Newcastle study- old guinea pig

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

End of week 4- lost another 3lb, making a total of 21lb

Week 4

10.10.11
FBG 6.4
+2 hrs 7.2
lunch 5.7
forgot until bedtime 7.9

11.10.11
FBG 6.3
bedtime 5.9

12.10.11
FBG6.8
bedtime 6.5

13.10.11
FBG6.3
bed 6.4

14.10.11
FBG 6.7
bed 6.4

15.10.11
FBG 6.7
bed6.2

16.10.11
FBG 6.0
bed 6.3

17.10 11
FBG 6.5

Survived Sunday's lunch by getting someone else to cook. At the halfway point - hopefully that will keep me on the wagon. Would be happier if the BG was a bit lower but its better than it was 4 weeks ago.

 

[viviennem]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Well done, Minn! Your BGs have really improved, and a 21lb weight loss is great . Keep at it!

Viv 8)

 

[johnts]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Good results Minn keep at it your doing very well with the weight loss and BGs

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Thanks for your support. It's probably premature but I feel a lot better after the last 3 readings:

18.10.11
FBG 5.8
bed 5.1

19.10.11
FBG 5.4

I daresay they'll go up again but it's nice to see some lower figures!

 

[johnts]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Thats brilliant welldone just proves one thing its working

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

End of week 5- lost another 4 lb making a total of 25lb
19.10 11
FBG 5.4
bed 5.7

20.20.11
FBG 5.8
bed 5.4

21.10.11
FBG 6.4
+ 2hours 9.4 (exercise class in that time)
+3 hours 6.8
bed 5.4

22.10.11
FBG 5.4
bed 6.1

23.10.11
FBG 5.8
bed 6.6

24.10.11
FBG 6.2
breakfast 5.8
+2 hours 8.2

The BG readings are good for morning and night but the 2 hours post meals (when I remember) are not so good- going to do a full set of readings today as I have the time and no distractions.Starting to think about how to phase back into normal eating. I think I'll phase in the evening meal for a week or so, then lunch and eventually breakfast ( not a great breakfast eater so the shakes have been easy for that- maybe some kind of veg juice smoothie?) The big test will be meals out and visitors which start the week after I finish. Just have to be very good during the week to counteract the saturday night lapse! I have no intention of wasting all this effort.

 

[viviennem]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

You've done really well, Minn - another 3lb and you'll have lost 2 stone!

I really think I'm going to give it a try after Christmas - it seems to work well, and not be too difficult to stick to. I'd like a warts-and-all description of the horrors after you finish, please - assuming you've had any, of course!

Viv 8)

 

[johnts]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Good results Minn keep it up its all in the right direction weight and Bgs down what are you eating or drinking for the post meal spikes if its slimfast im sure it has more carbs than the optislim im on which is 21g per serving

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Thanks- will give full disclosure Viv once its all over! I am using slimfast John so the extra carbs might be the problem- stocked up now so I'll stick with it.
24.10.11
FBG 6.2
Breakfast 5.8
+2 hours 8.2
lunch 5.4
+2 hours 6.7
supper 5.4
+2 hours 6.8
bed 6.1

25.10.11
FBG 6.2

The breakfast reading seems to be the worst + 2 hours- could it be because I dont usually eat breakfast?- usually have something around 11 to cover both breakfast and lunch. The lower bedtime readings are on the nights I stay up til 12- the higher ones when I have an early night so I can understand that discrepancy.

Someone mentioned BMI. I found a calculator online and according to that my BMI was 33.7 when I started (obese) - this week its 29.8- just edged into merely overweight! Went out at the weekend and bought some sweatpants with a drawstring- the old ones are falling down when I go to the exercise class.

 

[Patch]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Great news, Minn. I always did find that my fasting and fasting+1 hrs were the highest readings when on the Optifast shakes.

Good to hear that it's not just me finding this!

I'm finding now (back on real, lo-carb food), that my BG's are ALWAYS (without meds) between 8 and 10 mmol/L. This indicates to me that my pancreas IS working better than it was, and is maintaining a BG level with 2mmol/L of the pre-meal/fasting levels.

I'm of the opinion that this is purely down to the weigh loss (and the potential loss of fat from around my organs).

Does this mean that IF I can lose some more weight, I can expect to se normal fasting BG levels, and that I can stay within 2mmol/L of that Bg level through out the day?

I reckon so.

But I've hit a major plateau, and am really struggling to go lose any more weight.

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Plateaus are awful- I lost 5 stone after baby no 2 18 years ago and was ok as long as there was even a small loss- to stick with it and lose nothing is really discouraging, but if you can keep going it does eventually start to shift again. I think every fall from grace I had on that diet was due to getting stuck at one weight! I fully expect it to be a problem once I get back onto real food- and Christmas is coming- yikes.

 

[johnts]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Great news, Minn. I always did find that my fasting and fasting+1 hrs were the highest readings when on the Optifast shakes.

Good to hear that it's not just me finding this!

