Lost my way and motivation.

[benford]

Having lost a lot of weight in the past through diet and exercise at the gym,But through injuries and personal circumstances my attendance at the gym has been hit and miss consequently my weight has rocketed.I am 65 i don't expect to be the fittest i just want to get back on track.Where i lost the plot is what to eat and be able to go to the gym lose weight without too much muscle loss and energy .What do i do first lose weight and then build muscle or is there somethnig i can do to lose weight and yet retain muscle.Thank you all for listening.

 

[ickihun]

Come and join us on exercise in moderation thread?
We can help each other, no matter our capabilities.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/regular-moderate-exercise-log.83995/page-81#post-1659807

 

[Sadakf]

Hello, I too have lost my motivation. Since my diagnosis as T2 diabetes last February, I was motivated to lose weight and reverse my diabetes. I was doing well, lost 10kg, blood levels from 104 to 49, my Dr reduced by metformin from 1500mg to 1000. Now I know I started badly and out in weight. I am afraid to check BG levels. Which is silly as I need to take back control.

I'm so glad to have found your thread. Looking for help and support

 

[Mbaker]

I would suggest some visualisation. Get your mind right then everything will follow. I had a disappointing A1c, so within a week I am the lightest I have been in over 20 years and my visceral fat was measured 2 days ago as the least I have had. You just need a spark, maybe being healthy for Grand children, maybe an entry to a 10 k, maybe like me shear bloody mindedness. You've done it before, your mind controls what your arms, legs and body will do next.

 

[ickihun]

Hello, I too have lost my motivation. Since my diagnosis as T2 diabetes last February, I was motivated to lose weight and reverse my diabetes. I was doing well, lost 10kg, blood levels from 104 to 49, my Dr reduced by metformin from 1500mg to 1000. Now I know I started badly and out in weight. I am afraid to check BG levels. Which is silly as I need to take back control.

I'm so glad to have found your thread. Looking for help and support

Can you do walking OK @Sadakf too? Walk a dog or walk instead of using car for short journeys. Walking or swimming gets me started in the right direction. Any exercise releases endorphins so it motivates us more to buy only good choice foods too.
Can you decide now that those trainers need an airing?
What do you think?

Myself I've had carbs over Christmas so I'll be cold turkey tomorrow as all sweet foods have gone out of the house and protein will be replacing them, then I'll reduce my protein.
I've been a lot jollier on treats but my bgs are starting to need more insulin and I won't be going there. Lower carb more protein it is for me to get me over the carb cravings.

 

[Sadakf]

Thank you @Mbaker and @ickihun, you are both right. Really appreciate your advice. Need to get my act together and just make the changes again

 

[ickihun]

Many in the same boat after Xmas. We can do it. Good luck and hope to see your accomplishments this year to congratulate your hard work.

 

[Mark_1]

Having lost a lot of weight in the past through diet and exercise at the gym,But through injuries and personal circumstances my attendance at the gym has been hit and miss consequently my weight has rocketed.I am 65 i don't expect to be the fittest i just want to get back on track.Where i lost the plot is what to eat and be able to go to the gym lose weight without too much muscle loss and energy .What do i do first lose weight and then build muscle or is there somethnig i can do to lose weight and yet retain muscle.Thank you all for listening.

The right diet will help you lose weight and exercise will help to retain muscle. Plan out your diet and shop accordingly. It’s easier to stick to if you know beforehand what your having.
Start exercising at an easy pace around 60% of what your able to do and increase it by 5% so you build up over a few weeks to whatever is manageable for you.

 

[Alexandra100]

Having lost a lot of weight in the past through diet and exercise at the gym,But through injuries and personal circumstances my attendance at the gym has been hit and miss consequently my weight has rocketed.I am 65 i don't expect to be the fittest i just want to get back on track.Where i lost the plot is what to eat and be able to go to the gym lose weight without too much muscle loss and energy .What do i do first lose weight and then build muscle or is there somethnig i can do to lose weight and yet retain muscle.Thank you all for listening.

