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My low carb/IF Diet - BG and progress

Wow Jen - thanks for taking the time for that little lot!!

Been very good today - skipped breakfast and had salad for lunch (tuna and egg), bacon and egg for dinner with a cup of tea (proper English style!) and half a square of dark choc.

Then later did dumbell workout on arms followed by another chair yoga session. I feel more centres and calm and strong for it.

If you're stuck with limitations - seriously think about chair exercises till you build some strength. I thought it was only for old people but seeing how tight I've become, makes me want to take it so - especially as I don't want any more back problems. If you look at YouTube, there are loads on there. Some use bands for extra resistance which are dead cheap. I got a set a while ago for £5 and they're fab!

Books ordered are the art and science of keto and a low sugar kids cookbook to try and get my daughters to cut a bit more sugar from their diet. Uphill battle but I'm going to give it a go....

Going for a picnic in the park tomorrow with some other mums and lots of kids. Should be able to move around a bit more with that and it should be fun. I'll be fasting while everyone digs into their Pimms!!

My sweet treats are:

Fat bomb with nuts
Whipped cream with a square of dark choc melted and roasted flaked almonds
Mug cake and cream (v rare)
Cheesecake fluff (not had for ages)
Coffee with sugar free syrup (may as well have real thing as its Sucralose based!)

I'm generally trying not to have sweet treats. I've suspected a long time that cream needs to be reduced but not quite ready to take plunge. As for cake, I'm not bothered now.


I will be eating out on Sunday night as we're away. Breakfast also at hotel, then I'll fast and have dinner, at a restaurant!!! Will not make poor choices though and will be sticking to the diet


Can't wait to see what FBG is tomorrow after a double workout!!

 

So arm & chair yoga brings your FBG down the following day? That alone can do it? How does it do it? Temporary insulin sensitivity in the muscles? How long does the sensitivity last for you? If I recall, Jenny Ruhl, mentions in her book, that the improved insulin sensitivity in muscles only lasts for a couple hours after exercise.

I've checked my blood sugar before walking and after, and it's always slightly higher after walking. But maybe the resistance exercises would be different?

Right now with my 18:6 intermittent fasting schedule, 1600 calories a day (10% carbs, 20% protein, 70% fat), I am usually waking with 125 mg/dl (6.9 mmol/L). I get as low as 109 mg/dL (6 mmol/L) during the day and up to 135 mg/dL (7.5 mmol/L). This is without any insulin though at least (I was injecting 120 units per day at one point). I still have like 14 stone to lose so maybe that's why blood sugar is staying higher. I am pretty darn insulin resistant.

Maybe if I start doing those resistive exercises more (only done them like 3 times in the past 2 months), it will bring my fasting blood sugar down from 6.9 to maybe under 6? I just know walking seems to do nothing for me. I can't do too much right now because of my tendon, and well I fell down today as well and hurt my left wrist, right knee and left big toe.

Anyways, I'm really interested in what you can tell me about exercise and how it affects your numbers.

Thanks,
Jennifer
 
So this morning was a 6.0. Still not bad. My hypothesis right now says that yoga alone is better at reducing bg rather than resistance training with yoga. Obviously after only two days of recording I can't be sure but I am swaying towards yoga being more effective at short term reduction of bg. I think it may be because it's gentle and relaxing so helps combat stress. I have felt much calmer after a session.

The fitness guy from the other diabetic fitness vids I found on YouTube said walking is one of the best exercises for t2 people. I have never tested myself before and after walking but always feel better for getting out and about so that's got to be a good thing.

Yoga person said that yoga is good for opening up the organs and help with drainage and creating space for blood to flow. Seems logical to me.

In a nutshell I think the general feeling is the better movement, the more chance we have of shifting glucose that's hanging around in the blood to other parts of the body. HOWEVER - the 5.7 reading was after a 24hr fast day and yesterday was an 18:6 day so not completely comparable, therefore I am now thinking that both exercise types helped with lowering the FBG but so far yoga alone looks like it's better because it falls on a fasting day....

I think exercise is important for our wellbeing. It helps freshen our brains, oxidise more effectively and builds strength and flexibility. That's my new focus instead of burning calories.

I'm going to continue with alternating days - today is aerobic exercise and I'm starting at a low level. I will build myself up gradually to do more - and who knows, maybe I'll be back to doing Tao Bo again! Used to love that!!
 
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My books arrived and I'm going to start my plight for kids low carbing as soon as we are back from next trip. It's not going to be easy and all this stuff needs to be made from scratch but I'm going to give it a go. Need to clear cupboards of all their processed snacks and treats first. They will resist this so much and I think there'll be tears....

 

Can't you find some low carb versions of the things they like, before going to all new dishes and flavours?
 
Trouble is, they protest to everything. I need to make a change and will do it gradually but sad fact is they're too fussy and I've got lazy...plus I dread to think how much money has been wasted on food in this house where I've given up. Must do better!!

