Why is it not working for me?

[MrsA2]

Was diagnosed type 2 on the day of lockdown with 53 and 7.
Started testing 1st April and went low carb /higher fat (with a few rookie errors to begin with).
First couple of weeks fasting average was 5.2 to 6.3 and 2 hour rises under the magic 2 with an average of 6.2
Now this past week fasting has risen to 6.5 to 6.9 and doesn't go down through the day so my average has risen to 7.1
My highest rise was from 7.5 to 12.5 after some unavoidable chocolate biscuits, once.
I am active doing 2-3 hours of moderate exercise (walking or dancing) most days.
In the past month I have lost the grand total of 1 lb. I have lost over a stone in the 2 months after Xmas but only that solitary pound in the past 2 months after that.
Funnily enough my bottom has virtually disappeared, so much so it's uncomfortable to sit without a cushion, but my midriff fat is still resolutely there. Id like to lose another stone at least.
According to everything I've read I should be losing weight and my bg should be going down. Weight seems stuck bg is rising.
Breakfast is either 2 eggs scrambled sometimes with a bit of cheese, or full fat Greek yoghurt with linseed and few blueberries
Lunch is salad or egg if not had at breakfast
Evening is protein with at least 3 veg (mostly above ground but the odd bit of carrot or swede)
Snacks, if needed are nuts or olives.
Sin is a single square of 85% dark choc 3 times a week
I don't drink alcohol or coffee or sodas, only herbal teas or water

I'm still trying to get my head around not counting calories or fat. Overall I think my diet is healthy, lots of veg, moderate fruit, I probably haven't been over 100g carbs even on a bad day. My average is under 50g and often near 30

What is going on?

 

[Mike d]

@MrsA2 ... Nothing unusual whatsoever. You're doing fine and the 85% choc is OK

Weight is always hard to shift, especially around the stomach. Worry not.

 

[Goonergal]

@MrsA2 I agree with Mike. Sounds like you’re doing well.

Weight loss and BG control is not always a linear process and it’s often the case that those with dodgy metabolisms (including type 2s) find weight around the midriff the hardest to shift (definitely true for me).

From what you’ve said, the only suggestions I’d make in terms of possible tweaks would be to eat slightly more at your meals so that you don’t need to snack, or consider eating only twice a day so that you have a longer period each day without eating. Either of these options would help to increase your insulin sensitivity, which will help with your overall goals.

 

[Oldvatr]

Our bodies have two basic types of storage for energy, one set in the muscle tissue and general body cells (mitochondria) and the other storage is in special fat cells called adipose tissue. When we eat carbs, the storage mechanisms are different for each store, but both need insulin to control storage and use. Simple carbs get converted to blood glucose which is pushed into the muscle tissue as a substance called glycogen, which is a pairing of pure glucose and water. Complex carbs such as fat get passed direct to the liver, and get stored in the form of lipids. When intake of simple carbs is high, then the excess glucose is either *a) burnt off by exercise, (b) stored as glycogen, (c) excreted in the urine and sweat, or (d) converted into lipids for storage as adipose fat like the complex carbs.

When we exercise, then the first burst of energy comes from the muscle stores (first wind) but longer term energy demands are met from the lipids being converted back into glucose in the blood so emptying the adipose stores. At the start of a low carb diet, it is the muscle stores of glycogen that get emptied first, and one direct effect is that the weight loss experienced is mainly water loss in the same way that most weightloss diets work. If you are normally an active person then you may not actually be holding onto too much in the muscle stores, so may not see much initial weight loss. But the adipose fat stores are another story/ This fat is notoriously difficult to shift, and is the midriff bulge that is so often a very large sump to empty. If you are eating so as to not be in ketosis, then you will still be topping up the muscle stores with each meal, and so not shifting much of the midriff bulge at all. We all have a personal level of carb intake that if above, then ketosis is prevented, but getting below will allow the fat burning ketosis to occur. Some find they need 20 g or less, but others like myself can get by with around 50 g carbs per day. It is a personal thing. I suspect that your carb intake is secretly topping up your fat stores.

Looking at your listed meal intake, I do not see any real evidence of the HF part of your diet. Those of us who use LCHF find that an increase in fat intake helps with the saiety and reduces the urges to snack. Nuts can be very carby and are often snacked on without too much carb counting. Although cheese is considered a low carb source, some can also be very carby, and if soft cheeses or 'low fat' type then these may also include hidden sugars added as preservatives. Generally LCHF tend to go for full fat milk and hard cheeses for the HF part of the diet. Cheeses aimed at the vegan and health markets are notoriously carby and sugary. Cheeses with cartoon characters on the pack are similarly suspect.

Having said all this, there are people who do not seem to benefit from an LC diet, and it may be that something like the Newcastle Diet or the Blood Sugar diet may suit you better. Many here seem to have used one of these time limited crash diets to reset their system, but then switched to a low carb diet for the maintenance follow on.

 

[EllieM]

Weight seems stuck bg is rising.

