Weight Loss and Diabetes

kri438sbo

Newbie
Messages
1
Im new here and this post really enlighten me. I am having a hard time losing weight. I hope you guys can also give me more tips.
 

SparkJack

Well-Known Member
Messages
152
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I've tried a lot of diets in my time, including Lighter Life when I lost four and a half stone. As soon as I stopped though I put it all back on. I was in a better place headwise but it hadn't changed my eating habits. I now attend WW more for the support and the weekly weigh in than anything else. I firmly believe in the lower carb approach so use WW and South Beach recipes but adapt them where necessary. I find the recipe builder a useful tool. I can't eat fruit because at the moment it has a drastic affect on my BS levels.The newest South Beach cookbook is fine for diabetics.1001 recipes from Dana C is great apart from the Americanisms.
Any diet is fine as long as it's not followed blindly. What am I eating? What is that doing to me, now as an individual and a diabetic? Testing is the key to understanding- the scales only tell part of the story.
 

duranie

Well-Known Member
Messages
64
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Winter!
I would really appreciate some help here.

Whilst I am by no means overweight - I'm 5'9" & weigh about 10.5 stones, I am small framed and feel uncomfortable at this weight. I'm type 1 and have had a lot of problems with complications over the past 12 months. I've been diagnosed with gastroparesis after problems arising from DKA - I went down to about 7stones a year ago - which I know is far far too low, however in helping me stabalise my diabetes - my last HBa1c was 6.4%, I have started putting on weight & am worried that i will become a problem. On the whole I really don't eat that much - due to the gastroparesis which means I can't eat big meals - usually around about 1300 calories a day, on a low carb/low fat diet. I excercise 3-4 times a week and try to walk everywhere if I can.

Any ideas how I can lose a bit of weight - probably about 7-10 lbs??
 

Carla

Newbie
Messages
2
I have been quickly reading through all the comments and have been cheered up no end - I,m not on my own! Losing weight is very hard for me, not least because I know how bad diabetes can be -my mother, is type 1 and suffers from high blood sugars, blindness can is recovering from a stroke. Her friend Ann lost both of her legs because of uncontrolled diabetes!
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
Hi Carla, welcome to the forum. Yes, the complications of diabetes can be horrific which is why we all must look after ourselves as best we can to try to minimise these if possible.
 

Grandfatherd

Newbie
Messages
4
Please excuse if I am in the wrong place. I keep reading about the importance of weight loss and how to go about achieving your target, but, I have yet to find a forum? on gaining wieght.
I was diagnosed last year with D.2, and as my BMI is 12st. 7lbs. and I weighed in at 14 st. 10/12 lbs.
I imeadiatly started dieting. When I had reached my ideal target, I started to follow a lower carb routine, this was under 200carbs per day. Unfortunately I have lossed another stone ie I am now around 11st 4/8lbs. Ifeel perfectly fit and healthy except I now feel the cold much more (have been wearing thermals since early August) The doctor as changed my medication (one heart tablet for another they also are for BP She the doctor didn't say anything about my weight and I thought I would leave it till I see D.N.S.
I am an87yrs old man and Iwonder if my problem lies in this area.

Danny,
 
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Annacat

Newbie
Messages
3
Dislikes
having diabetes!
Hello everyone - this is my first post! Don't know if I'm in the right place or not but I'm wondering if anyone out there has experienced similar - until recently I was on gliclazide 80mg x 3 daily and 500mg x 2 daily of slow release metformin. My weight remained the same until I stopped taking the gliclazide and increased the metformin to 3 x 500mg daily. Now the weight is coming off! But this is without any dietary changes at all! Because I suffer from extreme health anxiety I am worried that there is a serious underlying cause for my weight loss (1-2lbs a week) my GP isn't concerned and says it's most likely due to the metformin but I've been on it for 3 years since diagnosis without this effect - unless dropping the gliclazide has made the difference - I'd be grateful to hear from anyone who has same experience. I do need to lose about 5 stone so I'm
Obviously pleased it's coming off - provided it's not serious! Thanks guys!
 

))Denise((

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,580
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Annacat

You would have probably been better to start a new thread with your question as it may get a bit lost in this old one.

I'm on Gliclazide and one of its problems is that it can cause weight gain (or stop you losing weight - which it does in my case). Sometimes they don't prescribe it to overweight people for this reason. This is an explanation of Gliclazide http://www.diabetesuffolk.com/Drugs/Gli ... pizide.htm

Usually people are put on a big dose of Metformin - up to 2000mg per day before other drugs like Gliclazide are added, but if you were having stomach problems with the Metformin, then that was probably why you were on a fairly large dose of Gliclazide.

I'm not a doctor but I think coming off the Gliclazide is the reason for the weight loss and also the increase in the dose of Metformin as it does promote weight loss.
 
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Annacat

Newbie
Messages
3
Dislikes
having diabetes!
Hi Denise
Thanks for your valued reply. I'm new to this site so still working out how to use it - I've lost another pound this week but I've also been weeing a lot more at night. I
Must check my BS as I think they must be quite high at the moment (I've recently had a minor op & lots of stress with illness in the family that I've let things slip a bit) you're right. I was on 2000mg daily of metformin SR but had terrible diarrhoea and flare ups of divericulitis cos of it but that was 3 years ago and I wanted to try it again at a lower dose as it seems such a good pill all round. I promised the doc I'd do my part diet & exercise wise if I could come off the gliclazide as I don't like the way it works. Better get back on the straight & narrow again asap! Thanks for your help :)
 

))Denise((

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,580
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Annacat

Because you have posted here, you have missed the welcome that Daisy gives to new people. This is a link to the post that she usually gives viewtopic.php?f=39&t=26870

The advice here is to cut the amount of carbs you eat and that should lower your blood sugar. You also need to get a meter to find out what your blood sugar is and test before and two hours after meals to find out how food affects you. Try to get your doctor to prescribe you a meter and strips, they are usually very reluctant to do so, but if you tell him that you want to be proactive and adjust your diet, then you may be lucky and get them, otherwise like a lot of people on here you will need to self fund it.

