# Weight loss ups and downs - 800 Calorie - Newcastle



## ColinUK

Diagnosed last week. In a rather unsatisfactory manner. (See my Bit of a Shock) thread in Newbies. 

I’ve been 16st something for a while now and I know I really needed to shift at least three stone... worth noting that max weight over the last four years has been recorded at 17 1/2 stone.

Just wanted to share that today for the first time in living memory the scales showed my weight starting with 15! 15st 13 1/2lbs to be exact!

I’m not kidding myself that tomorrow it won’t be 16st something again but the trend is absolutely downwards!

Yay me


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## trophywench

LOL Colin!  Happy to celebrate small victories as well as big ones.


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## trophywench

Just remembered the instructions on how to eat an elephant - ie divide it up into bite-sized pieces !


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## Drummer

I got a severe shock when I stood on the scales and they showed three stone just gone, I know not where. I had been so fixated on the blood glucose levels I never even realised I'd lost weight until my clothes started sliding south.


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## SueEK

Well done Colin, great result and you seem determined to get it down further, along with your bg levels. Good on you x


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## everydayupsanddowns

Fantastic @ColinUK! That’s a really great achievement. Hope your downward trend continues over the coming weeks and months.


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## ColinUK

15st 11.3lbs today 

So that’s 100.4kg and my target is between 80 and 85... that does seem a long way away... I look back at photos of me when I was that weight and I only had the one chin. Can barely recall what that’s like.


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## SueEK

ColinUK said:


> 15st 11.3lbs today
> 
> So that’s 100.4kg and my target is between 80 and 85... that does seem a long way away... I look back at photos of me when I was that weight and I only had the one chin. Can barely recall what that’s like.


The point is that you are doing something about it - good on you and keep us informed of your progress - downwards. We are rooting for you Colin x


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## ColinUK

SueEK said:


> The point is that you are doing something about it - good on you and keep us informed of your progress - downwards. We are rooting for you Colin x


Thanks Sue!
I’m sure there’s going to be ups as well as downs and putting them here is partially about accountability so it’s helpful


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## rebrascora

ColinUK said:


> Thanks Sue!
> I’m sure there’s going to be ups as well as downs and putting them here is partially about accountability so it’s helpful



Well done Colin and I agree that it is important to acknowledge the blips as well as the achievements, because otherwise people reading this assume it has been an easy journey and wonder why they are struggling so much.
I had a really difficult day yesterday when I craved desperately all afternoon and whilst I did not eat anything as horrendous as I would have pre diagnosis, I was still really naughty and 3 Fibre One Brownies and maybe 15 jelly beans from my hypo stash got guzzled as well as loads of cheese and nuts before I succumbed to the sweet stuff.. I am doing much better today and trying to put it behind me but I think it is also important to own up.


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## ColinUK

Forgot to add this morning 100.10 kg. 
That’s 15st 10 1/2!


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## Jodee

Way to go Colin, keep going in that direction, everything will be working out for you


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## Drummer

The weight I lost just vanished, I know not how or why. It was only when my clothes started to slide south that I realised anything had altered.


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## ColinUK

First pre/post meal testing today too. Pre 5.9. Two hours post 6.6. 

So so close to target!


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## rebrascora

What do you mean close to target, those are both great "in range" readings.
Do you mind me asking what your meal consisted of?


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## ColinUK

Chicken soup, roast chicken breast, broccoli, a few slices of carrot, strawberries and blueberries. 

I didn’t have the kneidlach in the soup or the roast potatoes or the apple crumble


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## rebrascora

Well done! Your low carb selections from the meal on offer were great and reflect in your meter reading. Did you find it difficult to pass on the carby elements and did you feel satisfied after eating or were you still a bit hungry?


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## ColinUK

Wasn’t hungry at all and yes I fancied a roastie but it didn’t feel like I was missing out.


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## rebrascora

That is great!
 I sometimes find that I fancy something carby every now and then, like a roastie or a Yorkshire pudding and then when I eat it (bearing in mind I can inject insulin to cover it), it is such a disappointment. In those situations now I try to remember that and resist the temptation but have a low carb treat which I know I will enjoy instead, like a chunk of really nice cheese.


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## ColinUK

I’m really missing bread/pasta/rice/biscuits today. And I mean *REALLY* missing them. 

I’m about to make mushroom mapu tofu and I’m going to have it with konjac noodles as they’re absolutely zero carbs.


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## Toucan

Yes it can be hard to start with Colin, but the recipe sounds good. Enjoy!
Not too exciting, but sometimes a glass of water (particularly fizzy one ) sometimes fools your tum into thinking its full for a while


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## ColinUK

Made something else for dinner... stir fry (in EVOO and coconut oil) garlic, ginger, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms... bit of soy sauce, bit of sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorns
Saw a real spike in BG from 4.8 before eating to 7.2 two hours post. A further hour saw it drop to 6.3 and it’s now 6.1 and I’m off to bed. 

Anyone got any suggestions of what might have caused such a large spike?


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## silentsquirrel

ColinUK said:


> Made something else for dinner... stir fry (in EVOO and coconut oil) garlic, ginger, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms... bit of soy sauce, bit of sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorns
> Saw a real spike in BG from 4.8 before eating to 7.2 two hours post. A further hour saw it drop to 6.3 and it’s now 6.1 and I’m off to bed.
> 
> Anyone got any suggestions of what might have caused such a large spike?


Nothing obvious there - but I wouldn't call 2.4 a _*large*_ spike, especially from a low starting point.  Well under a rise of 3, and a peak of less than 8.5 is not bad at all.


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## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> Made something else for dinner... stir fry (in EVOO and coconut oil) garlic, ginger, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms... bit of soy sauce, bit of sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorns
> Saw a real spike in BG from 4.8 before eating to 7.2 two hours post. A further hour saw it drop to 6.3 and it’s now 6.1 and I’m off to bed.
> 
> Anyone got any suggestions of what might have caused such a large spike?


That's just fine & normal. Really, don't stress about any peak less than say nine-ish, coz that way lies madness 

The data I benchmark against has avg non-diabetic daily high at 8.0 +/- 1.3.  

To look at it another way, non-diabetics on avg spend about 4% of their time at >7.8.


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## ColinUK

5.8 this morning which is absolutely fine. I’m out to brunch so curious to see what ours like after that.


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## Wirrallass

ColinUK you're doing exceedingly well with your weight loss, well done you ~ and please don't fret about your spikes post meal, your numbers are good and in range. Keep doing what you are doing, it's obviously working for you. Stay in touch as to your progress won't you? Take care.
WL


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## ColinUK

So 5.8 out of bed. 5.8 before brunch. 5.7 two hours later!


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## everydayupsanddowns

ColinUK said:


> So 5.8 out of bed. 5.8 before brunch. 5.7 two hours later!



Cracking!


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## ColinUK

Re-reading the recipe that I made for dinner last night and realised I left out a few essentials... like the 500ml of stock and boiling the whole thing for ten minutes... and adding coconut milk or yoghurt to calm the heat. No wonder it blew my head off!!


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## ColinUK

5.0 before dinner and a rather good 5.9 two hours afterwards. 

Now if someone could take away the side effects of the metformin that would be nice! They’ve only arrived since stepping up the dose from 500mg twice daily to 1000mg twice daily as per the GP’s instructions. I’ll question those when I see him again this week and if he says they’re absolutely necessary I’ll see if I can switch to the slow release version or go back down to the lesser dosage.


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## ColinUK

Changed the title to better reflect how I’m using it and added tags. 
If it’s now in the wrong place then let me know and let’s move it


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## SueEK

ColinUK said:


> 5.0 before dinner and a rather good 5.9 two hours afterwards.
> 
> Now if someone could take away the side effects of the metformin that would be nice! They’ve only arrived since stepping up the dose from 500mg twice daily to 1000mg twice daily as per the GP’s instructions. I’ll question those when I see him again this week and if he says they’re absolutely necessary I’ll see if I can switch to the slow release version or go back down to the lesser dosage.


You may need to give it a few weeks before it settles down, it took me a while to adjust to it but am ok now, just make sure you have had food before taking it. Good luck


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## ColinUK

SueEK said:


> You may need to give it a few weeks before it settles down, it took me a while to adjust to it but am ok now, just make sure you have had food before taking it. Good luck


I’m taking them pretty much in the middle of meals or just after. It seems to be only the evening dose that has the side effects - actually thinking about it they did arrive slower today than yesterday so maybe that’sa positive.


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## NotWorriedAtAll

I've got my first yearly appointment tomorrow with the results of my HbA1c .
I'm a bit nervous because I took myself off my metformin three months ago because I was deliberately eating more carbs than I wanted to because other wise I wasn't taking enough carbs in to justify the medication.  I decided that was crazy and so stopped the metformin and kept my carbs under 20mg without worrying.
Now I'm panicking that the HbA1c will be bad because I don't want to go back to the tablets.
Today my tested blood levels were mostly around the 5 mark except 2 hours after my supper when I went up to 6.3.  And I even ate six french fries at lunch time with my double cheese burger!!  (hubby eats the buns and I hope he doesn't end up with diabetes because of it)


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## everydayupsanddowns

Those levels sound great @NotWorriedAtAll - hope your A1c result is a pleasant surprise.


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## ColinUK

99.6 kg this morning. That’s 15st 9 1/2lbs


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## Toucan

Yeah! Your down into the 15's Colin, well done. Always good when one of the main digits drop.
BS measurements also sound good - so your doing great.


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## ianf0ster

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I've got my first yearly appointment tomorrow with the results of my HbA1c .
> I'm a bit nervous because I took myself off my metformin three months ago because I was deliberately eating more carbs than I wanted to because other wise I wasn't taking enough carbs in to justify the medication.  I decided that was crazy and so stopped the metformin and kept my carbs under 20mg without worrying.
> Now I'm panicking that the HbA1c will be bad because I don't want to go back to the tablets.
> Today my tested blood levels were mostly around the 5 mark except 2 hours after my supper when I went up to 6.3.  And I even ate six french fries at lunch time with my double cheese burger!!  (hubby eats the buns and I hope he doesn't end up with diabetes because of it)


Hi NotWorriedAtAll,
 If those BG figures are typical then you have nothing to be concerned about. Your HbA1C will be good - my finger -prick tests tend to be higher than that.
Also Metformin has quite a small impact on BG levels. What you eat and when is much more important, so keeping carbs down under 20gm is huge compared with any effect you would be getting from taking Metformin.
So please don't worry, since stress and  lack of sleep probably have a worse effect then ditching the Metformin!


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## ColinUK

5.2 before lunch
5.5 afterwards
5.1 before dinner
5.7 afterwards

Off to see my GP tomorrow. It’s the one who told me the news so lord only knows what he’s going to say about my figures and my weight loss.


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## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> 5.2 before lunch
> 5.5 afterwards
> 5.1 before dinner
> 5.7 afterwards
> 
> Off to see my GP tomorrow. It’s the one who told me the news so lord only knows what he’s going to say about my figures and my weight loss.


My guess: "Great work & keep on doing whatever you're doing"


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## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> My guess: "Great work & keep on doing whatever you're doing"


You’ve not met this particular GP


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## Jodee

I think you are doing fab Colin, If you need to succumb to some carbs have some but just not too many in one sitting.


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## ColinUK

98.8kg this morning. That’s 15st 7.8lbs.


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## ColinUK

5.7 before brunch
5.1 afterwards


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## Neens

ColinUK said:


> 5.2 before lunch
> 5.5 afterwards
> 5.1 before dinner
> 5.7 afterwards
> 
> Off to see my GP tomorrow. It’s the one who told me the news so lord only knows what he’s going to say about my figures and my weight loss.


@ColinUK these levels are very good. What was your BG level on diagnosis or did they not take one? I know your experience of being diagnosed was a bit brutal and not thorough/helpful. How is the weight loss? I see you have posted your current weight but wasn't sure how much you have lost. I have managed just under 1 stone. 
I am interested because a) you posted about it and b) I am in a similar position with regards to my BG levels being in normal range and losing weight/heading to the right BMI - but my appointment is about 5 weeks off.

Sure you will let us know.


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## ColinUK

Neens said:


> @ColinUK these levels are very good. What was your BG level on diagnosis or did they not take one? I know your experience of being diagnosed was a bit brutal and not thorough/helpful. How is the weight loss? I see you have posted your current weight but wasn't sure how much you have lost. I have managed just under 1 stone.
> I am interested because a) you posted about it and b) I am in a similar position with regards to my BG levels being in normal range and losing weight/heading to the right BMI - but my appointment is about 5 weeks off.
> 
> Sure you will let us know.



7th Jan 16st 8lbs
Today 15st 7lbs

When I’m at the GP later I’ll ask for a breakdown of all of my relevant figures including mmol and cholesterol if they have them. Certainly want to know the HPaC1(?) that was used to make the diagnosis.


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## ColinUK

As I’m off to a cbt session this evening I’ve had a decent lunch. Treated myself to a chicken, avocado and kimchi baguette. Really loaded up the chicken and the kimchi. 
90 mins post and I’m 7.0 
I know that’s OK but I’d be happier if it’s lower. But it is the first baguette, or bread of any kind, I’ve been able to monitor.


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## DebbieC

Hi @ColinUK , just wanted to add apart from fact you’re doing brill that James was 16.3 st in September when diagnosed, he had been up to 17 a couple of years ago... long story short now 12st in just over 4 months, just by eating low carb... the weight just melted away and he eats 3 meals a day and does some spinning and football, am sure it will work for you too, all the best x


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## ColinUK

With a bit of effort in back down to 98.7kg this morning. Hopefully that’s me back on a downward trend. 
BG before bed yesterday 4.8 and this morning 5.0
Back to the GP this morning for more bloods to be drawn - results next week.


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## everydayupsanddowns

ColinUK said:


> With a bit of effort in back down to 98.7kg this morning. Hopefully that’s me back on a downward trend.
> BG before bed yesterday 4.8 and this morning 5.0
> Back to the GP this morning for more bloods to be drawn - results next week.



Well done Colin - you are doing brilliantly. Hope the GP appointment is helpful, and you get all the facts and figures you are looking for.


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## ColinUK

Been and seen the practice nurse today. Bloods taken and blood pressure checked - she measured it at 132/84 which is a fraction up on what I measured it at this morning (127/80). 
Results next Monday in my first review with the diabetes nurse. 
Checked weight and BG before I set out this morning and they were 98.4kg and 5.6.


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## ColinUK

5th Feb 2020



__ ColinUK
__ Feb 5, 2020





So there I was thinking that my weight loss has stalled. But when I look at charts it’s clear that’s not the case!
The spike was my birthday wobble.
That’s 15st 6 1/4lbs today. 
There’s bound to be ups and downs but the trend is clearly down. 

Joined a gym yesterday (not been yet) and have booked a yoga class there for next week.


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## everydayupsanddowns

ColinUK said:


> 5th Feb 2020
> 
> 
> 
> __ ColinUK
> __ Feb 5, 2020
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So there I was thinking that my weight loss has stalled. But when I look at charts it’s clear that’s not the case!
> The spike was my birthday wobble.
> That’s 15st 6 1/4lbs today.
> There’s bound to be ups and downs but the trend is clearly down.
> 
> Joined a gym yesterday (not been yet) and have booked a yoga class there for next week.



Oooooh! Graphs!!

Great progress Colin


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## ColinUK

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Oooooh! Graphs!!
> 
> Great progress Colin


Gotta love a graph!


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## ColinUK

Really don’t understand how weight rises or falls on a pretty random basis it seems. 
Yesterday was a great day food wise... salad for lunch (lettuce, cucumber, half an avocado, three cherry toms, quarter red pepper, about five olives dressed with EVOO and ACV) dinner was chicken soup (clear), roast chicken breast, green beans, broccoli, blueberries and strawberries for afters. And today my weight is 3lbs up on yesterday. 
I’m not going to fixate on it though as I’m aware the body does odd things sometimes but it is confusing nevertheless.


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## grovesy

I find it is better not to weigh more than once a week.


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## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> Really don’t understand how weight rises or falls on a pretty random basis it seems.
> Yesterday was a great day food wise... salad for lunch (lettuce, cucumber, half an avocado, three cherry toms, quarter red pepper, about five olives dressed with EVOO and ACV) dinner was chicken soup (clear), roast chicken breast, green beans, broccoli, blueberries and strawberries for afters. And today my weight is 3lbs up on yesterday.
> I’m not going to fixate on it though as I’m aware the body does odd things sometimes but it is confusing nevertheless.



FWIW, I find my weight (at around 64.5kg) can easily fluctuate by up to 1 kg day-to-day, just from how much water I'm retaining, mainly. Mornings over the last month:



You weigh more so I'd guess the magnitude of fluctuations for you would be greater also.

As you showed above, focusing on the trend is much more important than day-to-day, and graphing is the way to do that.  This graph makes me realise that on average I'm burning a bit more than I'm eating - time to adjust a little.


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## ColinUK

grovesy said:


> I find it is better not to weigh more than once a week.


I find it generally better to weigh myself once a day. The downs give me a huge sense of achievement and spur me on. But each to their own


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## Mephistophlillie

I’ve got a set of Fitbit scales. I get on every day, at the same time, and take a weekly average from the app. I often don’t even look at it when I get on  Takes the pressure off a “weekly weigh in” and evens out any fluctuations.

syncs in nicely with MyFitnessPal too


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## Neens

ColinUK said:


> Really don’t understand how weight rises or falls on a pretty random basis it seems.
> Yesterday was a great day food wise... salad for lunch (lettuce, cucumber, half an avocado, three cherry toms, quarter red pepper, about five olives dressed with EVOO and ACV) dinner was chicken soup (clear), roast chicken breast, green beans, broccoli, blueberries and strawberries for afters. And today my weight is 3lbs up on yesterday.
> I’m not going to fixate on it though as I’m aware the body does odd things sometimes but it is confusing nevertheless.


As has been said - the graph shows all in the right direction. It is normal for weight to fluctuate during the day and over a week. For women possibly even more so (hormones etc) I wouldn't worry. I understand that need you feel for daily weigh in - but try to not even forgive yourself as it may be beyond your control - it isn't always what we put in. 

This thread inspired me to start my own today in the Weight Loss Group and as you will see thanks to Christmas I put on half of what I lost in December and I didn't lose much considering it was 4 weeks of a drastically different LC meal plan and exercise... but I kept on (as you are) and am now down by over 1 stone. Every rise and fall was worth it. My graph would show several maintaining and a few + weight points throughout a week but at the end of it have lost between 1-4 lbs. 

Welcome to normal. 
Hope you are still liking the gym. Which means some of the +weight could be muscle.


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## Tee G

You are doing so well @colin, Very impressive how you have got to grip with it all. Good man.


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## ColinUK

Weight has ticked up a little to 97.7 kg so that’s 0.7kg on in March. 
Not so bad considering I’ve moved house and don’t yet have a fridge so there’s a huge limit to what I can cook. Hopefully John Lewis will deliver the fridge freezer next week.

Also the gym has shut due to Covid-19 so I’m making sure I get out and walk every day but it’s tough.


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## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> Weight has ticked up a little to 97.7 kg so that’s 0.7kg on in March.
> Not so bad considering I’ve moved house and don’t yet have a fridge so there’s a huge limit to what I can cook. Hopefully John Lewis will deliver the fridge freezer next week.
> 
> Also the gym has shut due to Covid-19 so I’m making sure I get out and walk every day but it’s tough.



I've just moved apartment and my weight hasn't changed.

However, I only moved from apt 302 to apt 304 in the same building, so not a good test


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## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> I've just moved apartment and my weight hasn't changed.
> 
> However, I only moved from apt 302 to apt 304 in the same building, so not a good test


I went from having a large fridge freezer to a temporary fridge (no freezer) that’s a whole 10 litre capacity!


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## ColinUK

So... COVID-19 screwed my mental health and that meant I really wasn’t eating well. So they’re weight went up again and kinda bobbed around the 103-104 kg mark for too long for my peace of mind. Did my research and decided to do the Roy Taylor approach.
Started last Wednesday. Weighing in at 104.
Generally ok but awful day last Friday so started again Saturday weighing 104.
I’m doing the shakes and throwing in a green salad if I fancy, or a homemade soup (today I did soup for the first time, spinach, broccoli and sprout in a little veg stock and blitzed up. One small bowl and the rest will be portioned up and frozen.
I’m not hungry and I’ve bags of energy, so much so I went out for a short walk this morning expecting to do 4 miles or so and did a worker under 20!
Weight this morning was 100.2 kg - wouldn’t be at all surprised if it inches a touch higher tomorrow and then comes down into the 90s the day after as that stepped curve seems to be my trend.
I’m monitoring BG but not as often because I’m not eating anything which will likely impact me. Yes the shakes have sugar but it’s really not very much and as the goal is weight loss in order to strip the fat from the pancreas so that it can actually do what it’s designed to do and deal with the BG it seems sensible to focus on the primary statistic.

According to the Newcastle trial I should drop 3.5kg in the first week as a minimum and I’m on track to do that. Longer term goals are to drop the 15kg extra and then monitor from there. Although Prof Taylor does suggest having the same waist size you had in your 20s is a better target. In that decade my waist fluctuated from 27 to 31 so if I can get to a 32 (from a 36 now) I think that’d be a great result!

Family are onboard - which is easier as I’m not physically seeing them and haven’t had to explain yet again why I’m refusing mums home cooked delights.

Got a tad pissy today when on FaceTime the folks said “Your face looks thinner. Are you sure it’s 800 calories? You don’t want to look gaunt.”
“Yes it’s 800 calories and I’d rather people thought I looked gaunt than lose a foot or go blind!”

Anyway time to make a cuppa and water the balcony plants before Bake Off: Professionals starts on C4 and I lick the telly screen!


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## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> So... COVID-19 screwed my mental health and that meant I really wasn’t eating well. So they’re weight went up again and kinda bobbed around the 103-104 kg mark for too long for my peace of mind. Did my research and decided to do the Roy Taylor approach.
> Started last Wednesday. Weighing in at 104.
> Generally ok but awful day last Friday so started again Saturday weighing 104.
> I’m doing the shakes and throwing in a green salad if I fancy, or a homemade soup (today I did soup for the first time, spinach, broccoli and sprout in a little veg stock and blitzed up. One small bowl and the rest will be portioned up and frozen.
> I’m not hungry and I’ve bags of energy, so much so I went out for a short walk this morning expecting to do 4 miles or so and did a worker under 20!
> Weight this morning was 100.2 kg - wouldn’t be at all surprised if it inches a touch higher tomorrow and then comes down into the 90s the day after as that stepped curve seems to be my trend.
> I’m monitoring BG but not as often because I’m not eating anything which will likely impact me. Yes the shakes have sugar but it’s really not very much and as the goal is weight loss in order to strip the fat from the pancreas so that it can actually do what it’s designed to do and deal with the BG it seems sensible to focus on the primary statistic.
> 
> According to the Newcastle trial I should drop 3.5kg in the first week as a minimum and I’m on track to do that. Longer term goals are to drop the 15kg extra and then monitor from there. Although Prof Taylor does suggest having the same waist size you had in your 20s is a better target. In that decade my waist fluctuated from 27 to 31 so if I can get to a 32 (from a 36 now) I think that’d be a great result!
> 
> Family are onboard - which is easier as I’m not physically seeing them and haven’t had to explain yet again why I’m refusing mums home cooked delights.
> 
> Got a tad pissy today when on FaceTime the folks said “Your face looks thinner. Are you sure it’s 800 calories? You don’t want to look gaunt.”
> “Yes it’s 800 calories and I’d rather people thought I looked gaunt than lose a foot or go blind!”
> 
> Anyway time to make a cuppa and water the balcony plants before Bake Off: Professionals starts on C4 and I lick the telly screen!View attachment 14302



You'll get the you're-too-skinny thing. People don't like it when people change, until they get used to it. So ignore them (or tell them to go eat a donut).

Fantastic effort on that walk! Just to note Taylor's cautions against doing too much exercise during rapid weight loss: says that people naturally often tend to reward themselves with food after exercise ...


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## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> You'll get the you're-too-skinny thing. People don't like it when people change, until they get used to it. So ignore them (or tell them to go eat a donut).
> 
> Fantastic effort on that walk! Just to note Taylor's cautions against doing too much exercise during rapid weight loss: says that people naturally often tend to reward themselves with food after exercise ...


The walk really was a pretty gentle one albeit a long one. I often pop out for a quick stroll and it’s 10 miles or so. 
That said I did reward myself half way through with a black decaf Americano from Starbucks and then another 1.5ltr bottle of Evian


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## ColinUK

This morning I’ve edged just below the 100kg mark with a 99.3kg. That means I’ve dropped 3.5kg in a week.

 Have to say this isn’t easy though. I’m hungry and dreamt of being trapped in a patisserie last night when I did sleep. Only another 12kgs to go...


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## Deleted member 25429

ColinUK said:


> This morning I’ve edged just below the 100kg mark with a 99.3kg. That means I’ve dropped 3.5kg in a week.
> 
> Have to say this isn’t easy though. I’m hungry and dreamt of being trapped in a patisserie last night when I did sleep. Only another 12kgs to go...


I have lost a significant amount of weight over the last two years. Everyone likes to make comments about your appearance when in reality it is only your opinion that matters . I have tried dieting on and off most of my adult life , this time it has come off and staying off . I did it very gradually so I wasn’t ever hungry , if I got hungry I knew I would break the diet and get into the eternal yo yo dieting . I am nearly at my target of 7stone 12lbs ( I’m only 5ft 1”) it is not an easy journey but a very rewarding one . Good luck


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## ColinUK

Weight 8 days ago... 103.3kg
Weight today.... 98.7kg

Obviously there’s still a long way to go.


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## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> Weight 8 days ago... 103.3kg
> Weight today.... 98.7kg
> 
> Obviously there’s still a long way to go.



5% weight loss is a bit of a magic number in various studies and eg ADA guidelines - level at which generally you expect to see real health benefits.  So nearly to the first milestone! 

Obviously Taylor recommends 15 kg loss as giving a really good shot at remission.


----------



## Toucan

ColinUK said:


> This morning I’ve edged just below the 100kg mark with a 99.3kg. That means I’ve dropped 3.5kg in a week.
> 
> Have to say this isn’t easy though. I’m hungry and dreamt of being trapped in a patisserie last night when I did sleep. Only another 12kgs to go...


Well done Colin. You can do it! and we're all here cheering you on!


----------



## ColinUK

Toucan said:


> Well done Colin. You can do it! and we're all here cheering you on!


Thank you!

And if I’m trapped in that patisserie again would you like me to pick you up anything?


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> 5% weight loss is a bit of a magic number in various studies and eg ADA guidelines - level at which generally you expect to see real health benefits.  So nearly to the first milestone!
> 
> Obviously Taylor recommends 15 kg loss as giving a really good shot at remission.


The 15kg is what I’m aiming for. Although he does say that having the same waist size you had in your twenties is an even better target.


----------



## Toucan

ColinUK said:


> And if I’m trapped in that patisserie again would you like me to pick you up anything?


Oh what a temptation! - Think I'll resist it though, and try to remember that most of it will probably taste too sweet now and give me indigestion! (but  it would be very hard to say no to a Strawberry tartlet )


----------



## ColinUK

Toucan said:


> Oh what a temptation! - Think I'll resist it though, and try to remember that most of it will probably taste too sweet now and give me indigestion! (but  it would be very hard to say no to a Strawberry tartlet )


Who doesn’t love a good strawberry tart!

apart from my nephew who is allergic to strawberries - the poor child.


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

You are doing amazingly @ColinUK !

Custard slice for me if you are offering


----------



## Lucylemonpip

everydayupsanddowns said:


> You are doing amazingly @ColinUK !
> 
> Custard slice for me if you are offering



Mike, is that the custard slice with the icing on top? Yummy!


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Lucylemonpip said:


> Mike, is that the custard slice with the icing on top? Yummy!



And the solid inch thick slab of custard that you have to bite ‘sideways’ to prevent it squashing out everywhere *dribble*


----------



## Lucylemonpip

everydayupsanddowns said:


> And the solid inch thick slab of custard that you have to bite ‘sideways’ to prevent it squashing out everywhere *dribble*



Hmmm, lush! Lol.


----------



## Drummer

It can be quite strange to have always had a problem with carbs - I have never frequented pastry shops, so I don't really know what they sell. I don't go into coffee shops - the one time I tried a bought coffee it was so dreadful I couldn't drink it.


----------



## ColinUK

Morning weigh in...


----------



## zuludog

ColinUK said:


> The 15kg is what I’m aiming for. Although he does say that having the same waist size you had in your twenties is an even better target.



Well it's all well & good going back to the same waist measurement I had when I was in my twenties, but where am I going to find the red velvet flares?


----------



## ColinUK

Today was tough. Yesterday I was hungry pretty much all day and was desperately desperately craving bread. Specifically freshly baked cholla. 
Had an awful night sleep last night, I think because I was so hungry, and this morning I was cold. With a capital C. And yet I’ve stayed warm today without additional layers, I’ve just had my third shake and I had a green salad mid afternoon, water intake is probably a touch low today but ok and the amazing thing is I’ve not been hungry at all today.

BG has varied from 5.1 to 5.6 today so that’s all good.

Oddly I feel heavy today so I’m expecting the weigh in tomorrow to be at best the same as today or even a touch heavier but if it is then it doesn’t matter one iota. The body sometimes behaves in an odd and unpredictable manner and I know I’ve not deviated from the diet plan today so if it is up it’s likely to be fluid and that’s no bad thing!


----------



## ColinUK

Well blow me down but the weight continues to vanish. This morning, despite my feeling heavy yesterday, the scales logged 15st 6.6lbs or 98.3kg!

That’s reassured me that I CAN do this and it’s hardened my resolve that not only can I do it but I will do it.

Onwards and downwards to my 15kgs off!


----------



## Lanny

Well done @ColinUK  Clapping hands emoji!

 I LOVE a Swedish cinnamon roll, or mini rolls, please: Gifflar; they’re delicious!


----------



## ColinUK

15st 3 1/2 today! That’s another 3lbs off since Sunday.
I’m really looking forward to seeing that big figure drop to 14!


----------



## ColinUK

Should have said that’s 1 stone off since the 20th May.


----------



## Lanny

Well done @ColinUK !! 2 Thumbs up emoji, Clapping emoji & a great big


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Well done @ColinUK 

That's an amazin achievement!


----------



## ColinUK

15st 4 today. I put on a tiny bit pretty much the two days I had a cold and it’s now starting to come down again. I’ll possibly be flat or only 1lb off for this week but that’s OK as it’s expected that weight loss ebbs and flows a bit, and to expect to drop half a stone each and every week is unrealistic in the extreme.


----------



## ColinUK

And today 14st 13 and a bit pounds!


----------



## rebrascora

Congrats on going sub 15 Colin. Onwards and downwards.
I know you had a bit of a rogue BG reading this morning but maybe it was a dodgy test strip. Look forward to seeing more progress. Well done!


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> Congrats on going sub 15 Colin. Onwards and downwards.
> I know you had a bit of a rogue BG reading this morning but maybe it was a dodgy test strip. Look forward to seeing more progress. Well done!


Thanks Barbara. I’m not fussed about the rogue BG reading too much as it’s generally been fine and we all know the body doesn’t always behave in a logical or predictable fashion


----------



## rebrascora

Good to hear you aren't too demoralised about it. It must be really hard sticking to the 800 diet and if it was me I would need all the encouragement I could get. A high BG would be the sort of kick in the teeth which might knock me off the waggon, particularly a few weeks into it. You are doing so well, I really admire you!


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> Good to hear you aren't too demoralised about it. It must be really hard sticking to the 800 diet and if it was me I would need all the encouragement I could get. A high BG would be the sort of kick in the teeth which might knock me off the waggon, particularly a few weeks into it. You are doing so well, I really admire you!


It’s not easy. It’s simple because it’s just the shakes and an occasional salad or soup but it’s not easy. The most difficult thing to navigate is the boredom that now accompanies eating. Although that’s not a bad thing because it’s also changing the psychological relationship with food. As someone who used to comfort eat, and would give myself treat foods etc it’s actually a good thing that the psychological side is changing. 
I wanted to mark the change from 15st to 14st something today in some way and the urge to celebrate with food is still there and it’s still loud but instead of buying something like a gorgeous baguette or even a pizza ffs I treated myself to a single square of 90% dark chocolate.
I have to remember that even with those weight loss so far I feel better. I move better. And the best way to celebrate and reward myself is surely to not jeopardise the positive impact so far but to build on it. Even though I did gaze longingly at the contents of the crisp and snack aisle.
One thing which really helps is the accountability of posting here and I’m grateful for the positivity you lot chuck my way


----------



## Ditto

Are the shakes sweet like SlimFast shakes? They make my bg go right up. I've tried a liquid diet but I just can't do it. Absolute torture. Well done.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Are the shakes sweet like SlimFast shakes? They make my bg go right up. I've tried a liquid diet but I just can't do it. Absolute torture. Well done.


