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Not losing any weight.

MancboyChris

Active Member
Messages
40
Location
Manchester
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Good evening all,

Before I was diagnosed I weighed 17 stone and an 6ft1. My BMI is stupid. Once I got diagnosed at new year, I thought right, I was planning on losing weight and now my diagnosis pretty much pushed me.

Since the start of the year, I haven't had any junk food, no pasta, white rice, takeaways, fizzy drinks basically all I've been advised to stay away from.

Right now I still don't have the strength to use the gym as I was particularly weak before diagnosis and still weak now though not as much..

Weighed myself after over three weeks, I'm still 17 stone. No change and there's no way I am consuming close to 2000 calories a day, not even 1500 most days.

I don't know what type I have yet, but whilst they find out - they've put me on insulin.

I know seeing a dietician may help (I see one Tues) but from a weight loss perspective, if you don't eat the recommended calories a day then you should at least lose something.

Can anyone shed light on this or am I being impatient?

Tia.
 
Start walking .... a LOT ....
 
So... What do you eat? On a typical day and all. It's not so much a calories in, calories out kind of thing, especially not with diabetes in the mix... And insulin would store the carbs you eat as fat, if you're a T2. As a T1 or another type, it's a whole different ballgame. So it's a bit early days to make changes if you're unsure of what you are right now. Also, you can go really low carb, but with insulin that'd mean hypo's if you're on a fixed dose. So do give yourself a moment to get more information, and go from there. Also, @Mike D makes a good point. Are you ready boots? Start walkin'.
 

Chris, when it comes to weight, diets and all of that, there are some broad rules of thumb, but they are just that.

We have people here who eat very, very modestly and never lose weight, and others who for whom their trimming up is very fast.

It sounds like your body has been through a lot of turmoil, one way o another. Be patient and await your full diagnosis, so that you can carefully plan a way forward.

In the meantime, if you can dial up your activity level a bit it will likely all help.
 
I had a similar problem - this may not be the case but for info:

Keep a very detailed diary of what you eat and drink, just for a week. Every mouthful of anything. I weighted it all up (IE if i had a snack of nuts i weighed into a bowl what i was going to have). I used an app/google to work out what i was eating - What i found was my rough calculation of about 1700 calories was closer to 2300 calories which explained allot.

Also, the calorie requirements are based on a reasonable level of activity, buy a cheap wrist based pedometer and try it for a few weeks - again i found some days i was only doing 2000 steps against a 10000 base requirement. If you cant do the steps thats fine, but the calories you take in are based on those steps so may need to be reduced further.

As en example - i thought a 3 egg omlette, could be 200 calories..

Now it can be if its plain and made with skimmed milk/no fat to cook it. The one i was eating was 500 or 600 calories if large eggs, semi or whole milk, butter to cook, adding cheese, etc. Its easy for "healthy" meals to jump up

And dont forget drinks, alcoholic or any milk based drinks contain loads of calories. Like a Latte or a pint of beer can get you 300 calories
 
Thanks everyone for their Input. I think the walking idea will be sensible without needing too much energy.

Typical foods I eat now, eggs, cottage cheese, tuna, fresh cod no batter, chicken, increased veg a lot, tomatoes even though I hate them, I drink a lot of water sometimes a brew with a little milk no sugar, I honestly can't think of anything I've eaten which would be unhealthy, maybe little chopped up pieces of cathedral city cheese as a snack.

I've found out today that there was no antibodies in the results they did so was told likely type 2. What really annoys me is I joined the gym in November, then I started feeling really weak and lethargic so I couldn't find energy to use the gym. Then on NY I get diagnosed. I want to lose weight, I know I need to lose weight, as I've said my food portion size and the food itself has changed a lot.

If I needed to mention one thing what I wouldn't see as healthy that I've had (but been advised it's okay for diabetics)

2 bacon medallions
2 fried eggs
2 sausages
Tomatoes
1 slice of wholegrain bread

I've only had this once and that's as it was my birthday.

So verdict, walk more, get increased energy levels?

Will my meds make a difference if they change them? I'm on insulin 4 times a day as they told me they were treating me for type 1 initially until they found out what type it was.

Apologies If I'm sounding stupid, I'm just annoyed
 

I will bear all of this in mind, thank you. I do eat omelettes for breakfast, 2 eggs, semi milk, bit of grated cheese and stuff like peppers, mushrooms and a dollop of cottage cheese on the side, could it be the cheese I m consuming? It's confusing reading that cheese or dairy is fine for diabetics but then not if you're trying to lose weight?
 

