Slimming world

[lely]

Hi All. Since using the pump on Dec I've put on just over a stone in weight. The heaviest I've ever been. I attribute it to lack of activities as since being a pump user and the fear of hypos while exercising I've not been the gym or swimming which I was doing on 5 days a week.
So I've joined the gym again and slimming world this morning to help with the food education side.
Has anyone else used slimming world,whatsoever experience. Good or bad and why.

 

[Mrsass]

You shouldn't have had to stop doing what you normally do just because of getting a pump @lely have you tried using a temp basal rate for exercise?

Personally i love slimming world, there is a common misconception that you stuff yourself with carbs on the diet but you obviously tailor it to what's best for you, I've had lots of success - and good bg's while doing it


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[zand]

I did Slimming World for 6 months but only used it to weigh in every week. The carb content was ok (if you chose the right programme) but it was the low fat products they kept pushing that I just couldn't face. Eating low fat was part of the reason I became obese in the first place so I didn't consider that to be good advice for me personally. I lost over 10% of my body weight whilst going there and following my own low carb high fat diet.

 

[Snapsy]

I did SW for a while and lost a stone and 5lb. I was delighted when I hit my 11 stone target!

They knew nothing about diabetes, which was fine because I just tweaked what I was doing to suit - and it worked - the weight loss, I mean. That was back when I was on MDI and suffering frequent hypos thanks to a high carb intake and correspondingly high amounts of insulin.

That was before I discovered exercise, went on my pump and found that not eating rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, much fruit, etc, made it much easier to get a straight line on my Libre!

In short, SW worked well for me in terms of weight loss, but some of the things that were 'unlimited' (pasta, potatoes, rice, amongst other things) were having an adverse effect on my control. Not wildly and harmingly so, but I was nevertheless frustrated by that.

@lely I think it's great that you're up for the gym again, and doing SW - I would just suggest that some of the recommendations might need a pinch of salt, diabetically speaking.

Good luck, and do keep us posted!

Oh, one more thing - the key to SW for me was the Healthy Extras. Any more than one item in this category per day has to be counted as a 'Syn'. That's when it dawned on me that my habit of porridge for breakfast AND a sandwich for lunch might not be the best idea. So ever since then I've had either porridge for breakfast then salad for lunch, or eggs for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch. Brain duly reprogrammed!

 

[noblehead]

You shouldn't have had to stop doing what you normally do just because of getting a pump @lely have you tried using a temp basal rate for exercise?

Agreed.

My wife (not diabetic) did the SW diet a few years back and lost 3 stone, whilst on the course there was a chap who had type 2 and he lost 5 stone, my wife is currently back on the diet and has lost 16lbs over the last 3 weeks.

@lely I'm sure you can adjust your bolus doses to adapt to the diet, but don't give up on the exercise as it need not be avoided when using a pump, if anything a pump makes it all the more possible. Good luck.

 

[lely]

The last 6 months have been difficult in the sense that while adjusting to the pump and establishing basal rates there's a lot of fasting then starving and there's all the rules no exercise after hypo or Hyper no exercise if you intend to basal test. So a lot of the reason for the non activity has been to get the Basal rates stable. It's not that I haven't done any exercise. I've done walking and interval running at home to establish how the Basal rates fit with it. I know I'll probably need a slight adjustment again when I turn the dial up on the amount and intensity of the exercise. The increase in weight has caused an increase in basal rates esp though the evening and night
Now confident I can use the pump to my advantage it's time to get back to focus on me as a person not me as a diabetic.
My 1st weigh in was 12st 2.5lb. This time last year I was 10st 13 lb. So hoping to get back there soon. And be able to reduce my basal rates again maybe.

 

[Snapsy]

It's a long slog to get all the basal rates sorted, I wholeheartedly agree, @lely ! I wish I'd had my Libre when I started on the pump - that would have made it much easier - the nighttime testing at least! I kept having to abandon my basal testing because of hypos meaning I would have to eat rather than continue fasting - still, that I suppose was sort of helpful in itself.

