ND done, 5:2 fast didnt work now ND with a twist

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Woke up this morning with slight pains in one knee and shoulder. I wonder if this is connected to yesterday's exercise blowout? Either way, after just a short time of being up and about both eased, so it could be down to lying badly, or a combination of both.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Sunday May 6 - day 14

Lunch
Pre BG 5.2 + 2 hours 4.6

Dinner
Pre BG 4.9 + 2 hours 4.9

Supper
Pre BG 4.7 + 2 hours 4.9

Fluid

Water 3L
Tea - black 3 cups

Exercise

One hour treadmill - hard.

Verdict after day 14

Woo-Hoo 2 weeks done, a quarter of the diet finished. The time has passed so quickly. No problems, just feel amazing, loving this diet.

Confessions

None this week, stuck to 3 shakes a day 100%.

Weigh in Tomorrow.

[edit to add] Supper +2. Exercise is the way to lower the BG. Another day hard exercise (hard for me) has proven results!

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

tree-peony said:

I am very impressed!

Click to expand...

Thank you TP. I must admit to feeling quite proud that I have got this far.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Grazer said:

Doing so well! You'll be joining Borofergie in the "4's" club for hba1c before long!

Click to expand...

Now THAT would be an achievement sheepy :lol: Thank you so much, you and so many people have been so kind and gracious in your support, it means the world to me. Jo.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Problem with my left knee today, so although I will still exercise, I am going to have to take is easier I think. It's easy to forget you're getting older, and that I have had very limited mobility for 17+ years. In the quest to lower BG I have put all other issues aside. The pain in my knee today, shows I can't do that.

Weight loss this week 12.2lbs. 58.4 pounds gone since March 5th - 9 weeks.

I have a telephone consultation with my GP tomorrow (didn't check the date properly and thought it was today - duh) so am going to ask his advice how to move forward. I would have liked to have done 2 more weeks just shakes, but feel he may well suggest or even insist I add veg now. We shall see.

[edit to add] I think I have decided what I am going to do post diet. Week 1 replace one shake with a proper meal, week two replace 2 shakes with a meal, and maintain like that. Once I reach a weight I am happy with then replace all shakes with proper meals. I am also looking toward an annual New Year detox using the ND. This will clear out my system after the Christmas excess and also get me back to pre Christmas levels.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

catza said:

Sorry to hear about your Knee.

I will be interested to hear what your GP advises tomorrow Defren, and agree that he may well suggest adding some carbs allowing you to continue albeit nearer to the original ND regime.

I think your idea for post-ND sounds good as you will be able to gradually stablise your BG and hopefully by then your Pancreas will be able to deal with the increased carb intake.

Click to expand...

Thanks Catza, I have rubbed on some Tiger balm to see if that will help, as it is quite sore today.

I am as sure as I can be my GP is going to suggest I add veg, I hope he doesn't. I am going to explain that I want to do four weeks just shakes. Also I am going to have to go through a telling off I suspect as he doesn't know I am doing the ND. That said, he was and is absolutely supportive of all I do, so perhaps a finger wag rather than a full scale telling off. I have been reading some information about rapid weight loss, and it seems the danger comes from lack of correct nutrition. The shakes are formulated to be complete meal replacements, and so do contain all the correct nutrition. I also take a great many supplements, so that won't be a problem. I also read up on VLCD and the weight loss. Some people experienced extraordinary losses over quite a few weeks, others didn't. Those who did experience dramatic loss suffered no adverse health effects.

I tried to find conclusive evidence to suggest drastic weight loss when using meal replacement shakes was hazardous to health, because I needed to know for my own peace of mind. The dangers arise from low calorie weight loss. So, if I were to take in the 600 calories I am now, but with food, I would end up deficient in a great many vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients. The shakes contain a fully balanced amount of all of these, including I believe all trace elements, and are safe, even with dramatic weight loss.

I know I may not have come across something giving greater insight, but this does seem to be the consensus across all the information I have read. I am happy to be corrected, or other opposite evidence posted.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Hi Frank. Thankfully I have never had that problem :lol: I just hope GP will allow me to do two more weeks. Guess I will have to wait until tomorrow to find out.

Exercise today. I didn't do any, then took my +2 lunchtime reading, was not happy, so am doing 15 minute sessions instead of 10, but slower pace. Knee is feeling much better.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Monday May 7 - day 15

Lunch
Pre BG 5.2 + 2 hours 5.7

Dinner
Pre BG 5.0 + 2 hours 4.9

Supper
Pre BG 4.8 + 3.5 forgot so did later 5.6

Fluid

Water 3L
Tea - black 3 cups

Exercise

One hour treadmill - gentle

Verdict after day 15

It's been a strange day, the pain in my knee, has meant I have had to take things a little easier. Added to which, being a bank holiday, routine out the window, so shakes at all kinds of peculiar times

I would usually start my exercise around lunch time, and by about 2pm I was feeling listless, tired, a little irritable, just not like myself at all. When I did my post lunch reading, I didn't like it at all, so did 15 minutes gentle walking. The result was quite amazing. Immediately the tiredness and listlessness vanished, I no longer felt irritable and the pain in my knee eased. I felt back to my normal self again. I decided that I would have longer gaps between exercising, and keep the walking gentle, and although it is reflected in my figures today with only two 4's, I have now learned my body is becoming used to the daily exercise, and I feel very sluggish without it. Even though I was much gentler today, I felt great once it was done. For me personally, I need a higher walking speed to keep my figures low, but I need exercise to keep me feeling healthy and awake.

