NHS Low Calorie Diet - Type 2 Remission Programme - Oviva (aka Newcastle)

What sort of diet are you on now?
This one is kind of tricky to answer, but not at the same time...

The easiest anser is that I eat a 'generally healthy balanced diet & active lifestyle' - but that doesn't really answer the question - what is a generally healthy balanced diet anyway??!! - We all hear it everywhere - including on the back of a packet of crisps!

...But this is what I do...eat a generally healthy balanced diet with an active lifestyle...

Since I re-introduced food after soups / shakes all that time ago, I've had to re-learn everything about food and what it is, what it does, how much & when etc...

My work life is full of random day / night work and I've had to adjust food into my lifestyle - especially at night...

I generally eat 3 meals a day, if I'm working nights, I stagger that and eat breakfast a little later, then by dinner time have my last meal for the day at the latest 7pm

I'm always out and about, so generally lunch is on the road, so I had to have some go-to's so I just grab for the nearest Mc'd's etc...

I'll have lighter days and heavier days just like everyone, and it's pretty much automatic these days - it's always a choice and I don't always sacrifice 'treats' if you like - it wouldn't be sustainable to not eat a little of what you fancy every now & again...

I guess it's based on calories (around 2100 - 2300 per day), but it's not just about calories, it's about fibre, protein, carbs (yes carbs!) - but it's more about what would I like to eat today - what does my body need as opposed to - I have to have a KFC now...!

I listen to my body, keep active and if I feel I've had too many carbs, I can burn that energy off - I feel it...and burning it off feels good - but also if I'm tired, I need that carb to repair myself etc etc...

I can have a Starbucks Skinny Mocha - either as a treat or if I need a pick-up (pick-up accepted as temporary, I can feel that too!) - But just not every single day....

I'm not sure if any of the above makes any sense, none of this did to me 2 years ago, I can only hope all of this is useful of others - It's easy for people to say eat less, move more and eat as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle - it's not so easy to impliment!

I'm by no means a Low Carb person, but have become minful about Carbs as well as everything else...
 
This one is kind of tricky to answer, but not at the same time...

The easiest anser is that I eat a 'generally healthy balanced diet & active lifestyle' - but that doesn't really answer the question - what is a generally healthy balanced diet anyway??!! - We all hear it everywhere - including on the back of a packet of crisps!

...But this is what I do...eat a generally healthy balanced diet with an active lifestyle...

Since I re-introduced food after soups / shakes all that time ago, I've had to re-learn everything about food and what it is, what it does, how much & when etc...

My work life is full of random day / night work and I've had to adjust food into my lifestyle - especially at night...

I generally eat 3 meals a day, if I'm working nights, I stagger that and eat breakfast a little later, then by dinner time have my last meal for the day at the latest 7pm

I'm always out and about, so generally lunch is on the road, so I had to have some go-to's so I just grab for the nearest Mc'd's etc...

I'll have lighter days and heavier days just like everyone, and it's pretty much automatic these days - it's always a choice and I don't always sacrifice 'treats' if you like - it wouldn't be sustainable to not eat a little of what you fancy every now & again...

I guess it's based on calories (around 2100 - 2300 per day), but it's not just about calories, it's about fibre, protein, carbs (yes carbs!) - but it's more about what would I like to eat today - what does my body need as opposed to - I have to have a KFC now...!

I listen to my body, keep active and if I feel I've had too many carbs, I can burn that energy off - I feel it...and burning it off feels good - but also if I'm tired, I need that carb to repair myself etc etc...

I can have a Starbucks Skinny Mocha - either as a treat or if I need a pick-up (pick-up accepted as temporary, I can feel that too!) - But just not every single day....

I'm not sure if any of the above makes any sense, none of this did to me 2 years ago, I can only hope all of this is useful of others - It's easy for people to say eat less, move more and eat as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle - it's not so easy to impliment!

I'm by no means a Low Carb person, but have become minful about Carbs as well as everything else...

Sounds a reasonable way to go.
That was why I went for the Newcastle diet as well.
I go for a Mediterranean style, avoid the fats, especially saturated.
But, I wanted the option to grab anything if I needed to at times.
I was just asking in a round about way why you expected bad cholesterol results?
I take statins, but I started them a while ago, and just haven't not had them, so I see no reason to stop now.
 
