Big Jim’s attempt to become Slim Jim

[New Haven Neil]

23 hours ago, Markwj said:

I always thought hba1c as a better indicator as it gives an average over time. BG readings may not be that useful if you are not on insulin as if it’s high you can’t bring it down and if you are following your dietary advice it shouldn’t be high. I stress though I am talking about non insulin controlled.

The issue can be some people do get obsessive about their BG reading. 
Mark

 

Yes and no, Mark!

 

HbA1c is basically an average, usually done over a 6 month period at first, but it doesn't show you the peaks and troughs of BG - and it is exactly those, especially peaks, that cause the devastating damage that diabetes can bring.  The only way to find out if the diet you are following is working, is to measure BG 2 hours after meals.  We're all different, and what affect one person mightn't be what affects me.  Once we have learned our particular things to avoid then I agree, it isn't really necessary, now I only test occasionally or after eating something new.

 

I have the additional issue of Reactive Hypoglycaemia, which causes no end of trouble until you work it out.  If I get a high BG, my body over-reacts, and the next thing is I'm hypo, then the liver does a glucose dump and I'm high again, up and down like, er, a lift until it stabilised.  HbA1c does not detect this, and it was damaging my health until diagnosed.  My HbA1c hasn't changed since I learned about this condition, (36/37 over 2 years) but the damages that were beginning to be caused have halted.  Without a BG meter this might never have been discovered until too late for my circulation and nervous system.  We should never underestimate what a horrid condition this is if not controlled.

 

You can also hasten the decrease in BG when high by exercise, a brisk walk does wonders for me on the occasions things go awry.  Not often now, thankfully.

 

'And Finally' - when I was an NHS manager back in the UK, I was the administration service manager for a large podiatry department, doing 49,000 appointments a year, including podiatric surgery.  That was often when diabetic patients were losing toes and feet....you don't want to be there, its not nice.

[big jim]

That’s the scary bit, you don’t realise until you have it and get told by the doctor that you could lose a toe or foot, similarly it could cause eye problems too 

[New Haven Neil]

Just now, big jim said:

That’s the scary bit, you don’t realise until you have it and get told by the doctor that you could lose a toe or foot, similarly it could cause eye problems too 

 

Oh without doubt.  I wasn't diabetic back then, but obviously I learned a lot about it from the clinicians - its come home to roost!

 

It is a horrid condition if out of control, when you see folk with horrendous diabetic ulcers, and losing toes it makes an impression.  It also can affect, errrr, other outlying body parts that are dear to us men.  It's also not that long ago in real terms that T1 was a death sentence, less than 100 years, but we're not talking about T1 here thankfully.

 

You're doing great Jim, that's what it takes, a bit of care and thought and we're OK.  Those that chose to ignore it, do so at their peril - one of my best mates does, and he's heading for trouble. 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

PS - I should have mentioned eyes in my rant above - it is my eyesight that has suffered due to the hypogycaemic issues I mentioned, before diagnosis. 

[Legend]

On 01/06/2021 at 05:33, iL Dottore said:

As I had mentioned, counting carbs is not for everyone.  It works for me because as a scientist I quite like the analytical aspects of assessing carbs, protein and fat in one’s food. The other advantage of a very low carbohydrate diet is that it uses the body’s own metabolism against itself. The body metabolises food in the following sequence of ease of metabolism: carbohydrates, then fats and then protein. If you really reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat, the body will move on to metabolising body fat and one starts loosing fat. 

 

Before I started my diet, I did do a lot of research into various diets, but what tipped me towards using a modified Atkins diet was a program I saw on the BBC. The program was about weight loss and during the programme they interviewed a Professor of Metabolic Disease at Bristol University. The professor showed the interviewer four or five breakfasts that he had prepared to illustrate what would be the healthiest breakfast. One of the breakfasts that was prepared was a full English (bacon, sausage, eggs, mushroom and tomato; but no fried bread or baked beans), the other breakfasts included toast, marmalade and orange juice, commercially prepared cereals with milk; granola and so forth. Surprisingly, it was the full English (without the fried bread and baked beans) that was the healthiest choice simply because of the way the body metabolised the meal (no insulin spikes after ingestion as would be the case with the other breakfasts). As a Full English would be permitted by the Atkins diet, I noted that and thought that’s the diet for me 
 

A final thought-provoking comment from this Professor was the observation that obesity rates in the UK started to rise after the 70s when fat became demonised and manufacturers replaced fats in food by carbohydrates (frequently highly processed carbohydrates like High Fructose Corn Syrup) and salt to keep processed food palatable.

