High numbers despite six week LCHF

[Debmcgee]

Yes I aim to stay firmly in ketosis for as long as possible as this is when my body is using stored fats to energise me. It's better for weightloss to be in ketosis but not sure about bg aspect of it however my thinking is the more I'm in ketosis, the more I'm burning fat and the more weight I will lose which will in time reduce my bg. People on here have found that bg comes down as the weight does and I believe there's a correlation.

There's also a whole other issue of background insulin which is always there and I think mine is super high so I'm trying to get that down. It's insulin that holds the key to weightloss - keep bg down, and so less insulin is needed. I don't think just LCHF is enough for me to shift this so I'm starting fasting from today. I'll do 24/36 hr fasts on alternate days. Aim is to reduce insulin and unlock fat stores. Everything I've read convinces me this is the way forward but I think it'll be hard - especially as I've got two young kids who eat constantly


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[Pinkorchid]

Whatever way we choose to control our diabetes we have to remember we are individuals and what works for us may not work for others there is no one size suits all. LCHF is done by people in many ways Some can't eat high fat for various reasons they may have other medical conditions that prevents that while others can tolerate fat really well, some go really low carb others can eat more carbs and the same with the rest of the foods it is all a matter of experimenting until we find what suits us personally to get us to where we want to be

 

[Canadian_cousin]

Yes I aim to stay firmly in ketosis for as long as possible as this is when my body is using stored fats to energise me. It's better for weightloss to be in ketosis but not sure about bg aspect of it however my thinking is the more I'm in ketosis, the more I'm burning fat and the more weight I will lose which will in time reduce my bg. People on here have found that bg comes down as the weight does and I believe there's a correlation.

There's also a whole other issue of background insulin which is always there and I think mine is super high so I'm trying to get that down. It's insulin that holds the key to weightloss - keep bg down, and so less insulin is needed. I don't think just LCHF is enough for me to shift this so I'm starting fasting from today. I'll do 24/36 hr fasts on alternate days. Aim is to reduce insulin and unlock fat stores. Everything I've read convinces me this is the way forward but I think it'll be hard - especially as I've got two young kids who eat constantly


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Please keep me posted as to how you're doing with the fasting. I'm quite intimidated by the idea as I get very lightheaded when I don't eat, even with my Bloodsugars are still a seven. Thanks very much for sharing ..much appreciated!

 

[Canadian_cousin]

Whatever way we choose to control our diabetes we have to remember we are individuals and what works for us may not work for others there is no one size suits all. LCHF is done by people in many ways Some can't eat high fat for various reasons they may have other medical conditions that prevents that while others can tolerate fat really well, some go really low carb others can eat more carbs and the same with the rest of the foods it is all a matter of experimenting until we find what suits us personally to get us to where we want to be

Thanks for a much for those ideas. I'm getting the message from a lot of people that variety is huge and what works for people. I really appreciate people sharing what works for them , Because it gives me a wider range of options to think about. I really like this forum!

 

[Debmcgee]

Yesterdays fast was good - didn't feel hungry til 90 mins before I planned on breaking it so it was totally bearable and I took the kids on a massive walk in the local meadows. I drank mainly green tea with jasmine or lemon which was really nice.

Tested bg before eating and it was a nice 5.8. This morning's FBG is also down (although not enough!) to 6.3.

If you aren't comfy going for a full day fast (which is really only missing two meals) then why not go for a 16hr fast? Stop eating at 6pm and just take fluids til lunch when you can eat again. It didn't do much for me bg wise but it could help train you for a longer one?

So far so good. Planning on doing another one tomorrow x


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[KevinPotts]

Glad you found it pretty straightforward Deb.

Doing that a couple of times a week or one longer one should help bring down your BS to what I am sure you will think of as "exciting" numbers

I couple mine with at least some time to reflect on life or pray...but whether you consider yourself spiritual or not, you'll probably find extra bits if time just to at least cogitate on life!


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[Canadian_cousin]

Yesterdays fast was good - didn't feel hungry til 90 mins before I planned on breaking it so it was totally bearable and I took the kids on a massive walk in the local meadows. I drank mainly green tea with jasmine or lemon which was really nice.