Sounds a reasonable way to go.
That was why I went for the Newcastle diet as well.
I go for a Mediterranean style, avoid the fats, especially saturated.
But, I wanted the option to grab anything if I needed to at times.
I was just asking in a round about way why you expected bad cholesterol results?
I take statins, but I started them a while ago, and just haven't not had them, so I see no reason to stop now.
Yep, see...there's a lot to look at...my thing is based on the less processed the food is the better, which includes less saturates fats - don't get me wrong, I'll have fish, chips & mushy peas every now & again, but this is much less processed than a burger chain...

You could call it a mediterranean diet, but I can't pin-point my diet - It's a hybrid of sorts really - mainly med I guess, I think I made the decision early on not to 'limit' myself to any particular label, but if I was a label it would be a med mainly...but more the less processed the food is the better...

I'm extremely hard on myself at times, and expecting bad results is part of that - but it's really encouraging that I can see that what I'm doing not only feels right, but the results seem to show this too...

When my Dr said (directly after going into Remission) she wanted me back on Statins, it felt like a kick in the teeth - after all the hard work I'd put in, there's a sting in the tail etc...

I knew I needed some time for everything to settle down, and it has to an extent, I feel more confident each day that goes by, I'm doing the right things - it's almost 'natural' in terms of my overall lifestyle now - where as directly after losing all the weight, I was almost a nervous wreck!

I guess I need the proof before I believe it kind of thing - But at the same time don't get over confident, otherwise I'll be right back where I started! - The results are good enough to be confident I'm doing the right things, and not a million miles away from going back to where I was...

If I need to, I'll go back on Statins, and I think inevitably that's what will happen as I age - it's all part of it I guess 😉
 
Yep, see...there's a lot to look at...my thing is based on the less processed the food is the better, which includes less saturates fats - don't get me wrong, I'll have fish, chips & mushy peas every now & again, but this is much less processed than a burger chain...

You could call it a mediterranean diet, but I can't pin-point my diet - It's a hybrid of sorts really - mainly med I guess, I think I made the decision early on not to 'limit' myself to any particular label, but if I was a label it would be a med mainly...but more the less processed the food is the better...

I'm extremely hard on myself at times, and expecting bad results is part of that - but it's really encouraging that I can see that what I'm doing not only feels right, but the results seem to show this too...

When my Dr said (directly after going into Remission) she wanted me back on Statins, it felt like a kick in the teeth - after all the hard work I'd put in, there's a sting in the tail etc...

I knew I needed some time for everything to settle down, and it has to an extent, I feel more confident each day that goes by, I'm doing the right things - it's almost 'natural' in terms of my overall lifestyle now - where as directly after losing all the weight, I was almost a nervous wreck!

I guess I need the proof before I believe it kind of thing - But at the same time don't get over confident, otherwise I'll be right back where I started! - The results are good enough to be confident I'm doing the right things, and not a million miles away from going back to where I was...

If I need to, I'll go back on Statins, and I think inevitably that's what will happen as I age - it's all part of it I guess 😉

The take away is
Once you've done it, you know what works, so any wobbles and you can do it again.

I view my lifestyle as fluctuating, it's not a purely level weight, bloods, lipids, I just look at the trends now, if the drift is in the wrong direction, I'll make changes I need to.
I've been accused of yo yo dieting for that, I had a good lock down Christmas, I did a January catch up.
I can't see that as bad, so long as it suits me, I like a bit of slack in my lifestyle.
 
The take away is
Once you've done it, you know what works, so any wobbles and you can do it again.

I view my lifestyle as fluctuating, it's not a purely level weight, bloods, lipids, I just look at the trends now, if the drift is in the wrong direction, I'll make changes I need to.
I've been accused of yo yo dieting for that, I had a good lock down Christmas, I did a January catch up.
I can't see that as bad, so long as it suits me, I like a bit of slack in my lifestyle.
Indeed, so for me, special occasions, birthdays, nights out etc. are still enjoyable, as well as a little indulgence here & there without worrying too much - I did initially but that's eased somewhat these days - If I indudge for a few days, I'll then pull it back a little - so my weight might rise by a Kilo, but then pull it back to where I want it to be - it's not yoyo dieting like you say (and I've seen some of your posts!) it's normal day to day living...

Life's a rollercoaster anyway! 😉
 
Indeed, so for me, special occasions, birthdays, nights out etc. are still enjoyable, as well as a little indulgence here & there without worrying too much - I did initially but that's eased somewhat these days - If I indudge for a few days, I'll then pull it back a little - so my weight might rise by a Kilo, but then pull it back to where I want it to be - it's not yoyo dieting like you say (and I've seen some of your posts!) it's normal day to day living...

