I have been on an ultra low calorie diet for a month today,not the Newcastle diet exactly,but calorie counting and using slimfast powders to keep calories under 1000 calories per day.
The results have been impressive.On diagnosis I was 16.5 stones,which dropped rapidly to 13.5 stones on Metformin and exercise,and there I stuck for 18 months.
On this diet I have dropped to 12.5 stones,my blood pressure has dropped to 120-125/65-70 and I feel great.To avoid muscle wastage I have been doing two lots of exercise each day.
The unexpected side effect is this.Fasting blood sugars were 6.0-6.6 most mornings,which was higher than my bedtime reading ie liver dumping was taking place during the night.Now they have ranged from 4.2-5.0 for the last week.In retrospect this is consistent with the comment made in the Newcastle University literature which states that all the symptoms you initially experience on their diet will fade as "your body adjusts to using your fat store as an energy source".Presumably now when my body needs energy during the night it takes it from bodyfat,not from stored liver glycogen,hence the weight loss.
A similar thing occurs during exercise.Previously I would run out of energy while swimming my 30 lengths unless I boosted my blood sugars in advance of the exercise.Now I can go into the water feeling hungry and within a few lengths this feeling subsides and I complete my swim with no problems.Again I presume that this is the body getting what it needs by breaking down fat,not running directly off blood glucose.A further side effect is that I no longer have a constant desire for food during the day,particularly after exercise,a more normal pattern of hunger has emerged.
I have decided to keep the diet going for another month and then confess all to doctor when i have my diabetic review in December.
The results have been impressive.On diagnosis I was 16.5 stones,which dropped rapidly to 13.5 stones on Metformin and exercise,and there I stuck for 18 months.
On this diet I have dropped to 12.5 stones,my blood pressure has dropped to 120-125/65-70 and I feel great.To avoid muscle wastage I have been doing two lots of exercise each day.
The unexpected side effect is this.Fasting blood sugars were 6.0-6.6 most mornings,which was higher than my bedtime reading ie liver dumping was taking place during the night.Now they have ranged from 4.2-5.0 for the last week.In retrospect this is consistent with the comment made in the Newcastle University literature which states that all the symptoms you initially experience on their diet will fade as "your body adjusts to using your fat store as an energy source".Presumably now when my body needs energy during the night it takes it from bodyfat,not from stored liver glycogen,hence the weight loss.
A similar thing occurs during exercise.Previously I would run out of energy while swimming my 30 lengths unless I boosted my blood sugars in advance of the exercise.Now I can go into the water feeling hungry and within a few lengths this feeling subsides and I complete my swim with no problems.Again I presume that this is the body getting what it needs by breaking down fat,not running directly off blood glucose.A further side effect is that I no longer have a constant desire for food during the day,particularly after exercise,a more normal pattern of hunger has emerged.
I have decided to keep the diet going for another month and then confess all to doctor when i have my diabetic review in December.
