Posted
Friday, May 11, 2012
I’m really interested to know what has worked for you. In a recent trial of 21 volunteers the average weight loss was over 1 stone (7kg) in twelve weeks but their cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure all came down too. Many diabetics have reported rapid control of their blood sugar. if you’ve been following the programme in my new book Say No to Diabetes how’s it going? Have you tried the supplements and/or glucomannan fibre? if you have started my diet following either the Low GL Diet Bible or the Low GL Diet Cookbook how are you doing? I’d like to hear from you. Also, there’s a prize for the best overall health transformation posted in May of my new Ten Secrets Cookbook with delicious recipes from my kitchen wizard Fiona McDonald Joyce, all low GL and high in antioxidants, essential fats and vital B vitamins. Just post your story below.
I have been recently diagnosed as insulin resistant and prescribed Metformin. I follow a low GL diet and I am increasingly losing weight. I am underweight and struggling to stop losing weight my cholesterol levels are also too low. I want to follow the recommendations in your book but don’t want to lose any further weight.Can you please offer some advice?
Many thanks, Nicola
Posted by nicola gunwhy on 05/24 at 03:33 PM
Hi Nicola - the first thing to check is whether you have tipped over into type 1 diabetes. If you are not producing sufficient insulin you cannot use the sugars in your diet. That is a common cause of weight loss in diabetes. The next thing to do is to increase your intake of chromium to 200mcg with each meal. Chromium improve the function of the insulin receptor, hence making insulin work better. There are other possibilities that relate to malabsorption (for example, undiagnosed coeliacs). In terms of increasing easily available nd nutritional food try having a Get Up & Go shake (half a serving) as a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. If these don’t give you an effective answer i would recommend you see a nutritional therapist who can investigate further.
Posted by patrick on 05/24 at 05:46 PM
Thank you for your advice, it’s much appreciated. I will check both type 1 diabetes and coeliacs. I have been following the Holford Low-GL Diet Cookbook and had recently begun to take 350mcg of chromium across the day. I have been testing my blood sugars 3 times daily and since taking the chromium they have consistently been within the healthy range so far (at fasting and postprandial 2hrs) although I am still losing weight. I will increase it to 600mcg as you suggested. Following the recipes in the book has been really helpful as I also have food intolerances as does my youngest daughter.
I have two teenage daughters that are both active and train several times a week. So far i have been cooking similarly for the whole family but often make much bigger portions for the girls as they are often hungry. They both tend to snack additionally on carbohydrate rich foods. Both are within the lower end of the normal weight range and are lean. I want to teach them healthy ways to eat and minimise their risk of developing diabetes further down the line. Would you suggest simply eating more of the foods recommended in the ‘say no to diabetes’ and LowGL Cookbook or do active teenagers need more carbohydrates?
I have found the ‘Say no to diabetes bk’ really helpful. Being recently diagnosed and feeling unwell i have been very concerned about my health- reading your book armed me with information and offered me hope and reassurance. Thank you.
Posted by nicola gunwhy on 05/25 at 07:22 PM
Here’s some feedback I got on Facebook and the web recently from people following my low GL diet…..
