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Weight loss v BG reduction on LCHF

PenguinMum

Expert
Messages
7,157
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I need the advice of the kind and experienced people on the forum. I have been following LCHF for almost 5 months now keeping to circa 50g carbs per day. My HBA1c last time was very satisfactory but I want to maintain it. My weight has litterally fallen off. I dont have a scales at home but I have gone from size 16 to size 12 and I have lost somewhere between 1-2 stone. However, my BG levels are still in the 6s and 7s with an odd 5 in the afternoon. This last week they have been more 7s and 8s possibly due to pain of arthritis and subsequent painkillers.
I dont really want to lose any more weight but I do want to get my BG levels lower and I dont know how to fix that. I have a trusted bank of safe meals that I stick to because I rarely eat out of home.
I know many wont understand this but the BG reduction was always the driving force rather than weight loss. Thank you in advance.
 
Hi @penguin mum. I know exactly where you are coming from! I followed low carb in order to lower BG, and the weight loss was a welcome side effect. Are you on any medication at all? I was on BP meds but since coming off them 3 weeks ago I am seeing lower BG levels!
All I can suggest is that you lower your carbs further or maintain a strict food diary as it is easy to eat more carbs than you think you are!
 
Some of my painkillers raise my bg. Sometimes it is a matter of compromise. Do I lower the dosage of painkillers to lower my bg (especially my fbg) or live with a higher pain level which would likely raise my bg anyway. I choose my slightly raised bg over a higher level of pain.

As to maintaining weight, I am just now trying to add more protein to my diet to see if that helps to stop my weight loss. It is too early to tell yet. As protein provokes much less of an insulin response this shouldn't show too high a rise in bg.
As we age (especially after menopause) our body's ability to metabolise protein diminishes so we need a little extra anyway.
 
Thanks for your solidarity! I always record BG and anything I eat already. I may have to reduce carbs further but I dont want to do heavy duty fasting. I am in awe of those who do but I just want to have 3 meals a day. Maybe I just need to give it longer and if my next HBA1c is ok thats the most important thing.
 
There is also the question of insulin resistance. Lowering IR takes some people longer than others. Give it time.
 
@Guzzler thank you thats interesting about protein levels and I could adjust that. I agree as regards painkillers epcially as I get flate ups. I just knew I would get ideas from you!
 
PenguinMum said:
@Guzzler thank you thats interesting about protein levels and I could adjust that. I agree as regards painkillers epcially as I get flate ups. I just knew I would get ideas from you!
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As long as you have no problems with your kidney function then a slight rise in protein levels can't do any harm. Good luck.
 
I always find that fasting either intermittent or extended has the biggest impact on my blood sugar results got down to 3.5 on day three of last weeks 4 day fast.
 
PenguinMum said:
I know many wont understand this but the BG reduction was always the driving force rather than weight loss.
Click to expand...
Hi Pengi,
I think @Guzzler advice is sound, she usually knows what she's talking about.

About the weight loss I'm with you on that one it's all about the lower bg and the weight loss is a nice side effect. But the weight loss lowers the bg so not just a side effect. The only thing I would say on the subject is trust the mirror if the curves you have are in the right places its all grovey.
However if it's still in the tummy area, the fat on the inside kind, then continuing to lose some weight should help lower the bg numbers.

And as Guzzler said your meds and pain will all be increasing your numbers so not a true reading of how much you have accomplished.
 
bulkbiker said:
I always find that fasting either intermittent or extended has the biggest impact on my blood sugar results got down to 3.5 on day three of last weeks 4 day fast.
Click to expand...
I did mean to drop you a message on the thread and say how proud of you I was.
But my keyboard is still on "the default" sarcastic smart **** setting.
 
PenguinMum said:
I may have to reduce carbs further but I dont want to do heavy duty fasting.
Click to expand...
I tried 3 months of 16/8 but it increased my HbA1c so I'm not doing that any more! I try to eat breakfast when I get up, I snack at 11am, have lunch at 1pm then dinner around 6 or 6:30. I don't anything after dinner. I may have an afternoon snack depending on how active I'm being.
 
I do what you do except up to now I eat with my husband when he gets back fom work around 8pm but maybe we will have to eat separately which is a bit sad.
 
bulkbiker said:
I always find that fasting either intermittent or extended has the biggest impact on my blood sugar results got down to 3.5 on day three of last weeks 4 day fast.
Click to expand...
I wondered abour fasting between breakfast and supper but my supper is usually 8pm when my husbsnd gets home which is late. I need something with my morning cup of tea which is a 3g Keto cheese scone.
 
Thanks Spoon whenever I have lost weight deliberately n the past it has always been tummy last but this time when it isnt my priority it just happens. I will keep plugging away as best I can and as long as I get a good HBA1cn June I will be happy.
 
PenguinMum said:
I do what you do except up to now I eat with my husband when he gets back fom work around 8pm but maybe we will have to eat separately which is a bit sad.
Click to expand...

Eating later has no effect on my morning levels.

How much are you rising between bedtime and getting up time?

The main cause of high fasting levels is insulin resistance, because when the liver dumps glucose the insulin can't push all that glucose into the cells for energy so it remains swimming about in the blood stream until such time as the pancreas secretes enough insulin to clear it. This can take hours in severely IR people. Lower carb consumption, and foods with small insulin triggers, minimal fruit, some good brisk walks, and fasting will help a lot with IR.

It may be you need to reduce your carbs. It is possible 50g a day is too much for your body to cope with right now.
 
What is the pressure to get 5s @PenguinMum? 6s and 7s are healthy bgs.

I was only getting 4s and 5s on insulin therapy.
Only fasting gets 4s and 5s for we type2s. They don't last thou as we cannot constantly fast.... or shouldn't.

Is there any reason why you need 4s and 5s?
 
There is no Spoon said:
I did mean to drop you a message on the thread and say how proud of you I was.
But my keyboard is still on "the default" sarcastic smart **** setting.
Click to expand...
Sounds a bit like my default" grumpy old git setting" which I usually forget to turn off... no worries..
 
Interesting situation and I have been thinking a lot about ‘maintenance’ recently and am thinking I may need to change up my LCHF approach a bit.

I have been on <50g a day for 9 months now combined with regular running and resistance training. My weight has been steady for about 6 months although in the last six months I still lost a bit of fat and put on some muscle (overall weight is unchanged). I don’t really have much fat left to lose at this stage. I seem to be able to fuel myself quite well off fat and feel great but I suspect I am experiencing physiological insulin resistance. My BG with a libre is pretty much a straight line except for exercise and food.

What I found with food has me rethinking my strategy. When I ate something like 20g of carbs my BG would go up slowly a few points where it would sit for a bit then finally drop quickly.

When I ate something with more carbs like half a pizza or beer and chips my BG went up faster but not as much (only 2 points) and then it dropped quite quickly. Well within normal levels.

Each time I had more carbs than normal my BG levels were lower for the next 12 hours or so.

So, my new experiment is going to be bumping up my carbs to around 100-150 a day to see what happens. My hope is that this actually lowers my overall BG levels a bit, I’m still upper 30s but want to make it to the lower 30s.
 
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