How do I put weight on

[jeanie99]

without raising my blood sugar level and cholesterol

Some months ago I was diagnosed with pre diabetes and high cholesterol after I had a routine blood test at my GPs
cholesterol 6.5
diabetes reading 44
GP said to see the diabetes nurse for advice and this and checking out this website I went onto a restrictive diet, the results of which are
cholesterol 4.3
diabetes 39

the good side effect of this was I no longer have high blood pressure and have been taken off medication but
my weight as dropped from 10.7 stone approx, BMI of 25 to
a weight of 9 stone BMI of 21

GP said my blood results are good and I've done exceptionally well with the diet but at 9 stone 7 to maintain this weight but sticking to this diet I can't help but loose weight and am now 9 stone.
the dietician said to take in more good fats such as eating nuts, and I have added the use of rapeseed oil for roasting vegetables and do eat nuts but the weights still is coming off which I hate as I'm getting really scraggy.
I'm worried that if I start increasing the amounts of food my Blood sugar will rise together with my cholesterol and maybe my blood pressure will rise again.
I'm really not sure what to do for the best as I would dearly like to put on half a stone in weight.
Does anyone have any suggestions.

 

[slaterk]

have you tried a good whey protein shake? You can get plenty with no(or firtually no) carbs. myprotein dot co dot uk does plenty and has the nutritional values for all their products on their website.

 

[Maybird]

That seems to be a very drastic weight loss in a few months can't think your doctor thinks that is a good thing or not be worried about such a rapid loss. Was the diet worked out for you by the doctor or diabetic nurse or one you have put yourself on.
You say a very restricted diet so are you getting enough protein maybe as suggested a few nuts between meals...I eat these they are a good source of protein but you have to find out what foods suit you best and it is very much trial and error because there is not really a diabetic diet
I don't quite understand your glucose levels of 44 and 39. I am very borderline type 2 myself my glucose levels this month were 6.9 at first blood test and 6.8 at the second one... 7 is considered type 2. I have been like this for about three years now but still managing to keep it at bay
I have raised cholesterol so I take statins to keep the level down so I mainly keep to a low fat diet but other than that I eat most things I have lost weight over the last year going from about 9st 5 lb to my now weight of between 8st10/12lb but this is not because I have
changed my eating habits I put it down to getting a dog and therefore walking much more.

I really think your dramatic weight loss and still loosing needs more investigation by your doctor

 

[carty]

Hi maybird
It is not easy to put weight on and keep your bgs down You can up your fats by putting butter on your veg adding cream to soups eating full fat yoghurts snacking on cheese as well as nuts try adding some lentils to soup or stews but test for the carbs in these I can only tolerate a few I eat all off these and my cholesterol is 4.7 so dont worry about that
CAROL

 

[Maybird]

Hi maybird
It is not easy to put weight on and keep your bgs down You can up your fats by putting butter on your veg adding cream to soups eating full fat yoghurts snacking on cheese as well as nuts try adding some lentils to soup or stews but test for the carbs in these I can only tolerate a few I eat all off these and my cholesterol is 4.7 so dont worry about that
CAROL

Carol It was actually Jeannie 99 who was asking how she could put on weight not me
Maybird

 

[pickledpepper2]

Also try adding a fistful almonds in your diet every day. It helped me.

 

[carty]

Sorry maybird and jeannie

I agree about the Almonds I have mine with cream in the morning and sometimes I coat them with melted dark choc and have as munchies in the evening with a glass of red wine :lol: They are all good for my magnesium levels ,
CAROL

 

[jeanie99]

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions I really do appreciate you all taking time out to reply to my question;

Maybird see this link to explain my 44 and 39 result it covers the 2 to 3 month period and not the daily testing.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-diagnosis.html
Based on this I have moved from prediabetic to non diabetic.


I eat cashew walnuts and almonds for snacks and use Alpro almond milk for making sauces and I use it in the soups I make.

I could eat cheese, high fat yogurts, butter and cream but all these foods are on the To Avoid list which the nurse gave me when I was told to try and reduce my cholesterol and my worry is my cholesterol will rise again if I eat these types of food and the GP will want me to go back on Statins. I took Statins for some months previously and had the side effect of short term memory loss which was horrendous and I have no intention of ever going back on Statins.

I do eat a good diet even if it is restrictive based on the what the GP said diabetic nurse and the hospital nutritionist.
and the info I've gleaned from this site and research.
I had a long conversation with the nutritionist about food and she like my GP thought the 9 stone 7 Lb was a perfect weight for me even though I felt I am thin, but since then I've lost another 7 pounds.

The protein drink may be something I can try and I've decided to wait another two weeks and if I've lost more weight I'm back to see the diabetic nurse and GP because I am really not happy with this situation.

 

[Maybird]

It is a shame that you did not get on with the statins as the British Heart Foundation are all for them and say they do prevent heart attacks and strokes in many people who are more at risk of having them
I have been taking them for about three years now and never had any side effects from them at all so I suppose I am one of the lucky ones.
You say you are now non diabetic which is really good so maybe now you can introduce a bit more into your diet like semi skimmed milk instead of the almond milk you use for sauces...I haven't heard anyone say you should avoid milk if you have raised cholesterol just use skimmed or semi skimmed. I use natural yogurt or reduced fat Crème Fraiche in my sauces and soups which like you I make myself I do enjoy cooking

I think you were probably given the same food list as I was, the standard low fat list that's given to all people with raised cholesterol. I was told not to use it as a rigid diet but just to be sensible with what I ate and use it as a guide line and read labels for fats and sugars when I shop Even the foods to avoided can be eaten sometimes as long as it is not to frequently...my doctor said we all deserve a naughty treat at times especially if we are feeling a bit down in the dumps.

Although I am not a ready meals or takeaway food fan I do however have a guilty pleasure and that is Kentucky Fried Chicken I have never eaten it a lot even before the raised cholesterol I was always a healthy eater and never overweight so my doctor thinks my raised cholesterol is most likely to be hereditary...no test for it when my parents were alive...the nurse said to have the occasional KFC will do me no harm at all

I think if you worry to much about your cholesterol going up again you are going to get very depressed and that can make you loose even more weight try to be a bit more relaxed but sensible with your diet and treat yourself to something naughty now and again after all the good news is you are now a non diabetic so well done

 

[Nik442]

Hi, I lost 2.5 stone after going on low carb diet. My weight dropped to 10st in about 9 months and then it levelled out after i increased my carb intake. Upping fats didnt seem to help me. The weight loss together with the metformin increased my insulin sensitivity which allowed me to up my carb intake.

Nik