The advice is specifically to avoid SlimFast! 
I use a mixture of Asda Great Shape and Tesco ones when I can’t get hold of the Asda ones (which taste much nicer and are much thicker).


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> And today 14st 13 and a bit pounds!



Woo-hoo! 

Sounds good in metric also - sub 95kg!


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> Woo-hoo!
> 
> Sounds good in metric also - sub 95kg!


The scales are metric and then weight is logged automatically in metric but there’s something really satisfying about seeing weight loss in old fashioned stones and pounds. I know it’s psychological but somehow it’s more relatable. Maybe it’s because the number moves more?


----------



## Ditto

I agree. My scales have switched over, so now I'm 90odd something every morning. I like stones and pounds. I'm hoping it'll switch back soon. Magical thinking. 

Very interesting they say avoid SlimFast! I shall know in future then if I have to try the liquid diet.


----------



## SueEK

Ditto said:


> I agree. My scales have switched over, so now I'm 90odd something every morning. I like stones and pounds. I'm hoping it'll switch back soon. Magical thinking.
> 
> Very interesting they say avoid SlimFast! I shall know in future then if I have to try the liquid diet.


Is there not a switch/button under your scales to change it back.  My son changed mine one day and hadn’t got a clue how it had happened.. I’ve only had them about 12 years


----------



## ColinUK

SueEK said:


> Is there not a switch/button under your scales to change it back.  My son changed mine one day and hadn’t got a clue how it had happened.. I’ve only had them about 12 years


And how long have you had the scales for?


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> I agree. My scales have switched over, so now I'm 90odd something every morning. I like stones and pounds. I'm hoping it'll switch back soon. Magical thinking.
> 
> Very interesting they say avoid SlimFast! I shall know in future then if I have to try the liquid diet.


Here’s the quick booklet from Newcastle Uni. 
I’d advise actually reading the actual study though but this does list the recommended shakes to use


----------



## Lindarose

Hi Colin. Very well done on your progress so far with the Newcastle diet. It looks like you’re showing good signs of general BG lowering and weight loss 
I love reading posts from people following the 800 calorie diet having done it myself know just how it feels! 
If you have enough incentive it’s well worth a try to potentially reverse type 2 diabetes and lose weight. Having support on here or from family and friends makes such a difference too. And I loved that it was so quick to show results. 
Whilst it’s not the best or easiest way for everyone it but certainly was for the way for me. 
The shakes I was given by Newcastle Uni were Exante. I really love them Such a range of flavours and have bought some more since at a very good price online. It’s handy to replace an odd meal with a shake to help me stay in control weight wise. I’ve never really liked slim fast or other brands. 
As I’ve mentioned in another thread I couldn't reverse my diabetes as it turned out I’m a type of MODY anyway. 
But I wish you well and look forward to reading of your continued success.


----------



## ColinUK

Lindarose said:


> Hi Colin. Very well done on your progress so far with the Newcastle diet. It looks like you’re showing good signs of general BG lowering and weight loss
> I love reading posts from people following the 800 calorie diet having done it myself know just how it feels!
> If you have enough incentive it’s well worth a try to potentially reverse type 2 diabetes and lose weight. Having support on here or from family and friends makes such a difference too. And I loved that it was so quick to show results.
> Whilst it’s not the best or easiest way for everyone it but certainly was for the way for me.
> The shakes I was given by Newcastle Uni were Exante. I really love them Such a range of flavours and have bought some more since at a very good price online. It’s handy to replace an odd meal with a shake to help me stay in control weight wise. I’ve never really liked slim fast or other brands.
> As I’ve mentioned in another thread I couldn't reverse my diabetes as it turned out I’m a type of MODY anyway.
> But I wish you well and look forward to reading of your continued success.


Great that you were under Newcastle Uni itself. Were you part of the trial?

I looked at the Exante products but thought they were really rather expensive so settled on the Asda ones - unfortunately they’re now out of stock so I’m using the Tesco ones and they’re not a patch on the Asda ones for taste.
Do you buy your exante ones just from their website?


----------



## Lindarose

Yes Colin I was part of the ReTune trial. It was such an interesting experience. I went to Newcastle every 3 months and had scans, a high carb breakfast and loads of bloods taken over a few hours each visit. 
The people there were fab and so friendly. And I even met Prof Taylor a few times too and he signed my copy of his book! Ha ha.

I get the shakes from the Exante website.They have lots of half price offers and I get emails frequently so always manage to buy them cheaper. It’s personal taste of course but so long as they’re made with really cold water I love them. Favourites are Cherries and Berries, vanilla, and strawberry ones. 
If you want anymore details you can pm me  Not sure if the offer prices are shown on main site or only after you’ve ordered.


----------



## Eddy Edson

Lindarose said:


> Yes Colin I was part of the ReTune trial. It was such an interesting experience. I went to Newcastle every 3 months and had scans, a high carb breakfast and loads of bloods taken over a few hours each visit.
> The people there were fab and so friendly. And I even met Prof Taylor a few times too and he signed my copy of his book! Ha ha.
> 
> I get the shakes from the Exante website.They have lots of half price offers and I get emails frequently so always manage to buy them cheaper. It’s personal taste of course but so long as they’re made with really cold water I love them. Favourites are Cherries and Berries, vanilla, and strawberry ones.
> If you want anymore details you can pm me  Not sure if the offer prices are shown on main site or only after you’ve ordered.



I don't suppose you got any info on when results from ReTune will be released?

(For others: this is the follow-up trial investigating effectiveness of weight loss in getting non-obese T2D's to remission.)


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> I don't suppose you got any info on when results from ReTune will be released?
> 
> (For others: this is the follow-up trial investigating effectiveness of weight loss in getting non-obese T2D's to remission.)


They’re still recruiting participants so not for a while yet.

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/newstudy-retune/


----------



## Lindarose

Unfortunately the coronavirus meant the trial had to go on hold but I was lucky enough to just complete it before lockdown.  
It will still be ongoing though as soon as possible and they will send full results once it’s all done. So not for some time I’m afraid.


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> They’re still recruiting participants so not for a while yet.
> 
> https://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/newstudy-retune/



Long recruitment - they started recruiting in mid 2018. Obviously things would have crashed to a halt this year.


----------



## SueEK

ColinUK said:


> And how long have you had the scales for?


lol x


----------



## ColinUK

Lindarose said:


> Yes Colin I was part of the ReTune trial. It was such an interesting experience. I went to Newcastle every 3 months and had scans, a high carb breakfast and loads of bloods taken over a few hours each visit.
> The people there were fab and so friendly. And I even met Prof Taylor a few times too and he signed my copy of his book! Ha ha.
> 
> I get the shakes from the Exante website.They have lots of half price offers and I get emails frequently so always manage to buy them cheaper. It’s personal taste of course but so long as they’re made with really cold water I love them. Favourites are Cherries and Berries, vanilla, and strawberry ones.
> If you want anymore details you can pm me  Not sure if the offer prices are shown on main site or only after you’ve ordered.


I’ve just ordered a handful of flavours from their website as they’re 99p each right now 
Chocolate peanut butter
Cherry bakewell 
Chocolate
Caramel latte
Might even stir in a few chia seeds to the cherry bakewell one and make a pudding pot. They are significantly more expensive than the Asda ones (£4/10) but I’m curious to see what they’re like as a treat. 
And free delivery too


----------



## Lindarose

You’ll prob be bombarded with emails from Exante now Colin! But I’ve bought them for around 50p each on an offer and as they have long dates and I know the ones I like. So it’s good value. Especially if you compare them to Cambridge diet shakes! 
As it’s a meal substitute it’s a cheap meal ha ha. But I know other supermarket ones can be cheaper. Hope you enjoy them!


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> I’ve just ordered a handful of flavours from their website as they’re 99p each right now
> Chocolate peanut butter
> Cherry bakewell
> Chocolate
> Caramel latte
> Might even stir in a few chia seeds to the cherry bakewell one and make a pudding pot. They are significantly more expensive than the Asda ones (£4/10) but I’m curious to see what they’re like as a treat.
> And free delivery too



Make sure you have a handle on how many calories you're adding with the chia seeds. Super nutritious, but energy dense little beggars.


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> Make sure you have a handle on how many calories you're adding with the chia seeds. Super nutritious, but energy dense little beggars.


Good point


----------



## Ditto

Must look for a switch on my scales! I knew there must be but sometimes I just can't cope with life and blank things, the scales changeover being one such thing.  

Will check out the Exante website too. I would luv to be chosen for something like that trial.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Must look for a switch on my scales! I knew there must be but sometimes I just can't cope with life and blank things, the scales changeover being one such thing.
> 
> Will check out the Exante website too. I would luv to be chosen for something like that trial.


Look at the Newcastle Uni website as that's where they're recruiting participants for the ongoing trial.


----------



## Ditto

I will!  Thank you.

edit/
oh noes, it says you have to be non-obese <27 

I am well obese.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> I will!  Thank you.
> 
> edit/
> oh noes, it says you have to be non-obese <27
> 
> I am well obese.


My bad


----------



## Ditto

No worries. Why do they want non-obese to lose weight?


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> No worries. Why do they want non-obese to lose weight?


Presumably because they’re still overweight and have T2?


----------



## Ditto

Ah right, so you have to be slightly fat rather than very fat. Got it.


----------



## grovesy

Ditto said:


> Ah right, so you have to be slightly fat rather than very fat. Got it.


I thought there more recent focus was on slimmer Type 2.


----------



## Lindarose

What theyre doing at Newcastle Uni is a follow up to the Direct study which was a similar trial with overweight type 2 diabetics. 
That trial showed that by losing enough weight and subsequently fat from the internal organs it was possible to improve blood sugars and so long as the weight stayed off ‘reverse’ the diabetes. 
So the trial I did was ReTune and it was to see if non overweight type 2s could do the same thing. 
The idea is that if we can get our weight a bit below our personal fat threshold then the fat reduces from internal organs and prompts the pancreas to function better. 
The results won’t be published for awhile so we don’t know as yet.  As I said it didn’t work for me despite losing a lot of weight. But the blood tests also showed that I’m not type 2! 
Hope that all makes sense!


----------



## ColinUK

I had a couple of tiny handful of nuts yesterday. This morning I fully expected the weight loss to have stalled as a result but nope, another half pound off!
14st 11


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> I had a couple of tiny handful of nuts yesterday. This morning I fully expected the weight loss to have stalled as a result but nope, another half pound off!
> 14st 11



Nuts are my nemesis. I put on a kilo after the plague started, having emulated the prudent squirrel by building a stockpile of nuts & then chomping away on them.

Next creation, God should update the human design by including an automated weight control feedback loop. Unless I exercise constant scales-vigilance I start creeping either upwards or downwards. I want a dial I can set to 65kg and then leave the management of it up to my bod & brain.


----------



## ColinUK

Another half a kilo off - It feels like slow and steady progress but when I look at the chart it’s quite remarkable as the line is pretty constant. Yes there have been blips but the trend is crystal clear.

Taking the 15 kilo loss as a target means I should be aiming for 88kg but that still leaves me firmly in the overwrought category so I may aim for 84kg but I’ll decide that as I approach 88.

Meanwhile one thing which is worth celebrating is that I’m at my lowest weight in three years right now and I’m not finished losing. I’m missing bread less and although after a really tough day emotionally Wednesday this week I somewhat reverted to type and bought a bag of Kettle crisps and a pot of hummus I’ve actually got no desire to eat them.


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Great stuff @ColinUK - that’s a mightily impressive graph!


----------



## ColinUK

@Lindarose  question about the Exante stuff. Did you just stick to the shakes? 
I’m looking at their 4-week box and it’s got soups, meals and bars in so I’m also looking at the 50 for £50 type offer too. 
I know there's a huge range of flavours but to compare the price Asda and Tesco are £4 for ten so it’s really a lot more. And the incessant emails are driving me bonkers! The sample ones (apart from the odd tasting chocolate and peanut butter one) have been OK though so I’m curious to try more.
Love the frappe one. Whizzed up with water and a couple of ice cubes it’s a real treat.


----------



## Lindarose

Hi Colin. Yes I stuck with the shakes. I tried one packet of soup but poured it down the sink! Really not for me. 
And neither have I tried the bars so can’t let you know about those either. Sorry!
I think it’s really hard to know what others may like. I’ve tried so many replacement meal brands over the years as I find when my weight goes up it works for me to do a short sharp calorie reduction. Nip it in the bud!
And for me the Exante shakes (always made very cold) are the best. Just the right level of sweetness. Oh and I def don’t like the smoothies. Tried a banana one and there was a kind of sediment in the glass after. 
Once you don’t order so often the emails do slow down! 
You’re doing so well. Love reading your updates


----------



## ColinUK




----------



## ColinUK

That last shot was roughly Christmas time. This one is today...


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> That last shot was roughly Christmas time. This one is today...
> 
> View attachment 14588



You're too gaunt/holiday in Belsen?/have one of these donuts/etc/etc 

Kidding! Looking good & I see that losing some weight has also fixed your eyesight


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> You're too gaunt/holiday in Belsen?/have one of these donuts/etc/etc
> 
> Kidding! Looking good & I see that losing some weight has also fixed your eyesight


I know it’s in good heart but the Belsen comment is out of order. 
I spend my life fighting antisemitism and it’s comments like that which creep into everyday use and make it harder than it already is.
That’s before I tell you that my grandparents were the only ones of their families who were not murdered in either Auschwitz or Theresienstadt. Others in the family just disappeared leaving no trace. 

As for the improving eyesight, I can’t see what I look like on a selfie screen with my specs on as it’s too close!


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> I know it’s in good heart but the Belsen comment is out of order.
> I spend my life fighting antisemitism and it’s comments like that which creep into everyday use and make it harder than it already is.
> That’s before I tell you that my grandparents were the only ones of their families who were not murdered in either Auschwitz or Theresienstadt. Others in the family just disappeared leaving no trace.
> 
> As for the improving eyesight, I can’t see what I look like on a selfie screen with my specs on as it’s too close!



Apologies & point very well taken, Colin.


----------



## rebrascora

What a huge difference.... no more chubby chops! Keep going, you are doing great!


----------



## Robin

Wow! That’s amazing, the extra chins have completely disappeared!


----------



## nonethewiser

ColinUK said:


> That last shot was roughly Christmas time. This one is today...
> 
> View attachment 14588



Look great my friend.


----------



## ColinUK

@Lindarose I just ordered a 60 for £51 package because the sample ones really were rather tasty. All shakes. And it rings the changes from the same old flavours. 
I’ll need more obviously but it should give me the lift to see this through to the end.


----------



## Lindarose

Hi Colin. Yes there’s a huge range of flavours. Definitely better than the usual strawberry and chocolate on offer with some brands.
Great pics too. What a difference losing weight has made to you! Great incentive too.


----------



## trophywench

I was going to say same as Robin, ie Wow - ALL the double chins have gone!

I'm one of those people who very first loses weight off their face - so not unusual when I've lost the first couple of pounds to hear someone I know ell telling me 'You look ill!'  Thanks, very helpful .....

Hence though it's usually rude to mention to someone that they have several chins, I'm more than happy to tell em they've got rid of them!

Where else have you particularly noticed there is less of - or is it less everywhere?


----------



## ColinUK

trophywench said:


> I was going to say same as Robin, ie Wow - ALL the double chins have gone!
> 
> I'm one of those people who very first loses weight off their face - so not unusual when I've lost the first couple of pounds to hear someone I know ell telling me 'You look ill!'  Thanks, very helpful .....
> 
> Hence though it's usually rude to mention to someone that they have several chins, I'm more than happy to tell em they've got rid of them!
> 
> Where else have you particularly noticed there is less of - or is it less everywhere?


I tend to put weight in pretty evenly all over and it’s gone in the same way. My face is not where I notice the difference without having a long hard look at myself though. Hence the photos as they don’t lie. 
I’ve gone down two inches in waist size and clothes hang better overall. And there’s more to go!


----------



## ColinUK

And weight has crept up again to half a pound under 15st... I’m not disheartened though as that’s still 4.5lbs off for the month so far. I’ll boost fluid intake (water) as it’s been a little low the last few days and I’ll get the next lot of weight off in as long as it takes.

There seems to be a point of resistance at about 93kg so I’ll sit and contemplate what’s going on mentally as well as physically around this weight so that I can move on. And down. It’ll also help that I’ve a tonne of Exante shakes coming (hopefully tomorrow) which at least means that I’ve got more interesting flavours to dine on than just chocolate and vanilla.


----------



## ColinUK

And back on track with 1lb off yesterday.


----------



## Vonny

I've just joined the forum after losing my first stone in 7 weeks when I was first diagnosed. Thank you so much ColinUK, your story is an inspiration and makes me more determined to lose the remaining 3 stone to get to my ideal weight. I've read this thread with delight and amazement. Thank you x


----------



## ColinUK

@Vonny Congrats on dropping the first stone! How are you doing it?

You might find it useful to do a “Hello” type thread in the general notice board bit of the forum and tell us a bit about yourself and your diagnosis if you feel comfortable doing that.


----------



## ColinUK

Just had a delivery of 60 Exante shakes and only three sachets had burst open in the box disgorging their sweet dust everywhere! 
I’ll fire off a quick note to Exante in a bit to let them know. Hopefully they’ll just replace them.


----------



## Vonny

Hi ColinUK, thank you! I posted in the Newbies section, as I need a bit of support 2 months in. I've basically cut out refined carbs so I can pretty much eat what the rest of the family do, but I miss out on the potatoes and have extra broccoli and cabbage! Plus lots of walking - between 3 and 6 miles per day depending on whether or not I'm working. I was really fired up to start with, but that first stone "high" is in the past now and it feels like a long slog for the next 3. That's why your story inspired me to keep on going, and I know I will get there. x


----------



## ColinUK

Vonny said:


> Hi ColinUK, thank you! I posted in the Newbies section, as I need a bit of support 2 months in. I've basically cut out refined carbs so I can pretty much eat what the rest of the family do, but I miss out on the potatoes and have extra broccoli and cabbage! Plus lots of walking - between 3 and 6 miles per day depending on whether or not I'm working. I was really fired up to start with, but that first stone "high" is in the past now and it feels like a long slog for the next 3. That's why your story inspired me to keep on going, and I know I will get there. x


Honestly it’s much easier with the shakes as it removes the element of choice. And yes I’ve sometimes cheated and had a handful of nuts <ooh matron!> but by and large it’s easy to just decide which flavour I’m going to have, mix it up and savour the taste. Also they do fill you up so there’s almost zero temptation to snack.
I read Prof Taylor’s book and I read the results of the study itself and I know that if I don’t do this now I’ll inevitably add more weight etc and will get some of the complications I think we all want to avoid.
One thing I will say and that’s that posting on the forum, and in this thread particularly, keeps me accountable as it’s available for others to read and comment on.


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Looking GREAT @ColinUK   

Huge congratulations and respect for your amazing commitment and what you have achieved. *applaudswildly*


----------



## ColinUK

@everydayupsanddowns  Cheers Mike!


----------



## ColinUK

Weight loss update

May -7.6lbs
June (so far) -9.9lbs and there’s still today so I might just squeeze 10lbs off! 

And yes I know I’m old school with my imperial measurements but I find the number changes more encouraging in stones and pounds than I do in kilos!


----------



## rebrascora

You are really doing great Colin.
How about finding a blood donor session somewhere today to help get you over the 10lbs mark. That's always good for an extra pound loss in the short term. I was going to suggest a hair cut but I guess it won't have the same effect on you as having six inches cut off the length of mine! ....These are the tricks you learn when you are dieting and hit that plateau when things just won't shift any further and desperation sets in!


----------



## ColinUK

@rebrascora  not sure about it being that wise to donate whilst on such a low caloric intake. But there is a session available nearby today...


----------



## rebrascora

You might be right.... but still tempting! Don't you go and end up fainting!

This is the problem once you start getting good results.... you want better results... rather than just being happy with the progress you have made. I've started getting like that with my Freestyle Libre... trying to keep readings in range is becoming very self competitive.


----------



## ColinUK

@rebrascora  I’m like that with my BG levels. I know that 6ish is perfectly fine but my heart sinks just a little bit of my readings aren’t low 5s


----------



## Bloden

Great work @ColinUK...you’re doing so well. Good for you!


----------



## Ditto

So you mix the Exantes with water? That doesn't sound very tasty. 

I need to read this whole thread... I need to be 8stones.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> So you mix the Exantes with water? That doesn't sound very tasty.
> 
> I need to read this whole thread... I need to be 8stones.


They’re designed to be mixed with water rather than milk as they have milk powder in them (or similar - some are vegan). And they’re generally tasty and when mixed with ice and water they’re quite thick. They would be thicker with milk of course but that would blow the calorie counting and they’re 200 cal each.


----------



## Ditto

I managed to stay on 2 SlimFast meals and one egg and bacon meal today. This is a miracle for me. I could taste the caramel in the SlimFast for ages after though. Wouldn't like to think what my bg was.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> I managed to stay on 2 SlimFast meals and one egg and bacon meal today. This is a miracle for me. I could taste the caramel in the SlimFast for ages after though. Wouldn't like to think what my bg was.


I started with the Asda ones. Then had the Tesco ones because they’re easier to get to than Asda. Grew bored of the limited flavours (my local Tesco only has chocolate and the nearest Asda only vanilla and occasionally strawberry) so decided to give the Exante shakes a go. They’re not as thick as the others but the chocolate mint and the cinnamon swirl are absolutely delicious. 
It’s a fair amount of money to lay out in one go if you’re buying a lot of them so I bought a few chocolate and vanilla just to try - the logic being if they couldn’t get those flavours right then no chance of the rest being palatable. 
Some on the Facebook forum say that the meals and the soups are awful and there appears to be an issue with the bars but the shakes are delicious. 
I’ll dig out my referral code discount thingy...


----------



## ColinUK

https://www.exantediet.com/referrals.list?applyCode=COLIN-R91

If you spend £25 using that link then you get an extra £5 off apparently. And I get a little something too


----------



## Ditto

Thanks for that. I will give it a whirl.

edit/
Good grief, I hates shopping online, it's fraught. Seems to have worked...  I will have to stick to it now or I'll feel guilty about wasting money. Heh!


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Thanks for that. I will give it a whirl.


My pleasure 

So far my favs are cinnamon swirl, chocolate and peanut butter, berries and cherries, chocolate mint, Bakewell tart. Not keen on the lemon cheesecake myself but maybe with a few chia seeds in and left to set it might be a decent pudding.


----------



## ColinUK

Weight loss for June 10.4lbs!

May (and I only started on the 20th) was 7.6lbs
So by my reckoning that’s 18lbs off so far


----------



## Docb

Well done Colin!  Just shows what having a good plan, a determination to follow it and instant feedback to check progress can do.


----------



## Bloden

ColinUK said:


> Weight loss for June 10.4lbs!
> 
> May (and I only started on the 20th) was 7.6lbs
> So by my reckoning that’s 18lbs off so far


Brilliant!


----------



## KARNAK

Well done mate.


----------



## ColinUK

KARNAK said:


> Well done mate.


Cheers Ted


----------



## Ditto

Excellent.  I can't wait to be one fat lady.


----------



## ColinUK

It was never my intention to celebrate every little milestone reached on the journey to the healthier me but this one I just can’t pass up.

Stood on the scales this morning and.... 14st 7lbs!!

I know it’s only a number but it feels significant somehow!


----------



## Snoopyj

ColinUK said:


> It was never my intention to celebrate every little milestone reached on the journey to the healthier me but this one I just can’t pass up.
> 
> Stood on the scales this morning and.... 14st 7lbs!!
> 
> I know it’s only a number but it feels significant somehow!


That's brilliant. Virtual pat on the back


----------



## Deleted member 25429

ColinUK said:


> That last shot was roughly Christmas time. This one is today...
> 
> View attachment 14588


Massive congratulations what a difference... bet you feel better as well


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto  so which ones did you order?


----------



## ColinUK

Repeating the morning post today here as it’s relevant and I want to be able to find it again.



Yesterday I crumbled. Emotionally lots of things from the past few months caught up with me and I wept. So I opted for a mix of things to comfort me from watching Field of Dreams and Haichi: A Dogs Tale on Netflix or Prime as they always make me sob... watched Frozen and Frozen II because they make me smile but II also brings the tears... then Hamilton which is as incredible on screen as it is on stage... and yes it brought the tears in places to. I also ate.
A bag of sea salt and black pepper crisps, two pitta bread, a pot of hummus, about 1/4 of baguette, butter with Cornish sea salt and a bit of Camembert.
Froze the other pitta bread and chucked the rest of the baguette away.
Haven’t weighed myself yet today as I know the retrograde step my weight will have taken but may step on the scales in a bit. Have measured my BG however and that’s 7.8.
I won’t beat myself up about yesterday’s eating as there was a marked difference between that and how I used to eat... for starters I’d have polished off the entire pack of pitta and no doubt would have had half the baguette with the entire Camembert wheel and the remainder with pb&j.
Today is back on the Exante shakes and back on the program.
I will sit with my thoughts and feelings from yesterday and try and unpick what was happening and why I turned to food (although it’s a very engrained habit).


----------



## ColinUK

So I weighed myself. And I put on half a kilo yesterday.


----------



## grovesy

I think more people emotional eat than admit to it.


----------



## ColinUK

grovesy said:


> I think more people emotional eat than admit to it.


I agree. I’m starting to switch my thinking about it and starting to regard it as more of an addiction now. It is an almost mindless, knee jerk response, automatic. 
I fully accept that it’s changed but it’s important that I’m aware of it so that it doesn’t return how it was before.


----------



## grovesy

ColinUK said:


> I agree. I’m starting to switch my thinking about it and starting to regard it as more of an addiction now. It is an almost mindless, knee jerk response, automatic.
> I fully accept that it’s changed but it’s important that I’m aware of it so that it doesn’t return how it was before.


I try to be more on the wagon than off it. I find if I crave certain stuffs if I try and have low carb things instead  I still overeat the low carb stuff and that is just as bad. Sometimes end up eating the stuff I crave aswell.


----------



## Robin

grovesy said:


> I try to be more on the wagon than off it. I find if I crave certain stuffs if I try and have low carb things instead  I still overeat the low carb stuff and that is just as bad. Sometimes end up eating the stuff I crave aswell.


Glad it’s not just me! Sometimes going out into the garden is the only way, I’m less likely to eat if I've got filthy hands, and I usually get distracted by the gardening tasks in hand. Doesn’t always work, though.


----------



## ColinUK

Robin said:


> Glad it’s not just me! Sometimes going out into the garden is the only way, I’m less likely to eat if I've got filthy hands, and I usually get distracted by the gardening tasks in hand. Doesn’t always work, though.



Having horses to tend and ride probably also helps!

My balcony is only small but I still get immense satisfaction from pottering around in the pots lol


----------



## Eddy Edson

I view it as constant low-level warfare with my bod in which the goal is to win more battles than you lose. My advantage is that I'm a lot smarter than my bod, but it has a lot more persistence.

Bod: Apple & pear bran muffin!
Me: Really?
Bod: Um oh well I guess not really.

(Next day)

Bod: Muffin!!!
Me: Oh nonsense.
Bod: grumble mumble

(Next day)

Bod: MUFFIN MUFFIN MUFFIN MUFFIN MUFFIN
Me: Oh anything to make you shut up.

I count that as a 2:1 win:loss ratio for me vs bod.

Anyway, the battles have gotten a lot further apart over the last couple of years - maybe my bod is learning its lesson? - and these days are mainly skirmishes over whether or not to have another handful of almonds.


----------



## Robin

ColinUK said:


> Having horses to tend and ride probably also helps!
> 
> My balcony is only small but I still get immense satisfaction from pottering around in the pots lol


Sadly, I don’t have my own horse, but ride once a week at a riding school. But same effect, I’ve just been on a 2hr hack, and while you’re riding, you can’t really think about anything else except the job in hand (and the scenery!).


----------



## Ditto

Who was it said nobody ever got hungry when skydiving?!  

I got Smoothies and like the new laptop they're still in the box. I never realised I was a procrastinator, I never used to be. I got Banana, Strawberry and Coconut. Do you just have them like SlimFast but with water? I need to read the blurb. 

I won't be able to do it mind,  but will give it a go.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Who was it said nobody ever got hungry when skydiving?!
> 
> I got Smoothies and like the new laptop they're still in the box. I never realised I was a procrastinator, I never used to be. I got Banana, Strawberry and Coconut. Do you just have them like SlimFast but with water? I need to read the blurb.
> 
> I won't be able to do it mind,  but will give it a go.


Read the instructions! You can always mix them with milk I guess but I mix my shakes per instructions with water and plenty of ice.


----------



## ColinUK

Are the rest of the Camembert yesterday because it would have been a shame to waste it as it was delicious.

Weighed in this morning at 93kg so that’s the starting point for the week. I’m sure I’ll be below 90 by next Monday


----------



## JoRo

ColinUK said:


> Diagnosed last week. In a rather unsatisfactory manner. (See my Bit of a Shock) thread in Newbies.
> 
> I’ve been 16st something for a while now and I know I really needed to shift at least three stone... worth noting that max weight over the last four years has been recorded at 17 1/2 stone.
> 
> Just wanted to share that today for the first time in living memory the scales showed my weight starting with 15! 15st 13 1/2lbs to be exact!
> 
> I’m not kidding myself that tomorrow it won’t be 16st something again but the trend is absolutely downwards!
> 
> Yay me


 Well done, you


----------



## ColinUK

JoRo said:


> Well done, you


Cheers! It’s not easy and this week has been tough. Weight has dropped by a whole half a pound so far this week.


----------



## ColinUK

So 91.8kg today


----------



## ColinUK

Didn’t feel 100% this weekend and unsurprisingly weight crept up a little to 94 kg. 
No real disaster as these things happen and it went hand in hand with an increase in BG levels which have hopefully peaked at 7.2 this morning.

I’ve not lost faith however and if anything am more determined to drop the weight. My first target is only 6kgs away so with a bit of discipline that should be achievable by month end.


----------



## Snoopyj

ColinUK said:


> Didn’t feel 100% this weekend and unsurprisingly weight crept up a little to 94 kg.
> No real disaster as these things happen and it went hand in hand with an increase in BG levels which have hopefully peaked at 7.2 this morning.
> 
> I’ve not lost faith however and if anything am more determined to drop the weight. My first target is only 6kgs away so with a bit of discipline that should be achievable by month end.


Hope your feeling better today. Glad you've not lost faith, you are an inspiration.


----------



## ColinUK

@Snoopyj  thank you


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Onward and downward @ColinUK! Hope this week gives you the results you are looking for.


----------



## ColinUK

Weigh in today... 92.1k so that’s pretty much undone the weight gain last week. I can sense the 88kg target inching closer...

I’m looking forward to when I’m down at a healthy weight and I can rebuild a healthier relationship with food once again. But it’s also great to know that Exante works and it’s pretty easy (although it takes determination at first in order to develop the habit).


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto How are you getting on?


----------



## Ditto

Dire. As always I can't get a handle on anything. Low carb lasted three days till the family had egg and chips yesterday so now after that disaster I'm back trying the liquid diet. Good grief, I bore myself.  You're doing great though, well done. I need to copy you.


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto I have my bad days but the key is to have more good ones than bad. 
First few shakes I couldn’t believe how awful they tasted then you kind of just get used to them. I do mix them with lots of ice and that helps. Also I add a spoonful of coffee to some and that helps. Throwing in a tsp of coffee and a square of dark chocolate into that tiramisu one lifts the flavours hugely and a squeeze of lemon juice into the lemon cheesecake helps that one too. 
Some people even mix flavours of shake or use them to make pancakes. 
Beef and black bean can be used to make burgers or kofta too apparently.

There’s a private Facebook group for UK based Exante users and it’s actually really rather good. It’s full of both success and struggle stories and ideas of how to tweak products. Above all else everyone is in there for the same reason, and that’s to drop weight. 

