Any tips to get lower??

[Agada]

Hi all, my hba1c result has come back at 35. I see some folks on here getting scores like 30 and there seems to be a lot of chat about keto and similar ways of eating. I’m not medicated and eat what I like but mostly eat well with treats I.e. takeaways and alcohol once or twice a week, i don’t deprive of anything and I do eat carbs but mainly whole/complex carbs as I try to generally eat as little refined carbs and simple sugars as possible, i do exercise too (weights/walking/football) so to get the hba1c down low to something like 30 does it generally involve eating a more specific diet such as keto to achieve this? Thank you

 

[Mbaker]

My view is that if you want to get to 30 I do not think this is possible without being super strict with no excursions. On this site those who get 30 and below tend to be carnivore with no cheating (because they don't want to). I have not seen any anecdotes of relaxed low carb or keto members getting 30 dead or below.

Your A1c is similar to mine and I do a few things more middle of the road such as beetroot and butternut squash regularly, along with still too many nuts (but I am improving). I do all of the berries, which again those closer to 30 either don't or occasionally do. If you were to stay at 35 for life with minimal spikes you most likely would be absolutely fine, this is a real remission number - it really is about how flat your glucose excursions are.

So yes keto as a minimum.

 

[DCUKMod]

....I have not seen any anecdotes of relaxed low carb or keto members getting 30 dead or below....



.....So yes keto as a minimum.

Of course you have. Aside from a single diagnostic result of 73, the 37 at 4 months later, the balance of my tests have been under 33, with my last 3 being 29, 27 and 30. I don't go more carefully befre A1cs, in fact my recent one was done totally ad hoc as I was having other tests done at the time.

I am strictly gluten free (medical reasons, rather than lifestyle choice), but as an example, my Sunday meal this week included a roast potato, several roast parsnips, roast carrots and some buttered swede. Tonight I we had cottage pie. The mash was very creamy, with a cheesy top, but the mash was potato.

I don't and never have done sweet things.

I don't label myself low carb. I will have times when I'm keto, but I have never striven for it. I label myself, when a label is demanded as reduced carb.

It seems likely I could get my numbers down a bit further if I reduced my carbs further, but I am contented as I am. It seems to be my running range.

@Agada, could you outline what the driver is for reducing your A1c from an already excellent score, and if you did manage to reduce it, would you consider a stricter lifestyle sustainable?

I'm a firm believer that individuals have a natural running range where they trot along, consistently.

 

[KK123]

Hi all, my hba1c result has come back at 35. I see some folks on here getting scores like 30 and there seems to be a lot of chat about keto and similar ways of eating. I’m not medicated and eat what I like but mostly eat well with treats I.e. takeaways and alcohol once or twice a week, i don’t deprive of anything and I do eat carbs but mainly whole/complex carbs as I try to generally eat as little refined carbs and simple sugars as possible, i do exercise too (weights/walking/football) so to get the hba1c down low to something like 30 does it generally involve eating a more specific diet such as keto to achieve this? Thank you

Hi there, may I ask why you would prefer to be at 30 instead of 35 when both are pre diabetic numbers? Do you feel there is some massive benefit to dropping that extra 5?

 

[Mbaker]

Of course you have. Aside from a single diagnostic result of 73, the 37 at 4 months later, the balance of my tests have been under 33, with my last 3 being 29, 27 and 30. I don't go more carefully befre A1cs, in fact my recent one was done totally ad hoc as I was having other tests done at the time.

I am strictly gluten free (medical reasons, rather than lifestyle choice), but as an example, my Sunday meal this week included a roast potato, several roast parsnips, roast carrots and some buttered swede. Tonight I we had cottage pie. The mash was very creamy, with a cheesy top, but the mash was potato.

I don't and never have done sweet things.

I don't label myself low carb. I will have times when I'm keto, but I have never striven for it. I label myself, when a label is demanded as reduced carb.

It seems likely I could get my numbers down a bit further if I reduced my carbs further, but I am contented as I am. It seems to be my running range.

@Agada, could you outline what the driver is for reducing your A1c from an already excellent score, and if you did manage to reduce it, would you consider a stricter lifestyle sustainable?

I'm a firm believer that individuals have a natural running range where they trot along, consistently.

Hmmm .....I am always wary of this type of reply, as there are always caveats such as "a roast potato", I would suggest a "normal" portion is 3 or 4 potatoes, with seconds maybe; I would wager your portion sizes of your combined meals are around 50-60% of mine , which would drop A1c numbers. A further possible con founder is exercise, both the op and I workout more than average, I have noticed that athletes tend to run a little higher glucose. In any event your results are great, however I do not expect any more the 3 others who are not keto / carnivore to have similar numbers, unless they are doing maybe 800 - 1500 calories.