Life's a rollercoaster anyway! 😉

Well, I have found rollercoasters are way less painful now I haven't got 5 stones of fat going a different way to the rest of me.......
 
Snap! 😉
 
Loving the new Community - Chat with People about Remission section!

I guess I should update my thread...

...Still in Remission 2 years on and weight maintained (Over 20Kg lost in first 3 months, maintained at 57 - 58Kg from then on)...

I won't pretend it's been easy - far from it...but my main take on it is that I started this to achieve Remission, but gained far, far more...

The first 3 months of the programme seem a far distant past now, it's the 2 years since that are more significant for me..

Since my 'reset' of shakes / soups, then re-introducing food, I found really that once I understood what food really is and what each food group does to my body, I began then to understand what I should be eating (forever)

It's basically around 2000 Calories per day, with a mix of different food groups (no low carb here) as well as the odd treat here & there - I basically eat as little processed food as I can (I mean Ultra Processed really) - Sometimes it's unavoidable, but that's ok occasionally and to maintain my new found 'diet' (It's not a diet, it's my lifestyle!) I don't restrict other than Calories generally - I don't specifically count Calories now either - I just generally know by looking and knowing my range of foods (If I really don't know, I'll check) - I can generally go over 2000 Calories on occasion for sure, but that's life, and the next week is back to normal....

I now use my new found love of food (with a little understanding of it) for fitness...or more specifically Running...I never used to like running or runners for that matter, but I seem to have found 'the bug' for it - I can run round ParkRun in under 30 mins (5k) I'm now also looking at entering a 10k event in the next few months - Running helps me mentally & physically to be better in all areas of my life - I won't be going down the road of supplements either...no need when I now have a basic understanding of food in general (I still have loads to learn, and don't think I'll ever stop learning, but one thing is for sure, I'm in Remission, and intend to be for as long as I can (I will be one of those 80 year olds Running round ParkRun too!)

Main thing is - T2D Remission - not a quick fix ever...but long term thinking and outlook will get you there...

I hope my thread can be helpful to others trying the same - it's possible, and even if it's not, you'll be healthier for it in the long run!
 
Loving the new Community - Chat with People about Remission section!

I guess I should update my thread...

...Still in Remission 2 years on and weight maintained (Over 20Kg lost in first 3 months, maintained at 57 - 58Kg from then on)...

I won't pretend it's been easy - far from it...but my main take on it is that I started this to achieve Remission, but gained far, far more...

The first 3 months of the programme seem a far distant past now, it's the 2 years since that are more significant for me..

Since my 'reset' of shakes / soups, then re-introducing food, I found really that once I understood what food really is and what each food group does to my body, I began then to understand what I should be eating (forever)

It's basically around 2000 Calories per day, with a mix of different food groups (no low carb here) as well as the odd treat here & there - I basically eat as little processed food as I can (I mean Ultra Processed really) - Sometimes it's unavoidable, but that's ok occasionally and to maintain my new found 'diet' (It's not a diet, it's my lifestyle!) I don't restrict other than Calories generally - I don't specifically count Calories now either - I just generally know by looking and knowing my range of foods (If I really don't know, I'll check) - I can generally go over 2000 Calories on occasion for sure, but that's life, and the next week is back to normal....

I now use my new found love of food (with a little understanding of it) for fitness...or more specifically Running...I never used to like running or runners for that matter, but I seem to have found 'the bug' for it - I can run round ParkRun in under 30 mins (5k) I'm now also looking at entering a 10k event in the next few months - Running helps me mentally & physically to be better in all areas of my life - I won't be going down the road of supplements either...no need when I now have a basic understanding of food in general (I still have loads to learn, and don't think I'll ever stop learning, but one thing is for sure, I'm in Remission, and intend to be for as long as I can (I will be one of those 80 year olds Running round ParkRun too!)

Main thing is - T2D Remission - not a quick fix ever...but long term thinking and outlook will get you there...

I hope my thread can be helpful to others trying the same - it's possible, and even if it's not, you'll be healthier for it in the long run!
30 mins for park run is an impressive time!
Have you became a Park Run tourist as many do once they get the bug?
 
30 mins for park run is an impressive time!
Have you became a Park Run tourist as many do once they get the bug?
It took me a while to get under 30 mins though!

