Overweight and Type 2 Diabetes

Russ · Jun 23, 2014

Brunneria said:
Carbs taste nice. Especially when processed and packaged and served as they usually are. Most people like eating them. That's why they are such a problem to those individuals who can't tolerate them. And being slim is not a guarantee of normal BG levels. 20% of type 2s are slim.

You asked if I was in this position, would I eat more carbs?

Well, at various times in my life I have starved/scraped/tortured my body into losing a great deal of weight. Some of that was done using the old style Cambridge diet of 330 cals a day for three+ months. And each time, like 90% of dieters, I have put it all back on. And more. The lower the calorie diet, the worse I rebounded.

Incidentally, each time I lost the weight, my hypoglycaemia continued even when slim. No 'reversal' for me. The carb cravings were always present too.

I'm 47 years old, and for 44 of those years the only time I haven't experienced blood sugar problems and carb cravings is when I follow a strict low carb diet - no matter whether I weighed 4 stone or 24 stone.

So I guess the moral of the story is that some people who follow the Newcastle Dream are going to be disappointed, because there are more reasons for type 2 diabetes than a fatty liver.

I would encourage anyone to lose their excess weight, and if their diabetes 'reverses' at the same time then I am truly, delightfully happy for them. But people should understand that it isn't a cure all, and there is a percentage of people who will not benefit to the same extent.

Russ · Jun 23, 2014

Hi Brunneria,

I am not gloating, but I am one of the 20% (I hadn't heard that before) Type 2's who are slim, but I do have the carb cravings the same as others and I have difficulty with my BG level. BUT, without going overboard on the Atkins type of thing, if you increase your protein and veg, you will naturally eat fewer carbs. It still requires effort, but is a different way of looking at it. Don't turn your back on carbs, just eat more protein. Good luck.

Russ

Brunneria · Jun 23, 2014

Russ said:
Hi Brunneria,

I am not gloating, but I am one of the 20% (I hadn't heard that before) Type 2's who are slim, but I do have the carb cravings the same as others and I have difficulty with my BG level. BUT, without going overboard on the Atkins type of thing, if you increase your protein and veg, you will eat fewer carbs. It still requires effort, but is a different way of looking at it. Don't turn your back on carbs, just eat more protein. Good luck.

Russ

Thanks, but for my body to be comfortable I do have to keep the carbs low, or bury them in high fibre, like green smoothies.

We are all so different, aren't we?

I find largish levels of protein marvellous at keeping my BG stable (although fat is better), but at the same time protein seems to keep my fasting BG higher than normal.

It's a constant learning curve.

Russ · Jun 23, 2014

Brunneria said:
Thanks, but for my body to be comfortable I do have to keep the carbs low, or bury them in high fibre, like green smoothies.

We are all so different, aren't we?

I find largish levels of protein marvellous at keeping my BG stable (although fat is better), but at the same time protein seems to keep my fasting BG higher than normal.

It's a constant learning curve.

Russ · Jun 23, 2014

There's that funny myth about 'we are what we eat' which is just untrue. The other clever diet is the Hay diet, where you don't eat hay, you just don't eat carbs and protein at the same time. That means no to a cheese sandwich, fish and chips, meat and potato pie. I've had tougher times....

Lamont D · Jun 24, 2014

I have to go along with Brunneria, as carbs, even low ones are poison to me and only because I'm on meds, am I testing low GI foods.
We have been conned as a group, I was prediabetic, and we are never given the best advice to low carb.
If I hadn't taken care of my diet, I would be ill and in a bad place all the time!

Take care, keep to the low carbs, eat smaller, often, and a little bit of everything!

LILAC----------
Life I Love against Carbohydrates.

LittleGreyCat · Jun 24, 2014

On my usual band wagon

The 20% number is for T2 diabetics who were not classed by BMI as overweight or obese on diagnosis.
Being at the top end of 'normal' BMI does not, unfortunately, make you 'slim'.
The Newcastle Study suggests that your risk of complications increases for every point you are above the middle of the 'normal' BMI scale, and also says that people who are in the 'normal' BMI range can also benefit from significant weight loss.

Going significantly below the mid range can carry different risks, such as lack of stored fat to tide you over an illness, accident or operation.

I am slowly grinding my way down to a mid range BMI and my BG number are slowly improving but I see no sign currently of a 'cure'.

However if I drop another half stone I think I will be able to really call myself 'slim'.

'Slim' is after all really about your own body image - I thought I was quite trim (BMI of around 25) until I started to take the weight off and then discovered that I really had a pot belly which was getting in the way of simple things like sitting up to get out of bed!

Now I think I am not yet slim enough even though I have lost over a stone.
My waist measurement (true measurement, not waistband size of trousers) is now half my height (so 36" for a six foot male) which is still just O.K. but not spectacular.
It would be nice to get below this and have a bit of a safety margin.

Too much protein can cause issues for some people, so although it is counter intuitive, reducing carbs to the minimum and bumping up the fats can help manage BG because protein does metabolise to produce glucose, just more slowly than carbs.

Cheers

LGC

Flojo68 · Jul 16, 2014

I am T2 on insulin I am 4'10" and weigh 10st 8lbs so I know I am overweight I also have IBS but my DN has told me she doesn't want me counting carbs so I am at a loss as where to go next... I have to test my blood three times a day and this can range from 4.1 up to 15 I inject 48m twice a day..please I am open to sugestions..

jack412 · Jul 16, 2014

That's easy, don't eat grain, grain product or potatoe and watch your insulin dose
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

But they don't give up without a fight
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/firstweek.htm

Brunneria · Jul 16, 2014

flojo68 said:
I am T2 on insulin I am 4'10" and weigh 10st 8lbs so I know I am overweight I also have IBS but my DN has told me she doesn't want me counting carbs so I am at a loss as where to go next... I have to test my blood three times a day and this can range from 4.1 up to 15 I inject 48m twice a day..please I am open to sugestions..

Once again, I am stunned by the bafflingly stupid advice given out by some medical professionals.

Why not count the carbs for a week (you don't actually have to confess your crime to Nursie), and at the same time, map your blood glucose with your meter?

Common sense and an instinct for self preservation will have you low carb high fatting (as @jack412 link shows) in no time at all.

Sorry if that sounds frivolous - very tired! - I genuinely mean it, in your best interests.
And if you discover no relationship between your readings and your carbs, and if you don't think the week has been well spent, then please come back and say so. Knowledge is a GOOD thing.

Overweight and Type 2 Diabetes

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