T2 Newbie - hoping to reverse it

[WalkdontRun]

Hi
Just got a T2 diagnosis from a doctor after a blood test noticed it. I was so shellshocked, I didn't know what to ask. Going to meet my Gp next week and wondered what should I ask (hoping to get the blood tests back from the hospital to pass onto the GP). My hospital doc ("routine year end" check for a previous unrelated condition)gave me a perscription for Metaformin and some cholestorol cutting tablets. I think she said I was showing 8 in my blood test (presuming it was the test for glucose levels). My weight is 86kg (13.54st), I'm 52 and 5ft 10. Checking my BMI it says I need to cut about 5KG to move out of obese. I am going to try the crash diet option and see if cutting my weight down substantially would allow me to go into remission. The diet and 850cal limit seems daunting but I'm willing to try anything to avoid long term medication and future diabetes issues.
I have no other underlying health issues that would impede any fitness and food changes. Walking the dog daily (at the dogs slow walking pace wasn't obviously enough). Lots of forum users seem to start running but not sure if I could get that fit. The diets seem to last 8 weeks to see results. Any ideas of what my weight would have to fall to (somebody said 10KG). My usual weight (when I was in my 30's was about 75KG). I've already cut the sweets and obvous refined sugars (don't smoke or a anywhere near a drinker) and I always thought I should be aiming for 80KG. I had a big sweet tooth so thats easy to dump (well it is now!) and no issue with sugary drinks etc. How do i know how much extra fitness I need to do? What weight loss would I need to be aiming for (and how fast) and should I still take the tablets asap and then do start the "crash" diet now. I've barely eaten since the diagnosis (bar salads and some nuts and cups of tea. I cannot see any obvious signs of T2 (unless everyone else feels different). I had suffered tiredness but I presumed that was sleep apnea. I am a night owl and could often miss meals.
I also wonder should I just stick on the current meals (bar anything sweet/alcohol/bread) till after christmas. I've told nobody close as still freaking out. Sorry for long opener but its only diabetec books and the internet as being my advice so far (meeting GP tues)

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Take the Metformin.
Do the 8 weeks shake based diet.
At 8, I'd have a quietish Christmas, and target the diet for your new year resolution.
Take it from there.

 

[WalkdontRun]

Can someone give me an idea of what sort of fitness I need to start with. I walked my dog regularly but she is quite slow so getting out of breath is difficult. It is just frequency (ie 30mins a day). Does it matter when you do this (morning). What constitutes a run (or walk) - time? Probably not going to just start running if I'm being honest.
Also I see many side effects of Metformin and does that change with a "higher" rate of exercise.
Ill cut all the sugar and alcohol I can till then. Would a resting heart rate give me some idea of fitness?

 

[Lucyr]

If you’re starting the 8 week 800 calorie diet I wouldn’t push the exercise too much to start with so as not to wipe yourself out. Walking the dog and incorporating some intervals of fast walking or jogging between the strolling may be a good place to start?

 

[Midgie]

Can someone give me an idea of what sort of fitness I need to start with. I walked my dog regularly but she is quite slow so getting out of breath is difficult. It is just frequency (ie 30mins a day). Does it matter when you do this (morning). What constitutes a run (or walk) - time? Probably not going to just start running if I'm being honest.
Also I see many side effects of Metformin and does that change with a "higher" rate of exercise.
Ill cut all the sugar and alcohol I can till then. Would a resting heart rate give me some idea of fitness?

I’m using the ‘couch to 5k’ app. Never in my life would I have thought that I could run the length of myself, never mind 5k but I’m getting there! I got a reduced gym membership through my gp practice, so I do the app, then 20 mins on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the bike. (I also brisk walk the dog 2 miles a day) good luck!

