Skinny, losing weight and confused!

[Noel12345*]

I've been 'at risk' of Diabetes for over 2 years and in that time I have lost 7 kilos. Although that may seem positive I now weigh 55 kilos (8st 10lb). I stopped eating biscuits and chocolate without replacing them with something else. I replaced high GI fruit and vegetables with lower ones but I need more calories and still need to reduce carbohydrates. What is the way forward?

Also, I read that anaerobic exercise is bad as this increases Cortisol and stimulates insulin production if I understood correctly - I play badminton and pickleball 6 hours per week altogether.

I'm not sure that it is safe to increase protein and fat to levels that would allow me to replace the weight that I lost.

I'm confused and don't know what to do. Good advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[Sharron1]

Hi,

When I was first diagnosed I reduced carbs and the weight dropped off. Eventually a little too much for my liking. I saw a dietician who advised me to eat some nuts and avocado. So i did and although I am still quite skinny I have maintained my weight. I adore avocado and almonds. Problem solved.

 

[Martin.A]

I've been 'at risk' of Diabetes for over 2 years and in that time I have lost 7 kilos. Although that may seem positive I now weigh 55 kilos (8st 10lb). I stopped eating biscuits and chocolate without replacing them with something else. I replaced high GI fruit and vegetables with lower ones but I need more calories and still need to reduce carbohydrates. What is the way forward?

Also, I read that anaerobic exercise is bad as this increases Cortisol and stimulates insulin production if I understood correctly - I play badminton and pickleball 6 hours per week altogether.

I'm not sure that it is safe to increase protein and fat to levels that would allow me to replace the weight that I lost.

I'm confused and don't know what to do. Good advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Are nuts an option for you? They're a good, low-carb way of increasing calories and although they are mostly fat it's predominantly unsaturated, the 'good' fat.

The RDA for protein is often stated as 0.8g per kilo of body weight, but some sources say that someone who's moderately active needs 1.2g per kilo, and needs 2.2g per kilo if very active. I'm 70 kgs and moderately active, which gives be an RDA of 84g and I track my protein intake with the aim of staying under 90g daily.

 

[Drummer]

But - protein and fat are the essential food groups and contain all you need to sustain life. If you want to increase your musculature, maintain your nervous and cardiovascular systems then you need meat, fish, cheese and other dairy, eggs and should add in vegetables, salad and less starchy options, low carb fruits for colour variety and taste/texture.

 

[Leadinglights]

This link may give you some ideas for low carb meals but which will have protein and healthy fats as well as veg and salads.
As you are in the 'at risk' zone then just modest changes from what you had before are likely to be sufficient to keep blood glucose within a good range.

 

[Noel12345*]

Thank you for the advice. I have chicken and salmon throughout the week together with carrots and Brussels sprouts throughout the week as dinner followed by pears, cherries, cinnamon and walnuts for pudding. Lunch is cheese on wholemeal toast and a couple of boiled eggs. Breakfast is normally 2 slices of wholemeal toast but replaced twice a week with back bacon and 2 boiled eggs. Supper is always 2 slices of wholemeal toast.
The issues are twofold: 6 slices of bread each day, and this is not enough calories to maintain my weight.
Is it realistic to eat nuts for breakfast and supper instead of toast? If I had cheese salad for lunch instead of cheese on toast, that would surely reduce my calorie intake further.
I'm not doubting what you said, I just can't envisage making that change without further weight loss.
Thank you.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank you for the advice. I have chicken and salmon throughout the week together with carrots and Brussels sprouts throughout the week as dinner followed by pears, cherries, cinnamon and walnuts for pudding. Lunch is cheese on wholemeal toast and a couple of boiled eggs. Breakfast is normally 2 slices of wholemeal toast but replaced twice a week with back bacon and 2 boiled eggs. Supper is always 2 slices of wholemeal toast.
The issues are twofold: 6 slices of bread each day, and this is not enough calories to maintain my weight.
Is it realistic to eat nuts for breakfast and supper instead of toast? If I had cheese salad for lunch instead of cheese on toast, that would surely reduce my calorie intake further.
I'm not doubting what you said, I just can't envisage making that change without further weight loss.
Thank you.