So far only took part at my local one but...

...I have heard about ParkRun Tourism, and looking into it - I'm going on holiday abroad in a couple of weeks and there is one local to where I'm staying so may take part in that one! - I know of Woolacombe Dunes parkRun which is supposed to be one of the toughest as it's on sand! ...We will see!
 
Very impressed reading this , great achievement . “Well done”. What a contrast to me who cannot do a diet cannot care less about my diabetes. I think because i cannot control it . Never understand why blood sugar rises when i don't eat but can do when i do. Its not continuous though. i can eat very badly and I am okay eat good and be very high. I tried low carb but its too difficult and Ive too much to lose. I am dreading getting my bloods check then my yearly check as it will be on big ticking off. This is my fault i know but I cannot get any enthusiasm to turn this around. So its not easy well done for all your wonderful work. i hope you reap the rewards.
 
Very impressed reading this , great achievement . “Well done”. What a contrast to me who cannot do a diet cannot care less about my diabetes. I think because i cannot control it . Never understand why blood sugar rises when i don't eat but can do when i do. Its not continuous though. i can eat very badly and I am okay eat good and be very high. I tried low carb but its too difficult and Ive too much to lose. I am dreading getting my bloods check then my yearly check as it will be on big ticking off. This is my fault i know but I cannot get any enthusiasm to turn this around. So its not easy well done for all your wonderful work. i hope you reap the rewards.
I feel like I can really relate to your comment. It's so hard to keep any enthusiasm and motivation for long, especially when you're not seeing the results you want. Virtual hugs!
 
I feel like I can really relate to your comment. It's so hard to keep any enthusiasm and motivation for long, especially when you're not seeing the results you want. Virtual hugs!
Thank you.
 
Thank you.
I would have thought you would have been motivated by the good results you had in 2021 when you reduced your HbA1C from 76 pretty high to mid prediabetic and even though you are now higher than that 56 is not so bad that some dietary changes couldn't achieve something similar. I'm sure you must have felt much better when your level was lower and the risk of complications was reduced.
What is it about low carb that you find difficult, have you seen the meals that are posted in the thread Food ideas with photos as there are some super ideas there.
 
Never understand why blood sugar rises when i don't eat but can do when i do.
It’s because your liver is constantly producing glucose. As you can’t deal with it properly due to the insulin resistance, levels rise.
 
It’s because your liver is constantly producing glucose. As you can’t deal with it properly due to the insulin resistance, levels rise.
Yep this is exactly it - it’s perfectly normal…

@Nayshiftin & @NeoUser - remember - little steps…keep doing the little things you do, over time things will improve - Rome wasn’t built in a day…

It is difficult when each day you don’t see improvement - over time though, so long as you keep doing those little things each day, you’ll see the results - even if they may seem small, it makes all the difference…keep the faith 😉
 
It’s because your liver is constantly producing glucose. As you can’t deal with it properly due to the insulin resistance, levels rise.
tell me more does this give ketones too.
 
Yep this is exactly it - it’s perfectly normal…

@Nayshiftin & @NeoUser - remember - little steps…keep doing the little things you do, over time things will improve - Rome wasn’t built in a day…

It is difficult when each day you don’t see improvement - over time though, so long as you keep doing those little things each day, you’ll see the results - even if they may seem small, it makes all the difference…keep the faith 😉
Thsts it i dont do anything tight now. im like similiar to an alcoholic i dont drink but i do est snd drink the wrong things. Maybe after my bloods cone back snd it eill be high as my readings snd ketones on the dip stick are high. i guess Im reaching out here to s those thst are brilliant at it. im happy and proud of you . i am just struggling .
 
tell me more does this give ketones too.

Don't know - ketones are produced when the body needs energy and everyone creates a small amount when fasting or during exercise as the liver produces them from fats. If blood sugar is going very high it means the body can't get energy from glucose so it produces ketones as an energy source, but too much is bad and leads to diabetic ketosis (I think.) but things have to be very very wrong for that to happen, and mainly in type 1s who produce very little/no insulin.

Many T2s have high 'fasting' levels because their metabolism can't deal with the 'basal' glucose generated by the liver (And it's actually generating quite a bit every hour) so levels rise. I believe the liver doesn't stop producing it when it should as well. This is because the liver becomes 'insulin resistant' and doesn't respond to rising levels of insulin properly.
 
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