 

[harbottle]

Hi
Just got a T2 diagnosis from a doctor after a blood test noticed it. I was so shellshocked, I didn't know what to ask. Going to meet my Gp next week and wondered what should I ask (hoping to get the blood tests back from the hospital to pass onto the GP). My hospital doc ("routine year end" check for a previous unrelated condition)gave me a perscription for Metaformin and some cholestorol cutting tablets. I think she said I was showing 8 in my blood test (presuming it was the test for glucose levels). My weight is 86kg (13.54st), I'm 52 and 5ft 10. Checking my BMI it says I need to cut about 5KG to move out of obese. I am going to try the crash diet option and see if cutting my weight down substantially would allow me to go into remission. The diet and 850cal limit seems daunting but I'm willing to try anything to avoid long term medication and future diabetes issues.
I have no other underlying health issues that would impede any fitness and food changes. Walking the dog daily (at the dogs slow walking pace wasn't obviously enough). Lots of forum users seem to start running but not sure if I could get that fit. The diets seem to last 8 weeks to see results. Any ideas of what my weight would have to fall to (somebody said 10KG). My usual weight (when I was in my 30's was about 75KG). I've already cut the sweets and obvous refined sugars (don't smoke or a anywhere near a drinker) and I always thought I should be aiming for 80KG. I had a big sweet tooth so thats easy to dump (well it is now!) and no issue with sugary drinks etc. How do i know how much extra fitness I need to do? What weight loss would I need to be aiming for (and how fast) and should I still take the tablets asap and then do start the "crash" diet now. I've barely eaten since the diagnosis (bar salads and some nuts and cups of tea. I cannot see any obvious signs of T2 (unless everyone else feels different). I had suffered tiredness but I presumed that was sleep apnea. I am a night owl and could often miss meals.
I also wonder should I just stick on the current meals (bar anything sweet/alcohol/bread) till after christmas. I've told nobody close as still freaking out. Sorry for long opener but its only diabetec books and the internet as being my advice so far (meeting GP tues)

I was a similar weight and height when diagnosed last year (No obvious signs, despite a hba1c of 83, but I was experiencing leg pains.). I lost around 3 stone in 3 months and got it down to 36 using a low carb/low calorie diet. I pretty much cut out sweets, crisps, rice, potato and pasta.

I also walk every day, which I enjoy as I use the time to listen to music and mull over work problems and stories I'm writing. During the summer I mixed walking with a bit of jogging as well, mainly to build muscles as I found when I lost weight everything went a bit 'loose' and flabby. I also have some small weights I use to build up arm muscles as they are pencil thin.

Not sure if it's been 'reversed' or just being controlled by diet - GP suggested stopping the Metformin. I have a feeling that I've probably had it for some time and it isn't reversible in that I can go back to a 'normal' diet, but it seems to be staying under control and I hardly ever see a reading above 7.0 after a meal (Even if I have a cheeky potato or two).

 

[Felinia]

A diabetes diagnosis is such a shock and it can be easy to rush in and try and do everything at once and too quickly.
Your current BMI is 27.3, so in the overweight category. A normal BMI is 25 or less - in your case 12 stone 6 pounds - so you know what you should aim for. Diabetes control has been suggested as a marathon, not a sprint.
So I personally would recommend you follow a healthy eating pattern, rather than a drastic 800 cals a day diet, cutting back on carbs until you are having less than 130gm a day (the suggested maximum), but not too drastically or too quickly. A sudden big drop in carbs can cause eye problems like blurry vision, which should right itself over a period of time. You can get online apps to help you record and measure your daily calorie and carb intake. I use NutraCheck but there are others.
As for exercise I go to the pool 3 times a week, and I have a mini exercise bike at home. Most pools have early morning or late night sessions for working people. One person mentioned couch to 5k which builds you up slowly. The last thing you want to do, is overdo things and get injured!!
Metformin can come with side effects - bowel problems. These may well ease after a few weeks, but if not, you can ask for the slow release version. There are other medications - I take both Metformin and Canagliflozin as I can't stomach the full Metformin dose.
Importantly, you need to know what your HbA1c is, as you need to know where you are starting from. <42 mmol/l is non-diabetic, 42-47 mmol/l is pre-diabetic and 48+mmol/l is diabetic. The closer you are to 48 the better, as it will take fewer tweaks to your lifestyle. This is a question for your GP. Many people whose HbA1c is less than 60 mmol/l are given the opportunity to reduce their HbA1c by lifestyle (diet and exercise) changes alone. I was, and was doing OK until I became ill.
You might find lots of helpful meal suggestions in the Food section of this Forum, looking for Type 2 posters. I make a lot of my own soups (excluding potato) and I have substituted things like cauliflower (mash or rice) for potato and rice, or low carb soya bean spaghetti / courgetti for normal pasta. There are low carb breads you could try. As an example, todays menu is B: poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes; L: HM veggie and tomato soup; D: roast chicken, cauliflower rice, 5 different veggies. With milk and my cholesterol reducing drink it's 1100 cals and 88gm carbs.
This is a long post but I hope you find some of the suggestions useful. We are all different and each manages their diabetes in their own way. Best wishes.

