Frustrated, newly diagnosed.

[juliaman]

I am newly diagnosed but there is so much emphasis on weight loss. I am 61 kgs and 163 cms with a BMI if 22.9. I am very active.

I have gone low carb and have lost 1" from my waist but not lost weight. My BS are all in target, I fingerprint test frequently but the programme I am on keeps emphasising weight loss and I do not lose weight. It is making me feel I am failing. I am due my first HBA1c after diagnosis. Should I just go with using that as "good control" or just persist with my frequent finger prick testing? Getting rather confused.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Could you tell us what your HbA1c was when you were diagnosed and what your BG targets are?

Though it's less likely that you can deal with T2D by losing weight or waist inches when you have a relatively low BMI, it's not that rare. But it's hard to have a sense of how much needs to be done without knowing yr diagnosis HbA1c and what's been happening with your fingerprick measurements.

(Note that "low carb" by itself is going to do much for weight loss if it doesn't involve also reducing calories. If you haven't done it already, I'd recommend keeping a really strict food/drink diary with calorie counts over a week or so to make sure you have a good handle on how much you're eating & drinking. Also suggest using a tool like https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp or similar to make sure you have a good handle on how many calories you're burning.)

 

[Leadinglights]

I assume you are saying you don't want/need to lose weight in which case you can still follow a low carb regime but make sure you are having enough protein and healthy fats to maintain your weight.
Often when people start a low carb regime, they lose weight quite quickly but that is mostly fluid loss and they need to make sure they drink enough so as not to become dehydrated.

 

[juliaman]

Hi. Thanks for replies. My diagnosis HBA1c was 49. My BS are between 5.0 to highest at 7.8 post prandial. I don't want to lose weight but I am obviously getting rid of fat.

 

[Felinia]

Hi and welcome
You are clearly one of the slim Type 2 diabetics, and are only just in the diabetic range. Also your BS are OK. I suggest you follow Leadinglights and Eddy Edson advice to keep a strict food diary, slowly reduce your daily carbs to below 130gm and bulk up your food with extra protein, healthy fats and veggies. You can get an app which will do all the hard work for you - MyFitBit and NutraCheck are two I know of.

 

[Leadinglights]

Not too much work to do to reduce your level to normal at below 42mmol/mol.
This link may help with some ideas for modifying your diet to reduce your carb intake whilst still having real food

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk

 

[Eddy Edson]

Fingerprick numbers look "normal" & I'd guess that your next HbA1c may very well say the same.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @juliaman

Well done on the great progress you have made with your diabetes management!

It must be frustrating to be constantly hearing about the importance of weight loss which may not feel like it applies, but as others have said, there is some evidence that even for those who are not obviously overweight, there can still be benefits in some cases, especially where people may have hidden fat built-up around organs.

ReTUNE type 2 remission study preview

Early results from the Diabetes UK-funded ReTUNE study show promise for people with type 2 diabetes and a body mass index (BMI) below 27. The study, expected to be completed next year, is testing if fat around the internal organs might be one of the reasons type 2 develops in people with a lower...

www.diabetes.org.uk

But nevertheless, your BG results seem excellent - and things look very promising for your follow-up HbA1c. Whatever you are doing, keep doing it!

 

[Pluvia]

I am newly diagnosed but there is so much emphasis on weight loss. I am 61 kgs and 163 cms with a BMI if 22.9. I am very active.

I have gone low carb and have lost 1" from my waist but not lost weight. My BS are all in target, I fingerprint test frequently but the programme I am on keeps emphasising weight loss and I do not lose weight. It is making me feel I am failing. I am due my first HBA1c after diagnosis. Should I just go with using that as "good control" or just persist with my frequent finger prick testing? Getting rather confused.

When I went from pre-diabetes to having to take pills (just over a year ago) I was extremely disappointed. On the doc's advice I took the pills for a few months and simply cut out as much sugar as possible. I've lost 21 lbs and don't have to take pills now. I have a decent meal every evening but very little in the day. Example: Breakfast could be one of two cereals without sugar or 2 slices of bread&butter. Later if I feel hungry I have a small handful of M&S mixed nuts, or a slice of M&S robust sourdough bread and butter (yum, yum). I drink a lot of tea with milk but no sugar. This has worked for me because I don't like going on a *diet* or having to count calories or being hungry all the time. Besides, most diets don't work as some people get lax and slowly put on the weight again.

 

[Leadinglights]

When I went from pre-diabetes to having to take pills (just over a year ago) I was extremely disappointed. On the doc's advice I took the pills for a few months and simply cut out as much sugar as possible. I've lost 21 lbs and don't have to take pills now. I have a decent meal every evening but very little in the day. Example: Breakfast could be one of two cereals without sugar or 2 slices of bread&butter. Later if I feel hungry I have a small handful of M&S mixed nuts, or a slice of M&S robust sourdough bread and butter (yum, yum). I drink a lot of tea with milk but no sugar. This has worked for me because I don't like going on a *diet* or having to count calories or being hungry all the time. Besides, most diets don't work as some people get lax and slowly put on the weight again.

That is why many 'diets' don't work but changes to what you eat to maintain good blood glucose levels really has to be a new way of eating and definitely not A DIET.
The reason you are feeling hungry in the morning is because you are having carbs for breakfast rather than something with protein and healthy fats, like full fat Greek yoghurt and berries
or eggs in any form.
You may get some ideas from this link for a sustainable way of eating based on real food. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
Remembering it is all carbohydrates not just 'sugar' that convert to glucose so reducing the portions of high carb foods is needed. Cereals, bread, rice, pasta, pastry, cakes and biscuits as well as sugary drinks including fruit juice and tropical fruits.