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.

do you live alone? children? partner? who does the cooking?

No, I said I weigh oats!

Shared between OH and I

Hi OP,

I was diagnosed with diabetes at the end of January and it gave me a huge wake up call. I’ve been overweight all my life and I like you have not eaten healthily (although I have yo-yo dieted for years so gone through periods of eating a better diet). I have been (admittedly strictly) fasting and have drastically cut carbs and completely removed sugar. I began on 8th January and am now 3lbs away from having lost 3 stone. I am feeling great in my clothes and people are commenting on how good I look. I just hope to see the difference in my next HBA1C result next month! It’s not for everyone I know, but for me seeing the weight drop quickly has been such a motivator for me.

I just wanted to share what I’m doing and say I hope you find a way that works for you.

It seems like just by cutting out your breakfast you would reduce your daily carbs a lot and also be Intermittent fasting. You could look at your soup and salad to make sure those are lowish carb and that should do it. Although technically the odd dessert when going out wouldn't hurt, if you suddenly have a big portion of sugar after being low carb for a while it might mess you up, so I would avoid the puds for now but make up for it by having a lower carb starter or a cheese plate or something so you still have a treat.

Another vote for changing your breakfast to something higher protein. I know you say you're not fond of eggs, but could you eat smoked salmon or a handful of nuts with some greek yoghurt, instead of the oats. Or forget about traditional "breakfast" foods and just have like a little meal of some kind of protein and veg? Leftovers from the night before? I too used to not really like eggs, but now I have two every morning and I like them just fine now I have got used to them.

My partner was told he was in the pre diabetic range and since christmas he's lost over two stone by essentially not eating between the hours of about 5pm - 8am, cutting out all processed sugar / junk and no booze (although to be fair to him he didn't drink that much anyway before). He's done really well. He's got repeat blood tests due in April so it will be interesting to see what difference it has made to his blood sugars.

Yes I think cutting out breakfast would be a good idea. It would be really hard but I’m sure I could do it!

It's very likely your underactive thyroid is contributing massively to this. I have the same condition, caused by Hashimoto's disease, and put on 4 stone prior to being diagnosed.

Long story short, standard thyroid medication didn't work for me, and nor did my usual low carb diet. I had to self source alternative thyroid medication (T3 medication, called liothyronine) and this helped me a lot.

Get yourself over to the Thyroid UK website, there is lots of good info on there. You'll also find a link to the thyroid section of the Health Unlocked forum, where there are some extremely knowledgeable people who will be able to give you some guidance in relation to your thyroid.

You would get used to it after a few weeks, it just depends how much you enjoy breakfast though! If you love it you don't want to cut out something you enjoy.

what’s his health and weight like? and your children? do you eat same dinners and over weekend or cook separate things?

I’ve been overweight all my life and I like you have not eaten healthily

but the op “never” eats junk or snack and has chocolate “every few months”

How lovely of you.

🫤

I don’t dare cut out breakfast because I would end up snacking too much and probably eat an unhealthy lunch.
Thats why I think it’s a case of figuring out which plan works best for you as an individual.

Low carb diet. Eat protein and natural fat (eg Greek yoghurt, cheese) together with carbs when you are eating them as that slows down the release of glucose. Going for a walk or being active for at least 30 min after every meal also helps if you are able to.

Seizethedog

I totally sympathise, I failed a work medical last August, because of being overweight and having high BP. I went low carb and lost about 2 stone, though I need to lose more. The weight loss stalled over winter, I've had strained Achilles tendon and a bad back and didn't really fancy cycling in howling gales and torrential rain.

I started BP medication last week, after a not quite fail - I have 2 weeks to get it to an acceptable level. I'll be going for a brisk walk later, I've walked my daughter to school and took the dog, but she can't go far.

As it's freezing and horrible, I'll be going up and down the stairs 3 times every half an hour. The thing is to be as active as possible and I know I haven't been.

Good luck! 😊

He is a bit overweight, but he swims regularly and walks with me. He's also bigger so needs more calories . I am always nagging him not to eat cakes! He cycles in the summer.

Thank you! We can be buddies on the journey if you like? That's the trouble with the weather, I usually walk for an hour and a half several times a week but this winter I just haven't been walking much. High winds, rain, freezing cold, earache etc. It's just put me off and now I am suffering the consequences. It really makes a difference. The winter before I joined the gym and started swimming, but a few weeks in my back completely packed in. The same thing happened the year before, so basically I have had three winters of not exercising properly. I know it sounds like a pathetic excuse, but it's true. I also do another hobby which is weather dependent, and that's been hopeless as it hasn't been dry enough. It's crunch time now and I HAVE to do something or I'm going to be on medication.

I am going to get my blood results to post here too.

and no kids?
will he be on board with supporting you making the changes given he does 50:50 cooking ?

kids are grown up. Yes he will support me.

Thank you this gives me some things to google :)

your diet is pretty superb op
and fact that you never have any junk or snacks and only chocolate a few times “a year”
and you don’t drink
means there’s really only little tinkering you can do with the substance of what you eat

so it’s portion sizes as your day. would you consider posting photos of the portion sizes you have been serving yourself?

you have a fitness tracker watch? set yourself a challenge. starting today! to walk an achievable about of steps for you. i have no idea what that is (do you have a dog? if not consider one! Last week i was ill and yet still my step account was never less than 10000 a day due to the pooch!)

I do drink. I’ve stopped in the past couple of weeks whilst I try to get this under control. I sense some sarcasm.

Actually I wonder if candida is a big factor.