You can do this. I know you can. You know you can


----------



## Ditto

I don't feel the need to add stuff, I love milkshakes tho' not that keen on the watery ones but you can get used to anything. I will try the ice and get the ice cube tray out for sure. It's the feeling ravenous I have trouble dealing with.  I could do this when I was 14 and wanted to get into clothes and be gorgeous and want boys to fall at my feet, now I couldn't give a rat's ass and it's 'only' my health I have to think about. I need to get a grip. Thank you for your encouraging words, they have really helped. 

The only thing I want to get into now is the garden.

Do you have the link for the Facebook page @ColinUK as there's tons of links and I don't know which to click.


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto  it’s the Exante Diet Official Group. It’s a private group so I can’t link it but it’s this one.


----------



## Ditto

Thank you.  I haven't managed to get on it yet, but I will. I have to!


----------



## ColinUK

91.0kg today

Slowing up but still dropping.


----------



## Ditto

Fab, well done, iron resolve obviously. M'starting tomorrow... famous last words.

I've just made up all three milk shakes, I won't be able to waste the milk so... good grief.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Fab, well done, iron resolve obviously. M'starting tomorrow... famous last words.
> 
> I've just made up all three milk shakes, I won't be able to waste the milk so... good grief.



Well done!

They are much better made and drink fresh though


----------



## ColinUK

Weight 91.1
BP 118/76


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Great stuff @ColinUK ! Keep going!


----------



## ColinUK

And today 93.0

I’m aware that I want to drink more water so I’m going to more consciously track water consumption. The goal is to get to 3 ltr a day. Often I’m OK up to about half that but then my thirst dries up.

I will get through this slightly rising plateau I’m sure. But I have to get a handle on the emotional eating thing. Living where I do it’s very easy to nip into a shop and buy whatever it is you fancy and I’m guilty of doing that this past weekend. The weight ticking up is the delayed physiological result of those nibbles. 
Of course there’s no issue in having one pitta with tuna etc but the issue comes the day after when there’s a pack of four left... so I may pick up some hummus to have rather than throw the breads away. Maybe there is an issue with that one pitta. Maybe it’s my gateway bread.


----------



## grovesy

ColinUK said:


> And today 93.0
> 
> I’m aware that I want to drink more water so I’m going to more consciously track water consumption. The goal is to get to 3 ltr a day. Often I’m OK up to about half that but then my thirst dries up.
> 
> I will get through this slightly rising plateau I’m sure. But I have to get a handle on the emotional eating thing. Living where I do it’s very easy to nip into a shop and buy whatever it is you fancy and I’m guilty of doing that this past weekend. The weight ticking up is the delayed physiological result of those nibbles.
> Of course there’s no issue in having one pitta with tuna etc but the issue comes the day after when there’s a pack of four left... so I may pick up some hummus to have rather than throw the breads away. Maybe there is an issue with that one pitta. Maybe it’s my gateway bread.


I have not got a handle on the emotional eating . I just aim to be on the wagon more than off it.


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> And today 93.0
> 
> I’m aware that I want to drink more water so I’m going to more consciously track water consumption. The goal is to get to 3 ltr a day. Often I’m OK up to about half that but then my thirst dries up.
> 
> I will get through this slightly rising plateau I’m sure. But I have to get a handle on the emotional eating thing. Living where I do it’s very easy to nip into a shop and buy whatever it is you fancy and I’m guilty of doing that this past weekend. The weight ticking up is the delayed physiological result of those nibbles.
> Of course there’s no issue in having one pitta with tuna etc but the issue comes the day after when there’s a pack of four left... so I may pick up some hummus to have rather than throw the breads away. Maybe there is an issue with that one pitta. Maybe it’s my gateway bread.



I have to keep a pretty constant eye on calories in vs calories out to maintain stable weight, and similarly when I was losing weight. Winging it doesn't work for me.

I use this https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp to guide on how many calories I should be eating in the cntext of how much exercise to achieve what kind of weight goal. It's built on research by Kevin Hart's group at the US NIH - he's one of the leading obesity researchers and his group produces excellent, rigorous studies on eating and weight loss.

I use this www.cronometer.com to track calories and micronutrients.

As with BG, BP etc, actively tracking calories can help to get a much better handle on things and with behaviour change - at least for me.


----------



## ColinUK

I’ve been exploring the thousands of keto channels on YouTube and getting very frustrated that most are American. That means their ingredients are not readily available here but it also means that their culinary reference points are different to those we have in the UK.
As much as I enjoy watching _High falutin’ low carb_ videos I wanted something more relatable I guess. Then I stumbled on The Keto Kitchen.
He’s English, mid 20s and has been in ketosis for years. He also mentions that his mum is T2 in remission through keto so that’s another interesting twist.
Thing that made me hit Subscribe though was his Keto in a Nutshell video. It’s clear, factual (I think) and it’s well presented. He explains keto and ketosis well so I’ve started to watch his recipe videos.

As I’m currently on a VLCD I’m not fussed about keto or ketosis but I do envisage segueing from VLCD to a keto type way of eating in the near future.

Anyway, just thought it a decent video and an interesting channel.


----------



## MAC2020

ColinUK said:


> I’m about to make mushroom mapu tofu and I’m going to have it with konjac noodles as they’re absolutely zero carbs.


Ooh, I need this recipe Colin! 

I eat a lot of Tofu but have only just discovered Konjac noodles! Not even sure where to buy them yet, typical supermarkets don't stock them in their World aisles. The nearest Chinese/Japanese wholesalers is 1 hr's drive away, although I suppose I can try Chinatown in central London but it might be a bit expensive there. Any help on sourcing these? Also pls pls pls the recipe!!!

I wrote this in newbies a few days ago:

"I’m also going to try konjac (yam) noodles, konnyaki or shirataki, which I’ve just learnt about. Apparently no carbs, no calories, no sugar, just 97% water and rest fibre. Can be used to replace pasta or regular noodles. Has anyone had any experience with these?"

What a coincidence!!


----------



## rebrascora

Hi @MAC2020

Konjac noodles are available in supermarkets under the brand name Bare Naked Noodles...I am pretty sure Sainsbury's sell them but worth checking online to see if your local supermarket stock them. There are other Konjac products in the Bare Naked range.


----------



## ColinUK

Holland and Barrett sell them as from this range https://www.slimpasta.co.uk/
But your best bet is Asian supermarkets as they’ll be a lot cheaper.


----------



## ColinUK

MAC2020 said:


> Ooh, I need this recipe Colin!
> 
> I eat a lot of Tofu but have only just discovered Konjac noodles! Not even sure where to buy them yet, typical supermarkets don't stock them in their World aisles. The nearest Chinese/Japanese wholesalers is 1 hr's drive away, although I suppose I can try Chinatown in central London but it might be a bit expensive there. Any help on sourcing these? Also pls pls pls the recipe!!!
> 
> I wrote this in newbies a few days ago:
> 
> "I’m also going to try konjac (yam) noodles, konnyaki or shirataki, which I’ve just learnt about. Apparently no carbs, no calories, no sugar, just 97% water and rest fibre. Can be used to replace pasta or regular noodles. Has anyone had any experience with these?"
> 
> What a coincidence!!











						How to cook the perfect mapo tofu | Felicity Cloake
					

Spicy, salty, moreish mapu tofu is an intensely aromatic dish to win over tofu sceptics. But what’s the best way to make it?




					www.theguardian.com


----------



## zuludog

As I explained in my recent Thread about Meal Replacement Powders I've dabbled with very low carb diets, but now I'm paying a bit more attention, and I'm just about to start reading through this Thread

You're right, there are so many videos on YT and most of them are American, but I've been working through them slowly
I've found this channel - HANA RAMADAN

I think she's Australian or New Zealander, but at least the measurements are Metric
I haven't watched every one, though they seem reasonable enough; but just be a bit cautious as it is her own take on a keto diet and not specifically for diabetes; some of them contain honey or a few other carbs


----------



## zuludog

ColinUK said:


> And today 93.0
> 
> I’m aware that I want to drink more water so I’m going to more consciously track water consumption. The goal is to get to 3 ltr a day. Often I’m OK up to about half that but then my thirst dries up.
> 
> I will get through this slightly rising plateau I’m sure. But I have to get a handle on the emotional eating thing. Living where I do it’s very easy to nip into a shop and buy whatever it is you fancy and I’m guilty of doing that this past weekend. The weight ticking up is the delayed physiological result of those nibbles.
> Of course there’s no issue in having one pitta with tuna etc but the issue comes the day after when there’s a pack of four left... so I may pick up some hummus to have rather than throw the breads away. Maybe there is an issue with that one pitta. Maybe it’s my gateway bread.



Here's a tip for drinking more water
Buy one or two of those big plastic bottles - water or a diet drink - not full strength Coke!
the 2l ones are a bit heavy, but you can get 1,5l or 1l ones which are easier to handle and make the sums easier
then just fill them with tap water and work your way through them. Possible flavourings are -

Lemon or lime juice; cold tea - just tea, no milk or sugar; full or half glass of red wine, according to your taste and the size of the bottle; a small amount of beer, keep the leftovers in the fridge. Yes, it will go flat, but you're looking for the taste, not an actual boozing experience
Fruit juice/squash/cordial

No problem with leftover pitta bread since it tastes stale even when you've bought it new! could keep it, or any other bread, in the freezer


----------



## rebrascora

After watching the Keto in a Nutshell video I was tempted to test for ketones as I have some strips which are going out of date. I probably eat about 50g carbs a day maybe more if I need to treat hypos so wasn't sure if I would be in ketosis, especially as I have had porridge for breakfast the last 2 days, but I got a reading of 0.8 so I guess you don't need to be very very low carb to achieve it. I was slightly irritated that the British video you found seemed to be directed at a US audience as there were quite a few things he mentioned which were clear Americanisms.


----------



## zuludog

Hello Colin, this might interest you, or anyone else

I've been reading through all the Posts in this Thread from the start
I see that on page 4 you describe a walk you've done around London

You might know this already, but there is a footpath all the way around Greater London, called The London Outer Orbital Path; more commonly known as The London Loop
You could walk it in stages, as for any long path, and often known as Section Walking
Search Google and YouTube for the London Loop

If you complete the entire circumference it would give you something else to aim for, and a nice achievement to go along with your weight target


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> After watching the Keto in a Nutshell video I was tempted to test for ketones as I have some strips which are going out of date. I probably eat about 50g carbs a day maybe more if I need to treat hypos so wasn't sure if I would be in ketosis, especially as I have had porridge for breakfast the last 2 days, but I got a reading of 0.8 so I guess you don't need to be very very low carb to achieve it. I was slightly irritated that the British video you found seemed to be directed at a US audience as there were quite a few things he mentioned which were clear Americanisms.


I guess he’s just very clear on where his audience is.


----------



## MAC2020

ColinUK said:


> How to cook the perfect mapo tofu | Felicity Cloake
> 
> 
> Spicy, salty, moreish mapu tofu is an intensely aromatic dish to win over tofu sceptics. But what’s the best way to make it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.theguardian.com


Mmmmh, Thanks, but where's the konjac element? Did you just add it in? How do you prepare/season konjac?


----------



## ColinUK

MAC2020 said:


> Mmmmh, Thanks, but where's the konjac element? Did you just add it in? How do you prepare/season konjac?


I served it with konjac rice!


----------



## ColinUK

ColinUK said:


> I served it with konjac rice!


Konjac is a type of root and that’s used to make rice, pasta, noodles etc. Almost all konjac products are zero carb and very low calorie but some aren’t because they’re made with additional tofu. 
Shiritaki noodles are exactly the same thing.


----------



## ColinUK

Weigh in this morning... 89.8kg!


----------



## rebrascora

Another great milestone broken. Well done Colin!


----------



## Snoozy Lou

Well done @ColinUK! You have made such good progress! I have been following this thread for a while. You have inspired me to give the shakes a go. It's been a few weeks now and it was a great decision! I am using the Tesco ones but may have to give the exante ones a try!


----------



## ColinUK

Hi @Snoozy Lou  and thank you for your support.

The Tesco ones are OK but I got really bored with the limited flavours! How are you getting on with them?


----------



## Snoozy Lou

ColinUK said:


> Hi @Snoozy Lou  and thank you for your support.
> 
> The Tesco ones are OK but I got really bored with the limited flavours! How are you getting on with them?



I really like the vanilla and chocolate ones but they are out of stock a lot! At £4  for a box of 10 they are great for my budget! Am 7 weeks in now though so they are getting really boring! I decided to have a small low carb meals at the weekends to break it up a bit!  I have lost about 21lbs so far but trying not to focus too much on the numbers! I get a bit obsessed and I have a long way to go!


----------



## zuludog

Well done Colin!

My Exante box came yesterday, but so far all I've had is a sachet of chicken soup
It was OK,but fairly bland, so at least it wasn't so unpleasant that i had to force myself to eat it

By the end of today I will have finished all my existing fresh food, so later i'll go and buy ingredients just for Roy Taylor's Step 1 recipes

My plan is to have a shake for breakfast; Exante meals for dinner; and RTR = Roy Taylor Recipe for tea

I'm a bit hungry sometimes, but nothing I can't manage
Another thing that's a bit difficult is resisting the temptation to keep weighing myself all the time!


----------



## zuludog

Snoozy Lou said:


> I really like the vanilla and chocolate ones but they are out of stock a lot! At £4  for a box of 10 they are great for my budget! Am 7 weeks in now though so they are getting really boring! I decided to have a small low carb meals at the weekends to break it up a bit!  I have lost about 21lbs so far but trying not to focus too much on the numbers! I get a bit obsessed and I have a long way to go!



As you might have seen I have just started this sort of diet
It looks to me that all these sort of meal replacement powders are very much alike nutritionally
As well as ordering from Exante I had a browse round the local shops and got a few different brands - Slimfast, Slender Plan, which is Superdrug's own brand; and a couple from Holland & Barret
Some are sachets, some are bulk powder in a tub with a plastic measuring scoop
Some were on offer; at the moment Boots have a BOGOF on all dieting products, including powders & bars

All the powders are very sweet; I add a spoonful of natural yogurt to reduce the sickliness which also make them thicker


----------



## ColinUK

zuludog said:


> As you might have seen I have just started this sort of diet
> It looks to me that all these sort of meal replacement powders are very much alike nutritionally
> As well as ordering from Exante I had a browse round the local shops and got a few different brands - Slimfast, Slender Plan, which is Superdrug's own brand; and a couple from Holland & Barret
> Some are sachets, some are bulk powder in a tub with a plastic measuring scoop
> Some were on offer; at the moment Boots have a BOGOF on all dieting products, including powders & bars
> 
> All the powders are very sweet; I add a spoonful of natural yogurt to reduce the sickliness which also make them thicker


I add the odd thing like a spoonful of coffee or cocoa. Sometimes I might add a few goji berries or chia seeds. Always, ALWAYS, I add ice.


----------



## ColinUK

zuludog said:


> Well done Colin!
> 
> My Exante box came yesterday, but so far all I've had is a sachet of chicken soup
> It was OK,but fairly bland, so at least it wasn't so unpleasant that i had to force myself to eat it
> 
> By the end of today I will have finished all my existing fresh food, so later i'll go and buy ingredients just for Roy Taylor's Step 1 recipes
> 
> My plan is to have a shake for breakfast; Exante meals for dinner; and RTR = Roy Taylor Recipe for tea
> 
> I'm a bit hungry sometimes, but nothing I can't manage
> Another thing that's a bit difficult is resisting the temptation to keep weighing myself all the time!


So weigh yourself. You’ll be amazed how much your weight jumps around during the day.


----------



## ColinUK

Snoozy Lou said:


> I really like the vanilla and chocolate ones but they are out of stock a lot! At £4  for a box of 10 they are great for my budget! Am 7 weeks in now though so they are getting really boring! I decided to have a small low carb meals at the weekends to break it up a bit!  I have lost about 21lbs so far but trying not to focus too much on the numbers! I get a bit obsessed and I have a long way to go!


They’re great value but the exante ones aren’t bad value either. They’re all pretty much 200-210 calories and are obviously full meal replacement products. They can be a little sweet (I only have the shakes) and some of the meals are reportedly disgusting but the weight comes off and I’m really rarely hungry. Peckish perhaps, but not hungry.

If you do want to try the exante products there are always offers on and you can get a further discount if you use my referral link. It also gets me a bit of money off too and as I’m not working (thanks COVID-19) every penny helps!

https://www.exantediet.com/referrals.list?applyCode=COLIN-R91


----------



## ColinUK

Walked ten miles yesterday. Stuck to shakes and was definitely in calorie deficit. Put weight on  

And today I’m really craving bread. None of the local supermarkets have any of the lower carb options I’ve seen others post about so I either cave and have a baguette or I lock myself in and ride the craving out.

Help!!!


----------



## Ditto

I have the Exante shake powders with milk and I know you're supposed to have them with water? I don't think they mix as well as the SlimFast ones. They remain powdery and gritty compared to the SlimFasts. I will start trying others now I've read this thread.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> I have the Exante shake powders with milk and I know you're supposed to have them with water? I don't think they mix as well as the SlimFast ones. They remain powdery and gritty compared to the SlimFasts. I will start trying others now I've read this thread.


I started them with milk then switched to water. I find they mix better with water and ice but sometimes I still treat myself to one whizzed up with milk (and ice) but it’s more likely to be almond milk than diary these days.

Do you have a blender or do you do them by hand?


----------



## Snoozy Lou

@ColinUK step away from the bread aisle!  
I am gluten intolerant so it's more like punishment for me! What is your favourite low carb comfort snack along side this diet? 

@Ditto you use a blender to mix your shakes? I find that helps especially if you have one that crunches up ice.


----------



## rebrascora

Colin, lock that door and hide the key! 
If you are anything like me, one you start on the carbs your body just craves more. 
If necessary, find something low carb to munch on instead like a nice chunk of cheese or head out for another walk or get stuck into a good book and have a large glass of water. 
You have done fantastically well so far, so we know that you can beat this thing. 
I am just battling with a craving myself so I am going to go out there and harvest a big handful of chard from the garden and cook myself a rump steak to go with it. 
I need to get into a routine of eating more proper meals as I have been tempted to eat breakfast and then snack a bit on low carb stuff through the day and then either eat very late or just snack again at bedtime. I must be more disciplined. I always feel so much better when I have had a proper plate of food with lots of veggies.


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> Colin, lock that door and hide the key!
> If you are anything like me, one you start on the carbs your body just craves more.
> If necessary, find something low carb to munch on instead like a nice chunk of cheese or head out for another walk or get stuck into a good book and have a large glass of water.
> You have done fantastically well so far, so we know that you can beat this thing.
> I am just battling with a craving myself so I am going to go out there and harvest a big handful of chard from the garden and cook myself a rump steak to go with it.
> I need to get into a routine of eating more proper meals as I have been tempted to eat breakfast and then snack a bit on low carb stuff through the day and then either eat very late or just snack again at bedtime. I must be more disciplined. I always feel so much better when I have had a proper plate of food with lots of veggies.


I’m out of cheese, have no chocolate in (85% minimum but likely to be 90%+). 
I do have double cream so I’m going to have a coffee and then go for a walk.

This afternoon I’m updating my CV and sending it off for a job I did years ago (telephone fundraising) but needs must and all that.


----------



## ColinUK

Rather than have bread I appear to have done an extended intermittent fast. 21.5 hrs


----------



## rebrascora

Well done that man! Very impressive!
What amazes me is just how little food we actually need if we can distract our brain from that craving.


----------



## ColinUK

I have coffee (decaf with a dash of almond milk) and ride this through to the morning - so that should end up at least 36hrs. I'll break the fast with a tsp of Whole Earth peanut butter and follow up with a shake. Seems a shame to break the fast now as I'm not even peckish.


----------



## Ditto

I do so admire you all, I just can't do it. I use a SlimFast plastic shaker beaker £8 from Tesco and it's fine for the SlimFasts but the Exante's don't seem to mix so well. I also have another two shaker beakers which were only a pound from PoundLand.

Anyways I officially give up with the liquid diet and will just have to put up with nasty liver symptoms because I'm an idiot. I will try and do low carb like I've been trying to do for the last twenty years! 

I lasted till 7 and then the smell of Mum's fish pie heating up in the oven did for me. She then left it so I had it. If I was still living on my own I'd no doubt have been okay because I wouldn't have had tempting stuff in the house. I'm never tempted to buy junky stuff when I'm out, I shop healthy. It's when I'm in the house that I lose it.

Those old time monks and mystics used to know all about fasting, makes you feel good and saintly.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> I do so admire you all, I just can't do it. I use a SlimFast plastic shaker beaker £8 from Tesco and it's fine for the SlimFasts but the Exante's don't seem to mix so well. I also have another two shaker beakers which were only a pound from PoundLand.
> 
> Anyways I officially give up with the liquid diet and will just have to put up with nasty liver symptoms because I'm an idiot. I will try and do low carb like I've been trying to do for the last twenty years! Good grief, I'm a saddo.
> 
> I lasted till 7 and then the smell of Mum's fish pie heating up in the oven did for me. She then left it so I had it. If I was still living on my own I'd no doubt have been okay because I wouldn't have had tempting stuff in the house. I'm never tempted to buy junky stuff when I'm out, I shop healthy. It's when I'm in the house that I lose it.
> 
> Those old time monks and mystics used to know all about fasting, makes you feel good and saintly.


I feel your pain. I adore my mum’s fish pie.


----------



## ColinUK

And the weight loss this week.... 6.9lbs

20th May 2020    16st 03 1/2lbs
7th August 2020  13st 13 1/2lbs

In kilos that puts me at 88.8kg.
Can’t remember the last time my weight was below 90kg and it means there’s about another 7lbs to go to my initial goal.


----------



## ColinUK

Just gone back through my records and Nov 2020 I topped out at 16st 10lbs 

It’s no wonder I’m feeling different these days


----------



## Snoopyj

Wow well done @ColinUK


----------



## Ditto

Excellent. Interesting graph!


----------



## ColinUK

To hold myself accountable I’m posting this here. 
Please beware me something rotten if I break this early!


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Brilliant news about smashing the 90kg barrier @ColinUK 

How did the fast go?


----------



## ColinUK

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Brilliant news about smashing the 90kg barrier @ColinUK
> 
> How did the fast go?


I’ll let you know when it’s finished on Tuesday!


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

ColinUK said:


> I’ll let you know when it’s finished on Tuesday!



Oh my goodness! I didn't read the screenshot closely. That’s a long one!!


----------



## ColinUK

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Oh my goodness! I didn't read the screenshot closely. That’s a long one!!


Ooh Matron!!


----------



## Ditto

Lol. 

If I was talking to a member of my family and being bossy as usual and all pot/kettle I would say the piggy/fast isn't the way to go. That's what I've been doing my entire life and have doomed myself! Seeing as you're not a member of my family you can go tell me to take a walk off a short pier.


----------



## Sharron1

ColinUK said:


> I have coffee (decaf with a dash of almond milk) and ride this through to the morning - so that should end up at least 36hrs. I'll break the fast with a tsp of Whole Earth peanut butter and follow up with a shake. Seems a shame to break the fast now as I'm not even peckish.


Hi,  just read in an earlier post that you use the zero everything pretend pasta
Do you still eat it? .If so what do you put on it? I had some tonight,  the pretend penne and put a home made tomato and basil sauce. It was yum.  But wonder what else I could try. Cooking isn't really my thing, so it has to be simple. I tried a little without anything it was horrible.  BTW congrats on the weight loss.


----------



## ColinUK

Sharron1 said:


> Hi,  just read in an earlier post that you use the zero everything pretend pasta
> Do you still eat it? .If so what do you put on it? I had some tonight,  the pretend penne and put a home made tomato and basil sauce. It was yum.  But wonder what else I could try. Cooking isn't really my thing, so it has to be simple. I tried a little without anything it was horrible.  BTW congrats on the weight loss.


Whatever you’d normally have with pasta or noodles!
Tomorrow I’m having the fettuccini version with broccoli and mushroom stir fry which will have a little bit of olive oil and chilli with it. Nothing complex but a punch of flavour. 
They do a rice version and again you just sub it in where you’d normally have rice.
The spaghetti I cut into smaller strands to have as vermicelli in soup.


----------



## Sharron1

ColinUK said:


> Whatever you’d normally have with pasta or noodles!
> Tomorrow I’m having the fettuccini version with broccoli and mushroom stir fry which will have a little bit of olive oil and chilli with it. Nothing complex but a punch of flavour.
> They do a rice version and again you just sub it in where you’d normally have rice.
> The spaghetti I cut into smaller strands to have as vermicelli in soup.


Thanks. That stuff wonderful. The rice is my favourite. Good idea about cutting the spaghetti and putting in soup.


----------



## zuludog

I've recently started a diet, and have been using a couple of recipes from Roy Taylor's book, including cauliflower rice

The recommended method for making cauliflower rice is to zap raw cauli in a food processor
I haven't got one, so I tried the alternative method of using a coarse grater. That works, but it's fairly tedious
So I just chop it fine with a chef's knife on a chopping board
Then put it in a covered bowl with a sprinkling of water and microwave it for a few minutes

If you haven't got a microwave I suppose you could cook it briefly in boiling water, then drain it well


----------



## ColinUK

So just popped to the GP about my ear and she examined both. Said both were in fact blocked pretty totally. Expressed shock that I could hear at all. Advised me to stuff an olive in each four times a day or something like that. Presumably not the ones stuffed with almonds or chilli!

Mentioned BG levels and weight loss etc. Also mentioned my dizziness with metformin. Sure looked at my BG monitoring and said cut the metformin to one tablet add and when indicated by either the food I’ve had or a spike in BG levels.

Also booked in for an HbA1C check in September.


----------



## Eddy Edson

Anitram said:


> I used to suffer regularly from a blocked ear and always had it irrigated (previously known as syringed) at my Surgery. Last time they told me they didn't do syringing or irrigating any more. Instead I would have to go to hospital and have a procedure called microsuction. The nurse requested an appointment for me but after 3 weeks had gone by, and no news, in desperation I went to a Pharmacy and they recommended a product called Waxsol. Two weeks later my ear was clear.
> 
> I eventually got my appointment, 11 months after the nurse had requested it. How are you expected to suffer a blocked ear for 11 months before getting it sorted? The hospital at least had the good grace to apologise when I rang to cancel.
> 
> I later discovered that Surgeries are still able to perform irrigation but that it's no longer on the list of procedures that they are reimbursed for, so they've stopped doing it. This means, of course, that whereas sufferers were spread across multiple surgeries they are all now sent to the local hospital, thus immediately creating a long waiting list.
> 
> There are places that will carry out the procedure for a fee, usually £40 - £60, for anyone happy to go private. Some Specsavers branches do it.
> 
> Martin



Last time I got badly blocked ears I just used something like Waxsol and I also got an ear syringe thing from the chemist. Combination worked fine.

Colin: I'm guessing she said olive *oil* ??


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> Last time I got badly blocked ears I just used something like Waxsol and I also got an ear syringe thing from the chemist. Combination worked fine.
> 
> Colin: I'm guessing she said olive *oil* ??



I’m sure I just heard “tapenade”


----------



## Ditto

Can't you have your ears drained or don't they do that now? My Mum had it done once and she could hear again, a miracle! Tons wax came out, ewww.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Can't you have your ears drained or don't they do that now? My Mum had it done once and she could hear again, a miracle! Tons wax came out, ewww.


GP said that they will do that at the surgery but that I have to try an over the counter thing for 10 days first in order to soften the wax. 
I could go privately but as this is the first time I’ve ever had anything amiss with my ears, apart from selective hearing of course, I’m playing this by the book.


----------



## grovesy

Anitram said:


> Some surgeries, mine for example, have stopped doing it.


Most surgeries around here did it a number of years ago.


----------



## nonethewiser

ColinUK said:


> GP said that they will do that at the surgery but that I have to try an over the counter thing for 10 days first in order to soften the wax.



Par for course.

Standard procedure to use wax softener before syringing otherwise it would hurt like hell when warm water goes in under pressure.

Get  mine done every few years, always had problem with overproduction of wax, great when procedure is done & you can hear pin drop.


----------



## zuludog

I had my ears washed out years ago
I can't remember the details, but I had to lie on my side and pour some olive oil into my ear 'ole and leave it for 10 mins? 
Then swap and do the other one
Put a towel or similar on the pillow so the oil doesn't get onto it when you roll over
I did this a few times over 5 or 6 days then went & had my ears washed out

My GP said that of all the things that doctors must do I think this is one of the most disgusting

It didn't improve my hearing much, and when it was re tested there was still some deterioration
Doc said
 'You probably went to a lot of rock music concerts when you were a young man (true) It looks like you're reaping the harvest'


----------



## Ditto

I once came home from a gig totally deaf and remained so for two days. I'll no doubt be stone deaf in the end.  You miss out on such a lot when you are deaf. Two family members are deaf in one ear, one due to meningytis (sp?) Good grief, talk about topic drift!


----------



## ColinUK

I’ve gone through one bottle of Otex already and it’s made an improvement. Can’t believe how revolting the waxy deposits themselves are. The human body does produce some really quite revolting gunk at times!

Oh and weight has ticked up over the weekend and has registered 89.9 this morning so I’m knuckling down... that means zero cheating.


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> I’ve gone through one bottle of Otex already and it’s made an improvement. Can’t believe how revolting the waxy deposits themselves are. The human body does produce some really quite revolting gunk at times!
> 
> Oh and weight has ticked up over the weekend and has registered 89.9 this morning so I’m knuckling down... that means zero cheating.



Ear wax is indeed disgusting.


----------



## Docb

Eddy Edson said:


> Ear wax is indeed disgusting.



Just inadvertently pressed like on that one Eddy when I meant to press reply.  I believe that in previous times earwax was prized and collected for waxing twine.  Was not disgusting then.  How times change.


----------



## rebrascora

Just like human urine was used to launder clothes in Roman times and dog faeces and human urine used to tan leather even in relatively recent times in 3rd world countries.... surprising when new leather has such a wonderful aroma.
I think the Victorians were probably responsible for a lot of our current distaste for bodily functions and output.


----------



## Eddy Edson

Docb said:


> Just inadvertently pressed like on that one Eddy when I meant to press reply.  I believe that in previous times earwax was prized and collected for waxing twine.  Was not disgusting then.  How times change.



I often give silent thanks I was born in 1960. 

Most of human history has been crap, in comparison.


----------



## ColinUK

Weight stable at 88.4kg this morning. 
I’m going to up the water intake and hopefully that’ll be enough to get things moving again.

Initial target is 85-6 kilos but then there’s another at more like 82....


----------



## ColinUK

87.8

Blood pressure 109/69


----------



## ColinUK

I know all the advice is not to weigh ourselves daily but sod that.... 87.3kg today


----------



## Brend

Just jumped in to forum. Admire you Colin, well done. Your food types seem nice/informative. Do you have a list of main foods and snacks youre sticking to?. Need to do similar.. Thankyou


----------



## ColinUK

Brend said:


> Just jumped in to forum. Admire you Colin, well done. Your food types seem nice/informative. Do you have a list of main foods and snacks youre sticking to?. Need to do similar.. Thankyou


Hiya!
I’m largely sticking to the meal replacement shakes although I’m now at the stage where I’m introducing foods again - aiming for very low carb with healthy fats. So this evening I roasted some salmon and broccoli with olive oil and butter and some lovely spice mix. Didn’t need anything else with it really but I had a few almonds I chopped up for texture.


----------



## travellor

Did the shakes work?
I just eat whatever I want to now.
It certainly isn't low carb by any measurement!

I find fat is too calorific, so to avoid weight gain I mostly pass it by when I can.
Salmon and broccoli, the salmon baked in the oven with herbs and spices, and the broccoli blanched would be my meal.


----------



## ColinUK

travellor said:


> Did the shakes work?
> I just eat whatever I want to now.
> It certainly isn't low carb by any measurement!
> 
> I find fat is too calorific, so to avoid weight gain I mostly pass it by when I can.
> Salmon and broccoli, the salmon baked in the oven with herbs and spices, and the broccoli blanched would be my meal.


The shakes work really well. They’re generally tasty and they’re certainly filling.


----------



## travellor

Excellent news. I hope many others have the same success now the treatment is being rolled out by the NHS.


----------



## ColinUK

Hopefully it’s going to stop GP’s saying that people should just “shut up and take the tablets” and “there’s no point saying you’re going to diet as you’ll never do it”


----------



## ColinUK

87.1kg this morning. I tried to think light thoughts to see if I could coax the scales to 86.9 but to no avail today. I’m rather chuffed with 87.1kg though!

Checked BF and that’s still a bit higher than where I’d like it to be but it’s down a lot on where it was. Today it’s 27.9% and that’s down from 37% so a huge improvement but further to go I’m sure.


