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Type 1's who have maintained their weight- looking for tips and hope

bellabella

Well-Known Member
Messages
135
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just over a month ago. Since being diagnosed, I have put on an awful lot of weight ( approximately 9kg) and most of it is around my tummy, and middle in general. my clothes don't fit me properly anymore, and I feel really out of shape.
I know it is normal to put on weight, once we start taking insulin, and our bodies begin metabolizing glucose after the previous periods of hyperglycaremia, and I was expecting this.
However, I would like to nip it in the bud as soon as possible, because I just feel better about myself when I am trim and in shape.
I would like to know if there are any other type 1's out there who have overcome this problem, and managed to lose and/or maintain weight since diagnosis, and how you do this. I know it all boils down to calories in vs calories out, but some tips would be helpful, particularly in terms of what type of diet you have used, exercise etc.
does it have to be a low carb diet that we use for weight loss? I've dabbled in reducing my carbs since being diagnosed... however I have quiet a busy job involving a fair bit of walking around during the day, and I just find i'm more on the ball when I have slow release carbs in me for breakfast
thanks for reading
 
I think the reason why low carb works for weight loss is because foods high in carbohydrates are also normally relatively high in calories. At the end of the day it's a calories game, but you'll automatically be reducing your carb intake if you follow a calorie restricted diet. I was in the process of losing weight before diagnosis by counting calories, and I just continued to do so afterwards.
 
It must be frustrating to find your weight increases once you start on insulin, what with everything else you need to take on board I am a long term Type 1, and my weight has been low and stable from the outset, possibly because back in Ye Olden Dayes carbohydrate was very restricted from the get go. It's a recent phenomena about needing to balance insulin with carbs, and following the NHS advice on diet which is almost certainly going to cause weight gain as carbs=more insulin =more carbs= more weight gain= more insulin and so the cycle continues So possibly it's not just the insulin that has caused the weight gain, but also the dietery advice given alongside it

As you are recently diagnosed, and probably still in the honeymoon period, you will find things easier once it settles down. You said you have reduced your carbs, and that's a good thing, but what you probably need to do is find what you can tolerate, and what you can't by using your meter and logging what you eat. Not all carbs are equal . And No two people are the same. You may find that you are doing OK with low GI carbs (such as for breakfast ) but in smaller amounts than a non diabetic can get away with.

I'm not sure that a restricted calorie approach would be of much use to you while you are sorting out all the other diabetic related food issues, it's hard enough calculating carbohydrate quantities and matching it to insulin at the beginning without having to calculate calories too .

For what it's worth and I emphasise this is what works for me and I am not suggesting everyone does the same is reverse the sequence - I adjust insulin to what carb intake I have, and in my case it is quite low, 30 - 50g a day which is what I've almost always had. and in opposition to the "eat starchy carbs with every meal " current NHS advice My weight has stayed stable , and I work outdoors in a very active job. with the exception of the time I decided to follow the carbs advice when it first came out to see if it made a difference. It did - I put on a stone in a month and needed three times the insulin I used previously So I went back to ye olde ways, and my insulin use is still quite low and my weight reduced and has stayed the same.

It's a lot to take in, and I feel for you I suggest you browse the diet and nutrition threads, and try what you think will work for you in practical terms, but make getting your BGL as stable as possible your priority. It's possible by doing that, that your weight will also stabilise as a consequence, then any other weight issues can be worked on .
Good luck!

Signy
 
Hi... following as I'm in a similar position - started insulin about 6 weeks ago and have put on about 6lbs/3kg... on top of getting used to everything else, it is really distressing - so I can very much empathise... :-/

I'm lower carb than "average" and higher fat than average too - though no where near as low as @Heathenlass - I wonder, are you a meat eater Heathenlass...? I only ask as I'm pretty much vegan and would struggle to get my carbs that low. I did do it once, but was basically living on green salads and nuts - not much fun... if you happen to be veggie or vegan I'd love to hear what you eat

My insulin usage is still relatively low and my diet is still what most would call "very healthy" - plus I either do a four mile brisk walk everyday, or swim, or yoga - so I'm kinda shocked at the weight gain - and worried this is an upward trend - as I know putting on much more weight will make me very low.... so hopefully some others may have some ideas...
 
Hi. Think carbs not calories. The body stores excess carbs as fat. If you reduce the carbs the body is forced to burn off fat. Set a daily limit of, say, 150gm and see how you go. Some on the forum stay below 100gm and even less. Carbs are the enemy for both blood sugar and weight control. Don't worry about fats or protein. Being on insulin makes it tempting to eat too freely and you have to control the carbs to a reasonable extent.
 
