starting newcastle diet on 2nd jan

[geordie90]

Hi all thanks for your posts.
Descartesmum Im finding diet relatively easy. Dont get me wrong I could murder a plate of fish and chips or a chinese meal but tbh I feel fine. I had another low fbg this morning of 4.4.
Superrams are you doing any anaerobic exercise, ie weightlifting, i was reading an interesting article on one of the post which was some reasearch carried out in America that suggests muscle actually makes you more sensitive to insulin, so a combination of aerobic, walking, football, cycling. swimming etc and resistance, weight training etc could be the way forward. Kettlebells are an excellent exercise and a good cardio and resistance workout.
Admin diet is easy really no cravings, never thought about bread at all and and not missing carbs and my sugars are excellent not going above seven at all even after my evening salad.

 

[viviennem]

I'm going to start on this diet next week, with my GPs approval even though he doesn't know about it - he trusts me!

The only thing I don't quite understand is about coming off metformin. I'm on 3 x 500mg per day because I have insulin resistance and I also hope it helps me to lose weight. I also like the protective effect against heart/stroke problems.

I'm already on near non-diabetic BG levels - I was caught very early, and went low carb straight away. Last but one HbA1c was 5.2. Last one was upset by steroids/antibiotics but was still "only" 6.0.

Don't get me wrong, I know that people on metformin can have hypos, but the metformin doesn't cause them - it doesn't affect insulin production but it does affect insulin metabolism by helping to get the energy from blood glucose into the (resistant) muscle cells.

How do you suggest coming off it? 500mg at a time over a period of days/weeks? which would seem sensible to me.

Viv 8)

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Hi Viv, as I'm sure you are aware each 500mg tab of Met will knock around .3 to.5 mmol/L off your numbers so if you are on the full dose 4 X 500mg I would probably drop 1000mg straight off and drop the remaining 1000mg maybe one tab a week over the next fortnight but obviously keep an eye on your numbers in case they drop too low...

Good luck BTW :thumbup:

 

[geordie90]

Viv, personally I would speak with your doctor, but whether they actually know about the diet or are interested in it is a different matter.
I came off my metformin two weeks before i started the diet and as you can see by my bg they hve been very good.
I havent had hypos etc and if Im honest feel absolutely fine, Ive had two 3.9's in last two days but thats after cycling home from work.
I have only spoken to my diabetic nurse who wasnt aware of the diet and i didnt tell her i was coming off the metformin. My view is that this diet is only for a couple of months, if it does the job and stabalises my sugars to normal levels then excellent news, if it doesnt and they are all over the place i'll restart my meds. Initial results though are looking good and im hoping they continue this way.
BG's today have been 4.4, before and two hours after food, and yes my meters working lol

 

[leggott]

Geordie90, you are doing incredibly well - your results are fantastic!

I have a friend who's mum has type 2 and has been controlling with diet only although not very successfully. I mentioned your diet and she is keen to have a go. I wasn't sure however what food you are eating in addition to the meal replacements drinks and would be grateful if you could list what you have been consuming on a typical day. I know she has tried slim fast before but would eat quite a large evening meal and from what I've read it seems that you have 3 meal replacements a day?

Thanks.

 

[SuperRams]

The diet is basically 3 slimfast type shakes a day made with water plus 250g of non starchy vegetabeles a day, this equates t0 800 kcal a day, nothing else, i know it sounds tough but its OK once you get used to it also 3 litres of fluid a day, non sugar type so water, black coffee, diet drinks, no juice. This is for 8 weeks!!!! There are a few links for the official paperwork on the board if you search for newcastle, dont know to put a link in otherwise I would do it!

 

[geordie90]

leggott thanks for comments
The diet plan is actually on this site but i dont know how to put a hyper link on this blog lol.
its a fairly straight forward diet,no real thinking in it:-
Breakfast 250ml slimfast shake
Lunch 250ml slimfast shake
Dinner 250ml slimfast shake

As an addition 250gms of non starchy vegetables either as a salad, a soup, roasted or dry stir fried and 2 litres of water or no calorie beverage, some have said black tea spikes sugars but thats what i have just to give me a warm up lol.
The vegetables can be eaten at any time but its there for roughage, on the diet it states use optifast but from what i can gather its very expensive and only available on prescription in this country.
I use slimfast which you can get from Tescos for £3 a tub which gives 12 servings per tub. I bought a protien shake mixer (sort of thing they use at gym) and it mixes it well and tastes fine.
I also exercise a lot, cycle to work, goto gym 4/5 times a week and play rugby and think the best results are obtained when the diet is done in conjunction with an exercise plan. Most councils have gyms in the swimming pools or leisure centres which are reasonable but a combination of cardio fitness and weight training seems to wrok well.
What i would say though is that im not medically trained or have any medical knowledge, this blog is purely my experiences on the diet, dont do anything that will cause you issues or problems until youve seen your GP.
I think the secret is persistence, its not particulalry exciting but havent had any real cravings or problems....yet

 

[geordie90]

great minds superrams lol

 

[SuperRams]

Yes, 2 great minds that cant put a link in !!! LOL

 

[geordie90]

shhhusssh man ill ask my 7 year old son lol

 

[louiseb]

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/assets/docu ... ecipes.pdf

 

[viviennem]

Geordie, do you mix your shakes with milk as it says on the tin, half-and-half or just water?