----------



## zuludog

Well done on your continued progress!

I'm resisting the temptation to weigh myself too often, I usually do it first thing every Monday morning, naked (don't let me put you off your dinner) and before I've had anything to eat or drink 

But please, what is BF? 
All I can think of is Body Fat, and if that is the case, how do you measure it at home?


----------



## ColinUK

I find it easier to motivate myself with daily weigh-ins. And they’re naked too because every gram counts!

BF is body fat. I’ve got digital scales so all I need to do is step on them and it spits out a whole bunch of data.


----------



## zuludog

Thanks

I also have digital scales, but they're simple ones that just give weight, though I can choose Imperial or Metric

I worked in a factory and there was a platform scale in one corner so it was easy to just step onto it to weigh myself; that's how I got used to kg
They went up to 200kg, but I never needed to go that high!


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> Hopefully it’s going to stop GP’s saying that people should just “shut up and take the tablets” and “there’s no point saying you’re going to diet as you’ll never do it”



I never had that.
Mine were amazingly supportive.

Now the VLCD is a recognised treatment to reverse diabetes, the roll out and take up should be even better hopefully.


----------



## trophywench

@travellor - last comment made my laugh - cos an awful lot of T2s have recognised it for a long time, it's the NHS which has dragged its heels by and large.

I'm awfully sorry - I'm not generally anything "-ist" but last Tuesday having a session with a DSN I've known for over 20 years by now when she asked me to sit down 'on the blue chair' I commented 'these two seater settees ..... still drive me batty!' - the seat squab is far longer than my upper leg and always has been.  Not whatever comfortable cos I'm a short arse anyway apart from not being very wide side to side!  I cried several times in hospital a couple of years ago with one leg plastered ankle to thigh and unable to reach the cot sides to haul myself up the bed, which it wasn't possible to flatten more so the tilt constantly made me slide to the bottom.  Bloody nightmare now smaller people have to all suffer the consequences of other people being too large.  There has surely got to be some middle ground?  Cos there have always been shedloads of folk bigger than me in every direction.  End of rant.  (For now.)


----------



## travellor

trophywench said:


> @travellor - last comment made my laugh - cos an awful lot of T2s have recognised it for a long time, it's the NHS which has dragged its heels by and large.
> 
> I'm awfully sorry - I'm not generally anything "-ist" but last Tuesday having a session with a DSN I've known for over 20 years by now when she asked me to sit down 'on the blue chair' I commented 'these two seater settees ..... still drive me batty!' - the seat squab is far longer than my upper leg and always has been.  Not whatever comfortable cos I'm a short arse anyway apart from not being very wide side to side!  I cried several times in hospital a couple of years ago with one leg plastered ankle to thigh and unable to reach the cot sides to haul myself up the bed, which it wasn't possible to flatten more so the tilt constantly made me slide to the bottom.  Bloody nightmare now smaller people have to all suffer the consequences of other people being too large.  There has surely got to be some middle ground?  Cos there have always been shedloads of folk bigger than me in every direction.  End of rant.  (For now.)



Well, I know being obese was the prime cause of my T2. I'm not entirely sure "an awful lot of T2's" would agree with your label though.


----------



## ColinUK

Slight uptick today with an 87.5 but planning on  fasting today so I should ease under the 86kg threshold by tomorrow.


----------



## ColinUK

travellor said:


> Well, I know being obese was the prime cause of my T2. I'm not entirely sure "an awful lot of T2's" would agree with your label though.


Many T2’s recognise that the support they get from their GP and from the DN too often is outdated and doesn’t encourage regular testing at home let alone anything like a VLCD or even a LCHF diet but pushes towards medication as the answer. Even though we know it isn’t (edited:  “always - some rely on a combination of medication and diet”).


----------



## Docb

ColinUK said:


> Many T2’s recognise that the support they get from their GP and from the DN too often is outdated and doesn’t encourage regular testing at home let alone anything like a VLCD or even a LCHF diet but pushes towards medication as the answer. Even though we know it isn’t.



Hi @ColinUK.  Totally agree with your sentiment but can I suggest a modification to your last sentence?  I would rather it said... "Even though we know it isn't *always so*."

There are some, myself included, who have found that the answer is in LCHF + medication.  I will grant you that the amount of medication is a hell of a lot less than that I would otherwise be taking.


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> Slight uptick today with an 87.5 but planning on  fasting today so I should ease under the 86kg threshold by tomorrow.


Fasting? 
Did you finish the VLCD or switch to a different regime?


----------



## grovesy

Ditto said:


> I did that AskMyGP thing and asked them if I could go on the new NHS liquid diet. This was the reply. Waste of time, they'll only tell me same ol' same ol'.
> 
> _Dear Mrs Bird, thank you for your message which has been passed on to me, although I don't think we have ever met. I note that you last HbA1C level in January 2020 was satisfactory at 44. I think it would be helpful to arrange to have your weight/height/BMI updated as I note that this was last done by Dr Pole in Dec 2019. Could I suggest that you arrange to see one of our Practice Nurses to have these measurements checked so that the situation can be updated. Once that's done, I would advise you make contact with one of the GP's to discuss the possibility of a referral to the dieticians, etc. Hope that helps. Best wishes, Dr Brand _


Sorry but if the Doctor has not meet you I agree, they need to review you.


----------



## travellor

grovesy said:


> Sorry but if the Doctor has not meet you I agree, they need to review you.



No doctor should prescribe any major treatment without this. I liased with my HCP at every step of my journey from diagnosis to reversal. I still attend all reviews every year.


----------



## ColinUK

travellor said:


> Fasting?
> Did you finish the VLCD or switch to a different regime?


I throw in the odd IF alongside the VLCD


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> I did that AskMyGP thing and asked them if I could go on the new NHS liquid diet. This was the reply. Waste of time, they'll only tell me same ol' same ol'.
> 
> _Dear Mrs Bird, thank you for your message which has been passed on to me, although I don't think we have ever met. I note that you last HbA1C level in January 2020 was satisfactory at 44. I think it would be helpful to arrange to have your weight/height/BMI updated as I note that this was last done by Dr Pole in Dec 2019. Could I suggest that you arrange to see one of our Practice Nurses to have these measurements checked so that the situation can be updated. Once that's done, I would advise you make contact with one of the GP's to discuss the possibility of a referral to the dieticians, etc. Hope that helps. Best wishes, Dr Brand _


Seems like an eminently wise response. All they’re doing is suggesting measuring the baseline and then referring you to a specialist from there.


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> I throw in the odd IF alongside the VLCD



Did you reverse your diabetes, or is the diet still ongoing?
Reading the thread, and the dates, did you do the full eight weeks on shakes, or start on a food diet, switch to VLCD,  then move onto  low carb food again?

I was wary of any change, as I did it right at the start when Professor Taylor was just making the news and no one actually understood the mechanisms behind his discovery.


----------



## grovesy

I thought they still did not know why it did not work for some.


----------



## travellor

A


grovesy said:


> I thought they still did not know why it did not work for some.


Another good reason not to change it?


----------



## ColinUK

travellor said:


> A
> 
> Another good reason not to change it?


I thought they’d said it’s firmly about the restriction in calories and the resultant weight loss. It doesn’t seem to matter how you get the weight off.

I have an HbA1C test tomorrow (well the bloods being drawn for it) and I’ll get the results next week. I’m not expecting it to be in remission but I’m going to be disappointed if there isn’t some good news from the blood tests.


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> I thought they’d said it’s firmly about the restriction in calories and the resultant weight loss. It doesn’t seem to matter how you get the weight off.
> 
> I have an HbA1C test tomorrow (well the bloods being drawn for it) and I’ll get the results next week. I’m not expecting it to be in remission but I’m going to be disappointed if there isn’t some good news from the blood tests.


----------



## travellor

I think it was more any weight loss would help a type 2 diabetic no matter what.
Professor Taylor had the question put to him once,  but never made any comments on what the result could finally be. Just any weight loss would obviously help. This was picked up by some to justify any sort of "diabetic diet" they preferred as the way to go.
As to reversing diabetes, the only clinical test has been to the original shake diet. Anything else is speculation.
I have asked the question on here.
I am pleased that I have had confirmation that a diet with slow weigh loss did work, but unfortunately to date, it was from only one person.
Even the original trial of the Newcastle diet had better results, from 11 people, and there are certainly a much larger sample size on here, on many other diets, so I can't make any comment on that.
I hope the alternatives do achieve the same results for as many.


----------



## ColinUK

86.9kgs!!!


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> 86.9kgs!!!



Yee-haw!


----------



## lord nelson

Hi Linda,
Can you tell me what you exactly were told to eat and drink including any water and shakes and what food please.

Many Thanks

Mark.


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

Brilliant @ColinUK


----------



## ColinUK

lord nelson said:


> Hi Linda,
> Can you tell me what you exactly were told to eat and drink including any water and shakes and what food please.
> 
> Many Thanks
> 
> Mark.


Mark the advice is generally to do what it takes to drop 15kg. Layered on top of that is the suggestion that the best way to do that is to follow a very low calorie diet - 800 calories is often suggested - and get rid of the sugars in your diet as you do it.


----------



## travellor

There is all the information on the Newcastle University website.



			Reversing Type 2 Diabetes - Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre - Newcastle University
		






__





						Reversing Type 2 Diabetes - Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre - Newcastle University
					





					www.ncl.ac.uk
				






			https://www.ncl.ac.uk/media/wwwnclacuk/newcastlemagneticresonancecentre/files/2020%20Information%20for%20doctors.pdf
		




			https://www.ncl.ac.uk/media/wwwnclacuk/newcastlemagneticresonancecentre/files/low-calorie-diet-article.pdf


----------



## ColinUK

HbA1C September 2020.... 38!

Got to pour all over the other test results but quite happy with that!


----------



## rebrascora

That is an excellent result Colin and reflects all your hard work. I hope the nurse/doctor was suitably impressed and gave you a big pat on the back. 
Huge WELL DONE!


----------



## travellor

Excellent work. 
A great effort, another great success, it does seem the Newcastle diet is the magic bullet..


----------



## Ditto

Fabulous, well done.


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> HbA1C September 2020.... 38!
> 
> Got to pour all over the other test results but quite happy with that!



Nice! 

But not surprised - well done.


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> That is an excellent result Colin and reflects all your hard work. I hope the nurse/doctor was suitably impressed and gave you a big pat on the back.
> Huge WELL DONE!


The nurse was stunned. She said I was the first person she’d ever seen reduced it by so much so quickly. She was also flabbergasted by the weight loss. 
Her notes had me at 107kg originally and I came in at 87 on their scales yesterday.


----------



## Docb

Add my congratulations @ColinUK.  Just shows what can be done if you make a plan and carry it out.  Keep the thread going, there is a lot in here that people can learn from.


----------



## ColinUK

Docb said:


> Add my congratulations @ColinUK.  Just shows what can be done if you make a plan and carry it out.  Keep the thread going, there is a lot in here that people can learn from.


I'll keep it going as I'm not finished yet! 
I've got more weight to drop as I'd like to lower my BMI and then I've got to keep it off.


----------



## zuludog

Hello Colin, and congrats on your continuing weight loss, diabetic results, and so on

But I wonder - have you got round to doing any of The London Loop yet?


----------



## ColinUK

zuludog said:


> Hello Colin, and congrats on your continuing weight loss, diabetic results, and so on
> 
> But I wonder - have you got round to doing any of The London Loop yet?


Some bits of it yes but nowhere near enough!


----------



## everydayupsanddowns

ColinUK said:


> The nurse was stunned. She said I was the first person she’d ever seen reduced it by so much so quickly. She was also flabbergasted by the weight loss.
> Her notes had me at 107kg originally and I came in at 87 on their scales yesterday.



Awesome results @ColinUK 

So pleased that all your hard work has paid off so brilliantly


----------



## adrian1der

ColinUK said:


> Diagnosed last week. In a rather unsatisfactory manner. (See my Bit of a Shock) thread in Newbies.
> 
> I’ve been 16st something for a while now and I know I really needed to shift at least three stone... worth noting that max weight over the last four years has been recorded at 17 1/2 stone.
> 
> Just wanted to share that today for the first time in living memory the scales showed my weight starting with 15! 15st 13 1/2lbs to be exact!
> 
> I’m not kidding myself that tomorrow it won’t be 16st something again but the trend is absolutely downwards!
> 
> Yay me


Well done Colin. I had my second positive result on Wednesday of this week but was already on a diet. My old house was 10 minutes from the Gym but we moved last year and it is now nearly an hour. When I worked out the cost of a family membership I dropped it and bought an exercise bike which arrived at the end of July. I was 19 and a half stone. Very pleased to see a number starting with 17 stone this morning! OK, 17 stone 13lbs is still probably 4 stone above where I need to be but proud to be moving in the right direction! Low carbs and lots of exercise seems to be, for me, the way to get my weight under control


----------



## zuludog

Congrats on your weight loss, Adrian, I hope it continues, but just an idea - 

If you're happy with your exercise bike and it works for you, fair enough
But while we have a bit of summer left you could try doing some walking, which would also give you some fresh air
And as we know, exercise has a rolling effect - the more we do, the more we are able to do


----------



## ColinUK

So time spent with family is always going to be a little fraught - especially with CV19 etc going on. But it was good to see the folks over this weekend even if it wasn't plain sailing. 
Two guests at dinner are T2 - both had cheesecake, pie, bread, potatoes etc and both said that they didn't know why I was fussed about anything... "there's no need to avoid anything" etc.... 

I was even told that intermittent fasting would "kill you" 

I bit back. I shouldn't have done but I did. And the eating post that meal has been not ideal. I've eaten bread, too much chocolate, too many nuts - I even ate an entire tub of ice cream last night (although it was the Moophoria one so it wasn't as bad as that choice could have been). 

I used my last BG test strip this morning (and the others are on the way I'm assured) and I measured 6.2 this morning so not too bad all other things considered. 

Gym membership restarts tomorrow and hopefully I'll rebalance what's going on relatively quickly. Weight has only gone up 1 kilo. 

C'est la vie.


----------



## grovesy

ColinUK said:


> So time spent with family is always going to be a little fraught - especially with CV19 etc going on. But it was good to see the folks over this weekend even if it wasn't plain sailing.
> Two guests at dinner are T2 - both had cheesecake, pie, bread, potatoes etc and both said that they didn't know why I was fussed about anything... "there's no need to avoid anything" etc....
> 
> I was even told that intermittent fasting would "kill you"
> 
> I bit back. I shouldn't have done but I did. And the eating post that meal has been not ideal. I've eaten bread, too much chocolate, too many nuts - I even ate an entire tub of ice cream last night (although it was the Moophoria one so it wasn't as bad as that choice could have been).
> 
> I used my last BG test strip this morning (and the others are on the way I'm assured) and I measured 6.2 this morning so not too bad all other things considered.
> 
> Gym membership restarts tomorrow and hopefully I'll rebalance what's going on relatively quickly. Weight has only gone up 1 kilo.
> 
> C'est la vie.


It is difficult in those situations. 
I have found that not getting to stressed about falling off the wagon, has stopped both the frequency of falling and the level of descent is less. 
Take care!


----------



## ColinUK

grovesy said:


> It is difficult in those situations.
> I have found that not getting to stressed about falling off the wagon, has stopped both the frequency of falling and the level of descent is less.
> Take care!


Yeah I get that. I tried to not get too fussed about the falling off the wagon - what's more concerning was that I lost my rag at the time and bit back knowing full well that it wouldn't serve any useful purpose by doing so.


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> Yeah I get that. I tried to not get too fussed about the falling off the wagon - what's more concerning was that I lost my rag at the time and bit back knowing full well that it wouldn't serve any useful purpose by doing so.


Everybody gets messed up by family from time to time, don't they?


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> Everybody gets messed up by family from time to time, don't they?


What really bothered me was the switch from "OMG you look so well" to "fasting is going to kill you!!" and that my folks just sat there and did nothing to defend me. It was dad's 80th birthday. Mum had made a cake "sugar free so Colin can eat it" - regardless of the fact that there were two others at the table who've been T2 for decades. 

No accommodation made in the foods cooked other than the one cake. I had time so knocked up a quick radish version of a potato salad for me... .with some spare "Ewwww that looks horrible!" - until they tasted it when they said it was delicious.


----------



## NotWorriedAtAll

ColinUK said:


> What really bothered me was the switch from "OMG you look so well" to "fasting is going to kill you!!" and that my folks just sat there and did nothing to defend me. It was dad's 80th birthday. Mum had made a cake "sugar free so Colin can eat it" - regardless of the fact that there were two others at the table who've been T2 for decades.
> 
> No accommodation made in the foods cooked other than the one cake. I had time so knocked up a quick radish version of a potato salad for me... .with some spare "Ewwww that looks horrible!" - until they tasted it when they said it was delicious.


I think you did very well.  Standing up for yourself isn't about making other people change their minds it is about helping you to feel less diminished by their behaviour.  You've done so well and now and then there will be glitches but then you are human and humans are not perfect. Good enough is good enough.


----------



## grovesy

ColinUK said:


> Yeah I get that. I tried to not get too fussed about the falling off the wagon - what's more concerning was that I lost my rag at the time and bit back knowing full well that it wouldn't serve any useful purpose by doing so.


But did you feel any better?


----------



## travellor

No point in telling people what they can and can't eat. All you can do is tell them what you eat.
At the end of the day, they are diabetic, but they are happy on their choice of diet.
(Even if you get offered things you don't eat, it just becomes an intermittent or low calorie day)


----------



## ColinUK

grovesy said:


> But did you feel any better?


Well of course not!


----------



## trophywench

I have long got past the point where I've had to tell most of Pete's family to removed half of what's on my plate - I can't eat half of what I used to (amount of food, not content) since I've got older so they all know they'll be scraping it into the bin if they dole out what they consider a normal portion of most things.  It just means there's more left for someone else and at no loss to me, if they dish up what I actually want instead!

'Harvester' pubs are a case in point really, with their salad bars.  Gimme a plate instead of a bowl and I wouldn't need a main course!


----------



## Ditto

It frightens peoples when you change. Just keep going.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> It frightens peoples when you change. Just keep going.


Thank you for that - it's what I really needed to hear


----------



## travellor

trophywench said:


> I have long got past the point where I've had to tell most of Pete's family to removed half of what's on my plate - I can't eat half of what I used to (amount of food, not content) since I've got older so they all know they'll be scraping it into the bin if they dole out what they consider a normal portion of most things.  It just means there's more left for someone else and at no loss to me, if they dish up what I actually want instead!
> 
> 'Harvester' pubs are a case in point really, with their salad bars.  Gimme a plate instead of a bowl and I wouldn't need a main course!



You need to stack the lettuce around the edges, that gives you a much deeper bowl!


----------



## trophywench

travellor said:


> You need to stack the lettuce around the edges, that gives you a much deeper bowl!



OOh yes, pizza hut ditto!  It's the rest of the salad I prefer above lettuce though.  I hate arty farty food, rather pay for a proper Tournedos Rossini than have a sodding burger they now serve on a brioche bun instead of a sensible white bread one I know the carb value of - plus of course I do not think the flavour of brioche enhances savoury food or vice versa - for me it has the opposite effect.  In France we buy supermarket ready sliced brioche which we toast and eat with marmalade at breakfast time.  Far less messy to eat than any decent croissant and no need to butter.  (I have one slice with a bare half teaspoon of marmalade, Pete has a lot more LOL)


----------



## ColinUK

87.9kg this morning.
That’s a direct result of the crap eating at the start of the week following the family meal. 
It’ll drop again soon enough.


----------



## Vonny

It will certainly drop again @ColinUK. You've had a couple of rubbish days, like we all do, usually when family is involved!

As my elegant mother used to say: "don't let the buggers grind you down"   but it's not always easy.


----------



## travellor

That's not a real change, and it'll just be water, as soon as you go calorie deficient you'll quickly lose that again,


----------



## ColinUK

As mentioned elsewhere it’s been a tough time recently and weight has suffered as a result.

BG and blood pressure etc has been fine. Resting HR right now is 63.

Weight this morning 90.3kg

So a significant improvement from where I started but undeniably a step back. This is not a sprint however and my spirit animal is 100% the tortoise so I can do this.

I’m back on the VLCD shakes and am planning on moving to a keto type way of eating once I’m at “target” weight.


----------



## rebrascora

Good to see you back posting again here Colin. It will help you to keep it updated. We all know how life gets in the way at times but onwards and downwards again now and great to see that your other parameters have not suffered.


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> Good to see you back posting again here Colin. It will help you to keep it updated. We all know how life gets in the way at times but onwards and downwards again now and great to see that your other parameters have not suffered.


I'm really rather buoyed by the fact that BG levels have been pretty stable throughout. It's been a mix of work stress, court case stuff, family stuff and a bout of flu - definitely flu and not CV19 as I tested negative. And I think I'm suffering a little from the lack of light as this is a north facing room so even with a massive window (roughly 12ft high by 4ft wide) the light levels drop as the day goes on. I may invest in a SAD desk lamp at some point to see if that helps.


----------



## grovesy

ColinUK said:


> I'm really rather buoyed by the fact that BG levels have been pretty stable throughout. It's been a mix of work stress, court case stuff, family stuff and a bout of flu - definitely flu and not CV19 as I tested negative. And I think I'm suffering a little from the lack of light as this is a north facing room so even with a massive window (roughly 12ft high by 4ft wide) the light levels drop as the day goes on. I may invest in a SAD desk lamp at some point to see if that helps.


I always find this time of year more difficult, but this year I am fearing more that it might be longer and darker. I have been fortunate this last week as have  been able to get out and do tidying in the garden. The walks over the fields are begining to get a bit muddy. 
May 32 year old son has been using his light for a few weeks he finds it helps.


----------



## Ditto

Your spirit animal made me LOL  I'm now trying to decide what my spirit animal is. Keep logging your weight, I need the inspiration.


----------



## ConfusedCraig

ColinUK said:


> So even with a massive window (roughly 12ft high by 4ft wide) the light levels drop as the day goes on. I may invest in a SAD desk lamp at some point to see if that helps.



Do you live in a church, or a building that used to be a church?  Only kinds of places I have ever seen such oddly shaped and sized windows before.


----------



## ColinUK

ConfusedCraig said:


> Do you live in a church, or a building that used to be a church?  Only kinds of places I have ever seen such oddly shaped and sized windows before.


Georgian house. I’ve got the ground floor and it’s pretty much north/south facing. Unfortunately the space where I work is north facing so very little light later in the day this time of year.


----------



## Drummer

I got a led lamp to put in the corner where I work, as it is dark and I am working in my own shadow. It is like having bright morning sunshine coming in and it makes a big difference to the ambiance.


----------



## ColinUK

Quite a few wobbles recently but overall still not bad. 

This morning I weighed in at 88.2kg.

My lessons come thick and fast from tracking my weight and how I feel. I know that if my weight creeps above 90kg I feel awful. I’m hot, sleep is worse than normal, I don’t like what I see in the mirror. 
89kg I feel better but still don’t like what I see in my reflection. 
88kg I can see a hint of a defined jawline. 
87kg I have more energy. 
86kg I sleep better.

I’m looking forward to spending time in the 85 and below zone to see how that feels


----------



## ColinUK

Been slow but today 87.5kg. This is getting harder and harder to sustain. So....
I’m easing off the shakes and switching to a more conventionally low carb way of eating. I’m not aiming for full blown keto because I wouldn’t ever bother tracking macros etc but I’m currently defrosting salmon and chicken and I’m heading out to buy eggs, ghee and a couple of heads of broccoli and cauliflower. 
I’m probably going to batch cook something with the chicken, I really fancy some kind of chicken and mushroom pie, topped with cauliflower mash of course, and eggs and salmon means I can rustle up something decent and warm for lunches during the week. 
I’ll still use the shakes but I’m not intending on buying anymore.


----------



## ColinUK

So now in the fridge I have a huge beef roasting joint, chicken, salmon, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, avocado, cream, unsalted butter, swede and eggs, Parmesan, aged Gouda, mozzarella and vintage cheddar. 
I’ve always got tonnes of spices and oils in the cupboard.

Now of course I’m not hungry in the least but I’ll start cooking again during the week. Working from home with the roast in the oven on a bed of swede etc would be lovely I think.


----------



## rebrascora

I'm on my way Colin.... what's your address?
My fridge is pretty much empty. I really should have gone shopping today but couldn't face the hoards. Going to tide myself over till Monday with some stuff out of the freezer and cupboards but only got a tiny amount of cheese left which is going on some cauliflower tonight and then I will be cheeseless!!! This is the diabetic equivalent of a desperate woman with no chocolate! Seriously concerned for the wellbeing of anyone who crosses my path tomorrow.... 
Added to that I am reduced to having tinned evaporated milk in my coffee, which needs a bolus of insulin, because I am out of both milk and cream.... things are not good here.  
That said, I have cracked open a bottle of wine and I am having a rack of lamb with my remaining celeriac chips from the other night which I am hoping will crisp up in the oven and some Brussel sprouts and the cauliflower cheese, so I am at least dining well tonight!


----------



## ColinUK

You’re welcome anytime @rebrascora 

Just let me know when you’re pulling into Kings Cross and I’ll come and meet you! Lol


----------



## rebrascora

How very kind! 
Sadly at this time of year I am tethered to home by my animals, but will definitely give you a shout if I am ever heading to the big smoke during the warmer months. X


----------



## ColinUK

Struggled with diet since December. 
I made the conscious decision to relax over Christmas and “reward” myself with whatever I wanted and I got into low carb baking in a big way as I’ve mentioned elsewhere. 
Throw in the stresses of January and weight has returned. Clothes are tighter, blood pressure is up, I’m less “comfortable”. Nowhere near as bad as it was this time last year but it’s time to get strict again and take back control. So I’m going to declare 2021 Fatxit lol and will be going back to the VLCD regime for a short while. 
Weight this morning, I’m almost embarrassed to say, is 95kg and I want to drop 12kg. I know I can do it but the next step will be finding a balance in the maintenance phase.

I expect I’ll have to adopt a strictly low carb way of eating and keep it relatively low fat and not scoff tonnes of cheese and nuts. 

That’s all for today folks.


----------



## travellor

Fats were always my problem. Anything puts the weight straight back on for me. 
A tub of butter will last me more than 6 months, 1 litre of oil over a year now. I confess to eating cheese, and bacon after cutting the fat off.
But it keeps the weight off, the BS and BP down, so I'm good with it.
And once you've mastered a stricter diet, and realised it is quite easy to control what you put in your mouth as you have found out, it's easy to switch it on and off as required.
You're be back on track before you know it.


----------



## Vonny

Sorry to hear you're struggling @ColinUK. I'm sooo tempted to relax a bit myself having had a couple of treats in January. They were fine, but a little voice is telling me "go on, have a few more". If I hadn't just got myself an entire new wardrobe and sent my old clothes to the charity shop I'd be more inclined to relax but as things stand I daren't! 

You have been one of my main motivators since joining this forum with your great weight loss and commitment. I know you can do it again x


----------



## ColinUK

Thanks @Vonny 

I know I can do it too. This is the end of the blip I had over Christmas and into January.


----------



## ColinUK

96kg on the nose today. 
Going back to daily weigh-ins and the 85kg target. 
Yes it’s tougher this lockdown around but the determination is there. I do need to be accountable though and posting here helps with that accountability.


----------



## rebrascora

ColinUK said:


> 96kg on the nose today.
> Going back to daily weigh-ins and the 85kg target.
> Yes it’s tougher this lockdown around but the determination is there. I do need to be accountable though and posting here helps with that accountability.


Be assured Colin, as regards to accountability, we are are following and watching your progress and ready to celebrate with you at every target reached and perhaps give you the odd kick up the bum, as we all need occasionally, when it looks appropriate.  We know you can do it!


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> Be assured Colin, as regards to accountability, we are are following and watching your progress and ready to celebrate with you at every target reached and perhaps give you the odd kick up the bum, as we all need occasionally, when it looks appropriate.  We know you can do it!


Kick away!


----------



## Leadinglights

Vonny said:


> Sorry to hear you're struggling @ColinUK. I'm sooo tempted to relax a bit myself having had a couple of treats in January. They were fine, but a little voice is telling me "go on, have a few more". If I hadn't just got myself an entire new wardrobe and sent my old clothes to the charity shop I'd be more inclined to relax but as things stand I daren't!
> 
> You have been one of my main motivators since joining this forum with your great weight loss and commitment. I know you can do it again x


One of the tips somebody gave me years ago was to get rid of clothes that were too big and if things then started to get a bit tight then you knew you had to double the effort to get back on track. It does seem tragic when you really like something. You have to hope somebody else will like it when you send it to the charity shop.


----------



## ColinUK

Leadinglights said:


> One of the tips somebody gave me years ago was to get rid of clothes that were too big and if things then started to get a bit tight then you knew you had to double the effort to get back on track. It does seem tragic when you really like something. You have to hope somebody else will like it when you send it to the charity shop.


That's fine in usual times but these are unusual times. If I threw away all the old clothes I'd have nothing to wear! And it's nippy around these parts lol


----------



## Ditto

Well done on getting back to it @ColinUK  I have no doubt that you'll get to where you want to be.

It's nearly 4, I have a bowl of sprouts and tuna next to me and I'm refusing to touch it till 4. My mouth is watering. I have decided to use my stubborness to help me get to 8stones this year. Do it or be damned!


----------



## Leadinglights

ColinUK said:


> That's fine in usual times but these are unusual times. If I threw away all the old clothes I'd have nothing to wear! And it's nippy around these parts lol


I did think that after I had posted it, not easy to even order on line as when your weight changes your shape changes at least it seems to for women and sizing is never consistent.


----------



## ColinUK

Leadinglights said:


> I did think that after I had posted it, not easy to even order on line as when your weight changes your shape changes at least it seems to for women and sizing is never consistent.


It’s never consistent for men either. And for us it’s usually S, M, L, XL so there’s no hope of knowing it’ll fit until you try it on.


----------



## Gwynn

Fatxit? I presume you'll be introducing 'broader' checks.


----------



## ColinUK

This morning 95.1kg 

It’s a step in the right direction that’s for sure. Quite a way to go though. 

It’s odd really as I know I feel considerably better weighing less than 90kg and I tracked this weight increase but didn’t feel motivated to do anything about it. Now there’s more to shift so it’s harder. Sometimes we really are our own worst enemies I guess.


----------



## ColinUK

95


----------



## Leadinglights

I am getting very despondent with my weight loss as I initially lost weight steadily 12kg but the last 2 months I seem to have just stuck pivoting up and down by less than half a kilo. I have not changed what I am eating and I can't think what I can do in terms of food. I am walking 3-4 miles per day.
I am hoping once the weather gets better and we will be working on the allotment, I will see some downward movement.
I still have lots of weight I need to lose but it has been there a long time, I never remember being the weight I 'should' be for my height.
Any suggestions gratefully received.


----------



## Eddy Edson

Leadinglights said:


> I am getting very despondent with my weight loss as I initially lost weight steadily 12kg but the last 2 months I seem to have just stuck pivoting up and down by less than half a kilo. I have not changed what I am eating and I can't think what I can do in terms of food. I am walking 3-4 miles per day.
> I am hoping once the weather gets better and we will be working on the allotment, I will see some downward movement.
> I still have lots of weight I need to lose but it has been there a long time, I never remember being the weight I 'should' be for my height.
> Any suggestions gratefully received.



Well, I guess the thing to do is cut down on intake? 

I find this body weight planner tool from the US govt NIH very useful:  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp   Put in your personal details, how much exercise you do, yr goal weight and how quickly you want to reach it, and it will estimate how many calories per day you should eat to get to yr target and how many you should eat to maintain.  Only an estimate, but built on the science from Kevin Hall's group, and they are tip-top in this field.

Also: ignore all the messages like "only carbs matter, not calories". They're wrong. If cutting back on "carbs" means that you eat fewer calories, then you'll lose weight, but there's nothing specially weight-impacting about carbs as such.


----------



## rebrascora

@Leadinglights 
Walking is great exercise but there is walking and there is WALKING. 
I just wonder if you have room to up the ante with your walking.... For instance increase the pace ie swing your legs a bit faster or actually lengthen your stride a bit or both and/or incorporate a hill or flight of steps into your route and really push yourself on those uphill sections to get your muscles burning and your lungs working. You have to concentrate initially to maintain a brisker pace or longer stride but after a while it becomes your new normal. I tend to "yomp" everywhere now rather than stroll or saunter. For me this is what helps not only to burn the fat but also improve my BG levels.... they will usually go up during this exercise (particularly on the uphill sections) but come down lower later. I am quite "lucky" i that I live at the bottom of a mile long and quite steep hill and if I can find time and motivation to yomp up that hill and jog back down twice a day I feel great and lose weight and only need a third less than my normal insulin daily dose. I am not fit enough to jog up and back and not sure I really want to do that anyway but just powering away at a good walking pace up that hill really burns fat and builds muscle.