Did you have a blood test to confirm that you are T2 rather than T1/LADA. A lot of doctors will assume you are T2 because of weight and/or age, but if your levels are going up despite a low carb diet you should be aware that even people in their 60s can get late onset T1 (though it's not very likely). An antibody GAD test and a c-peptide test would confirm your T2 diagnosis, but my guess is that you won't get these in the current lockdown. And you only really have to worry if your blood sugars start heading into and staying in the teens, as many folk with LADA can stay unmedicated for a long while if they go low carb.

Good luck, it sounds as though you are doing all the right things regarding diet and exercise. Just be patient.

 

[bulkbiker]

Overall I think my diet is healthy, lots of veg, moderate fruit, I probably haven't been over 100g carbs even on a bad day. My average is under 50g and often near 30

Hmm are you keeping an accurate food diary? Counting and weighing everything for a week at least?

With lots of veg and moderate fruit I seriously question your 50-30g of carbs per day?

I eat no veg and very little fruit and then only raspberries but my double cream/lactofree milk consumption alone means I average somewhere between 10-20g of carbs per day.

 

[Bittern]

I love the idea of "unavoidable chocolate biscuits"!

 

[Dexterdobe]

Was diagnosed type 2 on the day of lockdown with 53 and 7.
Started testing 1st April and went low carb /higher fat (with a few rookie errors to begin with).
First couple of weeks fasting average was 5.2 to 6.3 and 2 hour rises under the magic 2 with an average of 6.2
Now this past week fasting has risen to 6.5 to 6.9 and doesn't go down through the day so my average has risen to 7.1
My highest rise was from 7.5 to 12.5 after some unavoidable chocolate biscuits, once.
I am active doing 2-3 hours of moderate exercise (walking or dancing) most days.
In the past month I have lost the grand total of 1 lb. I have lost over a stone in the 2 months after Xmas but only that solitary pound in the past 2 months after that.
Funnily enough my bottom has virtually disappeared, so much so it's uncomfortable to sit without a cushion, but my midriff fat is still resolutely there. Id like to lose another stone at least.
According to everything I've read I should be losing weight and my bg should be going down. Weight seems stuck bg is rising.
Breakfast is either 2 eggs scrambled sometimes with a bit of cheese, or full fat Greek yoghurt with linseed and few blueberries
Lunch is salad or egg if not had at breakfast
Evening is protein with at least 3 veg (mostly above ground but the odd bit of carrot or swede)
Snacks, if needed are nuts or olives.
Sin is a single square of 85% dark choc 3 times a week
I don't drink alcohol or coffee or sodas, only herbal teas or water

I'm still trying to get my head around not counting calories or fat. Overall I think my diet is healthy, lots of veg, moderate fruit, I probably haven't been over 100g carbs even on a bad day. My average is under 50g and often near 30

What is going on?

Test, test, test and then test again. That's the answer. Carrots put my BG sky high, whereas onions hardly affect it at all. Spend time experimenting by eating different foods and then testing yourself one hour and then 2 hours after the meal. You can then adapt your diet to suit the way your body copes with carbs. It has worked for me.
Regarding losing weight, remember that there are two ways to lose weight. you either consume less energy or burn more energy up. I exercise a lot and have maintained my BMI at below 25 for the last two years.
You are doing okay, but can do better with a bit of tuning.

 

[KK123]

I love the idea of "unavoidable chocolate biscuits"!

It definitely exists, I have some too. x

 

[MrsA2]

Did you have a blood test to confirm that you are T2 rather than T1/LADA. A lot of doctors will assume you are T2 because of weight and/or age, but if your levels are going up despite a low carb diet you should be aware that even people in their 60s can get late onset T1 (though it's not very likely). An antibody GAD test and a c-peptide test would confirm your T2 diagnosis, but my guess is that you won't get these in the current lockdown. And you only really have to worry if your blood sugars start heading into and staying in the teens, as many folk with LADA can stay unmedicated for a long while if they go low carb.

Good luck, it sounds as though you are doing all the right things regarding diet and exercise. Just be patient.

No special blood test. Just told they'd do liver tests "when this is all over, at least 6 months"

 

[MrsA2]

I love the idea of "unavoidable chocolate biscuits"!

... when you live next door to the president of WI who bakes choc chip cookies and passes them through fence saying "Do try these" in a tone that cannot be disobeyed and that strikes fear into your heart

 

[MrsA2]

Hmm are you keeping an accurate food diary? Counting and weighing everything for a week at least?

With lots of veg and moderate fruit I seriously question your 50-30g of carbs per day?

I eat no veg and very little fruit and then only raspberries but my double cream/lactofree milk consumption alone means I average somewhere between 10-20g of carbs per day.

