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Newly diagnosed, should I continue with 5/2 as well as low carb?

Potteron

Potteron

Well-Known Member
Messages
66
Location
Staffordshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi there.
I was informed that I was type 2 diabetic last Monday - 30/3/15 - after my 'Well Woman' check up showed I had raised blood glucose 6.1 and a follow up HbA1c of 6.8.
Now I'd been aware for some time that I needed to sort my health out so have been doing the BBC version of the 5/2 since January 2015 and have lost just over a stone, I also got a dog a month ago as being a labradorxcollie he has to be walked :))

The doctor said I'd be contacted by chiropody and the dietitian, that I didn't need medication, or to self monitor my blood glucose, and I'd be called for another blood test in a few months. Not feeling any of this was very helpful I have done extensive reading on this site and others and have come to the conclusion that the LCHF diet would prob suit me. I've known for years that eating sandwiches or baked potato etc for lunch made me incapable of doing any work in the afternoons.

I've bought myself a glucose tester and am enjoying (not) the spotty fingers. Today I discovered that porridge today had the same effect as greek yog with nuts/berries yesterday. This cheered me up no end as I love my porridge :) Oh and what a discovery ---- I absolutely love mashed cauliflower - who'd of thought it lol

What I'm pondering at present is do I continue with the 5/2 or will just doing the LCHF diet be sufficient on its own.
any advice/suggestions gratefully received.
 
Hi Potteron
first a warm welcome to the forum :)

Glad you have done some reading and are ignoring the medical advice -- a blood glucose meter is an essential tool in my opinion.
you have touched on the very answer I am about to give you --- EAT TO YOUR METER.
this will tell you if the foods you eat are worth keeping in your diet.

have tagged @nosher8355 for his helpful advice and @daisy1 for her great starter pack.
 
Potteron said:
Hi there.
I was informed that I was type 2 diabetic last Monday - 30/3/15 - after my 'Well Woman' check up showed I had raised blood glucose 6.1 and a follow up HbA1c of 6.8.
Now I'd been aware for some time that I needed to sort my health out so have been doing the BBC version of the 5/2 since January 2015 and have lost just over a stone, I also got a dog a month ago as being a labradorxcollie he has to be walked :))

The doctor said I'd be contacted by chiropody and the dietitian, that I didn't need medication, or to self monitor my blood glucose, and I'd be called for another blood test in a few months. Not feeling any of this was very helpful I have done extensive reading on this site and others and have come to the conclusion that the LCHF diet would prob suit me. I've known for years that eating sandwiches or baked potato etc for lunch made me incapable of doing any work in the afternoons.

I've bought myself a glucose tester and am enjoying (not) the spotty fingers. Today I discovered that porridge today had the same effect as greek yog with nuts/berries yesterday. This cheered me up no end as I love my porridge :) Oh and what a discovery ---- I absolutely love mashed cauliflower - who'd of thought it lol

What I'm pondering at present is do I continue with the 5/2 or will just doing the LCHF diet be sufficient on its own.
any advice/suggestions gratefully received.
Click to expand...
Hello and welcome.

It seems you have sorted a good approach to diet. Intermittent fasting and Low carb does effect good control. Especially if you have weight to lose. With the added factor of all that dog walking it is possible that you could get blood glucose levels back down to non-diabetes levels.

Best of luck.
 
I'm going to be contrary here, and say that - personally - I'd stop the 5/2 dieting if you're going to do LCHF. The reason I'm saying this is that, if you genuinely cut out a lot of carbs and keep an eye on calories, you're likely to lose weight anyway. If, on top of that, you eat very little for a couple of days a week, you're probably not going to do yourself much good, nutrition-wise, and may well find it difficult to stay motivated enough to stick to a low carb diet for the rest of the week.

I'm neither a Doctor nor a Dietician, so you should treat this advice as being worth what you paid for it! Just my opinion.... Good luck, whatever you decide. :)
 
Potteron said:
What I'm pondering at present is do I continue with the 5/2 or will just doing the LCHF diet be sufficient on its own.
any advice/suggestions gratefully received.
Click to expand...
For maximum effect, do both. You will be totally in charge of your diabetes and you will feel great.
 