----------



## ColinUK

Maybe swing your arms a little as you walk. Or even invest in things like wrist or ankle weights maybe.


----------



## grovesy

Is it possible that you have been eating slight more than you were, sometimes portion size can creep up without realising.


----------



## rebrascora

ColinUK said:


> Maybe swing your arms a little as you walk. Or even invest in things like wrist or ankle weights maybe.


I actually went so far as to do arm exercises whilst I was walking.... so punching the air above my head and out in front and then to the sides and alternating it with different arms in different directions. Keeps the mind agile as well as the body coordinating it all. I have also incorporated side skips like the footballers do. 4 one side then 4 the other and then 2s and then 4s again, particularly coming down the hill which really improves your flexibility. I used to get some really funny looks from people  and a wide berth which is always good in the current climate!


----------



## Leadinglights

Thanks for all your suggestions.
I have just looked back at my food diary from July and I don't think I have increased my portion size, reduced it if anything.
A quarter of a Nature Valley protein bar is the only 'snack' I have and 1 square of dark Choc at the weekend. Otherwise B, L and D.
Typically B: egg, bacon, mushrooms or tomato, scrambled egg and smoked salmon, or greek yoghurt and berries with sprinkling granola or all bran. L: homemade soup (sometimes), ryvita, ham or tin fish, cheese, salad veg, half apple or pear, few nuts. D: stirfry with chicken, omelette with mushrooms and cheese, veg and chicken tray bake, tuna or salmon, all with either salad or cauliflower cheese, brocolli, cabbage, kale or similar. sometimes half roll or thin slice bread. Dessert usually jelly with cream or mixed berries with cream or yoghurt or quark.
Does anything jump out as being a problem?
I walk with my other half but we will try to step up the pace of the walking, I normally takes us about an hour to do 3 miles, not sure if that is slow or not.


----------



## ColinUK

Leadinglights said:


> Thanks for all your suggestions.
> I have just looked back at my food diary from July and I don't think I have increased my portion size, reduced it if anything.
> A quarter of a Nature Valley protein bar is the only 'snack' I have and 1 square of dark Choc at the weekend. Otherwise B, L and D.
> Typically B: egg, bacon, mushrooms or tomato, scrambled egg and smoked salmon, or greek yoghurt and berries with sprinkling granola or all bran. L: homemade soup (sometimes), ryvita, ham or tin fish, cheese, salad veg, half apple or pear, few nuts. D: stirfry with chicken, omelette with mushrooms and cheese, veg and chicken tray bake, tuna or salmon, all with either salad or cauliflower cheese, brocolli, cabbage, kale or similar. sometimes half roll or thin slice bread. Dessert usually jelly with cream or mixed berries with cream or yoghurt or quark.
> Does anything jump out as being a problem?
> I walk with my other half but we will try to step up the pace of the walking, I normally takes us about an hour to do 3 miles, not sure if that is slow or not.


Difficult to say if that’s fast or slow for you but for me that would be a very gentle stroll. 
I’d expect to cover roughly 5 miles in an hour of not exceptionally strenuous walking I’d say.


----------



## Leadinglights

ColinUK said:


> Difficult to say if that’s fast or slow for you but for me that would be a very gentle stroll.
> I’d expect to cover roughly 5 miles in an hour of not exceptionally strenuous walking I’d say.


Thanks
I am only 5ft and a bit tall so haven't got very long legs and I am nearly 70


----------



## grovesy

Are your portion of berries, or the size of apple or pear the same?


----------



## Leadinglights

grovesy said:


> Are your portion of berries, or the size of apple or pear the same?


Pretty well, 2 desert spoons of berries, apples a bit random as they are home grown but down to the last 3 now.


----------



## grovesy

Was just a thought as it is easy to over do, and the size of apples and pears can vary.


----------



## ColinUK

A quick Google suggests that being able to walk a mile in around 16 minutes at 70 is good. So you're not far off that.
I know I walk quickly and I walk with intent rather than just for the sake of walking. That said I really ought to get out and walk more.

This makes interesting reading.... (it's a study into the impact of walking for distance or for time)





__





						Europe PMC
					

Europe PMC is an archive of life sciences journal literature.




					europepmc.org


----------



## Leadinglights

ColinUK said:


> A quick Google suggests that being able to walk a mile in around 16 minutes at 70 is good. So you're not far off that.
> I know I walk quickly and I walk with intent rather than just for the sake of walking. That said I really ought to get out and walk more.
> 
> This makes interesting reading.... (it's a study into the impact of walking for distance or for time)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Europe PMC
> 
> 
> Europe PMC is an archive of life sciences journal literature.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> europepmc.org


I think we almost do that on pavement but sometimes our route is on muddy footpaths so that slows us down a bit but good to know what to aim for. Thanks


----------



## rebrascora

I agree, terrain makes a big difference to the pace you can set. In trainers on roads and pavements I can nearly manage 5mph even with my short legs, particularly on the flat but if you factor in hiking boots and rough, muddy, uneven footpaths where you have to choose your footing and steeper inclines and descents it has a significant impact your overall speed.

My point was to push yourself a bit when out walking rather than just stroll as many people do. Walking with purpose rather than just as saunter as many people walking dogs do.


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> I agree, terrain makes a big difference to the pace you can set. In trainers on roads and pavements I can nearly manage 5mph even with my short legs, particularly on the flat but if you factor in hiking boots and rough, muddy, uneven footpaths where you have to choose your footing and steeper inclines and descents it has a significant impact your overall speed.
> 
> My point was to push yourself a bit when out walking rather than just stroll as many people do. Walking with purpose rather than just as saunter as many people walking dogs do.


Walking with purpose (or if you’re near the sea then maybe with porpoise) makes all the difference.


----------



## MAC2020

rebrascora said:


> I agree, terrain makes a big difference to the pace you can set. In trainers on roads and pavements I can nearly manage 5mph even with my short legs, particularly on the flat but if you factor in hiking boots and rough, muddy, uneven footpaths where you have to choose your footing and steeper inclines and descents it has a significant impact your overall speed.
> 
> My point was to push yourself a bit when out walking rather than just stroll as many people do. Walking with purpose rather than just as saunter as many people walking dogs do.


Agreed @rebrascora and @ColinUK walking with purpose really makes a huge difference rather than just plodding along. Check out articles on walking speed "Walking speeds predict longevity - slow walkers die younger"









						Walking speed could be a good indicator of longevity | Considerable
					

When it comes to your long-term health, slow and steady may lose the race. The speed at which you walk may be an indicator of your long-term health.




					www.considerable.com
				












						Walking Speed Predicts Who Will Live Longer
					

When researchers at the University of Pittsburgh pooled the data from nine large studies that involved more than 34,000 seniors, they were able to correlate walking speed in people 65 or older with expected longevity. The faster an older person can walk, the longer they can expect to live and...




					abcnews.go.com
				












						Health benefits of walking for people over age 50 - BoomerCafé
					

Walking is healthy, especially if you are over 50, and here are 6 facts to prove it.



					www.boomercafe.com
				




 Likewise walking up incline may not help your speed but you sure do get a great workout, strengthening muscles, bones, the whole lot. Also longer the distance aids endurance, also beneficial. And a recent article I read said dog walkers are healthier and have a longer life expectancy than non dog-walkers because they walk everyday. I use this to persuade Mr Mac2020 to let us move to the beach and get a red or golden retriever. He's still not convinced though!


----------



## ColinUK

94.1


----------



## Leadinglights

I have just read an article in this week's New Scientist, Metabolism Myths exploring the exercise, diet, weigh enigma. The gist is the human body has ingenious ways to confound the logical. Hard to know who to 'blame'.


----------



## EllsBells

ColinUK said:


> A quick Google suggests that being able to walk a mile in around 16 minutes at 70 is good. So you're not far off that.
> I know I walk quickly and I walk with intent rather than just for the sake of walking. That said I really ought to get out and walk more.
> 
> This makes interesting reading.... (it's a study into the impact of walking for distance or for time)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Europe PMC
> 
> 
> Europe PMC is an archive of life sciences journal literature.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> europepmc.org


This maps with what I've been doing. I've been trying to power walk* for 4.5-5 miles for round trips to things like appointments. At the 4 mile mark, I can feel that I've exhausted all the immediately available energy and it's tough doing the last 0.5-1 mile. A shorter walk of, say, 3 miles or for a 60-90 minute amble just doesn't seem to clear out the BG's anything like as effectively. Mind, my quads hate me this evening.

*loosely applied term to mean 3 mph at the moment as I am v. unfit. I used to walk everywhere until my 20s where 4.5 mph+ was power walking. I'll get there again.


----------



## ColinUK

94.1 (still. And willing it to break through the resistance level and get into the 93s - target is 86...)


----------



## Ditto

I've just got Tom Watson's 'Downsizing' out from the library 'how I lost 8 stone, reversed my diabetes and regained my health' in an effort to gee me up a bit as struggling at the moment. Keep going @ColinUK


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto That's a good read. And I'm not stopping until I get there!


----------



## ColinUK

Broken through the plateau it seems. 
93.1 this morning. 
5kg to drop to get me back to before Christmas weight.


----------



## zuludog

ColinUK said:


> Broken through the plateau it seems.
> 93.1 this morning.
> 5kg to drop to get me back to before Christmas weight.


Best of luck Colin!

I have also slipped in the past couple of months, thanks to some planned relaxation over Christmas; the cold weather; and Lockdown blues & boredom

I was about 83kg on Christmas Eve, now I'm about 86kg, but have re - started the diet 

I'm hoping that I will soon be 85kg again, and my plan is to get to 80kg


----------



## Ditto

Great news @ColinUK  I'm getting nowhere fast.  Good luck with your diet @zuludog


----------



## ColinUK

Diabetes review weigh-in next Thursday. So going to be ridiculously strict for the week. 

Although I did just have a tiny Lindt lindor egg. But eggs are low carb right?!


----------



## ColinUK

Thought my HbA1C might have ticked up a little given that it covers some awful months just past and it has indeed ticked up to 40.
Next one will be down and better than it was before.


----------



## ColinUK

As you all know I’ve been struggling. Mental health has taken a real battering and sleep is non existent. 
Standard stress response is to eat so I have been and I’ve been avoiding the scales. 
Yesterday I had a good day food wise (scrambled eggs, smoked salmon for brunch and a spicy broccoli, cherry tomato, courgette ribbons with a tiny piece of chicken stir fry thing) and today I’ve had three of the good old exante shakes (from the supply I’ve already got) plus a handful of almonds and some cubes of cheddar. 
No walk today as I honestly didn’t really feel like engaging with the outside world at all. Tomorrow I’ll walk and then later I’ve a Survivors group on Zoom. 
I’ve also told work I’d like to do two half days next week and then four the week after to ease myself back in. 
Oh and have to head to the doc’s on Friday to have blood drawn as there’s an “anomaly” with my kidney function results. 

So the least I can do is do my best to avoid the temptation to comfort eat and to drop weight again. 

I’m hoping that it’ll be easier this time but of course I know that’s possibly not the case. What is easier is that I’m different to how I was last time. I’m starting at a lighter weight and I know I can do it. 

I’m not going to rely on the shakes entirely this time as I feel that’s not best for me so I’ll be cracking open the cookbooks and making real food as well as using them. 

I’ll weigh myself in the morning and won’t be overly shocked if I’m 100kgs. Until then, good night folks.


----------



## travellor

Did you do the eight weeks shake diet originally?


----------



## ColinUK

@travellor  took longer than 8 weeks to get the weight off last time but I did basically stick to the shakes.


----------



## ColinUK

100kg on the nose. Let the feelings of inadequacy and self recrimination for putting on 15kg be just loud enough for me to lose each and every one of them again.


----------



## Feathers

Sorry you're having a tough time! Dealing with stuff without comfort eating is really hard - like a major support has been removed.


----------



## ColinUK

Just signed into the exante site to see what new flavours they’ve got and BOOM!


----------



## Feathers

Oooh nice! £70 will get you a pretty massive order there.


----------



## ColinUK

Feathers said:


> Oooh nice! £70 will get you a pretty massive order there.


Particularly when you take advantage of any offers. But always check if the diabetes discount (40%) beats any offer.


----------



## ColinUK

@Feathers  so how are you getting on with the Newcastle diet?


----------



## Feathers

Yeah Exante is good value but requires some maths 
I'm doing ok. Into week 3. Really missing the ability to comfort eat - doing this diet is exposing just how lacking in coping mechanisms I am, aside from food. And how much I rely on food to bring some happiness to my day  I'm seeing a nutritionist who specialises in sort of counselling for nutrition? But obviously that's an ongoing process, trying to get a healthier relationship to food.
I think the people who find Newcastle easy must not be comfort eaters.

I hope your next bit of weight loss goes well! How do you cope when you can't comfort eat?


----------



## ColinUK

Most often I’ll go to bed. That’s not ideal I know but if I head outside I can find the lure of comfort foods so ridiculously strong. 

That’s what it’s like at the beginning anyway. Once I’m back into the swing of things then I’m bolstered by the weight loss and it’s easier to maintain good habits. Until it isn’t.


----------



## Nayshiftin

Well fone


----------



## travellor

Feathers said:


> Yeah Exante is good value but requires some maths
> I'm doing ok. Into week 3. Really missing the ability to comfort eat - doing this diet is exposing just how lacking in coping mechanisms I am, aside from food. And how much I rely on food to bring some happiness to my day  I'm seeing a nutritionist who specialises in sort of counselling for nutrition? But obviously that's an ongoing process, trying to get a healthier relationship to food.
> I think the people who find Newcastle easy must not be comfort eaters.
> 
> I hope your next bit of weight loss goes well! How do you cope when you can't comfort eat?



I don't know if I comfort ate, I certainly boredom ate.
The Newcastle diet certainly reset that for me, although lockdown stretched that a bit as well.


----------



## Vonny

Lovely to see you posting again @ColinUK, and sorry you are having a bad time. Hope you get back into the swing of the shakes soon and ditch the extra weight. So easy to put on, so difficult to shift. Rooting for you x


----------



## ColinUK

100.3kg


----------



## Weekender

@ColinUK , @Feathers @travellor @Lordy48
Hi all - Day 17 for me and I'm having some challenges and would welcome your advice and experiences.

I'm very grumpy and also feeling fatigued, and my family are getting fed up with me.
It seems that these grumpy and fatigued feelings are getting worse as it goes on.

I've decided to mix in a 18:6 fast with the 3 shakes and a salad. So I have my first shake at 12 and nothing after 18:00
I'm also trying to fit in swimming, walking etc - as I read that exercise helps burn more visceral fat. Over the 17 days I average 1,400 activity calories a day  over my basal metabolic rate (1,900)

I feel pretty good from 07:30 till about 10:00 - the fat metabolism is doing its job
From 10:00 to 12:00 I'm particularly grumpy
After the first shake at 12:00 the wheels come off and I feel exhausted and have to lie down. I'm supposing this is caused by switching from fat metabolism to food metabolism - like crunching gears from reverse to forward.
I don't have energy to do much then have the Shake 2 at 2pm ish
A salad at 4pm and final shake at 6pm - occasionally with a 2nd salad
The evening then is just a 'bit hungry' (I hate it if we are watching Channel 4  - its wall to wall to food ads!)

I've lost 10kg so far and for the last 10 days I'm losing an average of 0.32 kilos - which will result in a loss of 22.72 kg after 8 weeks. So I guess I'm over doing it.
But I can't see how spreading out 3 shakes and a 2x salad / veg over longer would make a difference.
Maybe I should have more calories than it says in the plan?

Or is feeling grumpy and tired just normal and something to put up with? I explained to my family that cortisol levels rise when fasting and so grumpy is normal - but they weren't having it 

I would really value your experiences please .


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> Just signed into the exante site to see what new flavours they’ve got and BOOM!





ColinUK said:


> Just signed into the exante site to see what new flavours they’ve got and BOOM! View attachment 17359


I'll ask Mrs Weekender to place my next order - what is the code we can use to credit your referral Colin?


----------



## Feathers

Hey @Weekender - so you probably don't want to hear what I'm about to say as it could be depressing!

But I decided today I had to come off the diet. I've been low energy from the start, but this Monday (which was day 15 for me) it felt like someone came along and ripped my batteries out. I really tried to push through, but when I was still feeling like that this morning, I had to reevaluate. I'm down 10hrs work this week (I'm freelance), so it's costing me wage (and if it continues, risks annoying my clients). I'd reached the point where I was very numb, very emotionless. And where doing anything felt too hard - even going and getting a drink. I wasn't hungry - in fact, I didn't want to eat at all.

This did not feel like a healthy headspace to be in. And physically I felt awful. I gave it three weeks, including four days of absolute misery this week. I feel like that's a fair try.

So, I had a moderate lunch (550cals), and feel a little better. I am relaxing tonight. Tomorrow, I am going to switch to a 1200 calorie diet: shakes for breakfast and dinner, with a ~600 calorie lunch.

I still feel motivated (the overnight numbers have been so amazing), and I think I have enough confidence left in the diet to do another 9 weeks (for the total 12). It'll just be higher calorie (and thus less weight loss) in the end.

Edit to add: I know people report great energy levels on this diet. But I wonder if there is some "survivor" bias there? The people who hang around forums talking about diets tend to be the ones succeeding at them!

Edit to add again: I'm also hoping that if I am a bit less drained, I'll be able to get out and walk. Which might offset _some_ of the higher calorie (though obvs nowhere close to all)


----------



## Weekender

Feathers said:


> Hey @Weekender - so you probably don't want to hear what I'm about to say as it could be depressing!
> 
> But I decided today I had to come off the diet. I've been low energy from the start, but this Monday (which was day 15 for me) it felt like someone came along and ripped my batteries out. I really tried to push through, but when I was still feeling like that this morning, I had to reevaluate. I'm down 10hrs work this week (I'm freelance), so it's costing me wage (and if it continues, risks annoying my clients). I'd reached the point where I was very numb, very emotionless. And where doing anything felt too hard - even going and getting a drink. I wasn't hungry - in fact, I didn't want to eat at all.
> 
> This did not feel like a healthy headspace to be in. And physically I felt awful. I gave it three weeks, including four days of absolute misery this week. I feel like that's a fair try.
> 
> So, I had a moderate lunch (550cals), and feel a little better. I am relaxing tonight. Tomorrow, I am going to switch to a 1200 calorie diet: shakes for breakfast and dinner, with a ~600 calorie lunch.
> 
> I still feel motivated (the overnight numbers have been so amazing), and I think I have enough confidence left in the diet to do another 9 weeks (for the total 12). It'll just be higher calorie (and thus less weight loss) in the end.


Hi Feathers, well thanks for the update - it's not just me then  
I couldn't do the 800 calories and work at the same time. No way.
I'm semi - retired, just WFH 2 days a week so I can get away with flopping about.
Your approach sounds very sensible, please keep me updated with how you get on.
I may have have to follow your lead.
My problem is that I have never had the ability to be moderate. I can't have 1 pint, always pints all night, or a slice of pizza (always eat it whole) or a chocolate (eat the box).
So I'm pretty sure I would fail at 'sensible' and I'm reluctant to stray from the path.
But a strict 1200 might work


----------



## Feathers

@Weekender yup I'm similar. How does anyone eat just one jaffa cake? etc. This is why I'm sticking with the shakes, especially for the evening meal - I find the removal of decisions really helps. But I am worried I'll not stick to it.

Maybe it'll improve for you in later weeks. But if you do have to increase calories a bit, I'd love to chat strategies and how to manage that! Shout if you want a sort of diet buddy! I really hope you start to feel better on it though  

(and sorry for hijacking @ColinUK 's thread so badly!)


----------



## Leadinglights

No diet is worth making yourself miserable and ill. Managing your diabetes is all about finding a way of eating that you can sustain and when there is so much low carb options out there with fresh veg, meat, fish, cheese to make tasty meals from. The shakes diet is as it says a DIET with a start and an end not a diet for life. It might be a temporary quick fix but I have read of so many people who do that and months later have put all the lost weight back and sometimes more. Clearly it works for some people who engage with the regime.
I hope you can find an alternative that works for you.


----------



## Weekender

Feathers said:


> @Weekender yup I'm similar. How does anyone eat just one jaffa cake? etc. This is why I'm sticking with the shakes, especially for the evening meal - I find the removal of decisions really helps. But I am worried I'll not stick to it.
> 
> Maybe it'll improve for you in later weeks. But if you do have to increase calories a bit, I'd love to chat strategies and how to manage that! Shout if you want a sort of diet buddy! I really hope you start to feel better on it though
> 
> (and sorry for hijacking @ColinUK 's thread so badly!)


Absolutely Feathers. Diet buddy would be great
I've had a chat with family and agreed to adopt your "proper lunch" plan. No carbs obviously. I'd rather up the calories and keep exercising. Trying to exercise on 800 was,  on reflection, a bit stupid


----------



## Weekender

Leadinglights said:


> No diet is worth making yourself miserable and ill. Managing your diabetes is all about finding a way of eating that you can sustain and when there is so much low carb options out there with fresh veg, meat, fish, cheese to make tasty meals from. The shakes diet is as it says a DIET with a start and an end not a diet for life. It might be a temporary quick fix but I have read of so many people who do that and months later have put all the lost weight back and sometimes more. Clearly it works for some people who engage with the regime.
> I hope you can find an alternative that works for you.


----------



## Weekender

Feathers said:


> @Weekender yup I'm similar. How does anyone eat just one jaffa cake? etc. This is why I'm sticking with the shakes, especially for the evening meal - I find the removal of decisions really helps. But I am worried I'll not stick to it.
> 
> Maybe it'll improve for you in later weeks. But if you do have to increase calories a bit, I'd love to chat strategies and how to manage that! Shout if you want a sort of diet buddy! I really hope you start to feel better on it though
> 
> (and sorry for hijacking @ColinUK 's thread so badly!)


I'm the hijacker - sorry Colin


----------



## ColinUK

Weekender said:


> I'll ask Mrs Weekender to place my next order - what is the code we can use to credit your referral Colin?


Thank you!

COLIN-R91 is the key bit of the referral code but I think it only works on first orders.


----------



## ColinUK

Weekender said:


> I'm the hijacker - sorry Colin


As long as you’re not insisting we fly to Libya or somewhere like that feel free to hijack!

Shakes for breakfast and lunch plus a “proper” meal is certainly sensible.

You talk about the exercise you’re doing and I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be wise to up your calorie intake if you were to stay on the shakes. 

Newcastle diet et al is all about high calorie deficit for a defined period of time. There’s always different ways to use it though and some have used meal replacements for two meals and eaten sometime for the third. Some take weekends off and use products midweek to basically do a 5:2 approach.
At the moment I’m in a hybrid state where I’m starting to reintroduce the shakes but I’m not up to only shakes just yet. That’s likely to be from Monday for me. 
Even then if I’m hungry I’ll have an extra one, or chomp down on some cucumber or a few olives etc. 
The key is, as is often the case in life, tweak it so that it works for you.


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> Thank you!
> 
> COLIN-R91 is the key bit of the referral code but I think it only works on first orders.


Hopefully they won't check the address- I'll ask my daughter to do it. She's married. Mrs Allnighter


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> As long as you’re not insisting we fly to Libya or somewhere like that feel free to hijack!
> 
> Shakes for breakfast and lunch plus a “proper” meal is certainly sensible.
> 
> You talk about the exercise you’re doing and I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be wise to up your calorie intake if you were to stay on the shakes.
> 
> Newcastle diet et al is all about high calorie deficit for a defined period of time. There’s always different ways to use it though and some have used meal replacements for two meals and eaten sometime for the third. Some take weekends off and use products midweek to basically do a 5:2 approach.
> At the moment I’m in a hybrid state where I’m starting to reintroduce the shakes but I’m not up to only shakes just yet. That’s likely to be from Monday for me.
> Even then if I’m hungry I’ll have an extra one, or chomp down on some cucumber or a few olives etc.
> The key is, as is often the case in life, tweak it so that it works for you.


Thanks Colin

I imagine you would feel a bit fed up with shakes. I find there is an Exante base flavour and despite the brilliant range of flavours, it could get monotonous. I alternate with Optifast to add variety.

Good luck with the next chapter. It was your original  thread, found from Googling Newcastle Diet, that persuaded me to give the diet a go and join Diabetes UK. 
Your example is also why I'm posting stuff - it may help someone else down the line.


----------



## Lordy48

Weekender said:


> @ColinUK , @Feathers @travellor @Lordy48
> Hi all - Day 17 for me and I'm having some challenges and would welcome your advice and experiences.
> 
> I'm very grumpy and also feeling fatigued, and my family are getting fed up with me.
> It seems that these grumpy and fatigued feelings are getting worse as it goes on.
> 
> I've decided to mix in a 18:6 fast with the 3 shakes and a salad. So I have my first shake at 12 and nothing after 18:00
> I'm also trying to fit in swimming, walking etc - as I read that exercise helps burn more visceral fat. Over the 17 days I average 1,400 activity calories a day  over my basal metabolic rate (1,900)
> 
> I feel pretty good from 07:30 till about 10:00 - the fat metabolism is doing its job
> From 10:00 to 12:00 I'm particularly grumpy
> After the first shake at 12:00 the wheels come off and I feel exhausted and have to lie down. I'm supposing this is caused by switching from fat metabolism to food metabolism - like crunching gears from reverse to forward.
> I don't have energy to do much then have the Shake 2 at 2pm ish
> A salad at 4pm and final shake at 6pm - occasionally with a 2nd salad
> The evening then is just a 'bit hungry' (I hate it if we are watching Channel 4  - its wall to wall to food ads!)
> 
> I've lost 10kg so far and for the last 10 days I'm losing an average of 0.32 kilos - which will result in a loss of 22.72 kg after 8 weeks. So I guess I'm over doing it.
> But I can't see how spreading out 3 shakes and a 2x salad / veg over longer would make a difference.
> Maybe I should have more calories than it says in the plan?
> 
> Or is feeling grumpy and tired just normal and something to put up with? I explained to my family that cortisol levels rise when fasting and so grumpy is normal - but they weren't having it
> 
> I would really value your experiences please .


Delayed reply - didn’t get the notification until today  
Grumpiness was a constant with me for the first two weeks, I was a piggy wee moo! But I felt it settle down about week 3 or 4. I just did shakes and soups on the Counterweight plan, advice from other people who had completed it was to spread them equally and try keep to a routine so I had one at breakfast, lunch, about 4pm and then 7/8pm. After week 3 I didn’t feel hungry but I still wanted to eat, and sometimes I’d cheat and have a wee bite of something. This was more me just wanting to eat then being properly hungry and something I’ve had to kind of deal with and ask why I just want to scoff bad foods ‍♀️. I did have a 10 cal jelly every day which I saw as my treat and I felt that helped me a lot. I occasionally had some carrot sticks too. But mostly it was shakes and soups only. Spreading the meals like this evenly kept me from getting weak or dizzy, if I did miss my normal time and was a few hours off I did feel a bit rubbish. I would get dizzy quite easily at the start but I think it was a combination of the low calorie diet but also just moving and doing physical activities again because I’d been so inactive for so long! When I started my diet I was 26 stone, I’d been 27 stone the year before, and I sat on the sofa most of the time. By week 4 I had this burst of energy and wanted to try doing more but I wasn’t quite able to due to the low calories and needing to build my body up and get it use to doing stuff again. My advice would be try eating regularly rather than the fasting, see if that helps. Limit your exercise and activity, after all it’s a very low calorie diet and you don’t want to push your body too much. I’m on week 4 of food reintroduction, now eating 1400 calories a day and no more shakes. I can walk 10,000 steps a day and I’m doing weights and circuits 3 x week now I am eating again, I’m managing it and feel so much better. But I’d never have managed that while on my 800 calories a day. I’m down to 21 stone 1 now, 4 stone 13lb lost since March - still alot to loose but it’s going the right way. However if you are miserable on this plan it’s maybe not for you, and that’s ok - it’s not the same for everyone. But if you can maybe make some changes and stick it out hopefully you’ll get some good results. Definitely not easy though, completely sympathise


----------



## Weekender

Hi, it's fantastic to read about your progress. How wonderful that you are starting to strengthen up. That should be a big step forward in quality of life.
Week 5 for me now. I've noticed I get very strong food cravings in the evenings, but that I'm not actually hungry. Hopefully I will learn to just ignore these in time.
Best of luck, your story is a real motivation


----------



## Lordy48

Weekender said:


> Hi, it's fantastic to read about your progress. How wonderful that you are starting to strengthen up. That should be a big step forward in quality of life.
> Week 5 for me now. I've noticed I get very strong food cravings in the evenings, but that I'm not actually hungry. Hopefully I will learn to just ignore these in time.
> Best of luck, your story is a real motivation


Yeh the food cravings are hard, even now that I’m back eating food the craving for ‘bad’ foods are still there and I still battle with it. Just need to remind myself why I’m doing it and allow small treats now and then. If only chocolate, pizza and cakes were classes as healthy food lol and just think you’re nearly half way there, you can do it!


----------



## ColinUK

Taking advantage of the Penny Sale I’ve just ordered a tonne of shakes. And I’ve used the referral credits to almost cover the whole lot!
So I’m very grateful for all those who have signed up.

What’s going on for me?
Well mental health has improved as I’ve given myself space to start to deal with things. 
There’s a possibility that the long running legal thing may finally be settled this week but there’s no guarantee.
Food is more sensible now than it has been over the last few months. Still having the odd thing I perhaps should steer clear of but they’re much less frequently than previously. 
Weight has stayed pretty much flat but I feel more comfortable in my skin. 
I’m about to unfreeze my gym membership and I’m determined to walk proudly into the free weights room and know I’ve every right to be there regardless of whether I’m looking more like I’m carved out of lard than alabaster!

Off to the folks this weekend to do a tonne more gardening as I’m hoping that 15 saplings will have arrived and I’ve a tonne more persuading to do as I want then to agree that I build two raised beds from the lawn over the wall onto the patio.


----------



## Weekender

Nothing better for the soul than a bit of gardening. Nice to hear the clouds are clearing for you.


----------



## ColinUK

Weekender said:


> Nothing better for the soul than a bit of gardening. Nice to hear the clouds are clearing for you.


The thing to do is just remember that they’re only clouds. Not only do they pass but the skies are always blue above them!

How are you getting on?


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> The thing to do is just remember that they’re only clouds. Not only do they pass but the skies are always blue above them!
> 
> How are you getting on?


I would say, good. I think. I was saying to a friend that I think it's a blessing that 40 years of binge beer drinking can be wiped away in a few months. 2 stone down, and ideally another one to go.
I can't get on with weights, but I know I need to get to grips with them if I want to maintain my fitness. That's the next challenge I guess.


----------



## AdeV

Hi folks 

It's been quite a while since I've been around here - but I've come back because I'd accidentally let my weight get out of control again. And I'm specifically here because I started the Newcastle diet about 3 weeks ago, after reading Prof Taylor's book. 

I've not read the whole thread (waaay too many pages!), but I've seen enough that I can see my experience hasn't been totally dissimilar to others: First week I was pretty listless and down on energy; but I seem to have got over that, for the most part. I still get hunger pangs in the evening, which chunks of cucumber & salad leaves don't really satisfy (and tonight I caved slightly and had a 200cal portion of dry roast peanuts); but the 15kg/2.5st goal keeps me off the snacks, mostly. So far, I'm about half way to my target. I weigh daily, which can be depressing if it goes up overnight (even on less than 800 calories), but the overall direction is good.

I also try to spread my meals evenly - 8am, 1pm and 6pm +/- 1/2 hour. I got caught up with some work today & didn't have lunch until nearly 3pm; by which time I did notice I was flagging a bit. Possibly psychosomatic though?

Anyhow... just thought I'd chime in as another Newcastler (no Newky Brown, though! Boo!). Is it worth the pain? I hope so! If my blood sugar meter is to be believed, I'm now pretty much always in the 4.5-7 range, so I reckon my insulin resistance is already dropping again, even though I'm not there yet. Not going to test it with cake, though!!

Cheers,
Ade.


