• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Extreme diet.

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.

Janine

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I have changed diet and am keeping to around 600 calories a day (low carb too) So far after 6 weeks waking level has gone from 11.0 down to 5.9. I've lost 25lb in weight. I intend to attempt another 6 weeks in order to avoid medication. It is difficult because I have found that low carb food is often high in calories. Hopefully cholesterol may be reduced too. Has anyone else tried this? 🙂
 
Wow!
600cals is starvation, I admire your willpower. No wonder you've lost over one and a half stone so quickly.
I've tried keeping to 800 cals but this was 20 years ago when I was fit and young ...... kept it up for about a fortnight but couldn't keep it up - sleeping was an issue as I couldn't relax for sheer hunger.
 
I have changed diet and am keeping to around 600 calories a day (low carb too) So far after 6 weeks waking level has gone from 11.0 down to 5.9. I've lost 25lb in weight. I intend to attempt another 6 weeks in order to avoid medication. It is difficult because I have found that low carb food is often high in calories. Hopefully cholesterol may be reduced too. Has anyone else tried this? 🙂

The results are brilliant Janine and I can see what's motivating you. Have you checked this out with your doctor because long term extreme diets can cause some issues if not monitored. The 5-2 diet seems to be recommended as the safe and very effective alternative but even on that the starvation days don't go down to 600 calories. Extreme dieters are at risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, low blood pressure and high uric acid, which could lead to gout or kidney stones. It can be done but it needs medical supervision and regular blood tests.

I wouldn't want to rain on your parade but make sure this isn't causing any issues. I don't know how you're finding the energy to function on those levels.
 
The results are brilliant Janine and I can see what's motivating you. Have you checked this out with your doctor because long term extreme diets can cause some issues if not monitored. The 5-2 diet seems to be recommended as the safe and very effective alternative but even on that the starvation days don't go down to 600 calories. Extreme dieters are at risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, low blood pressure and high uric acid, which could lead to gout or kidney stones. It can be done but it needs medical supervision and regular blood tests.

I wouldn't want to rain on your parade but make sure this isn't causing any issues. I don't know how you're finding the energy to function on those levels.
Hi Amigo. Thank you for responding. I haven't spoken to the doctor about what I'm doing. I know I should and will so (have to wait 3 weeks for an appointment) I am concerned about what effect it may have and posted this to see if anyone else has done it. Thanks for your interest 🙂
 
Yes - and vitamin deficient too. Also, you'll be ketotic, which as Amigo says, can cause severe eloctrolyte imbalance, and even cardiac arrhythmia, leading to sudden death. It is that dangerous. Please stop. If you do this for another 6 weeks you won't need any medication, ever again. It is possible for overweight people to starve to death, for all these reasons.
 
I have not even tried that low as I know I could not do. Same with very low carb, I manage with moderate carbs.
 
I read about the Newcastle Diet and thought I would give it a go. :(
 
Yo! I am a new diagnosed diabetic Type 2 I am also an extremely food loving toad. I admire your resolve but I would suggest caution. I have always been a big fella and have been a weight fighter all my life. However, diabetes opens up another can of worms and IMHO losing weight is a great thing to do but set a realistic goal. My starting BG was 16.8 three and a half weeks in and now eating sensibly I have got my BG down to mid 5's-6.0 during the day, the odd spike to 9.5 when I get a meal wrong as I am learning, but I get down about 6.5 in two hours. I have lost eight pounds by just being careful. I eat smaller meals more regularly during the day to maintain energy levels. I guess what I am saying is that I think your BG reflects your calorie intake as much as anything and under 1,000 calories a day and needing to balance BG levels sounds like a dangerous path. I had a liver problem some years ago having drunk infected water in Peru. It was a bit iffy. The doctors told me that any diet of under 800 cals a day does require medical supervision. You can see by the photo that I am a bit of a "bike" freak. Not pretty but its effective. Most people can find bike, I have a turbo trainer that I set up in the garage, it wasn't expensive and I can cycle a 20min session when I want. Take your time slow loss equals sustainable loss.
 
My approach is to eat normal food, except without the sources of starch or sugar.... Pretty much all I eat is made from scratch.... Seems to have worked well for me, FBG typically around 5.0 & weight hovers between 160-165 (6' tall). The idea is to get back to eating "real" food like we used to before the 60's & 70's flooded the food market with junk.
 
