Discussion of diabetes management in day to day life

RE: Weight gain

Jill:  Many years ago  I read an article about weight gain in diabetics.  
What it said was that the tighter the control, the more chance for weight
gain.  And it sure is right.  Now that I figured out that a certain food
additive (Sorbitol) caused my sugars to go excessively high, I have stayed
away from it and all foods that contain it.  Now that I have done that, I am
in beautiful control–I also gained a few pounds that I cannot get rid of no
matter how hard I try.   Cutting back on the calories, fat, etc., doesn’t make
a bit of difference.  But, my weight stays steady; I would worry more about if
I started dropping it really fast; that means no control!!!  Good control
means that your body can act more "normally", and that means using the food
you eat more efficiently.

Sue

posted by admin in Uncategorized and have Comments (7)

7 Responses to “RE: Weight gain”

  1. admin says:

    Many years ago, I read an article on diabetes that stated that a
    well-controlled diabetic will gain weight–no matter what they do to try not
    to.  If it is only a few pounds, I would not worry about it.  Exercise is
    still a diabetic’s best friend, and if you get any kind of good exercise, a
    few extra pounds aren’t going to hurt.  BUT, if you start losing a lot of
    weight, that means you are out of control–and that is worse than carrying
    around a few pounds.  I have been carrying around an extra 5 pounds and have
    never been able to lose it; but my weight has stayed the same since then.  My
    physician is happy, and so am I.

    Sue

  2. admin says:

    In a previous article, al…@primenet.com (Sue LaVergne) says:

    >Many years ago, I read an article on diabetes that stated that a
    >well-controlled diabetic will gain weight–no matter what they do to try not
    >to.  If it is only a few pounds, I would not worry about it.  Exercise is
    >still a diabetic’s best friend, and if you get any kind of good exercise, a
    >few extra pounds aren’t going to hurt.  BUT, if you start losing a lot of
    >weight, that means you are out of control–and that is worse than carrying
    >around a few pounds.  I have been carrying around an extra 5 pounds and have
    >never been able to lose it; but my weight has stayed the same since then.  My
    >physician is happy, and so am I.

    Perhaps the article misstated the case, or perhaps you misread it.  
    Well-controlled Type Ones *may* gain weight…but then again they may
    *not.*  You state it as if *all* well-controlled Type Ones will gain
    weight.  Not true.


    David Cohler, South Pasadena

  3. admin says:

    In article <1995Dec16.171527.27…@lafn.org>,
     i.com!noc.netcom.net!lafn.org!lafn.org!ar051

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    >From: ar…@lafn.org (David Cohler)
    >Subject: Re: Weight gain

    >In a previous article, al…@primenet.com (Sue LaVergne) says:

    >>Many years ago, I read an article on diabetes that stated that a
    >>well-controlled diabetic will gain weight–no matter what they do to try not
    >>to.  If it is only a few pounds, I would not worry about it.  Exercise is
    >>still a diabetic’s best friend, and if you get any kind of good exercise, a
    >>few extra pounds aren’t going to hurt.  BUT, if you start losing a lot of
    >>weight, that means you are out of control–and that is worse than carrying
    >>around a few pounds.  I have been carrying around an extra 5 pounds and have
    >>never been able to lose it; but my weight has stayed the same since then.  
    My
    >>physician is happy, and so am I.

    >Perhaps the article misstated the case, or perhaps you misread it.  
    >Well-controlled Type Ones *may* gain weight…but then again they may
    >*not.*  You state it as if *all* well-controlled Type Ones will gain
    >weight.  Not true.

    Hi David,

            I am very encouraged by your post.  Two years of Type Oneing have
    added a 3-5 lb margin to my weight that I haven’t been able to shed.  I’ve
    been thin all my life and I doubt that anyone has noticed the small weight
    gain, but I kind of had in mind weighing the same for all my adult life.  And
    I had managed very well until Type I rolled around.  I have always been
    active, but now I walk and hike for over an hour almost every day.  So I’m
    doing fine in the exercise dept.  I’m fit and healthy but I would still like
    to get back down to the ol’ 110.  Reducing calories sounds so simple, but not
    so with well controlled intensive therapy.  Just when I’m eating light, an
    unavoidable hypo comes down on me sending me to the fridge where I must shovel
    it in with both hands!  

            I had begun to resign myself to the weight gain like Sue til I saw
    your post.  Would someone out there who has NOT experienced a weight gain with
    well controlled intensive therapy PLEASE POST (or e-mail) it so that I can see
    that it’s possible?  I would really be heartened and aim again for 110 rather
    than settle.