I'm an enthusiastic gym goer age 75. (I also walk and run, but in the open air.) IMO doing resistance exercise so as not to lose too much muscle as you lose fat is the way to go. You could try making sure to eat some protein before and after your sessions. Beware the popular protein shakes though, which may contain too many calories and carbs. I'm no sure if I am getting my nutrition around exercise right yet, but I go for a smallish portion of Chedder cheese and walnuts after my gym workouts.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Hi. I am a trainer ad well as a diabetic but do not nelieve that exercise makes you lose weight. Its brillamt for mood and for making your metabolism work better by reducing insulin resistance. You sound overwhelmed by all of these optioms so why not focus on food and maybe some low key and gentle movement that you enjoy? (Lots of great suggestions here).
Work out what you are eating that is most problematic and pick 1 thing to change. Above all make a good choice this hour to get the momentum going rather than figuring out what the perfect fat cutting diet is. It is not knowing that works but doing..

 

[ickihun]

I'm only returning to 20mins stop and starting walking to bus stops. Takes hubby 5mins but me just under 20.
I need my pace then betablocks permitting I will do more but faster is trial and error with walking aid.
Bad weather has kept me indoors in case I fall but today looks good. Cold but not wild wind or ice. I'll take the 4yr old so he can mess around on route. He knows I'm strict with listening to his mammy. He can hear me better when just me and him. Our young family can be too busy vocally for him.
I have a list but I still roam the supermarket at my pace. Thankfully xmas rush is over.
Maybe a chat to cashier if I'm lucky if play bus not being full occupied already. Ha ha

It starts with little seeds.

 

[Freema]

Having lost a lot of weight in the past through diet and exercise at the gym,But through injuries and personal circumstances my attendance at the gym has been hit and miss consequently my weight has rocketed.I am 65 i don't expect to be the fittest i just want to get back on track.Where i lost the plot is what to eat and be able to go to the gym lose weight without too much muscle loss and energy .What do i do first lose weight and then build muscle or is there somethnig i can do to lose weight and yet retain muscle.Thank you all for listening.

Hey dear there are more ways to do What you want , eating low carb is always essential , But a lot of People around the World have chosen the 5:2 diet to keep weight off and to keep muscle mass Healthy... the 5:2 diet is to eat normal lowish carb for 5 days a week and the having 2 days where one fast the most part of the day and Then only eat 1 meal those days containing only 500 calories . It seem more easy to some People to only eat very little two days a week and normal the most days , and it different from most banting styles by not loosing as much muscle weight as when one eat too little calories every day in a week

 

[Alexandra100]

I'll take the 4yr old so he can mess around on route.

Lucky 4 year old! I still remember the joy of taking walks with my grandfather and his old fat dachshund. I realised much later that both had cardiac problems. They went so much more slowly than the other members of my family, so that I had time to investigate things of interest (to me) en route, such as the particular kind of mud in the gutter and still catch up without any stress, and without being told to hurry up.

 

[Sean01]

Having lost a lot of weight in the past through diet and exercise at the gym,But through injuries and personal circumstances my attendance at the gym has been hit and miss consequently my weight has rocketed.I am 65 i don't expect to be the fittest i just want to get back on track.Where i lost the plot is what to eat and be able to go to the gym lose weight without too much muscle loss and energy .What do i do first lose weight and then build muscle or is there somethnig i can do to lose weight and yet retain muscle.Thank you all for listening.

Hi @benford
It's gopod to see that gym work and diet has helped you loose weight. However, injuries........we have something in common. My nickname used to be Phoenix - I keep rising from the ashes, dislocations, getting run over, disc problems, torn tendon (crutches for 3 years) and more recently kidney stones and a burst appendix. Each time, you have to dig a little deeper to make that first step back in to the gym - arguably the toughest exercise known to man.

So make a decision right now, that when you read this, you will drop whatever it is you are doing and head top the gym and when you get there, do something, anything - 10 mins on the treadmill or a bike, something, just make sure that when you go back the next day, you do a little more.

I'm 52 and 5ft 8. I have T2, blood pressure problems, and diverticulitis. I train in a gym with a large contingent of athletes training at national level in power lifting, olympic lifting and strong man. I'm not the fittest, I'm not the strongest but I am determined. I still get stronger every day. I measure everything - but only in the gym, distance covered, elevation, calories (on the treadmill counter) weights, sets reps etc. If it can be measured, it can be exceeded, BUT you need to do that first difficult set - step back in the gym.

