weight down. On the other hand I have a higher metabolism and my food intake is quite a bit higher than hers but I can control my weight.. She also exercises more than I do in the gym.

I know that feeling. My husband eats 4 times the amount I do and does far less exercise and yet he can lose weight easily!!

 

[Member496333]

OMAD 23h fasts or even longer will soon put your insulin levels through the floor and allow the mobilisation of stored fat. If you’re really struggling then in all likelihood you’re almost permanently hyperinsulinemic. Even late breakfasts and low carb diets can sometimes take time to put a dent in mega insulin resistance. Some sturdy fasting usually does the trick and speeds things along.

 

[Missmollymidi]

OMAD 23h fasts or even longer will soon put your insulin levels through the floor and allow the mobilisation of stored fat. If you’re really struggling then in all likelihood you’re almost permanently hyperinsulinemic. Even late breakfasts and low carb diets can sometimes take time to put a dent in mega insulin resistance. Some sturdy fasting usually does the trick and speeds things along.

What does OMAD mean please? Is it one meal a day? If so would that be just a small meal as in low carb/ low calories? Thank you.

 

[TeddyTottie]

What does OMAD mean please? Is it one meal a day? If so would that be just a small meal as in low carb/ low calories? Thank you.

OMAD is indeed one meal a day. When I do the IF thing, I just have my normal keto dinner, nothing special. I eat what I need to feel full, I don’t find my appetite is increased after a fast.

 

[Member496333]

What does OMAD mean please? Is it one meal a day? If so would that be just a small meal as in low carb/ low calories? Thank you.

Yes one meal a day. Eat enough so that you’re not hungry. A big calorie deficit isn’t recommended because it will slow your basal (resting) metabolic rate. At first you may want to eat quite a bit of dietary fat with your meals to encourage fat burning mode, but after a while your body should start using its own stores and you may find you can consume a lot less calories while it does this.

Be mindful that if you’re super insulin resistant then excessive amounts of protein may encourage your liver to make new glucose, in turn needing more insulin and proving counterproductive. In the end, if you want to lose weight then you must get your circulating insulin as low as possible for as long as possible. But don’t go hungry. It will only make you weak and miserable.