Help, I am newly diagnosed and have lost so much weight I was only 7 stone when I visited the nurse. Can anyone give me any tips on what to eat to gain weight?
Diabetes with substantial weigh loss
- Thread starter nuttybernie
- Start Date
How quickly have you lost the weight? and are you very thirsty and urinating frequently?
I ask because fast weight loss is more often associated with Type 1, though it can happen with Type 2s as well - a friend of mine was like that.
To put weight back on means high calorie foods, things like butter, cheese and cream. You have the difficulty of not eating too much carbohydrate (puts your blood glucose levels up), so cake, sweets and chocolate are out
. Did the nurse not give you any ideas? Maybe you should ask to see a dietitian.
Did the nurse give you a blood glucose monitor and test strips? This is a very useful kit because it allows you to monitor your blood glucose levels after eating so that you can work out which foods send your blood glucose too high. Many Type 2s are not given them these days, but if you can't get them on prescription, it's worth making the investment (if you can afford it) so that you can learn which foods you can and can't eat.
Anyway, you've come to the right place for help in getting control of your diabetes - you are among friends. Daisy1 will be along soon to give you our Information for Newbies, which you'll find very helpful. Ask as many questions as you like - there's no such thing as a silly question, and we'll help all we can.
Viv 8)
I ask because fast weight loss is more often associated with Type 1, though it can happen with Type 2s as well - a friend of mine was like that.
To put weight back on means high calorie foods, things like butter, cheese and cream. You have the difficulty of not eating too much carbohydrate (puts your blood glucose levels up), so cake, sweets and chocolate are out
. Did the nurse not give you any ideas? Maybe you should ask to see a dietitian.Did the nurse give you a blood glucose monitor and test strips? This is a very useful kit because it allows you to monitor your blood glucose levels after eating so that you can work out which foods send your blood glucose too high. Many Type 2s are not given them these days, but if you can't get them on prescription, it's worth making the investment (if you can afford it) so that you can learn which foods you can and can't eat.
Anyway, you've come to the right place for help in getting control of your diabetes - you are among friends. Daisy1 will be along soon to give you our Information for Newbies, which you'll find very helpful. Ask as many questions as you like - there's no such thing as a silly question, and we'll help all we can.
Viv 8)
carty
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- 3,379
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hi I am a skinny type 2 and I have difficulty gaining weight ,as Viv says you really need a meter to check your BGs after eating to see how certain foods affect you .I snack on nuts Brazils are good .Cheese ,cream, yoghurt(the full fat plain )some high cocoa chocolate I can manage a few lentils in soup .I make my own from lots of veg and add a good dollop of cream .It is a bit of a mine field but trial and error and asking questions on this forum and others like it is the answer
CAROL
CAROL
I am also a skinny T2 - just to say I am pleased to see I am not alone - general public and many diabetic type literatures seem to imply all T2 is caused by obesity it infuriates me.
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daisy1
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Hi Bernie and welcome to the forum
Here is the information that Viv was referring to, which was written for new members. Carry on asking questions and someone will help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
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 30,000 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
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html
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
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.
Here is the information that Viv was referring to, which was written for new members. Carry on asking questions and someone will help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
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 30,000 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
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html
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
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.
nuttybernie said:
Hi, I assume you are type 2? I've lost a significant amount of weight when I didn't necessarily have to. It's become the first thing family and friends comment on when they see me. From what I can tell by reading around if you are following a low GI low carb diet then it is very difficult to put on weight as sugars are released slowly into blood stream and used as energy rather than being stored as fat. The sugars in high GI foods are released quicker into bloodstream and whilst they are used as energy, excess is also stored as fat by insulin hence we put on weight. I've tried inceasing my fat intake considerably but it hasnt allowed me to put on weight as i guess i'm burning fat as energy in place of carbs. I've also tried increasing my carb intake but all this does is push my BG levels up.
My DN said she would only act once my BMI falls below 19 and I'm not too far away from that. What is your BMI?
One thing I've been looking at recently is eating high calorie low carb foods - Dietician told me to balance calories in v calories out. I've also cut back on exercise.
What does puzzle me is how us thin people can be insulin resistant - resistant against what? I know that abdominal obesity is said to be significant in type 2 and I may have been ever so slightly guilty of this at diagnosis but certainly not now.
Nik
I believe that it's possible to carry a significant amount of internal fat while being skinny on the outside. In India, for example, there a lot of Type 2 diabetics who fit into that description. It's the amount of internal fat that affects the functioning of the pancreas. This relates to insulin-resistance diabetes and is what the Newcastle Study has been looking into, using a restricted calorie diet and watching the results on an MRI scanner.
It's the OP's fast weight loss that concerns me a little; more common in Type 1s, though I do know it can sometimes happen in Type 2s.
