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Counterweight diet thoughts

Deborah 85

Well-Known Member
Messages
91
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
hi all,
Just to see if anyone else has been given the go ahead by their medical team to try the counterweight diet, this is something that is happening through my doctors and has said it has the potential to put my T2 in remission, but I am slightly concerned As it will mean shakes and soups for three months and then slowly having food again, but being monitored, I have started the gym and I’m loving it but I don’t want to not be able to go as my BG levels won’t be high enough if im not having any sugar in my diet. So then would I need to take a glucose tablet just to get through the gym, is that not just counteractive?? Can anyone help me with this? Xx
 
Deborah 85 said:
I’ve been told that my BG need to be high so that I don’t have a hypo during the gym?
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What medication are you on? If gliclazide then that could be an issue but not necessarily. Personally I find that cardio lowers my sugar levels and strength training raises them..... And as a T2 with insulin resistance you'd probably find that one glucose tablet would pull you out if you went too low. (Speaking as a T1 with some insulin resistance). You'd need to take your meter and some glucose with you.
 
But if your medication is causing hypos then the obvious solution is to reduce the medication till you don't get the hypos... (I am not a doctor, so can't advise on medication, but I can advise you to make this point to your team.)
 
I’m not on any medication anymore. I was on gliclazide for about 6 months but my blood levels are now at prediabetic level so I only need to control my diabetes with diet and exercise, I was advised that when I go to the gym mostly cardio classes that I have to make sure it’s at least 7 as when I get home afterwards and check it’s normally at 5.4 I don’t want to go to the gym with a low BG level and pass out which is why I was asking about the tablets or any advice really
 
I agree with everyone else, you won't have to worry about a hypo at the gym!

Have you looked at what is in the soups and shakes ingredient wise and macro wise?
 
So have I been doing it wrong this whole time? I’m not on medication so I can’t take hypos even if my BG levels go below 4 when I check it on my testing kit? Sorry I’m not being ignorant I just am so confused?!
 
Deborah 85 said:
So have I been doing it wrong this whole time? I’m not on medication so I can’t take hypos even if my BG levels go below 4 when I check it on my testing kit? Sorry I’m not being ignorant I just am so confused?!
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I don't think anyone is suggesting you are doing anything wrong. If going to the gym is enjoyable, then get on down there and enjoy it. Going is doing the right thing. Personally, I'd rather eat real food then shakes and soups.Most of these shakes I've seen posted about on here are rubbish. It's a bit hard to say that about real food. However, don't let me put you off doing what you want to do. That is your decision 100%

I absolutely support you having a good time at the gym.
 
If you go slightly below 4 (but higher than 3.5) your body should be able to solve the problem, just like in non diabetics. They don't test, ever, and in the rare moments someone will feel a little light headed or shaky they may conclude it's time to eat something, or they don't do anything and their liver will provide some glucose.

There are conditions where you can get hypo without medication, like reactive hypoglycemia or rarer problems, but if you haven't had those problems before there is no reason to expect them now.
 
Thanks, I just don’t think I have been doing it right and following the way I should have, I have just thought and assumed that you would have a hypo, medication or not if you went below 5 as my testing kit always flashed hypo when I was below 5, I guess I just need to re-educate myself on this.
 
Thanks, I’m just confused about the whole thing, I thought I was doing it right and this just seems like something I have been doing wrong the whole time.
 
Deborah 85 said:
I guess I just need to re-educate myself on this.
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Don't worry, learning about diabetes takes time!

A hypo in diabetics on meds or insulin is usually seen as below 4, not 5. I'm guessing your meter warns at 5 to alert people on insulin that they may be going low, as T1's are the people meter manufacturers have in mind.
Also, on insulin or gliclazide, the law in the UK says you must eat something when you're about to drive and are below 5 to prevent a hypo while driving, which makes 5 a significant number.

When not on medication, 4's and 5's, and even slightly below 4 are beautiful numbers!
 
Deborah 85 said:
Thanks, I’m just confused about the whole thing, I thought I was doing it right and this just seems like something I have been doing wrong the whole time.
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You're not doing anything wrong at all .. but in "normal" world peoples blood sugar levels go up and down a lot.
I can't really get below 4 unless on an extended fast but your sub 4 readings are perfectly normal if you aren't taking any medication.
Usually exercise (at least if quite energetic) raises blood sugars so you would be fine anyway.
Great news that you are getting those kind of readings without medication. Sounds like you have restored some insulin sensitivity.
 
The problem with the counterweight diet is that it cannot be maintained unless your planning on living off soup for the rest of your diet.
To resolve your issue as best you can means making long term lifestyle changes in your eating habits which can be sustained for decades if not the rest of your life. A three month blip in the system is unlikely to do anything other than a couple of good bsl readings, especially if you go back to your old diet.
 
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I'd have a look around this forum for different ways of eating to lose weight. I've lost 1 1/2 stone in 4 months on low carb and no trying just eating LC and not as low as many either. Others have different ways of eating.
I don't think I'd survive on soups and shakes if be far more likely to cheat.
 
Thank you for clearing this up for me, I didn’t even think about how the meter would be set up for people that are T1!
Yeah I remember my nurse saying I can’t drive if I’m under 5, but I’m not on meds anymore so I’m assuming this is still the case?
 
I didn’t realise the blood sugar levels rose when you were exercising, I thought they went down as they are always lower when I check my levels when I get back from the gym, that’s why I’m confused and think I’m doing it all so wrong.
 
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