Atkins vs. Low-Fat

I’ve been following a lower carb paleo type diet since being diagnosed with T2 diabetes 4 years ago. Following that diet has easily allowed me to drop 75 pounds and keep it off without effort. It also provided me with enough additional energy to get me up off the couch and exercising religiously.

My A1c reduced from 6.7 to 4.9 and my morning fasting numbers and 1 and 2 hours after eating numbers remain in the normal range as long as I continue to eat this way. If I slip and eat too many carbs (too much fruit), up goes the blood sugar. However, I don’t feel deprived in the least – I feel healthy and energetic.

I’m off BP meds, and don’t take any diabetes meds now. My lipids are all good, with high HDL and low trigs and a list of minor complaints have completely resolved.

Prior to my diagnosis I was a low-fat veg for a dozen years – I truly believe that’s a factor in how I ended up obese and diabetic, on BP meds with increasingly bad lipid numbers.

I truly believe, after living this, that every diabetic should be counselled as to all the nutrition options, including lower carb paleo approach – the only advice I got was low fat, high carb portion controlled eating. I already knew where that was going to get me…

We went on the South Beach diet. During phase one it was difficult and we had to shorten the time we were on it. I felt ill and ran keytones. On to phase two, it was terrific. Wait loss was good and blood sugars were much better. Phase three was also very good. I have been a type one diabetic for 67 years. And always been very brittle. At age 66 I received a kidney transplant. I am doing well but my blood sugars are hard to control. I have been told part of that is due to the anti-rejection medication. I went off the South Beach diet when I went on dialysis. The dialysys diet has to be one of the most unhealthy diets there is. I have gained back about 10 to 15 pounds. I really need to do the South Beach diet again. Just dread that phase one!

Okay, I will join the others on the low carb way of eating. Nothing else works for me so why not try this……we will see what happens. Consuming low carbs makes sense to me. Just how low I supposed depends upon each individual. I am so tired of carrying excess weight.

I tried Atkins for a about a year, and found my blood-sugar control was very good, but I couldn’t lose any weight. Instead I lost my weight (25 pounds) by skipping lunch, and getting yelled at by my MD. Needless to say, my bg control was poorer with the second method. Oh well.

I have been type 2 for about 5 years. At first, I was on Byetta, which greatly helped me lose weight. I could not keep my glucose numbers down, however, and I eventually went on insulin. I injected 2x per day and tried to watch my diet, but my numbers went up. I have been on an insulin pump for several years, but still have high numbers… last A1C was 7.7. I started on South Beach Diet and have lost 9 lb, but AIC was up from 7.2. I probably have not done as much cardio as I should, but do work out with a trainer 2 times per week.

I guess everyone is different. One would think that if my weight were down the AIC would be reduced also. So far no kidney problems. Have some foot discomfort.. neuropathy I guess. I keep an eye on my feet (fortunately I can feel them and am flexible enough to inspect them regularly).

My daughter developed type 1 diabetes after having gestational with her second child. He is now 14. She continues healthy with no kidney problems as well. Her control is brittle although she has been on a pump for quite a few years.

I guess I was at risk for type 2 because I had a baby over 9 lb (the daughter I mentioned above). Lots of history of diabetes in my family as well.

I am hoping that the South Beach diet will help me stay somewhat in control.

Due to economics after my dh died, I found myself with a lot less money for food for awhile, and started buying chicken legs in store packages at discount prices and freezing them (after awhile I started taking off the skin when hand pain allowed, tuna in water, stopped eatting butter or margarine in any form-used no calorie sprays instead, eggs, and hot oatmeal-no sugar packets,no mayo or used canola mayo with frozen mixed veg, spinach-frozen. Switched from half and half to skim milk in my coffee and got used to it! After loosing 30 punds in about 4 months I thought it might be due to my diabeties 2 or some such. I was not exercising much as I also have spinal stenosis and find walking on cement painful and many exercises that help to loose weight not allowed to do.

The nutritionist explained that protein makes the body work harder and that a study between 2 groups had shown a surprising thing. One had eatten mainly or only vegetables and lost little weight and many gained. The other group ate only or mostly low fat protein and lost weight better then the other group. I had stumbled onto a better diet for me. However, as I lost weight she wants me to slowly add fresh vegetables and fruit in season which is better health wise.

My physical therapy exercises do no include any for belly fat so I will be going to a physical therapist who is familiar with my sort of problems to find out what I can do that is more strenuous-walking is supposed to be best for loosing weight so I will see what I learn.

Just my comment that might help someone.

The first time I went on the Atkin’s diet it worked like a dream come true. I was on it for 1 year lost 75 pounds and built some serious muscle in the process. My HDL went up and LDL went down along wih my tri..

The second time I wnet on Atkin’s amost tem years later I was on it for about 8 day when I found myself in the emergency room with a blood sugar count of about 790. 2 days in intensive care and 3 days in a normal room and I was a type 2 diabetic.

Atkin’s points out time and time again, “If you are a diabetic, make sure you speak with your doctor. I didn’t know I had developed diabetes during the time between my diet attempts.

Please check with your doctor prior to attempting a low carb diet. Although it works great, people with certain type of diabetes need constant blood monitoring and potentially radical changes in their medications during the first week or two.

Please check with your doctor prior to starting the diet. It does positive but radical things to the way your systems work.

It worked for me. The short story,I walk three
miles most days.I eat four ot five meals a day
with 30 grams of whole grain per meal. My blood
sugar is good.

I too am on low carb diet and restrict carbs. I really helps to control blood sugar and keep grief reduced.

In am a T2 diabetic with system that has been down all night, dawn effect has nailed any available insulin and last thing you need is more glucose as body comes out of barn and you start taking pills. Remember that in am the fastest thing that can get out in blood stream in am is humolog at 45 minutes all else is snails pace. My drugs take 2 to 3 hours after ingeston to get bnlood system back rolling.

Are type 2 diabetics more sensitive in am to carbs – hell yes till drgs back to work and body normal. Last thing yo need is more carbs/glucose in early am as you bring up body unless you prefer 2 to 5 mile walk each day in am burning off excess glucose.