Newcastle University Diet

[WebMan]

Feel great this morning; week 2 officially began yesterday - waking BG was 13.1, and after eating was about 14.4 ish over the 3 meals.

Had an intense workout last night - it felt intense anyway (3km run, and a mixture of legs and upper body weights), and woke this morning feeling good. Had a premixed protein shake (135kcal instead of an ultraslim) on my way to the station, but didn't have time to measure BG upon waking - it was this shake to be exact

Then just got into work about 20 minutes ago, an hour after drinking that shake, and just now my BG was 11.3mmol/l, and ketones 0.2mmol - this is a smallish movement, but it feels like over the next week or 2 I will begin to see results in single digits (I hope). I just hope that the weight won't pile straight back on once im finished with this - hence Gareth's tips above to maintain will be good to use once I'm done - keeping the motivation still though. Managed to stand on the scales quickly this morning to 80.4kg - lightest I've been in about 4 years!

In terms of appetite, I love how I feel after veg - even if it's a hotpot, and might be the full 250g portion in one dinner in the evening, but my digestive system has never felt better, and I now actively look forward to a veg hotpot/casserole type dish, and will be making a fresh batch tonight.

Alongside these shakes, and veg I am taking a multivit every day (sometimes every other), alongside a calcium and magnesium supplement just in case - some of the vits in the shakes are slightly less than 100% RDA so no harm in topping up - not like I'm overdoing the vitamins.

Still Im also maintaining 3liters water a day - it's staving off the hunger and my skins much clearer.

 

[Northerner]

Sounds like you are getting many encouraging benefits, good news 🙂 If you're using blood ketone strips I'd be inclined to change them for urine strips as they are a lot cheaper and you could just use a blood ketone strip if something alarming showed up in the urine.

 

[WebMan]

This mornings fasting BG was 14.9, had my shake as per yesterday, and got into work and gone up to 16.7. Very disappointed, but I didn't train last night, and might've overdone it slightly on last nights bowl of veg casserole - need to strip back to being absolutely strict and to the letter. Weight is still down at 80.6kg this morning, so getting there. Just disappointed with the readings this morning. But it's made me more determined to reset it, and strip back a bit more - will cut out the protein shakes I have first thing, and replace it with an ultraslim shake, and have my lunchtime and evening shake, with 250g measured and weighed plain veg without the trimmings. Will also be training tonight, will try and get up to 4 or even 5lkm.

I'm very determined to see results here, and a poor result this morning has only reinforced that and stopped any complacency that may have been creeping in.

 

[Northerner]

This mornings fasting BG was 14.9, had my shake as per yesterday, and got into work and gone up to 16.7. Very disappointed, but I didn't train last night, and might've overdone it slightly on last nights bowl of veg casserole - need to strip back to being absolutely strict and to the letter. Weight is still down at 80.6kg this morning, so getting there. Just disappointed with the readings this morning. But it's made me more determined to reset it, and strip back a bit more - will cut out the protein shakes I have first thing, and replace it with an ultraslim shake, and have my lunchtime and evening shake, with 250g measured and weighed plain veg without the trimmings. Will also be training tonight, will try and get up to 4 or even 5lkm.

I'm very determined to see results here, and a poor result this morning has only reinforced that and stopped any complacency that may have been creeping in.

I'm a little concerned that your fasting levels are still in the teens - that rise after breakfast is actually quite small, but you started from a high level. You said earlier that you used to be on metformin, are you still taking it, or did you stop taking it when you started the diet? Although you are doing well with things it looks as though you could do with the support of some medication, at least for now.

You also said that you are not particularly overweight. I'm wondering if there is a possibility of you not actually being Type 2, but a slow-onset Type 1 (also known as LADA - Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adulthood aka Type 1.5). Around 5-10% of adults diagnosed Type 2 turn out to be Type 1.5. It's something you might want to run past your GP as there are tests that can help determine this.

 

[WebMan]

I used to be on metformin, but decided to stop it when my prescription ran out, partly due to the fact it didn't quite sit right with me, and partly because I wanted to use going off it to prompt myself into sorting it, but it took a while to actually take the plunge.

I'll monitor it the rest of this week, and if it remains on trend without dipping then I'll get a blood test done. Last night I put a (probably larger than wise) handful of peanuts into my casserole for flavour when I got home from work after a 14 hour day, which I'm disappointed about, so I think based on previous posts that I've been on trend, and simply this has been a mistake by me.

I'd hate to start meds if it was a self inflicted anomaly and actually I was on track to see results. I probably have set it back a day or two, but no biggie, I'm still feeling better and slimmer so all this has done is strengthened my resolve.