You could have some full fat Greek yoghurt with your fruit, you could make an omelette with mushrooms and cheese, have some tuna with your salad, maybe some creamy coleslaw. You could make some sugar free jelly with some berries in and have with cream.
Some of the bakes of cakes and biscuits that @Martin62 posts on a weekly basis are low carb and could replace some of your bread.
Try butternut squash or more variety of vegetables, if you like curry then that can be made low carb but with added coconut milk.
Do you eat other types of meat as that will increase your protein.
High meat content sausages are low carb.

 

[Noel12345*]

Thanks for your reply.
I think that a cheese and mushroom omelette would be a great breakfast alternative and has more calories than two slices of wholemeal toast. I'll give that a go, thanks for the tips!

 

[helli]

I read that anaerobic exercise is bad as this increases Cortisol and stimulates insulin production

Have you tried it and tested?
I find stop - start exercise like team sports will raise my BG because I am not running around for long enough.
However, constant anaerobic exercise for 20 minutes or more often reduces BG. The intensity of the exercise and your fitness will impact the affect for you.
For example, I am reasonably fit but nowhere near a professional athlete level. Cycling is one of my exercises of choice
- if I pootle along a flat tow path chatting to my mates, there will be little impact on my BG
- if I zoom along country roads, my BG will fall
- if I climb up a nasty hill on a wet windy day, the stress will cause my BG to rise.

So, my advice is to exercise and test your BG.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. Be aware that losing weight unexpectedly can be a sign of late onset T1 which can come on very slowly or fast. It happened to me just before my diagnosis. Are you able to test your blood sugar? I would get hold of a glucose meter if you haven't already got one. Late onset T1 results from low insulin output from the pancreas causing the body to burn body fat for energy as it can't easily use the carbs you eat. It's fine to increase proteins and fats but suitable medication is needed if you are T1. A measure of your blood sugar will help determine what you should do. In the unlikely event your blood sugar is in the high 20s or above do take urgent action.

 

[Noel12345*]

Hi. Be aware that losing weight unexpectedly can be a sign of late onset T1 which can come on very slowly or fast. It happened to me just before my diagnosis. Are you able to test your blood sugar? I would get hold of a glucose meter if you haven't already got one. Late onset T1 results from low insulin output from the pancreas causing the body to burn body fat for energy as it can't easily use the carbs you eat. It's fine to increase proteins and fats but suitable medication is needed if you are T1. A measure of your blood sugar will help determine what you should do. In the unlikely event your blood sugar is in the high 20s or above do take urgent action.

Hello, thanks for your reply. I'm prediabetic Type 2, my A1c is 42 and has been for 2 years, during which I lost all the weight. I was aware that weight loss during this period might be significant, my last visit to my local surgery was at the end of November, and my next blood test is at the end of January. I'll discuss what you've said
Many thanks.

 

[harbottle]

Also, I read that anaerobic exercise is bad as this increases Cortisol and stimulates insulin production if I understood correctly - I play badminton and pickleball 6 hours per week altogether.

Cortisol suppresses insulin production and increases glucose production, hence why it can cause blood sugar to rise.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Hello, thanks for your reply. I'm prediabetic Type 2, my A1c is 42 and has been for 2 years, during which I lost all the weight. I was aware that weight loss during this period might be significant, my last visit to my local surgery was at the end of November, and my next blood test is at the end of January. I'll discuss what you've said
Many thanks.

I think that, strictly, because your HbA1c is 42 you definitely are pre-diabetic with the emphasis on "pre". You are at risk of diabetes BUT you are not yet diabetic and so you cannot say definitively that you are T2, nor, I suggest, say you are "pre-diabetic T2".

You can speculate that you are at risk of becoming T2 - but you might not become diabetic never mind T2. However any steps you can take at this stage to reduce that possibility would be prudent and the main 2 steps available to you are exercise and lower carb dietary regime. You already exercise a lot and you have recently lost a lot of weight. So I would speculate that you are closer to T1 than T2 in the future. But this diagnosis would need a formal confirmation from the right evidence.