Help - my brother has just been diagnosed with T1 at the age of 62. He has always been slim, but has lost a lot of weight recently, and is still losing. We know about the high protein and plenty of good fats, but not sure if that is going to be enough. Is there any advice out there about protein/whey supplements and whether these can help at least in the short term? It is less than a week since he was diagnosed so he is still grappling with insulin / food balance, but the weight is still falling off (unlike me T2, he has nothing to lose)!
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How to gain weight T1
- Thread starter Vivi M
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Robin
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I had lost a lot of weight prior to diagnosis, but I found that once I'd got my insulin sorted, and balanced for the carbs I was eating, I naturally regained what I'd lost over a period of months, without having to resort for protein supplements or anything. Once your brother has got to grips with insulin, there is no need to restrict carbs, as the insulin will do its job, and allow the glucose to fuel the muscles and refill the fat cells.
Inka
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- Type 1
He doesn’t need whey supplements. Normal food should do it. He’ll have lost weight due to the fact that his body couldn’t use the food he ate and, instead, started breaking itself down to use its fat in a desperate attempt to keep going. Now he’s been diagnosed and is on insulin, he should gain that weight back relatively quickly.
What will help him to do that is understanding how his insulins work, and learning how to handle them in regard to food. The recommended diet for Type 1s is the same healthy diet recommended for everyone. ‘All’ we have to do is be our own pancreas and manipulate our insulins appropriately.
I lost a huge amount of weight before diagnosis, but it came back on quite quickly. I also think that I’d been going along at a lower weight than I should have been due to the destruction of my beta cells. Then it all reached a crisis just prior to diagnosis when the weight dropped off shockingly. Once I started insulin, the change was quick. I put on weight in the first few weeks and within a few months I was actually slightly above my pre-diagnosis weight.
I ate normal traditional foods - roasts and fruit crumbles for dessert, lasagne, that kind of thing. I also had a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack as well as a bedtime snack to avoid lows overnight.
Now if I want to gain weight, I use MyFitnessPal which sets me a daily calorie target (I usually add a bit on to this too) and I make sure to eat plenty consistently every single day.
Inka
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- Type 1
Being newly diagnosed is very hard as it’s all overwhelming and there are so many changes. As the days go by and he feels less stressed, anything he can learn would be good. Type 1 requires a huge amount of self-management. There are a couple of books often recommended for Type 1s here:
Think Like a Pancreas’ by Gary Scheiner.
And Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas (ignore the title - it’s great for adults too).
Think Like a Pancreas’ by Gary Scheiner.
And Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas (ignore the title - it’s great for adults too).
Whittsend
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I was late to the Type 1 party, being diagnosed at 64. I too had lost weight and couldn't regain it, despite being on insulin & a 'fortification diet' (under instruction from the hospital dietician). Subsequent tests (& endoscopy with biopsy) revealed Coeliac disease, so now on a strict gluten-free diet. Might this be something to pursue with your GP/DSN team? Hope all settles down for you soon.
Thank you Inka - on your recommendation I have bought the 'Think Like a Pancreas' book
Thank you, that is helpful
Here is hoping, although getting to grips with insulin is a challenge in itself! Thank you
trophywench
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- Type 1
I was secretly pleased when I found my size 12 clothes getting a bit loose round my middle, if I hadn't felt so lousy otherwise. Good job we were skint so I couldn't get new, smaller clothes any time soon, as I certainly found I put most of it back on without me doing anything other than the insulin jabs, just as 'they' told me should happen automatically. Disappointing I couldn't get anything new certainly, but also a relief I wasn't forced to spend money we didn't have.
I would agree that eating a well balanced diet should negate the need for protein supplements. I have found that protein powder can be mayhem for blood sugars.
Beyond nutrition it would be good to get a few sessions with a coach and learn basic weightlifting or calisthenics. When you read 'weightlifting' don't get caught up with thinking of bodybuilding and tune into knowing that strength is helpful especially as we age and putting some lean muscle tissue on the body, although not easy, is a great thing to do.
Beyond nutrition it would be good to get a few sessions with a coach and learn basic weightlifting or calisthenics. When you read 'weightlifting' don't get caught up with thinking of bodybuilding and tune into knowing that strength is helpful especially as we age and putting some lean muscle tissue on the body, although not easy, is a great thing to do.
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