Newcastle Diet - Reversal Questions

[mekalu2k4]

Hi OP,
how your ND diet is coming up? of course it is only 5 days since the start of this thread. how are you feeling now?

 

[Eurobuff]

Hi OP,
how your ND diet is coming up? of course it is only 5 days since the start of this thread. how are you feeling now?

I've decided I'm going to carry on with LCHF diet. I have lost 13 lbs by doing that, I've gone down 2 clothes sizes. I got weighed yesterday, with a result of 30.1% body fat (which says is between good & average). My waist is 87cm. I am aiming to lose another 7lbs, which would get me to 8 1/2stone. My fasting BG is 5. My BG yesterday one hour after eating was 5.3 (starting reading was 4.1). Today my BG one after eating 6 roast potatoes was 7.4. I know that is still under the target range, but I think I still have a bit to go.

 

[mekalu2k4]

I am very happy to see your reply and in particular the level of confidence and determination. Do not over-do anything, It is always good to find a GP with whom you can talk openly on your efforts and on the lines of cutting out pills gradually. Keep us posted as you go along.

 

[Eurobuff]

I am very happy to see your reply and in particular the level of confidence and determination. Do not over-do anything, It is always good to find a GP with whom you can talk openly on your efforts and on the lines of cutting out pills gradually. Keep us posted as you go along.

My DN isn't supportive of a low carb diet, she thinks that carbs should be eaten at every meal. I've spoken to her briefly since my hba1c has been 5.4%, but I'll get to speak to her properly in July when I go for my next review.

 

[Arab Horse]

My DN isn't supportive of a low carb diet, she thinks that carbs should be eaten at every meal. I've spoken to her briefly since my hba1c has been 5.4%, but I'll get to speak to her properly in July when I go for my next review.

My DN is the same, need carbs in your diet, and when she sent me to a dietician she said once I had done the ND I needed to start having carbs again!!!! They seemed to think I had a problem and just wanted to be even thinner than I already am. I want to be FATTER than I am (back around where I started before I was diagnosed) but I really do want to try and reverse my diabetes and be able to have a better range of foods I can eat without going on more drugs as they want me to. I am on metformin twice a day and don't want to start on anything else.

 

[Eurobuff]

My DN is the same, need carbs in your diet, and when she sent me to a dietician she said once I had done the ND I needed to start having carbs again!!!! They seemed to think I had a problem and just wanted to be even thinner than I already am. I want to be FATTER than I am (back around where I started before I was diagnosed) but I really do want to try and reverse my diabetes and be able to have a better range of foods I can eat without going on more drugs as they want me to. I am on metformin twice a day and don't want to start on anything else.

I beginning to think it's an impossible task to educate the so called professionals about carbs. Even a pharmacist at Boots said to me, everyone needs to eat carbohydrates, and it will make your BG go up, but it'll come back down again!

 

[mekalu2k4]

you need carbs to maintain critical human body functions - this is an undisputed fact. Even for proper breakdown and utilization of proteins we need carbs. In fact it is very difficult to achieve zero carb diet as even most 'good foods' will have certain carbs component. We are fine, once daily carb intake is not exceeding the body tolerance limits. Excess carbs or in fact any excess component turns into fat that in turn fuels T2D problem. I believe most experienced users on this are suggesting towards a 50g carb daily intake. It is good to keep this a final goal, if current carb intake is far exceeding this value and then slowly work towards the final goal - as quickly as possible. The issues are : 1. one must be able to measure carbs perfectly and stay with in the limits. 2. Sustain this reduced carb intake over longtime. Both of these issues are very difficult at least from my personal experience. But we need to try.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

you need carbs to maintain critical human body functions - this is an undisputed fact. Even for proper breakdown and utilization of proteins we need carbs. In fact it is very difficult to achieve zero carb diet as even most 'good foods' will have certain carbs component. We are fine, once daily carb intake is not exceeding the body tolerance limits. Excess carbs or in fact any excess component turns into fat that in turn fuels T2D problem. I believe most experienced users on this are suggesting towards a 50g carb daily intake. It is good to keep this a final goal, if current carb intake is far exceeding this value and then slowly work towards the final goal - as quickly as possible. The issues are : 1. one must be able to measure carbs perfectly and stay with in the limits. 2. Sustain this reduced carb intake over longtime. Both of these issues are very difficult at least from my personal experience. But we need to try.

I dispute that. The human body functions quite well without carbs.