----------



## Weekender

Hi Ade, I'm on the same path - read the book and started 5 weeks ago. I recognise everything you say. Yes, I would say it's definitely worth it. There were a few challenges including constipation, low blood pressure, slowing metabolism etc which I waffle on about, with graphs on this Thread . I weigh daily too, and I get an up every day or so, I also hit a plateau this week (5) which I learned is normal - but very demotivating. I look forward to hearing more about how you get on


----------



## ColinUK

Bit of a breakthrough. 
Therapist said that it’s very common for survivors to want to change the way their bodies look in order to distance themselves from the trauma and also to protect from it happening again. 
Others I’ve spoken with have either dieted or exercised obsessively but consistently. 
Generally they’ve only experienced sexual assault either once or only from one person if it’s multiple incidents. 
I had three. 
First I was a slightly plump teenager. Then I exercised and bulked up. Cue the second. After that I lost lots of weight and shed all the muscle. I was clearly underweight. Cue the third. That led to zero exercise and lots of eating to put on fat and become “less attractive” and be less at risk. 
I’ve also dyed my hair blond, black, blue, ginger, orange, red, had highlights, lowlights, grew it long, shaved it all off, worn huge specs, gone for coloured contact lenses, worn flamboyant clothes, dressed to disappear. 
It’s all related to the sexual assaults. 
I’m still struggling with food but there’s a glimmer of understanding why I do what I habitually have done for almost 40 years. 
That has to help reframe my relationship with my body and my health.


----------



## ColinUK

And I’m rereading Prof Taylor’s book. 

Slowly but this is a marathon not a sprint.


----------



## Vonny

Given what you've gone through Colin, it's no wonder you have been all over the place with your food and body. I sincerely hope that you can work your way through and become the person you should have been. No one should have to go through what you have. Rooting for you xxx


----------



## AndBreathe

ColinUK said:


> Bit of a breakthrough.
> Therapist said that it’s very common for survivors to want to change the way their bodies look in order to distance themselves from the trauma and also to protect from it happening again.
> Others I’ve spoken with have either dieted or exercised obsessively but consistently.
> Generally they’ve only experienced sexual assault either once or only from one person if it’s multiple incidents.
> I had three.
> First I was a slightly plump teenager. Then I exercised and bulked up. Cue the second. After that I lost lots of weight and shed all the muscle. I was clearly underweight. Cue the third. That led to zero exercise and lots of eating to put on fat and become “less attractive” and be less at risk.
> I’ve also dyed my hair blond, black, blue, ginger, orange, red, had highlights, lowlights, grew it long, shaved it all off, worn huge specs, gone for coloured contact lenses, worn flamboyant clothes, dressed to disappear.
> It’s all related to the sexual assaults.
> I’m still struggling with food but there’s a glimmer of understanding why I do what I habitually have done for almost 40 years.
> That has to help reframe my relationship with my body and my health.



Colin, I will say up front that I haven't read your whole thread, but one thing I will (I hope) always remember from when I was having therapy, moving on from a nasty skirmish with anorexia is the Psychiatrist making an offhand remark that chimes loud and clear.  I'll paraphrase, but the essence was, .............

"It took a long time to walk this far down this (destructive, unhappy, unwell) road, don't be impatient on the return journey (to wellness and happier times)."

When I struggle with almost anything these days (decades on) I still recall those words.  they chime for so many scenarios.

I do hope you can make your way to healthier, happier times at your own pace and in your own way.  You deserve it.


----------



## ColinUK

Weight today 99.7kg 

Target is 87


----------



## Feathers

I'm sorry you went through that. It's brave of you to share all this.


----------



## Kreator

ColinUK said:


> And I’m rereading Prof Taylor’s book.
> 
> Slowly but this is a marathon not a sprint.


Good job @ColinUK - I found his book incredibly motivating - stay stong mate, and the rewards will come


----------



## Christy

ColinUK said:


> Bit of a breakthrough.
> Therapist said that it’s very common for survivors to want to change the way their bodies look in order to distance themselves from the trauma and also to protect from it happening again.


Hi @ColinUK  I hope this eventually leads to peace of mind for you. Awful trauma you've had to endure. Lovely to hear from you. We've missed you


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> Bit of a breakthrough.
> Therapist said that it’s very common for survivors to want to change the way their bodies look in order to distance themselves from the trauma and also to protect from it happening again.
> Others I’ve spoken with have either dieted or exercised obsessively but consistently.
> Generally they’ve only experienced sexual assault either once or only from one person if it’s multiple incidents.
> I had three.
> First I was a slightly plump teenager. Then I exercised and bulked up. Cue the second. After that I lost lots of weight and shed all the muscle. I was clearly underweight. Cue the third. That led to zero exercise and lots of eating to put on fat and become “less attractive” and be less at risk.
> I’ve also dyed my hair blond, black, blue, ginger, orange, red, had highlights, lowlights, grew it long, shaved it all off, worn huge specs, gone for coloured contact lenses, worn flamboyant clothes, dressed to disappear.
> It’s all related to the sexual assaults.
> I’m still struggling with food but there’s a glimmer of understanding why I do what I habitually have done for almost 40 years.
> That has to help reframe my relationship with my body and my health.


Hi Colin, thank you for being so open and sharing your insights. I'm sure lots of people who have suffered from abuse will recognise the truth in what you say. I'm glad to read that you are finding your therapy helpful. I doubt I would have learned to live with myself and others without it. (11 years of it 20 years ago!). I think what @AndBreathe writes is very valuable, the process can take a while, so be patient. My wife who is a therapist (and survivor)  recommended  The Compassionate Mind by Paul Gilbert to me and gave me her copy. Apparently we can teach ourselves to be compassionate towards ourselves and others. Our self loathing is a response to our history and can be unlearned.  When I get a chance to put this bloody stick I keep beating myself with down, I might get around to reading it one day. Keep on going, it sounds like you are on a good path


----------



## ColinUK

Oh what joy. 
No cheating at all and I’ve put weight on ffs. 
Only 0.3kg but still it does make me sometimes wonder what the point of even bothering is. 



I do know the point of bothering and will continue to do so.


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> Oh what joy.
> No cheating at all and I’ve put weight on ffs.
> Only 0.3kg but still it does make me sometimes wonder what the point of even bothering is.
> 
> 
> 
> I do know the point of bothering and will continue to do so.


You can't micromanage it to that degree.
That's 0.3 litres of water.
Around a cup of coffee.
You can sweat that out on a hot day, or a toilet break, and double or triple back in it after a meal.


----------



## Eddy Edson

travellor said:


> You can't micromanage it to that degree.
> That's 0.3 litres of water.
> Around a cup of coffee.
> You can sweat that out on a hot day, or a toilet break, and double or triple back in it after a meal.


What I was thinking. 300g is just noise.


----------



## ColinUK

Of course it’s within a margin of error for the scales and is the difference a glass of water makes but all we have to measure weight is the bathroom scale so if that’s what it says then that’s what you’re working with.


----------



## Kreator

Yep, I found my own body weight fluctuates as well, and 0.3Kg is neither here nor there - keep up the great work @ColinUK


----------



## ColinUK

I’m finally moving so that means defrosting food in the freezer because it won’t fit in the one in the new place. 

I’ve binned some stuff but might well indulge in a little forbidden fruits rather than chuck them all out. 

I’ll expect weight to nudge up if I do but it’s a conscious choice to eat the food. And weighed myself this morning and I’m 98.9

I’ve proven to myself that with prep I can make shakes and take them with me if I’m heading out somewhere and that the results are tangible. 

Yes Exante isn’t the easiest regimen to follow but I’ve a family thing in a couple of weeks so one day eating freezer food and then back on won’t do much damage to weight or BG averages. 

I’m expecting a review appointment late September and want to be into the low 90k range.

And I started a gratitude journal two days ago. This forum is in there already.


----------



## NotWorriedAtAll

ColinUK said:


> I’m finally moving so that means defrosting food in the freezer because it won’t fit in the one in the new place.
> 
> I’ve binned some stuff but might well indulge in a little forbidden fruits rather than chuck them all out.
> 
> I’ll expect weight to nudge up if I do but it’s a conscious choice to eat the food. And weighed myself this morning and I’m 98.9
> 
> I’ve proven to myself that with prep I can make shakes and take them with me if I’m heading out somewhere and that the results are tangible.
> 
> Yes Exante isn’t the easiest regimen to follow but I’ve a family thing in a couple of weeks so one day eating freezer food and then back on won’t do much damage to weight or BG averages.
> 
> I’m expecting a review appointment late September and want to be into the low 90k range.
> 
> And I started a gratitude journal two days ago. This forum is in there already.


Hello Colin,
I've not been on the forum for a while and the first thing I saw was your recent post and I just wanted to say hello and to tell you I am rooting for you still/again and I am glad you are sharing your journey and gaining support here.  You are a bright sensitive and self aware person and you are doing all the right things to find your path through this.  I admire your tenacity and resilience. I hope you are giving yourself the credit you deserve.  Hope your move and the family stuff goes okay for you. Keep on keeping on. You are doing so well.


----------



## mopinwil

ColinUK said:


> I’m finally moving so that means defrosting food in the freezer because it won’t fit in the one in the new place.
> 
> I’ve binned some stuff but might well indulge in a little forbidden fruits rather than chuck them all out.
> 
> I’ll expect weight to nudge up if I do but it’s a conscious choice to eat the food. And weighed myself this morning and I’m 98.9
> 
> I’ve proven to myself that with prep I can make shakes and take them with me if I’m heading out somewhere and that the results are tangible.
> 
> Yes Exante isn’t the easiest regimen to follow but I’ve a family thing in a couple of weeks so one day eating freezer food and then back on won’t do much damage to weight or BG averages.
> 
> I’m expecting a review appointment late September and want to be into the low 90k range.
> 
> And I started a gratitude journal two days ago. This forum is in there already.


I have just sent for Evante two week program to see what it is like regarding taste and success in losing weight using the wares they have.  I think this is very exciting for me because I have been using a low carb (100grms a day) diet for approx three months and I have lost 21 pounds so far - this is good for me because losing using any other type of diet failed miserably.  This has been without any effort and I am not feeling hungry at all and not necessarily doing any further excercise that I used to do.  I really hope this helps me lose a further stone within the next two months.  I will be getting a further supply of Exante in time to carry on for the next month if I like the product.  I will be back to report on my progress once they arrive and I have started.  
Regards to all 
Mo


----------



## ColinUK

So.... Not weighed myself for a while and not really intending to do so in the immediate future. I know that some things fit a little better than they were but I've still got too much weight compared to the ideal. 
Diet has ebbed and flowed over the last few weeks as I've continued to process other things. 
Legal stuff (not Survivors related) is still rumbling on and I've moved to the flat upstairs and had to say goodbye to my beautiful balcony. But the new place isn't too bad and I'm quite enjoying the 3m high windows and the light they give. 
As for the Survivors stuff, the formal group therapy ends next week and there's still one case ongoing with the Police. 

All that to one side and I have to say I've learnt more about what my body can accept or not regarding food recently than I have before. A little bread (as long as it's good quality "proper" French bread) seems to be OK whereas "standard" bread is a no go unless it's literally a coin sized piece. What really sends my BG skyhigh is anything which could even vaguely be described as a pudding. All the sweet stuff has to go unless it's made with almond flour and non-sugars but I'm not going to be baking much as I've no longer got a full-size freezer so there's nowhere to freeze batch/bulk cooked items. 

I'm re-reading Roy Taylor (again) and I've taken my Low Carb/Diabetic cookbooks down from the shelf and am starting to thumb through those again so there's been a small shift from thinking that the shakes are the only way I can go forward towards a more balanced mode where there's a mix of shakes and low carb food. However I'm confused about the best way to go forward for the weight loss. Yes the shakes are a sure fire way to drop pounds but they're so dull it lifesapping. But they do remove the element of choice and can stop the lure of the bakery at the end of the road as the smell of freshly baked goods wafts down the road. 
I suppose I need to make a decision whether I'm going to give the Newcastle approach another concerted go or if I'm going to switch to a more low-carb food based method of dropping the pounds. 
Obviously the only way to keep them off is to go food based so perhaps that approach would be better but I don't know if I can be bothered to cook that much right now with everything else I'm dealing with. 


Just wanted to vent some stuff on here so Thank You for reading it


----------



## mopinwil

I have been waiting for a week for a reply from my medic concerning the request to follow a recognised powder weight-loss eating program.  Not really satifactory when I proved that I have worked so hard dieting with a low carb, low calorie food weight-loss program and wished to go on to a powder food solution to have a break from having to make my meals from scratch each day.  It will be to do a powder based loss program or to risk falling off the low carb, low calorie food program -  I just need a break.  It will be interesting to find out when I actually get a telephone call from the surgery to say that my two forms have been signed to progress with the two matters in hand, one of which is Medics consent to go onto low powder weight-loss program,  I wish I knew what the hold up was.  If they say they are busy I can understand that but to just leave me hanging on for a response feels quite cruel to my way of thinking.  Sadly this appears to be a sign of the times where I live these days.


----------



## ColinUK

So last night saw the final session of the initial Group I've been attending at SurvivorsUK - It got a bit emotional yesterday with lots of time being spent expressing gratitude towards each other and sharing the insights we've gleaned into our selves. Also underscoring everything is of course our shifting perspective regarding whatever sexual trauma we've survived. 

We did swap contact details and we've said we're going to meet up IRL at some point but it does mark the end of something. Granted it's not "the" end but just an end. The support we get from SurvivorsUK is ongoing and there is now the option of individual therapy but there's a one year waiting list for that. It's a huge 48 sessions so it's over a year of 1-to-1 therapy which I think I'm going to go on the waitlist for. There's other things such as a Philosophy group I already attend and which provokes some really profound insight in the exploration of whichever philosophical idea we've been exploring that week. 
I think there is also a Creative Writing group and I am interested in joining that one as well. If it exists and isn't a figment of my imagination!

Dealing, or at least starting to deal, with my various sexual trauma has had an impact on my diabetes. As I've faced the reality of what happened I found it increasingly difficult to give the diabetes the brain space and the emotional energy it really demands. I largely went back to the old ways of eating with bread and crisps being a much needed comfort. That being said I was more mindful about the impact of what I was eating and the impact of cutting the exercise down to the bare minimum so it wasn't quite the same as it was before because I was different, my awareness was (and is) greater. But weighing things up I had only the energy to deal with the trauma and surrendered to that truth. I was confident that when there was the space to refocus on my diabetes management I would be able to do that. 

That's why I went quiet on here too. But I lurked whilst being quiet. And I took sustenance the routine nature of the posts I was reading. The daily posting of morning BG numbers. The gardening thread. The odd jokes made me smile. And the never ending stream of newbies coming here on a search for knowledge, comfort and support in the face of their diagnosis. To see that support and comfort freely given warms my heart and made me realise how grateful I am to each and every one of you. You give support freely. You give generously. You give from the heart and you don't expect anything back. 

I'm grateful to be a part of this bunch and wish you all a great day.


----------



## Christy

ColinUK said:


> That's why I went quiet on here too. But I lurked whilst being quiet. And I took sustenance the routine nature of the posts I was reading. The daily posting of morning BG numbers. The gardening thread. The odd jokes made me smile. And the never ending stream of newbies coming here on a search for knowledge, comfort and support in the face of their diagnosis. To see that support and comfort freely given warms my heart and made me realise how grateful I am to each and every one of you. You give support freely. You give generously. You give from the heart and you don't expect anything back.
> 
> I'm grateful to be a part of this bunch and wish you all a great day.


We've missed you @ColinUK. Good to hear how you're doing and that the support you've been given is helping you move forward. Take care.


----------



## Deleted member 33972

ColinUK said:


> I’m really missing bread/pasta/rice/biscuits today. And I mean *REALLY* missing them.
> 
> I’m about to make mushroom mapu tofu and I’m going to have it with konjac noodles as they’re absolutely zero carbs.


I’ve just googled these? Do they taste OK ?


----------



## Leadinglights

jeanettem1 said:


> I’ve just googled these? Do they taste OK ?


I found them completely inedible, smelt fishy, vile texture, they went in the bin.


----------



## Deleted member 33972

Leadinglights said:


> I found them completely inedible, smelt fishy, vile texture, they went in the bin.


TBH I feel sick thinking of the shakes as well. Colin said he felt very cold in his journey at one point. I tried the fast 800 on my own a few years ago. I’m 71 and was shaking with the cold. I decided it’s not normal for someone my age to feel cold like that. They said in a Facebook group I was in Ketosis.   I lost 6 lbs in 4 days but it was soon back on. It said when I googled they smelled like fish but you rinse them then cook them. I seen a programme with Japanese  making smelly tofu and the smellier the better. Japanese can’t get enough of it.  To each their own lol ty for your reply.


----------



## ColinUK

The smell is easily washed away and they cook well in a dry pan. 
They’re only really a change in texture and some are much better than others but they’re ok to me.


----------



## ColinUK

ColinUK said:


> Diagnosed last week. In a rather unsatisfactory manner. (See my Bit of a Shock) thread in Newbies.
> 
> I’ve been 16st something for a while now and I know I really needed to shift at least three stone... worth noting that max weight over the last four years has been recorded at 17 1/2 stone.
> 
> Just wanted to share that today for the first time in living memory the scales showed my weight starting with 15! 15st 13 1/2lbs to be exact!
> 
> I’m not kidding myself that tomorrow it won’t be 16st something again but the trend is absolutely downwards!
> 
> Yay me


So my weight is right back where it was when I started this journey. 

I did know I'd relaxed somewhat in regards to the amount of food I was eating and was pushing the carb levels too but with the BG figures being reasonable in the mornings I'd kind of let it slide. 
Added into the mix is all the mental health and stress stuff about the police reports, the other ongoing and seemingly neverending case, lockdown etc and I'm not shocked that the weight came back and I'm pleased that bloods have been reasonable ok throughout but it's time to drop the weight again and hopefully put something in place to keep it off. 

I've set an intention to get back to Park Run this weekend (and will be sporting my new compression running tights!) and I've reintroduced the Exante shakes back into my daily routine. At the moment I'm doing two or three shakes and a healthy meal but that's only because I've got some homemade chicken soup and some other low carb bits in the fridge which I'll use up, also it's mum's 80th birthday this weekend so that's going to be food related. 
I'm relaxed about things right now food wise and I'll tighten them up again after the b'day celebrations and will probably go to full Exante to drop maybe 12kgs or thereabouts before reintroducing foods. 

I'm not back to square one though as my relationship with food has changed and my awareness of what my diabetes is and needs is vastly improved as well. 

Weight this morning was 101kg down from 103kg yesterday (give or take a few hundred grams).


----------



## Rekhaw

Thanks ColinUk for your response to my concerns. Briefly my story is: 
I was diagnosed about 5 years ago and kept promising to get my glucose and weight under the limits. Last month i had to admit that my attempts were not working and agreed to go on to Metformin. I am not coping well with the tablets and was offered the REWIND programme this week but do not know anything about it. Such as do i have to have the shakes and soups ONLY for the first three months because that would drive me crazy without any Indian food or cooking. Does that mean that i cannot go out with friends etc for a meal.

I wondered if anyone on this forum has any experience of how they cope with these sorts of issues.


----------



## Leadinglights

Rekhaw said:


> Thanks ColinUk for your response to my concerns. Briefly my story is:
> I was diagnosed about 5 years ago and kept promising to get my glucose and weight under the limits. Last month i had to admit that my attempts were not working and agreed to go on to Metformin. I am not coping well with the tablets and was offered the REWIND programme this week but do not know anything about it. Such as do i have to have the shakes and soups ONLY for the first three months because that would drive me crazy without any Indian food or cooking. Does that mean that i cannot go out with friends etc for a meal.
> 
> I wondered if anyone on this forum has any experience of how they cope with these sorts of issues.


It may be that the 'diet' you were following was not as good as you thought it was for managing blood glucose. Have a look at this link for a possible way forward with real food if you like cooking.








						Freshwell Low Carb Project
					

Real Food, Low Carb, Good Health




					lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk


----------



## ColinUK

Rekhaw said:


> Thanks ColinUk for your response to my concerns. Briefly my story is:
> I was diagnosed about 5 years ago and kept promising to get my glucose and weight under the limits. Last month i had to admit that my attempts were not working and agreed to go on to Metformin. I am not coping well with the tablets and was offered the REWIND programme this week but do not know anything about it. Such as do i have to have the shakes and soups ONLY for the first three months because that would drive me crazy without any Indian food or cooking. Does that mean that i cannot go out with friends etc for a meal.
> 
> I wondered if anyone on this forum has any experience of how they cope with these sorts of issues.


If you're struggling with the metformin then ask to be switched to the slow release version as that's often tolerated much better than the "normal" version. 

Yes it's strictly shakes and soups etc for potentially 12 weeks. 
It is only 12 weeks. 
You can still go out. I certainly have and I've taken my own food/shake with me. 
It is only 12 weeks. 
You think you can't deal without your Indian food but would you rather do without your leg or your sight?


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> So my weight is right back where it was when I started this journey.
> 
> I did know I'd relaxed somewhat in regards to the amount of food I was eating and was pushing the carb levels too but with the BG figures being reasonable in the mornings I'd kind of let it slide.
> Added into the mix is all the mental health and stress stuff about the police reports, the other ongoing and seemingly neverending case, lockdown etc and I'm not shocked that the weight came back and I'm pleased that bloods have been reasonable ok throughout but it's time to drop the weight again and hopefully put something in place to keep it off.
> 
> I've set an intention to get back to Park Run this weekend (and will be sporting my new compression running tights!) and I've reintroduced the Exante shakes back into my daily routine. At the moment I'm doing two or three shakes and a healthy meal but that's only because I've got some homemade chicken soup and some other low carb bits in the fridge which I'll use up, also it's mum's 80th birthday this weekend so that's going to be food related.
> I'm relaxed about things right now food wise and I'll tighten them up again after the b'day celebrations and will probably go to full Exante to drop maybe 12kgs or thereabouts before reintroducing foods.
> 
> I'm not back to square one though as my relationship with food has changed and my awareness of what my diabetes is and needs is vastly improved as well.
> 
> Weight this morning was 101kg down from 103kg yesterday (give or take a few hundred grams).


Thanks for the post @ColinUK  - I was wondering how things were going for you. It's good to know your BG levels are acceptable, which is the main thing. Your relationship to food and what you have learned are bound to be valuable if you decide to tackle your weight.
There are times when I think about resetting my benchmark and also consider taking the drugs so I can relax my food regime, but I'm not really that fussed about what I am missing out on (bread, cakes, and beer).
I hope you decide to share on the thread how you get on with the running and the new phase of weight loss.


----------



## ColinUK

Weekender said:


> Thanks for the post @ColinUK  - I was wondering how things were going for you. It's good to know your BG levels are acceptable, which is the main thing. Your relationship to food and what you have learned are bound to be valuable if you decide to tackle your weight.
> There are times when I think about resetting my benchmark and also consider taking the drugs so I can relax my food regime, but I'm not really that fussed about what I am missing out on (bread, cakes, and beer).
> I hope you decide to share on the thread how you get on with the running and the new phase of weight loss.


It's my intention to share here and probably bits in the waking average thread too I'm sure. 

Yes the mmol is the most important thing but it'll be good to drop some weight again whilst keeping the mmol in a good place 

And thank you for your support!


----------



## Weekender

Rekhaw said:


> Thanks ColinUk for your response to my concerns. Briefly my story is:
> I was diagnosed about 5 years ago and kept promising to get my glucose and weight under the limits. Last month i had to admit that my attempts were not working and agreed to go on to Metformin. I am not coping well with the tablets and was offered the REWIND programme this week but do not know anything about it. Such as do i have to have the shakes and soups ONLY for the first three months because that would drive me crazy without any Indian food or cooking. Does that mean that i cannot go out with friends etc for a meal.
> 
> I wondered if anyone on this forum has any experience of how they cope with these sorts of issues.


Hi @Rekhaw  - I started the Newcastle diet 42 weeks ago. I think of it as 8 weeks. In fact most of the weight was lost in the first 4-6 weeks and my blood sugars were sorted by then. The diet is a challenge, but if you go with the flow, it's quite a rewarding experience. It's not that uncomfortable after the first three days as your body gets used to metabolising your fat. 
You are supposed to eat vegetables and salads along with the soups and shakes, and it might be an interesting challenge to see if a flavoursome Indian (vidic perhaps) recipes can be changed to keep with calorie limits.
I went out with friends, to restaurants and down the pub, and really enjoyed being virtuous (no beer for me, no chips for me etc) Once people know you are taking positive steps to fix diabetes they are pretty supportive.
There are a several people on this forum who have completed the diet and are pleased with their new life styles.
I have a thread which describes my experience week by week


			https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/newcastle-diet.93831/page-13#post-1153413
		

Good luck


----------



## ColinUK

@Rekhaw @Weekender And it's worth pointing out that there's no ideal time to start the regime either. There are always things in the calendar which are likely to derail you if you let them: birthdays; Christmas; holidays etc but then it can be said that the best time to start making the change is always yesterday so...


----------



## Vonny

Best of luck to you @ColinUK. As I think I've said before, reading your story was one of my inspirations in the early days of joining the forum. It's been an appalling time for people's mental health: lockdown, prices spiralling out of control and now Ukraine. The fact you've managed to pretty much keep your BG level is amazing, so once again you inspire us xxx


----------



## Ditto

Definitely.


----------



## Rekhaw

i think a detailed conversation with the dietian is required to work out how to combine the best of the options. I have also been looking at my past test results and feel that inaccurate decision has been made. 

Thanks for your suggestions.


----------



## ColinUK

Feel free to join in the rambling cover-all topics thread which is called 7 day waking average. 
It’s really used as a general check in and comment on anything and everything thread and it’s the best place to get to know those who post here regularly and one of the best places to ask for help too


----------



## Leadinglights

Rekhaw said:


> i think a detailed conversation with the dietian is required to work out how to combine the best of the options. I have also been looking at my past test results and feel that inaccurate decision has been made.
> 
> Thanks for your suggestions.


In what respect do you feel an inaccurate decision has been made?, if you are happy to say that is.


----------



## ColinUK

This weekend was full of celebratory foods as it was mum’s 80th birthday bash. 
And there was lots left over. Some came home with me and I finished it up yesterday. 

I’ll weigh myself tomorrow and count that as Day 1 of the next stint of VLCD eating. 
I’m aiming for 600-1000 calories a day so pretty much four meal replacement shakes a day (200 each) other than those days when I really don’t feel hungry or when I want a salad or something. 
Probably not going to weigh in every day but maybe I’ll do once a week Mondays. 

I’ve also got to factor in that I’m running this half marathon in a few weeks as well but that’s an excuse I guess. I’m certainly carrying enough spare fuel to get me over the finish line!


----------



## Ditto

Does you bg not go up with the drinks? Slimfast puts me in the double figures.


----------



## travellor

Ditto said:


> Does you bg not go up with the drinks? Slimfast puts me in the double figures.


Most people find it doesn't, but even if it does for the first few days, it soon settles back down.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Does you bg not go up with the drinks? Slimfast puts me in the double figures.


It does within an hour but it’s generally flat after two and then lower again.


----------



## Rekhaw

Leadinglights said:


> In what respect do you feel an inaccurate decision has been made?, if you are happy to say that is.


@Leadinglights i think the blood test results were taken as fasting when i had had breakfast only an hour before the test (I was told it was going to non fasting). I don't know if it makes any difference at all. I know my hb1AC is higher than normal levels so i suppose its being pedantic.


----------



## Rekhaw

ColinUK said:


> This weekend was full of celebratory foods as it was mum’s 80th birthday bash.
> And there was lots left over. Some came home with me and I finished it up yesterday.
> 
> I’ll weigh myself tomorrow and count that as Day 1 of the next stint of VLCD eating.
> I’m aiming for 600-1000 calories a day so pretty much four meal replacement shakes a day (200 each) other than those days when I really don’t feel hungry or when I want a salad or something.
> Probably not going to weigh in every day but maybe I’ll do once a week Mondays.
> 
> I’ve also got to factor in that I’m running this half marathon in a few weeks as well but that’s an excuse I guess. I’m certainly carrying enough spare fuel to get me over the finish line!


Good luck with your half marathon. Just to make that committment is a big achievement.


----------



## Rekhaw

Weekender said:


> Hi @Rekhaw  - I started the Newcastle diet 42 weeks ago. I think of it as 8 weeks. In fact most of the weight was lost in the first 4-6 weeks and my blood sugars were sorted by then. The diet is a challenge, but if you go with the flow, it's quite a rewarding experience. It's not that uncomfortable after the first three days as your body gets used to metabolising your fat.
> You are supposed to eat vegetables and salads along with the soups and shakes, and it might be an interesting challenge to see if a flavoursome Indian (vidic perhaps) recipes can be changed to keep with calorie limits.
> I went out with friends, to restaurants and down the pub, and really enjoyed being virtuous (no beer for me, no chips for me etc) Once people know you are taking positive steps to fix diabetes they are pretty supportive.
> There are a several people on this forum who have completed the diet and are pleased with their new life styles.
> I have a thread which describes my experience week by week
> 
> 
> https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/newcastle-diet.93831/page-13#post-1153413
> 
> 
> Good luck


Hi @Weekender thanks for your comments. I will have a look on your thread.


----------



## Leadinglights

Rekhaw said:


> @Leadinglights i think the blood test results were taken as fasting when i had had breakfast only an hour before the test (I was told it was going to non fasting). I don't know if it makes any difference at all. I know my hb1AC is higher than normal levels so i suppose its being pedantic.


If it was an HbA1C test from a blood sample from your arm and sent to the lab, having eaten would make no difference as that test is an average over a 3 month period of time.
A spot test from a finger prick, yes if you have eaten might make a difference if it was a carby food.


----------



## Mrs Mimoo

Leadinglights said:


> I found them completely inedible, smelt fishy, vile texture, they went in the bin.


they need to be rinsed, and then patted dry with kitchen roll. A bit of a faff but they are 20 calories a serving and not really any carb. I like them.


----------



## Rekhaw

Leadinglights said:


> If it was an HbA1C test from a blood sample from your arm and sent to the lab, having eaten would make no difference as that test is an average over a 3 month period of time.
> A spot test from a finger prick, yes if you have eaten might make a difference if it was a carby food.


ah well there goes my excuse .


----------



## ColinUK

101.0 kg today


----------



## ColinUK

BP today a lovely 96/68
RHR 64

Weight: 101.5


----------



## ColinUK

Nurse weighed me this morning and on their scales I’m 101 fully clothed so I’m taking that!!

Had my diabetes review this morning hence being weighed. 

She loves my feet! “I wish all my patients would take care of their feet like you do!” 

Cholesterol fine 
Kidney functions fine
BP fine etc

HbA1C retest in August and her full support to see if I can’t drop the weight I’ve gained and get this into remission. 

That support doesn’t actually include any actual “support” though as I’m not fat enough or ill enough to pass the entry requirements for any weight related NHS funded programmes of course. 

Have asked for an exercise prescription and GP happily signed that referral off this morning. 
It’s free membership to an excellent local gym for three months I think. 
It’s one I used to go to as it was a few minutes walk away from home but then I moved so it’s a good 30 - 45 mins walk now. It’s such a nice place to be. 
Flooded with light as it used to be a flower warehouse for Covent Garden market. 
It’s also considerably more expensive than the low cost one I go to now and I can’t really justify the cost but getting it on prescription is fantastic!





__





						Facilities - Jubilee Hall
					





					www.jubileehallgym.co.uk


----------



## ColinUK

Figures from the most recent blood work. Compared to 12 months ago. 
All are better now than they were last year even with the bit more weight and the slightly increased HbA1C. 

Cholesterol
Previous 5.8
Now 4.7

HDL
previous 1.3
Now 1.4

LDL
Previous 3.8
Now 2.7

Triglycerides
Were 1.5
Now 1.4

eGFR
was 76
now 85

ACR
was 0.84
now 0.39


----------



## ColinUK

Have to say the addition of a teaspoonful of Greek yoghurt (full fat - Waitrose No.1) to the Exante shakes makes the world of difference as it takes away that artificially sweet taste. Makes them much less challenging!


----------



## ColinUK

Some days are tougher than others. 
One of the side effects of the Exante shakes can make standard metformin seem like Immodium!
Yesterday was fine... today really not. It'll pass though. Literally


----------



## Ditto

I'm going to have to give it another whirl. I'll start with Slimfast and then get some Exantes which might not raise my bg so much. I need to be as determined as you and ignore the hunger pangs.


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto the key is water. If you're hungry have water. Make the shakes last longer by sipping them rather than gulping them down. Also the Birthday Cake bars are really rather good. They're a little solid and chewy and they taste decent enough. 
You can do this. 