X
 

Check out this youtube vid. This guy is awesome and says these 1 to 2 minute, few times per week exercises significantly / permanently improve insulin sensitivity due to building certain muscles :

 
Regarding fasting days. I do the 18:6 every single day, hope this is okay. I find if I don't my blood sugars get out of control. But I am severely insulin resistant. I am 110-135 mg/dL all day by doing the 18:6 every day.

I am thinking about doing a 5:2 Mosley kind of thing where I normally do the 18:6 every day.. but two days out of the week (say Monday/Thurs) I do 23:1 intermittent fasting (1 meal a day.. 1/2 the calories those 2 days. e.g. 600 to 800 calories 2 days per week.. 1500-1600 calories the other days.. all LCHF: 10% carbs, 20% protein, 70% fat).
 
Hi Jen! I think you should give it a go for 23:1. It'll really help reduce bg and as time goes on, your insulin levels to aid further weightloss. It'll also help with the stalling you're experiencing at the mo.

So this morning's FBG was a lovely 5.8. Fasted during day and had mc d's double cheeseburger (without the bun). When I got home I was ravenous and continued eating (all low carb so didn't feel too guilty!). Had bacon and avocado, then peanut butter with cucumber and a decaf coffee with a half square dark choc. I was expecting to be in the 6s but seem to fave gotten away with it.

Skipping breakfast this morning and will have a very light lunch while girls do swimming. It's a mad, rushing around day today and have a lot of things to fit in before 1pm....

I'll watch the vid as soon as I can. Thank you Jennifer!

X
 
Well done Debs..
 
bulkbiker said:
Curry was great by the way and only went up 1 mmol afterwards
Click to expand...

That's good news!! I'd sky rocket if that was me! Do make my own korma sometimes and that's not too bad.

We are away in sunny Bognor! Just had breakfast which wasn't great and I had to resort to toast because most stuff was out of stock!! Off to Butlins for the day at 10 so I will have to work extra hard to get rid of that sugar load!

Kids should behave too as they'll have lots to occupy themselves with. Think I'm going to do another daily 24hr fast for three days in a row. I can't see me getting a five tomorrow....
 
Well I had chicken and lamb tikka starter and then a spinach and chicken curry.. no rice no bread so pretty LC with a bit of salad and raita.
 
Very good restraint.

I commented on a Jason Fung bashing on Facebook that was basically discounting LCHF and received about 20 really nasty comments! All I did was highlight how beneficial it's been for me. Such a contrast on the support here - even if we all choose a different method to live by. I'm over it but man! Truly shocking
 
Deb, I've added a 5:2 Mosley style fasting schedule, to my fasting plan starting today I'll be eating 1/2 the calories, 1/2 the carbs and 1/2 the protein I normally eat , 2 days per week. Basically I'll be doing the following each week:

Monday 23:1 fasting. 800 calories. 10g net carbs. 50g protein. (5:2 day)
Tuesday 18:6 fasting. 1600 calories, 20g net carbs, 90g protein.
Wednesday 18:6 fasting. 1600 calories, 20g net carbs, 90g protein.
Thursday 23:1 fasting. 800 calories. 10g net carbs, 50g protein. (5:2 day)
Friday 18:6 fasting. 1600 calories, 20g net carbs, 90g protein.
Saturday 18:6 fasting. 1600 calories, 20g net carbs, 90g protein.
Sunday 18:6 fasting. 1600 calories, 20g net carbs, 90g protein.

I'll let you know how it goes. This will be the first time I've eaten so little in one day. Hoping to push my blood sugar and insulin serum numbers in the negative direction.
 
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Which Facebook page was that on? Have you listened to the Fung podcast on 2 keto dudes.. very funny and pretty blunt speaking from the maestro.
 
You can do it Jen!!

@bulkbiker it was on a fitness page where a meathead was trying to argue that low carb is unhealthy and tagged Fung (that's why it showed up on my feed). Should have known better but couldn't bear the **** they were spouting about the differences between doctors and scientists etc and how scientists are more credible
.

They were like the muscle head group of guys you get at some gyms who have to constantly raise the bar with extra grunting. Lesson learnt!
 
Back from Butlins. Had a great time with my friend and her kids. Didn't stick to low carb very well at all and ended up with all sorts including onion rings, ice cream and a brownie! No surprise that this morning's reading was high - 8.8!!! I've not been that high for a very long time....

So I will fast today. And tomorrow. And the next day. If the FBG hasn't come down, then I will continue til I get a 6 or less....
 
You should listen to that podcast by Dr Fung.. he's quite rude about academic scientists who have no real world experience with patients..
http://2ketodudes.com/show.aspx?episode=26
it's quite long but pretty funny if you have a spare 30 mins..
 
Ooh maybe that's what's caused the backlash then?!

I'll give it a listen later today. Thanks for the link.

X
 
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