starting newcastle diet on 2nd jan

I think your right about the BMI thing, I have noticed that the fat I have left is quite flabby now and I will need to work on toning and building some muscle back (not as much as the rugby players though), went on a bike ride tonight and tomorrow going to the gym so hopefully I will be able to build up my stamina.

I must admit that apart from the first week I have had loads of energy and have even slept so much more soundly as the weight has come off, it was a nightmare for my wife as I was a terrible snorer and she says that has stopped as well, so it has lots of other positive side effects apart from the weight loss and lower sugars.

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I've noticed that the fat I have is quite flabby too., but I can now get into a size 14 suit I bought that was much too small so I am over the moon. I've not done as much exercise as I should have done but a friend and myself are going to go to the gym every Tuesday from now on. My swimming costume (I tried on on holiday) is too big so I will need a new one. . Fortunately or not, I threw out a lot of clothes that I thought I would never get into again. I got home from my son's at 5.30 to go and help our local park clean the stream. i was dog tired, but made myself go and 2 hours later I didn't want to stop, so if you push yourself, even I can do it. My BG this morning was 5.2 and after stream clean was 5.5, the other day it was 7.5 about the same time of day so exercise worked. I am down to 10st 13lb. been stuck at that for about 5 days. I've found my energy to have gone for the last few days, I hope it is because my body is using up the visceral? fat. My doctor said he couldnt give me a referral to the gym because my BMI was under 40, yet I got a BS tester without any problem. I finish my 8 weeks proper on 16 May. Can't wait. I know I'll have to watch what I eat, and I might try the week a month thing like Defren.

Keep up the good work

autumn6464 said:

I know I'll have to watch what I eat, and I might try the week a month thing like Defren.

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I must admit, the more I think about this, the more I think it might be right for me. If we can survive eight weeks, we can do one standing on our heads. It will help keep our weight maintained, and any build up of visceral fat at bay.

Wish I was done in two weeks :lol: Well done autumn, you have done amazingly, and shown this absolutely works.

Everyone has bad days Geordie, and although so far I have stuck to the letter of the diet, liquid food only (except two sticks of celery in week one) I am under no illusion I could snap and have something other than the liquid diet. It is sheer will power and seeing my levels drop and stablise that has kept me away from any solid food. Will I be able to say that at the end of 8 weeks? I think so, but wouldn't put money on it.

Falling off the wagon isn't such a big deal, providing you only do it very occasionally - and get back on again straight away.

Andrew

Andrew can I substitute a Cambridge shake for optifast if who stocks optifast? Thanks

Blondage said:

Andrew can I substitute a Cambridge shake for optifast if who stocks optifast? Thanks

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Sorry to jump in, as I know this was addressed to Andrew. No matter what shakes you use we are all veering from the initial study slightly. Some shakes are much higher in carbs than others. I am using Atkins with very low carbs. The most important thing is to choose shakes that feel right for you, but are clearly stated as meal replacement shakes.

Blondage said:

Andrew can I substitute a Cambridge shake for optifast if who stocks optifast? Thanks

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I don't know what is in a Cambridge shake. I use Tesco shakes and make them up with unsweetened soya milk. I think the calories and carbs are similar. I don't think it matters who makes it providing it doesn't have a lot more calories /carbs and, as defren says, is a genuine meal replacement shake so that it will have added vitamins and minerals.

Andrew

I've just bought two Slimfast drinks (banana and strawberry) and they are not a patch on the ASDA ones, they are a lot sweeter. (half price £2.99 from Boots).Only good thing is I have half an ASDA drink and the slimfast scoop is just half an ASDA drink measure so I don't have to guess the ASDA anymore. I'll keep them to have when I am doing the one week per month.

Confession time, I went out last night and had a whisky and 4 crisps. And a big glass of iced water. It was heaven. My FBG this morning was 5.6 My weight is sticking at 10.11
30.4. FBG 5.2mm 10st 13
1.5 FBG 5.8
2.5 FBG 5.2 later after stream clean 5.5
3.5 forgot to test, had half asda drink and it was 7.5mm (I think this might mean I am still diabetic)
4.5 FBG 5.1 10st 11
5.5 FBG 5.2mm
6.5 didnt test and had whisky and ryvita
today Mon 7th May 5.6mm FBG
I have a lot of finger pricking things, but hardly any test strips left, so am going to have to test less frequently.

Week 7 of my Newcastle diet.

Been to my GP today for my next to last weigh in, after last weeks great weight loss which followed two weeks of slower weight loss it has slowed again to 1/2kg, I'm not disappointed as overall from being diagnosed that is 2 1/2 stone, 17kg or 37.4 lbs which is still a lot and still beats my own target of getting to 12 1/2 stone, I am now 12 st 4 lbs.

I must admit that last week was the hardest of all as it feels so near to the end I am thinking just a little bit of ANYTHING wont do that much harm, but have managed to resist. It really has gone unbelievably quickly and feels as though it has been just a couple of weeks and now only 5 full days to go. I am under no illusion that it is the end of my diabetes but I have a glucose resistance test a week on Thursday so that will tell me if I have improved my Insulin resistance so I will let you know how I get on.

