weight loss

[Tips]

Since being diagnosed pre diabetic 3 months ago and changing my diet but not drastically, I have rapidly lost over a stone. Now down to 9st and really don't want to go any lower. I always thought I ate healthily anyway but have cut out a lot of sweet things and having smaller portions of carbs. Is this weight loss to be expected and how low will it go? A bit worried but blood tests check up all show ok.

 

[42istheanswer]

Since being diagnosed pre diabetic 3 months ago and changing my diet but not drastically, I have rapidly lost over a stone. Now down to 9st and really don't want to go any lower. I always thought I ate healthily anyway but have cut out a lot of sweet things and having smaller portions of carbs. Is this weight loss to be expected and how low will it go? A bit worried but blood tests check up all show ok.

What have you replaced the carbs with? If you feel that you have lost enough weight then you need to look at your calories too and try to add some non-carb calories in (I.e. proteins and some healthy fats). If you continue to lose weight despite making sure you eat enough calories, especially if your HbA1c/ blood glucose levels don't improve, then that could potentially suggest early LADA (slow onset Type 1). But if you haven't replaced the carbs or you have replaced them just with things like vegetables which are low calorie as well as low carb, then you might still be losing weight due to insufficient calorie intake.

 

[Tips]

What have you replaced the carbs with? If you feel that you have lost enough weight then you need to look at your calories too and try to add some non-carb calories in (I.e. proteins and some healthy fats). If you continue to lose weight despite making sure you eat enough calories, especially if your HbA1c/ blood glucose levels don't improve, then that could potentially suggest early LADA (slow onset Type 1). But if you haven't replaced the carbs or you have replaced them just with things like vegetables which are low calorie as well as low carb, then you might still be losing weight due to insufficient calorie intake.

thank you so much for the info. I have no idea about calories as never had to worry before. Will have to do some research.
I've only really replaced half of carbs with extra veg so far. I am so confused about the whole thing. My surgery will not be doing another blood check for a year so how can I know if I am doing the right thing? My level was 42 and they said no need to do anything drastic but then my optician told me I have a galloping cataract which has grown so quickly due to high blood sugar. Can you tell me what healthy fats are? I will up the protein but have to watch my cholesterol too.
We do have one of those prick your finger gadgets that my husband used years ago but strips out of date. Would getting new ones help me to see what is happening as they give a very different type of reading to this 42 I was told?
Thank you once again. So good that people like you are here.

 

[42istheanswer]

thank you so much for the info. I have no idea about calories as never had to worry before. Will have to do some research.
I've only really replaced half of carbs with extra veg so far. I am so confused about the whole thing. My surgery will not be doing another blood check for a year so how can I know if I am doing the right thing? My level was 42 and they said no need to do anything drastic but then my optician told me I have a galloping cataract which has grown so quickly due to high blood sugar. Can you tell me what healthy fats are? I will up the protein but have to watch my cholesterol too.
We do have one of those prick your finger gadgets that my husband used years ago but strips out of date. Would getting new ones help me to see what is happening as they give a very different type of reading to this 42 I was told?
Thank you once again. So good that people like you are here.

The 42 (mmol/mol) is a different measure to fingerpricks (mmol/l). If the strips are out of date they may not be accurate, so obtaining a new supply may be useful. I don't have a link saved to show the rough equivalents between HbA1c and average fingerprick results, but someone else probably will.

On the strips you would be hoping to see a number between 4 and 7 first thing in the morning (fasting) and before meals, and a number under 8.5 two hours after starting to eat (and preferably no more than 3 above the pre-meal number if that was below 5.5).

Which is healthier between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats is disputed now and I'm not clear which it is, apart from the only essential fatty acids (ones we can't make ourselves by cobbling together bits from other fatty acids) are the Omegas - 3 and 6 are the most well known but I have seen a few mentions of 9 in recent years. They can be found in good quantities in oily fish, vegetarian sources include various seeds and nuts - and the oils made from them. Fish, nuts and seeds also contribute protein as well.

Avocado is fairly high in healthier fats too if you like that.

It isn't essential to eat cholesterol as our livers will make some anyway, but it also isn't clear how much difference our dietary cholesterol intake makes to overall blood level for most people, the British Heart Foundation currently recommends not eating excessive saturated fats but doesn't make any specific recommendations about cholesterol as a percentage of your saturated fat intake. (It's impossible to avoid saturated fats completely as even vegetables contain a small amount.)