Hmm. I do a diary but don't weigh everything. I cant imagine a life without veg. I have cutt my fruit consumption dramatically and now only have a handful of blueberries or a few strawberries.
I don't have any milk at all. Did try double cream last week but prefer the taste of Greek yoghurt.
I'll try weighing everything. Hoping I don't have to restrict anything else, my diet is boring and repetitive as it is.
I love cooking usually but this has taken all the pleasure out of eating and cooking

 

[MrsA2]

Test, test, test and then test again. That's the answer. Carrots put my BG sky high, whereas onions hardly affect it at all. Spend time experimenting by eating different foods and then testing yourself one hour and then 2 hours after the meal. You can then adapt your diet to suit the way your body copes with carbs. It has worked for me.
Regarding losing weight, remember that there are two ways to lose weight. you either consume less energy or burn more energy up. I exercise a lot and have maintained my BMI at below 25 for the last two years.
You are doing okay, but can do better with a bit of tuning.

Thanks. The only thing so far to out me up to12was aforesaid chocolate biscuits. There's nothing else seem to raise me especially, it seems to be a continuous creep upwards
I am loath to add in more exercise as that just makes me hungrier. I find I have to eat before a session or I get shaky and tired, and am always ravenous after. I dont want to increase quantity of food as I know I am taking in more calories in the form of fat tha I used to.

 

[Mike d]

Thanks. The only thing so far to out me up to12was aforesaid chocolate biscuits. There's nothing else seem to raise me especially, it seems to be a continuous creep upwards
I am loath to add in more exercise as that just makes me hungrier. I find I have to eat before a session or I get shaky and tired, and am always ravenous after. I dont want to increase quantity of food as I know I am taking in more calories in the form of fat tha I used to.

I repeat ... you're doing well I've seen FAR FAR worse.

 

[HSSS]

At the moment the bgl rises are for one week And relatively speaking fairly small - but I appreciate it’s not the direction you want or need. Are you tired, stressed, hormonal, sick? Has anything else changed?

 

[Flora123]

Was diagnosed type 2 on the day of lockdown with 53 and 7.
Started testing 1st April and went low carb /higher fat (with a few rookie errors to begin with).
First couple of weeks fasting average was 5.2 to 6.3 and 2 hour rises under the magic 2 with an average of 6.2
Now this past week fasting has risen to 6.5 to 6.9 and doesn't go down through the day so my average has risen to 7.1
My highest rise was from 7.5 to 12.5 after some unavoidable chocolate biscuits, once.
I am active doing 2-3 hours of moderate exercise (walking or dancing) most days.
In the past month I have lost the grand total of 1 lb. I have lost over a stone in the 2 months after Xmas but only that solitary pound in the past 2 months after that.
Funnily enough my bottom has virtually disappeared, so much so it's uncomfortable to sit without a cushion, but my midriff fat is still resolutely there. Id like to lose another stone at least.
According to everything I've read I should be losing weight and my bg should be going down. Weight seems stuck bg is rising.
Breakfast is either 2 eggs scrambled sometimes with a bit of cheese, or full fat Greek yoghurt with linseed and few blueberries
Lunch is salad or egg if not had at breakfast
Evening is protein with at least 3 veg (mostly above ground but the odd bit of carrot or swede)
Snacks, if needed are nuts or olives.
Sin is a single square of 85% dark choc 3 times a week
I don't drink alcohol or coffee or sodas, only herbal teas or water

I'm still trying to get my head around not counting calories or fat. Overall I think my diet is healthy, lots of veg, moderate fruit, I probably haven't been over 100g carbs even on a bad day. My average is under 50g and often near 30

What is going on?

Remember every body is different. Try skipping the chocolate and see how you go. I can’t tolerate a square of 85% choc without BG going to 12! One square of 90% sends me up to 9.5! Depressing. That’s why I have wine as my treat

 

[Resurgam]

I suggest that you are very insulin resistant - that is why energy doesn't flow as it should and you get shaky after exercise, the amount of insulin being put out by your poor hysterical pancreas is keeping things out of balance. You might find that doing less intensive exercise in two sessions makes a difference. I have a trampoline in the garden and two half hours out there is a lot more effective than one hour - I do stretches as well as bouncing as the surface is so kind to my knees.

 

[MrsA2]

Thanks for all the ideas, comments and info. Keep them coming

 

[MrsA2]

Remember every body is different. Try skipping the chocolate and see how you go. I can’t tolerate a square of 85% choc without BG going to 12! One square of 90% sends me up to 9.5! Depressing. That’s why I have wine as my treat

My condolences. I'd stuggle to do without the occasional chocolate hit. Luckily swapping to ther very dark single square doesnt give a large rise to me. 5 milk chocolate biscuits did tho.

 

[MrsA2]

At the moment the bgl rises are for one week And relatively speaking fairly small - but I appreciate it’s not the direction you want or need. Are you tired, stressed, hormonal, sick? Has anything else changed?

Bit more depressed with this whole Covid malarkey, but nothing else.

When trying to lose weight in the past it has always followed this pattern of initial good loss that rapidly plateaus and then won't budge. I am exercising more and eating less than I was 5 or even 10 years ago and I was so hopeful this low carb was the answer to the rest of my life but seems my body only reacts by laying down more fat each time. I have been so good since Christmas and would like to see some results. I don't know what my previous levels were and work so hard to keep current levels.

In the past I have said my body wants me to exercise 8 hours a day and eat nothing and won't be happy until it's forced me to that. Unfortuanlty my brain wants a more balanced life