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how it started vs how it’s going

Dudette1

Well-Known Member
Messages
259
Location
England
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bad attitude
Ok, so everyone has been really kind helping me with the stopping smoking. I did mention I had lost weight and people on here do weigh in fridays, thought it would be good to do a how it’s going, what you are doing to help you lose weight, give people tips on what helps, or exercise regime. If you are looking to lose weight let’s talk about it and what are your struggles and strengths.
I will start, if no one wants to join In I will look real silly
but I am stopping smoking and I have insomnia tonight so need to do something.
This is how it started, my friend sent me this pic and along with being diagnosed with diabetes, I knew I had to make some changes, I was 17 stone 7lbs here. So I downloaded an app called “lose it” and it’s like a calorie counter but not restricting, you eat what you want. I scanned the barcode on foods and if it took me over my calories I reduced portion sizes or ate something else that was a better choice. I bought a French bulldog who saved my life by making me get up and walk ( I’m in no way encouraging anyone to buy a dog) they are a lot of work. He unfortunately had epilepsy and had a fit and never recovered, I will always remember him as the dog that changed my life. I have another dog, who is a lot bigger than a frenchie and needs to run at full speed for at least an hour a day, safe to say we walk 6 miles a day 2 to 3 times a day and he doesn’t know he’s born
or should I say, I walk and he just runs and runs and you get the drift. Then joining this site I learnt so much from everyone, swapped the eating anything, to low carb but still logging it on the lose it app,
I couldn’t seem to move the last bit so I started fasting 16 hours and eat in the 8 hour window, I am not religiously low carb, I have a jacket spud once a week or a Sunday dinner. I do this through choice as I don’t want to be miserable and missing potatoes forever was making me miserable. So now I look like this and weigh 10 stone 11lbs
You don’t have to post pics by the way. I’m not looking for praise, I did this for myself and I’m proud of it, but it shows you don’t have to go to the gym to get in some sort of manage control, I have never touched a weight or machine and started off slowly with walking 1 mile, then 2 until I just do it religiously everyday for as long as I can, and obviously because I have to take the dog out.
Hope this is ok to post on here. If anyone would like to add anything, their journey, what they want to achieve. Be nice to hear everyone’s stories.
Stay safe everyone
 
@Dudette1 .. awesome stuff....BRAVO

Liking the changes you made and how you went about it.
And the reality check on being miserable.

A big up for the post & idea.
Very proactive and I bet useful and inspiring to many.
 
Rocksteady said:
How long did this transformation process take from when you started to get to this stage?
Click to expand...

I was diagnosed in October 2018 and like many others, nurse just said take tablets and was given a leaflet that didn’t tell me anything really.I did nothing to start with for the first 6 months,probably a bit of denial, then in April 2019 I think it was, was when I started the lose it app, it’s not excessive low calorie, you put in all your credentials and it lowers them slowly as you lose weight so it was a good starting point. Then I bought my frenchie in may.so I think it took roughly 2 years, my target was 11 stone, I’ve lost a couple lbs under so these are just bonus lbs, I’m happy where I am so I’m not looking at losing much more. I had some serious down days. I think what is hardest is testing and not seeing a difference in sugars, as doctors don’t encourage you to eat better. This forum is a god send for diabetics, in fact it should be a written rule that the leaflets send you here
 
I love this post what a good idea! Hi! I was diagnosed in August 2020 with a HBA1C of 91! I’d been feeling very for a good few months before that, I was so shocked and very scared at diagnosis. I cut out a lot of carbs, but still had the odd bag of crisps here and there!fast forward to now, I’ve lost almost 5 stone, 2lbs away from it but I can’t seem to get the last 2lbs off! My new HBA1C is 32 and I’m in remission and off medication. This group has been so helpful with advice when I’ve needed it.
 
Purely for myself I’d like to loose that 2lbs! But I’m in now hurry to do it. Moving forward I’d like to keep things as they are! My biggest motivation to get well again was and is my kids, I want to be their annoying mum for a lot longer! Haha! Before diagnosis I’d split up from their dad after 19 years, whilst trying to find a place to live my beloved nan passed away so it was a stressful time, but things are much better now.
 
Another 5st loser here, came off pretty fast too, took about 6 months.
I was a smoker too so I took up vaping instead.
With smokes my lung capacity was shot, I could hardly walk up stairs, vaping doesn't affect me at all, I now bounce up the same steps.
 

That’s amazing, you should be extremely proud of yourself, I am for you..well done you.
 
Stunning transformation what an inspiration. Massive congratulations.
 

Amazing stuff, well done
shows the difference it makes once you put those changes in. I don’t think we realise how bad our health is till we change those little things. You should be proud of yourself, I am for you
 
I just love these inspirational stories.
I can’t believe I’m approaching my fourth diaversay, so here’s my story of weight loss and type 2 control. I went low carb as soon as I discovered this forum, which was on the night of diagnosis. With low carbing starting at 100g/day max and gradually reducing to less than 45/day, whilst taking Metformin, I got my HbA1c down to non diabetic levels and within a year had lost 5 stone. I continued to lose weight, another stone in year 2. I was toddling along steadily maintaining weight and getting HbA1cs in the low to mid 30s, then in year 3 Covid struck. On top of Covid my father died very suddenly and my mental health and eating habits went to pot. I didn’t eat more carbs, I just ate more of everything, particularly cream and dark chocolate, then it was Xmas! The result of all this was a slightly elevated HbA1c of 36 and two and a half stone back on in weight.
Then New Year came, with support of my GP and 3 courses of counselling my mental health has vastly improved and I have started carefully watching my portion sizes. I have lost one and a half stone so 1 stone to go to get me back to where I was and my annual diabetic checks are due next month so hoping my HbA1c has gone back to under 35.
My profile pic is before and after pics but here’s another one

 
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WOW Go you, you look amazing, I’m so pleased after the struggle you took action and knew what you had to do to make it right. Definitely an inspiration right here. I’m sorry to hear about your dad, I’m sure it wasn’t easy to go through, your challenge has brought you fighting back and I’m immensely proud to see you doing so well. Keep it up, you will lose that last stone, please let us know how you get on.
️
 

Thank you for your lovely words
 
Moving and inspirational story. Thanks for being confident enough to share. Best wishes for the weight loss.
 
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Hi all,

Some truly inspirational stories here, I was diagnosed with T2 last November with HBA1C of 66, started trying to lose weight straight away and having found this godsend of a website went lower carb, much lower than I had been, 2nd HBA1C in February this year was 43 which I was delighted about. I have now lost 2 and a half stone and 6 inches off my waist!! I'm going to call and try to arrange another HBA1C next week, DN had said to leave it 6 months as it had come down substantially in Feb but I'd like to know how it's progressing, I'm finding the low carb quite difficult in the last few weeks so more carbs being added to my diet and exercising is just torture for me! I know I need to get back on track with this, I started at 15 stone so really have another 2 and a half stone to lose, I'm 5'5 so 10 stone is my goal weight. I really hope my next results are still going in the right direction. Thanks again for the inspiration though, it's really good to see these results and know that it's possible, just need to work at it and believe you can do it.

Maggie
 

Absolutely well done on reducing your hba1c,
and the weight loss, it’s a hard fight with food but remember you have already lost a lot of weight so you can keep going and hit your target, I know you can
we all have off days so don’t beat yourself up when you have a few extra carbs, just jump straight back in and remind yourself why you are doing it. Exercise is also my hell
I walk, and thats about as energetic as I get. You should be so proud of yourself, and I agree, get to docs and ask for another hba1c and I bet it’s lower. You will be doing star jumps and realising you are getting where you need to be. Go you
 
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