I need advice from those in the know

[doctorf]

There is good evidence that exercise can delay the onset of diabetes as can weight loss.
A fasting blood sugar of between 6 & 7 mmol/litre or HbA1c between 48 and 59 is in the impaired glucose tolerance range and diabetes is one of the few diseases which can be postponed or even prevented by taking appropriate measures if you are in the impaired range.
It's also worth making sure that if you are taking medication, it is not something that raises blood sugar.
Thiazide diuretics are a popular group of drugs often used in hypertension; they also raise blood sugar.

Simon

 

[imosdad]

Mick,

a story familiar to me. I went to weightwatchers last Autumn at the encouragement of my wife (who attends a different centre!). Really down to earth advice and plan. I lost 14 lbs.

Yes I was the only bloke there (Bring it on!) It works.

Dave

 

[John]

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-belly-fat-cure

The book is good at describing where the sugar is found in foods lots of folks think are OK. Minimize them and eat less calories than you burn and you will loose weight. Lots of good advice given on the thread. Some common sense helps as well. I never had a weight problem despite eating my far share of sugar and carbs. Cut them out and started eating smaller portions and I lost 16 lbs and I'm now 6'1", 150-154 with a 32 inch waist. I don't imagine this will change as long as I keep mindful of what I put in my mouth.

 

[Greg]

Mick, Dr Michael Mosley's programme on Intermittent Fasting (IF) might interest you. IF appears to show good and rapid benefits to insulin sensitivity. Eating less and less often seems to work very well for health as you age.

 

[Greg]

Mick
There is no other way than to cut out booze apart from one night a week and eat 2000 calories or less a day. Booze, all booze is just calories.

Cut out carbs apart from one with your main meal.

I did this and lost 3 stone from September to December.

I only eat 1 slice of bread a day at breakfast and the only other carbs are potatoes or rice with my main meal.

When I am hungry in the day I snack on fruit.

There are sacrifices to be made. I have not had cake, any cheeses or pate since September.

Exercise is an utter waste of time as a means of losing weight.

However as you are needing to diet to avoid an early death rather than for vanity I would strongly advise you to seek expert advice from a qualified medic and not on a hi-fi forum.

well done, Bob!

I wouldn't agree that exercise is "utter waste of time as a means of losing weight." I do agree it is much harder to lose weight by focusing on exercise than on diet, but aside from the question of fat loss is that exercise seems to have well proven benefits regards insulin sensitivity.

 

[ciderglider]

I've found that exercise reduces my appetite, and makes me less prone to eat rubbish.

But some sage once said the the best exercise for weight loss was to place both hands on a dining table and then push onself away.

 

[matt j]

Mick, get out on yer bike and use up some of that excess glucose.

 

[muzzer]

A combination of a healthy diet and exercise should help you, I have a work colleague who was on the borderline of type 2 diabetes. He joined weight-watchers and the local gym and has managed to lose a couple of stone over the past few months, he is now ok.
There is another guy at work who is beyond help, he takes a dozen pills a day and is constantly tired, his nose is red as a beetroot and his lower legs are in a terrible state, eventually it leads to amputation.
Hopefully the thought of that will spur you on Mick.
ps Get that old bike of yours out and cycle 20miles a day.

 

[gordon]

Slightly OT, but haven't you got a rather splendid restored vintage racing bike itching to get out on the back roads of North Wilts?

this gets my vote. i live in the 2nd skinniest county in the US, and moved here from the skinniest. the one thing both counties have in common is that people of all ages are extremely active.

 

[Pete MB&D]

Hi, Mick

Lake swimming?




Pete

 

[muzzer]

Mick
Your BMI is 31.9 which is clinically obese, you need to get your weight down to 11st 9lbs to be classed as normal.

 

[Paul R]

Dr Michael Mosley's programme on Intermittent Fasting (IF) might interest you. IF appears to show good and rapid benefits to insulin sensitivity. Eating less and less often seems to work very well for health as you age.

He has a book out now.

Paul

 

[Tony L]

What foods are a no no in order to get the sugar levels down ?

It's a basic input / output issue. Too many calories in & too few calories out = fat ill Mick. To lose weight factor on about 1800 calories a day plus some exercise. Count absolutely everything and do not put anything in your mouth unless you know how many calories it contains.

 

[Alex S]

Seems like you're better off pursuing diabetes. If you don't smoke, I strongly suggest you start, the pounds just fall off.