I am hoping tomorrow I will be able to get back into my normal exercise speed, and get my figures down, but today I have learned another lesson, exercise craves exercise, that has to be a good thing.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant news. My GP will carry on supporting me even with the weight loss so far. As I had already spoken to him about the ND he was not in the least surprised I was on it. No telling me off at all, more a resigned tone, knowing that I will go above and beyond. His only concern was I may be lacking sodium. So he has advised I add around 1/2 a teaspoon of salt to a liter bottle of water. The reason being, sodium regulates the heart, so is vital. As the shakes are full meal replacements, then I shouldn't be deficient in anything, sodium being the only exception. Woo - Hoo.

No exercise at all today, knee to painful. GP suggests I hit the exercise to hard to fast. Take today as a rest day, and continue tomorrow, but not so vigorous. Feel a bit sluggish with no exercise, but it has to be done!

Feel great in all other ways.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

catza said:

Great news. I hope my GP will be half as good as yours. I don't see mine until September so I feel a little adrift but at least I am certain that I , like you, am being as proactive as possible.

Click to expand...

I honestly believe that has been the key with my GP. He as well as me realise good control now, means less pressure on the practice budget later. He knows I know this, but as he really does care about the welfare of diabetics, I suspect budgets are only part of his approach, but a part none the less.

He is very open to listening to his patients, and has always listened to me, and involved me and my opinion on all my care (not just diabetes) so if I am honest, this approach is something I really should have expected. I heard too many horror stories here, and I'm sure that if I were in the hands on a DSN the outcome may not have been so good. That said, this area does seem to have a very, very good track record dealing with diabetes, so perhaps I am being slightly unfair on my DSN.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Tuesday May 8 - day 16

Lunch
Pre BG 5.4 + 2 hours 5.9

Dinner
Pre BG 4.2 :***: + 2 hours forgot to test.

Supper
Pre BG 5.5 +2 5.3

Fluid

Water 3L
Tea - black 3 cups

Exercise

None GP advice.

Verdict after day 16

Tired, sluggish, lethargic with no exercise, and my figures are crazy. All in all diet wise, possibly the worst so far in how I am feeling, but it's all due to lack of exercise. I can't wait until tomorrow and getting back to normal. I really can't believe how a day with no exercise can make you feel so dreadful.

Roll on tomorrow, I shall be glad to put today behind me.

[edit to add] +2 supper.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

youngmanfrank said:

People vary in their response to their own thyroid hormones and a low result like mine while theoretically normal is sufficient to produce the symptoms of hypothyroidism that I have in abundance.Hypothyroidism lowers your rate of metabolic activity,you are more likely to put on weight,and therefore more likely to develop diabetes.In your case you feel "tired sluggish,lethargic" but each time you exercise you increase your rate of metabolic activity for a few hours and feel much better.

Click to expand...

Very true. I have done some exercise already today, and feeling much better. Days like yesterday have made me realise so much. I need to have some exercise each day to feel well. Feeling better today all ready.

Knee much better, no pain so far.

Re: A Geordie trying the Newcastle Diet

Wednesday May 9 - day 17

Lunch
Pre BG 4.8 + 2 hours 4.9

Dinner
Pre BG 3.8????? (I suspect this is in incorrect reading) + 3 5.4 (busy so a +3 reading)

Supper
Pre BG 4.6 +2 5.0

Fluid

Water 4L
Tea - black 3 cups

Exercise

66 minutes, some easy, some medium, some hard.

Verdict after day 17

Today brought the wonderful news that my BMI is now in the normal range, just in, but it's there. Motivation to keep me going? I honestly don't know. With two and a half weeks of nothing but shakes, and a weight loss I could have only dreamed of, I am feeling as if I am at a cross roads, and need to decide where to go.

My understanding is, the visceral fat is gone after two weeks, and with the loss of weight I have achieved, I have done what I initially set out to do. If I do the full eight weeks, I suspect I am going to lose too much weight, and all I ever wanted was to get into a normal BMI range, and then maintain. Even if I were to stick to my original plan, four weeks just shakes, then four weeks shakes with veg/salad, my weight will plummet to unhealthy levels, or at least that is a real possibility.

The other path of the cross roads tells me, my weight must plateau soon, logic tells me I can't keep loosing 12lb a week. I also feel if I come off the diet, then I am not giving the Newcastle study the chance to work fully, as it worked in the clinical trial. If I were to come off the diet early, would I be giving myself the best chance possible? The truth is I don't know.

What have I learned so far?

1. The diet is easy to follow
2. No hunger between shakes
3. The feeling of well being increases exponentially
4. Exercise is a must
5. Large weight loss
6. Amazing hair and skin
7. You're never off the bl**dy loo
8. Sleep much better and wake refreshed

What will I lose if I come off the diet?

1. The risk of losing too much weight
2. The full benefit of the Newcastle study

What will I gain if I stay on the diet?

1. A weight that is healthy and manageable
2. The full effects of the Newcastle study (If there are any more benefits for me to have)?

So what do I do? I will definitely stay on the diet until the end of week four, which is a week on Sunday, after that I truly don't know. It never occurred to me I could lose so much weight I would have to consider ending the diet, even though that is exactly what happened to Louise. I am in real turmoil, the diet is so easy, and no hunger, but the weight loss is, at this moment to great to consider staying the 8 weeks. I would then be well into the underweight bracket, and I just won't even consider that.


[edit to add] +2 supper BG