Newcastle University Diet

[smithgareth]

What do you consider 'normal' Gareth? I think between 5.9 and 6.9 is above 'normal' and above 7 is diabetic levels. Am I right? My readings are usually between 5.5 and 5.8 in the mornings, although I trip into the low 6s occasionally depending on what I eat/monthly cycles etc. I am still seeing these readings after a year of dieting and watching what I eat. I think, for me, that more exercise may be the answer! I have been told I am prediabetic rather than diabetic, but I sometimes wonder Katie

4.7-5.5 was what I achieved through most of the diet, and I just thought I'd drop into that range more rapidly this time, it took a week at the start of the diet.

 

[smithgareth]

5.0 this morning!

 

[Katieb]

What have you done differently to achieve that Gareth? Good result!! 🙂 Katie

 

[smithgareth]

What have you done differently to achieve that Gareth? Good result!! 🙂 Katie

Just being back on the diet!

 

[Dalaney]

Hi I am starting this diet on the 26th March I have been in touch with my GP who has no problem with me doing it and I am going for pre blood tests next week so we get a bseline to work with. I am only very recently diagnosed but I beleive the eralier you try this diet the better chance of success. i think what you did Gareth was amazing and I hope I am as successful. Can I ask what meal replacement you used I was looking at using Exante meal replacements as optifast is not available here.

 

[smithgareth]

Hi I am starting this diet on the 26th March I have been in touch with my GP who has no problem with me doing it and I am going for pre blood tests next week so we get a bseline to work with. I am only very recently diagnosed but I beleive the eralier you try this diet the better chance of success. i think what you did Gareth was amazing and I hope I am as successful. Can I ask what meal replacement you used I was looking at using Exante meal replacements as optifast is not available here.

I used Optislim, which is available on-line at their website, Lloyds pharmacy (on-line) and Amazon. I found the soups grainy, but the shakes (there are 9 different flavours) are very nice, and I do mean that!! I suspect being recently diagnosed will help, it's a good idea to set a date and give yourself a chance of a couple of takeaways and treats before you start. I found day 9 the worst, but got through it. Now been back on it for a week, after a week off and it was much easier to resume than to start from scratch.
Anyway good luck, and if you need any advice please ask, either on here or PM me. Also looks to be cheaper than Exante

 

[smithgareth]

Saturday proved to be the final day of the diet, I got up in the morning and felt as flat and empty as I had done 17 days before when I finished the diet last time. So I had another 10 days of shakes and I got my weight down to 11 stone 3 pounds and thats gonna be as low as it goes.
I'm gonna get back to running, do some work with the resistance machines and start swimming in an evening now. Next GTT is the end of March, so we'll see whether anything has changed then.
Fasting glucose Sunday morning was 4.8 and today it's 6.1.

 

[Northerner]

Hope you can maintain the weight and good sugar levels Gareth 🙂

 

[HOBIE]

Well done for keeping us posted Gareth 🙂

 

[smithgareth]

Hi Folks,
fasting glucose continues to be good at between 6.1 and 6.3, with my two hour reads also coming in well at between 4.9 and 7.9. The 7.9 was after a low fat cottage cheese sandwich using Bergen Soya bread and a 100g salad with 0% fat dressing. I had a 6.1 with the same lunch on Tuesday, the only difference being I had a Marks and Spencer wholemeal roll instead of the Soya bread!
I had salmon, new potatoes, carrots, caulifower, peas and watercress sauce for dinner tonight and it came in at 4.9 2 hours later.
Can't believe how impressed I am with my numbers!!

 

[Northerner]

Numbers are excellent Gareth! Keep it up! 🙂

 

[smithgareth]

I had a hectic weekend, with a bit too much to drink, a McDonalds and a pizza night when I eat far too much!! Fasting glucoses on Saturday 8.4. Sunday 8.3, Monday, 7.3 and today 6.4.

Definitely need to learn more self control after a drink, but one drink and the pizza rules went out of the window!

 

[smithgareth]

Well almost a month on and still not taking medication. I've put on a few pounds but still bobbing around 11 stone 10 pounds. Fasting glucoses vary between 6.4 and 7.7, apart from a naughty day which resulted in a 9.9! Daytime reads are good, with +2 hour reads anywhere between 5.7 and 8.2. I'm also running further and faster than I ever have, did 10km for the first time ever on Sunday in 64 minutes 38 seconds and I have to be honest it felt great!! Tonight we've been to the dogs at Brighton and I've had a few pints and scampi and chips and my read is 6.7 which to be quite honest is better than I would have expected before even on medication.

I have developed a binge tendancy which I'm fighting, tends to happen when I've had a drink and my wife has gone to bed. But I've accepted this is very common after such an extreme diet, and I just need to be concious of the risks, recognise the signs of a binge starting and walk away from the kitchen!

 

[HOBIE]

A good read Smithgareth ! Keep posting & us imformed how you are doing 😎

 

[ando]

Very informative Smithgareth, keep it up!

I'm on the Newcastle University Diet now, only ten days in, and it's great to read of someone coming out the other side of it!

 

[Northerner]

Very informative Smithgareth, keep it up!

I'm on the Newcastle University Diet now, only ten days in, and it's great to read of someone coming out the other side of it!

Hope you succeed Ando, be careful not to miss out on any valuable vitamins and minerals. Has your GP approved of you following the diet?

 

[smithgareth]

Very informative Smithgareth, keep it up!

I'm on the Newcastle University Diet now, only ten days in, and it's great to read of someone coming out the other side of it!

Hi ando,

go for it, it's the best thing I ever did! I'm still a diabetic, but I'm off my medication (metformin and sitagliptin) for the first time it 12 years!!
Numbers are still good, had pizza last night and fasting read this morning was 7.7.

What are you using? Optifast, Optislim, or slimfast?

Anyway keep in touch, and keep going!!

 

[ando]

Hi fellow Northerner...
Yes, keeping in weekly contact with practice nurse who keeps doc informed.
They're quite relaxed about it, going in next week to check levels.
Prof Taylor is actually doing a Q&A for doctors next week, which they are going to, so they can learn about it.

Hi Smithgareth...
Take a look at the blog, it's all there. You can let me know if I'm doing anything that I shouldn't!

cheers.

 

[ando]

Thanks for the comments smithgareth, ordered optislim following your suggestion.

 

[Ellowyne]

Hi ando,

go for it, it's the best thing I ever did! I'm still a diabetic, but I'm off my medication (metformin and sitagliptin) for the first time it 12 years!!
Numbers are still good, had pizza last night and fasting read this morning was 7.7.

What are you using? Optifast, Optislim, or slimfast?

Anyway keep in touch, and keep going!!

Wow...what great will power, congratulations on your fantstic achievements!...I think maybe this might be what I may be looking for, though I have huge amount of weight to lose, I am almost 25 stone now and continue to pile on the pounds!!...I am very immobile, I am stuck in bead, chair or wheelchair all day!!.....It is painful to walk and I have nerve damage in my right leg and foot...My foot flops to one side and I have little feeling in it!....As you might imagine, losing weight is very difficult for me, at least the conventional way!...I think at this time I may need to shift some weight fast...Maybe this might be the answer, or at least worth a try?

Congratulations! and well done!....Love Ellowyne xXx