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Counterweight TFR

auburn

Member
Messages
21
Location
Aberdeen(ish)
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi, can I chat here?

Type 2, pills and diet controlled. Though not always well controlled....

I was referred to the Counterweight Plus program by my diabetic support team. I've been seeing an obstetrician for around 18 months now to get myself in the right place for hopefully starting a family. In that time, I have lost around 3 stone, and reduced my average BG reading from 14.5 down to 9.6 today
The obstetrician team want me to lose another 2 stone and ideally get my average BG to 7-8. So still a way to go, but I'm proud how I've done so far!

I'm now on Day 21 of the Counterweight plan and I'm doing alright. It sounds quite similar to the Newcastle Diet - a total food replacement where I get 4 shakes or soups a day, for 12 weeks. No chewing in these 12 weeks. Then a gradual reintroduction of food, supported by the CW team of dieticians, and diabetic nurses.

I've amazed myself with how well I'm doing, not eating normal food. It's fine when I'm at work and I'm busy. When I have a routine. And Saturdays, I'm busy doing things. Sunday afternoons/evenings are REALLY long though!! Trying to keep busy tonight.

There are limited flavours. 4 shakes (vanilla, banana, chocolate and forest fruits) and 2 soups (veg and mushroom) so I've been adding various herbs, spices and sugar free syrups to add a bit of variety.

Just wanted to have a "safe place" to talk. I think I'm driving my husband mad with it haha!
 
Oh I meant to say - I was taking 2 x MR Metformin, twice a day, and empagliflozin.
When I started Counterweight, they told me to stop the empa, and just carry on with metformin
 
Hi @auburn .
Sounds like the programme is working for you. Are you testing your blood sugars as you go?
How are you feeling on the plan and have the nurses talked about how it is planned to reintroduce “normal” food?
 
Diakat said:
Hi @auburn .
Sounds like the programme is working for you. Are you testing your blood sugars as you go?
How are you feeling on the plan and have the nurses talked about how it is planned to reintroduce “normal” food?
Click to expand...
Hi Diakat
Yes, I'm testing my sugars about 4 times a day, and it's ranging between 6 to 11. Loads better than it was, it was between 12 to 18 so it's definitely improving. I expect it to get better the more weight comes off too.

They've not said a great deal about the reintroduction of food yet, as they want us to concentrate on the TFR for now. It's meant to be a 2 year plan in total, just the first 12 weeks on the shakes and then a gradual switch to food. I think it starts with dropping down from 4 packs to 3 plus a meal, but I don't know what the meal would be. I don't imagine it'll be a 12 inch pizza with chips and garlic bread though!

I will say though - I thought I'd be craving the "bad" food, the pizza & chips. Chocolate. Icecream.... but I actually want a good bit of fish with a plate of broccoli!
 
Fish and broccoli would be a great start!

There are lower carb pizza recipes as well if you eventually follow the LC route.

Keep us posted how it goes.
 
Hi lm on the counterweight plus (Scottish version?). Done the 3months of shakes and lost 2 1/2 stone but now lm on normal food have struggled and put back on 8lbs. Determined to get off the weight l’ve put back on but really struggling trying to work out my meals. That’s why l’ve been fat all my life. But still aiming not to fail and to re-educate myself.
 

hibby - which aspects of being back on the real food are you struggling with?

I believe it's quite common (if extremely annoying) that some folks add back a few pounds when they restart food. For some, it's just that they'd have more food, and thereby food "waste" onboard, as their systems readjust, and for some they find the temptations a bit much after a goodly while on shakes.

If you're struggling with meal ideas that would fit in with the new you, you could maybe consider a spell on the Low Carb Programme here? For complete transparency, it I see a subscription service (although available on the NH on prescriptions too).

The subscription periods are monthly or annually, with no minimum period, and it is possible to have a 7-day, free trial, to see what you think.

It might just give you that helping hand to build upo good habits and meal ideas?

The Low Carb Programme can be found here: https://www.lowcarbprogram.com/

The link to the 7-day trial is on that page, if you scroll down a bit.

I hope you find a way to consolidate that great weight loss.
 
Hiya, where are all these diets recommended by GPs. I've been sent 3 times in the last 10 years to dieticians, each more useless than the last. Eat a handful of fruit said the sages. Given that my hand was twice the size of theirs and being an engineer I prefer precision.
I am not doing too bad but I get spikes that I don't understand. I'm trying hard, weighing everything, nutritional values in an app, max 1500 cal per day, burning 1000+through exercise and losing about a kilo a week.
But it can be intensely frustrating, and I had a mal functioning brain next one for 3 months. But I still have spikes.
For example I get up early, drink water, go immediately for a 1 hour hard walk and come back to find a rise of 2 points over fbs.
 

Hi thanks for your response and I’m looking at the low carb diet
 
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