I'm not as strict as I was the first time but what it's enabling me to do is step away from evil carbs. Sometimes I give in to the temptation of the very good bakery at the end of the road. Sometimes I'm good and buy a Liv-Life loaf or bake my own but that can start a slippery slope where I'll also bake cake. And as it's only me here I end up eating it! 

Of course it's better to bake low carb stuff but I can't normalise doing that too often as it's the thin end of the wedge, or slice of cake, which can lead to the odd packet of crisps and just a small bit of cake when I'm out and about.... 

You can do this. We can do this. Together!


----------



## ColinUK

Cheeky little weigh in… 
99.5kg


----------



## Ditto

Well done.  I'm not on it yet, but I'm trying to get myself in the zone. I will do it, I have no choice. I will be buying Slimfast today. I can't bear the thought really but must gird my loins and stuff.


----------



## Denise62

ColinUK said:


> I’m really missing bread/pasta/rice/biscuits today. And I mean *REALLY* missing them.
> 
> I’m about to make mushroom mapu tofu and I’m going to have it with konjac noodles as they’re absolutely zero carbs.


Well done for the weight loss, how do you have zero carbs at a meal? Do you miss your short acting insulin? If you only have a small amount of carbs how do you no how much insulin to give yourself? I’ve done the same thing for 40 years thinking I have to have carbs with every meal,


----------



## Robin

Denise62 said:


> Well done for the weight loss, how do you have zero carbs at a meal? Do you miss your short acting insulin? If you only have a small amount of carbs how do you no how much insulin to give yourself? I’ve done the same thing for 40 years thinking I have to have carbs with every meal,


Colin isn’t on insulin, so the same rules don’t apply. But when I have a no-carb meal, I find I convert some of the protein to glucose, but much more slowly. It’s been a question of experimenting, so I tested frequently (and it became a lot easier once I started using the Libre). I’ve found for a zero carb meal, I need no insulin up front, but about an hour afterwards I need to treat about half the grams of protein I ate as if they were carb, and inject accordingly. It may be different for you, but do some experimenting and see if you can make it work.


----------



## ColinUK

Denise62 said:


> Well done for the weight loss, how do you have zero carbs at a meal? Do you miss your short acting insulin? If you only have a small amount of carbs how do you no how much insulin to give yourself? I’ve done the same thing for 40 years thinking I have to have carbs with every meal,


As @Robin  says I’m not on insulin. 
I can have a pretty much carb free meal with meat, eggs, cheese, cauliflower and other veg but I tend to aim for lower than “normal” rather than zero. 

That said I’m out for a slap up Italian meal this evening and I’m ignoring all the rules and having garlic bread, olives, pizza and fully intend to have zabaglione. 

I’ll pay the price tomorrow but I’m almost out of test strips so that means it matters less right?!


----------



## Denise62

Robin said:


> Colin isn’t on insulin, so the same rules don’t apply. But when I have a no-carb meal, I find I convert some of the protein to glucose, but much more slowly. It’s been a question of experimenting, so I tested frequently (and it became a lot easier once I started using the Libre). I’ve found for a zero carb meal, I need no insulin up front, but about an hour afterwards I need to treat about half the grams of protein I ate as if they were carb, and inject accordingly. It may be different for you, but do some experimenting and see if you can make it work.


Ok Thankyou sounds complicated, think I’ll just stick to my carb meals.


----------



## Denise62

ColinUK said:


> As @Robin  says I’m not on insulin.
> I can have a pretty much carb free meal with meat, eggs, cheese, cauliflower and other veg but I tend to aim for lower than “normal” rather than zero.
> 
> That said I’m out for a slap up Italian meal this evening and I’m ignoring all the rules and having garlic bread, olives, pizza and fully intend to have zabaglione.
> 
> I’ll pay the price tomorrow but I’m almost out of test strips so that means it matters less right?!


 Ha ha Well you enjoy it, we have enough time stressing over meals. Have a good time.


----------



## trophywench

Well think of a bog standard English meal.  Lamb chop, spuds and veg.  Just don't have any spuds but have more 'other' veg, even if you simply have double the amount of what you were having anyway.  Or if the weather ever gets warmer again have a salad - eg cheese egg boiled ham (or all 3) with a good half plate of salad.  There's the odd couple a grams of carb in lettuce cucumber tomatoes onion etc but not in comparison to a slice of bread.  What's complicated about that?


----------



## Denise62

trophywench said:


> Well think of a bog standard English meal.  Lamb chop, spuds and veg.  Just don't have any spuds but have more 'other' veg, even if you simply have double the amount of what you were having anyway.  Or if the weather ever gets warmer again have a salad - eg cheese egg boiled ham (or all 3) with a good half plate of salad.  There's the odd couple a grams of carb in lettuce cucumber tomatoes onion etc but not in comparison to a slice of bread.  What's complicated about that?


So would I not have to give myself any insulin?


----------



## trophywench

Well you'd try it without and test before and test test test after, to see what happens.  Like has been said - you might need a bit for the protein - or you might not.  It's quite individual, for the simple reason that we're all different so what works for me or Inka or anyone else, won't necessarily work exactly the same for you or anyone else!


----------



## Denise62

Ok Thanks for your help, I’ll definitely try it.


----------



## ColinUK

101kg
Out for a slap up meal tomorrow so then back on the tighter side of eating and let’s get down to mid 90’s and then review progress. 
I’m not sure if this is post running with the body holding on to food out of shock. Not that the reason matters one jot, what matters is I’m still 15-20 kgs heavier than I’d like to be. 
I’ll reintroduce running soon so that’ll help I’m sure.


----------



## ColinUK

Today is reset day. 

I did this before and did it “properly” so I know I can do it again. 

Day 1 of 8 to 12 weeks of following the Newcastle diet. 

I’m not the same person I was when I did it first time around of course. My weight isn’t as high. My HbA1C isn’t as high. My knowledge about diabetes is greater. 
My way of eating has improved by quite some way but isn’t where I want it to be. 

I have weight to drop (fifteen kilos would be great). 

I’ve got some shakes in stock and have another delivery coming this week. 

I also have an appointment with a dietician for support. 

This forum and the members thereof are also a huge support and I thank you. 

I’ve laid out four shakes and will be having them approximately 8am, midday, 4pm and 8pm. That’s 800 calories. Timings may vary a bit because of exercise/sleep/life etc but that’s what I’m intending to do. 

Oh I made yoghurt over the weekend so I’ll put a spoonful in the shakes to cut the sweetness. 

Weight: 102.3 
Target: 87.3


----------



## Kreator

@ColinUK, we're all totally behind you mate, you've got this


----------



## Nayshiftin

ColinUK said:


> Today is reset day.
> 
> I did this before and did it “properly” so I know I can do it again.
> 
> Day 1 of 8 to 12 weeks of following the Newcastle diet.
> 
> I’m not the same person I was when I did it first time around of course. My weight isn’t as high. My HbA1C isn’t as high. My knowledge about diabetes is greater.
> My way of eating has improved by quite some way but isn’t where I want it to be.
> 
> I have weight to drop (fifteen kilos would be great).
> 
> I’ve got some shakes in stock and have another delivery coming this week.
> 
> I also have an appointment with a dietician for support.
> 
> This forum and the members thereof are also a huge support and I thank you.
> 
> I’ve laid out four shakes and will be having them approximately 8am, midday, 4pm and 8pm. That’s 800 calories. Timings may vary a bit because of exercise/sleep/life etc but that’s what I’m intending to do.
> 
> Oh I made yoghurt over the weekend so I’ll put a spoonful in the shakes to cut the sweetness.
> 
> Weight: 102.3
> Target: 87.3


Good luck hopefully with the support it should be great. I could not afford to do this. It will take great discipline well done I know you can do this.


----------



## Ditto

Good luck Colin, I will try and do it with you! Ha! Gonna start right this minute. Son will have to eat on his own today then, I'll be on the SlimFast.


----------



## ColinUK

Nayshiftin said:


> Good luck hopefully with the support it should be great. I could not afford to do this. It will take great discipline well done I know you can do this.


Exante offer 45% of everything for those with diabetes.
Also there’s a further discount if you use my referral code and haven’t bought from them before. 

*COLIN-R91*


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Good luck Colin, I will try and do it with you! Ha! Gonna start right this minute. Son will have to eat on his own today then, I'll be on the SlimFast.


I’ve never tried SlimFast. Is there a huge price difference or is it tastier?


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> Good luck Colin, I will try and do it with you! Ha! Gonna start right this minute. Son will have to eat on his own today then, I'll be on the SlimFast.


Oh and as Yoda said,


----------



## rebrascora

Best of luck Colin, not that you need it because you have done it before and you have all the tools to be successful. 

I am actually considering joining you. I hate the idea/principle of such highly manufactured food replacement stuff but I don't have the time or the motivation to cook at the moment and I am just skipping meals as a result...... aside from my daily breakfast yoghurt with stewed rhubarb and seeds, I haven't had a proper meal for days, just a pot of olives with feta or a packet of pork scratchings or some nuts. I need to make eating easier and more structured and balanced and I could do with losing a few pounds at the moment. I would find it hard to give up my morning coffee with cream and my yoghurt breakfast but having the shakes for lunch and dinner would really take the strain off. Will have a look at Exante. Thanks for the code.


----------



## Ditto

I'm not sure if SlimFast is any better than Exante, I am just used to it. I'm thinking Exante made with water might be a better option bg wise, but it will be trial and error. SlimFast is £2 a bottle in Asda but I've seen it cheaper elsewhere.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> I'm not sure if SlimFast is any better than Exante, I am just used to it. I'm thinking Exante made with water might be a better option bg wise, but it will be trial and error. SlimFast is £2 a bottle in Asda but I've seen it cheaper elsewhere.


I make the Exante with filtered cold water. I often throw in a few ice cubes. 
The spoonful of yoghurt can cut through the sweetness but actually they’re fine without. The ice just thickens the shake.


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> Best of luck Colin, not that you need it because you have done it before and you have all the tools to be successful.
> 
> I am actually considering joining you. I hate the idea/principle of such highly manufactured food replacement stuff but I don't have the time or the motivation to cook at the moment and I am just skipping meals as a result...... aside from my daily breakfast yoghurt with stewed rhubarb and seeds, I haven't had a proper meal for days, just a pot of olives with feta or a packet of pork scratchings or some nuts. I need to make eating easier and more structured and balanced and I could do with losing a few pounds at the moment. I would find it hard to give up my morning coffee with cream and my yoghurt breakfast but having the shakes for lunch and dinner would really take the strain off. Will have a look at Exante. Thanks for the code.


The whole point is to restrict choice so as to restrict temptation!
Yes having your morning coffee with cream and having yoghurt won’t be a problem if that’s what makes it work for you. 

Prof Taylor advises that after the initial weight is lost one weighs oneself daily. If you see a 1/2kg increase then get the shakes back out for a couple of days to drop it. 
For me that’s one of the hardest things to get my head around but it makes sense. 

With time, practice and support the idea is that one doesn’t need the shakes at all because weight is stable as you’ve learned which meals/food and portion sizes are fine for you. 

It’s all about balance really and the VLCD shakes help reset the scales. Literally and figuratively. 

Went for a bike ride this morning as I had unused minutes from the package I bought yesterday to get me to Waterloo and back. Popped into Boots afterwards to pick up some bits and can’t tell you how much I really wanted to go into the bistro nearby and order avocado and poached eggs on toast as a reward for committing to another round of Newcastle shakes. 

Dumb I know. So I came home. And I’m sipping the morning shake like a good boy.


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> The whole point is to restrict choice so as to restrict temptation!
> Yes having your morning coffee with cream and having yoghurt won’t be a problem if that’s what makes it work for you.
> 
> Prof Taylor advises that after the initial weight is lost one weighs oneself daily. If you see a 1/2kg increase then get the shakes back out for a couple of days to drop it.
> For me that’s one of the hardest things to get my head around but it makes sense.
> 
> With time, practice and support the idea is that one doesn’t need the shakes at all because weight is stable as you’ve learned which meals/food and portion sizes are fine for you.
> 
> It’s all about balance really and the VLCD shakes help reset the scales. Literally and figuratively.
> 
> Went for a bike ride this morning as I had unused minutes from the package I bought yesterday to get me to Waterloo and back. Popped into Boots afterwards to pick up some bits and can’t tell you how much I really wanted to go into the bistro nearby and order avocado and poached eggs on toast as a reward for committing to another round of Newcastle shakes.
> 
> Dumb I know. So I came home. And I’m sipping the morning shake like a good boy.


I think it's great you have made the decision to address weight gain by another round on the VLCD. I'm really interested in your experiences Colin as your thread was my inspiration to give the VLCD a go, and you are my 'pathfinder'. I hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions.

Do you think you need to go the full 8 weeks - I think I made over half the losses in the first 3-4. Wouldn't you want to accept that?

How quickly did your weight come back on? Was it gradual  or did you take the brakes off your diet and it happened as a result.?

Did you ever try intermittent fasting like the 5:2 diet?

You did a a half marathon a few weeks ago - I'm doing one on 14th June, so you were obviously exercising. I'm a bit concerned (for myself) that this didn't help keep your weight off - did it help?

I'm 4Kg heavier than I was when finished the VLCD 8 months ago. Actually I never made my target weight of 77kg. I'm now 83/ 84 kg. I have cut out a lot of carbs, but allowed myself to go back on the beer. For the last 4-5 months, I've been telling myself I am restricting my diet sufficiently and exercising. Like you, I have the idea that I might have a reset session of VLCD, but I feel it would be better if I had more control every day. 

A lot to think about, thank you for continuing to share your story


----------



## rebrascora

ColinUK said:


> I make the Exante with filtered cold water. I often throw in a few ice cubes.
> The spoonful of yoghurt can cut through the sweetness but actually they’re fine without. The ice just thickens the shake.


I don't really like cold/chilled things unless it is very hot so I might be inclined to add some psyllium husk or chia seeds to thicken it rather than ice and will defo be adding yoghurt. I do need to lose a few kgs but I am mostly looking to make having balanced meals and managing diabetes easier for a while.... I assume each pack has it's carb content on it fto enable me to insulin dose.    
I am toying with a 4 week pack with some extras. I am not a terribly fussy eater and can "mind over matter" most things I don't like, although a milk chocolate and mint combo is pretty challenging   and not overly keen on fish but guessing there is unlikely to be many/any fishy meals?? Is a box/pack a good idea do you think.... otherwise I just get overwhelmed with the choices. Also, where do I find the diabetes discount offer?
I see there is a free delivery and free gift if I purchase over £80. Are there any particular items that you would recommend to make my order up by a few quid to make the £80..... but then if I get a diabetes discount will that not count?

Sorry to bombard you with questions Colin.


----------



## ColinUK

@rebrascora You can continue to bombard me whenever you like Darling!


----------



## ColinUK

Weekender said:


> Do you think you need to go the full 8 weeks - I think I made over half the losses in the first 3-4. Wouldn't you want to accept that?
> 
> How quickly did your weight come back on? Was it gradual  or did you take the brakes off your diet and it happened as a result.?
> 
> Did you ever try intermittent fasting like the 5:2 diet?
> 
> You did a a half marathon a few weeks ago - I'm doing one on 14th June, so you were obviously exercising. I'm a bit concerned (for myself) that this didn't help keep your weight off - did it help?


In my head I'm setting aside the 12 weeks. I expect I'll have quite significant losses in the first 8 so will review as it's a weight target more than a time target. 

Weight returned gradually. 

And exercise certainly helps!


----------



## ColinUK

I do acknowledge that where I am is not the same place I was when I first lost the weight. I have experience of living with T2 for a couple of years and I've also got knowledge about ways of eating and how the weight gain/loss can make me feel. 

The biggest thing to learn from this time around is how to manage the transition to a healthy way of eating long term when this is done. 

I know I tried to push boundaries with what was acceptable for my body and that's led me to where I am now. I want to relearn that but amend the outcome. Instead of pushing carbs higher over time what I will focus on is breaking that link which still sees food as a reward or a punishment - so the emotional eating loop is the focus for the end of this period and that's possibly more beneficially impactful as I still learn to live with diabetes.


----------



## rebrascora

ColinUK said:


> I do acknowledge that where I am is not the same place I was when I first lost the weight. I have experience of living with T2 for a couple of years and I've also got knowledge about ways of eating and how the weight gain/loss can make me feel.
> 
> The biggest thing to learn from this time around is how to manage the transition to a healthy way of eating long term when this is done.
> 
> I know I tried to push boundaries with what was acceptable for my body and that's led me to where I am now. I want to relearn that but amend the outcome. Instead of pushing carbs higher over time what I will focus on is breaking that link which still sees food as a reward or a punishment - so the emotional eating loop is the focus for the end of this period and that's possibly more beneficially impactful as I still learn to live with diabetes.


I think that is a really insightful post.


----------



## ColinUK

Insightful yes, easy OMG OF COURSE IT IS!!


----------



## rebrascora

ColinUK said:


> Insightful yes, easy OMG OF COURSE IT IS!!


I deliberately avoided adding that it might not be easy to achieve, as I didn't want to add a negative tone to the thread. 

Long term eating habits/rituals/customs are really hard to break. You have to acknowledge the massive improvements you have made on the majority of days, on the occasional days when you fall from grace.... at least that is the way I try to tackle it. None of us are perfect and we will all lose control occasionally in one way or another. For me if the occasional indiscretion becomes less frequent, I am winning.


----------



## ColinUK

@rebrascora This is a safe space for spilling all the details of whatever transgressions you feel you want to get off your chest!


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> @rebrascora This is a safe space for spilling all the details of whatever transgressions you feel you want to get off your chest!


Apols if this is way way off target, but have you thought about or had a conversation with yr doc about Ozempic etc as a weight-loss aid?  

The mechanism of these semaglutides apparently is to adjust the hormonal gut-brain processes so that there isn't a constant impulse to eat, reducing visceral reaction to food sights & smells, and so on. 

They make it so that it may become possible to exert a feasible amount of willpower where before it was like trying to hold back the tide - as somebody put it.

Anyway, apparently they can work really well.


----------



## rebrascora

None at present because I am being good (polishing halo emoji  ) but I did eat a whole Easter egg a week after Easter which I bought as a thank you gift for someone and then didn't manage to get it to them in time and after Easter it was too late of course (looks like you are giving away something you didn't want.... and I so wanted it!!) so I was left looking at a sad lonely enticing egg that would be out of date by the following year. It was a dark chocolate "grown up" egg too so no point in giving it to a passing child who wouldn't appreciate it. Of course, once I started into it, I couldn't stop and I had to keep injecting insulin to cover it and my levels went horribly high and then after several hours of being mid teens and stacking insulin and chopping firewood to try to bring it down, they suddenly crashed and I was really ill and thought I might need hospital..... I try to keep that indiscretion in mind now each time I am tempted! It was scary!
I don't exactly do things by halves when I fall off the wagon . Pre diagnosis, I used to be able to eat a multi pack of Snickers or a whole box of Cadbury's Cream Eggs in an afternoon without feeling sick, so one large hollow dark choc Easter egg should have been a walk in the park, but my body/diabetes just can't take it anymore.

Thankfully the last few days I just haven't felt hungry at all, which is actually quite a pleasant relief as I haven't needed anything much other than breakfast but sooner or later that will change and I will get "hangry" which is why I am thinking some meal replacements might make it easier to get regular nourishment to prevent me getting to the craving stage. It is lack of routine which makes my diabetes difficult to manage.


----------



## Leadinglights

Eddy Edson said:


> Apols if this is way way off target, but have you thought about or had a conversation with yr doc about Ozempic etc as a weight-loss aid?
> 
> The mechanism of these semaglutides apparently is to adjust the hormonal gut-brain processes so that there isn't a constant impulse to eat, reducing visceral reaction to food sights & smells, and so on.
> 
> They make it so that it may become possible to exert a feasible amount of willpower where before it was like trying to hold back the tide - as somebody put it.
> 
> Anyway, apparently they can work really well.


There was an article in last weeks New Scientist about that very drug as being the miracle treatment for weight loss.


----------



## Eddy Edson

Leadinglights said:


> There was an article in last weeks New Scientist about that very drug as being the miracle treatment for weight loss.


The weight loss/metabolism experts I follow on twitter are pretty unanimous in hailing the advent of this class of drugs, and the new ones in the pipeline. Routinely get results which before would only be seen with bariatric surgery.

There goes the diet industry ....

Eg: Stephan Guyenet on the upcoming drug tirzepatide which reported further trial results last week: 



__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1520095015262842881
Like semaglutide, but even more so.


----------



## rebrascora

Eddy Edson said:


> Apols if this is way way off target, but have you thought about or had a conversation with yr doc about Ozempic etc as a weight-loss aid?
> 
> The mechanism of these semaglutides apparently is to adjust the hormonal gut-brain processes so that there isn't a constant impulse to eat, reducing visceral reaction to food sights & smells, and so on.
> 
> They make it so that it may become possible to exert a feasible amount of willpower where before it was like trying to hold back the tide - as somebody put it.
> 
> Anyway, apparently they can work really well.


From the people who have tried Ozempic on this forum, it seems to me that few are singing it's praises. I think most people seemed to find an initial benefit and that diminished with time. It certainly doesn't come across so far as a miracle drug from a users perspective!


----------



## Eddy Edson

rebrascora said:


> From the people who have tried Ozempic on this forum, it seems to me that few are singing it's praises. I think most people seemed to find an initial benefit and that diminished with time. It certainly doesn't come across so far as a miracle drug from a users perspective!


I really don't think you can tell anything much at all from anecdotes about people's reactions to drugs, except that it didn't work well for those individuals. The people posting about it here constitute some tiny tiny fraction of those taking it, and people generally are far more likely to post negative anecdotes than positive. 

And while it's also just anecdotes, there's a bunch of practitioners who present different stories. Just as an eg from a few minutes ago: 



__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1523661240954155011


----------



## ColinUK

Eddy Edson said:


> Apols if this is way way off target, but have you thought about or had a conversation with yr doc about Ozempic etc as a weight-loss aid?
> 
> The mechanism of these semaglutides apparently is to adjust the hormonal gut-brain processes so that there isn't a constant impulse to eat, reducing visceral reaction to food sights & smells, and so on.
> 
> They make it so that it may become possible to exert a feasible amount of willpower where before it was like trying to hold back the tide - as somebody put it.
> 
> Anyway, apparently they can work really well.


I doubt I'd qualify to be honest. I don't even meet the threshold for getting on to REWIND. 

Also I'd rather do this without medical intervention because there's a lesson to be learnt and I suspect it'd be harder to do so with semaglutides.


----------



## rebrascora

That last sentence...."You can make it more tolerable" is not exactly "selling it" and it is a doctor talking, not a patient experiencing it which says a lot to me.  

I am also not sure 0% drop out gives any indication of efficacy? .... Just that people have been put on it and are continuing to take it. I think this forum is not representative of the diabetic population at large as it is mostly self motivated people who come here to ask questions and learn and share their experiences and find what works for them. I consider that their views on Ozempic may be more relevant than the masses that just take the medication that the doctor prescribes them and don't seek any further understanding or alternative options. 

That said, I have no personal experience of this drug, just going by the posts that I have read here on the forum.


----------



## ColinUK

rebrascora said:


> None at present because I am being good (polishing halo emoji  ) but I did eat a whole Easter egg a week after Easter which I bought as a thank you gift for someone and then didn't manage to get it to them in time and after Easter it was too late of course (looks like you are giving away something you didn't want.... and I so wanted it!!) so I was left looking at a sad lonely enticing egg that would be out of date by the following year. It was a dark chocolate "grown up" egg too so no point in giving it to a passing child who wouldn't appreciate it. Of course, once I started into it, I couldn't stop and I had to keep injecting insulin to cover it and my levels went horribly high and then after several hours of being mid teens and stacking insulin and chopping firewood to try to bring it down, they suddenly crashed and I was really ill and thought I might need hospital..... I try to keep that indiscretion in mind now each time I am tempted! It was scary!
> I don't exactly do things by halves when I fall off the wagon . Pre diagnosis, I used to be able to eat a multi pack of Snickers or a whole box of Cadbury's Cream Eggs in an afternoon without feeling sick, so one large hollow dark choc Easter egg should have been a walk in the park, but my body/diabetes just can't take it anymore.
> 
> Thankfully the last few days I just haven't felt hungry at all, which is actually quite a pleasant relief as I haven't needed anything much other than breakfast but sooner or later that will change and I will get "hangry" which is why I am thinking some meal replacements might make it easier to get regular nourishment to prevent me getting to the craving stage. It is lack of routine which makes my diabetes difficult to manage.


Exante do some meal replacement bars which might suit. Some are awful however so it can be really hit and miss. The most consistently decent one is their 'Birthday Cake' bar - although it bares zero resemblance to any type of birthday cake I've ever seen. As long as you eat it slowly it's quite ok.


----------



## Eddy Edson

rebrascora said:


> That last sentence...."You can make it more tolerable" is not exactly "selling it" and it is a doctor talking, not a patient experiencing it which says a lot to me.
> 
> I am also not sure 0% drop out gives any indication of efficacy? .... Just that people have been put on it and are continuing to take it. I think this forum is not representative of the diabetic population at large as it is mostly self motivated people who come here to ask questions and learn and share their experiences and find what works for them. I consider that their views on Ozempic may be more relevant than the masses that just take the medication that the doctor prescribes them and don't seek any further understanding or alternative options.
> 
> That said, I have no personal experience of this drug, just going by the posts that I have read here on the forum.


If posts here have given you the impression that semaglutides aren't effective for weight loss it's a pretty good indication of the uselessness of message board anecdotes for broad judgements.  There is a huge amount of real evidence demonstrating that they are highly effective, on average. But there is also quite a wide variance, so some people will see little or no benefit, which I guess could well be a reason for the anecdotes.


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> I doubt I'd qualify to be honest. I don't even meet the threshold for getting on to REWIND.
> 
> Also I'd rather do this without medical intervention because there's a lesson to be learnt and I suspect it'd be harder to do so with semaglutides.


Cool.

Anyway, you can wait until they start putting it in the drinking water. (Joke!)


----------



## ColinUK

Most definitely not going to weigh myself every day however I’m half a kilo down this morning from yesterday.

That’s 101.7kg btw


----------



## Ditto

Fabulous, well done Col!  I am yet to start of course. There was a left over jar of curry sauce in the fridge so I had it with toast... like you do if you're a crazy lady at death's door. I will start asap. No choice, I feel horrendous and can't do anything now and I want to get in the garden. I might have to resort to prayers. In fact, I don't know why I haven't as they seem to work for everything else. I chopped my hand on an Ambrosia rice pudding tin and it's healing nicely now thank you powers that be. 

Good luck for today...


----------



## ColinUK

Trawling the old interweb for something random and found this. Thought it might be useful. It's the official Newcastle Uni diet sheet. 



			https://www.ncl.ac.uk/media/wwwnclacuk/newcastlemagneticresonancecentre/files/201809%20Sample%20Recipes%20&%20meal%20plans.pdf


----------



## ColinUK

Three shakes and a nosh on a cucumber (ooh Matron!) with some baba ganoush  and easily hit my additional water target of two litres already. 

And I’d forgotten how much the early days of the Newcastle diet turn me into a version of that famous Belgian statue!


----------



## ColinUK

100.9kg down from 101.7 yesterday.


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> And I’d forgotten how much the early days of the Newcastle diet turn me into a version of that famous Belgian statue!


It makes you get naked & urinate in public? The NHS is going to have some explaining to do ...


----------



## Ditto

I am making a start today. I nearly ate a fudge by mistake but son stopped me. The thing is I thought it was a Haribo and I was still gonna eat it, horrid cow heel sweeties yuck. I am starting with one milk shake and go from there. You are most inspirational C.


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto I find that we all inspire each other on this forum. In so many ways. 
That’s why I am grateful to be here.


----------



## Christy

You're so right @ColinUK


----------



## ColinUK

Bit of a wobble yesterday due to the update from the police but today's gone right back on track. Had a salad for a late breakfast and have had a shake and a litre of water already. 

Feeling quite pleased with myself that I have managed to get through the lawyers meeting this morning and work this afternoon. And my new specs are very odd - the weird distortions will take a bit of getting used to I'm sure. I'll be venturing out in the them after work this afternoon so that's going to be fun! Just need to relax and settle into them I guess. 

Didn't weigh myself today but will weigh tomorrow. I'm expecting it to be a little up on yesterday as I did eat my feelings last night.


----------



## Ditto

Only to be expected, well done on the damage control.


----------



## ColinUK

Interesting consultation with the dietician. 

Basically she said if you’re following the Newcastle diet then follow it. Don’t deviate. 
Don’t go into food shops. 

Also said that she was a Christian and would pray for me.


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> Interesting consultation with the dietician.
> 
> Basically she said if you’re following the Newcastle diet then follow it. Don’t deviate.
> Don’t go into food shops.
> 
> Also said that she was a Christian and would pray for me.



It's the only one that has been clinically tested, although a lot of money has been made by people inventing their own version off the back of it.


----------



## Weekender

ColinUK said:


> In my head I'm setting aside the 12 weeks. I expect I'll have quite significant losses in the first 8 so will review as it's a weight target more than a time target.
> 
> Weight returned gradually.
> 
> And exercise certainly helps!


Thanks Colin, very helpful


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> Also said that she was a Christian and would pray for me.


It would depend so much on how she said this, whether to take it as kind of nice or kind of creepy ...

As far as the actual advice goes, I think it has to be right.  One of the things about the ND strictly applied is that you actually know how many calories you're getting. 

Start fiddling with it, and you're moving back towards the normal situation where people are just really bad at estimating calories and generally underestimate by a lot. A bit of that dip, some dressing on that, some of that cheese ...

And if you combine that with eg a belief that carbs somehow cause weight gain independent of calories, which they don't, then there's another trap: Oh I may have eaten some extra calories but it was all low carb so it doesn't matter so much ...

I didn't do the ND as such, instead taking things a bit more gently, but I imagine the big pay off long term from the ND is the same reduction in the Pavlovian response to sights and smells. These days I have only a very mild response to things which before would have been compelling but ultimately both disappointing and unhealthy: eating overpriced crap at poxy cafes, chowing down on a croissant in between meetings, etc etc. (I imagine that semaglutide etc have the same kind of effect in reducing those signals to a level where they are mildly interesting at most, not compelling.)

If you continue to inflict the same stimuli on yourself by eg hanging out at the same food stores and cafes, then maybe it's harder to get to that point ...


----------



## ColinUK

After last week with wobbles etc I’ve embraced a new determination. 
One day at a time etc…

101.2kg


----------



## Ditto

You're doing great, I can't even get on it. I will though if only because it's a cheaper way to live. Circumstances are becoming difficult. Son is complaining that his favourite £2.50 burgers are now £4. Thank goodness I never eat burgers.  I have all my tins of SlimFast in, just have to acquire the motivation from somewhere. How come it was easy when I was 14? Now I'm 68 I don't give a rat's ass about anything.  CheekyCat went over the Rainbow Bridge today, but I never need an excuse anyways.

Prayers work imho. My daughter prayed to St Jude and put her hands right on her keys in the long grass. Faith is everything.


----------



## ColinUK

Ditto said:


> You're doing great, I can't even get on it. I will though if only because it's a cheaper way to live. Circumstances are becoming difficult. Son is complaining that his favourite £2.50 burgers are now £4. Thank goodness I never eat burgers.  I have all my tins of SlimFast in, just have to acquire the motivation from somewhere. How come it was easy when I was 14? Now I'm 68 I don't give a rat's ass about anything.  CheekyCat went over the Rainbow Bridge today, but I never need an excuse anyways.
> 
> Prayers work imho. My daughter prayed to St Jude and put her hands right on her keys in the long grass. Faith is everything.


Faith is an odd thing. One of my friends has a really strong faith and I like seeing that he does. It’s not a typical Judeo-Christian faith although it’s very much of that ilk. 
I can see that it gives him comfort and strength and that is good to see but it’s not something I share. 
Yes I’m Jewish and I do observe some of the festivals and follow some of the practices in my own way but I’d never say I had faith. 
For me the following of my version of Jewish tradition and practice is less about the faith but more about the family and belonging to a wider social group I guess. 
It’s hard to explain but it feels that I’m honouring my ancestors who were murdered because of being Jewish. I’m not even that keen on chicken soup or salt beef!

Sorry to hear about Cheeky Cat. Would you like to tell more about what they were like? 
Cats passing can be quite the wrench emotionally and I hope you’re ok. 