 

[Eurobuff]

you need carbs to maintain critical human body functions - this is an undisputed fact. Even for proper breakdown and utilization of proteins we need carbs. In fact it is very difficult to achieve zero carb diet as even most 'good foods' will have certain carbs component. We are fine, once daily carb intake is not exceeding the body tolerance limits. Excess carbs or in fact any excess component turns into fat that in turn fuels T2D problem. I believe most experienced users on this are suggesting towards a 50g carb daily intake. It is good to keep this a final goal, if current carb intake is far exceeding this value and then slowly work towards the final goal - as quickly as possible. The issues are : 1. one must be able to measure carbs perfectly and stay with in the limits. 2. Sustain this reduced carb intake over longtime. Both of these issues are very difficult at least from my personal experience. But we need to try.

Sorry I didn't explain the pharmacist's comment correctly. I am eating 50grams of carbs per day and have done since July last year. When the pharmacist made the comment about needing carbs it was when I had just started low carbing (eating about 100grams at that stage). When she said about needing carbs she meant a "normal" amount of carbs ie not low carb, about 200 grams per day.

 

[mekalu2k4]

I am eating 50grams of carbs per day and have done since July last year. When the pharmacist made the comment about needing carbs it was when I had just started low carbing (eating about 100grams at that stage). When she said about needing carbs she meant a "normal" amount of carbs ie not low carb, about 200 grams per day.

200g per day is not good, especially if you are T2D. Even professionals involved in high-end body building or high-end athletic training limit their carbs. But there is a range (depends on body status) min carb to max carb. Zero carb diet is too extreme (IMHO) and not possible to achieve since you may not find those many foods with zero carbs and then survive over longtime on those foods. High carb diet is of course on the other end of the spectrum, not recommended at all. Staying close to 50g carb daily intake is a great achievement (or challenge) by itself.

 

[mekalu2k4]

For all those who are interested in range of carbs: Try reducing your BMI below 24 and body fat below 20 and then try to keep those values for an year or two. Note - both are important. Especially watch your carb intake / diet when weight loss stops (weight loss plateau) and you need to make changes again to reduce body weight further. Then amount of carbs required for your body will be known to yourself. This effort, of course will help in a great way to keep your T2D under check - for sure.

 

[Eurobuff]

For all those who are interested in range of carbs: Try reducing your BMI below 24 and body fat below 20 and then try to keep those values for an year or two. Note - both are important. Especially watch your carb intake / diet when weight loss stops (weight loss plateau) and you need to make changes again to reduce body weight further. Then amount of carbs required for your body will be known to yourself. This effort, of course will help in a great way to keep your T2D under check - for sure.

My last weigh in my BMI was 22.9, and according to the scales my body fat was 30.1%, so must have a way to go, 20 seems pretty low though?

 

[mekalu2k4]

according to the scales my body fat was 30.1%, so must have a way to go. 20 seems pretty low though?

not really. A body fat percentage of 20 is achievable with constant efforts over the time, usually around 6 to 8 months (vaguely putting from my experience with many people in our gym). But going down to 18 to 20? that is a big challenge for people above 45. Going below 18 is more difficult than that.

First of all you should google 'body fat percentages pictures' - click on the images - you can see male/ female bodies with different BF values. Then you will realize a value of 20 is not too low; will not give a great shape at all. That said, such value will not make anyone look lean either.

Basically what happens in T2D - it is the visceral fat mostly that resists changes in body fat. So, the efforts by the individual should be focused on reducing the fat around the belly. As I already stated, it is very easy to advise and write on forums; but very difficult achieve.

But you have everything to gain, if you shed your fat. So, try it. Do not hurry, Do not plan anything drastic - keep small targets, work towards them. You need to understand your own body. Read well, plan well - internet info is great.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

200g per day is not good, especially if you are T2D. Even professionals involved in high-end body building or high-end athletic training limit their carbs. But there is a range (depends on body status) min carb to max carb. Zero carb diet is too extreme (IMHO) and not possible to achieve since you may not find those many foods with zero carbs and then survive over longtime on those foods. High carb diet is of course on the other end of the spectrum, not recommended at all. Staying close to 50g carb daily intake is a great achievement (or challenge) by itself.

A high carb diet can be perfectly healthy, as can a diet devoid of carbs. There are extremely healthy indigenous populations that have done quite well for generations on a diet with virtually no carbs (e.g. Inuit) and quite a few groups of indigenous people that have done extremely well on a high carb diet. The key is to almost completely avoid highly processed food-like substances.

 

[mekalu2k4]

completely avoid highly processed food-like substances

Agreed. This is bottom line. I would put this as 'completely avoid any form of processed food-like substances'.