Newcastle Diet day 1 !!

Hi all, starting to replace shakes with more ‘real’ food now and generally trying to eat a better diet.

HbA1c was 98 in mid December and is now 44 so still work to do but pleased with the results.

Just a quick update, nearly 6 months in. HbA1C is now 35, so really pleased with the journey so far, considering it was 98 in December.

Many thanks both. Personally, I found the first 8 weeks more difficult than the last 3 months or so but agree very low calorie is definitely not the way to go long term. I followed the first 8 weeks with the doctors support and also attended an NHS X-Pert Diabetes course over 6 weeks to ensure sensible eating and exercise became habitual following the initial very low calorie diet.

Not for everyone and I’ve still a long road ahead of me but the initial weight loss definitely motivated me to keep the weight off.

Also found the reading and research helped (read lots of books on the subject). There was so much I didn’t know and still is!

Pipp said:

Does the sensible diet recommended mention lowering carbohydrates? If not, and if it actually suggests including ‘healthy’ wholemeal versions of bread , pasta, and rice, then proceed with caution at the reintroduction of real food.
Test blood glucose levels after meals and record what you have eaten. That way you can monitor the effects of your diet on your BG levels.
I am telling you this from personal experience of Newcastle diet 12 years ago. The ND was still in development stage, and the only info I was given about the post calorie restriction phase was to eat a healthy diet based on the NHS recommendations with ‘healthy carbs at every meal’. I gained almost half of the weight I had lost, though BG levels did stay in non-diabetes levels for a further 8 years. I wish I had understood carbs better, but believed the ‘experts’ at the health centre.

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Hi @Pipp, yes, definitely following the low carb path. I feel very fortunate and very grateful that I've been able to read, research and learn from some of the studies carried out by early pioneers (like yourself). The general NHS 'plate' is far from ideal and I'm generally following the advice given in some of the books I've read (particularly the X-Pert diabetes programme I attended for 6 weeks. The whole food system has flaws and is confusing, including the 'traffic light' labelling and high sugar, salt, fat labelling with carb detail often somewhat 'hidden' in the small print. I think of carbs now, as concentrated sugar whereas before I was diagnosed I would have mistakenly thought that a low sugar sweet with 1g of sugar in 100g was fine (even though it may have been 75g carbs). I'd spent years following a low fat, low sugar but high carb diet which on reflection had contributed to where I got to in December 2023. It's a minefield out there and I'm not promoting or recommending any lifestyle over another, it's just the path I chose and only time will tell.

Just a quick update on my Newcastle Diet journey which started in December 2022 with an HbA1c of 98.

HbA1c was down to 44 by March 2023 and mid 30s by June 2023.

Around 15 months in now and managed to keep the weight loss steady for the last 12 months, having lost 36kg in total.

Last weeks HbA1c was 36 mmol/mol.

Hoping to stay on track.

Thanks to everyone for the motivation and encouragement so far.

Lupf said:

Excellent, well done @KeithAnd.
I second @KennyA putting this in success stories, please.
How did you make this change sustainable, what is your diet now?

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Thanks, much appreciated. It definitely helps motivation to have a forum like this (not to mention all the advice), so thank you to everyone for the support.
I'll get something in that 'success stories" at some point.....just not wanting to tempt fate too early.
Basically, I did the shakes/salad for the period recommended by the ND and then gradually introduced a mainly low carb diet. My cholesterol has also lowered.
I definitely don't eat as much as I used to and try to control portions. I was very guilty of snacking throughout the day, so try to stick to meals. My general diet probably sounds really boring to most people but seems to work for me.

Tend to have a few coffees on a morning and then maybe a couple of bits of lean bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms if I'm feeling hungry or a bit of Greek Yoghurt with some berries. If not feeling hungry, I don't bother which is probably one of the biggest lifestyle changes I've made to habitual eating. Sometimes have a slice of black pudding and a sausage on a weekend. Breakfast used to be cereal and toast.

Lunch can be home made soup, chicken salads, ham salad (nando's sauce), maybe a bit of grated cheese on the salad, Again, if I've had a decent breakfast and not feeling hungry, I'll just have a coffee and crack on with my day.

Evening meal tends to be the odd mince beef chilli con carne without rice, just a touch of grated cheese maybe, chicken fajita's just with some humous maybe and no wraps, chicken dinner with veg and maybe a few small roasties now and again.

I do tend to go for 25g of dark chocolate quite frequently and/or a handful of cashew nuts. If I'm out and about, I tend to have a pot in the car to avoid what used to be the obligatory Greggs or fast food/garage food visit. I also still carry a few of the shakes and a protein mixer, so I can always buy a pint of skimmed milk if I'm stuck. The 'Hairy Bikers' book and other books/on-line has been great for making a few things from scratch like soups, corned beef hash and a few other bits. I make curries too and have the odd takeaway but normally something like a chicken tikka and salad.

Salmon, tinned Mackeral, steamed fish from Iceland, chicken skewers, Lentil Dahl are all regulars and Pizza, Pasta, lots of bread, milk chocolate, crisps are just about extinct although I've had bread/crisps now and again as a treat but not like a 150g every other night like I used to have. Exercise is not a really strong point but I get out for regular bike rides and try to get some decent miles in when I can and try to walk a few miles each day.
Apologies, that was too much waffle!