Reversing pre diabetes

[Seizethedog]

I’ve had a massive wake up call. I am now in the diabetic range , high BP, high cholesterol. I am four stones overweight. I eat a very healthy diet and walk regularly but over the winter have done a lot less exercise due to awful weather. I’ve also had a horrible virus that has knocked me out for about three weeks.

I intend to up the exercise, have all but given up alcohol. I don’t eat junk at all or snack. What has worked for you if you have reversed all of these? I am in despair. The doctor tells me to fast but other advice is that this spikes blood sugar so I don’t know what to do.

I have back problems so can’t swim or go to the gym.

The zoe app/diet uses a glucose monitor its the same as a libre freestyle which as a diabetic they used to do a free trial of. You scan the sensor on your arm before eating and about 1 hour after eating and it will give you an indication of how high your sugars are going with the food.

A sensor is £50 to buy and the Zoe programme is £££s so definitely think about what you’d benefit from before spending. Zoe explicitly says it’s not a weight loss programme.

That's your problem, right there.

You need to get your thyroid fixed.

Go back to your doctor and make him or her address this.

I’m on medication!

The Freshwell info is really helpful. Thanks to the person up thread who posted links.

Thanks that’s really motivating. Well done him!

That's lies because my GP prescribes it for me on NHS.

This. Very much this. Biggest thing for me has been cutting out all artificial sweeteners. I no longer crave sugar at all.

Another book I'd recommend is Andrew Jenkinsons why we eat too much.

Both of these may change your thinking on a "healthy" diet, but in a very positive way.

I have just read whole thread & so am going to suggest a breakfast option which was mentioned a bit up the thread.
I stopped having overnight oats because the oats were still causing glucose spikes...with the inevitable crash mid morning...and heading for biscuits😔

I now have full fat greek yogurt with 2 teaspoons of ground flaxseed (the right sort of omega fatty acid to help lower cholesterol) and some nuts (pecan & flaked almonds). Don't miss the oats at all.

I have been eating this for a few weeks but last week (my son was away) I went massively high protein & loads of vegetables - & consequently low carb & no sugar.

I realised that I needed to weigh my portions.
100g greek yogurt, 2 tsp flaxseed & 25 g nuts. Several days in, I am reducing to 90g yogurt as I was being overfaced - I think that is the leveling out of sugar spikes causing appetite to reduce.

I think maybe it depends on the area. I don’t find my doctor very helpful at all . I had full bloods done and had to extract information from him on what the results were. He just thinks intermittent fasting cures all ills. It is very useful but I wanted to know about my iron levels and thyroid results. Nothing to offer beyond .. fast. Or go on statins and diabetes meds.

I was in the pre diabetic range a few months ago, I have the Oviva app , gave up sugar and went low carb. I'm now out of the danger zone.

OP you could try eating protein and fat BEFORE carbs at every meal as that sometimes helps prevent spikes, plus walking/exercising after dinner before bed. Good luck!

OP, I have been following the fast800 since early Feb and am 12lbs down.

I am trying to reduce carbs as well but still eating fruit and veg.

I was more than 2st overweight so about a stone and a half to go.

Also walking 2 miles a day at a brisk pace.

Luckily I can exercise but weight loss is more than 90% diet.

Good luck

I lost nearly 5 stone, roughly a third of my body weight.

On a typical day breakfast is porridge or Greek yogurt with berries, or a cooked breakfast with Heck chicken sausages and scrambled eggs, beans and tomatoes.
Soup for lunch, big bowl full but never have bread with it.
Dinner is always cooked from scratch and large portion!

Snacks are fruit, Skinny bar, small bag of crisps.
No alcohol or fizzy drinks.

I can't do fasting or calorie counting. I'm a big believer in no one diet suits all, it's a case of finding out which works best for you as an individual and what fits with your lifestyle. If it's something that is too restrictive you will probably feel miserable and less likely to stick with it.

I love porridge and find it very filling but my husband thinks it makes him more hungry so he avoids it. On the diet I followed technically I could eat unlimited pasta but I knew this would not be suitable for me so I tailored it accordingly.

What sort of things did you have for dinner? I agree with you about one size doesn’t fit all.

Thanks for this. I weighed out my breakfast according to those measurements. I’m eating fermented foods every day now too and going to start using ACV.

I would recommend:

• Savoury breakfast - no fruit, no sugar at all at breakfast time. A savoury breakfast will not spike your blood glucose and will keep you more full with stable energy levels.
• Stop eating low fat/ fat free products. They are a false economy, they're not proper food and don't keep you full - they actually will just make you want more food/ more hungry. If you want to lose weight you need to change the way you think about food, eat a small amount of foods that actually fill you up, rather than larger amounts of low fat rubbish that will give you more cravings and do nothing to nourish your body. There is nothing wrong with a bit of full fat yoghurt, butter or olive oil - just make sure you balance it with a much higher amount of vegetables and lean protein.
• Exercise. Do some cardio and strength training - it is important for your overall health as well as weight loss. If you don't know how to do it, get yourself a personal trainer (if you can afford it), even just for a couple of sessions, so show you some basic strength training. Gym membership or some home exercise equipment.

Those are my tips - from someone who has overhauled their health over the last couple of years. It's not easy, but it's doable. You don't need an injection. You can do it.

Any kind of meat or fresh fish with vegetables and potatoes or rice. So last night was a Smokey chicken and bean stew, tonight its beef with sweet potatoes stew, tomorrow it’s diet cola chicken with rice. At the weekend I’m having steak and jacket spud with sweetcorn and a homemade tomato-based sauce.

The diet I followed is Slimming World but I stayed pretty true to the fundamental plan and didn’t try any of the weird stuff that people come up with. Basically it’s low fat, lots of vegetables, fill up on protein, limited dairy. SW say you can eat pasta, potatoes including chips, and plain rice without measuring but I don’t see the point of eating a plate piled high with chips and expecting to lose weight.
The scope for main meals is huge, we use some SW recipes but also BBC Good Food, Hairy Bikers, Pinch of Nom.

If I eat a large, satisfying dinner then I’m not tempted to snack. When I tried calorie counting I just felt hungry and miserable and couldn’t stick to it at all. Fasting wouldn’t suit our lifestyle either.

I think planning all meals in advance is a good thing. If you know what you’re having each day and you’ve already bought the ingredients then you’re less likely to be tempted by other things including takeaways.

Are you on enough medication? A "normal" TSH isn't enough for me, I need a super low TSH to feel well.

I have wondered about this. I just am not knowledgeable enough about it all to know.

If you have Hashimoto's you will probably do better with low TSH, not even GPs argue with that.

Look at your blood test results. Tell us what they are.

OP I too like a breakfast but have found sourdough toast with lots of mushrooms or a few spoons of beans to be better than porridge/yog type.
I have been keeping cooked chicken breasts in the fridge to help with quick salads or a snack of a few chunks.
I am also trying to loose weight and reduce pre-diabetic levels.
I have bought a treadmill second hand and do 40 mins a night walking.
I really think that sensible lower cal and lower carb diet with regular gentle exercise is key to sticking with change.
Still have a bit of what I fancy at weekends, crisps and a glass of wine or a small treat.
Changing habits and what you reach for is hard!

I was surprised that when I started making sourdough I felt suddenly much better than I had done for months even though I was eating more bread. Its interesting.

but you said you weigh everything?

I reversed my pre diabetes through low carbing.