The word extreme. Healthy, definitely not long term. Follow @Martin Canty . That guy has got the balance right. As @mikeyB suggests, you are putting your body through hell. All of your systems are trying to stop you from starving to death. The ph balance in your blood might be acidic. Calcium and potassium out of synch. But on the positive side you have given your system a shock and gotten away with it. Now you need to get some balance and no harm will be done.
 
The idea is to get back to eating "real" food like we used to before the 60's & 70's flooded the food market with junk.
like Spam, Smash and crispy pancakes😉

For about 3 weeks when first diagnosed I attempted zero carbs (impossible as they are in veg), and only two meals a day and fasted a few times a week from mid afternoon to breakfast. It wasn't a long term strategy but a short term plan to get my BG into single figures. Now I just eat sensibly the majority of the time by not overdoing carbs or processed food. I never calorie count just try to only eat when hungry and weigh each morning to control my weight.
 
Last edited:
A thought just came to mind, OK, I was watching a DietDoctor interview....

Since going Low Carb I actually eat a lot less than I ever used to, last night's bowl of soup filled me up very nicely whereas before (especially pre DX) I would have a plate full & still come back to finish off what didn't fit!!! Don't get me wrong I can still eat, just see me at a buffet..... However, at home, the portion sizes are a lot smaller.
 
A....

Since going Low Carb I actually eat a lot less than I ever used to, last night's bowl of soup........
Now I want soup, more specifically home made onion soup. Think I might do it now in my slow cooker so I wake up to it! Is that odd to have soup for breakfast?🙄
 
Professor Taylor, who developed the Newcastle Diet (ND) had never suggested his diet is a long term solution, and agrees it is important to transition to a longer term eating plan in a considered way.

@Janine , Professor Taylor recommends having your Doc's support when following this approach, so that any other relevant medical conditions or indicators can be taken into account.

I didn't follow the ND myself, and achieved similar results to the aim of the ND by eating "normal food", with reduced carbohydrates. I wasn't aiming to lose weight. I was aiming to reduce my blood sugar numbers. My trimming up just sort of happened.

Prof Taylor suggests that reduction of the visceral fat (VF) is the important thing, but how much or little weight required to do that is very individual. He also states the means of VF reduction is unimportant.

A good number of members on another forum I participate in have followed the ND; some for shorter/longer periods than others. Some have had excellent results, and some found it just too gruelling or incompatible with other aspects of their lives, like family or work circumstances.

If you feel the ND, over the short term, is right for you, then do try to talk to your Doc; even if it's a telephone consultation, then you'll have covered all bases.

Good luck with it all
 
Wow, I admire your willpower @Janine. Are you having the meal replacement drinks or do you eat 600 calories worth of food? I am newly diagnosed so interested in anything and everything at the moment. Thank you for bringing the Newcastle diet to my attention, VERY interesting results. Please come back and let us know if you carry on and what you achieve.
 
Hi. I wouldn't worry at all about calories as the body doesn't work by 'burning' food. Just keep the carbs down to avoid high BS and weight gain and then have enough proteins and fats together with veg and fruit to keep you feeling full. I'm afraid I don't have much time for the thinking behind the ND (sorry folks!) as it focuses on calories and doesn't seem to value or have really understood the impact of carbs on weight gain and visceral fat. It does help but there are more optimal approaches to keeping weight and BS down.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum Janine. 🙂
 
Wow, I admire your willpower @Janine. Are you having the meal replacement drinks or do you eat 600 calories worth of food? I am newly diagnosed so interested in anything and everything at the moment. Thank you for bringing the Newcastle diet to my attention, VERY interesting results. Please come back and let us know if you carry on and what you achieve.
Hi Jeandp.
I am eating food. Every day I have fruit/eggs meat/fish salads/vegetables. Being careful with carbs too. Between 600-800 calories daily. I also take a vitamin supplement. I would advise you to speak to your doctor before embarking on this diet. (See previous comments from people). As yet I haven't seen my GP as I can't get an appointment. My surgery is in crisis. I did need to lose weight and will gradually introduce more food when I am nearer my goal. My diabetes is diet controlled so I take no medication for it. Good luck with your control. 🙂
 
I could never follow this as I would be hungry all the time I know this from doing weight reducing regimes in the past. For me its simply not sustainable to be honest I am struggling with my diet at the moment anyway ... Its hard to keep a handle on it all x
Please speak to your gp about it though as it seems it could be doing more harm than good x
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top