Again I empathise with you. On diagnosis some 16 years ago over a period of 2/3 years I put on over 3 stone in weight and got very down about it. Nobody on my DSN team seemed to be able to help me and at that time they were very pro 'remember to eat your carbs' and never suggested to reduce insulin and lower carbs. Anyway, to summarise, I had a hypo over 3 years ago which was one that needed a paramedic and hospital - not nice. After that I was terrified of eating/injecting and through this horrible experience I reduced my carbs (not for weight loss originally) and the pounds starting dropping off. Within 6 months of circa 100g-120g carbs a day I was back down to 9 1/2 stone and have kept the weigh off ever since. Although weight loss if different for everyone, I firmly believe that if I started eating carbs again at the levels my DSN and dietician suggest I would be back up to 12 stone in no time. As I'm only in an office job I think it is easier for me as I don't need the additional energy but you could try some low carb snacks and have some nuts, cheese, boiled eggs, chicken bits to hand. The pots of greek yogurt from Lidl's is only 3G carbs per 100g so again this with some berries is a good breakfast option. It is a big problem for many T1 diabetics. All the best.
 
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Hi there, I was diagnosed as type 1 in march and use Lantus & Novorapid. I'm male, sixty & retired.

I've lost around 6 kilos since then using a combination of diet & exercise and still have between 120 to 150 grams of carbs each day.

I think the key has been portion control and finding which carbs suit the type of activity I do. The biggest help with this has been Myfitnesspal, http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ . There's also an app for smartphones. Some foods that you think aren't very carby will surprise you if you use this site.
I have set weight loss goals and been very strict about logging both food & exercise.The weight loss goals have been for a steady loss of maybe half a pound a week and in general I have managed this fine. Weighing in once a week also helps as any more often can be a bit soul destroying as we expect too much too quickly.

My main activities are gardening and golf and logging these allows more food to be eaten. I've learnt to tailor my meals around activity, for instance reducing insulin intake at breakfast if golfing in the morning and lunch if doing it in the afternoon. I restrict more carbwise in the evenings as I tend not to be as active. Most of my meals are now prepared from fresh ingredients by myself instead of ready made meals. Snacks are usually less than 15 grams of carb, to save on injecting to correct for snacks. I seem to have a couple of dozen go-to meals now that I can judge the amounts of ingredients to use without needing the scales. I also have the odd diet holiday where I'll eat out, have fish and chips and so on as dieting can fool the body into thinking there's a famine about and it starts to hoard weight somehow.

Finally, calories do count as your body will find a way to store any excess calorie you don't burn up. The main thing is to experiment and look at what the app shows to be the make up of the food you fancy. You'll get a few surprises along the way. Once taking your insulin becomes another part of day to day life things will go better and you'll be less stressed out by it all. It's not simple, but it's not dreadfully hard either once you get to grips with it.

Finally, an absolute godsend is Hartleys Sugar free jelly.... tons of different flavours, dead easy to make and 9 calories a portion. About 60p a packet!

Hope this ramble has helped.
 
It's just a case of reducing your calorie intake, if you burn more calories than you consume you will begin to lose the weight.

Much like Riri, Diabell & Jakios I eat carbs in moderation which I find keeps my weight steady, when I did lose over two stone in weight I was eating around 120g of carbs a day, making sure not to have too big a portion of anything at meal times and by avoiding snacking between meals.

Getting active also helps immensely so do get fitter if your not already active. Runsweet has some excellent advice for type 1's who enjoy sport:

http://www.runsweet.com/
 
Hmmm.... really interesting replies.... Although I'm still a bit stumped as to how to reduce my carbs without basically living off nuts and salads.... So as not to hijack this one, I might start a new thread - cos I *really* want to get the balance on this right....
 

HI and welcome to the forum. I am 8 st 13lb, and age 56, type 1 for 25 years. when diagnosed I was just over 7 stone and then the weight started to go back on with the Insulin. I have always weighed about 8 1/2 stone, but just a little more over the years, I am normally a very active person, always on the go so that keeps the weight down, and no middle age spread yet lol but you are newly diagnosed and it will a little time for your body to get used to being type 1, its a lot to take in and can be a shock on the body too. I am not low carb at all, but have reduced carb intake as that means less insulin.
I'm sure you will find good diabetes management, one that you are happy with and that works for you. good luck
 


I Put on a lot of weight and kept in on for some years, this last year or 2 ive started carb counting and doing a low carb diet and reducing my insulin as far as i can go while still maintain control and have now lost close to 3 stone with just that and nothing else.
 

@artemis, I think I may have mentioned that my diet is a little weird by some standards!
No, I'm not a meat eater, and a child of rather "hippy" parents, back in the day when hippies were something new and scarey ! So my eating has always been different to others, and actually didn't change much on diagnosis . (I hated my parents "macrobiotic " stage with a passion, but they soon got bored )

I do make most of my own food, for example, I make my own "granola" which is 5g carb per 55g portion, own "bread" at 3g a slice, use cauliflower as "rice", and as a pizza base, courgettes and spaghetti squash for pasta.

You do need to cook though, and there are some great books for veggies and vegans who low carb with some great recipes, which also give you ideas to try for yourself. I recommend Celia Brooks " Gluten Free and Vegetarian Low Carb" (or a very similar title, it's found easily on Amazon) And also Rose Elliot's Vegetarian low carb recipe book. Celia's Ricotta and Rocket flan type thing is gorgeous, and very low carb as it uses ground walnuts as a base .