Metformin can be the work of the devil and give you terrible stomach problems, I'm much better with it since I cut out eating wheat, this also has the effect of eating less carbs as I don't replace the bread with anything else.

There are other drugs such as Sitagliptin (Januvia) which will lower blood sugar levels and it dosen't work the same way as Gliclazide, if adjusting your diet doesn't give you enough of a drop in your blood sugar.
 

Annacat

Newbie
Messages
3
Dislikes
having diabetes!
Hi Denise
Thanks for that. All very helpful! I know what you mean about cutting out wheat - probably the best diet I ever did (for feeling better as well as losing weight) was wheat-free. I also did lighterlife and lost over 4 stone which has gradually gone back on as I couldn't afford to attend the following 'maintenance' part of the course. I have yo-yo dieted ever since I was told as a 16 yr old that I needed to lose half a stone!!! Diets dont work, only healthy eating for life plans, which let's be honest, everyone should be doing, not just us diabetics! I was diagnosed about 3 and half years ago with symptoms of extreme thirst and weight loss. My BS then was 25! My last hba1c was 8.8 but until then had always hovered around 7. I put it down to stress, illness (trapped nerves in my spine for a year) and not adhering to my diet. I got a puppy a year ago (golden retriever) and she has me out in the park nearly every day for a couple of hours a time, so more walking than I've ever done, although I've always liked walking I didnt do nearly enough of it, often because of pain (I have an heriditary neck problem too) but I am determined to get back on track. I understand what you say about the metformin being more tolerable when low carb diet is being followed - it makes sense. Today is a new day and I'm going to take it from here and try not to beat myself up about the last few months. I got in such a state thinking I was losing weight for sinister reasons that I was actually trying to eat more high calorie stuff to prove I could prevent the loss - how crazy is that?! of course, what seems to have happened is that this has caused too much sugar in my system that can't be used so I'm weeing that out and so losing a bit of weight - the old vicious circle thing. I know I'm daft but I have such a horrible health anxiety it's hard to control it sometimes. My doctor says he's not concerned and I worry too much! He won't give me the stips and meter as I'm not on insulin producing med (although he also wouldn't give it to me when I was on gliclazide, which is) anyway I bought my own. My first reading this morning was 15 I'm ashamed to say. Normally it's around 8 first thing. Just need to get myself sorted but your trouble in replying has given me re-newed enthusiasm, so thanks again :)
 

mytribe

Newbie
Messages
2
Hi I am member of Weight Watchers and a type 2 diabetic, and I find that weight watchers is perfect for me as it is up to me what I spend my points on each week, also my leader is aware of my diabetes and we do discuss this. So I say ww works for me, my weight is going down and at my yearly review my doctor commented on how well I am controlling my diabetes.
 
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Defren

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,106
mytribe said:
Hi I am member of Weight Watchers and a type 2 diabetic, and I find that weight watchers is perfect for me as it is up to me what I spend my points on each week, also my leader is aware of my diabetes and we do discuss this. So I say ww works for me, my weight is going down and at my yearly review my doctor commented on how well I am controlling my diabetes.

I did slimming world long, long before diagnosis and that worked for me. Now as a T2 diabetic I use Viv's modified Atkins diet (a lot of us here do) and that's perfect for control for us as it keeps our carbs down. I am on the ND diet just now, but that is also very, very low carb.
 

ZoriWser

Member
Messages
5
Sound good but i have not seen the list you talking about can i have that list of diet program if you can help me then please share that one i will love to observe and try to my self..











[link removed]
 
Messages
2
Hello

I am 26 and had diabetes since I was 14. I am using Lantus in the Am and then Humalog at lunch dinner and before bed. I need some advice on my dieting and fitness.

I weigh 78 and I want to lose weight and drop to arouns 74/75.I am very active with going to the gym 4-5 a weeks and it really helps my bloody sugars. The only problem is that my levels keep going low and Im having to eat lots of carbs and sugars to bring my level up. This isnt helping me dieting.I need to be eating the right things and I know at the moment im not. I know that there are books but I need someone who is really into fitness & has diabetes and know what i mean?

Is there any help out there with this?

Cheers

Billy
 

Kayla

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
This post is really interesting! I'm currently trying to have a 'lifestyle change' rather than a 'diet' as such.
I've tried all sorts of different diets such a slimfast which does not work good for people with diabetes and I actually ended up in hospital I was so ill.
I've also tried slimming world and wight watchers but I'm an extremely fussy eater too.
I've found that so far what has worked best for me is just eating sensibly, controlling portion size and adding in exercise (gym, swimming and aquasize) I just need to get back on track now after xmas.
Before xmas I was feeling super motivated but at the moment I'm finding it really hard to motivate myself, feeling down about everything lately, when you eat healthy you feel healthy right?! That's the plan!
I study counselling in college and we were discussing people being judged, I feel judged quite a lot when people find out I'm diabetic and one comment someone made was 'Well you're diabetic so you take your tablets or you die right?'
That actually left me speechless..
Do people see diabetes as some horrific disease? Or is it me who is maybe a bit nieve to it? I've felt rather down since hearing that, any thoughts?
 

sallyjoseph

Member
Messages
8
weight loss is good and healthy. A slow regular internal weight loss using nutritional change and exercise is associated with beneficial effects on the heart, blood pressure, and cholesterol level. In addition, weight loss can reduce insulin resistance and make muscles and fat tissues more sensitive to circulating insulin levels in the blood which is good.
 
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