Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by andrea on February 6, 2012 at 7:40am

i was on the pump for years. i weighed more and had less control. my numbers are great

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Permalink Reply by kphil06 on February 15, 2012 at 4:13pm

that would depend on body type too.

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Permalink Reply by LaGuitariste on February 6, 2012 at 10:47am

OK then andrea, you're BMI is 24.7. Anything at or below 24.9 is in the normal range, so by medical standards you are absolutely not overweight -- congratulations!!! Maybe this would be a good time to just focus on exercise for a while -- perhaps some strength training or a new activity like a Zumba class or yoga class or something -- will help you feel more toned and healthy. You can keep an eye on it over the next few months and see how you feel about your weight then.

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on February 6, 2012 at 5:10am

It just seems a natural property of "diets," you have good success for a couple months and then you backtrack. At this point, after a year, you shouldn't really be calling it a diet, it is a lifestyle. You should have gotten used to eating this way.

But that doesn't mean it will be a perfect recipe to achieve your desired weight (even if that weight is in fact achievable). I would like to ask you to consider two things.

First, your insulin. You have been on this diet for a year and from what you described as your eating style, you are eating like 50 g/day. I have to ask you whether you think your blood sugars could be better than the 7.2%. Your recently raised basal is not a good sign. Sometimes with low carb diets, a rapid basal insulin can actually be too fast and to compensate, we raise our basal. But that is not necessarily good. I would suggest you spend some time making sure your insulin regime is fine tuned.

Second, you may not be eating enough. If you don't eat enough, your body may slow down your metabolism and that can reall hamper things. I think it would be good to track your calories and confirm what you are eating. Who knows, maybe you will also find you are eating 3000 calories a day. We often distort the reality of what we are eating (I know I do).

And finally, I'd like to suggest a method to kick start your weight loss and help you get your basal testing done. Intermittent Fasting (IF). Start choosing days to skip 1-2 meals. Only do it once or twice a week. I like to skip breakfast and lunch on the weekend, essentially fasting for 24 hours. During that time, it is perfect to do your basal testing. You can rotate the skipped meals to see how your basal does around the clock. If you basal is markedly higher than it should be and your blood sugars are elevated between meals, that is a recipe for weight gain.

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Permalink Reply by andrea on February 6, 2012 at 7:43am

i havent increased my basal really. i just take it all at once rather than split. but maybe that processes in my body differently?

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Permalink Reply by Type1Gal on February 6, 2012 at 7:45am

i switched from lantus to levemir..have you thought about that? i never gained weight on insulin though. i also went from one shot to two and didn't notice anything...? sorry, not sure what's going on?

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on February 7, 2012 at 4:44am

I'm sorry, I misread your post. I don't think going back to on shot would make a difference. But let me ask you. You lost 30 lbs. Almost 20% of your bodymass (That is really an impressive amount by the way). Did your basal levels drop or did you just observe lowered fasting numbers?

You should observe some reduction in basal requirements when you lose weight.

I think you would also do well to step back and reconsider your whole goals. You started this and I suspect it was pretty much focused on your weight. And as JeanV pointed out, you are actually in a normal BMI range. Perhaps it is also time to readjust your goals. Maybe this should be less about the pounds on the scale and more about being lean and reducing body measurements.

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Permalink Reply by Cosumne Jan on February 6, 2012 at 10:29am

I know this is Andrea's thread, but if I might piggyback? BSC, I weighed 175 in October (I'm 5-10). I have gained 15 pounds since then. I had been on 1500 calories a day for 4 years, between 30-50g of carb. I did a 2 day fast, then put myself on 25-35g carb, 900 calories a day from Nov. 15 through New Year's in a concerted effort to lose the gain. Did not lose a pound. Meaningful exercise is not an option, my feet and legs don't work well from a bout with amytrophic neuropathy, but I can sorta stumble around without a cane or walker. I'm not totally sedentary, I do my own house and garden work. My doctor just says dumb stuff like, "Well, you have to expect things like that when you're diabetic, here, take this 1400 calorie, 140 carb a day diet and report back in 3 months." I am not going to do that, it could really screw me up and then I'd have 50 pounds to lose and the doctor would just think I'd cheated. Kaiser won't let me see an endo because my AICs have stayed at 5.3 or below for quite a long time. They say the endos only deal with getting BS down. Started Metformin (1500mg) about 6 months ago because my morning BS was getting into the 100s and that brought it back down after a week or so. I ordered it online then told the doctor about it, so she gave me a prescription. Sometimes I think gaining weight is just punishment for being so OC about my BS. I've been that obese diabetic in a wheelchair, though, and I'm NOT going back there.

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on February 7, 2012 at 5:01am

Well, I beleive that weight loss happens 90% in the kitchen. So while it is good to exercise, it is not a requirement. And I understand your situation, my father in law has a related condition. I think exercise is vital, if you don't use it you will lose it.

But you are very hard on yourself about the whole weight thing. You are not obese, and only 15lbs over the normal BMI.

It sounds like you followed a really strict diet. And while you may have very dilligent, it may have just been too much. If your body went into starvation mode, it would have slowed down and basically hung onto every last morsel of nutrition. When I calculate your BMR (at your current weight/height), it is 1600 calories. Even at the lowest activity level (sedentary, little or no exercise), you need 1950 calories. And you aren't even eating half that. Yes, you are not even eating half that.

Our life cannot be all wrapped up in a little number on the scale. I would not be surprised if you have not felt well in the last months. And you may have become sick more. I would encourage you to redirect your thinking. Try to get your eating in line to support your overall health. Your metablism may have dramatically slowed in order to sustain you through this period. I really would encourage you to try to get your diet back to a more normal level and restore your metabolism before trying to go on a concerted effort to lose weight.

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Permalink Reply by Cosumne Jan on February 7, 2012 at 11:56am

Thanks BSC. When I reread my comments this a.m. I thought, "Boy, that sounds really neurotic." And it's probably close to the truth, I've driven myself nuts this fall and winter fighting the weight issue. Andrea's post struck a raw nerve because I knew exactly how she feels. I'm not giving up on low carb, it works so well for my blood sugar, but I could eat more. FYI, I've felt fine and haven't been physically sick. I do need to untwist my mental knickers, though.

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Permalink Reply by Judith on February 7, 2012 at 12:19pm

Ooooh Jan----"untwisting mental knickers"-----We need a new group with that title. This exchange between you and bsc has helped me, too. Thanks to you both!!!

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Permalink Reply by smileandnod on February 7, 2012 at 12:24pm

This discussion has helped me as well. BSC is really good at explanations that are easy to understand and put in perspective.

Jan..."untwisting mental knickers"...*mental image*
Thank you for that! :)

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