Type 1 and weight gain.

[Greenb]

Hello,

I hope I have posted this in the right area, I’m a 20 year old male and I was diagnosed with diabetes just over 2 years ago. Currently I’m having more issues with weight, I’m 6 foot 4, so I ‘get away with it more’, but my prominent belly is making me feel incredibly down at the moment.

I expected to put on weight when I was put on insulin (before diagnosis I was underweight), but now I’m overweight (at about a bmi of 25). Last year I seemed to find a happy balance, healthy weight and I felt good about myself. This year is not quite as good. But the issue I am having is compared to last year I am actually living healthier.

a) I exercise on average 4-5 times a week (2 mile run and 1 mile cycle)
b) I’ve improved my diet so it is healthier
c) I’ve cut back on late night snacking
d) I’m cutting/trying to cut back on alcohol

It seems to be getting me nowhere. The past 2 months have been a real health drive for me, yet my weight seems to just stay put.

Breakfast = Nothing
Lunch = Salad roll with a salad, and either a piece of fruit and a yogurt
Dinner = For example: Jacket potato with beans (sometimes cheese), salad and piece of fruit and a yogurt.

And to me that doesn’t sound unhealthy or as if I’m over doing it?? I know breakfast is good for you, helps with weight loss etc. But I never have eaten breakfast, just makes me starving for the whole day.

Does type 1 diabetes destine me to a life where weight loss is near impossible, or am I still doing something wrong – if that’s the case for the life of me I don’t know what.

Many thanks.

 

[lilibet]

Hi Greenb

Weight gain is I believe common when insulin therapy is started - mainly due to people putting on what they lost when unwell prior to dx but also due to the amounts taken.
Insulin is responsible for storing excess glucose as fat. Unused glucose arises when there is too much glucose in your blood,which usually comes from having too much carb heavy food . Do you follow? Although many type 1's can bolus for carbs, there is often too much glucose floating about still despite good carb/ratio calculations. Also, if you take in more calories than you expend you are at risk of this at any rate.

The diet that you posted doesnt look hellish bad as per what NHS would tell you for health heart, though tbh I wouldnt touch a baked potato with a barge pole (high GI, high carb = bads blood sugar!). Maybe give some more samples of what you eat? Many here find lower/managing carbs better for bg and also for weight. Many of our type 2's use low carb as a way of losing weight and controlling bg . Would be helpful if you could tell us-

*what insulin are you on ?( ie some find it hard to lose weight on Lantus - anecdotal though, no proof as such, premixers need to snack so being careful with what you eat is paramount given you often need to snack to avoid hypos)

*how much of it are you on?

*typical diet

Could then maybe make some practical suggestions

L

 

[fergus]

Hi Greenb, welcome to the forum.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there - insulin is the fat building hormone, the more you use, the bigger you'll become. This is one reason why type 1's are typically slim (chronic lack of insulin) and type 2's often have more difficulty with their weight (usually overproducing insulin at diagnosis).
While you may not be eating very much, it sounds as if the foods you are eating are high in carbohydrates and therefore will require a fair bit of insulin. Quite a number of members are finding success with their weight when they reduce their intake of carbs and increase protein and fat intake.

Hope that helps,

fergus

 

[Greenb]

Thank you for the quick response lilibet.

Insulin is responsible for storing excess glucose as fat. Unused glucose arises when there is too much glucose in your blood,which usually comes from having too much carb heavy food . Do you follow?

I think i follow yes, so essentially the worse my blood sugar control the higher the risk of fat storage, thus weight gain

*what insulin are you on ?

I'm on novorapid after meals, and levemir in the evening.

*how much of it are you on?

About 11 units after lunch, and similar in the evening, snacks vary but between 5-10 usually. Though i try to do the whole carb counting thing, so it can be liable to vary - but as a rule of thumb this is my usual.

*typical diet
My diet is fairly set in stone as i'm currently at uni with catered facilities (so i've already paid for meals which they provide) and being vegetarian with an avid hatred of mushrooms i don't get all that much choice. My uni somehow seems to believe all vegetarians love mushrooms :roll:

Lunch is always a brown roll with onion and lettuce (or tomato or cucumber) with either quorn (vege) sausage and pickle, or nut roast. Occasionally cheese for a treat.

6/10 My dinner is always a jacket potato with beans, with a salad (lettuce, cucumer, tomato etc.) and a small fruit yoghurt or piece of fruit (usually an apple or banana).

Other dinner meals though could be for example, vegetarian sheppards pie, lasagne, veg. stir fry, pasta with vegetables. Again all with a side salad and either yoghurt or fruit for dessert.

Evening snacks vary but i try to keep them less than 500cals. And now evening snacks will be about 3/4 nights a week. I have quite an issue with always feeling hungry.

 

[hanadr]

Breakfast = Nothing Definitely not a good idea
Lunch = Salad roll with a salad, and either a piece of fruit and a yogurt How many carbs and how much insulin?
Dinner = For example: Jacket potato with beans (sometimes cheese), salad and piece of fruit and a yogurt. Again how many carbs and how much insulin?
Insulin and carbohydrates are a definite weight gain recipe. Especially if the doses of both are high
Even T1s have succeeded in lowering their carbs and hence insulin.
Look up Fergus's success story. If they've got you on high doses, you are likely to be feeding your insulin, which is the core of the weight-gain spiral.

 

[Greenb]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try and reduce my carb intake and see if that will help show any results. I know i can reduce my lunch meal from the 11 units (although i've been overshooting so i think it'll be more around 9 units), to about 6 units, as i can swap from the fairly large roll to just an average sandwich - or perhaps beans on toast or something. At dinner i'm less sure what i can change to, especially as i'm in catered accomodation i never know whats going to be cooked, but i will try.

I'm just unsure of how to keep cutting carbs and feel at least somewhat satiated,The amount I’m eating now I feel so hungry all the time – making binges quite a menacing thought at the forefront of my mind. . I could replace with protein etc. but i'd worry i'd just want more and subsequently end up with a similar insulin dose. I'll give it a go. But being a tall guy i feel i'm cutting a fair bit below what i need already

Regarding breakfast - i know it's not the most sensible thing to skip, but i've discussed it with my dietician and she says although she wouldnt recommend it, as long as i keep an eye on my blood sugar levels it's fine. And i've had no issues yet. Plus as previously mentioned breakfast just sets me up to a feeling of more hunger for the whole day, definately not what i need :|

 

[fergus]

Hi Greenb,

I think you might be surprised by how much your hunger might be reduced by replacing some of those starches with fat and protein. There's a very strong consensus that carbs are the least satiating foods and it's certainly been my experience that I'm far less hungry through the day if start off with bacon & eggs (you could substitute with mushrooms and cheese?). I'll often not bother with lunch because I won't feel hungry until dinner.
Getting your lunchtime dose down from 11 to 6 would be great progress, provided your blood sugars stay controlled of course. If you can make a similar reduction at dinner too, you should see an imporvement in your weight fairly quicky.
Remember, this doesn't have to mean fewer calories, just different calories.

All the best,

fergus

 

[Greenb]

Thanks you for your help and advice Fergus. I'll try and make some changes and see how it goes