5:2 diet Type1

[therower]

Always looking to try something different and currently would like to shift a few pounds post xmas.
I've never tried any sort of a fasting diet and as a type 1 appreciate it would take a great deal of extra care.
Was wondering if any fellow T1's have undertaken such a dietary regime and if so have any tips or words of wisdom or caution they could pass on. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Tony.

 

[Flakey Bake]

I tried it last year out of despiration to loose some weight. You will need to be careful. I was having hypos later in the evening and overnight following the low calorie day. I found that I could not keep to such low calorie day without a boost of carb (a slice of toast without fast acting) before bed to stay safe. I also found that I was more likely to hypo the next day, I suspect due to glycogen store being depleted. Theoretically dropping insulin doses should have counteracted these hypos. But my ratios for fast acting/carb ration also reduced on starvation days and the day following and it was difficult to keep adjusting the basal. It made BG unstable and difficult to manage. I did loose some weight in the first month, but the weight loss slowed to near stagnant, so it was just not worth the effort

 

[pw1976]

Always looking to try something different and currently would like to shift a few pounds post xmas.
I've never tried any sort of a fasting diet and as a type 1 appreciate it would take a great deal of extra care.
Was wondering if any fellow T1's have undertaken such a dietary regime and if so have any tips or words of wisdom or caution they could pass on. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Tony.

Hi - I am T1 and do the 5:2 regularly. Since I started I have lost about 10kg to take me to 75kg. I am now in maintenance mode doing 6:1 most weeks and stepping up to 5:2 after holidays etc.

I wouldn't recommend doing it without a CGM because the impact is sometimes surprising, especially to start with. I have got into the way of it now. I don't adjust my basel dose at all. I take very little fast acting insulin at all maybe 2-4 units all day because the food I do eat is almost zero carbs. I think it really works and I always feel GREAT on the day after a fast.

One note on motivation: the first couple of weeks are really tough but then it gets much much easier. I hate diets in generally but this one is really easy and you can eat normally most days.

The fast diet webpage is a good resource and I would recommend the book too.

 

[therower]

Hi @pw1976 Thanks for the reply. I'm now 3 weeks into this 5:2 diet and I have to admit I'm really enjoying it.
Not on CGM which has made fasting days interesting regarding BS checking, but I like a challenge.
Haven't found the fasting a problem which has surprised me to be honest, really was expecting to struggle.
One thing that has been a real surprise is how the diet has affected my carb ratios. I've spent the last 9 mths at 2:1 ratio but within a week of starting the diet I'm back at 1:1.
Also the general feeling of running my body into reserve mode twice a week feels really good.
Definitely worth the time and effort even for T1 diabetics.

 

[petepontiac]

I tried it last year out of despiration to loose some weight. You will need to be careful. I was having hypos later in the evening and overnight following the low calorie day. I found that I could not keep to such low calorie day without a boost of carb (a slice of toast without fast acting) before bed to stay safe. I also found that I was more likely to hypo the next day, I suspect due to glycogen store being depleted. Theoretically dropping insulin doses should have counteracted these hypos. But my ratios for fast acting/carb ration also reduced on starvation days and the day following and it was difficult to keep adjusting the basal. It made BG unstable and difficult to manage. I did loose some weight in the first month, but the weight loss slowed to near stagnant, so it was just not worth the effort

Same for me :-(