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lost 5kg but hba1c the same
- Thread starter MarcR
- Start date
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I think that probably explains why your HbA1C has not come down, too many carbs for your metabolism to handle. Perhaps gradually drop your carbs down by 50g for a week, then another 50g for another week until you get down to nearer the 130g.
Yes.
Have you clicked on this link and looked at choosing healthy carbs?
Also, have a look at Dr David Unwin's diet sheet.
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AndBreathe
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- In remission from Type 2
@MarcR if you are achieving an A1c of 43 whilst consuming around 300gr carb a day, you may find it relatively simple to reduce it a bit more, just by tweaking your diet.
The way I look at eating is I concentrated on nutritionally dense meals. I don't snack, but then again, I never have.
My meals are based around a goodly portion of protein, some above the ground veg and make up the calories with fats. For clarity, the fats aren't glugs of olive oil, or slices on butter, but often, during the week be fattier cuts of meat - like lamb, belly pork and such likes. They can be both a decent protein hit, but fats too.
These days, I can tolerate more carbs than previously and still maintain a decent A1c. I can only assume that whilst I wasn't hugely heavy, I had fat in some medically undersirable places. These days, and for the last 10 or 11 years I have a short, slight frame.
Not everyone is able, due to a plethora of factors, to reduce their A1c (or similar) tests to non-diabetic levels, but in your shoes, I'd be very hopeful.
The way I look at eating is I concentrated on nutritionally dense meals. I don't snack, but then again, I never have.
My meals are based around a goodly portion of protein, some above the ground veg and make up the calories with fats. For clarity, the fats aren't glugs of olive oil, or slices on butter, but often, during the week be fattier cuts of meat - like lamb, belly pork and such likes. They can be both a decent protein hit, but fats too.
These days, I can tolerate more carbs than previously and still maintain a decent A1c. I can only assume that whilst I wasn't hugely heavy, I had fat in some medically undersirable places. These days, and for the last 10 or 11 years I have a short, slight frame.
Not everyone is able, due to a plethora of factors, to reduce their A1c (or similar) tests to non-diabetic levels, but in your shoes, I'd be very hopeful.
PhoebeC
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Even as a type 1 with insulin to cobat the carbs since seeing how beans behave with my blood levels (thanks to the libre) I only have beans as a treat actually. Personally I would cut those out rightaway.
You have done great with the changes you have made so far with the eating less and better, sounds like now you need to consider the carbs in what you eat and even small changes will help as others have said. Good luck.
You have done great with the changes you have made so far with the eating less and better, sounds like now you need to consider the carbs in what you eat and even small changes will help as others have said. Good luck.
Newbie777
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Yes most of your food has quite. A few carbs, eg wholemeal bread has more sugar than white bread, milk has lactose, it's own sugar etc etc.
I think the low carb book will help, but you will still need carbs, this varies some people like me like 90g or less, most suggest about 120g to130g per day, take it in your stride and do go slowly with the changes, also note stress impacts your BG levels too.Good luck
I think the low carb book will help, but you will still need carbs, this varies some people like me like 90g or less, most suggest about 120g to130g per day, take it in your stride and do go slowly with the changes, also note stress impacts your BG levels too.Good luck
I'm hearing the figure 130g of carbs, but does that mean complex carbs, because some are worse than others.
It means ALL carbs.
The reason for this is that regardless what form the carbs are in when you eat them - wholemeal bread, brown rice, white pasta, the carbs in carrots, fruit juice or a tablespoon of table sugar - the body breaks them all down into glucose.
Some people find they may tolerate some carbs better than others but it is very personal. For example, some people can start their day with porridge whereas others find it rockets their BG into the stratosphere.
The only caveat I would add is that the body does not digest fibre. In the UK, fibre is excluded from carbohydrates on packaging nutritional information so we do not need to worry about it. However, if you find yourself on a USA-based website, they include fiber in total carbs. The hint is the spelling.
I looked at my diet in terms glycemic load and muesli, bread and oatmilk were the highest so I've decided to reduce and also switch to almond milk.
I saw the consultant, he wants a couple of extra tests to check how much insulin my pancreas is making and also no antibodies for type 1, if they are all clear then everything is ok. He said I could reduce my Metformin but advised staying on that as it has benefits and also on the statin as it reduces risk of heart problems. He said I would be entitled to SGL2 inhibitor but I'm not keen on more tablets although I've heard this type actually works better than older medications as it reduces glucose and insulin.
I saw the consultant, he wants a couple of extra tests to check how much insulin my pancreas is making and also no antibodies for type 1, if they are all clear then everything is ok. He said I could reduce my Metformin but advised staying on that as it has benefits and also on the statin as it reduces risk of heart problems. He said I would be entitled to SGL2 inhibitor but I'm not keen on more tablets although I've heard this type actually works better than older medications as it reduces glucose and insulin.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I see no difference - carbs are just carbs.