Viv 8)
The total amount of carbohydrates for the day depends upon your age, gender, activity level, weight and the amount of insulin you have to take. People who are more active require more carbs. Those who need to lose weight require fewer. The average amount of daily carbohydrates varies from 130 grams to 200 grams. The key to maintaining blood sugar is to spread the carbs throughout the day and eat the same amount of carbohydrate grams per meal. Check DiabetesNet for specific formulas.
JosephAHawkins said:
The OP is a Type 2 and doesn't take insulin. It's Type 1s and insulin-dependent Type 2s who have to inject insulin to balance their carbs. With any luck, Type 2s who control their carbohydrate intake and their blood glucose levels will maintain some pancreatic function and never become insulin-dependent - or at least, not for a very long time.
I have been eating 25g - 50g of carb daily (with a few slips!
) for 18 months now, with no nutritional problems. I don't eat carbs at every meal. My blood glucose levels are almost always within the non-diabetic range - apart from those slips :lol: .Viv 8)
Rapid weight loss is often one of the first symptoms of diabetes. Usually it a T1 sign. If it is , insulin is the only available treatment, but once blood glucose comes under control, the weight should slowly return to normal, even if less that previously.
Hana
Hana
carty
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 3,379
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Joseph Hi
I notice that you yourself do not have DB but are a friend of a diabetic person ,is your friend a type 1 or 2 diabetic because there is a difference in how we manage our condition eg most of us type 2s would have horrendously high blood glucose levels with your recommended carb levels .As you are a new member to the forum may I suggest having a good read around the different posts to see how people who have diabetes manage their carb intake and BG levels .We welcome you to the forum
CAROL
I notice that you yourself do not have DB but are a friend of a diabetic person ,is your friend a type 1 or 2 diabetic because there is a difference in how we manage our condition eg most of us type 2s would have horrendously high blood glucose levels with your recommended carb levels .As you are a new member to the forum may I suggest having a good read around the different posts to see how people who have diabetes manage their carb intake and BG levels .We welcome you to the forum
CAROL
There are lots of foods which can be eventually beneficial for you to gaining weight like Salmon, Baked acorn squash, Peanut butter, Eggs, Granola, Butter and Corn bread. I must say that all foods are absolutely amazing which help you to gain more calories. All foods are mostly contains high calories.
Don't forget the concept of a balanced diet. This goes for weight gain, weight loss or maintenance, the only difference is the number of calories.
While we can look up the GI of many foods, when they are combined in a meal, the GI of the meal is predictable to some extent. Proteins and fats slow down digestion so any carbohydrates consumed with them will be released from the stomach more slowly, and hence are absorbed more slowly, reducing the GI of the meal and the postprandial the glucose spike we should all avoid.
Even starchy foods such as potatoes (preferably new and not over-cooked) can be okay in moderation for many when combined with, say, a chicken breast fillet and plenty of (above ground) vegetables.
We all have to watch out Cholesterol too so unsaturated fats are better, particularly omega 3's. Some researchers think that the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids is out of balance due to our heavy reliance on fats such as sunflower oil so mix your fats up, use rapeseed and olive oils too. Remember the advice about a portion of oily fish every week.
Don't forget fruit in the balance too - many are low to moderate GI.
The balance that works for you will be particular to you so you will need to work out what works for you.
While we can look up the GI of many foods, when they are combined in a meal, the GI of the meal is predictable to some extent. Proteins and fats slow down digestion so any carbohydrates consumed with them will be released from the stomach more slowly, and hence are absorbed more slowly, reducing the GI of the meal and the postprandial the glucose spike we should all avoid.
Even starchy foods such as potatoes (preferably new and not over-cooked) can be okay in moderation for many when combined with, say, a chicken breast fillet and plenty of (above ground) vegetables.
We all have to watch out Cholesterol too so unsaturated fats are better, particularly omega 3's. Some researchers think that the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids is out of balance due to our heavy reliance on fats such as sunflower oil so mix your fats up, use rapeseed and olive oils too. Remember the advice about a portion of oily fish every week.
Don't forget fruit in the balance too - many are low to moderate GI.
The balance that works for you will be particular to you so you will need to work out what works for you.
Fantastic, informative reply Daisy1 :clap:daisy1 said:Hi Bernie and welcome to the forum
Here is the information that Viv was referring to, which was written for new members. Carry on asking questions and someone will help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
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 30,000 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 carbohydrates
- 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
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html
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
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
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.
- 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.
I'm T2 but far from skinny. I am having major problems loosing weight.
A sweet tooth does not help. I've asked for dietary advice to be told if I don't eat I don't put weight on.
Any advice!?!?!
A sweet tooth does not help. I've asked for dietary advice to be told if I don't eat I don't put weight on.
Any advice!?!?!
chillijo
Member
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- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
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- lots!
This is me too, I have been losing steadily for months even though diagnosed T2 in May. Am now at 7 stone and don't wish to go any lower. I will read all the advice later, off to work now. I have been struggling with the idea of what can I eat and do for a few weeks, hopefully the answers will be in there!
