# Mid-3rd week Blood sugar diet/ 5th week low carb



## JTI (Aug 22, 2016)

Sorry this is long. It is now my 5th week low carb and mid-3rd week on the 8 week blood sugar diet.  I think I previously miscalculated the weeks I have been on low carb. It is my 5th week not my 6th week.

Some stats:
Weight loss:
Start date 17/7/16: 98.2kg
31/7/16: 91.2kg
11/08/16: 88.1kg
Today 22/8/16: 86.1kg

Average Fasting blood sugar
Start date 01/7/16 to 17/7/16: 7.5
Today 18/7/16 to 22/08/16: 5.2

Humalog:
Start date 17/07/16: 60 units per meal. 
Today: ZERO

Lantus: 
Start date 17/7/16: 80 units per night
Today: 20 units per night

Metformin:
No change - 1000mg per day.

Average carbs per day: 35g but ranges between 18g and 45g depending on what I eat.

I saw the diabetic specialist and she was blown away. She had never heard of the 8 week blood sugar diet.  She said I was the first person in years that she has seen improved like this. She only recommended I keep reducing the lantus and use humalog as a correction if need be. She is referring me to the endo to review medications. 

I am seeing my GP this week to discuss my statin/blood pressure tablet and discuss progress. 

Overall, 800 calories a day is much much harder to stick to. I have had two days when my total went to about 1100, but this was more due to hypos or food experimentation with miscalculation!

I have had one episode of fatigue and feeling weak and listless  - but it was due to the heat as well as the low calories.   I have been feeling a lot hungrier than when I was on around 1100 calories. I would love to say I am fully adjusted to the lower calorie but I don't think I am yet. 

Sugar level has been creeping up but I think I overreduced my lantus ( I went down to 18), so I went back to 20. My waking sugars have been between 3,4 and 7.9 - but usually around 5.3. I had one bad bad hypo - with a level of 2.0 - I had not sweat so much in such a short time in my life - but I quickly recovered - but my sugars were higher the next day.

I have continued with my 30 minutes of exercise including daily 10k steps 5 days a week. On fridays I up it to 1 hour of exercise. Saturdays I have off (even from my steps) and Sunday I do stretching/pilates/yoga.  

For me the exercise is key to my sugar control as much as the diet. However this last week, my bg kept raising after exercise and staying up. I will see how it goes this week. I feel so much fitter than ever. My wife says I look ten years younger!

Although have lost a further 3 kilos in the last two weeks. It has taken me a month to lose 2 inches off my waist - but my face is noticeably slimmer.  I am still waiting for my inches of waist-loss!!


----------



## AndBreathe (Aug 22, 2016)

Wow!  That's an astonishing change, all round!  I have read this diet isn't routinely recommended for insulin dependent folks, but I'm assuming that's due to the dose reduction issues, but you seem to have done this admirably.  How do you feel in yourself (aside from walking on air!!  ) ?

I didn't use this diet, but just trimmed my carbs a bit, but as I trimmed up my BP dropped right back from being a bit elevated to being well down in the healthy range.  My lipids get better and better, although due to the HDL going up significantly, the total remains an inconveniently large number, so please make sure no decisions are made on Total Cholesterol numbers.  

A big, fantastic well done to you.  

Have you considered how you're going to transition off at the end?


----------



## Martin Canty (Aug 22, 2016)

That is a fantastic result, remember though that as you become more 'normal' the gains become slower until you reach your ideal weight/shape. Keep up the good work.


----------



## JTI (Aug 22, 2016)

Thank you. I feel like I have more vitality but I do feel quite hungry sometimes before going to bed.

My very recent cholesterol test showed unbelievable improvement. I don't have the results on me, but I know everything was well within the normal range for the first time in years. I am not sure if it is because of the statin or my diet - or combination.

My blood pressure is normal (usually around 120/70) but I take medication - I am hoping to come off it.   I check my blood pressure twice a day (as well as my sugar levels about 5 times a day!).

I will transition on to a lchf 5:2 diet after the 8 weeks. I will probably work back up to 1300-1600 calories 5 days a week and go back to 800 2 days a week.  I am also thinking of incorporating a 16:8 fast (eat only within a 8 hour window), or a once a week 24 hour fast. I will see when I get there. I am reading information on www.intensivedietarymanagement.com and assessing if it will be something I want to do.

Yes, I expect the weight loss and sugar control benefits will slow down. As long as I weigh less at the end of the week than the beginning,  I am not too fussed about the number inbetween. I am still determined to be off all injections. If I can one day come off metformin - that would be great.


----------



## Martin Canty (Aug 22, 2016)

One thing to note, on LCHF water retention can cause temporary weight gain if you have a more carby day than normal so don't get discouraged if you are up, overall it's the average which counts


----------



## JTI (Aug 24, 2016)

I just saw my GP this morning and she is very pleased with my progress. I managed to get off the statins finally.  One medication down... a few more to go.


----------



## Marsbartoastie (Aug 24, 2016)

JTI said:


> Although have lost a further 3 kilos in the last two weeks. It has taken me a month to lose 2 inches off my waist - but my face is noticeably slimmer.  I am still waiting for my inches of waist-loss!!



Don't worry about the lack of inch loss at this stage.  It's because of the maths concerning the volume of a sphere.  A weight loss of 10k from a large sphere, for example, represents just a thin layer.  However, a weight loss of 10k from a smaller sphere represents a thicker layer.  As your overall volume diminishes the increasingly noticeable inch loss should help to keep you motivated.  Keep at it JTI...you're doing a great job.


----------



## Martin Canty (Aug 24, 2016)

Marsbartoastie said:


> It's because of the maths concerning the volume of a sphere


Well, that's an interesting way to look at it....


----------



## JTI (Aug 24, 2016)

Well I do look quite spherical still... so there is hope...


----------



## Marsbartoastie (Aug 24, 2016)

JTI said:


> Well I do look quite spherical still... so there is hope...


...but getting less spherical with each passing day


----------