 

[WebMan]

I'd also add, yeah I guess for my height and build I'm probably not 'overweight' perse, but I'm definitely FAT. I hold a lot of fat around my stomach, chest and back in particular which is masking this overweightness. Under the fat I am muscular, but this is under a thick layer of fat; around my stomach for instance I can grab and hold the fat between my finger and thumb... (could I be much more scientific?!). So whilst you might look at me and go 'yeah you're a tad chubby not fat' with clothes on, underneath you'd go, 'ah I see it's all been hidden in those particular areas', which is helped by areas that conceal it in clothing. Just for context.


EDIT: About 30 mins ago I remeasured - back down to 12.9. Will be interesting to see how it is before/after lunch shake.

 

[Northerner]

I'd also add, yeah I guess for my height and build I'm probably not 'overweight' perse, but I'm definitely FAT. I hold a lot of fat around my stomach, chest and back in particular which is masking this overweightness. Under the fat I am muscular, but this is under a thick layer of fat; around my stomach for instance I can grab and hold the fat between my finger and thumb... (could I be much more scientific?!). So whilst you might look at me and go 'yeah you're a tad chubby not fat' with clothes on, underneath you'd go, 'ah I see it's all been hidden in those particular areas', which is helped by areas that conceal it in clothing. Just for context.


EDIT: About 30 mins ago I remeasured - back down to 12.9. Will be interesting to see how it is before/after lunch shake.

Sounds like the old 'visceral fat' problem, where the fat surrounds the liver, pancreas etc. and contributes to insulin resistance. Hopefully, the diet will help improve things 🙂

 

[WebMan]

Sounds like the old 'visceral fat' problem, where the fat surrounds the liver, pancreas etc. and contributes to insulin resistance. Hopefully, the diet will help improve things 🙂

Hopefully it is just that, but it will be worth keeping an eye on this LADA thing.. Many thanks for your support.

So I had lunch at 2pm, which was a shake, and just measured my BG after arriving home 10 mins ago, and had my first single digits!

9.4! 🙂

Now I appreciate that it was 5 hours since eating, but it was great to get my first under 10 reading, and it serves as motivation if nothing else.

Also weighed myself - first under 80kg I've had in a while - 79.6kg!

Now to train (will aim for a 5k today), where I'll measure post training, then post meal. Will update.

 

[Northerner]

All sounding good! 🙂 I will look forward to your updates!

 

[WebMan]

Just did 3.5km run at 8km/hr, and did an assorted 3x12 sets of various upper body and weighted crunches.

BG just now was 7.8mmol. Will update again post dinner shake (will also be having veg, but controlled and measured 250g).

EDIT: had my veg and shake, went up to 11.1, but if thats post food then it's definitely trending in the right direction (but also only been 40 mins since food). Looking forward to how the fasting one will be

 

[WebMan]

Fasting BG this morning at 12.7, and after breakfast shake, went back up to 13.2, which is lower than yesterdays (14.9, and 16.7 respectively).

 

[Bloden]

Well done for getting back into gear. It really is worth it!

My own choice of diet isn't ultra-low calorie, but somethig that's achieveable for ME for the rest of my life. So far I've lost nearly 6 stone in 13 months with Slimming World, and I'm healthier than I've ever been. I fully intend to carry on with it even after I get to where I want to be - it's free once you reach target, provided you stay within 3 lbs of that target.

6st! That's amazing. You must feel great. Congrats.🙂

 

[HOBIE]

Hi Gareth, pleased to see you back. sounds like you have had a bit of do job wise. Please keep at it & let us know how you are getting on with this 😎

 

[WebMan]

Blood sugar this evening before my meal was 8.7mmol - had my veg meal and 2 hours later it is now 8.1mmol. Seems a bit more like it!

Went for a 3k run this morning with some HIIT and did bench weights as well.

 

[Northerner]

Blood sugar this evening before my meal was 8.7mmol - had my veg meal and 2 hours later it is now 8.1mmol. Seems a bit more like it!

Went for a 3k run this morning with some HIIT and did bench weights as well.

That's great - looks like things are really moving along now! 🙂

 

[Carmina]

Okay, I've made the decision to at least try out the drinks from Tesco and see how my FBG is a couple of hours afterwards. I'm not sure I want to know what's happening within an hour of having one and as it's the overall levels that matter, I'll take the chance. So I've set Friday as the 'trial' day and if it's okay I'll just carry on from there.