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome. 🙂

 

[Deleted member 21371]

A diabetes diagnosis is such a shock and it can be easy to rush in and try and do everything at once and too quickly.
Your current BMI is 27.3, so in the overweight category. A normal BMI is 25 or less - in your case 12 stone 6 pounds - so you know what you should aim for. Diabetes control has been suggested as a marathon, not a sprint.
So I personally would recommend you follow a healthy eating pattern, rather than a drastic 800 cals a day diet, cutting back on carbs until you are having less than 130gm a day (the suggested maximum), but not too drastically or too quickly. A sudden big drop in carbs can cause eye problems like blurry vision, which should right itself over a period of time. You can get online apps to help you record and measure your daily calorie and carb intake. I use NutraCheck but there are others.
As for exercise I go to the pool 3 times a week, and I have a mini exercise bike at home. Most pools have early morning or late night sessions for working people. One person mentioned couch to 5k which builds you up slowly. The last thing you want to do, is overdo things and get injured!!
Metformin can come with side effects - bowel problems. These may well ease after a few weeks, but if not, you can ask for the slow release version. There are other medications - I take both Metformin and Canagliflozin as I can't stomach the full Metformin dose.
Importantly, you need to know what your HbA1c is, as you need to know where you are starting from. <42 mmol/l is non-diabetic, 42-47 mmol/l is pre-diabetic and 48+mmol/l is diabetic. The closer you are to 48 the better, as it will take fewer tweaks to your lifestyle. This is a question for your GP. Many people whose HbA1c is less than 60 mmol/l are given the opportunity to reduce their HbA1c by lifestyle (diet and exercise) changes alone. I was, and was doing OK until I became ill.
You might find lots of helpful meal suggestions in the Food section of this Forum, looking for Type 2 posters. I make a lot of my own soups (excluding potato) and I have substituted things like cauliflower (mash or rice) for potato and rice, or low carb soya bean spaghetti / courgetti for normal pasta. There are low carb breads you could try. As an example, todays menu is B: poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes; L: HM veggie and tomato soup; D: roast chicken, cauliflower rice, 5 different veggies. With milk and my cholesterol reducing drink it's 1100 cals and 88gm carbs.
This is a long post but I hope you find some of the suggestions useful. We are all different and each manages their diabetes in their own way. Best wishes.

The Newcastle Diet in itself is reasonably low carb, but not enough to be an issue with drastic carb reduction.

I did the Newcastle Diet with no issues.
As you say, it's personal choice, I was looking at trying to reverse my diabetes, (which I did), as I thought trying to stay on a low carb diet for life to manage it by diet control would have been too restrictive for my lifestyle.

 

[Felinia]

The Newcastle Diet in itself is reasonably low carb, but not enough to be an issue with drastic carb reduction.

I did the Newcastle Diet with no issues.
As you say, it's personal choice, I was looking at trying to reverse my diabetes, (which I did), as I thought trying to stay on a low carb diet for life to manage it by diet control would have been too restrictive for my lifestyle.

I'm glad the Newcastle Diet worked for you. I see you now follow a Mediterranean style eating plan. Was that what you ate before your diagnosis, or did you adopt it after going into remission? I have found I cannot eat as I did before, and have had to make permanent changes. Getting my HbA1c back down again after illness is still "work in progress"!

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I'm glad the Newcastle Diet worked for you. I see you now follow a Mediterranean style eating plan. Was that what you ate before your diagnosis, or did you adopt it after going into remission? I have found I cannot eat as I did before, and have had to make permanent changes. Getting my HbA1c back down again after illness is still "work in progress"!