Geordie, I wouldn't call your sausage butty a blip as when I finish I am hoping that I too can have the odd sausage butty, bacon butty, bag of chips, cheesecake , pizza, some sort of chicken dish with a creamy sauce........... sorry got carried away a bit then, but seriously I just want to be able to recognize when I should or shouldn't be eating something that is healthy for me and realizing that being and keeping fit is all part of it, I've had the wake up call to make a difference to my life and hopefully due to being newly diagnosed this diet will have helped me change my life.

Any of us who are overweight know it is only down to ourselves for the size we have become, no-one forced us to either eat unhealthy food or put the food in our mouths and then not to burn it off, if you are diabetic and need to lose weight please try this diet, get fit, and change your lifestyle, we are only here once and we should try and make it as long and as healthy as we can.

Good luck.

(sorry if it sounded like a lecture, I was just lecturing myself)

it feels so near to the end I am thinking just a little bit of ANYTHING wont do that much harm,

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That's how I feel. I;m beginning to feel like it's the end of a marathon. If it wasnt for the diabetes I would have packed it in by now, I feel too thin (10st 10lb) but I still have fat where it shouldn't be. I've got a meeting with the diabetic nurse on 16th May and the glucose test on 22nd May (my end date is 16 may but I may extend to 21 May just in case it helps). I too know it's not a cure, but I hope it is, and really if nothing else I feel better (if I wasn't so tired).
A week on Thursday - is that the day after me? Good luck to both of us.

Ivenoidea said:

I am hoping that I too can have the odd sausage butty, bacon butty, bag of chips, cheesecake , pizza, some sort of chicken dish with a creamy sauce

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I'm in Week 3 at the moment, so not even half way through yet. I think I've decided that when I finish, instead of a DIY OGTT using Lucozade, I just might try one having fish, chips and mushy peas instead. If I'm back under 7.8 mmol/l in 2 hours, then I reckon I'll be pretty near fixed.

Andrew

it feels so near to the end I am thinking just a little bit of ANYTHING wont do that much harm,

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I'm at week five now and am thinking the same, but have so far resisted.

The only thing I feel I must confess is that I have one cup of tea nearly everyday with a few drops of milk, cos I can't stand black tea. But, if you consider I'm only consuming upto 600 Kcals a day other than this I don't think it is doing any harm (well, that's my logic anyway).

My bgs have been all over this last week or so. I've had 5.0's, 5.1's, 5.9's, 5.7's, one 6.0 30 seconds after a 5.9 from a different finger, I even had a 4.8. I thought as the diet went on the bg's would get lower bit by bit, not wildly swing from one day, or finger, to the next. This is not doing my motivation much good. The weightloss is coming along, but I'm not bothered about that, I want consistent low bgs in the 4's. When does that start?? Does anyone know????

I do feel lighter and much slimmer and am getting happier about the way I look and a few comments that have been made about me. But, if I'm honest, even though I do not feel hungry much, I am only carrying on because I have come this far and can see the finish line. Roll on 1st of June - proper food....mmm

Can't wait for your results Ivenoidea, really really need motivation.

Hi Autumn,

It's a bit of how I feel, now I have lost the weight and feel and look better (our two postmen have even noticed how much I've lost) if the results don't come back as normal, then I would definitely go back on the diet in a few months time to try and get the best results I could.

Andrewk, My test is going to be on Monday night when as a family were going out to celebrate and having a choice of 7 Dishes, 7 Pounds each, Before 7 pm

‘Black Sheep’ Battered Haddock & Chips
Mushy Peas & Tartare Sauce

Carpenters ‘Pie of the Day’ & Seasonal Greens
Yorkshire Gammon & Eggs, Skinny Fries

Roast Pepper & Tomato Risotto with
Pesto Rocket, Parmesan Tuille

Welsh Rarebit (V)
Rich Cheese & Mustard on Toast with Chutney

Bangers & Creamy Mash with Spring Greens and
Onion Gravy

Carpenters Eggs Benedict
Poached Eggs, Bacon, Hollandaise Sauce

The Carpenter s Arms , Felixkirk, Thirsk YO7 2DP

or just a big steak (this is a really great pub/restaurant) http://www.thecarpentersarmsfelixkirk.c ... s_menu.pdf

To be honest Tooyoung,I am not too bothered about what my finger prick tests are now, I am just waiting for my glucose and hba1c results, yours are all good so dont think too much about them as your body is still adjusting to the massive changes it is undergoing.

I have almost exactly the same results as you which I am pretty happy with as they are all within normal ranges, and there have not been any spikes, but obviously that might change as we all start eating normal food again, even if this is not a permanent fix this time , have another go in a few months time and at least you are doing everything you can to limit the effects of how it could affect you in years to come.

Dont forget to think about what our food choices are when we finish, we have got to change our eating habits or we will just be in the same boat again sooner than what we might think, we have got to make being fit a huge priority, give yourself a goal and just take small steps to get there, I was at the gym yesterday, It was hard but I did an extra minute on all the equipment that times you while you are on it. Just look at how much Geordie90 does, a real inspiration.