I started the diet post Christmas/New Year feeling fat and fed-up - I lost 10lbs in 5 weeks, never felt hungry, I slept better, had more energy, my skin improved dramatically, I haven’t put the weight back on and I still feel amazing. I would recommend this to anyone as it is easy to follow, the recipes are delicious and easy to make and of course, it works! A C
I am an insulin dependent diabetic. When I follow your diet i do not need any insulin! Amanda S
Patrick Holford Low-GL Diet Bible saved my life, and i am not exaggerating. I have been following the low-gl diet for 3 months & have lost 2st & 2lb so far. I am 29 years of age & was diagnosed with high blood pressure & insulin resistant (pre-diabetes) from the age of 25. I have been on blood pressure medicine since 1st being diagnosed. Within 3 months i am off the blood pressure medicine & my sugar is now balanced now, i.e. the pre-diabetes is no more present. I feel great & look great also with the weight loss. This is the only diet bible that i recommend to everyone. My friend in lancashire has also lost 2/3 of stone in only 2 weeks with my guidance without exercising. Dont think of this book as a diet plan. It is a healthy eating strategy that works. My wife has lost 1.5st also in 3 months. Give it a go, this book will save your life & will add on a few years to your life. Am Z
I went on the Low-GL diet with Patrick’s Zest4 Life in summer of 2009 and lost 11kg in just over 12 weeks. And best of all, I’ve kept it off! Now I know HOW to stay Low-GL I feel so much better and it’s changed my life. No looking back now and I keep a bag of cobblestones weighing 11kg in my kitchen to remind me how much that weighed and I was carrying it around all the time! Patrick is my hero!! Lorraine A
Love it, love it, love it. I have lost 9lbs in 3 weeks and never felt hungry or graved anything sweet. I didn’t even do much exercise except for the odd day, walking. Lesley S
The Holford Diet not only works, there’s just no diet that has made me feel as good as this does. I have increased energy (10-fold!), I’m sleeping better, my skin is healthier, my hair is shinier, AND I’ve lost 6lb in only 4 weeks. My body fat percentage has reduced from 27% at the start to 24% (only 2% off what would be considered ‘ideal’), and I’ve lost an inch off my waist already. My clothes are fitting better (some are becoming loose), and my overall shape has changed. I can even feel, and see, the difference in the shape of my face. This diet isn’t a fad. It’s a way of life. C Clements
Your plan is fab. I don’t really weigh myself as I train so build muscle. However I went down a dress size and felt fantastic with so much more energy when I followed it strictly. I’ve fallen off track slightly but always try to use the GL principles and feel much better whenever I do. More recipes please! Emma P
Patrick says: We just published the Ten Secret Cookbook, with low GL recipes. So that adds to the library of recipes found in the Low Gl Diet Bible and the Low GL Diet Cookbook. Food Glorious Food also has entertainment level recipes from around the world, all basically low GL, but not counted in specific GLs. Good for maintenance on the diet.
Started 10 days ago, have lost 15 lbs!!! Energy through the roof! Headaches gone. Rob L
Used zest4life programme since Jan 2012 lost 10 pounds probably never felt better. Have a much better understanding about nutrition and plan to make these changes permanent Gina H
Well now, this time 15 month ago if you said to me that i was going to change my life i would have laughed until i did the low GL. Since then i have not only lost 20 kilos but now swim 3 mornings a week, horse ride 1 morning a week and jog 5k every night. Im even signed up to run the dublin 10k marathon in June. I get married in June and i bought my wedding dress before i started at a size 18 my dress is now a size 10, i not only have more confidence, energy and eat healthy but ive managed to maintain in the last 5 months and that to me is the best bit. Lorraine B
I was diagnosed with diabetes in December 2011. After absorbing the shock, I recalled reading about your podcast in Bahrain about Diabesity. I Googled it again and watched the whole interview. It truly helped me.I was meeting up with my sister in Thailand, so I asked her to bring me a copy of your book from South Africa -Say No to Diabetes - with ,as it isn’t available here in Oman. When I was diagnosed, I was 16.8mmol/L and weighed 96 kgs.Four months later, I weigh 83 kgs, I never stop eating, but the right stuff. I very seldom crave cookies, which were my nemesis, and I have found delicious substitutes from your GL recipes for everything. My daughter even chooses cooked barley over rice now and it’s had a very positive effect on the way we eat and live. My sugar is down to 8 mmol/L and last week , my doctor advised me to not play around any longer, because my neuropathy is still very bad and my feet remain painful. I’m supposed to take one Metformin twice a day, but stubborn me, I only take half as I know I can do it and that I’ll get there eventually on my own. I have thrown out six huge bags full of clothes and am constantly being complimented on how awesome I’m looking, which has made the ride extra special. I know I can never go back to where I was and so the change has been permanent . I consider my Diabetes a blessing in disguise, but, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you sir. Your book has taught me so much and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I just hope that I’ll eventually be able to go off the meds and only take the healthy supplements. Thanks again, kind regards always, Andrea .