On my 2 meals this is the size (I picture all meals, the first meal had 2 additional coconut flat breads with peanut butter, and the second some extra almonds):

Am I right that your total meals for the day would be 1 of mine. On one meal a day I would do something like the 2nd to 4th plate.

 

[DCUKMod]

Hmmm .....I am always wary of this type of reply, as there are always caveats such as "a roast potato", I would suggest a "normal" portion is 3 or 4 potatoes, with seconds maybe; I would wager your portion sizes of your combined meals are around 50-60% of mine , which would drop A1c numbers. A further possible con founder is exercise, both the op and I workout more than average, I have noticed that athletes tend to run a little higher glucose. In any event your results are great, however I do not expect any more the 3 others who are not keto / carnivore to have similar numbers, unless they are doing maybe 800 - 1500 calories.

On my 2 meals this is the size (I picture all meals, the first meal had 2 additional coconut flat breads with peanut butter, and the second some extra almonds):
View attachment 45918

Am I right that your total meals for the day would be 1 of mine. On one meal a day I would do something like the 2nd to 4th plate.

I don't want to derail this thread, which is a danger here.

You don't like my descriptions and in fact my descriptions are meaningless to anyone, except to me. No, I don't eat piles of potatoes, but I do eat piles of other things.

I am 160cm tall, weight skirts 49kg, +/-1kg, but I need to get through 2500 calories a day, to maintain my massive bulk [irony off]. For me, not all calories are equal.

There is a reason I rarely speak too much about my diet, because it's my diet, not anyone else's.

You wanted an example of someone who is relaxed low carb. I consider I match that criteria.

That's my last on my position, or it'll deflect @Agada 's thread, whichever isn't not fair.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi there, may I ask why you would prefer to be at 30 instead of 35 when both are pre diabetic numbers? Do you feel there is some massive benefit to dropping that extra 5?

I think you mean non -diabetic numbers as neither are "pre-diabetic" .

 

[Ronancastled]

Great result btw.
I too did some online digging post diagnosis about what a normal HbA1c is in a non-diabetic population.
One of the better studies I found is attached below:
https://www.rug.nl/research/portal/files/14502679/01c1.pdf

It would appear that the standard western diet pushes the majority of the population towards a pre-diabetic state.
To go chasing the unicorn of a sub 30 A1c would involve some major lifestyle changes or a super human pancreas.
So don't sweat it, work on maintaining your perfectly normal A1c.

 

[KK123]

I think you mean non -diabetic numbers as neither are "pre-diabetic" .

Yes, sorry. x

 

[bulkbiker]

Yes, sorry. x

No worries just wanted to make sure the OP didn't misunderstand x

 

[bulkbiker]

Great result btw.
I too did some online digging post diagnosis about what a normal HbA1c is in a non-diabetic population.
One of the better studies I found is attached below:
https://www.rug.nl/research/portal/files/14502679/01c1.pdf

View attachment 45921
It would appear that the standard western diet pushes the majority of the population towards a pre-diabetic state.
To go chasing the unicorn of a sub 30 A1c would involve some major lifestyle changes or a super human pancreas.
So don't sweat it, work on maintaining your perfectly normal A1c.

Thanks for that.. a very interesting study.. quite amazed how so many of them are already pre-diabetic in UK (and probably Dutch numbers).

Also how few are sub 30.

 

[Agada]

Thanks all, some great stuff here. To answer your question DCUKMOD, I guess I just wondered if in general it took more stricter measures to get down to such levels and it seems that yes perhaps
It does but in your example clearly not, so what you say makes sense in that folks may just run on different normals and 35 is mine

 

[VashtiB]

I think the most important thing to consider is what is for you a sustainable way of eating and if it brings your blood sugar levels into the n normal range. If what you are eating is sustainable and your blood sugar levels are normal then that is a win.

For me I have 3 goals- the first is normal blood sugar levels- which I have. My second goal is to try to reduce my insulin resistance- not sure about that but it means I try to keep my carbs as low as possible while still being sustainable long term. This means I still use artificial sweeteners but am planning to reduce them with the aim of eliminating them. The reason for that is two fold- continue to reduce my insulin resistance - not sure how that is going but also to try to change my taste buds with the aim to make lower carbs more sustainable. My third goal is to lose weight. Already lost a lot but more to go- low carb helps this.

This, for me, is the rest of my life- I need my eating to be sustainable- that means while I want my blood sugars to be as low as possible it must be sustainable- a short term diet is not what I am looking for.

Good luck.