I've been asked to do another round of basal testing (we had a pump workshop last week - I'm 7 months in to my pumping life) but I haven't psyched myself up for it yet. Mostly because I don't want to pause my swimming and gymming......... so I know exactly where you're coming from!



I love what you say about focusing on being a person rather than a diabetic. I will take that on board - my diabetes has so, so taken over the last 30 years that I find actually being me to be the most difficult thing in the world.

 

[conniecar]

Me too. I've become diabetes obsessed and forgotten I'm a Sagittarius first ( usually outgoing ). Slimming World is helping me focus on what I'm eating even though I know after 41 years of type 1 a Muller yoghurt isn't 'free' it helps me stabilise things. I've lost 4.5lb over 3 weeks but have had thyroid issues, but I'm enjoying meeting others ( surprising amount of type 1's ) and just having CONTROL over 1 thing . It's amazing how you can become over anxious about complications or perceived problems and for me focusing on being as healthy as I can has given me a real lift. Good luck to everyone

 

[novorapidboi26]

your right that when trying to get basals right the normal routine goes out the window.....

Commonly though, going from injections to pump should see your total basal dose drop and therefore less insulin/weight loss....

how is your basal dose now compared to the injections?

 

[dollyroger]

Type 1 been doing slimming world since January and lost over 1 1/2 stone, going onto a pump on November 29 2016 any good advice to help keep the weight off and to reduce even further?

 

[lely]

Hi dollyroger. I've been doing slimming now 4 months 1st lighter. Its a very slow process for me only hit the stone yesterday but at least you know it's possible another lady in my group is a diamond target member also a pump user for over 6 years and only lost the weight when she started slimming world. As a type 1. Your probably aware and controlled in your intake of carbs. stick to that if you do. Don't use th em pump as a licence to over eat it's so easy to do
I hate the whole low Carb eating thing but it wasn't until I realised restricting my carbs to around 150g a day, Keeps my BG from swinging from high to low. I only restrict the starchy carbs though, breads cereal, pastas etc. the carbs in fruit milk etc I match to insulin intake but I don't count them into the restrictions coz they have greater nutritional value, if you know what i mean. It's a matter of working with what works for you and you alone. Diabetes is so individual isn't it?
Anyway spend time getting the Basal rates right in the first few months it takes a while and record keeping is essential. Plan the food/drink you have if you have any hypos so you don't over eat in the moment. take as much info from you Diabetes team as you can and don't be afraid to call them at any point.
And remember slimming world aside your health comes first. I personally don't count hypo treatments, jellies, lucozade etc in my syn allowance. Which is why it's probably been only a 1/2lb loss pw on average. But like I said health comes first.
Goods luck with the pump. Beat thing I ever done diabetes wise and good luck with you continued SW journey.

 

[lely]

your right that when trying to get basals right the normal routine goes out the window.....

Commonly though, going from injections to pump should see your total basal dose drop and therefore less insulin/weight loss....

how is your basal dose now compared to the injections?

Goodness I'd not thought of this comparison till you asked me. Injections where before I switched -
Levemir morning dose 12 evening dose 18. And was taking 1 unit per 10g carbs over all my average intake on pump now is between 35-45units total 22 units basal the rest in bolus.
So not sure if that's any better to be honest.

 

[noblehead]

So not sure if that's any better to be honest.

Looks good to me

Well done on your weight loss @lely

 

[novorapidboi26]

Goodness I'd not thought of this comparison till you asked me. Injections where before I switched -
Levemir morning dose 12 evening dose 18. And was taking 1 unit per 10g carbs over all my average intake on pump now is between 35-45units total 22 units basal the rest in bolus.
So not sure if that's any better to be honest.

Previous Levemir dose, 30, new basal total, 22, so I would say that is an improvement.........lol

 

[lely]

Previous Levemir dose, 30, new basal total, 22, so I would say that is an improvement.........lol

Yes I suppose so. Although lve had a few lows recently, probably due to weight loss so due another round of basal testing however I'm suffering with a throat infection at the moment so I'm running on extra. So maybe next week when I'm right I'll start that process. You never know may lose a bit more with all the fasting.