Tested bg before eating and it was a nice 5.8. This morning's FBG is also down (although not enough!) to 6.3.

If you aren't comfy going for a full day fast (which is really only missing two meals) then why not go for a 16hr fast? Stop eating at 6pm and just take fluids til lunch when you can eat again. It didn't do much for me bg wise but it could help train you for a longer one?

So far so good. Planning on doing another one tomorrow x


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Thank you very much for sharing the details of your fast Deb. It sounds like it really helps you. I have done some preliminary reading of Dr Fung, and I often go 12 hours without eating, but I'm a little scared to go longer than that. May I ask, are you on insulin? Have you ever had Hypo moments when you fasted? Does exercise, like long hikes to the Meadows, affect how you feel or fluctuations in glucose levels? Thank you very much for your generosity in sharing details!

 

[Canadian_cousin]

Glad you found it pretty straightforward Deb.

Doing that a couple of times a week or one longer one should help bring down your BS to what I am sure you will think of as "exciting" numbers

I couple mine with at least some time to reflect on life or pray...but whether you consider yourself spiritual or not, you'll probably find extra bits if time just to at least cogitate on life!


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May I ask Kevin, how long you have been following this fasting regime?do you find a big difference in your blood glucose directly after fasting, or as an overall accumulative affect

 

[Canadian_cousin]

May I ask Kevin, how long you have been following this fasting regime?do you find a big difference in your blood glucose directly after fasting, or as an overall accumulative affect

Sorry, pushed the button by mistake before proofreading and finishing. Is the effect a long term one for you? What happens if you skip fasting, do your numbers rise again? It sounds like fasting has been a part of your weekly cycle for a long time. Have you ever had a length of time when you didn't fast, did that affect your numbers negatively? Many thanks for your feedback!

 

[Kristin251]

Another key element with fasting is if you are insulin resistant it can help lower insulin levels and make you more insulin sensative. If you are apprehensive about fasting you can just a eat very small low carb low calorie meals ( more like a snack). Foods that won't raise insulin or blood sugar. Fatty foods like avocado, a few nuts or some raw veggies and a fatty dip. I use mayo mixed with hot sauce, horseradish or mustard. It's not fasting but it is calorie restriction which has some of the same benefits.

 

[bellapodus]

I must admit, I like the idea of fasting but I find if I don't eat when awake, I get very dizzy, nearly pass out and feel sick. I test my BG levels afterwards and they are not low (around 8). I guess I still have a way to go. I don't eat for 12 hours anyhow, but am asleep for 8 of those!
You have all suggested great resources to ponder on.

 

[Debmcgee]

Thank you very much for sharing the details of your fast Deb. It sounds like it really helps you. I have done some preliminary reading of Dr Fung, and I often go 12 hours without eating, but I'm a little scared to go longer than that. May I ask, are you on insulin? Have you ever had Hypo moments when you fasted? Does exercise, like long hikes to the Meadows, affect how you feel or fluctuations in glucose levels? Thank you very much for your generosity in sharing details!

Hi!
No I'm a t2 food controlled as I keep refusing the doc's offer of met, so it's not complicated for me. I'd not do fasting without consulting a doc so that drugs can be adjusted accordingly x


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[Debmcgee]

The walk in the meadows was absolutely fine. I honestly was great the whole time until I had to cook the kids' dinner knowing mine was 90 mins!!

I've started the next fast from Donne tonight til dinner tomorrow. We are walking friend's dogs so that'll keep me distracted from thinking about food. But my numbers I got this morning were so positive, it'll spur me on.

If you could push a little beyond 12 hours, you'll start to get the benefits of reduced insulin which in turn will improve insulin resistance but the key thing is the longer the fast, the better.

In the past when I've felt dizzy and assumed my bg was low, I've tested it and too found it was actually higher. Weird how the body works sometimes....