 

But everyone’s metabolism is unique and whilst there are general principles, diets really do need to be tailored to the individual as what works for one, may not work for another...

 

Yes I'm a fan of the Low Carb diet . In 2019 I went on a walking holiday with friends and was shocked at how unfit I'd become .  One of my friends suggested the low carb diet .  Generally I thought you had to keep Carbs below 50g per day . I went from 123kg to 100kg in about 8 weeks . If you think about it 23kg is the weight of a suitcase you go on holiday with for 2 weeks , and that was what I was carrying around .

 

The weight stayed off until lockdown , despite going on a few cruises,  but what with being deskbound and eating to cheer myself up  I got back up to 120kg . No problem I thought I'll do low carb diet again , although id never really gone back to potatoes , rice , pasta in significant quantities , problem is this time I can't get past 110kg . I kind of think your body gets used to what you eat and adjusts accordingly . You need to do something to change metabolic rate 

 

In my case its not my blood sugar level thats the issue (confirmed by the doc) its blood pressure which can be pretty high . Losing weight should help .  What I have done is increased exercise levels , as well as maintaining diet .  Morning, Lunch and after dinner walks  . Target is 10000 steps per day which I find is about and hour and a halfs walking for me , done in three sessions . What I note is that this is having a direct effect on BP as my readings are lower since I started .  

 

But well done Not so big Jim. 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Legend

[Legend]

On 31/05/2021 at 18:23, big jim said:

The beauty of weight watchers is I’m not checking out what carb levels are, it’s self discipline to make sure I don’t get tempted by excess bread, pasta, potatoes etc although I do have to be careful as it does suggest ‘healthy recipies’ that are not exactly suited to diabetics, I.E jacket potato, pasta baked etc 

 

took the bike out earlier and thought I’d just have a short ride into silloth but it was such a lovely day I got a bit carried away and carried in to mawbray then thought, well it’s not far to Allonby so I may as well carry on, got there and turned back to silloth then when I got to within 1/2 mile of the van I thought I may as well carry on to skinburness and turn back there but carried on and did the circular route back to the van via the main road, managed a total of just short of 25 miles in total, now if you told me a week ago I’d do that I’d have asked you if you were on glue! 
 

 

 

 

got to say my backside is killing me now though! 

 

Ahh Silloth!

 

Yates Circuit Foils out in the Airfield . I think it was in a converted hanger . Used to buy from them 30 years ago .

 

I know where you were cycling. 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Legend

[Markwj]

10 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Yes and no, Mark!

 

HbA1c is basically an average, usually done over a 6 month period at first, but it doesn't show you the peaks and troughs of BG - and it is exactly those, especially peaks, that cause the devastating damage that diabetes can bring.  The only way to find out if the diet you are following is working, is to measure BG 2 hours after meals.  We're all different, and what affect one person mightn't be what affects me.  Once we have learned our particular things to avoid then I agree, it isn't really necessary, now I only test occasionally or after eating something new.

 

I have the additional issue of Reactive Hypoglycaemia, which causes no end of trouble until you work it out.  If I get a high BG, my body over-reacts, and the next thing is I'm hypo, then the liver does a glucose dump and I'm high again, up and down like, er, a lift until it stabilised.  HbA1c does not detect this, and it was damaging my health until diagnosed.  My HbA1c hasn't changed since I learned about this condition, (36/37 over 2 years) but the damages that were beginning to be caused have halted.  Without a BG meter this might never have been discovered until too late for my circulation and nervous system.  We should never underestimate what a horrid condition this is if not controlled.

 

You can also hasten the decrease in BG when high by exercise, a brisk walk does wonders for me on the occasions things go awry.  Not often now, thankfully.

 

'And Finally' - when I was an NHS manager back in the UK, I was the administration service manager for a large podiatry department, doing 49,000 appointments a year, including podiatric surgery.  That was often when diabetic patients were losing toes and feet....you don't want to be there, its not nice.

Thanks Neil

Sorry don’t want to ask personal questions (as in are you tablet or insulin and don’t really want to hijack the thread) so I won’t but I was only referring to tablet rather than insulin controlled diabetes. The issue with tablet is that if you have a high bm you can’t bring it down quickly it’s only over time it comes down (or with exercise). As you rightly said however everyone is different not everyone can exercise and some people will be more sensitive to medication and diabetes than others and you also have the added complication you outlined above. 
Finally my experience comes from 25 years as a qualified nurse some of that as a community nurse looking after people at home with diabetes I have seen and treated the foot and associated leg ulcers (including amputations) and you are correct (and as a warning to those with uncontrolled diabetes) you really need to take care of yourselves and luckily I didn’t see 49000 of them! I did speak to one of my practice nurse colleagues about the cost of machines and test strips and luckily they have come right down now so they are not too reluctant to give them out although in her experience it wasn’t a factor anyway. Obviously your experience was different. Generally though the message is take your diabetes seriously .

cheers

mark

 

 

[Markwj]

Sorry just reminded me of the diabetic patient we had who said she ‘accidentally’ ate 4 hot cross buns one after the other! Thems the accidents you want to avoid!

