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

Newcastle diet starting Monday, done it once who gonna join me on my journey??

Well went to see diabetic nurse today and as anticipated met with lack of interest, lack of suggestions, lack of motivation. Waste of time, people on here are far more positive and inspiring
 
too right if it wasn't for the kind people on here encouraging me I think I would still be in tears and feeling hopeless! Big thanks everyone!!
 
geordie90 said:
Well went to see diabetic nurse today and as anticipated met with lack of interest, lack of suggestions, lack of motivation. Waste of time, people on here are far more positive and inspiring
Click to expand...

You should have told her about this forum, maybe she had gotten inspiried by all the stories of people getting better for a change, not just progessively worse. lol

I get very uplifted at least by all the people here telling about their experiences, and it seems to get on a snowballing effect, I see newcastle threads everyday here now, so you are doing good work by posting here, I try to get all the diabetics I know to go this site, it is by far the most excellent diabetes forum on the web if you ask me.

Maybe its the quirky british humour that does it? xD
 
geordie90 said:
Well went to see diabetic nurse today and as anticipated met with lack of interest, lack of suggestions, lack of motivation. Waste of time, people on here are far more positive and inspiring
Click to expand...

Right, so you have established that you are not going to get much support from the nurse, and that the forum support suits you better.
So, do you have an action plan at the ready? Are you doing a version of ND? Are you planning ahead for the 'rest of your life' eating plan? You have done ND successfully before, by your own efforts and research. I believe you can find the right solution for you. You have inspired others, so allow yourself to be inspired and encouraged. To do that, keep posting and interaction going here.
You know you can.
 
Roytayloretcetcrtc I asked her all the questions, told her about the forum etc how good the results people have as an initial start on a life changing journey but not remotely interested, can I check your feet she asked, yes go on then but I know they are still there cod I can feel them!!!!
I suggested restarting the diet and jetting her see the results etc but all she talked about was the 5:2 diet which is obviously what they are promoting. Not very impressed tbh my previous DN was far better
 
I agree with everyone nd threads are getting more and more day by day. So many people are on it now and I think unfortunately not everyone has there gp or DN by there side including me.
 
Pipp that's exactly what I'm going to do my gf and I are going to sit down and base a diet around the ND but this time gonna try to make it sustainable for the long term, gonna take measurements, weight etc and use you guys for inspiration x
 
Hi geordie90,
Pipp is 100% right, (post 604) As I said before, I stumbled on this thread by accident and it was YOU and others that inspired me to start the ND, and NO it hasn't reversed my Diabetes yet after 2 weeks, and NO I can't get my resting BS below 6.8. BUT it's guys like you have gotten me to this point, where I am on the ND, where I am thinking about sensible eating habits, AND I know now that this (for me ) is is life changing, and I am 69, So yes Geordie, we'll get there, coz that's what this forum does, it gives people the inspiration to do something about their situation, I for one haven't done anything since diagnosed 4 years ago, and look where I am now, ........ All because of this thread and the great people on it,
Off my soapbox now, sorry for the rant, My point being is that I would still be wandering through life with Blood Sugar levels as high as 28, testing twice a week, and not a clue about Diabetes, it's this thread and guys like you that have gotten me here, So yea Geordie, We'll get there.
 
Day 40 - completely off all meds - fasting blood 6.2 - so may be a little soon. Not that 6.2 is high - but I would have preferred something in the low 5's. Weight however - down another 0.2kg. Total loss is now 8kg on the ND. (Now weigh 86.4 - target 82.5) New BMI is now 24.1. (Target BMI is 23). 16 days to go and I have 3.9 kg more to drop - about 1mmol on my fasting blood and 1.1 on my BMI.

So - looking at it in the long term (a la RobOwen) - Started on the 5/2 September '14 at 110kg (it did work for me Geordi90) BMI 30.1 - dropped to 91.3kg - then plateaued and went back up to 94.4. I think I was overcompensating on the 5 days of eating for the 2 days of fasting (basically greedy) Fasting blood was 7.9 average over 14 days. S0 - started ND 40 days ago, now down to 86.4kg, Fasting blood average over 14 days 5.7 - BMI now 24.1.Not feeling unwell, not lethargic, no having to sit things out, no digestive issues (just cold hands and feet and constantly needing to pee from the vast amounts of water ) - not hungry - but missing the wine!