I'm finding now (back on real, lo-carb food), that my BG's are ALWAYS (without meds) between 8 and 10 mmol/L. This indicates to me that my pancreas IS working better than it was, and is maintaining a BG level with 2mmol/L of the pre-meal/fasting levels.

I'm of the opinion that this is purely down to the weigh loss (and the potential loss of fat from around my organs).

Does this mean that IF I can lose some more weight, I can expect to se normal fasting BG levels, and that I can stay within 2mmol/L of that Bg level through out the day?

I reckon so.



But I've hit a major plateau, and am really struggling to go lose any more weight.

I beleive so aswell Pat give it a go mate I know I am going to extend my optislim for a further month so 12 weeks then lo cal diet look at your BMI might do the trick

 

[Patch]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Most of my weight loss was in the first 3 weks of the optislim regime. My BMI right now is 28.2 (6' 2", 220lbs).

I'll be giving it another bash in January - straight back into the 8 week program!

 

[johnts]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

I think BMI has a lot to do with it ie fat around the organs so keep on with the diet untill we reach that goal target on the BMI scale and see what the results are then

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Week 6- lost 2lb, 1lb short of 2 st.
25.10.11
FBG 6.2
Bed 5.5

26.10.11
FBG 5.0
Bed 5.3

27.10.11
FBG 5.1
Bed 6.0

28.10.11
FBG 4.8
Bed 5.3

29.10.11
FBG 5.2
Bed 5.3

30.10.11
FBG 4.7
Bed 5.6

31.10.11
FBG 5.2

Only 2lb this week, but those FBG figures are much better. Not sure there will be time to test today so I'll do that later in the week.

 

[johnts]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Minn they are fantastic results wish I could get readings like that maybe I will when i get home later today being stuck in this office in Aberdeen for 15 days solid is not the best place to do a diet but trying to maintain it but im home for 20 days, other thing is be intresting to see what further weight loss ive had over the last 2 weeks again do that when i get home so what are your post meal readings ?
But any way you should be proud of yourself on acheiving such fantastic results welldone

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Thanks for your support. I havent been doing the pre and post meal tests- keep forgetting and one is a bit pointless without the other. However today Ive made an effort.
31.10.11
FBG 5.2
+2 hours 8.8
bed 7.3

1.11.11
FBG 5.2
bed 6.2

2.11.11- weight 13.4-so Ive now lost 29lb-2st 1lb.
FBG 5.0
+2 8.3
lunch 5.7
+2 6.7
supper 5.3
+2 7.4
Bed 5.7

The breakfast + 2 is always the worst. I think Patch is right about the slimfast- there are a lot of carbs and sugar in it. I think rather than sticking with it after next week is over I will try and do my own thing and see if I can keep off what I've lost and maybe lose a little more. I imagine that the reason for using optifast in the original trial was to ensure that everyone had the same amount and type of nutrition for the purposes of the 'gold standard' test- the only other way would have been to get them all holed up somewhere with a dietician and catering laid on, which would have defeated the 'normal everyday activity' part of the trial. Since no one is paying for MRI scans and special testing to see whether we are achieving what we hope (!)there's no reason that we couldnt compose our own meals, keeping within the limits calorie wise but suiting ourselves as to the balance of protein and carbs, and I think I'm going to try that and see if I can improve those 2hour+ readings, especially in the morning.
Going to have a think about it and try and rough out some meal plans- if I can I'll post what I eat and the test results of my first week off the NS diet- then we'll see. I'll definitely do a long post about how it's been for me- maybe a full set of tests for the last day of the diet and the first of ordinary food- that might be interesting. Trouble is I keep forgetting to test!

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Starting week 8
Lost another 5 lb- 32 lb in total

3.11.11
FBG 5.2
Bed 5.4

4.11.11
FBG 5.2
+2hours 7.7
Bed 5.3

5.11.11
FBG5.7
Bed5.3

6.11.11
FBG 4.8
Bed 6.2

7.11.11
FBG 5.4

Much better weight loss, but not such good figures as last week. I haven't done anything different- same food, same amount of exercise, perhaps a lazier Sunday this last weekend. My rings are looser- maybe it was fluid retention in week 6? I took my daughter to the ballet on Saturday - wore a pair of trousers I stopped wearing to work 18 months ago because they were too small- bit loose now if anything !

 

[johnts]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

Thats good Minn My figures where higher a few days back creeping up to 7 so Ive started taking my Metformin again ill take them for a few days and see what happens after that but its certaily brought my BG down to good figures again hope it lasts when i stop taking them in a few days but will cut down to half first them 1 pill see how it goes

 

[minn]

Re: Newcastle study- new guinea pig

I saw that you were back on the metformin. It's difficult when the figures don't stay consistent and you don't know why. My 2 hours post breakfast reading was 6.4 which is the best it's been, but then I got stuck on the phone at lunchtime and forgot to test. I'll try and remember this evening. Thursday is probably going to be my best day for a full set of tests- it's a quiet day with few distractions.