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What is the shortest time on 800 calories to reverse pre diabetes
- Thread starter Pre-Sue
- Start date
Alan44
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- Type 2
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Hi @Pre-Sue and welcome to the forum
Unfortunately getting your diabetes into remission is not a speed race, nor does it just rely on reducing calories.
Blood cells regenerate over a 2/3 month period so your next hba1c test should be 3 months after your first one to confirm diagnosis, that said it may be longer if you are only in the pre range which is 42 to 48 mmol/mol
Putting Diabetes into remission has 3 key elements, all of which centre around lifestyle
1) Weight
2 ) Diet
3) Exercise
Reduce weight if overweight and aim for a BMI of under 25
Reduce Carb intake to iro 130g per day
Increase exercise if possible and within your own physical limits
TBH carb intake is the one to watch, as before diagnosis most of us eat copious amounts of bread, pasta. rice, potatoes etc which all release sugars into the blood stream.
If you are happy to tell us a little more about your situation, I'm sure we could help you direct your efforts a little better
Alan 😉
Unfortunately getting your diabetes into remission is not a speed race, nor does it just rely on reducing calories.
Blood cells regenerate over a 2/3 month period so your next hba1c test should be 3 months after your first one to confirm diagnosis, that said it may be longer if you are only in the pre range which is 42 to 48 mmol/mol
Putting Diabetes into remission has 3 key elements, all of which centre around lifestyle
1) Weight
2 ) Diet
3) Exercise
Reduce weight if overweight and aim for a BMI of under 25
Reduce Carb intake to iro 130g per day
Increase exercise if possible and within your own physical limits
TBH carb intake is the one to watch, as before diagnosis most of us eat copious amounts of bread, pasta. rice, potatoes etc which all release sugars into the blood stream.
If you are happy to tell us a little more about your situation, I'm sure we could help you direct your efforts a little better
Alan 😉
Hi @Pre-Sue
Whether you are pre-diabetic or T2D, the aim of an 800 calorie diet is to get rid of excess fat in your liver and pancreas, and get your HbA1c down to normal in the 32-38 mmol/mol range. This can take about 8 weeks for a T2D, maybe less if you are prediabetic, depending on how much weight you need to lose. Have you seen this video?
You may find it easier to achieve the same result on a low carb diet such as this, this, or this*
* see section on Weight Loss
Whether you are pre-diabetic or T2D, the aim of an 800 calorie diet is to get rid of excess fat in your liver and pancreas, and get your HbA1c down to normal in the 32-38 mmol/mol range. This can take about 8 weeks for a T2D, maybe less if you are prediabetic, depending on how much weight you need to lose. Have you seen this video?
You may find it easier to achieve the same result on a low carb diet such as this, this, or this*
* see section on Weight Loss
My weight is almost where it should be. I am no longer classed as Obese, but still overweight. I don’t know how long I have been pre- diabetic.
I am 80 next year.
I lived in Spain for 17 years, although I can speak a little, didn’t always understand.
After being married for over 50 years, marriage broke down just before COVID.
I was unhappy before complete breakdown of marriage (lots of stress)
My weight then was 116.5kg
I lost 40+kg by diet and a lot of Swimming and Walking, using exercise bike when it was too hot to be outside.
I returned to England Oct 2022
I was diagnosed as pre- diabetic blood 4-8
I put on almost 7kg in less than a year
(Due to weak will and swamped by choc and sweets unseen for years)
I have sugar cravings still
Since April 2024 I have been attending Slimming World I have lost 10+kg but still have sugar cravings.
My blood glucose is now 6-8
Sometimes I can’t get a reading it just says Lo.
I have other problems
CKD
DDD
Osteoporosis
Empasymia
Postural Hypotension
Arthritis
Plus being treated for High blood pressure
I am currently cutting down on these meds
I am finding it so hard to eat foods that are not helpful to all conditions
Pre-diabetes should be one I can control,
So I bought Michael Mosley’s book
The Eight Week BSD
I am active, I do gentle exercise for 30 mins
before starting my day,
I use my stationary bike for 70mins most days
As the weather is not always good for my lungs I bought a treadmill this year at the moment I use this for 10-20 mins a day.
But for all this my blood sugar is not right.
Any advice
Ps it’s difficult to see a doctor , and when I do there is never enough time given to look at the whole picture.
I am in a happy place now, although I live a long way away from family. I like my own space.
I really need to crush these sugar binges
Any help with this would be if most help
I am 80 next year.
I lived in Spain for 17 years, although I can speak a little, didn’t always understand.
After being married for over 50 years, marriage broke down just before COVID.
I was unhappy before complete breakdown of marriage (lots of stress)
My weight then was 116.5kg
I lost 40+kg by diet and a lot of Swimming and Walking, using exercise bike when it was too hot to be outside.
I returned to England Oct 2022
I was diagnosed as pre- diabetic blood 4-8
I put on almost 7kg in less than a year
(Due to weak will and swamped by choc and sweets unseen for years)
I have sugar cravings still
Since April 2024 I have been attending Slimming World I have lost 10+kg but still have sugar cravings.
