Counting What We Eat

Dear Gretchen,

The figure for Tandoori Chicken -- 900 calories for three chicken legs -- certainly surprised me and may very well not be correct. Two different web sites have exactly the same figure. But the next time I eat at the Nepalese restaurant were I got it, I will ask the cook/owner what her recipe is.

Thanks,

David

I think quite often, misinformation spreads through the Net as people take the information from some site and cite it <G>.

I wasn't as stunned by the calorie count, as they could be assuming huge chicken legs with lots of fatty skin. It was the carb count that I question, and I suspect the nutritionists are using the entire cup of yogurt, not realizing most of it gets left in the bowl and not realizing that the carb count of yogurt is lower than the carb count of an equivalent amount of milk.

As always, our meters are the best judges.

David,

I understand how your privacy is yours to monitor as you wish. You have never really mentioned your weight, though after becoming more trim you mention your BMI.  That's reasonable. You mention your target is a BMI of 19.  For our edification, and perhaps motivation too, what would you estimate has been your highest BMI? And how long ago were you there?

Dear Chris,

I appreciate your respect for my privacy, but I actually am one of the least private of all people and am willing to share, especially when it might help to inspire others. Elsewhere I have written how much I weighed in pounds, but in this post I used the standard, which is the body mass index, or BMI. It measures our body weight divided by the square of our height. The BMI calculator that I use is the government's one at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

I am 6' 2.75" tall.

In January 2006 I reached my highest weight ever, 313 pounds. That was a BMI of 39.4. A BMI of 30 or more in greater. A BMI of 40 or more is sometimes called morbidly obese, and I was awfully close to that level. Still, my A1C at that time was 6.2, close to normal.

Then I started on Byetta with incredible results. By the end of December 2007 I had been able to bring my weight down to 168 -- a loss of 145 pounds and a low normal BMI of 21.1. The A1C test that I took closest to that time was 5.6.

At that time I wanted to see if I could control my diabetes and my weight without any drugs. The only way that I know how to do that is on a very low-carb diet, so that's what I tried. My most recent A1C test was 4.8 and my weight is now 151, a BMI of 19.0 and a total weight loss of 162 pounds, more than half of my current body weight. I would be underweight with a BMI of 18.5 or 147 pounds.

Hope this helps,

David

Thank you David,

I believe your technique of getting to a 19 BMI in a healthful way is the most powerful method of dealing with adult onset diabetes, and probably a whole host of other health issues.  Congratulation, I think you have done yourself a big service.  I hope, being inspirted by your success, to reach similar healthy proportions.

Hot on the heels of my "I believe your technique  of getting to a 19 BMI in a healthful way is the most powerful method of dealing with adult onset diabetes" comment.  The Lancet study comes out by Dr. David Nathan in conjunction with the NIH having a similar conclusion.

If this is "True" how does our society engage and encourage people to successfully prevent their diabetes by activity and weightloss and quality foods?

Dear Chris,

You're right. Our leading organizations, encouraging a high carb diet, sure doesn't help us to lose weight and control our blood glucose. We just can't follow their lead and have to take control ourselves of our diabetes.

Best regards,

David

Wow!  I am impressed and encouraged.  Twenty years ago I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic and was put on oral meds.  Last January I was told I am now a type 1 and began insulin.  I began dieting, exercising, and losing weight.  I have lost 62 pounds and am trying to lost at least 15 more that would put me at a normal BMI.  Do you have any information if it would be possible to follow your life style and not have to take insulin?

Dear Nancy,

It is very unusual but not impossible to by type 2 for 19 years and then a type 1. If you are indeed type 1, you will have to continue to take insulin. But the doseage level will be much less on a very low-carb diet.

Best regards,

David

Thanks, David.  It was my endo's dietitian who told me she thought I was now most likely a type 1; however, perhaps she meant that I was so resistant now that it was like a type 1.

I am taking pretty low doses of inslulin (usually about 2-3 units or less at meals and sometimes get low readings.)  A big problem seems to be counting carbs and thinking about what exercise I will be doing in the next hour or so.

I really enjoy your newsletter!

Best wishes,

Nancy