[New Haven Neil]

Hi Mark

 

I think we're in agreement!  I'm not trying to teach you to suck eggs, I acknowledge your professionalism.

 

I'm T2 managed on diet alone - my GP wanted to start me on Metformin but after some research and discussion with a T2 colleague at the time, I asked for a moratorium on that while I tried low carbing - quite strictly at first but less so now I have stabilised.  No need for metformin now, A1c last 2 years 54, 42, 36, 38, 37, 37. 

 

diabetes.co.uk was a great help with diets, menus, and moral support as I worked through it all, and Dr Jason Fung's book 'The Diabetes Code' as I mentioned earlier.

 

Despite some mobility issues myself (hip arthritis and a foot destroyed by a Lisfranc fracture) I am able to exercise by walking, I can manage about 8k paces on a good day - this does reduce BG in my case, I'm lucky in that way.  

 

The reactive hypoglycaemia was a royal pain until I realised what was going on just as I was diagnosed T2, previous GP (now retired - was not up to speed on diabetes) was not convinced about it but the glucose tolerance test revealed it toute de suite.  

 

My message, is low carbing (not keto levels) can make a hell of a difference to a not-too-ill T2.

Edited June 3, 2021 by New Haven Neil
To add 2 A1c figures I missed

[big jim]

I’m glad this thread has opened up a discussion on all things regarding diabeties, healthy living and exercise, something that a lot of people my age don’t discuss until it’s too late and you either like me become diabetic or worse still have a heart attack or something 

 

don’t mind the thread diversion as there is only so much I can put up about my own experience and what I’m doing to make things right 

 

anyway this evening I did day 2 of couch to 5k, going by the questions I answered when setting it up it has started me on week 3 so today was 26 mins total with 8 mins running and I covered 1.42 miles 

 

I then went out on the bike again covering the same route as yesterday but with an extra lap of the park at the end, I was inspired by the comments yesterday that it was a good pace so I wanted to see if I could improve on it, I won’t lie the electric helps a lot and it would be no where near as quick on a normal bike but today I had it in the lowest assistance setting for 95% of the ride 

 

hopefully the roof rack will arrive tomorrow for the mini so I can get further afield on it, quite fancy doing hadfield to woodhead! 

[boxbrownie]

56 minutes ago, Markwj said:

Sorry just reminded me of the diabetic patient we had who said she ‘accidentally’ ate 4 hot cross buns one after the other! Thems the accidents you want to avoid!

She must have tripped and fallen into the bakery......

[Nearholmer]

Looks to me as if you have your average HR pretty much where you want it to be to build a bit of stamina without knocking yourself out in the process, but have you discussed exercising HR with your GP? Probably be worth a chat to see what they recommend for you personally.

[big jim]

Not discussed exercise with anyone, just cracking on with it myself, I’ve got a Hussle gym membership on hold so if I re-activate that I can use the local pools and gyms but as it is at the moment I’ve found something I enjoy doing and it’s not costing me anything, will be a different story come winter though will have to switch to indoor activities! 

 

 

[Nearholmer]

Keep-up the bike riding if you can, pedalling keeps you warm, and I reckon a bike ride does a hundred times more for mental positivity than the same amount of time/effort doing indoor exercise, even if the weather is cr@p.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Nearholmer

[KDG]

Good for you Jim, well done!

 

Like you my weight had crept up over the years without really realising from 11.5 stone 16 years ago when I left the RAF to 15.5 stone. Found myself visiting the GP for various things more recently.

 

Started a low carb diet at the beginning of the first lock down, lost 3 stone. Plenty to eat of the right things never felt hungry. All the things that the GP was treating me for have cleared up now. Acid reflux gone, piles gone, loose stools normal now, knees dont hurt....

 

Keep going mate, keep sharing your success with us.

[woodenhead]

11 hours ago, big jim said:

Not discussed exercise with anyone, just cracking on with it myself, I’ve got a Hussle gym membership on hold so if I re-activate that I can use the local pools and gyms but as it is at the moment I’ve found something I enjoy doing and it’s not costing me anything, will be a different story come winter though will have to switch to indoor activities! 