Hello, has insulin improved your levels? You’ll need to keep pestering until you find out what type you are. For the time being, Id be slightly careful with low carb and insulin, incase of hypos. I would start weighing all your carbs and write a food diary of everything you eat and drink, and include activities and your BG levels, constant high BG could be making you tired.
 


Hey, I suppose the thing is that the two are different requirements. Like cheese and meats and fat are totay fine for diabetics. To loose weight you just need to consume less calories then you burn. So if you can't increase energy burn through excersise and activity you have to decrease calories.

So you can eat cheese, but a small amount of it has a fair few calories. So your bloods may be ok eating it but you may not loose weight.

If you go with the keto diet things work slightly differently with fat, but you need to be prepared to cut all carbs out to make that work.

Main thing is if you keep a detailed diary for a short period, including weighing what your eating you may be surprised how many calories you are consuming, I cirtainly was. But knowing helped me to to grips with what a proper portion was, and what not to add to dishes to keep them lower in calories.
 
I’d disagree quite strongly with the whole calories in and calories out thing if you turn out to be type 2. If that is the case a calorie of carbs will have a very different effect on weight (and lots of other things not least blood glucose and insulin) than a calorie of fat or protein. Most type 2 here that do low carb also do eat fat. Sometime quite a lot of fat. We still need energy from somewhere and fat doesn’t spike blood glucose the way carbs do. Without either we feel rubbish and have no energy. That all said fixed doses of insulin and low carb are a very delicate balance in order to avoid hypos. If you are type 2, insulin will slow weight loss as you already have too much, just can’t use it properly. Insulin is a fat storing and saving hormone. And even without it for a significant number of people other healing happens before weight loss does. Eg blood glucose levels falling fat from internal organs reducing, insulin resistance falling It can take some time and patience is required till it all takes off on the scales. A tape measure can be more useful in the early days.

What are you waiting on now for diagnosis? Maybe gather info whilst waiting as others suggest. Test before and 2hrs after meals. See what effect each food has on you. Record it. That way you’ll know which things need adjusting once type and any medications are sorted.
 
If you're really struggling to lose weight in a calorie deficit then I expect you have hyperinsulinemia. Permanently high blood insulin will make it virtually impossible to mobilise any stored body fat. Depending on the severity of your diabetes, and how long you've had it, the excess insulin can persist long after adopting a low carb diet. Keep calm and carry on. Patience is your friend.
 
Careful on the cheese & cream. Easy to stack up lots as they're quite dense, energy-wise. Harder to eat huge volumes of green veg, eggs & meat and butter.
 
Hi all, again thanks for the replies.

Ive been told I have an appointment to see the diabetic nurse on 5th Feb, along with dietician.

Once I was diagnosed on new years eve, they treated me with insulin and then sent me home with insulin also, when I came out my bloods were around 16, right now it is staying in the 5-7 region, sometimes a little higher but not over 10 and no signs of hypos.

I was told by phone today that the bloods they took from me indicated that there was no autoimmune antibodies or something, which she said it is now likely type 2. I mentioned about insulin or metformin, she told me the nurse would make a decision when I see her in Feb.

There's alot of good advice on this thread and forum as a whole and I thank everyone for their help and input.

I'm going to try and upload a photo of my tea tonight, bear in mind... Most of my teas now include the veg etc
.
Roast pork
Green beans
Brocoli
Carrots
2 scoops of mash.

Is this too much? My levels were 6.6 before this meal and will test again in two hours.
 

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Just keep in mind that your blood glucose is no indication of your blood insulin. A person can have normal glucose but furiously elevated insulin keeping it in check. In these instances weight loss is extremely troublesome, even with lots of exercise.
 
Hi all, me again. After tea I had some Bournville dark choc buttons, handful
Before food 6.6, now come down to 4.9, then tested again 5.4m is this okay, I am unsure whether I should take my lantus.
 
MancboyChris said:
Hi all, me again. After tea I had some Bournville dark choc buttons, handful
Before food 6.6, now come down to 4.9, then tested again 5.4m is this okay, I am unsure whether I should take my lantus.
Click to expand...
Chris not going to comment on your Lantau, but I assume you decided what to do 4 hrs ago. If ever in real doubt, and concern, please call 111 who will advise.

Just commenting on your absence of antibodies; not all T1s ever evidence antibodies which is all very (un)helpful! I hope they also tested your C-Peptide levels at the same time. That can also take a little while to come back.

Keep a close eye on those number and if thy start creeping up, and your meds are becoming less effective (or insulin doses increasing), make sure you let your medical team know about it. T1 in adults can come on very slowly.

Please don't think I'm saying your team are wrong in their assessment, just asking you to be vigilant with it all.
 
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