Potteron said "I was informed that I was type 2 diabetic last Monday - 30/3/15 - after my 'Well Woman' check up showed I had raised blood glucose 6.1 and a follow up HbA1c of 6.8."

I went for my free NHS health check and I too was diagnosed as T2 diabetic with a blood glucose of 18.6mmol/L and an HbA1c of 10.4, a huge shock to me as I had no symptoms and was normal weight and fairly active.

After several months of struggling with the "recommended" diet I started LCHF diet and lost 1 and a half stones taking me to well under weight for my height.

Your figures are not too bad and I would think if you eat sensibly you could do the 5:2 diet as well as the LCHF ubtil you reach your tatget weight.

Good luck.
 
jay hay-char said:
I'm going to be contrary here, and say that - personally - I'd stop the 5/2 dieting if you're going to do LCHF. The reason I'm saying this is that, if you genuinely cut out a lot of carbs and keep an eye on calories, you're likely to lose weight anyway. If, on top of that, you eat very little for a couple of days a week, you're probably not going to do yourself much good, nutrition-wise, and may well find it difficult to stay motivated enough to stick to a low carb diet for the rest of the week.

I'm neither a Doctor nor a Dietician, so you should treat this advice as being worth what you paid for it! Just my opinion.... Good luck, whatever you decide. :)
Click to expand...

I couldn't disagree more. I do 5:2 and I don't Low Carb. I've got my HBA1C down from 60 to 41 in less than two months. 2 hours after a GTT was a reading of 4.9. Just had steak, veg and a baked potato. 5.7 two hour later. I've lost 3 stone with intermittent fasting too. So combine both by all means it gives you the of all worlds!

Just eat to your meter!
 
I'm curious how people mange to avoid liver dumps when fasting - as my liver can be (sometimes over) helpful if I haven't eaten - particularly early in the day.

Robbity
 
Robbity said:
I'm curious how people mange to avoid liver dumps when fasting - as my liver can be (sometimes over) helpful if I haven't eaten - particularly early in the day.

Robbity
Click to expand...

I think it is just how some of us are. I always get up and do my horses (2 hours work) and then have breakfast. My glucose before breakfast was always high so I started testing when I got up and then again before breakfast and found that the first glucose was about 1.5mmol/L lower than the one I did before breakfast so I now have to have breakfast before I do the horses.
 
Thank you all for your replies, its helpful to hear differing view points, bit like batting ideas about with friends :) I do have a few stone to loose , should have mentioned that , so probably should try to continue with both for the time being. Although may take this week off the 5/2 , its been a tiring week trying to take every thing in
 
Potteron said:
Thank you all for your replies, its helpful to hear differing view points, bit like batting ideas about with friends :) I do have a few stone to loose , should have mentioned that , so probably should try to continue with both for the time being. Although may take this week off the 5/2 , its been a tiring week trying to take every thing in
Click to expand...
You know what @Potteron? I think that is very wise. So much to take in, and so many thoughts and fears when just diagnosed. We have all been there. Takes time for shock to wear off too.

If you keep up with the BG testing you will soon know what is the right path for you to take.

Best wishes, keep posting.
 
Hi All
Just an update, I'm feeling quite elated today as I've just had my 3 month HbA1c and it was 43 !!! , down from 51 in March. I've been following dietdoctor.com advice and also all the good posts and information on here. I've only lost 10lb in the last 3 months on LCHF diet but had already lost a stone since Xmass so am happy with the total so far this year. I've also mainly been doing 16/8 but having viewed and read all Dr Jason Fung has to say I'm thinking of now starting to do a 24 Hr fast once a week.

In celebration of today's results I went to Lidyl and bought some of the high protein rolls I read about on here ,,,,,, yummmy and also started some of the coconut yoghurt fermenting, so looking forward to a weekend of (safe lol) treats
Oh and bs reading 2hrs after 1/2 a Lidyl roll was 7 so maybe tomorrow I'll go crazy and try a whole one
 
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