I've worked out how to fit the drinks and veg into my days so I feel prepared for it. The only difficulty coming up is that I've got 2 weekends away booked - one at the end of March and one mid-April - but by then I should have a clearer idea of how it's going to work for me. I'm not sure I'm happy about having to forego 2 hotel buffet breakfasts but we'll see ... (Although if the food on these 2 breaks is anything like we were offered on our last weekend in Blackpool, the Tesco drinks are sure to be better! 🙄)

 

[Northerner]

Good luck Carmina! I hope it goes well for you 🙂

 

[smithgareth]

Hi Carmina,
good luck tomorrow, the post shake reads might be quite high at first, it does take a while for your body to get used to them. I think it can take anything up to two weeks for your blood glucose to 'normalise' hate that word!! My fasting glucose today was 6.1, still on Metformin, but very stable these days.
Any update from Webman?

 

[WebMan]

Hey Carmina, all the best with it - what I would say is that if you go for the tesco ones, go for the sachets which are in the boxes - the premade shakes in a bottle cause my BG to rapidly rise over and above what the sachets do - might be due to the way they've made them up? Don't know, but I do know I definitely see a much bigger rise after the premade shakes compared with making my own.

I bought these to try out, and also to have first thing in the morning as I can grab and go, and not have to worry about mixing my own, and cleaning out my shaker), but I think once they run out (last 2 left) I'll go to making the effort and mixing my own.

Also, I'd definitely recommend the chocolate, fruity raspberry, and vanilla flavours (if you make this in whole milk (oops!) and shake well in a protein blender, or a normal blender perhaps, the shake will taste like vanilla ice cream - very yum indeed). If you do go for the premade I'd recommend the banoffee, the chocolate, choc & cherry, and vanilla fudge. All of them are premade in milk, so the fruit based, non milky, or citrusy flavours just taste unnatural in the milk base. All subjective and personal but hey.

Gareth, good to hear that it's stable and within range... have things now settled down otherwise in your life? Is the weight still off?

As for my sugar readings, all still on track - I'm keeping on point with the shakes, so have been having one in the morning, and one at lunch time, and notice that my sugar is more stable.

Fasting BG has remained stable between 9-10, but I put this simply down to the fact that I've been really busy this week with work, so I haven't trained. Also when I've gotten home I've sometimes given into temptation and eaten a bit more than I should have, with more veg casserole or non-noodle, veg-heavy stir fry. I do think that for me, regular and constant exercise is going to be more important than diet to resolving this sugar problem for the long term once I finish with this. I'm still drinking 3liters of water a day, but am finding that my hands are much colder than normal.

Today everythings calming down a bit with work, so will train when I get home (eventually, thanks tube!), and report on the blood levels.

Pre lunch today sugars were at 8.2 mmol, and now 2 hours post, they're at 10.3mmol.

Have looked at the following really great, in-depth article from NCL, on the science behind the study:

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/36/4/1047.long

 

[WebMan]

Almost case in point - this morning, I made a point of measuring my fasting BG the moment I woke up; 9.4mmol/l.

On my way into work today I had a shake and 2 hours later, my sugar had shot up to 15.6mmol/l.

That's atrocious, and I wonder if these shakes are causing more harm than good? Wouldn't a healthier, more fibrous diet with a similar nutritional and caloric intake (200cals), not be more beneficial to my BG readings, and still allow me to lose weight, or rather more specifically, fat?

I'm going to measure my sugar after a sachet shake at lunch and see how this compares. If it remains high I might stop these shakes and try and find alternate 200 cal real food meals in their place.

Looking at the ingredients - 28g of carbs, of which 26g are sugars - comprising 32% of my daily RDA - this seems counter intuitive to the cause..? Essentially a diabetic living off sugar, in order to reduce sugar/prompt insulin response..?

I'm going to be entirely honest and say last night I 'gave in' in a major way; I went to the pub and measured my BG before having anything (as a test you see! 😉 ), and it was 6.8mmol/l at about 7pm. I then had 2 double gin and slim line tonics, and a serving of chicken tikka, cooked in a tandoor, with a side salad - again measured my BG at 9pm and it was only 8.1mmol. Much more sensible right?

The reason I say 'gave in' in inverted commas is because based on these results, I'm not so sure I did give in - in fact part of me feels this was far more beneficial to my BG than these shakes! Not to mention more satiating and tasty to boot!

Any thoughts on this anyone?

EDIT: On further research, could it be that I simply have a high carbohydrate sensitivity? According to the internet, some people simply can't process carbs, and it is entirely possible to live off non carb based foods...