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[Canadian_cousin]

Hi!
No I'm a t2 food controlled as I keep refusing the doc's offer of met, so it's not complicated for me. I'd not do fasting without consulting a doc so that drugs can be adjusted accordingly x


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Great advice! I too am resisting the drugs. My problem with overnight/daytime fasts is that I have a pretty large dawn phenomenon happening, and I can be a 7 at 5:30 AM but then my numbers just keep rising while fasting until about 11:00 AM, when they will be a 10 or 11. Low-carbing for two months has brought a good reduction, two or three points overall, so it may be that my liver is still discharging glucose and I need more months on low-carb to let it sort itself out. I definitely feel much better physically, and my neuropathy in my toes is greatly reduced, and no sore spots!

 

[Canadian_cousin]

Another key element with fasting is if you are insulin resistant it can help lower insulin levels and make you more insulin sensative. If you are apprehensive about fasting you can just a eat very small low carb low calorie meals ( more like a snack). Foods that won't raise insulin or blood sugar. Fatty foods like avocado, a few nuts or some raw veggies and a fatty dip. I use mayo mixed with hot sauce, horseradish or mustard. It's not fasting but it is calorie restriction which has some of the same benefits.

Excellent idea! As I've replied to other threads my body doesn't seem to be working in predictable patterns, especially with fasting and Dawn phenomenon. Your idea of a very low carb snack, especially if I take it in the morning, might keep my liver from continuing to release glucose through the morning. Many thanks for your input, it's a great idea

 

[nomoredonuts]

Please keep me posted as to how you're doing with the fasting. I'm quite intimidated by the idea as I get very lightheaded when I don't eat, even with my Bloodsugars are still a seven. Thanks very much for sharing ..much appreciated!

Hi. I'm the same. The lightheadedness and desire to commit murder are lessening now, compared with about a month ago. I believe it was my body reacting to what it perceived as low compared to what it was previously used to. I'm loving your attitude to learning!

 

[Canadian_cousin]

Hi. I'm the same. The lightheadedness and desire to commit murder are lessening now, compared with about a month ago. I believe it was my body reacting to what it perceived as low compared to what it was previously used to. I'm loving your attitude to learning!

How kind of you! At times I think I'm long-winded writer, but this has become very important to me, and I've learned more on this forum than I have in many of my other readings in the last two months. I'm looking for a sustainable lifestyle, rather than an intensive lose weight diet, although I have lost considerable weight without really focussing on that, just by keeping to about 50 carbs a day. The anecdotal feedback from members has been extremely valuable trying to figure out the anomalies that I seem to have. One of the other members pointed out very wisely that everybody's body works a different way, and I appreciate you all sharing your perspectives. They really help

 

[Kristin251]

When I was not insulin dependant and type 2 if I was a.itt.e higher than I liked I would have as small fat snack and head back down. Just enough to prompt an insulin Response but not raise Bs like 3 or 4 nut or Apiece if celery with dip. Fat but not protein or carbs and I would lower. Tricks of the trade...not enough to raise bs or insulin but enough to keep from liver dumping

 

[Canadian_cousin]

When I was not insulin dependant and type 2 if I was a.itt.e higher than I liked I would have as small fat snack and head back down. Just enough to prompt an insulin Response but not raise Bs like 3 or 4 nut or Apiece if celery with dip. Fat but not protein or carbs and I would lower. Tricks of the trade...not enough to raise bs or insulin but enough to keep from liver dumping

Great tip! I'll try it. How long after a little fat snack do you wait before you test your BG again?Did you ever try a fat snack in the morning to lower your Bg? I'm wondering whether a very early morning small snack of fat might keep my dawn phenomenon from occurring, or at least limit it. Does that make sense to you or am I using the idea incorrectly ? I'm very new to the tight control techniques that people make reference to, and which obviously work for them. Fine-tuning! I find it fascinating.

 

[Debmcgee]

I get DP and no idea how to rid of it but my thinking is if I reset my insulin, the DP will sort itself out. I'm less concerned about FBG and DP than having elevated bg all day which I think is more damaging. I was the same re bg on a morning fast - my bg rose until lunchtime.

I say exercise and drink water could help but that's my gut feel...!!


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