My blood glucose is now 6-8
Sometimes I can’t get a reading it just says Lo.
I have other problems
CKD
DDD
Osteoporosis
Empasymia
Postural Hypotension
Arthritis
Plus being treated for High blood pressure
I am currently cutting down on these meds
I am finding it so hard to eat foods that are not helpful to all conditions
Pre-diabetes should be one I can control,
So I bought Michael Mosley’s book
The Eight Week BSD
I am active, I do gentle exercise for 30 mins
before starting my day,
I use my stationary bike for 70mins most days
As the weather is not always good for my lungs I bought a treadmill this year at the moment I use this for 10-20 mins a day.
But for all this my blood sugar is not right.
Any advice
Ps it’s difficult to see a doctor , and when I do there is never enough time given to look at the whole picture.
I am in a happy place now, although I live a long way away from family. I like my own space.
I really need to crush these sugar binges
Any help with this would be if most help
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
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- Type 2
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I'm not clear from the blood glucose readings you quote if they are HbA1C results or finger prick test results as it is really the HbA1C result which indicates whether you are prediabetic or diabetic and they would be 42-47mmol/mol pre diabetic and over that diabetic. Finger prick test are not too good at indicating that as blood glucose goes up and down thorough out the day and night.
In any case the NICE guidelines for more mature people are more lenient unless other risk factors are at play. I would think that where you are would fit in with those guidelines and you really need to do nothing other than just make sure you are eating normal healthy foods and maybe be careful of sugary foods like cakes, biscuits, sugary drinks and keep an eye on your portion size of potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta and make sure you eat protein and healthy fats.
I think there are too many risks for someone of your age in undertaking a very low calorie regime.
Proud to be erratic
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Hello @Pre-Sue, I agree with @Leadinglights. Age is very pertinent here. I think you should be kind to yourself and enjoy life (despite your many other ailments) without worrying yourself about pre-diabetes risks and thus stressing over finding a suitable diet. Just eat sensibly and normally. I have no medical background - just my personal view.
With a starting point of a very very bad diet with lots of carbs and also sugar (yes yes I know...), by cutting carbs drastically my HbA1c went down from 67 to 59 in 4.5 wks. Not a very low calorie diet, but just to give you some figures.
The target given by my GP, probably because she classed me as at risk of falls, was 59, but I'm well below that now.
The target given by my GP, probably because she classed me as at risk of falls, was 59, but I'm well below that now.
Quite the reverse in my case.
Though, from my experience of muscle loss, there are better self-managed ways of losing weight for than soups and shakes or strict 800 cals/day diets for 8-12+ weeks.
When the results of his team's Counterpoint study came out in c.2010, Professor Taylor himself advised people who wanted to get themselves into remission to follow a 'portion controlled' diet. He also called for research into optimum ways of losing weight.
Now, some recent research papers indicate 'time restricted eating' may be a better strategy. One suggested 'early time restricted eating' in an 8 am-12 noon window reduced muscle/lean weight loss from 30%-40% to about 10%. According to Professor Russell Foster, in his book Life Time, this would fit in with our circadian rhythms.
A higher HbA1c target may be better
Thinking about my age and my health overall, my quality of life in the shorter term is more important to me
A lower HbA1c target may be better
Thinking about my age and my health overall, my quality of life in the long term is important to me
Irrespective of the other four statements, I targeted HbA1c in the normal range, 32-38.
Take your pick.
Last edited:
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Welcome to the forum @Pre-Sue
Sorry to hear you now have a risk of diabetes to juggle alongside your other health conditions and concerns
Diabetes is generally a fairly slow-moving foe, and being in the ‘at risk’ category sometimes means that only relatively modest changes can be very effective. You may find it helps you to commit to a short-term intervention like the 800 calorie approach, but what will be really key is transitioning out of that at the end, and developing a new, sustainable, way of eating that your body can cope with.
It may be that you decide to simply begin developing your new way of eating right now, and skip the 800 Calorie bit?
There are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, but you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits. That doesn’t mean that you have to avoid those entirely, but reducing portion sizes, choosing more slowly-released versions, looking for lower carb swaps and exchanges, and keeping an eye on your total daily carbohydrate intake can be very helpful.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂
Sorry to hear you now have a risk of diabetes to juggle alongside your other health conditions and concerns
Diabetes is generally a fairly slow-moving foe, and being in the ‘at risk’ category sometimes means that only relatively modest changes can be very effective. You may find it helps you to commit to a short-term intervention like the 800 calorie approach, but what will be really key is transitioning out of that at the end, and developing a new, sustainable, way of eating that your body can cope with.
It may be that you decide to simply begin developing your new way of eating right now, and skip the 800 Calorie bit?
There are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, but you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits. That doesn’t mean that you have to avoid those entirely, but reducing portion sizes, choosing more slowly-released versions, looking for lower carb swaps and exchanges, and keeping an eye on your total daily carbohydrate intake can be very helpful.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