Only 3 full days to go, one more weigh in, it has gone so quickly it really only feels like a couple of weeks but then the hard work starts, this is what will make the difference.

Thanks a lot Ivenoidea and Geordie90 for those great words of encouragement. I didn't realise the bg's I was getting were any good, but now thanks to you both I realise they are.

Ivenoidea, I'd go for the bangers and creamy mash n onion gravy, cos that sounds gorgeous (I love sausages lol), the creamy mash will test your ability to metabolise and the onion will lower the overall GI slightly. Can't wait for your results.

After the eight weeks I am going to eat what I was before the ND plus substitute the odd meal with shakes for a few reasons:

1) I was maintaining a steady weight.
2) The food I was eating was enjoyable but healthy (eg, Brekkie - Porridge, dinner - best of both bread with ham n pickle n lettuce n 2 or 3 fruit, tea - meat n 3 veg)
3) I was avoiding anything with hydrogenated vegetable oils, no deep fried stuff, only using olive oil, having low GI stuff like mushrooms n onions, no mayo, no margarine - just lurpak

Hopefully this will prevent my condition getting any worse for a very long time. I will, ofcourse be exercising more and more also.

Please feel free to comment on my plan, any feedback or alternatives would be very much appreciated.

If I can keep my bg's between 4.5 and 6.5 then I too will be very happy Geordie90.

Thanks again guys, I now have the motivation I need.

Week 8 of my Newcastle diet.

The final weigh in!

56 Days, 168 Shakes, 300+ blood test's, and............ 2st and 9lbs later, I've done it!!!!!

I simply cannot believe I've managed it, I really feel as though I have achieved something which I would never have thought I could, My blood pressure is down from 140/80odd to 116/61 this morning, down from 95kg(15st) at diagnosis (93kg at start of diet) to 76.5kg (12st1lb) If I take my clothes off I'm under 12st, but didn't want to scare the nurse at the surgery!!!
The last couple of weeks have been the hardest for me, if it wasn't for my brilliant wife I may have started to crumble and without her support I think I would have cheated, she even did a Sunday roast yesterday and wouldn't let me finish the diet early. I even tried to have a cup of tea with milk but she tipped it down the sink and I am so pleased she did.

I really feel and even though I say so myself look so much better, all the clothes I have just dont fit anymore, I'm sleeping better, so is my wife, I feel healthier and a lot less sluggish and I do feel physically lighter.

What an amazing experience it has been, one I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone thinking about making a change to your life, I have my glucose tolerance test on Thursday morning so fingers crossed it will show I have managed to reverse my diabetes, if not then I will have made an enormous contribution to keeping it at bay.

I know its not the end of it but what a great platform to start really looking after myself, thanks to everyone on this forum for posting and replying it really has made a difference for me as this was the first time I have ever used a forum, but a big thanks to Geordie for starting this thread, he really was the inspiration for me starting the diet, especially with his constructive , positive and motivated contributions.

It was great to have a cup of tea this morning and my first bowl of real food, 30g of rice krispies and 125ml of milk, (174cals) I am having the last of my onion soup for my lunch (200cals) and I'm off out for dinner tonight for my well earned steak, but I'll be back on the shakes and one meal a day for a couple of weeks to reintroduce normal food.

Thanks again everyone and I'll let you know what happens on Thursday.

I went and had my steak last night, all I can say is it was amazing, the flavour was making my mouth water while I was eating it!! I couldn't get to sleep last night as I was so full, my stomach has really shrunk, I was going to miss my rice Krispies this morning but had them with the kids, but as I am still full just a milkshake for lunch and if I am STILL full then probably another one for dinner.

2 hours after my meal my blood sugar reading was 7.6 then an hour later 6.7, what do you think?

But that was just a well deserved blowout, I'm not going to eat salads and have a totally diabetic lifestyle but take a measured approach to what I choose to eat and then try to burn it off with more exercise and choosing a healthier lifestyle, I'm sure it wont happen overnight but I have really got it in my mind now to live the life of those healthier people that I never thought I couldn't live like.

I'll let you know how I get on on Thursday.

Well everybody, I had my glucose intolerance test yesterday, in case you have never had one, you have to fast the night before and then have a blood sample taken the next morning, then have a sugary drink,I thought I was going to have a special kind of liquid drink but it turned out to be a bottle of lucozade, then you go back 2 hours later and have another blood sample taken wait 24hrs for the results and here we are today.

My fasting blood sugar level was 4.2, pretty good I thought and then I had my fingers crossed as she said my G I T reading was..........................................................5.0 !!!!!!!! ..........which means I AM NORMAL!!!!!! I cant tell you how happy I am and so grateful to Prof Taylor for discovering this chance to at least reverse or possibly cure this disease in only 8 weeks. It just shows that the choices we make in our lives can really make a difference, good or bad. I still have at least a stone to lose, but I'll be happy trying to lose it with watching what I eat and uptake in exercise, I have just got a new pair of jeans.......... with a 32" waist, they are a little bit "snug" but an extra inch off my waist will make all the difference.

Anyone who is thinking about starting or is still on it, keep going it really can make a difference.