3 weeks to lose 7lbs on ND

[LydiaDustbin]

I know, I know - it's a marathon, not a sprint but I have to say I was expecting better results. I've been doing the Newcastle Diet since 9 Jan when my A1c was 50, and been sticking to 800cals a day (often less) religiously using My Fitness Pal to count calories, macros, etc. I'm quite surprised that I've only lost 7lbs so far (the details are in my signature below). Admittedly I'm 60 in a few weeks so my metabolism is already slower and I've probably not done as much exercise as I could but even so. *Sigh*. I shall continue, obviously, as I have no choice really (my follow up blood test on 23 Jan showed my A1c had dropped to 46 so at least something's going in the right direction!). I suppose this post is just a moan, really, I just wish the weight was coming off quicker!

 

[Leadinglights]

Don't be dispondant, a drop of 4 in your HbA1C is good for only 4 weeks, don't forget that covers a period of time when you had not made changes.
Weight loss also is pretty good, they recon 2lbs a week is what you might expect.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Weight loss is always personal.
It's all going in the right direction, you have a great reduction there.

 

[Deb_l]

Half a stone in three weeks is excellent!! I’m always so impatient and get despondent when I don’t lose weight quick enough and then I get annoyed and give up but in reality a healthy, sustainable weight loss is 1lb a week.

Don’t get fed up, keep taking each day at a time and don’t get too tied to the scales. The weight will come off but as we get older (I’m 53) it definitely does get harder.

 

[trophywench]

When you have ten ton of weight to lose and an HbA1c of a 100 and something - both weight and HbA1c usually come down quickly by a large amount once you attack them by reducing carbohydrate - but when you have less of each both the weight and HbA1c losses and the amount of time it takes are inevitably much more modest.

So - I think you've really done well in such a short time - so big up to you!

 

[LydiaDustbin]

Thank you all for your very kind replies - I guess I just need to be more patient. But today I have another question - I got some ketostix when I started the Newcastle Diet on 9 Jan and have been testing twice a week since then. So far all the tests have come back maroon (definitely in ketosis) but this morning there was barely any change from the neutral, starting, colour. I'm assuming this means I'm currently not in ketosis but I'm not sure how that can be - I'm still eating only between 600 and 800 calories a day, and way below 100g of carbs each day, I've still got 2 stone or so to lose so I'm sure there's still loads of visceral fat to be used.

Is this what happens with Ketosis? You go in and out of it? Is it best that I should be in Ketosis all the time until I've reached my target weight? How do I do this - eat even less?? Am a bit confused! (Maybe I should post this as a separate question....)

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank you all for your very kind replies - I guess I just need to be more patient. But today I have another question - I got some ketostix when I started the Newcastle Diet on 9 Jan and have been testing twice a week since then. So far all the tests have come back maroon (definitely in ketosis) but this morning there was barely any change from the neutral, starting, colour. I'm assuming this means I'm currently not in ketosis but I'm not sure how that can be - I'm still eating only between 600 and 800 calories a day, and way below 100g of carbs each day, I've still got 2 stone or so to lose so I'm sure there's still loads of visceral fat to be used.

Is this what happens with Ketosis? You go in and out of it? Is it best that I should be in Ketosis all the time until I've reached my target weight? How do I do this - eat even less?? Am a bit confused! (Maybe I should post this as a separate question....)

If you read about a ketogenic diet then the amount of carbs per day that will produce dietary ketosis will vary between individuals but a maximum of 50g is mentioned but more like 30g. If you are having 100g then that is more like low carb rather than keto so may be too much for you to achieve dietary ketosis at a level to be showing on your sticks.
I'm not sure the Newcastle diet is designed to produce ketosis as such.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Then you get the slow

If you read about a ketogenic diet then the amount of carbs per day that will produce dietary ketosis will vary between individuals but a maximum of 50g is mentioned but more like 30g. If you are having 100g then that is more like low carb rather than keto so may be too much for you to achieve dietary ketosis at a level to be showing on your sticks.
I'm not sure the Newcastle diet is designed to produce ketosis as such.

Several low carbers/keto on here claim it is low carb because it is so low calorie, so works as it's a "low carb" diet.
I use three shakes, at around 21 to 33g of carbs per serving, + the evening veg or salad, so I guess it's around 130g per day, but obviously I need to burn fat for the energy deficit.

 

[Leadinglights]

Then you get the slow


Several low carbers/keto on here claim it is low carb because it is so low calorie, so works as it's a "low carb" diet.
I use three shakes, at around 21 to 33g of carbs per serving, + the evening veg or salad, so I guess it's around 130g per day, but obviously I need to burn fat for the energy deficit.

But would that achieve ketosis that the OP implied they were seeking and would be measurable on their ketosticks.

 

[LydiaDustbin]

I think I've worked out what's happened. I've just been looking online at Keto stuff, and about why people fall out of ketosis and how it happens. Put very simply, it seems you need to reduce carb intake to between 30 and 50g a day to go into ketosis and if you eat more than that, it can rapidly take you out again. So I had a look at my food diary and, sure enough, two days ago (Tues 31 Jan), I gave blood and decided that, even though I'm on the diet, I would have my packet of Mini Cheddars and two fingers of Kit Kat after (the nurses won't actually let you leave until you've eaten and drunk something sweet), and that, plus what I'd eaten that day anyway, took me up to 89g of carbs. I shall test again tomorrow (as I'm only having 46g of carbs today) and the day after to see if it picks up again.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

But would that achieve ketosis that the OP implied they were seeking and would be measurable on their ketosticks.

I don't believe so either to be honest.

 

[LydiaDustbin]

I think I've worked out what's happened. I've just been looking online at Keto stuff, and about why people fall out of ketosis and how it happens. Put very simply, it seems you need to reduce carb intake to between 30 and 50g a day to go into ketosis and if you eat more than that, it can rapidly take you out again. So I had a look at my food diary and, sure enough, two days ago (Tues 31 Jan), I gave blood and decided that, even though I'm on the diet, I would have my packet of Mini Cheddars and two fingers of Kit Kat after (the nurses won't actually let you leave until you've eaten and drunk something sweet), and that, plus what I'd eaten that day anyway, took me up to 89g of carbs. I shall test again tomorrow (as I'm only having 46g of carbs today) and the day after to see if it picks up again.

And I'm back in ketosis this morning! So that's what happened - how interesting! I've also lost a pound overnight, so things are back on track again.