You ask if you should loose weight first or go to the gym. Do BOTH simultaneously - because you know that it WORKS. The best plan of attack is a combination of exercise and diet.

As for building muscle - I'm a biology graduate with over 40 years weight training experience. I have seen 20 year olds who can not build muscle and at my age, trust me, I can still build muscle - but it is slower and harder to acheive, So if you have the determination to build muscle, you go for it, but you know deep down in your heart, it's not gonna happen just by eating rabbit food. Diet alone, never built muscle. You know what builds muscle.

Make that first step and tomorrow, tell me that you got back into the gym.

(As for the personal issues, I don't need to pry, but I went from 18 stone to 23 stone in just a few months through lack of sleep and binge eating. I could hardly move - unless it was to stuff my head in a fridge. personal problems can be overcome - I find a long walk helps - in or out of the gym.

Good luck

Sean (T2, Oct 15, exercising twice a day, training for 6 challenges including 3 half marathons and a strong man competition in the first half of 2018. MAKE THAT FIRST STEP)

 

[Resurgam]

Although I suspect that more muscle and more exercise is good for controlling diabetes - I would urge you to go for the control rather than the other options - at 66 years old I have taken up the melodeon and go Morris dancing again - I walk to the folk club on days when I am not pushed for time - but I am totally confident that my diet is right and all I need to do is stick to it and all will be as well as possible.
I used to need two hands to lift the box over the top of the cabinet (it lives in a safe spot out of the way of knocks and bumps) now I can pick it up one handed without getting up to lean over - a tiny improvement, but I feel it indicates that more is possible.
But - I found a notebook from before diagnosis and realized that I was down over 40lb in weight. My knees are so much better.
I just concentrate on those blood glucose numbers, no flying blind no excuses.

 

[Alexandra100]

Where i lost the plot is what to eat and be able to go to the gym lose weight without too much muscle loss and energy

I just saw this article recommending eating eggs (rather than a protein shake or nothing) for muscle growth straight after a workout. Perfect, as eggs contain only about 0.6g carb each.

https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/eggs-and-muscle-growth?

 

[Sean01]

I just saw this article recommending eating eggs (rather than a protein shake or nothing) for muscle growth straight after a workout. Perfect, as eggs contain only about 0.6g carb each.

https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/eggs-and-muscle-growth?

Hi @benford
Here's my current diet. Not to follow but to get some ideas:
Apart from T2, I also have diverticulitis and I have to take meds for blood pressure and cholesterol:
Term time (fitting everything around work and school runs)
5 a.m.
Large glass of water and a double espresso
(30 mins on treadmill)
6 a.m.
4 egg white omelette (one yolk), handful of fried tomatoes , a big bag of spinach
8 a.m.
Oat bar and two bananas (for the heart)
12 noon
Lunch - see breakfast.
3:30 p.m
as for breakfast
7:30
Double espresso
Gym (treadmill and strongman training)
9 p.m. post work out
Protein shake with kefir and cinnamon

Drinks through the day
Black coffee and 5-6 large glasses of water with fresh lemon (3-4 per day)

No vitamins, no supplements, just food
Saturday breakfast (leg day) as normal but add lots of bacon and black pudding
Twice a week, substitute an omelette for one or two tins of sardines

Snacks
Oats and yogurt but eaten with chopstix (to slow me down)
Occasional dark chocolate - I'm human, not superhuman.

In my past I have eaten between 12 and 24 egg whites a day. For variety, i will have them hard boilde, soft boiled, fried or poached with feta cheese.

 

[OwlJulie]

5 a.m.
Large glass of water and a double espresso
7:30
Double espresso
Drinks through the day
Black coffee and 5-6 large glasses of water with fresh lemon (3-4 per day)

Hey, I know I read somewhere that caffeine messes with blood sugar. Am I right? In my experience, it creates hypoglycemia.

 

[Alexandra100]

Hey, I know I read somewhere that caffeine messes with blood sugar. Am I right? In my experience, it creates hypoglycemia.

I think that, as with so many other factors diabetes, this varies between individuals. Drink to your meter! I have never noticed coffee making any difference to my bg one way or the other, but I can't drink lots without getting jittery. (And also upsetting my over-sensitive bladder.)

 

[Alexandra100]

In my past I have eaten between 12 and 24 egg whites a day

What on earth do you do with all those egg yolks?