 

[Deleted member 21371]

The 42 (mmol/mol) is a different measure to fingerpricks (mmol/l). If the strips are out of date they may not be accurate, so obtaining a new supply may be useful. I don't have a link saved to show the rough equivalents between HbA1c and average fingerprick results, but someone else probably will.

On the strips you would be hoping to see a number between 4 and 7 first thing in the morning (fasting) and before meals, and a number under 8.5 two hours after starting to eat (and preferably no more than 3 above the pre-meal number if that was below 5.5).

Which is healthier between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats is disputed now and I'm not clear which it is, apart from the only essential fatty acids (ones we can't make ourselves by cobbling together bits from other fatty acids) are the Omegas - 3 and 6 are the most well known but I have seen a few mentions of 9 in recent years. They can be found in good quantities in oily fish, vegetarian sources include various seeds and nuts - and the oils made from them. Fish, nuts and seeds also contribute protein as well.

Avocado is fairly high in healthier fats too if you like that.

It isn't essential to eat cholesterol as our livers will make some anyway, but it also isn't clear how much difference our dietary cholesterol intake makes to overall blood level for most people, the British Heart Foundation currently recommends not eating excessive saturated fats but doesn't make any specific recommendations about cholesterol as a percentage of your saturated fat intake. (It's impossible to avoid saturated fats completely as even vegetables contain a small amount.)

From their website.

"How much fat should I eat?
The UK government recommends that:

men should have less than 30g of saturated fat per day
women should have less than 20g of saturated fat per day
men and women should have less than 5g of trans fat per day
children should have less trans fat and saturated fat per day than adults.
Most people in the UK eat too much saturated fat. The nutrition labels on your food’s packaging will show you the amount of total fat and saturated fat you are eating. Looking at the amount of saturated fat in your food will help you keep to the recommended daily intake.

We tend to eat more saturated fats than trans fats. But you may want to check your food’s nutrition labels for trans fats. They are usually listed as ‘hydrogenated fats’ or ‘hydrogenated vegetable oils’ in the ingredients. "

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hope you can find some good options for stalling that weight loss @Tips

Oily fish seems like a good bet (a good source of Omega 3 which most of us don’t get enough of). Things high in monounsaturates (eg olive oil) shouldn't trouble your cholesterol so much, but may help to add some handy calories?

 

[Tips]

The 42 (mmol/mol) is a different measure to fingerpricks (mmol/l). If the strips are out of date they may not be accurate, so obtaining a new supply may be useful. I don't have a link saved to show the rough equivalents between HbA1c and average fingerprick results, but someone else probably will.

On the strips you would be hoping to see a number between 4 and 7 first thing in the morning (fasting) and before meals, and a number under 8.5 two hours after starting to eat (and preferably no more than 3 above the pre-meal number if that was below 5.5).

Which is healthier between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats is disputed now and I'm not clear which it is, apart from the only essential fatty acids (ones we can't make ourselves by cobbling together bits from other fatty acids) are the Omegas - 3 and 6 are the most well known but I have seen a few mentions of 9 in recent years. They can be found in good quantities in oily fish, vegetarian sources include various seeds and nuts - and the oils made from them. Fish, nuts and seeds also contribute protein as well.

Avocado is fairly high in healthier fats too if you like that.

It isn't essential to eat cholesterol as our livers will make some anyway, but it also isn't clear how much difference our dietary cholesterol intake makes to overall blood level for most people, the British Heart Foundation currently recommends not eating excessive saturated fats but doesn't make any specific recommendations about cholesterol as a percentage of your saturated fat intake. (It's impossible to avoid saturated fats completely as even vegetables contain a small amount.)

thank you once again. Am probably about 400 calories short so now trying to add things to make that up from protein to healthy fats. Will see how it goes.

 

[Tips]

thank you once again. I am probably about 400 calories short so now trying to make that up from protein and healthy fats. Will see how it goes.

 

[Tips]

Hope you can find some good options for stalling that weight loss @Tips

Oily fish seems like a good bet (a good source of Omega 3 which most of us don’t get enough of). Things high in monounsaturates (eg olive oil) shouldn't trouble your cholesterol so much, but may help to add some handy calories?

Thank you for info