Any Type 1's on low carb for weight loss?

[Kazzabon]

Every low carb book or site I check say that losing weight when injecting insulin is very hard - I have been low carbing (20-30g) for 4 weeks and I am losing but it's SO slow. I have only cheated for one meal during all this time and am somewhat disgruntled.

How have others managed? Have they found weight loss slow?

 

[jopar]

I can't be a lot of help on weight loss side.. But do pump

How much insulin are you using to cover your needs?
Are you having hypo's?

It might be worth doing some fasting tests, checking out out carb/insulin ratio's and consider what you are using to cover protien..

Pumps are a lot more efficent than injecting, so even though's who don't change diet after going onto a pump have a decrease in insulin needs,,

I know that some pumpers say they experience a slight weight gain in the first 6 months then evey settles down and weight gained they've lost naturally (without trying)..

I would also check out what actual calories you are consuming, as these are sneaky little blighters and you may be eating to many calories overall.. So may need to look at how you may adjust your diet to lower overall caloried content a bit..

Sorry not over helpful, but perhaps some ideas to work with

 

[Kazzabon]

Thanks Jopar

I've gone from 20 units basal to 16 and I am using combo boluses to cover the protein meals - between 2-4 units 30/70% split over an hour. So my TDD has gone from around 50 units a day when I first got the pump and was eating a normal carb diet to around 25 units on the current low carb regime.

Perhaps I'm being too impatient, the weight gain has been over a number of years so getting it off in a couple of months is a bit optimistic :roll: I've lost 3 kilos and have another 7 or so to go.

 

[Margi]

Don't be impatient. The slower the weight comes off the longer it will stay off. The simplest way to diet is to just reduce the overall size of each meal. One slice instead of two and one less potato etc, rather than cut out carbs. Cutting carbs is hard with type one, and unnecessary to diet.

Eat less, do more, and the weight will come off. If it only comes off at a pound (1/2 kilo) a week, then that's fine, it's much more likely to stay off because you will be eating a diet that is easy to stay on forever. Never try and 'diet' deliberately for the time it takes to lose the weight and then stop. You have to learn a different level of eating that simply does not take in more calories than you use up.

And if you take more exercise too, then you burn up more calories. So yes, dieting is not so easy when insulin is in the equation, but as you obviously know how to adjust your dose to what you eat, it shouldn't be a problem for you. Just don't try and diet all at once. So what if it takes a year? It's if the weight stays off that matters, and that you can keep eating the amount that keeps your weight stable without feeling you are eating less than you want. And you will only do that by slow, gentle dieting, not by drastic 'I've got to lose loads in a month' type of dieting.

 

[the_anticarb]

A few years ago I lost 2stone in 4 months whilst using insulin - I dropped my basal right down and cut out the bolus completely. (Although I'm not t1 I have very little pancreatic function of my own and cannot deal with carbs without injecting vast amounts of insulin).
The weight loss is slow, but it does stay off - until you start eating carbs again. I find that when I really get into low carbing, my appetite just goes so I don't need to eat half as much. i also feel more energetic.
Keep at it, the weight will come off, but you have got to think of it as a lifestyle change, not a 'diet'.