You have all kept me on the strait and narrow on this - thank you.

I still need to wait for my next bloods (HbA1c) to convince my DN to reconsider my diabetic status (and officially alter my meds or take me off them). I find the doctors and nurses are not quite as maverick as us - they need evidence - not their fault, it's the way they are trained into the art and science of medicine. More reliance on the science. So - show them the proof I say! If more of us can do this - we may start turning the tide - (one drop at a time)
 
Thanks guys I am listening lol it just frustrates the life out of me tbh but I am going to take control and deal with it myself as I should have done years ago. You'll all be sick of me again soon lol
 
Been a tough week, have two meals with work this week plus a few drinks, one was an appraisal where stress levels were high and the other was a social meal and went for a burger, bloods the day after were around 9.2 but I am not on meds, so back on the ND. The battery on the scales has runned down, changed the battery and its decided not to work, really felt that my weight has plateaud over the last few weeks. Need to get back on the ND - day 18, but looking at myself in the mirror naked I feel that there is still alot to lose. I look at my grandfather who has a meak guy and had a smallish body and think that it is years of doing the job which I have had, international sales which has caused the disease to take hold. The ND I hope is reversing this. On the plus side clothes are fitting better and people have said that you have lost weight. ND let's keep on track.
 
Great results @Steve50. I think you have a pragmatic and sensible outlook and I like your reasoning.

I've just started week 4 following the Exante diet plan. Their advice is 600 calorie 3 meal replacement for a 3 week maximum before introducing a minimum 200 calorie additional food source for one week, then revert to 3 weeks on 600 calories alone. I started the increase yesterday with a home made skinny pea soup (130 cals per serving plus 1 slice of Hovis Seed Sensations at 75 cals plus butter) followed by an Exante pudding. There was no BG spike 2 hours after and this morning I was a half pound lighter than yesterday (weight losses seem to be running at half to 1 pound a day at the moment with the occasional plateau).

I'm 5' 10" and now weigh 15st 3lbs - the lightest I've been for several years. My target for the 8 week ND is 14st. If I don't quite make it I'm planning to migrate on to LCHF food so I can eat more normally with the rest of the family and just omit the carby content. For now though, it's just sticking to this regime.

Everyone's stories plus improving weight, BP & BG readings are certainly an inspiration and incentive to keep plodding on. Keep up the info guys.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Rob

I've looked at the Exant diet program - and it looks pretty good and easy to follow. Some of the feedback on the Exant site suggests that some (not all) of the choices are a bit dodgy!!! Do you have any particular favorites - or tips for what choices to avoid?

I think the most difficult thing for me is that I am a bit of a foodie - (and I love wine - but that is another issue - unless someone knows of a 0 carb wine!)
and I do all of the cooking in our household. But then when I sit down for the family meal with to a plate of plants - it feels and looks like its difficult for me - and I can see it brings on the sympathy etc... If, however, the Exant meals look at least mildly interesting, that may provide a solution
 
@Wildrover what you said is true
I was lucky to find this forum on the day of diagnosis. Being in IT helps sometimes as I am always looking for different forums and discussions and I found this. Thats how in my first three month review I got myself from a1c of 142 to 47 and being young the DN and gp was confused how could I be so high on type 2 and did the tests to confirm it. I remember being called by gp on friday and coming back home and thinking what the hell do I really eat and everyone here was fantastic. Ordered the kit on the day of diagnosis and started testing from the day I got the kit and I remember getting first few readings on 10's then 8's and then 4 5 and 6's in a week of being diagnosed. My gp did another fasting and in exactly 10 days I was 6 from 16.2
Geordie you did it earlier and I am sure you know how difficult it is to do again but not impossible. We are all here and will try to help as much as we can. I finished my nd but I am still so limited with the quantity of food I eat I still think I am under 800 calories but I am increasing them and as much as I am tempted to try and eat high carb one off food I feel like I could undo all the hard work I have done in 8 weeks so planning to stay lchf for the rest of my life. Just trying to decide long term should I do intermittent fasting 16:8 or 5:2 as both wouldn't really bog me down now that I have done nd.
My meeting with DN yesterday was pleasantly good and surprising as I myself said she will talk **** and I will leave. She instead after seeing my levels was not only happy but said I will discharge you, to be honest I did not understand what she meant but then said but i need you to raise your a1c as it's too low now, you are in a non diabetic range but you still will be diabetic for life. She took me off metformin and said you stop that and we review you again in 3 months, I so wanted to tell her that I am off it now already and haven't taken in it for two months and still my levels dont go into 5's. She thinks and she could be right that my a1c will go up by about 20 points. So she said if it goes above 65 we will put you back on metformin and again stressed she wants me to increase my a1c from 40. On a plus side she said I will give you a new meter even though I showed her mine and she was quite happy with the readings. So all in all not bad butsome points like increase a1c and still insisting it's a progressive disease but you might not need insulin for long time doesn't make sense to me. If I can manage my levels without medications but not eat too much carbs how am I any different to anyone else who's not diabetic. We will always fight over this but we will see in a few months. I plan to get my a1c done in june as I had it on 10th March so I want to wait for 3 months atleast to get another one done.
 
