• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

low calorie diet

S

superwilliam

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Hi all, I have recently been diagnosed with non aggressive cancer in the prostrate. Due to my prostrate being enlarged the specialist is eager to remove it. My problem is I am overweight and he wants me to go on an 800 calorie per day diet. He is aware I am insulin dependent , type 2. He seems to think that there will be problems with such a low cal diet and there is a good chance I will be diabetic free if I manage to lose weight. I am also, as you can imagine, eager myself to get the surgery over and done with.
I am a little concerned about such a drastic step regarding my food intake though. Any advise welcome. I am going to see my GP this week before I begin it. Thanks.
 
Look for threads on the Newcastle Diet on here.
Seems to be a very popular diet, with good results.
 
I have heard a lot of people manage to lose weight on low calorie diets. For us with a healthy appetite it's painful. I've tried 5:2 and found it's not for me.

Have a look at the http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf site, I think he's brilliant.
 
Personally, I would suggest listening to your specialist, and your doctor.
Even though you have requested information on a prescribed diet, you may find lchf suggested instead.
Low calorie may be 'painful' to some, but many have reported to have found it quite easy once they have tried it for a few days, and no one seems to have reported any bad results.
Don't be put off.
 
I've just re started my version of the Newcastle diet, my bgs just aren't where I want them to be, but I've got to monitor them carefully, don't want them going to far the other way and reduce some of my meds once my fasting levels are down(checking with my dn on Friday what that level should be) but the numbers do come down rapidly. 2 days in my fasting level was 7.4 normally between 8-9 due to dawn phenomenon. Hoping for a 6 before the week is out, and the weight loss should help it stay at a lower rate
 
Sounds like your consultant is recommending Newcastle diet.

Info here
www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes.

You certainly have an incentive to act soon.
Good luck.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I am going to look into the suggested methods. I have now been given two months to lose the weight so am trying very hard. Keeping a check on my readings and am cycling every day.
 
You may need to ask about adjusting your insulin on such a very low calorie diet. AFAIK most people here who've been on a Newcastle type diet have been on oral medication or diet only, so this wouldn't have been an issue for them.

Robbity
 
Robbity said:
You may need to ask about adjusting your insulin on such a very low calorie diet. AFAIK most people here who've been on a Newcastle type diet have been on oral medication or diet only, so this wouldn't have been an issue for them.

Robbity
Click to expand...
That's true, I do adjust accordingly. This has been my main concern regarding a drastic loss in calories. I am losing some weight but it is not going as fast as the specialist wants it to.I have to admit I find 800 per day very low and love my food.
 
superwilliam said:
That's true, I do adjust accordingly. This has been my main concern regarding a drastic loss in calories. I am losing some weight but it is not going as fast as the specialist wants it to.I have to admit I find 800 per day very low and love my food.
Click to expand...
If you decide you'd rather give LCHF a try the same applies, be very careful with insulin and test frequently. I know people who has had to come off not only insulin but all diabetes medication on LCHF. And you can eat as much as you want as long as it's not carbs, more or less.

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
 
If you do decide to go against all your medical advice, it may backfire if you don't lose the weight, while still eating as much as you want, and you may find your specialist may not be as enthusiastic as some would hope he would be afterwards.

The 800 calorie diet has had outstanding results for many on here, but you do need to get through the first few days.

Another benefit of the reduced calorie diet is it 'resets' your eating habits, so you learn to eat less with time.
 
The 800 calorie diet didn't work for me whilst LCHF did.
 
But we're not the op's cancer specialist, or GP.
So possibly it's not good to try to simply change his diet, based on our own preferences in this case.

The Newcastle diet has proven benefits, has been done very successfully, and is well supported by many on here.
 
Some cancers have been shown to feed on sugars though so going low carb could prove to be beneficial to the OP.

Edit: Also the specialist isn't an expert on diets, he just wants his patient to lose weight asap. My heart specialist told me the only way I would lose weight would be to use those fat-blocker capsules. I tried them and they had no affect on me at all.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My GP told me to lose weight whatever way it works as I had fatty liver. Lchf diet got rid of it. Find what works for you. In the past firmaloss milk shakes worked for me. Recently herbalife shakes but lchf diet has given me more freedom. Let us know how you get on.
 
Nobody here is qualified to give you medical advise and so I suggest you ask your G.P. about any possible repercussions regarding this diet.
 
I wasn't going to get into a "my diet is better" discussion, but I was recommended the Atkins diet by my GP for weight loss. I eventually opted for a generic LCHF diet, and lost a fair bit of weight fairly quickly by firstly cutting out all sugary food that I was eating (so cakes, biscuits, suagar, jam, honey, sweets, etc) and a bit later on also cutting right down on all other higher carbohydrate foods. I didn't have any bad hunger pangs. Extra fats in your diet will make you feel full far more quickly than carbs, so it's worth a try if you're a food lover. Many years ago (pre-diabetes) I did try a very low calorie diet, and for me it was a nightmare, as I was constantly starving hungry all the time, and gained back all the weight I lost (and more) after I finished the diet.

However as already suggested, I think you should definitely discuss dieting options with your GP or specialist, particularly as they want you to lose weight so fast.

Robbity
 
The OP has been told what he needs to do and, to get his cancer surgery, he should follow the instructions he has been given by an HCP. Low calorie eating is not easy but the need here is pressing. I did it using meal replacement drinks so I could have controlled calories and the nutrition I needed. I hope he sorts issues out with his GP - who may be able to assist via prescribing, given the medical need. It would be good to hear of your progress if you are up to that

Wishing you all the best for the future from all of us here

Doug
 
Yes Good luck. An 800 calorie diet isn't as drastic as you imagine, once you have got over the first week or so. If you have never dieted before it's a good way to lose weight. Remember to drink plenty of water because that helps the weight loss. You will need your HCPs help with possibly cutting down your insulin dose when required. You might find that as your insulin dose reduces your weight will reduce more quickly too. The surgeon needs to make sure you don't have a hypo when nil by mouth and the more you can reduce your insulin requirements before the op, the less likely a chance of a hypo. (Well that's what my heart consultant told me anyway when he told me to try to remain diet controlled)

If your GP could prescribe Optifast meal replacement sachets that would be good because I believe these were the ones used in the Newcastle diet.
 
Thanks very much for all the info. Very helpful. I am going to ask for the meal replacement when I see The GP on Friday. Just didn't know the name of it so that has come in handy too. I will keep posting on my progress, hopefully weight loss. xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…