Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert
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The former bank worker had struggled with her weight for years, reaching 18 stone after the birth of her sons. She had gestational diabetes during her pregnancies and was warned it could come back when she was older, before finally being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2001. Lindsey tried everything to lose weight over the years – from weight loss injections and tablets to hypnotherapy to other diet plans.
But when the pandemic hit, Lindsey was kicked into action after hearing on the news that her health would be a serious risk if she, as an overweight diabetic, caught Covid.
“I’ve always had a tendency to pile on weight, people used to joke that I got fat just by looking at food,” she said. “If I ever lost weight it just came back
“By October 2020 I was feeling very uncomfortable, my knees were suffering and I felt invisible, I had no confidence. The health warning gave me the determination to do something about it.”
After guidance from her consultant and reading a book called Life Without Diabetes, Lindsey dropped from 14 stone in October 2020 to 9st 4lbs in July 2021.
To do so she consumed between 700 and 800 calories a day, in the form of three nutritionally complete shakes – from company Exante – and a portion of vegetables every evening. And a few weeks into her weight loss journey she introduced its soups to her diet.
She was monitored by a diabetes specialist from Darent Valley Hospital throughout her health journey.
The 65-year-old, from Kent, said: “It took me about nine months to lose the weight, but a couple of weeks after I started the plan my doctor told me to stop taking insulin because my blood sugar levels were so low.
“Three-and-a-half months later in February last year I’d lost two-and-a-half stone and he confirmed I no longer had type 2 diabetes.
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“I just couldn’t believe it, I was warned remission doesn’t happen for everyone and the chances are higher if you’ve been diabetic for six years or less.
“It was a complete miracle to me because I’d been on a high dose of insulin every day of my life for 15 years, and diabetic for 20 years.”
Professor Roy Taylor – author of Life Without Diabetes – recommends replacing meals with nutritionally complete shakes that contain up to 600 calories combined, and eating one helping of non-starchy veg equating to 100 calories, per day, until 2.5 stone in weight is lost.
It’s this that can trigger the swift fat loss a body needs to put type 2 diabetes into remission. Then, it is encouraged that people are taught how to reintroduce foods to their diet one meal at a time, to maintain their weight and keep type 2 diabetes at bay.
Lindsey added: “The book and Dr Ogunko changed my life. Professor Taylor talks about Exante’s meal replacement shakes in his book and the products were actually used in his trials.
“I had to reduce my insulin from 80 units a day to eight to start the diet, which is why I was monitored, before coming off it altogether two weeks later.
“Now I’m no longer on diabetes medication and I never intend to go back there.
“I can’t stop smiling, I’ve got my confidence back and I’m doing things I wouldn’t have done even in my 40s. I’ve got pink hair and I wear Dr Martens. I love being able to go into any shop and try on clothes and feel happy.”
Lujain Alhassan, a nutritionist at Exante, commented: “Following a very low-calorie diet with food can be difficult and doesn’t ensure you will consume the daily recommended amount of nutrients.
“It can increase your risk of developing nutrient deficiencies, health complications and may even make weight loss more difficult.
“A recognised meal replacement programme, like Exante’s, saves people the hassle of calorie counting and meal planning. Our shakes for example are low-calorie but nutritionally complete, so it’s a safe and effective way to take on such a diet.”
Diabetics wanting to switch to a very-low calorie diet or change their eating habits should consult their GP first.
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