I'm thinking of sticking to my usual breakfast to start with (2-egg omelette, about 180 calories), having a shake for lunch, my veggies for tea followed by a shake closer to bedtime. 3 shakes a day is a lot more carbs than I'm used to!

I think I'll drop my evening Metformin off first, then the morning one and continue with the one at lunchtime as long as I don't go too low in the afternoon.

I've got a big ratatouille on the go at the moment which must fit in to the allowed veg category, apart from the olive oil in this one which could easily be left out if I make another during the diet. Instead of sauteing the onion and garlic in the oil to begin with, I could leave out the oil, mix all the ingredients cold and put it in a lowish oven for about 4 hours.

The recipe, if anyone's interested, includes an onion, about 4 cloves garlic, one or two leeks, one or two courgettes, an aubergine, a packet of frozen mixed peppers or a couple of large fresh ones, 2 tins plum tomatoes chopped as they go in, a good squeeze of tomato paste, mixed herbs, oregano and a bay leaf, a glug of mushroom ketchup and as many mushrooms as I can fit in to the pan. Green beans when in season. If using oil I start it on top of the stove but always do the main cooking in a slow-ish oven because I prefer the outcome. And I can just leave it to get on with it.

When I have it as an Atkins meal I put cheese on top, or have sausages with it, or put a serving in a casserole and cook pork or salmon in it. It's very versatile, though it can be a bit acid-y.

Hmm. That means if I stick to my egg breakfast I could start the diet tomorrow!

Viv 8)

 

[geordie90]

Cheers Louise for being bright enough to post the link lol.

Viv I think the diet is designed to shock your system into action if you like and if you stay on your current breakfast etc it might not have the same effect.
Once again Im not qualified to say but I would give it a go as indicated for a week and see how you feel and how your bg's are going. It really isnt that hard to do, and once the thoughts of food go out of your mind and the cravings lol, then its actually pretty easy.
All i can say is that its working for me, once again coupled with a fairly rigourous exercise regime.
I do occasionally feel hungry but a cup of black tea of a glass of water works wonders for putting something in your stomach to fill the empty void, i swear I heard an echo from it the other day when i was talking which has never been known for me.

 

[beancounter]

Hi Superrams,

I am type 1.5 and my blood sugar is not lowering as fast as Geordies. I am staying at around 6 or seven, but I have reduced my medication a little.

Second week in I am not finding the diet too hard Weigh day tomorrow!

 

[geordie90]

morning bean counter are you exercising too, im convinced that really helps tbh
Did my fbg this morning and it was 4.9
Ive been off my meds completely since i started the diet so no bad bellies or having to rush to toilet, due to metfartin.

 

[antmos]

Hi all,
Congrats to all of you for doing so well. I have also been on the Newcastle diet since 2nd Jan and I am doing great. I have lost 6kgs and it hasnt even been two weeks. I have stopped taking my short acting insulin and am just taking the long acting one at night, almost half the dose. I would love to hear from anyone else doing this diet that is on insulin.

Does anyone else suffer from bad flatulence? I find that I am farting terribly! Especially after my lunchtime shake. I am also still extremely hungry all the time, even dreaming of food. I have been very good and am sticking to the diet religiously but I did think the hunger would diminish by this stage. Any good ideas for veg meals? I have made veg curry, stir fries and soups but I am looking for some inspiration.

 

[viviennem]

Thanks for the advice, Geordie, but I'm going to give it a go as I described above, at least for the first week. My normal carb intake is less than 50g per day, and I stop losing weight if I go over 70g. It will be interesting to see if the deliberately restricted calories makes a difference, as I lose weight very well on Atkins (usually between 1500 and 2000 cals a day), including burning my own body fat (ie, going into ketosis as the Newcastle diet does).

As far as exercise goes - all very well if you can, but my lumbar spinal stenosis means I can't stand for long, and can't walk more than 100 yards. My physio has told me exercise bike only so as not to aggravate the spine, so I'm starting at the gym in February. At the moment I can't afford the subs. Another reason for trying the diet - £3 for 6 days' food (2 shakes a day, with only eggs and veg to buy), is a cheap way to eat!

You didn't say whether you make up the shakes with milk, as per the tin?

Viv 8)

 

[geordie90]

Hi Viv
Yep do it according to your personal circumstances, I mix mine with water which is the presecribed direction on the diet.

Hope it goes well for you

 

[viviennem]

Thanks, Geordie!

Having just inspected the fridge I find I have a couple of days' 'Atkins' food to eat up, so I will be starting next week after my slap-up meal out. Pity - Friday 13th is my lucky day - but I'm afraid I'm constitutionally incapable of wasting food. I was brought up during rationing in the early 50s and some things stick. Particularly round the waist if you clear your plate every time! :lol:

I shall remove temptation by taking all crispbread, tinned food etc round to a friend to look after for me. Even I can't impulse-eat things from the freezer :shock:

I'm going to count my calories for the next few days, though, and see how many I'm eating at the moment.

I'll crawl back into the woodwork now, and start my own thread when I start on the shakes.

Thanks for your help and advice

Viv 8)

 

[bluehils]

Hi. Everyone is doing well sticking to the diet, nobody seems to have dropped out yet! I agree it is strangley much easier to keep to than I feared - I dont seem to get ravenously hungry like I have on normal diets.
Good news on the BG - down to 5.4 this morning. Other trends good too - I have a set of analyser scales which show visceral fat down from 17% to 16% (need to get down to less than 10% if possible).
Blood pressure coming down nicely as well
Amazing how quickly improvments are showing up.