HI Brettza

I had a Contour meter and now have a Verio. During the change over I took my blood reading on both at the same time - same blood prick - and got two wildly different readings (4.8 and 6.5)

 
helenjones said:
too right if it wasn't for the kind people on here encouraging me I think I would still be in tears and feeling hopeless! Big thanks everyone!!
Click to expand...

Although Exante recommend not adding in veges for the 3 weeks, I would follow the ND diet. 3 packs only gives you 75% of your RDA, but you're missing out fibre and nurition which can cause a big problem. The green veg make it easier to stick to the plan too. If you've got social stuff to do you can order the side salad and still be part of what's going on without too many raised eyebrows and questions. If anyone asks you if you're on a diet and you don't want to talk about what you're doing then the word 'detox' works well and people will back off and let you get on with it.

The most important bit is the transition back to food afterwards, the others are right about that
 
It is simple...eat 1 pack per meal plus lots of fluid. No weighing, measuring, calorie counting, etc., etc. When I started my wife fancied the 1200 cal per day option, i.e. 3 meal replacements plus a 600 cal "real food" meal for her, so we ordered the 4 week breakfast, luch & dinner pack at £80. It's all dehydrated powdered packs, apart from the bars. They make up with either hot or cold water, depending on the meal. They do not really look anywhere near as appetisng or as generous as on their website (surprise, surprise). For example, their plate of replacement meal bars shows 2 - there's only 1. The "Sheperd's Pie" FLAVOUR (important distinction) is a hot "baby-food" consistency gloop, but it is hot, it does have a taste of what is purports to be and the meal packs do offer some variety. Their Red Bean Chilli is acceptable, for example. The soups are a bit "bleh" and leave a bit of a sticky residue after-effect in the mouth.

At first we were both quite disappointed with the consistency & appearance of the products but, to be quite honest, once you accept them for what they are, we became quite accepting of them, as there was a limited time duration we would be tolerating them before moving on. My understanding is that 3 of their 200 calorie packs provided 100% of an adult's daily nutrional requirements. Fibre is in the packs as well and I have encountered no digestive difficulties in the 3 weeks I have been using them.

After the initial purchase of the 4 week meal pack I also bought a 4 week shakes & bars pack (also £80 at the time, but a further sale offer reduced that to £70 - trawl the offers section to see what applies at the time you are looking). Now that was better for me as they are quite tasty, the flavours as descibed, if a little on the weak side, and quite filling. I ordered a second 4 week shakes & bars pack to see me though, as an extra discount was offered. So now I am set up for my 8 weeks and my wife's 4 weeks. As I hate waste...it's another incentive to see it through as well . We mix & match the products between us for variety, usually starting the day with a shake, a bar with coffee at lunch time and a meal at night.

As I said before it's an uncomplicated way of sticking to the regime and, from what I understand, more nutrionally balanced than Slim-Fast, etc. or supermarket own-brand type products. Sorry for the rample, but it's not easy to put personal perspectives over in this sort of manner. Hope it helps.
 
@brettza
Brilliant results, looks like you've cracked it, now your out the other end of the ND
 
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.…