I haven't posted on my Newcastle progress for a while. That said, I'm now unofficially, in remission. The app I record my glucose in assures me that my A1c should be no higher than 5.7. My morning number today was a respectable 5.66. I started the Newcastle protocol on January 16. After 4 weeks on 700 kcals a day I had to abandon several aspects because I became too weak to get around much. I had lost more than 15 pounds in that time, and my numbers appeared non-diabetic after about a week. Anyway, rather than desert the protocol entirely, I invented my own. I increased my kcals to 1600 but kept my carbs at the same level <60 per day. Once I felt better (which took a week or so) I started walking more and more. This is strictly contrary to Prof. Taylor's excellent advice because more exercise engenders more hunger. Indeed it does, but I've soldiered on. I've fallen off the rails numerous times, but I get right back on them and continue. As a result, it's been stop-and-go, however, I'm now 25 lbs down. That is still 8 lbs short of Prof. Taylor's goal of 33 lbs (15 kilos) at the 4-month mark. Nevertheless, my initial time on the strict diet was a great help in learning how to control my carb and calorie intake and work on changing my eating habits. What is more, I can see tremendous progress in my ability to handle carbs. I believe that once I reach my final goal I'll be able to consume perhaps 90 grams of carbs per day and still keep my glucose numbers normal. According to Prof. Taylor, I may even see additional improvement in my pancreas after a year. I'm still walking 20,000 steps a day rain or shine. I hope to lose those last 8 lbs by the end of May. My experience tells me that I'll get diet fatigue if I stay on this course for another month. My post diet plan is to increase calories slowly to 2200 or 2300 per day and take carbs up to 85 per day. That will keep the percentage of carbs to total calories similar to what it is now. I'll cut back from 20,000 steps to 15,000 as well. Then I'll simply monitor glucose and weight as suggested by the Good Professor, and modify diet/exercise as required.
Best of luck to everyone on this very individual journey. BTW, there's a new video on Youtube by Dr Robert Lustig, one of the experts in this field. It's well worth the watch.
Best of luck to everyone on this very individual journey. BTW, there's a new video on Youtube by Dr Robert Lustig, one of the experts in this field. It's well worth the watch.