I ate donuts, pies, red meat, bacon, sausages, high saturated fats, far too many sandwiches.
I was morbidly obese.
But I'd done it to myself, so being diagnosed type 2 was the wake up call I needed.
With the help of the NHS I did a low fat diet for a year, and hit the gym.
After that I was into probably a normal BMI, but still not quite reversed.
The Newcastle Diet had just come into the news, so I finished off with that, and managed to reverse it completely.
I don't know if it was the final weight loss, or something in the lack of calories, but either way I lost around 5 stones overall.

The other benefit was the disconnect with food, so after the diet all my old bad habits were gone, so I was free to choose a better way to eat.
I looked at all the information, took what they all agreed on, left out what they all disagreed on, and a Mediterranean style diet fitted the bill for me.
It not a strict diet, if I'm out I can eat anything, rather than starve, but then again, I don't need to eat, I find feeling hungry is my prompt to eat now.

 

[Drummer]

Back in the day I did Atkins, so I knew how well I felt and how easily I lost weight on low carb, so I went back to that.
My second Hba1c test showed I was no longer in the diabetes range.
At 6 months my Hba1c was 41.
To me it seemed sensible to do things the easy way doing something I could sustain indefinitely.
I have just passed 5 years from diagnosis.

 

[WalkdontRun]

Many thanks to all. Leaves me with some more info to talk with the GP (and any dietician). I would hope to try the remission route via the drastic weight loss which gives the potential to do a reset if it works for me. Reading back and looking at my BMI, it looks like 68-69KG would be the target so 15KG loss (which seems alot even to lift that alone!). I cannot avail of any "free" support for this journey as this remission T2 diet option is not on offer where I live. However I am aware of doing it asap as per the medical trial results. It would have to be Christmas!! but then again, doing a big weight cut in January is totally normal for most. Just not as big as I will need to achieve!!! I'm hoping my GP will know much about this remission "therapy" as most doctors here will prefer tablets and "a constant low cal diet". Going on a med diet post remission seems like a nirvana now. Even not eating much since the news, I've lost weight! I'll miss the chocolate/ice-cream (especially) but probably not the sweets.
For those in remission, how do they avoid going back without noticing it? What did they ask their GP and dietician. Did they aim for the lower end of their BMI? Do they weight themselves every day? Do they have to check their glucose levels every week themselves? Did they stop eating red meat? Most seem to have stopped eating pasta (even if it was wholemeal)

 

[Drummer]

Many thanks to all. Leaves me with some more info to talk with the GP (and any dietician). I would hope to try the remission route via the drastic weight loss which gives the potential to do a reset if it works for me. Reading back and looking at my BMI, it looks like 68-69KG would be the target so 15KG loss (which seems alot even to lift that alone!). I cannot avail of any "free" support for this journey as this remission T2 diet option is not on offer where I live. However I am aware of doing it asap as per the medical trial results. It would have to be Christmas!! but then again, doing a big weight cut in January is totally normal for most. Just not as big as I will need to achieve!!! I'm hoping my GP will know much about this remission "therapy" as most doctors here will prefer tablets and "a constant low cal diet". Going on a med diet post remission seems like a nirvana now. Even not eating much since the news, I've lost weight! I'll miss the chocolate/ice-cream (especially) but probably not the sweets.
For those in remission, how do they avoid going back without noticing it? What did they ask their GP and dietician. Did they aim for the lower end of their BMI? Do they weight themselves every day? Do they have to check their glucose levels every week themselves? Did they stop eating red meat? Most seem to have stopped eating pasta (even if it was wholemeal)

I eat meat, fish seafood, eggs cheese and full fat dairy.
These days I have no more than 40 gm of carbs a day, eat two meals at around 12 hourly intervals.
I never got any dietary advice from GP or any HCP because I acted far faster than they reacted.
I got a meter and checked my blood glucose after eating - just as I had always felt, high carb foods were not what I needed.

