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Comment by Jamie on August 4, 2010 at 4:47am

Hi everybody,
Does anybody have any thoughts about what the difference may be between Dr. Neal Barnard's low fat vegan diet and the "Engine 2" diet?

Comment by Rebecca on July 1, 2010 at 1:43pm

I've lost 4-5 pounds in the past 3 weeks on a pretty strict vegetarian diet. Doing Weight Watchers online and am learning how to eat when I'm hungry again and not just out of stress and anxiety. Having to learn new behaviors and actions of "skinny people". Learning to look at food in a new way. I think having 2 babies back-to-back and then getting diagnosed with T1 really screwed up my brain... and my stomach. I have felt less hunger and less need to stuff my face. I used to binge and overeat healthy foods. I would use food to deal with life. I feel like I am in better control now even though the weight is not "melting" off.

I have also read a couple other books that have effected me. Dr.Phil's Seven Tools to Ultimate Weight Loss and Bethenney Frankel's Naturally Thin. Both deal with the food issues and habits and not just the food or diet itself. They have made a HUGE impact on me... finally. I want it so bad! I am ready to be thin again...once and for all.

Comment by Jamie on June 26, 2010 at 11:58am

Yes, I am taking metformin and also Januvia 100mg. I stopped Januvia for about a week but my numbers were going up so I continued. But I stopped my blood pressure medication (Altace2.5mg) and also I only take 10 mg of Lipitor. After I will find out in July what my blood values are I intend to stop Lipitor. I check my blood pressure every day. I am not a very good cook and I am not really creative. But I always had a simple taste and never minded "bland" food. I basically follow recipes I find in vegan cook books or online. I usually change them somewhat, especially I am not using as much seasoning. Tell me if you have a good seitan recipe, mine is maybe a bit too blend. I do put vegetables in the cooking water but not adding much to the gluten. The next day I usually use the broth for my next soup.

Comment by Mila on June 26, 2010 at 10:26am

Hi Jamie, thank you for welcoming me.

I am also spending much more time cooking, but that's no problem as I have more energy now.

I can't imagine getting too thin as I am really heavy, but I can imagine that you worry about the weight loss. Are you still taking metformine?

I stopped taking gliclazide, but then my bgs got too high, especially in the evening. So I took it again, but then I had severe hypoglycemia. Now I've stopped again and I am curious what my next Hba1C test will show.
I do eat a lot of carbs, and I even use brown demerara sugar and agavesyrup, though not much.

Maybe we could exchange recipes here; I also make my own seitan.

Comment by Jamie on June 26, 2010 at 7:04am

Welcome to our small group Mila. I have been on this regimen for more than 3 months. I have to spend more time in the kitchen preparing food for myself than before but I don't mind. My biggest problem is that I have lost weight and now I am too thin. I am also exercising every day for more than an hour and that may also contribute to the weight loss. I am now preparing my own seitan and I think I get enough protein. However, if I don't stick to the very low glycemic index/load foods my BS is still not perfect in the morning. My last HbA1C was 6.5 and I will have it checked again in July. I will have to ask my doctor about my weight.

Comment by Mila on June 26, 2010 at 4:34am

I am a overweight type 2 diabetic vegetarian and I tried to follow a low carb diet for some years. Initially I lost 5 kgs of weight, but then the weight loss stopped and I found it hard to stay on the diet, because the lack of variation in protein I had as a vegetarian. When I quit eating low carb, I quickly gained 10 kgs back.

Since 6 weeks I am on the Dr. Barnard diet and it suits me much better. So I stopped eating dairy and fat and eat a lot of carbohydrates. I've lost 6 kgs until now and I feel great. I have a lot more energy and I sleep very well. Though I do miss the olive oil when preparing and eating dinner.

Comment by Rebecca on June 6, 2010 at 10:07am

I am a type 1 diabetic and I have been a pesco-vegetarian for many years. I must admit I did eat meat and poultry last year as a result of life stresses, frustration with my health, and weight gain. I just gave up on so many things happening in my life.

Anyway, I have been back on track and would say that I only eat seafood maybe once per week. Otherwise I am a good vegetarian. Not vegan, but vegetarian. I am happy with my choices and have learned a lot from Dr. Barnards books. It's just soooo tough to be on that strict of a diet. I guess I'm just not willing to give up everything. I would really miss my yogurt or goat cheese on occasion. I don't know. I can't un-do my type of diabetes but I can learn how to be a better diabetic.

I only take insulin to control my diabetes. I do, however, take other medications to contol my complications of diabetes such as neurpathy pain in my legs and gastroparesis (nerve damage in my stomach).

I have to run now. Kiddies need me. Good luck to you and keep in touch.

Comment by Jamie on June 6, 2010 at 7:55am

I am happy to see that other people with diabetes are converted to Dr. Neal Barnard's "religion." I am a dedicated follower. I went cold turkey at the beginning of March. I have been on Lantus insulin daily which was the first thing that I stopped. Almost within 2 weeks I have lost 10 lbs. (Insulin is causing weight gain.) I was also on Januvia and Metformin. Last week I have stopped Januvia. Concurrently, I have stopped Altace for high blood pressure/kidney protection but have been monitoring my blood pressure every day. So far I did not have one reading over 120/80. I am also exercising every single day although I have been doing that before. I think I am sleeping better and feel more energetic in general. But the greatest change for me is that I am eating "quantities" of food and do not feel hungry as I was always before. That was the real reason for my switch. My HbA1C numbers were always good but at what price. I was hungry lots of times but controlled myself until it was "time" for me to eat. I would like to gain some weight because I am very thin now (5.5 and 115lbs) but it doesn't seem possible on the very low fat diet.
What are your experiences? I would really like to hear from the others.

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