I’ll post a weight update later when I’m actually up as this is a weight loss thread 

Oh might be relevant but an email landed in my inbox yesterday about language choices. Mainly concentrating on the whole “I’ve been bad” vs “I was good” narrative we use about food choices as people with diabetes and it struck a chord. I’ll dig it out and post a link here later.


----------



## ColinUK

Was 100.9kg yesterday. 16,000 steps later and today I’m clocking in at 100.8


----------



## Eddy Edson

ColinUK said:


> Was 100.9kg yesterday. 16,000 steps later and today I’m clocking in at 100.8


16k steps = maybe 600 kcals = ~70g of fat ...


----------



## Kreator

ColinUK said:


> Was 100.9kg yesterday. 16,000 steps later and today I’m clocking in at 100.8


Bet it felt good those 16,000 steps?

I only managed 14,700 yesterday…(according to my Apple Watch that was 600 Cals) …Using those figures only as a guide tho!


----------



## ColinUK

100.1 - Slow and steady. But then again roughly 1lb a day isn’t that slow.


----------



## Ditto

Good grief, a pound a day is fabulous! Not to mention miraculous. You'd soon cease to exist!  Like in Stephen King's 'Thinner.'


----------



## ColinUK

Bouncing around the 100kg mark the last few days so upping the exercise and water intake to force the weight lower. 
Oh and I'm out to lunch with some friends from overseas and out of town on Friday and I'm going to make wise choices but I am going to eat!
We're going to a soft opening of a new restaurant which is going to be a treat, hopefully.


----------



## Ditto

Excellent, what's a soft opening? 

I have my skimmed milk, I start today! No choice, I am skint and feel ill.


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto a soft opening is when a restaurant is in practice mode really. 
Everything is in place, diners are welcomed, food is being cooked etc but they’re expecting things to not quite run smoothly so it’s before Press are invited and the official opening happens. Previews I guess. 
This one has limited covers and 50% off everything bar the wine list.


----------



## ColinUK

HELP!!! I'm at that stage where I'm starving hungry and doubting that this works.... I am fighting the urge to go and buy pitta and hummus. The struggle is real!


----------



## Robin

ColinUK said:


> HELP!!! I'm at that stage where I'm starving hungry and doubting that this works.... I am fighting the urge to go and buy pitta and hummus. The struggle is real!


STEP…AWAY….FROM…..THE HUMMUS! (and the pitta, especially the pitta).
You know it works, except when you don’t stick to it. Go and play some music and wait for half an hour, then review how you feel. Rinse and repeat if necessary, or come back and rant at us on here.


----------



## ColinUK

I’ve just had a cherry tomato. 

This is because I had my breakfast shake really rather early today. Also it’s just that stage of things. 

I’ve also changed into clothes I’d never dream of wearing outside and I’ve taken my socks off so if I was to head out I’d basically need to get dressed into outdoor clothes. 

Superficial barriers I know but they do help.


----------



## Kreator

Water, more water…kills your hunger…

And go for a walk


----------



## ColinUK

Kreator said:


> Water, more water…kills your hunger…
> 
> And go for a walk


Not outside! That’s where all the evil food is!!!


----------



## Kreator

...You can drink water inside...


----------



## ColinUK

I’m roasting some kale for snacking. And I’ve had a lovely mug of tea


----------



## ColinUK

And I had a chopped salad:
Spinach 
Cucumber
Red pepper
Cherry tomatoes
There’s half of the salad in the fridge for tomorrow as well.


----------



## Ditto

I had Caramel Slimfast for breakfast, Banana Slimfast for lunch and rubbish fries and two doorsteps for dinner. Felt quite ill after. I refused the choccie biccies and the CurlyWurly, go me. Keep going Col, and I am with them lot on the water. One pint of water and nobody wants to eat!


----------



## ColinUK

@Ditto You have this too. 

Been checking BG throughout the day today and I’ve stayed 5.4 and 4.6 all day. That’s a good thing but I get disheartened that the weight’s been stable the last few days. Intellectually I know that if the BG is that good and consistently that good the weight will drop but days like today it’s tough to keep the faith. Glad I did though!


----------



## ColinUK

99.6kg
Huge relief to drop out of the 100+ range finally!


----------



## ColinUK

98.8 

That’s 800g or 1lb 12oz off in a day. I forgot quite how effective the Newcastle diet is once it gets going. 

First few days are tough that’s for sure and my weight bounces around a bit as if my body is just resisting the inevitable before the weight starts to fall off. 

Of course I’m now thinking of Friday and lunch out. Part of me wants to be good. Part of me really wants to stop using language like “good” or “bad” to describe food choices. Part of me also just wants to relax and enjoy time with people who’ve become friends over this last year/eighteen months. 
I’m thinking I’ll probably end up somewhere in the middle of sticking to the regime and relaxing completely. I can’t imagine having a pudding for example. 
I could treat this as a warm up for long term food choices once the weight is off and have my wise head on. On the other hand one lunch of whatever I fancy won’t derail my weight loss journey completely but might just send me off on a branch line for a while. 

I am cognisant that if I do make unwise choices then I will probably experience elevated BG levels and a regain of some weight which may result in my having to double down on my resolve to drop it again. 

The dietician said to just knuckle down and stick with the plan in “exactly the same way you do for your half marathon” and I guess that’s the key. Perhaps not quite in the way she intended however. 
The training plan I followed and will follow again acknowledges that you can’t be totally rigid with it and that you have to be flexible and responsive to those days when you really just can’t. Maybe Friday lunch will be just one of those things I have to embrace, learn from, reset and continue on from afterwards. 

It’s a learning curve that’s for sure.


----------



## Kreator

...Some food for thought...('Scuse the pun!) - Above all, enjoy tomorrow...

Also consider Calorie intake...consider dropping 1 product possibly 2 (not sure if you're on 4 a day or 3) but either way, you drop 200 Cals off per product, so if on 4 a day consider dropping 2 products for 400 Cal reduction to take into consideration 'Real Lunch' - which if it's 1000 Cals, then your net intake for the day is only 600 Cals more...But then there's Saturday too...Drop one product and that's another 200 Cal saving, so net additional Calorie intake of 400 Cals over 2 days (Or swap that for Sunday for 3 products) - thats IF you swallow 1000 Cals for lunch in the first place - enjoy and be mindful...

You choose...  

Of course, your dietician is correct to stick to the plan, but you can be clever with it also...which is what I do now to maintain - you can have the special occasions - and they are 'Occasions' (not all the time) and still maintain long term...

You deserve to enjoy yourself once in a while and still remain on track 

FYI - I have done the 'Good Food, Bad Food' thing also - and concluded ALL food is good eaten in a mindul moderated way...

Hope this helps ya


----------



## ColinUK

And the damage done by lunch yesterday has put me back to 99.9kg

My BG was good as I had a whacking great lump of jerk cauliflower as my main and just one fork full of chocolate brownie. 

I did have a glass or two of Tattinger though.


----------



## Kreator

You enjoyed yourself right?


----------



## ColinUK

Indeed I did!


----------



## Ditto

The weight is falling off my daughter, she's lost stones, she's not doing any thinking at all, no cals or carbs, she just does one healthy meal a day, usually fish and salad and she knows it's bad for her but it keeps her going so she drinks lots of Diet Coke but also water with lemons in.  

I am still eating myself ill but starting the SlimFast today. Famous last words. Keep going all.


----------



## ColinUK

Finally back down to 98.8 after an annoying stubborn post meals out weight gain. Then again I did eat out Friday, Sunday and Monday. 

Planning a break for later in June maybe to Inverness so idea is to keep dropping kgs between now and then as that’ll inevitably result in a slight increase. 
I could take shakes and a nutribullet with me but I won’t do that. I’d rather have eggs or yoghurt at breakfast and have the intention to eat lower carb where possible (whilst fully accepting that I’ll also have cake in some gorgeous café I’m sure!). 

Still, it’s good to see the scales at 98.8 again. 

Undecided if I’m working today or if the black dog is too loud. Meanwhile I’m not even out of bed yet. 

I have a yoga class booked for 6pm and the intention was to work, go to the gym and do some weights and light cardio before heading into yoga so I’ll see how that goes.


----------



## Mrs Mimoo

I got down to 89.5 but am now just under 91 (original weight 101).  Feeling a bit gutted. It appears I need to eat less than 1000 a day to keep weight off.


----------



## ColinUK

Mrs Mimoo said:


> I got down to 89.5 but am now just under 91 (original weight 101).  Feeling a bit gutted. It appears I need to eat less than 1000 a day to keep weight off.


Neither of us should be disheartened really. The weight will continue to come off even with the odd blip in the other direction.


----------



## ColinUK

98.8 this morning and a nicely reassuring message from Apple Health that I’ve been trending down for 16 days now. 
Yes there’s been ups and downs so it’s not a straight line but it’s progress!


----------



## Kreator

ColinUK said:


> 98.8 this morning and a nicely reassuring message from Apple Health that I’ve been trending down for 16 days now.
> Yes there’s been ups and downs so it’s not a straight line but it’s progress!


Good job @ColinUK, indeed, the trend is the main thing...


----------



## ColinUK

As mentioned in the waking figure thread I seriously overate yesterday. 

100.7kg


----------



## Leadinglights

ColinUK said:


> As mentioned in the waking figure thread I seriously overate yesterday.
> 
> 100.7kg


My other half calls it the weekend effect, no justice as eating etc no different so WHY??????


----------



## ColinUK

Leadinglights said:


> My other half calls it the weekend effect, no justice as eating etc no different so WHY??????


Ah that’s not the case for me. As I said I overate so it’s self inflicted.


----------



## Ditto

Koko is all we can do.  I've had to give up on the liquid diet, I worked out Slimfast was making me ravenous. Stupidly so. Back to low carb it is then... you're all doing great, keep going.


----------



## ColinUK

99.5


----------



## ColinUK

Been awhile since I updated this.... 

100.1kg this morning. Now of course there's lots of mitigating circumstances to justify or excuse my weight plateauing (if I'm being generous....). 
I've had a holiday, I've had dad in and out of hospital, I've also had to get to grips with a very challenging new therapeutic course from SurvivorsUK as well as repeated disappointment from the Police so I've retreated to comfort foods. 
No matter which way I walk back to my front door I pass either a small local supermarket which has lovely bread, or an artisan bakery which smells lovely but doesn't actually appeal. 
I've upped my intake of crisps and or hummus although I have to say as far as BG levels go if I opt for "popped" crisps and perhaps a babaganoush type dip instead of hummus then there's minimal impact on levels.... 

As I've increased exercise, and I'm generally hitting an exercise target 6 days a week most weeks, however I've flicked a switch in my head which says that I can have "treat" food or that I'm "eating back calories" which would be fine if I was 85-90Kg but I'm not so it isn't. 

I'm doing lots of work on trauma - how the body holds on to it and how the brain/psyche processes it - and it's clear that my relationship with food is so closely entwined with my sense of self and my struggling to find a way through the trauma(s) I experienced. 

Where I am right now is a place where I can weigh up options when I'm making choices about food and that's a good place. It doesn't mean I'm always able to make the healthiest choice or the wisest choice but it does mean that I'm making the best choice I'm capable of making when I make it. 
It also means that I'm no longer punishing myself for making "bad" choices. A choice is just a choice. It's not good or bad. It just is. 

That has to be positive in supporting my longer term goal of becoming healthier as it removes the binary from food choices and diminishes the tendency to then further punish myself for making so-called bad choices. 
If I do find myself making those "bad" choices I can then punish myself for doing so. And it plays straight into the erosion of self-esteem and reinforces the pathways which lead to unwise food choices.   

I have a supply of Exante shakes which I will use but I think I'm going to try and use those when I know other options will be limited. I want to rely on "real" food as that's the relationship I want to improve. 


Thank you all for your support.


----------



## Nayshiftin

ColinUK said:


> Been awhile since I updated this....
> 
> 100.1kg this morning. Now of course there's lots of mitigating circumstances to justify or excuse my weight plateauing (if I'm being generous....).
> I've had a holiday, I've had dad in and out of hospital, I've also had to get to grips with a very challenging new therapeutic course from SurvivorsUK as well as repeated disappointment from the Police so I've retreated to comfort foods.
> No matter which way I walk back to my front door I pass either a small local supermarket which has lovely bread, or an artisan bakery which smells lovely but doesn't actually appeal.
> I've upped my intake of crisps and or hummus although I have to say as far as BG levels go if I opt for "popped" crisps and perhaps a babaganoush type dip instead of hummus then there's minimal impact on levels....
> 
> As I've increased exercise, and I'm generally hitting an exercise target 6 days a week most weeks, however I've flicked a switch in my head which says that I can have "treat" food or that I'm "eating back calories" which would be fine if I was 85-90Kg but I'm not so it isn't.
> 
> I'm doing lots of work on trauma - how the body holds on to it and how the brain/psyche processes it - and it's clear that my relationship with food is so closely entwined with my sense of self and my struggling to find a way through the trauma(s) I experienced.
> 
> Where I am right now is a place where I can weigh up options when I'm making choices about food and that's a good place. It doesn't mean I'm always able to make the healthiest choice or the wisest choice but it does mean that I'm making the best choice I'm capable of making when I make it.
> It also means that I'm no longer punishing myself for making "bad" choices. A choice is just a choice. It's not good or bad. It just is.
> 
> That has to be positive in supporting my longer term goal of becoming healthier as it removes the binary from food choices and diminishes the tendency to then further punish myself for making so-called bad choices.
> If I do find myself making those "bad" choices I can then punish myself for doing so. And it plays straight into the erosion of self-esteem and reinforces the pathways which lead to unwise food choices.
> 
> I have a supply of Exante shakes which I will use but I think I'm going to try and use those when I know other options will be limited. I want to rely on "real" food as that's the relationship I want to improve.
> 
> 
> Thank you all for your supp


----------



## Nayshiftin

It is so hard when people give what they think is a good weight when one is a way off that target. It is good though that you are honest and share. I will aim to get lower. Never used shakes and cannot afford to go down that road. It is so so hard and I agree I have to lower my blood sugar and try. I have got through a couple of bad days alone when my usual loneliness comfort is food. Love my garden but of course, I am thinking bad already. the glut of courgettes soon oh I'll make a cake. However, now I  am diabetic not a good choice so it is ringing those changes.


----------



## Leadinglights

Nayshiftin said:


> It is so hard when people give what they think is a good weight when one is a way off that target. It is good though that you are honest and share. I will aim to get lower. Never used shakes and cannot afford to go down that road. It is so so hard and I agree I have to lower my blood sugar and try. I have got through a couple of bad days alone when my usual loneliness comfort is food. Love my garden but of course, I am thinking bad already. the glut of courgettes soon oh I'll make a cake. However, now I  am diabetic not a good choice so it is ringing those changes.


Here you go 
https://www.sweetashoney.co/keto-zucchini-cake/ only 3.2 g carb per slice


----------



## Kreator

ColinUK said:


> Where I am right now is a place where I can weigh up options when I'm making choices about food and that's a good place. It doesn't mean I'm always able to make the healthiest choice or the wisest choice but it does mean that I'm making the best choice I'm capable of making when I make it.
> It also means that I'm no longer punishing myself for making "bad" choices. A choice is just a choice. It's not good or bad. It just is.


This is key…for me at least…

It’s all about making those choices - each one for me is considered, rather than an ah f** it moment! 

This is how I look at food every time I eat - it gets easier the more you do it - and then becomes automatic to a point…

You’re doing great - you have the tools you need, life is life and it throws things at ya, but looks to me like you haven’t gained weight in the last 2 months, so you’re doing well

Congratulate yourself!


----------



## Nayshiftin

Leadinglights said:


> Here you go
> https://www.sweetashoney.co/keto-zucchini-cake/ only 3.2 g carb per slice


Yes there is all those with coconut and almond flour which he will not allow me to buy as he says they are too costly and as hes skinny and not diabetic and fit  cake doesn't matter what its made off. sadly


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> Been awhile since I updated this....
> 
> 100.1kg this morning. Now of course there's lots of mitigating circumstances to justify or excuse my weight plateauing (if I'm being generous....).
> I've had a holiday, I've had dad in and out of hospital, I've also had to get to grips with a very challenging new therapeutic course from SurvivorsUK as well as repeated disappointment from the Police so I've retreated to comfort foods.
> No matter which way I walk back to my front door I pass either a small local supermarket which has lovely bread, or an artisan bakery which smells lovely but doesn't actually appeal.
> I've upped my intake of crisps and or hummus although I have to say as far as BG levels go if I opt for "popped" crisps and perhaps a babaganoush type dip instead of hummus then there's minimal impact on levels....
> 
> As I've increased exercise, and I'm generally hitting an exercise target 6 days a week most weeks, however I've flicked a switch in my head which says that I can have "treat" food or that I'm "eating back calories" which would be fine if I was 85-90Kg but I'm not so it isn't.
> 
> I'm doing lots of work on trauma - how the body holds on to it and how the brain/psyche processes it - and it's clear that my relationship with food is so closely entwined with my sense of self and my struggling to find a way through the trauma(s) I experienced.
> 
> Where I am right now is a place where I can weigh up options when I'm making choices about food and that's a good place. It doesn't mean I'm always able to make the healthiest choice or the wisest choice but it does mean that I'm making the best choice I'm capable of making when I make it.
> It also means that I'm no longer punishing myself for making "bad" choices. A choice is just a choice. It's not good or bad. It just is.
> 
> That has to be positive in supporting my longer term goal of becoming healthier as it removes the binary from food choices and diminishes the tendency to then further punish myself for making so-called bad choices.
> If I do find myself making those "bad" choices I can then punish myself for doing so. And it plays straight into the erosion of self-esteem and reinforces the pathways which lead to unwise food choices.
> 
> I have a supply of Exante shakes which I will use but I think I'm going to try and use those when I know other options will be limited. I want to rely on "real" food as that's the relationship I want to improve.
> 
> 
> Thank you all for your support.



Hummus.
My partner is bad for that.
I do make it now, so I can use virgin olive oil rather than the rapeseed in Tescos.
But so many calories!
We have to reign it in at times.
I'll be trying the baba ganoush, but again, full of oil.


----------



## travellor

Nayshiftin said:


> Yes there is all those with coconut and almond flour which he will not allow me to buy as he says they are too costly and as hes skinny and not diabetic and fit  cake doesn't matter what its made off. sadly



Looks good, but too much fat and calories for me, and far too much saturated fat for my cholesterol levels!
I put really intense mega calorific food away after the Newcastle diet unfortunately.


----------



## ColinUK

Kreator said:


> This is key…for me at least…
> 
> It’s all about making those choices - each one for me is considered, rather than an ah f** it moment!
> 
> This is how I look at food every time I eat - it gets easier the more you do it - and then becomes automatic to a point…
> 
> You’re doing great - you have the tools you need, life is life and it throws things at ya, but looks to me like you haven’t gained weight in the last 2 months, so you’re doing well
> 
> Congratulate yourself!


Honestly this just made me well up. 

I'm a daft sod sometimes!


----------



## ColinUK

travellor said:


> Hummus.
> My partner is bad for that.
> I do make it now, so I can use virgin olive oil rather than the rapeseed in Tescos.
> But so many calories!
> We have to reign it in at times.
> I'll be trying the baba ganoush, but again, full of oil.


I will only buy the hummus with EVOO but there's a couple of baba ganoush type dips which are sublime. One is either Yarden or Sabra (so it's either by the dips or in the Kosher section) and that's Aubergine Salad - basically it's aubergine in a thin mayonnaise and it's yummy - the other is Waitrose smoked aubergine dip. Waitrose also do a lovely artichoke dip and that's not bad on the carb front.


----------



## Nayshiftin

Kreator said:


> I This is key…for me at least…
> 
> It’s all about making those choices - each one for me is considered, rather than an ah f** it moment!
> 
> This is how I look at food every time I eat - it gets easier the more you do it - and then becomes automatic to a point…
> 
> You’re doing great - you have the tools you need, life is life and it throws things at ya, but looks to me like you haven’t gained weight in the last 2 months, so you’re doing well
> 
> Congratulate yourself!


I am trying to do that and think your moments of the f""""it  is my downfall and the guilt is hot oil every time and woe is me i want to die. So it is having the right mindset to step back plan and remember I do have to tell myself I have to live and I can get better and that folks eventually will like and accept me. Thank you again for being so honest.


----------



## ColinUK

Nayshiftin said:


> Yes there is all those with coconut and almond flour which he will not allow me to buy as he says they are too costly and as hes skinny and not diabetic and fit  cake doesn't matter what its made off. sadly


Make courgette pickle with the glut perhaps? Or spiralize it and use it as pasta.


----------



## Nayshiftin

ColinUK said:


> Make courgette pickle with the glut perhaps? Or spiralize it and use it as pasta.


has the pickle got sugar in it ? I will use as pasta which wlll help and it eaks out bolognaise a treat


----------



## Weekender

Hi Colin









						Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity
					

Weight loss can be achieved through a variety of modalities, but long-term maintenance of lost weight is much more challenging. Obesity interventions typically result in early rapid weight loss followed by a weight plateau and progressive regain. This ...




					www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
				




_Specifically, it has been estimated that for each kilogram of lost weight, calorie expenditure decreases by about 20–30 kcal/d whereas appetite increases by about 100 kcal/d above the baseline level prior to weight loss31. Despite these predictable physiologic phenomena, the typical response of the patient is to blame themselves as lazy or lacking in willpower,_ 

All the evidence is against sustaining weight loss. If you've fixed your diabetes and are exercising more, its a massive win.

My weight is trending up, despite a dramatically improved diet and exercise regime - it is what it is. 
I ran a half marathon, which is amazing for me. Celebrate the wins


----------



## Leadinglights

ColinUK said:


> Make courgette pickle with the glut perhaps? Or spiralize it and use it as pasta.


Saturday kitchen best bites had a courgette salad, grated courgette, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, pecorino, salt and pepper.


----------



## Nayshiftin

Leadinglights said:


> Saturday kitchen best bites had a courgette salad, grated courgette, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, pecorino, salt and pepper.


sounds a little bit like a pesto mix


----------



## Nayshiftin

Weekender said:


> Hi Colin
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity
> 
> 
> Weight loss can be achieved through a variety of modalities, but long-term maintenance of lost weight is much more challenging. Obesity interventions typically result in early rapid weight loss followed by a weight plateau and progressive regain. This ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Specifically, it has been estimated that for each kilogram of lost weight, calorie expenditure decreases by about 20–30 kcal/d whereas appetite increases by about 100 kcal/d above the baseline level prior to weight loss31. Despite these predictable physiologic phenomena, the typical response of the patient is to blame themselves as lazy or lacking in willpower,_
> 
> All the evidence is against sustaining weight loss. If you've fixed your diabetes and are exercising more, its a massive win.
> 
> My weight is trending up, despite a dramatically improved diet and exercise regime - it is what it is.
> I ran a half marathon, which is amazing for me. Celebrate the wins


Yes hence I regain and regain I usually have lost some weight before I start I put it back on but I guess where I go wrong is  never get to a good enough normal weight.


----------



## Leadinglights

Nayshiftin said:


> sounds a little bit like a pesto mix


I suppose if you mushed it up you could use it like that but the courgette was quite coarsely grated. ( left to drain so some of the water can be squeezed out)


----------



## ColinUK

A bunch of interesting courgette recipes here…








						Salad, starter or side: Yotam Ottolenghi's courgette recipes
					

Use up the annual courgette glut in an Italian-style antipasti with tomatoes and ricotta, grilled and smothered in saffron butter, or simply raw in a salad with a zippy lemon dressing




					www.theguardian.com


----------



## travellor

ColinUK said:


> I will only buy the hummus with EVOO but there's a couple of baba ganoush type dips which are sublime. One is either Yarden or Sabra (so it's either by the dips or in the Kosher section) and that's Aubergine Salad - basically it's aubergine in a thin mayonnaise and it's yummy - the other is Waitrose smoked aubergine dip. Waitrose also do a lovely artichoke dip and that's not bad on the carb front.



Still over 500 calories a pot.
It's the calories for me unfortunately.
(Which isn't to say I won't eat it by any means, just not a pit full every evening in front of the TV. It's on the shopping list!)


----------



## travellor

Nayshiftin said:


> It is so hard when people give what they think is a good weight when one is a way off that target. It is good though that you are honest and share. I will aim to get lower. Never used shakes and cannot afford to go down that road. It is so so hard and I agree I have to lower my blood sugar and try. I have got through a couple of bad days alone when my usual loneliness comfort is food. Love my garden but of course, I am thinking bad already. the glut of courgettes soon oh I'll make a cake. However, now I  am diabetic not a good choice so it is ringing those changes.



Courgette crisps.
I slice thinly, then bake in the oven with a spray of one cal.
Flavour/season to taste.


----------



## Nayshiftin

travellor said:


> Courgette crisps.
> I slice thinly, then bake in the oven with a spray of one cal.
> Flavour/season to taste.


That sounds like tonight dinner .


----------



## travellor

Nayshiftin said:


> That sounds like tonight dinner .


Just don't eat an entire pot of hummus with them like I've done in the past!


----------



## Nayshiftin

travellor said:


> Just don't eat an entire pot of hummus with them like I've done in the past!


No chance I don’t eat hummous . I had a courgette omelet in the end with salad


----------



## Nayshiftin

Then ruined the evening by having a slice of toast and peanut butter, Bmmols was back up to 9.3 this morning not good


----------



## ColinUK

Nayshiftin said:


> Then ruined the evening by having a slice of toast and peanut butter, Bmmols was back up to 9.3 this morning not good


You didn’t. 
Think of the positive of having a courgette omelette and salad rather than not. 
Okay so you had toast and peanut butter but you didn’t eat the whole loaf or the whole jar so that’s a positive as well. 

Own the victories no matter how small.


----------



## Nayshiftin

ColinUK said:


> You didn’t.
> Think of the positive of having a courgette omelette and salad rather than not.
> Okay so you had toast and peanut butter but you didn’t eat the whole loaf or the whole jar so that’s a positive as well.
> 
> Own the victories no matter how small.


Thank you that's encouraging.  I'm trying again today. Looked at a low-carb diet here and Tuesday starts with porridge and almond milk but not got any almond milk. However it then at the end states some semi-skimmed milk. If I make porridge with water and add a splash of milk that is not too bad or is it?


----------



## ColinUK

Nayshiftin said:


> Thank you that's encouraging.  I'm trying again today. Looked at a low-carb diet here and Tuesday starts with porridge and almond milk but not got any almond milk. However it then at the end states some semi-skimmed milk. If I make porridge with water and add a splash of milk that is not too bad or is it?


What would you eat if you didn’t make the porridge?
There’s very little difference in fat content between semi and full fat milk so make the one you’re going to enjoy eating more I say!


----------



## Nayshiftin

ColinUK said:


> What would you eat if you didn’t make the porridge?
> There’s very little difference in fat content between semi and full fat milk so make the one you’re going to enjoy eating more I say!


I did just that having peaches and 0% greek yoghurt still low calorie as I think porridge is for cold days.


----------



## ColinUK

Thought this might be an interesting read for others as well as me. 









						Why stress causes people to overeat - Harvard Health
					

The extent to which stress correlates to overeating in a given person may depend on that individual's level of insulin or cortisol....




					www.health.harvard.edu


----------



## ColinUK

So yesterday was tough. Mentally that is. 
Really felt the impact of the therapy session the day before and basically stayed in bed all day pretty much. 
The one big positive however is that although I ate crisps and hummus I didn't eat the entire bag nor did I eat the bread or the cheesecake I popped out to buy. 
I consciously made the decision to not overeat. Very odd experience to allow myself the crisps but with the caveat that I'd stop when I "felt" them. So I left half a bag of crisps, two slices of cheesecake and a whole baguette untouched. 
Portioned up the baguette and popped it into the freezer this morning as I made a chicken, celery, lentil salad for lunch (which I've eaten about half of so far - the rest will likely be held over for breakfast tomorrow as tonight I want to use up broccoli which is languishing in the fridge ). 

Don't want to say that my comfort eating is now sorted but certainly wanted to celebrate the small victory.

The hummus was a new find and worth celebrating as it was Leon Velvety Hummus 150g (from Sainsbury's) and I don't know what they do to it but it's only 4.3g of carbs / 100g which is easily half that of others.


----------



## Leadinglights

ColinUK said:


> So yesterday was tough. Mentally that is.
> Really felt the impact of the therapy session the day before and basically stayed in bed all day pretty much.
> The one big positive however is that although I ate crisps and hummus I didn't eat the entire bag nor did I eat the bread or the cheesecake I popped out to buy.
> I consciously made the decision to not overeat. Very odd experience to allow myself the crisps but with the caveat that I'd stop when I "felt" them. So I left half a bag of crisps, two slices of cheesecake and a whole baguette untouched.
> Portioned up the baguette and popped it into the freezer this morning as I made a chicken, celery, lentil salad for lunch (which I've eaten about half of so far - the rest will likely be held over for breakfast tomorrow as tonight I want to use up broccoli which is languishing in the fridge ).
> 
> Don't want to say that my comfort eating is now sorted but certainly wanted to celebrate the small victory.
> 
> The hummus was a new find and worth celebrating as it was Leon Velvety Hummus 150g (from Sainsbury's) and I don't know what they do to it but it's only 4.3g of carbs / 100g which is easily half that of others.


The hummus looks like a good find as I have been avoiding it as being too high carb. Pity just been to Sainsbury's.


----------



## travellor

The hummus is interesting.
It has near enough the same ingredients as every one else.
There may be more water in the chickpeas in the Leon brand though. Others may be drier.
Then again 5 or 6g of carbs per 100g is next to nothing.
There is no standard to work to for nutritional information, other than it mustn't be deliberately misleading, so that sort of difference is well within the rules.


----------



## travellor

Leadinglights said:


> The hummus looks like a good find as I have been avoiding it as being too high carb. Pity just been to Sainsbury's.



Have you tried cauliflower hummus?


----------



## Kreator

ColinUK said:


> I consciously made the decision to not overeat. Very odd experience to allow myself the crisps but with the caveat that I'd stop when I "felt" them. So I left half a bag of crisps, two slices of cheesecake and a whole baguette untouched


This is kind of how I eat day to day...and Mindful eating in a way...enjoy every single crisp...

FYI - A 'Grab Bag' of crisps is one to watch out for, more crisps than a standard packet...and before you know it you've literally grabbed the whole back and eaten it! - So half the bag it is...


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## ColinUK

travellor said:


> Have you tried cauliflower hummus?


Can’t say I have.


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## Leadinglights

travellor said:


> Have you tried cauliflower hummus?


Just been to COSTCO and say cauliflower crisps and thought they should be low carb but looked at the carbs 69g/100g, how can they make something with pretty well no carbs into such a high carb product, potato starch, rice starch that's how.


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## Kreator

Leadinglights said:


> Just been to COSTCO and say cauliflower crisps and thought they should be low carb but looked at the carbs 69g/100g, how can they make something with pretty well no carbs into such a high carb product, potato starch, rice starch that's how.


…one of the many tricks of the food industry to make things appear healthy when they’re not…


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## travellor

Leadinglights said:


> Just been to COSTCO and say cauliflower crisps and thought they should be low carb but looked at the carbs 69g/100g, how can they make something with pretty well no carbs into such a high carb product, potato starch, rice starch that's how.



The problem is nothing goes crispy likes a good old spud.


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## Leadinglights

ColinUK said:


> So yesterday was tough. Mentally that is.
> Really felt the impact of the therapy session the day before and basically stayed in bed all day pretty much.
> The one big positive however is that although I ate crisps and hummus I didn't eat the entire bag nor did I eat the bread or the cheesecake I popped out to buy.
> I consciously made the decision to not overeat. Very odd experience to allow myself the crisps but with the caveat that I'd stop when I "felt" them. So I left half a bag of crisps, two slices of cheesecake and a whole baguette untouched.
> Portioned up the baguette and popped it into the freezer this morning as I made a chicken, celery, lentil salad for lunch (which I've eaten about half of so far - the rest will likely be held over for breakfast tomorrow as tonight I want to use up broccoli which is languishing in the fridge ).
> 
> Don't want to say that my comfort eating is now sorted but certainly wanted to celebrate the small victory.
> 
> The hummus was a new find and worth celebrating as it was Leon Velvety Hummus 150g (from Sainsbury's) and I don't know what they do to it but it's only 4.3g of carbs / 100g which is easily half that of others.


Another one to try Leon PEA-LENTIFUL 6.6g carb /100g really nice
I found Kvarg's pumpkin seed protein thins 5.9g carb per cracker also nice and quite a generous sized cracker.


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