Type 2s: How do you keep yout readings low?

Granny_grump_ said:

Wiseowl _123 how do you do the low readings in a morning K

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Good morning @Granny_grump_ my friend I really have no idea, the following is what my day consists of and I know that we are all different,this is only what I follow I have only posted this to answer @Granny_grumps question

,I get up at the same time each morning 4 am eat exactly the same food every two hours,I used to religiously get up,wash my hands and test before I done anything else,but by experimenting I now wait 15 minutes before I test after having a cup of tea and get the 4's,if I take the test on rising it always reads 5's,I eat little and often about every 2/3 hours/ 5am Breakfast/40 grams .porridge and 6 raspberries 8am 2 poached eggs on two halves of a Lidl's Roll 11am one Lidl's roll spread with raspberries 1pm Lunch Salad with crumbed ham or yellow haddock with Broccoli.cauliflower minute amount of mash or two small new potatoes 3pm one small apple/orange 4.30pm one Lidl's roll with small amount of Edam cheese 6pm sardines on one Lidl's roll toasted 730pm 2 small multigrain crackers /this is the same everyday apart from the variation in my lunches

Main stay Lidl's High protien Rolls
Hecks 97% Italia sausages
Fish of some kind
Lots of anchor butter
Fresh Raspberries

I don;t think there is any magical secret, I keep my carbs lowish between 50 to 80 grms per day at night, before bed I have either fruity or herbal tea and usually 2 rich tea biscuits. In the morning between six thirty and 7 thirty I get up go to bathroom step on scales then wash hands and test.

As far as weight is concerned I decided a year or so ago to be ruthless severely reduced calories as well as going lchf.

went from 18 and a half stone to now 10 stone 6 pounds ignoring all good sense and the alarm shown by friends and family who all thought I had gone insane.

JohnEGreen said:

I don;t think there is any magical secret, I keep my carbs lowish between 50 to 80 grms per day at night, before bed I have either fruity or herbal tea and usually 2 rich tea biscuits. In the morning between six thirty and 7 thirty I get up go to bathroom step on scales then wash hands and test.

As far as weight is concerned I decided a year or so ago to be ruthless severely reduced calories as well as going lchf.

went from 18 and a half stone to now 10 stone 6 pounds ignoring all good sense and the alarm shown by friends and family who all thought I had gone insane.

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Whereas you are probably the most sane person at your GP's surgery. BTW well done on the weightloss. You are literally half the man you used to be.

Up until recently my BG was all over the place and I couldn't understand why my BG would rise many hours after eating (low carb 40 gms per day, give or take). My Nutritional Therapist recommended Magnesium, chromium, Vit D & K (blood tests had show deficiencies) and L-Glutamine. After about 3 weeks, the next result for me (I emphasise me) is that my BG stabilized but just a bit too low, so I have now been told by the hospital diabetic specialist who I happened to see today because of BG being all over the place to cut down on my metformin and see how it goes. Just because it's worked for me is not a recommendation for everybody but certainly something you might want to look at.

I actually think it is a mistake to put too much credence and emphasis on fasting numbers. A lot of people agree and have stopped testing it. There are too many factors involved that are outside our control. What we eat the day before (not just for dinner) plays a part, as do stress and restless nights, plus many other things. The best time to test is before evening meal, and that is the level I look at to judge how well I'm doing (or not doing).

I have no idea why I am like I am. Right from the start I have gone to bed in the 5s and woken up in the 5s with just an odd 6 thrown in the mix but I usually know why. I wasn't even very low carb in those days - 120g initially, then 90g then 60g So DP was never a problem for me. We eat about 7pm and nothing after that apart from water. I am now on around 30g carbs and still the same.

My main problem was before lunch when I was always higher than when I woke up. I only saw what was happening when I started to wear a Libre. I was starting to rise just after fasting test and continued to rise (gently). So my DP started after getting up and continued through the morning. Experiments followed, breakfasts changed then eliminated, and then just a coffee with lots of cream. This has halted the rise completely. I am now lower before lunch than at fasting, and maintaining this. The difference is significant.

I agree there is no reason to fixate on FBG it's just a snap shot of where you are and for me does give an idea of how my control is going but it not the be all and end all of testing.

Also as I often am down in the low fours and sometimes the mid threes and I often get up dressed and in the car operating grand dad's taxi service it helps to reassure me that I am OK to drive as I prefer not to when low.

For me, not too much cheating. I think like most I am a work in progress. I test within 10 minutes of waking. I place emphasis on focused exercise and diet. At least 5 days a week I have a 20 minute graduating in intensity walk (I think it is important to look after your heart, to warm up and down correctly) and either a home 3 set weights session or a gym class, both fasted (18 / 6 to 8).

I then eat brunch around 11 / 12 o'clock, which consists of plain yogurt with mixed in turmeric, flax seeds, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, 7 types of nuts, 4 types of berries and redcurrants. Alternatively I have a whole sea bass / bream or an oily fish with vegetables and sometimes avocados, with a smaller portion of the aforementioned nuts, berries, yogurt etc. Another alternative is roasted leeks, asparagus, carrots, radish (yes I roast these), broccoli and fish.

Workout of some sort, but HiiT based

For dinner "we" have either meat (less often now and smaller portion) or fish, vegetables, cauli-rice, followed by a smaller portion of nuts, berries, yogurt etc.

Sometimes a walk / static cycle. Now I do an extra 3 sets of weights at medium intensity (again looking after body / heart)

Just before bed 3 minute HiiT (punches, blocks and kicks (Karate))

Life sometimes changes my regime, so can end up with an omelette with 2 sausages with tomato (once every 2 weeks). I also have bacon, with scrambled egg with tomato (once every 2 weeks). That's my Monday to Friday.

At the weekend my breakfast is usually the same as during the week, but my Wife and Mother often serve up healthy alternatives.

My tip is to try to get a set of electronic scales which measure body composition, especially if you are performing resistance exercise. Recently I have put on 1 kg and with regular scales would have panicked, however I can see from my 2 sets of electronic scales that I have reduced my body fat, and replaced with muscle - without this insight I would have been demoralised.

I'm afraid I must apologise, please see confessions of an idiot.

DavidGrahamJones said:

I'm afraid I must apologise, please see confessions of an idiot.

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The good news is that my BG levels have stabilized, just not at the very low 2 - 3 and more 6 - 7. So I reckon the supplements are working. I should add that Magnesium, Chromium, Vit D & K are all things that previous blood tests have shown I have a deficiency of, plus CoQ10.

If I test in the morning which is probably only about twice a week my levels are usually in the 6's to low 7's and that never changes no matter what I eat. I do not normally eat after my evening meal but I have tried from time to time having a piece of cheese or some nuts in the evening but it does not make any difference to the morning levels but I don't worry about it as that is not very high