I agree Steve. I'm using
Exante products following a 600 calorie per day 8 week plan. My non-diabetic wife is also using them on a 1200 calorie plan for a few weeks too, so plenty of moral support there. This works for us as we find it a "faff" to measure & weigh things all the time so, although they're not the most palatable of meals, after a short period of adjustment, they're quite acceptable for the short term.
I think that once I've achieved targets (weight, BP & BG) I'll move over to a low-carb regime for a more extended period to monitor numbers, reduce metformin & BP meds. I did do Atkins years ago (pre-diabetes) and enjoyed that, so low carb is a variation of that theme that should work for both of us.
My incentive is wanting to be around as long as I can for my 7 year old son (I'm 59, wife is 49). For years I'd accepted the GP's party-line, "It's a progressive, irreversible condition. Meds will increase over time and then onto insulin (very close on last blood results), it's normal, etc., etc" and used meds to mask my obviously inadequate dietary control. After my last blood tests 2 months ago followed by a further increase of meds and experiencing some hypos on gliclazide, I decided to become better informed, found this forum, bought a BG monitor and the went to the GP's this week after blood tests last week armed with 1 week's worth of fantastic figures. He was "mightily impressed", agreed with my plan & weaning off of meds suggestions and agreed to prescribe my test strips & lancets on repeat prescriptions too. For the first time in a few years I walked out of a GP's appontment with a smile on my face rather than being down about having my medication increased once more. I do now feel that I am in control. Information is power to my mind.