Lifestyle changes for a thin pre-diabetic?

[Taranta]

Hello, I'm looking for some help!

I had a recent blood test which showed I am prediabetic (42, so just in the pre-diabetic band). GP has booked me to go to an education programme for pre-diabetics, but while I wait for that to come round I have been doing a bit of research.

I have been looking at the blood sugar diet as a means of lowering my blood sugar to normal levels, but at 5'7" and 9 stone (I'm 44) I'm on the lower end of the normal BMI range, so I do not have spare weight to lose. The blood sugar diet looks to be really low calorie so I have been doing it but with the addition of more cheese, nuts, plain yoghurts to boost calories a bit.

In terms of exercise I do HIIT training every other day, and a long weekend walk (6 miles or so) plus there is the daily grind of freelancing and looking after my two small children, so I do feel that I get a moderate amount of exercise.

I suppose my worry is that I am on a slow march towards diabetes and there is not going to be much that I can do to halt it. My father has T2 but I always assumed that was because he has been overweight all his adult life, GP seems to think that I have a hereditary predisposition. I am quite stressed, as a single parent, and I suppose I do bottle it up a bit which could be a contributing factor...

I'd love to hear stories from people who have been in a similar position and lowered their blood sugar - how did you do it?!

Hi.

I noticed your post had gone unanswered.

Hopefully some of what I have learnt on my journey might help you.

You sound motivated and willing to investigate how to change your lifestyle and I think that this goes a long way to successfully managing blood sugar levels.

Here’s my thoughts:

• learn how insulin works, why your blood sugar levels are slightly raised and what factors can raise them. This will help you understand why you have to make changes.

• unfortunately it is a mis-conception that only overweight people get T2 diabetes. I’ve heard (but can’t point to a source) that about 25% of T2 diabetics aren’t over-weight.

• Get a blood sugar meter so you can test yourself and what foods and quantity of foods raise your levels. Test after exercise too.

• you are right stress and lack of sleep can be contributing factors to raising blood sugar levels

• read up about low carb / healthy or high fat diets. Since you aren’t overweight it might be worth looking for a dietitian or nutritionist who specialises or advocates lower carb diets. To stop losing weight you need to work out how to get enough fat in.

Is it definitely t2? I ask because it could be the start of LADA - late adult onset? Might be worth double checking. A blood test will show antibodies to check it it's t1 or 2 most of the time - although it can occasionally be negative and still be type 1.
On the diabetes forums I've seen lots of people be told they are type 2 and then 'rebranded'. It happened to my dad actually. He was diagnosed t2 as a slim and fit 28 year old, several years later he was told her was LADA or type 1.5 they sometimes call it. He didn't take insulin for 6 years after diagnosis, it is a slower onset in adults, or at least it can be.

This ^

It is what happened to me. Two years no insulin.

Agree - make sure that it is not LADA or pre-type one diabetes (they now think there is a period of higher blood glucose before overt type one diabetes).

Assuming it is pre type two, it sounds like you are doing the right things. Which is rather frustrating for you as, if you are doing everything right, there isn't a huge amount extra you can do. Has your GP discussed metformin with you? My view would be better to start on that now and lower your insulin resistance than wait until you really really need it.

Have you had a repeat HBA1C?

It sounds like you need a low GI diet, not to cut calories but to stabilise your blood sugar.

I have pcos which has links to T2 and it was once explained to me as when I eat something sugary my body produces a shedload of insulin making my blood sugar plummet, which makes me crave something carby and then the cycle starts again. Eating low GI evens out the peaks and troughs.

Thanks so much for replying everyone, the situation has been really baffling/bothering me, and I’ve found it really helpful to read your comments.
I have now got a blood sugar testing meter and have been recording these last few days it in the morning and after eating. I seem to be mostly in the upper end of normal range at around 5.2 first thing and 5.8 or so a couple of hours after eating, but have had 6.1 a couple of times first thing.
I’ve been doing a blood sugar diet for a few weeks now and have lost a couple of pounds, I really do need some dietary advice as I am totally unimaginative in the kitchen and need to broaden my culinary scope so I’m going to do as suggested upthread and-go an see a nutritionist.
Interesting that a couple of you mention type 1 and retesting, I thought that it was incredibly rare to get it late onset but I will mention that to the doctors, I think I should probably be retested anyway!

No it's not rare at all. You can be diagnosed t1 at any point in your life. In fact I think the fastest growing group of people being diagnosed are over 30 - I'm sure I read that recently.
Might be worth checking.
The numbers you quote - bar the 6.1 - are normal though.

Yes, the numbers you mention are not too bad. Remember you are “pre-diabetic”.

One way of looking at it is that you are higher risk or developing it, it isn’t certain that you will get it.

It is worth keeping a good journal and seeing what is linked to any spikes. Was it half a baguette or a handful of strawberries?

As far as being imaginative in the kitchen there are a lot of recipes on the net.

My dad is slim and also pre-diabetic. He had found that cutting out refined sugar was the first step, eg no desserts and having cheese instead to maintain his weight, then halving portions of carbs which were spiking his blood sugar and replacing with protein and good fats. Having said that he has retired now so has more time on his hands for meal planning and prep.