• 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

Fasting in type 2 diabetes

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

Anxious 63

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 3c
I am very new on here was diagnosed with type 2 a couple of years ago , what are peoples opinions on fasting or intermittent fasting
 
hi there Benny i have tried it in a kind of haphazard way, trying to cut down on food i think i would call it partial fasting which i have read can help several illnesses
 
As long as you aren’t taking any meds that can cause hypos, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try intermittent fasting. Let us know how you get on.

That said, if you fast for more than two consecutive days, for complicated metabolic reasons, you can risk weight gain when you eat more normally. Depends on how many calories you consume while fasting.
 
A friend of mine (non-diabetic) has been intermittent for the last year or so. She's looking very well on it, but cynically I suspect it's probably because she's eating less/more mindfully. FWIW.
 
I decided to try intermittent fasting after my last HBA1C was 10.6 (15 months after previous HBA1C so thinking of changing docs anyway) In a month I've lost 14lbs , blood pressure is 110/65 (was in the 130's) and blood daily is between 5.1 and 7.1 so I'm going to stick with it. It's surprisingly easy. I do the 16:8 fasting but it often gets to 19hrs fasting and when I do eat I go for low carbs. I'm sure most doctors would be against it but they're not the ones being offered needles for the rest of their days which has an amazing effect on willpower.
 
So would eating at 7.30 at night then not eating till 2.30 the next day be OK
 
I don't fast as such but I don't snack between meals and I often get up early in order to exercise before work. This means that I often have breakfast around 04:45 and then I don't eat again until noon. I'm currently on linagliptin and don't have any problems with hypos, my weight is very stable at about 75 kilos.
 
There are hundreds of videos on youtube on intermittent fasting. Easiest to skip breakfast and then push till you get to 16;8 or whatever . Diabetes is such an individual condition it's best to see what works via trial and error imo.
 
Typically I fast, 16/8, Feel fine by it, FBG in the 4's/low 5's, weight hovering around 165lb..... I have been doing this for years & only in the last couple of years have actually read about it's benefits....
 
It seems many regard fasting as skipping a meal, or missing breakfast?
 
Travellor hi there you did say last night you were not over keen on fasting , is there a particular reason for this ?
 
I think when you look into it we have been conditioned to eat morning noon and night and a few snacks in between. Diabetes was virtually unheard of during WW2 when there was rationing so I think it's just a matter of re conditioning mind & body not to expect food every few hours. My favourite type of food is an all u can eat buffet so if I can do it there is hope for all.
 
Anxious 63 said:
Travellor hi there you did say last night you were not over keen on fasting , is there a particular reason for this ?
Click to expand...

I couldn't see any benefit from it.
For me, re educating my eating preferences were key for me.
I decided simply feast and famine was not the way to go, I was eating too much, so I had to get used to consistently eating less.

I reversed my diabetes by a low calorie diet.
So I had a planned diet, I ate a low calorie, low fat diet, with calorie control, so I planned my meals, and snacks.
It was very easy not to overeat then.
I could also space my food out over the day.
I did this for about a year, then finished with the Newcastle diet.

This broke my eating habits entirely, so i could start eating a lot more sensibly, and am now on a Mediterranean diet.
 
Anxious 63 said:
So have you ever or do you take meds for your type 2 ?
Click to expand...

Yes, initially sitagliptin, and metformin, then just metformin, but I was taken off metformin a year ago.
I didn't want to come off it, but I had had normal BG for about three of four years, so I couldn't really argue.
 
So if you could give 1 vital single piece of advice regarding type 2 what would it be ?
 
Anxious 63 said:
So if you could give 1 vital single piece of advice regarding type 2 what would it be ?
Click to expand...

Personally, diet (weight loss that is) and exercise.
Interestingly, from my own experience, the calorie deficit of the Newcastle diet (800 calories) seemed to be of a greater benefit than the lower deficit of the previous year at about 1400 to 1600 calories.
 
yeah have read about newcastle diet but 800 calories per day that is tough going , cheers anyway
 
there is no single "right way" when it comes to Diabetes - we are all different
It is a matter of trying to see which works best for you, both results wise & livability wise.
Do you have a meter & self test, if so you should be able to see how it is affecting you and modify accordingly
good luck.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top