I also make cheese "muffins" using almond flour and a lush almond and coconut "cake" , brownies and biscuits.
And use lots of vegetables in imaginative ways
There is also a great app called "Cook and Count " which allows you to input your own ingredients and calculates the carbs for you, so you can calculate and possibly adapt your own recipes . The great thing with that is that once you have entered and saved it, you don't need to do it again which takes a lot of the hassle out of it .

And I LOVE cheese so use that a lot also cream.
Celeriac makes great mash, and aubergines are great fried really well as a snack

I hope that helps, for starters anyway ! Happy to answer any questions

Signy
 
Have a look at the Bernstein book: Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution.

His approach is based on 30g carb per day. The reason being that low carb intake means low insulin intake, so it's easier to get the levels right and keep BS stable. Which is really important to your health.

That's what I'm on. Once you've worked out a practical and filling way to do it, it's fine. The key is to make sure you eat enough veg and protein to feel full, and then keep the carbs down to the limit.

You can use this either to lose weight, or to maintain it by making sure you eat more fat (butter, cream, nuts perhaps).

Some LCHFs prefer to go with 50g carb/day, but I have an incentive to get my BS down to 5 fast, as I'm LADA and want to extend my honeymoon period.
 
LucySW said:
Have a look at the Bernstein book: Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution.
His approach is based on 30g carb per day.
Click to expand...

His approach is not only diet based but exercised based. The two go together , one does not work alone.
Daily exercising keeps me slim. Exercising in cold weather really makes me lose weight , due to the brown fat cells being 'activated' , which in turn burn calories like an oven.
 

Signy - you are a superstar!!
 
Thanks so much everyone for the replies, it's so reassuring to hear other peoples perspectives and experiences, as diabetes can feel very isolating at times, and it's hard to explain to those who don't have it. It looks like low carb is the way forward. I'm a huuuge carb addict so it's going to be tricky, but hopefully it'll get easier. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good website to get recipes/ meal plans etc from. Asweetlife.org has some good tips from what I can see!
 
I was a huge carb fan and not a great fan of fat and protein and it does make a low-carb diet challenging at first. I've been doing it for about 8 months and I've lost one and a half stones, and feel tons better for being back in the middle of the normal BMI range. I'm 60, 5ft 8ins, weighed 91/2 stones as a teenager, and after diagnosis as a T1, my weight had crept up steadily, but worse than that I had poor BG control. The two things go hand in hand for me. The low-carb diet has allowed me to improve my control and I'm using far less insulin.

I did find giving up most carbs a bit difficult at first, but when I started to feel better in myself because of excess weight loss and better BG, I realised that the diet was definitely worth getting used to. At the start I faffed around a lot with labour-intensive recipes with sweeteners, but they weren't for me because I don't get on vey well with sweeteners.

There are lots of good recipes on this forum for low-carbers and in books mentioned by others above. It depends what your likes and dislikes are. For me, Hartley's jellies, 70 or 85% chocolate, nuts and seeds, provide me with enough 'treats' to get by. I replace rice and pasta with cauliflower and courgettes, eat berries, eggs, cheese, cream, Greek yoghurt, minced beef, minced lamb, pancetta, ham, sausages, spices and loads of veg.

Dovetailing your diet into family or social eating can be tricky, but it's not impossible, and it's worth it to achieve the best health you can with diabetes.

@Sunspot suggested the phlaunt.com website for advice on balancing the nutrition in a low-carb diet and I've found it helpful. You key in your own data and are then given carb, protein, and fat targets to aim for.
 
I'm a big LCHF fan, but it's not the only way to solve the problem you've raised. It's a very common problem for new T1 diabetics and it's a great shame clinics don't advise people what to do.

The most important thing, the key thing, is to reduce your total insulin once you get back to what is a good healthy weight for you. And of course, maintain good blood sugars. There are a variety of ways to achieve this (less insulin + good blood sugars), but it is the essential requirement to stabilise your weight.

At diagnosis, you will have been prescribed an "anabolic" (weight gaining) dose of insulin. It's pretty shocking that clinics don't follow up a few months later to correct this. I gained weight for years after diagnosis and the clinic could not tell me what to do, even when I asked. They basically didn't know. Certainly the dieticians didn't know, and if you ask a question like that you unfortunately get directed to the dieticians, who are not the best informed on Type 1 diabetic physiology, rather than the consultants, who probably would be able to give the right answer if they thought about it.

So you must reduce total insulin while maintaining good blood sugars. This means some form of carb reduction, maybe in combination with exercise. How you do it doesn't matter that much. When I stabilised my weight I had never heard of LCHF. I just reduced my basal (Lantus) dose, and stopped feeling hungry all the time and so stopped overeating. There was no diet plan, no exercise plan. So that might work for you. If not, I would recommend LCHF as being effective and relatively easy, but it's not the only way.
 
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