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Old 09-08-2016, 08:01 AM
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Originally Posted by eman View Post
I started the Atkins diet because of the same diagnosis. Dropped 20 lbs real fast. numbers were great . BUT i had zero energy and felt like crap. Started reading upon the diet and they have you walking on a razors edge . one side is no weight loss the other is ketosis.
during the flood clean up i ate normal as i need the energy. Now i am going back to watching portion size control and watching fat and calorie intake A LOT slower weight loss but much healthier.
I agree. There is no sound weight loss without portion control and calorie reduction. My nutrition plan also reduces carbs, but this is more about controlling blood sugar and is a bit short of Atkins or keto diets (but a step in that direction).

I think people tend to have different body chemistry. I suspect many can do Atkins and keto diets without the drop in energy. Great, if it works for them. But sustainability is more important to me. I may not have always kept all the weight off (gained 30 lbs since 2012), but I have always kept the BMI under 30, and delayed my diagnosis of prediabetic 12 years after that of my identical twin.

The average weight, BMI, blood sugar, and A1C over time are really the triggers and signs of diabetes. The best suggestion I've gotten was from my twin to monitor blood sugar daily to know where I am. There is a temptation to try to overcorrect - too much reduction in calories and too much exercise to be sustainable over time. But seeing slow and steady progress on blood glucose and weight helps me stay on a more moderate approach - also helped me resist a midnight snack last night when the stomach started growling.

I keep a spreadsheet with daily blood glucose and weight, but rather than focus on each day's measurement, I have a column that computes the average of the last 7 days. The average over 7 days is more meaningful, as it smooths out fluctuations and the day to day variations and allows one to see long term trends.
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