 

[Drummer]

If you get high cocoa chocolate - (I buy the 95% cocoa one from Lidl) and make your own icecream from eggs and cream, there is no reason to avoid them, but these days I eat very little of either - very little of anything actually. It is amazing how small an amount is enough when the menu isn't carbohydrate laden.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

IMany thanks to all. Leaves me with some more info to talk with the GP (and any dietician). I would hope to try the remission route via the drastic weight loss which gives the potential to do a reset if it works for me. Reading back and looking at my BMI, it looks like 68-69KG would be the target so 15KG loss (which seems alot even to lift that alone!). I cannot avail of any "free" support for this journey as this remission T2 diet option is not on offer where I live. However I am aware of doing it asap as per the medical trial results. It would have to be Christmas!! but then again, doing a big weight cut in January is totally normal for most. Just not as big as I will need to achieve!!! I'm hoping my GP will know much about this remission "therapy" as most doctors here will prefer tablets and "a constant low cal diet". Going on a med diet post remission seems like a nirvana now. Even not eating much since the news, I've lost weight! I'll miss the chocolate/ice-cream (especially) but probably not the sweets.
For those in remission, how do they avoid going back without noticing it? What did they ask their GP and dietician. Did they aim for the lower end of their BMI? Do they weight themselves every day? Do they have to check their glucose levels every week themselves? Did they stop eating red meat? Most seem to have stopped eating pasta (even if it was wholemeal)

I used Tesco shakes.

My doctor was happy to do blood tests, but it was well before the Newcastle Diet was medically recognised as a treatment.
For me, it was simply the fact I lost the taste for sweet food.
I did trick myself by switching to very spicey food, which helped, and I still eat a lot of chilli.
I was never actually keen on pasta, I rarely eat it now.
I used to weigh myself every day, but mainly I know in the mirror what's happening.

Fat is twice as calorific as carbs and protein, so I still eat low fat.
Saturated fats push my cholesterol up, so I try to make them not my fat of choice.

Really, I found spacing out meals (I used to eat mostly at night), avoiding snacks, and eating sensibly now just works well.

 

[Felinia]

Like travellor, I have Tesco shakes instead of breakfast, when I am going to the pool, as I can't exercise on a full tummy. They are less sweet and cheaper than some of the "brand" names. I make mine up with 1/3 unsweetened almond milk and 2/3 chilled water, then I let them stand in the fridge for 20 minutes to thicken up.
Although we have taken different paths, we both eat differently now, to when we were first diagnosed. I hope you find your path

 

[Leadinglights]

Whatever way you choose to get to grips with the weight loss and reduction in blood glucose has to be enjoyable otherwise it is not sustainable and should be regarded as a new way of eating not A DIET.
There are plenty of foods you can eat and it is not all sack cloth and ashes. Meals based on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy, vegetables and salads with only small portions of high carb foods still gives you options for tasty meals.
This link may give you some ideas for modifying your diet, it is a low carb approach based on real foods. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Whatever way you choose to get to grips with the weight loss and reduction in blood glucose has to be enjoyable otherwise it is not sustainable and should be regarded as a new way of eating not A DIET.
There are plenty of foods you can eat and it is not all sack cloth and ashes. Meals based on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy, vegetables and salads with only small portions of high carb foods still gives you options for tasty meals.
This link may give you some ideas for modifying your diet, it is a low carb approach based on real foods. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

It definitely is a DIET

8 weeks DIET, then back to a normal way of eating, everything including carbs in the mix.
Not a low carb diet control for life.
Why should life be diet controlled if it doesn't need to be?

Why do all low calorie threads get bombed by "go low carb"?
Accept we have different ways to treat diabetes, you want a DIET for life, others bite the bullet, accept there may be very short term pain, and choose that path for a very long term gain?
Why should we need to be committed to a life time diet because it's easier for a few weeks initially?

Bite the bullet, reverse diabetes, move on in life, don't be stuck in a "low carb for life diet" unless you really want to choose that option

 

[Docb]

Wish that worked for me. My experience is that having got my blood glucose under control by carb control, I need to keep that up otherwise my blood glucose will be back where it was in no time at all.

If there is a difference between us @travellor I guess it would be that I was never particularly overweight. The, "crash diet to get your weight down and then eat what you like provided you maintain your lower weight", route was not an option for me. As is said many times on the forum it is wise listen to all the experiences and then work out what will be best for you.