 

 

My wife was a gym addict, she was bereft when the gyms had to close due to Covid, she's also an instructor but has a main job too in the NHS.

 

Then I emptied the garage, she got hold of online Les Mills content and she became a home gym addict, also bought a proper spin bike for her in the summer, she's well happy now and whilst she misses the wellness areas she is not missing being a gym member.

 

I will say, I have gone back to the gym, I am not as disciplined as the wife, also she was worried when I started jogging again that I should do it indoors first, if I need to keel over, better to do it in sight of others not down a road somewhere.  I haven't keeled over so far and now back up to 3 miles though I need to recover 8 minutes to get back to where I was last year.

[bodmin16]

I am really enjoying this thread and thanks to every body for posting.  I am finding it inspiring and very interesting.  As per my previous post I changed my eating habits and exercise regime about 7 years ago, and I did so because I was showing the classic signs of diabetes.  However after much prodding, poking and investigating it was established that I do in fact have diabetes insipidus which is some what different to Type 1 and Type 2 and I feel lucky to have dodged that bullet.  Diabetes is extremely rare apparently and when I went for my Covid jab the nurse administering it was very interested and had never met any body who had it.  Whilst it does affect my life and well being, and is controlled by medication it is thankfully does not impact on my life quite as much as sugar diabetes, hence counting my blessings and feeling for those that do suffer with sugar diabetes.  Just to illustrate the two pictures show my conversion from broad to standard gauge thanks to a healthier diet and lifestyle. Oh and I feel amazing!

[big jim]

Couple of things today, the roof rack has arrived for the white car so I’m ready for some further afield adventures, must remember it’s on there though if I’m driving under low bridges or car park barriers! 
 

 

 

and I did my first proper commute today, home to the station, was going to leave the bike there but I’ve took it on the train and will ride the last couple of miles from Walsall to bescot hopefully 

 

 

[big jim]

As well as that ride I ended up adding to it on the way in

 

i had to change trains at rugeley trent valley so instead of carrying the bike over the bridge I got on it and rode to rugeley town station, another 1.4 miles 

 

and then when I got to Walsall I got off there and rode the final bit to bescot the long way round, almost another 4 miles to the tally (that bit was taking my life into my own hands though, scary drivers round Walsall!) 

[jcredfer]

Hi Jim,

I have really enjoyed your reports of taking to exercise, in a form which you obviously enjoy.  There is no doubt that you are joining an army of people who have found real pleasure from one or another activities.  It matters not which activity has got so many people moving and it's delightful to see so much enthusiasm and benefit has been generated as a result.

 

The benefits of any form of activity are very real and the bike is very much one of them.  You obviously have an exercise App, from your posts and will be tracing your progress.  It's delightful watching your own improvements as you go along, regardless of what form it takes.  Thanks for sharing your experiences.  

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by jcredfer
Removed unwanted strike-through

[Ruffnut Thorston]

This is a Spotify playlist that I have put together, that I use when I’m out on a walk...

 

Mainly long, extended or 12 inch versions, mainly a pretty fast tempo.

 

It certainly helps me get a shift on, if not up to Night Fury speed. 
 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2MeioFPeskrEbb0Zyl9rmB?si=GwVM8HzMQqaDKd-OJrpvCw

I use the free version, with adds, and it plays at random...

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by Ruffnut Thorston
Tested link...

[boxbrownie]

11 hours ago, big jim said:

 

and then when I got to Walsall I got off there and rode the final bit to bescot the long way round, almost another 4 miles to the tally (that bit was taking my life into my own hands though, scary drivers round Walsall!) 

 

Be careful Jim we want you a bit thinner.....not flat! 

[big jim]

58 minutes ago, Ruffnut Thorston said:

This is a Spotify playlist that I have put together, that I use when I’m out on a walk...

 

Mainly long, extended or 12 inch versions, mainly a pretty fast tempo.

 

It certainly helps me get a shift on, if not up to Night Fury speed. 
 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2MeioFPeskrEbb0Zyl9rmB?si=GwVM8HzMQqaDKd-OJrpvCw

I use the free version, with adds, and it plays at random...

 

 

 

you really like Duran Duran! 

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Well, yes! 
 

I suspect that Radio Wales also uses my playlists...

 

They do keep playing tracks from my lists! 
 

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by Ruffnut Thorston
More added

[big jim]

A run round the park earlier for Couch to 5k, 30 mins in total, 10 mins running and 20 walk and warm up/cool down 

 

 

gonna have a short trip out on the bike later this evening too