To keep my HbA1c almost normal I set a maximum of 40 gm of carbs a day - that is what works for me.
We each need to find our own remedy but I think that your 300gm of carbs a day might be where the problem lies for you, and the solution.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I found what he said made a lot of sense but some people don't rate him at all.
I think generally the more complex the slower they convert to glucose but even that is very individual as it depends on one's gut microflora, which is why the GI categorisation is not very accurate as everybody metabolises carbs differently and the GI determination is done in lab conditions.
totally agree about GI, to me it's a meaningless term because I react to some low GI/GL foods like it was pure sugar.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I never found a slow one of any kind.
My weight loss plateaued since the New Year, but after cutting refined carbs and reducing carbs over the last 2 weeks my weight dropped about 1kg! So it does seem to be working🙂 although I'm using a combination of low calorie, intermittent fasting and reduced carbs. I'm praying by blood sugars will come down to normal.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
There is every chance they will if you are reducing your carbs from the 300g you mentioned to closer to 130g but you can always keep a check yourself by using a home blood glucose monitor.
AndBreathe
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- In remission from Type 2
When you say low calorie, what does that equate to in terms of your calorific intake - roughly?
Reading your thread, I fear you are over complicating things by looking at "complex carbs" and so on. Yes, for some, some foods seem to be kryptonite to their blood sugars, but honestly, I'm convinced if you pare back the carbs a bit, and don't go clugging the double cream your weight might just trim down and your A1c along with it.
Don't get hung up on weight and A1c, else it would be super easy to identify those living with diabetes without the need for a blood test or all that scientific stuff.
@MarkR
You may find this article by Katie Caldesi interesting. She is the co-author of this book, Reverse your Diabetes [type 2] Cookbook; after clicking on link click on Read Sample below the front cover image. This has a foreword by Dr David Unwin and an article by Jenny Phillips, a nutritionist, which goes into low carb in some detail.
It proposes this low carb scale:
Keto Strict Moderate Liberal
Under 30g Up to 50g Up to 70g Up to 130g
Keto: This is for people wanting to lose weight quickly and are prepared to be strictly limited in what they can eat to achieve their goals.
Strict low-carb: limiting dietary carbohydrate to under 50g (2oz) per day affords tight glycaemic control and is a reasonable therapeutic aim for type 2 diabetics and those suffering with low energy or cravings.
Moderate low-carb: 75–100g (2¾–3½oz) carbs per day. This enables a wide and varied diet and is a good starting point into carbohydrate restriction. It is also a good target for the long-term as it is not too restrictive.
Liberal low-carb: up to 130g (4½oz) carbs per day. Suitable for those who are lean and healthy, with an active lifestyle. If you have high activity levels and are lean, fit and healthy, then you may wish to retain some higher starch foods within your diet. However, to achieve health benefits, your overall diet should contain sufficient high-quality food, including protein, healthy fat and mostly unprocessed, slow-release carbohydrates, such as oats and starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes, beetroot and pulses. Even for athletes, the days of heavy carb-loading are waning – England Rugby, for example, encourages its players to consume lots of vegetables and protein in addition to slow-release carbohydrates.
You may find this article by Katie Caldesi interesting. She is the co-author of this book, Reverse your Diabetes [type 2] Cookbook; after clicking on link click on Read Sample below the front cover image. This has a foreword by Dr David Unwin and an article by Jenny Phillips, a nutritionist, which goes into low carb in some detail.
It proposes this low carb scale:
Keto Strict Moderate Liberal
Under 30g Up to 50g Up to 70g Up to 130g
Keto: This is for people wanting to lose weight quickly and are prepared to be strictly limited in what they can eat to achieve their goals.
Strict low-carb: limiting dietary carbohydrate to under 50g (2oz) per day affords tight glycaemic control and is a reasonable therapeutic aim for type 2 diabetics and those suffering with low energy or cravings.
Moderate low-carb: 75–100g (2¾–3½oz) carbs per day. This enables a wide and varied diet and is a good starting point into carbohydrate restriction. It is also a good target for the long-term as it is not too restrictive.
Liberal low-carb: up to 130g (4½oz) carbs per day. Suitable for those who are lean and healthy, with an active lifestyle. If you have high activity levels and are lean, fit and healthy, then you may wish to retain some higher starch foods within your diet. However, to achieve health benefits, your overall diet should contain sufficient high-quality food, including protein, healthy fat and mostly unprocessed, slow-release carbohydrates, such as oats and starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes, beetroot and pulses. Even for athletes, the days of heavy carb-loading are waning – England Rugby, for example, encourages its players to consume lots of vegetables and protein in addition to slow-release carbohydrates.