Pre-diabetes - I'm really sad because I thought I was doing so well
Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.
I just received word my fasting blood glucose is 103 ... pre-diabetes. It's never been that high, and I pay strict attention to it because diabetes runs in my family.
What's disheartening, is this has happened NOW when I have been exercising and eating well for 6 months. My meal plan is calorie counting, but no starchy carbs at all ... only vegetables for carbs and very occasionally a fruit or low-fat yogurt. (No bread, cereal, pasta, rice, potatoes etc.) My carbs probably average around 60-80 a day. I did Atkins for several months, and then switched to calorie counting at 1550 calories with the restrictions noted above. I do weights 2x per week and cardio at least 4x per week.
Could the low carb diet have pushed me into pre-diabetes somehow? Or something else I'm not thinking of?
I'd really like to nip this in the bud, but have no clue what to do next. I thought I was doing exactly the right thing, but maybe not? Thank you for any help you can give.
I am no expert, but fruit is a simple carbohydrate...just as bad as sugar really. However, you say you only have it occasionally. Some people cannot tolerate carbs at all. You may need to stay very low-carb or even consider a zero carb diet. I don't think I'm allowed to post a link to the zero carb site in full, but it's ************ if you want to check out zero carb. Charles Washington is the owner of the site and he has posted some science-based articles that may be helpful to you.
On the otherhand, could your blood glucose be coming down from what it was before? Maybe there is some improvement!
I do know this - if I were prediabetic, I would be on 20 - 30 grams of carbs a day and no more. Or else I'd shift to the McDougall plan. I know that moderation will not work.
CJZee, I would be very careful going very low carb with bloodsugar problems as very low BGL can cause hypoglycemia. You are probably at about the right carb level recommended by the American and Canadian Diabetic associations. I doubt very much that doing Atkins pushed you into pre-diabetes status - the opposite is more likely.
Have you had a consult with a dietitian about your food programme? It sounds to me as if you are doing everything correctly. Have you had a HA1C test? That's the one that measures your BGL levels over a three-month period. It's time to do some research rather than jump into another program.
By the way, Atkins has a newer book for Diabetics. I am reading it right now and it seems quite good. It might be worth looking at.
On the otherhand, could your blood glucose be coming down from what it was before? Maybe there is some improvement! I do know this - if I were prediabetic, I would be on 20 - 30 grams of carbs a day and no more. Or else I'd shift to the McDougall plan. I know that moderation will not work.
I measure my blood glucose at least 2x per year, and it's always been less than 100, and mostly in the 80's -- so it's definitely gone in the wrong direction.
CJZee, I would be very careful going very low carb with bloodsugar problems as very low BGL can cause hypoglycemia. You are probably at about the right carb level recommended by the American and Canadian Diabetic associations. I doubt very much that doing Atkins pushed you into pre-diabetes status - the opposite is more likely.
Have you had a consult with a dietitian about your food programme? It sounds to me as if you are doing everything correctly. Have you had a HA1C test? That's the one that measures your BGL levels over a three-month period. It's time to do some research rather than jump into another program.
By the way, Atkins has a newer book for Diabetics. I am reading it right now and it seems quite good. It might be worth looking at.
Thanks, Ruth. I have another appt. next month to re-visit this. I guess it's possible the reading was just an aberration (I hope so, but am not counting on it). I will get the A1c test and talk to a dietitian. I have been reading a lot about diabetes, and it seems mainstream medicine "thinks" you should eat more carbs than I am doing now, which is why I'm at a loss as to what to do. My gut feel is to go lower on carbs.
I think I would go lower in carbs. I think your gut feel is right.
You know, it boggles my mind. People get Type II Diabetes and have to take insulin to cover a potato, a pastry, bean, fruit, etc. Why don't they just go low-carb? I have a friend who is a nurse and she told me that they only tell people to do what they think they are willing to do, and that most people would rather take insulin than go low-carb. (I think she is wrong. I think if people had a choice and were informed, they'd choose very low-carb.)
I must have given to much info in my reference to the zero carb site (new here). If you google zero carb or zeroing in on health, you will find it. It's extreme and not for everyone, but there are some good articles about diabetes/blood glucose, etc.
I was always hypoglycemic because I have always been an undereater. I decided to eat more and started focusing on less carbs since I am a vegan and thought I was getting too much. Well I had a 103, 105, and 110 fasting glucose tests. My doctor told me that considering my history of hypoglycemia it was a bad sign. I told him to give me some time to exercise and tweak my diet so I could lose some weight. I went back to eating the way I did before just making sure to get more calories so lots of fruits, vegetables, tofu, beans, soy, low glycemic index carbs, etc and my last tests were 98, 92 and 87. He's happy and so am I. I am to be monitored every month for the next year but I am sure it will be ok.
Not sure if this will be the same for everyone but my sister was on the Atkins and ended up diabetic after a year. She is now on metformin. She does something similar to the Zone diet and her blood sugar has been under control
Pre-diabetes - I'm really sad because I thought I was doing so well