 

[Anh]

This is how I lose a bit of weight.

4 days a week I stick to 1000 calories a day. Usually on these days I have 2 meals, approx 500 calories each.

The key is to feel 'full' but without the high calorie content. To do this, eat lean white meat such as fish or chicken with high density vegetables.

On diet weeks, I'd stock up on frozen Cod/haddock in bread crumbs combined with dense veg (brocolli, cauliflower, carrots, peas etc) fills me up in the evening for just 400-500 calories, substitute for roast chicken portion or 6-10 fish fingers.

Extremely easy to prepare and cook.

Avoid salads, especially pasta salads - they are rubbish for losing weight as they are low density food and often high calories with their oily/creamy dressings.

On my 'days off' - I'd stick to 2000 calories, cut down beer and drink wine instead, or avoid alcohol all together.

Once you get into the groove of this, your appetite will decrease so less likely to go for large portions of food. I personally don't go beyong a month of dieting and return to 2000-ish calories for a few weeks.

 

[dan m]

Mick, you're sounding like a yank. As Michael Pollan states:

"The French paradox is that they have better heart health than we do despite being a cheese-eating, wine-swilling, fois-gras-gobbling people," Pollan said. "The American paradox is we are a people who worry unreasonably about dietary health yet have the worst diet in the world."

Just follow Michael Pollan's 7 rules and most importantly get off your arse.

 

[russel]

The 5:2 diet is slowly making me lose weight and at least it something I can stick to. However, the first time you have a low calorie intake, it will make you feel odder than usual, your body will not have adapted to not having food shoveled into it on a continuous basis and will complain. Dizziness, headaches, generally feeling crap, this lasted the first three times for me and after that I was fine. I can go through the day and exercise as normal and not feel any ill effects, not surprising when you think about it, the human body evolved to survive on the African Savanna and most likely went for days without eating properly at a time.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

This is how I lose a bit of weight.

4 days a week I stick to 1000 calories a day. Usually on these days I have 2 meals, approx 500 calories each.

The key is to feel 'full' but without the high calorie content. To do this, eat lean white meat such as fish or chicken with high density vegetables.

On diet weeks, I'd stock up on frozen Cod/haddock in bread crumbs combined with dense veg (brocolli, cauliflower, carrots, peas etc) fills me up in the evening for just 400-500 calories, substitute for roast chicken portion or 6-10 fish fingers.

Extremely easy to prepare and cook.

Avoid salads, especially pasta salads - they are rubbish for losing weight as they are low density food and often high calories with their oily/creamy dressings.

On my 'days off' - I'd stick to 2000 calories, cut down beer and drink wine instead, or avoid alcohol all together.

Once you get into the groove of this, your appetite will decrease so less likely to go for large portions of food. I personally don't go beyong a month of dieting and return to 2000-ish calories for a few weeks.

Pretty much agreed with this, fish is great but I try to omit the breadcrumbs. Gotta love fish fingers though.

I'm carefull with what I eat, I love fish, salad, potatoes and veg.
I eat the above regularly but still have a good balti, kebab ect now and then, you can still eat the "nice" and "fun" foods in moderation.

 

[Dogberry]

Chaps

I had a minor bombshell this morning. I had the results of my annual blood test and everything was fine but my sugar levels are well over the safe limit. In the words of the Doctor, if it stays at the current level I am heading for diabetes.

His advice was to lose 2 stone and get the waistline back.

My current lifestyle is sendentary and I eat very very well with visits to restaurants and clubs as part of the normal social agenda.

I can lose the weight by cutting down on the food and stepping up the exercise. That is down to me and there are no excuses for being a fat pig. I am 5ft 8 and my wasitline is nudging 40" which is plain bloody negliegent. So the weight loss is down to me. I weigh 15 stone.

However after surfing the net I am confused as to what I can and cannot eat. For instance to lose weight you eat plenty of fruit, but are grapes, figs and dates etc ok because some websites claim they are high in sugar.

So the simple question is this.

What foods are a no no in order to get the sugar levels down ?

Many thanks

Mick

Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Your emphasis as well as calorie control should be on avoiding saturated fats including dairy.

 

[dss]

All that seems like a lot of effort is it.

For a Sky TV subscriber, with a phone and a strong Christian faith, there is the Miracle Hour TV evangelist show, where a cure of diabetes is available by the power of prayer.

It said so on the TV News tonight.

DS