weight
- Thread starter markwoody
- Start Date
bulkbiker
BANNED
- Messages
- 19,575
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
A lot of us have had great success with a Very Low Carb High Fat diet combined with some intermittent fasting. Others have had success with extreme calorie restriction (i.e.Newcastle Diet).
For me it was LCHF with fasting. It brought my blood sugar down ( probably more important for a Type 2) and led to a significant weight loss (from 23 stone to currently 15 1/2 stone over 19 months. Due to the nature of the LCHF way of eating (I don't really call it a "diet") I found I didn't get hungry even when not eating.
I think it depends on the type of personality that you have and what your motivation is.
How much weight would you like to loose?
Are you an all or nothing personality or do you find it easier to ease yourself into things.
Do you like to know why what you are doing works or are you happy to just do what others say?
Lots of questions but there are many different ways of getting there.
As we are all unique then what worked for me may not be right for you.
For me it was LCHF with fasting. It brought my blood sugar down ( probably more important for a Type 2) and led to a significant weight loss (from 23 stone to currently 15 1/2 stone over 19 months. Due to the nature of the LCHF way of eating (I don't really call it a "diet") I found I didn't get hungry even when not eating.
I think it depends on the type of personality that you have and what your motivation is.
How much weight would you like to loose?
Are you an all or nothing personality or do you find it easier to ease yourself into things.
Do you like to know why what you are doing works or are you happy to just do what others say?
Lots of questions but there are many different ways of getting there.
As we are all unique then what worked for me may not be right for you.
daisyduck
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 988
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Messages
- 13,465
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Another vote for LCHF. I've lost 14.7 kg (2 stone 3 lbs) so far and enjoy this way of eating. As @bulkbiker says, more importantly, my blood sugar levels are much improved.
AM1874
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,383
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Not much
Hi @markwoody ..
I agree 100% with @bulkbiker @daisyduck and @Goonergal above about LCHF ..
So, as a starting point, you have made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.
Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..
I see that you have already received the starter info from @daisy1 and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program within this. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following Diet Doctor websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
I strongly recommend that you get yourself a meter for testing .. I suggest that you try the website at:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 (you don't pay VAT) or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them. Unless you are prescribed test strips by your doctor (unlikely), the costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them
Hope this helps
PS: if you check my signature block below you will see that my LCHF lifestyle has helped me lose about 4 stone since Feb .. others have done even better
I agree 100% with @bulkbiker @daisyduck and @Goonergal above about LCHF ..
So, as a starting point, you have made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.
Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..
I see that you have already received the starter info from @daisy1 and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program within this. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following Diet Doctor websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds
I strongly recommend that you get yourself a meter for testing .. I suggest that you try the website at:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 (you don't pay VAT) or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them. Unless you are prescribed test strips by your doctor (unlikely), the costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them
Hope this helps
PS: if you check my signature block below you will see that my LCHF lifestyle has helped me lose about 4 stone since Feb .. others have done even better
JohnEGreen
Master
- Messages
- 13,230
- Type of diabetes
- Other
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Tripe and Onions
I went down the path of LCHF also but restricted calories as well. Over about 18 Months now have gone from 260 Lb to about 143 Lb. My approach looking back now seems a bit drastic.
Keesha
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,261
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
LCHF probably works for those people who want to lose weight and at the same time help with lowering their blood sugar. It is a wonderful tool but it Is not for everyone especially someone like me who cannot afford to lose any weight. I go for food which are low on the glycemic index and stay away from cakes, pastries and anything sweet. Able to take brown rice, potatoes, bread and pasta in very small portions only.
SHROPSHIRE_LADY
Member
- Messages
- 20
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
- Dislikes
- NOT A LOT REALLY.
I am type 1 surely if you eat a low carb diet and high fat doesn't your cholesterol levels go up as you are controlling your sugar but not the fat?
Japes
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,633
- Type of diabetes
- LADA
- Treatment type
- Insulin
For me, my cholesterol has remained stable and has definitely gone down from initial diagnosis. Sounds counter-intuitive, and I certainly was VERY wary to start with but I do have two years worth of results to prove it. I was braced for a massive increase, but it has not been so.
Weight loss has currently stalled for me, but I am likely to lose a little more when I do more walking over the summer months.Or if I have a spell of weighing food again to check portion sizes haven't crept up... (Another few pounds is all I am expecting to lose.)
Fat doesn't cause high cholesterol despite the media saying it does. It's the carbs that result in fat deposits.
ickihun
Master
- Messages
- 13,698
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Insulin
- Dislikes
- Bullies
ickihun
Master
- Messages
- 13,698
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Insulin
- Dislikes
- Bullies
I wanted to lose all my weight but I added weight with all the fat.
bgs lower but werent perfect without insulin inj too.We are all different.
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
@markwoody
Hello Mark and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members. If you join the Low Carb Program and restrict the carbs you eat you should lose weight and improve your BS. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
Hello Mark and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members. If you join the Low Carb Program and restrict the carbs you eat you should lose weight and improve your BS. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