            I so hope there’s a response.  This disease is such a robber, I hated
    to think it was robbing my slimness too.      :-)
                                            Thanks pals,    cindy

  4. admin says:

    In article <4b864g$…@nntp3.news.primenet.com> be…@primenet.com  writes:
    > …
    >         I had begun to resign myself to the weight gain like Sue til I saw
    > your post.  Would someone out there who has NOT experienced a weight gain with
    > well controlled intensive therapy PLEASE POST (or e-mail) it so that I can see
    > that it’s possible?  I would really be heartened and aim again for 110 rather
    > than settle.

    I was diagnosed as type 1 twenty-five years ago, when I was 7.
    Naturally, I’ve gained weight since then ;-)

    I _have_ however lost weight.  I get calories from three sources:
    fats, cho and alcahol.  Reducing the first and eliminating the third
    makes the second more peaky.  So I had to eat more meals, and
    reduce the insulin.

    Turning down the heating at home, and wearing less clothes out
    also helped.


    Patricia Reynolds
    p…@caerlas.demon.co.uk

  5. admin says:

    be…@primenet.com wrote:
    >    I had begun to resign myself to the weight gain like Sue til I saw
    >your post.  Would someone out there who has NOT experienced a weight gain with
    >well controlled intensive therapy PLEASE POST (or e-mail) it so that I can see
    >that it’s possible?  I would really be heartened and aim again for 110 rather
    >than settle.

    >    I so hope there’s a response.  This disease is such a robber, I hated
    >to think it was robbing my slimness too.      :-)

    Ok, I’m one.  My weight tends to drift down toward 150 and somewhat
    before that my wife starts complaining that I am getting too skinny.
    Then I make an effort to eat a little more, increasing my insulin
    to compensate, and get it back up toward 160.  I am well controlled
    on 5 shots/day.  My last A1c was in the normal range, which I
    actually think is over controlled and I have backed off some.

    You said you are walking more now.  Are you sure  your weight gain
    isn’t mussle replacing fat?  Percent body fat is a much better measure
    of health than weight.  In any event, you should be able to loose
    weight by adjusting diet and insulin if it is really that important
    to you.  Remember that as we age weight tends to go up and calorie
    requirements tend to go down so it gets harder to do as years go by.

    As an alternative, I just lost 6-8 pounds in a couple of weeks by
    knocking around Indonesia.  Most of the loss is accounted for by
    only having a couple meals most days of rice, some side dish, and
    water, lots of water.  It was hot!  Very little protein and fat.
    Reduction in fat is probably the easiest way to cut calories since
    it has a minor impact on insulin requirements.


    Charles Coughran
    ccough…@ucsd.edu

  6. admin says:

    In article <4b864g$…@nntp3.news.primenet.com>, be…@primenet.com writes:

    =       I am very encouraged by your post.  Two years of Type Oneing have
    =added a 3-5 lb margin to my weight that I haven’t been able to shed.  I’ve
    =been thin all my life and I doubt that anyone has noticed the small weight
    =gain, but I kind of had in mind weighing the same for all my adult life.  And
    =I had managed very well until Type I rolled around.  I have always been
    =active, but now I walk and hike for over an hour almost every day.  So I’m
    =doing fine in the exercise dept.  I’m fit and healthy but I would still like
    =to get back down to the ol’ 110.  Reducing calories sounds so simple, but not
    =so with well controlled intensive therapy.  Just when I’m eating light, an
    =unavoidable hypo comes down on me sending me to the fridge where I must shovel
    =it in with both hands!  

    Sounds as if you’re not reducing your insulin dosage enough to compensate for
    eating less.
    —————————————————————————
    I  try  very  hard  to say exactly what I mean.  I’d appreciate it if you’d
    bear that in mind and not try to "interpret"  my  posts  to  fit  your  own
    preconceived notions if I’m posting in a serious thread.  Remember:  If you
    throw a strawman into a heated debate, flames are likely to be the result.

  7. admin says:

    > In article <4b864g$…@nntp3.news.primenet.com> be…@primenet.com  writes:
    >> …
    >> your post.  Would someone out there who has NOT experienced a weight gain with
    >> well controlled intensive therapy PLEASE POST (or e-mail) it so that I can see
    >> that it’s possible?  I would really be heartened and aim again for 110 rather
    >> than settle.

    I have lost 5 pounds since going on the pump about a year or so
    ago (from 130 to 125).  In that time HbA1s went from 10s to 7s.
    I attribute the weight loss to:
     - MANY fewer hypos, and the hypos I get on the pump are easily
            treated with one or two glucose tabs. My NPH lows required
            a full snack  or I’d just go low again.
     - I can skip meals so easily! I NEVER eat breakfast now that I’m
            on the pump, and skip other meals maybe once a week.

            For me, these must have been enough to compensate for
            the "extra" calories I was eating that were lost in
            my urine.

    For some people, the pump is a joy because you can eat extra things.
    For me, it is a joy because I never HAVE to eat. After 22 years
    of a regular ADA diet, skipping meals and eating less is such
    a wonderful thing!

    Betsy

Place your comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.