Patrick says: By the way, Andrea, read the section of high dose Alpha Lipoic Acid for reversing neuropathy. It is important for you to address this. I hope you are taking high dose chromium too. FYI metformin is one of the better medications. The important point is to get your blood sugar below 6mmol/l and your glycosylated haemoglobin below 6%.
I started following the low gl diet plan 23rd July last year. I have lost 9 stone in 10 months. It’s worked for me. My blood sugars. Blood pressure. Energy levels. Sleeping patterns have all improved. I feel great. I try to walk everyday. Can’t really explain how much this has changed my life. Thank you. I still have about 3 stone to go. And I know this time it’s not going back on. Raymond McD
Posted by patrick on 05/30 at 10:25 AM
I am delighted that so many people have been profoundly helped by your excellent work. I have no doubt that your book will continue to help many others.
Have you any thoughts on the question I posed about whether active teenagers need more carbohydrates? I want my children to have the best possible chance to avoid diabetes and have tried to follow the maintenance program for them but they are always hungry and still crave carbs? They are both very lean and in the normal weight category but at the lowest end. I am now following the maintenance program but still losing weight whilst not wanting to as I am underweight.
Posted by nicola gunwhy on 06/10 at 11:08 AM
It all depends of level of activity. There’s a chart in the books that works out perfect GL according to height and level of activity. But, in essence,you never want to leave a meal hungry. So, if your active teenager just eat more like one third of plate carbs, one third protein, one third veg, and enough to satisfy appetite, they will be on the right track.
The same applies for you too if you’ve lost all the weight you want to. Hope that helps.
Posted by patrick on 06/10 at 01:15 PM
I am JC from Singapore. I have been struggling with my weight problem since giving birth to my younger daughter 19 years ago. I tried different diets but still am not loosing. I am 152 cm and weight 72.6 Kgs. I attended your talk more than 5 years ago. I realise it is not easy to loose weight also because I have Wheat and Milk protein intolerances. IN my country, our diet consist of much carbohydrate like noodles and bread. I bought most of your book but after browsing through, I find it is not easy to follow. Patrick, can you give me some advices. Regards
Posted by janet chua on 06/25 at 01:00 PM
Hi JC - it you go to the nutritionist directory in the ‘advice’ section you’ll see practitioners in Singapore who can help you lose weight on my low GL diet.
It is really not difficult to do on an Asian-style diet. Have you read The Low Gl Diet Bible, or Low GL Diet Cookbook? There are many Asian style meals in there already. It gives you the portion size for rice (ideally brown) and noodles, and how much protein to eat along side. These books, and my products, are available from http://www.essliv.com. They also have a nutritionist who knows all about doing low GL on an Asian diet. I suggest you visit them at 545 Orchard Road #15-08 Far East Shopping Centre (beside Hilton Singapore), but call first to meet their nutritionist(6276 1380). Hope that helps!
Posted by patrick on 06/25 at 01:49 PM
Thank you Patrick for your so prompt reply. I though you will not respond so fast. After sending you my comment earlier,I just went to my library of books and take your 2 books ; The Holford Low-GL Diet Cookbook and The Holford Low-GL Diet A5 text book to want to go thru again. Alright, I will make a call to the nutrionist at Far Rast Shopping Centre and see how they can help me. I am feeling very discouraged after todays Weight Management appointment with the Doctor at our local smei-government hospital. My Body Fax % is 51 and my weight is going to reach 73 kgs!! Thank you again for your kind respond. JC
Posted by janet chua on 06/25 at 03:57 PM
