Prediabetes diagnosis

Bluetit1802 said:

For breakfast I just have 100g of full fat Greek yogurt and about 60g of strawberries, plus 10g of flaxseed. Oh and a mug of tea, closely followed by another one. This lasts me all morning without feeling hungry.

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I used to eat nothing until the evening. I could happily get up, work, maybe 10 hours through without thinking about food. I could then eat about 3000 calories in the evening.
Re-training to eat breakfast was actually quite hard.

Currently I aim for between 60 and 65g a day on average. This seems to be the best amount for me to tolerate. I started higher than that and worked my way down. Any less and I wouldn't be able to sustain it.

Lynn1 said:

Do you know if eating low carb is cumulative? Are levels likely to improve of their own accord?

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Interesting question, and I can only answer personally; although some others have found similarly.

For me, my levels improved as I trimmed up, but it wasn't in a steady linear fashion. I have never gone down the strictly LCHF route, much preferring a mildly hybrid approach that fitted better with the lifestyle my OH and myself enjoy, and the foods I am able to source when overseas for protracted periods.

But, back largely to your query.

Having reduced carbs, my body would somehow find or settle on a range and stay there for a while, then, apparently, with no changes to anything I was doing, the range would shift down a notch, then repeat that cycle. Clearly that cycle isn't perpetually repeatable, as everyone will have their own limits as to how low they either are willing to push themselves, or where their bodies can physiologically take them any lower. Much of this is around balance - in terms of eating, lifestyles, physical capabilities, other health issues etc.

Other people have also found weight loss has apparently impacted on their scores, but I can't really recall too many people experiencing the notching I did.

The science around the weight loss and improved blood scores relates, largely to visceral fat and insulin resistance. There's some great reading here, if you want to understand more:

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/

Now, to be absolutely clear; I am not advocating you consider the Newcastle Diet. That would move my sledge hammer/nut analogy to a whole different level!

This thread also has some great reading, relating to carb reduction, including a couple of straightforwardly written papers by @Southport GP , whose practise hosted their own research programme, with impressive results.

Like the rest of us, I think you have to do a lot of reading and thinking. If there was a panacea to all of this, we would have given you the key on reply #2. But, there are some rather compelling principles we can apply to improve our blood scores and overall health. With an HbA1c of 42, I imagine your required solution will be light touch. I would urge you not to get drawn into heavy handed.

Well, that should keep you occupied for a while.

Lynn1 said:

My goodness. I'd have keeled over by 11 am! What do you eat for breakfast now?

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It's become a standard for me now.

2 rye ryvita, with slice of ham, and 1/2 fat cheese, and a coffee with skimmed milk.

This normally lasts until lunch time, but sometimes I'll have an apple, or similar mid morning, or a bottle/tub/bowl of low fat, 'live' yoghurt.

Lynn1 said:

And Rye Ryvita is fine for you? Does the ham and cheese help? Sounds good to me!

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Never caused me any problems, I always went low GI/GL, not LCHF, and always eat to my meter, so I know what I can and can't eat, and keep my weight and BG under control.

douglas99 said:

I used to eat nothing until the evening. I could happily get up, work, maybe 10 hours through without thinking about food. I could then eat about 3000 calories in the evening.
Re-training to eat breakfast was actually quite hard.

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Yes indeed.

I spent about 15 years not having anything (even a drink) til 3pm. At that point I would eat ravenously.
Then suddenly, my body stopped being able to cope with that kind of abuse (and nowadays I really do think of it as abuse), but at the time I didn't think it was a problem. I was actually quite proud of myself. and boy did it save time and hassle not having to think about breakfast, lunch, or spending time eating. Always worked right through my lunch break.

Took some adjustment, and resentment, but my body now is definitely more comfortable with a 3 meal and 1 snack routine.

Must be the clocks going back
Watch says 12.00, stomach is saying 1.00 pm, so ate a small apple.

bluetit that is a wide range for weight - not sure if I want to lose over another stone! I looked in the mirror and my shape has drastically changed, even over the last couple of weeks.

lynn if I don't have scambled eggs for breakfast I have berries and cream (I used to have yoghurt but found that was making my acid reflux worse). today I have had a green smoothie (my first one). it was nice and I will have it again, just have to convince my body a drink is as hood as a meal. I tested before and my bg was 5.7, after 1 hour it was 4.4, will test again at 2 hours.

aqualung said:

bluetit that is a wide range for weight - not sure if I want to lose over another stone! I looked in the mirror and my shape has drastically changed, even over the last couple of weeks.

.

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It was AndBreathe that quoted the weight range.

If you are happy and within the normal BMI of 18 to 25, I would stay put.

aqualung said:

bluetit that is a wide range for weight - not sure if I want to lose over another stone! I looked in the mirror and my shape has drastically changed, even over the last couple of weeks.

lynn if I don't have scambled eggs for breakfast I have berries and cream (I used to have yoghurt but found that was making my acid reflux worse). today I have had a green smoothie (my first one). it was nice and I will have it again, just have to convince my body a drink is as hood as a meal. I tested before and my bg was 5.7, after 1 hour it was 4.4, will test again at 2 hours.

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I always use the mirror.
BMI is a good guide, but you know how you want to look.

I'm not suggesting anyone do anything, just clarifying that the NHS view of a Healthy Weight is quite a wide band, and not any particular value..

Hi @Lynn1 to further @AndBreathe 's post; I didn't find a drop in levels as I lowered carbs because by the time I started testing I was already in normal blood glucose ranges for my fasting. However, what I did find was the variability of range of readings became less as I lost more weight, eg in March I was 4.3 to 5.6 and now I am 4.8 to 5.2 This tightening up happened in steps. Additionally, the ppeaks after eating became lower and I was able to accommodate more and more carbs.

I have lost 5 stone since diagnoses and 7 since I think I started having symptoms. For breakfast I have mainly ready brek (between 30 and 50g) with semi-skimmed milk (no sugar or fruit on it). I now eat about 250g carb or more, although I still don't eat white bread unless it is in bread and butter pudding - find it rather tasteless nowadays.

sorry bluetit and breathe - that will teach me to read back before I post

breathe I didn't think you were suggesting anything I can't imagine being that low but at the moment there is still room for inprovement.

Lynn1 said:

What if BS stays exactly the same before and 2 hours after breakfast i.e. 6.3?

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What did you have? If there were no carbs, then there should be no rise. Some people are lower after than before, depending what they ate. However, did you test at 1 hour? You may have peaked earlier.

You may be missing your spikes then. Maybe not, but you won't know unless you give it a go. Initially all my peaks were at 2 hours, but since my insulin resistance improved they are now all at 1 hour, usually dropping nicely by 2 hours. However, I wouldn't expect much of a rise with that breakfast.

If you are getting fed up of pricking your fingers, perhaps stick to doing it one meal a day, rotating those meals.