EAT TO BEAT DIABETES ... IN FOUR SIMPLE STEPS

1 PREPARE

THIS diet will be a huge change in your dayto-day life. It requires motivation and persistence. Tell your partner, family and friends that you are planning to do something extraordinary, and make sure you are supported.

In our study, participants stopped taking their antidiabetic and blood pressure medication.

This is because blood pressure and blood sugar levels dropped dramatically, meaning that many participants didn’t need them any more. There is also a risk of developing low blood sugar and low blood pressure if the drugs are continued during the diet.

However, stopping your medication should only be undertaken under the supervision of your GP.

Although this research is new, most doctors are now aware that type 2 diabetes can be reversed with changes to diet and lifestyle.

Weigh yourself and calculate how much weight you need to lose to achieve at least a ten per cent reduction in body weight: for instance, if you currently weigh 15st 10lb, you’ll need to lose 1st 8lb minimum. In our studies, we saw the best results in those people who lost 33lb or more.

2 DIET

FOR between eight and 12 weeks (or until you’ve reached your weight goal, which may take you less or more time) you will need to stick to an 800-calorie-a-day diet.

To make it easy, starting on the following pages, are calorie controlled recipes that you can combine into either two or three meals a day, totalling 800 calories. They are designed to give you a balanced, nutritious approach to dieting.

We’ve given ideas for breakfasts, lunches and dinners but if you prefer to eat two larger meals and find that’s what works for you, that’s fine too. The main thing is you don’t bust that 800-calorie-a-day limit.

Each recipe is clearly labelled with calorie content, making it easy to know what you’re eating. But this is a serious weight management programme and you will find it hard. You may be changing habits built up over 20 or 30 years. You will feel hungry. But usually only for the first day or two.

3 TRANSITION

ONCE you’ve hit your target weight, it’s time to slowly rebuild calories. The totals to aim for are 1,800 for a woman, and 2,200 for a man. Do it slowly, adding an extra 200 to 400 calories to your daily calorie totals every week. Doing it slowly helps encourage good eating habits. So don’t suddenly reach for the chocolate chip muffins again – you are returning to a ‘new normal’, free from your old food habits and subconscious over-eating.

4 MAINTAIN

ONCE you’re eating normally again the key is to maintain your weight. If your waistline does start expanding, reassess – you are simply eating more than your body needs. Daily calorie totals are just a guide and what’s right for an individual may vary. Regular exercise is very important and helps keep weight steady by burning calories and encouraging you to make different food choices.

Try to aim for 10,000 steps a day and that will help keep the weight off.