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type 2 / metformin / want to put on weight

Seniz

Seniz

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She/Her
Dear all,
Since January 2025, I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Before that, I had managed to lose enough weight to put my prediabetes into remission, but unfortunately, it didn’t work.
I went from 63 kg down to 50 kg, and my GP confirmed the diagnosis and started me on Metformin—initially 500 mg once a day, gradually increasing to 500 mg three times a day. Despite this, my blood sugar levels still fluctuate—some days they’re low, good, or high.
Now I weigh just 45 kg, and at 150 cm tall, I find myself quite slim. This has become a concern for me.
I’m wondering if you could advise me: how can I gain some healthy weight without raising my blood sugar levels?

Thanks xxx
 
What dietary regime are you following to manage your diabetes?

If you are following a low calorie diet then you might be better switching to a low carbohydrate way of eating and including more healthy fats for calories to prevent further weight loss and pehaps increase weight if you are under weight.

You mention that your levels are sometimes low, sometimes good and sometimes high,
What are you using to measure your levels? ie. a BG meter or a CGM sensor system Like Libre or Dexcom?
What sort of low readings are you getting and when are those lows happening?
Also how high are they going?
I am assuming the highs are after meals? If so, are you keeping a food diary along with your readings so that you can see which meals cause the highest spikes?
 
Seniz said:
Dear all,
Since January 2025, I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Before that, I had managed to lose enough weight to put my prediabetes into remission, but unfortunately, it didn’t work.
I went from 63 kg down to 50 kg, and my GP confirmed the diagnosis and started me on Metformin—initially 500 mg once a day, gradually increasing to 500 mg three times a day. Despite this, my blood sugar levels still fluctuate—some days they’re low, good, or high.
Now I weigh just 45 kg, and at 150 cm tall, I find myself quite slim. This has become a concern for me.
I’m wondering if you could advise me: how can I gain some healthy weight without raising my blood sugar levels?

Thanks xxx
Click to expand...
Blood glucose does vary throughout the day and night so what you are seeing may just be normal variation in response to food, exercise, etc. The real indicator of your diabetes management would be your HbA1C result, has that changed, gone up, or down.
I would be concerned by your weight loss unless you are just not eating enough protein and healthy fats to replace reducing your carbohydrate intake.
I would suggest the weight loss needs investigating and it could indicate you may be Type 1 or some other non diabetes reason.
 
@Seniz You mentioned some of your family have diabetes and I think some take insulin? It might just be you’re following a family pattern, not that you’re doing anything wrong.
 
Seniz said:
I’m wondering if you could advise me: how can I gain some healthy weight without raising my blood sugar levels?
Click to expand...

To answer your question, follow a nutritious diet with plenty of protein and healthy fats along with a variety of fruit and vegetables. The Freshwell Meal Planner and Red, Amber, Green food list infographic is a good basic guide to what to eat.

Exercise as much as you can to keep in good shape.
 
Hi,

I have just been diagnosed as type 2 and I am similar to you. I am 45kg and 164cm. The advice I have been given is to snack even if I don’t feel hungry, for example eat your three normal meals ( I eat minimal carbs ). When I balance my plate I always choose full fat options, for eg full fat Greek yoghurts and cheeses and healthy fats like avacado etc. I then got told to snack in between at set times each day if you can. Snack with things that don’t raise blood sugars but are healthy fats/ proteins. I have found nuts, some protein bars with low carbs are good. I sometimes have to force myself to eat so I don’t continue to loose weight.
 
Hi @Seniz, I am busy trying to put weight on and do this through increasing my calorie consumption while maintaining a less than 130g/day carb intake. As HeatherC92 says, making sure that you snack on healthy things or as per JITR and LeadingLights make sure that you eat more protein and healthy fats as that will boost your calories too.
 
HeatherC92 said:
Hi,

I have just been diagnosed as type 2 and I am similar to you. I am 45kg and 164cm. The advice I have been given is to snack even if I don’t feel hungry, for example eat your three normal meals ( I eat minimal carbs ). When I balance my plate I always choose full fat options, for eg full fat Greek yoghurts and cheeses and healthy fats like avacado etc. I then got told to snack in between at set times each day if you can. Snack with things that don’t raise blood sugars but are healthy fats/ proteins. I have found nuts, some protein bars with low carbs are good. I sometimes have to force myself to eat so I don’t continue to loose weight.
Click to expand...

That’s a worryingly low BMI of 16.7. I speak as someone who’s very slim myself. It sound like you might need to eat more carbs and maybe have medication to allow you to do so. I’m Type 1 but I’ve tried minimal carb diets two or three times. Apart from other difficulties, I just could not keep weight on even though I was eating loads, including lots of cheese, butter and cream. Without sufficient carbs, some (many?) people can’t maintain weight. Losing too much weight can mean muscle loss, and cause damage.

Looking back, I see you mentioned MODY because your case was quite unusual. Did anything come of that?
 
rebrascora said:
What dietary regime are you following to manage your diabetes?

If you are following a low calorie diet then you might be better switching to a low carbohydrate way of eating and including more healthy fats for calories to prevent further weight loss and pehaps increase weight if you are under weight.

You mention that your levels are sometimes low, sometimes good and sometimes high,
What are you using to measure your levels? ie. a BG meter or a CGM sensor system Like Libre or Dexcom?
What sort of low readings are you getting and when are those lows happening?
Also how high are they going?
I am assuming the highs are after meals? If so, are you keeping a food diary along with your readings so that you can see which meals cause the highest spikes?
Click to expand...
Hi Thank you for your replied.

To be honest, without following any specific diet plan, I simply cut out all the carbs and sweets I used to enjoy—and gradually, I lost all the weight.

Two hours after eating, if my blood sugar is around 7, I generally feel good.

My GP D.Nurse gave me BG mater it is call GLUCOFIX TECH GK.

Two days ago, around 6 p.m. after work, I checked my blood sugar and it was 4.1—even though I had lunch at 1:30 p.m. I am not really sure maybe i dont eat enough? but if i eat than it goes up
Sometimes it drops to 4.1. One time, I ate bulgur wheat salad, and 4.5 hours later, my sugar level was 14.7

I will try food diary...
Depending on how I feel, I usually check my blood sugar about two hours after a meal.

xxx
 
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