Diabetes type 2 and Weight Loss

[BonzaiDuck]

So . . . I just posted in a thread here about -- whazzit? -- "Aging and Anxiety"?

Since March 1, I've walked almost 2.5 miles on average per day, taking about an hour each time.

So I pulled out my dear departed Moms' bathroom weight scale.

Last July, I was 200 lbs. down to 193 around December. Than more than a week ago -- 187. But now? I'm 180.

I'm type 2 diabetic, and for diabetics, there is "good" weight loss and "bad" weight loss. If you lose too much, too fast, it might be your body cannibalizing muscle and other tissue. Symptoms of bad weight loss: fatigue, excessive or frequent urination, dehydration and extreme thirst, intense hunger -- loss of too many pounds in too little time.

I ate one of my combination burritos tonight with cheese, taco meat and frijoles. Had a couple grapefruits, a banana, some grits and a fried chicken wing today. I drink a lot of water because it's good for my kidneys. It makes me feel good. But no "extreme thirst". Urination is much more controlled now than it had been two or more years past.

I should check my blood glucose level with the new blood sugar monitor I got -- I'll need to read the instructions.

On the fatigue question, I felt that way after yesterday's two-miler. Just sort of "relaxed" today -- with a hiatus from walking because of the So-Cal heat at this time.

Anyone care to weigh in (ha! a pun!) on this?

 

[marokra]

Fatigue has more to do with a too-large caloric deficit. You probably don't want to lose more than about 1lb per week, which translates to a 500kcal deficit per day.

As for muscle mass, I cannot recommend getting into weight lifting enough. The main reason is it helps prevent muscle loss, and, especially as we age, bone density. But for you in particular, a major advantage is that weight lifting improves insulin resistance.

This is not an argument against walking. Keep walking. Walking is great!

 

[balloonshark]

If you take medication you need to be extremely mindful about eating grapefruit.

Grapefruit and medications

Some medicines don't mix with grapefruit and other citrus fruits. Learn what's safe.

www.mayoclinic.org

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Fatigue has more to do with a too-large caloric deficit. You probably don't want to lose more than about 1lb per week, which translates to a 500kcal deficit per day.

As for muscle mass, I cannot recommend getting into weight lifting enough. The main reason is it helps prevent muscle loss, and, especially as we age, bone density. But for you in particular, a major advantage is that weight lifting improves insulin resistance.

This is not an argument against walking. Keep walking. Walking is great!

Somehow it seemed that my most recent 7 lb drop occurred over maybe a week's time. Could it have been two weeks? I can't say. Maybe there was an error in using the bathroom scale: at 187 lbs, it was resting on a plush carpet, and at 180 it was placed on a linoleum floor.

I try and keep it in my plans to do 10 pushups per day and as many as 10 to 20 squats, but I haven't been as consistent with these exercises as with the walking. I've also purchased some elastic straps for resistance exercise, but I need to experiment with them.

If you take medication you need to be extremely mindful about eating grapefruit.

Grapefruit and medications

Some medicines don't mix with grapefruit and other citrus fruits. Learn what's safe.

www.mayoclinic.org

I reviewed the link you provided. The only relevant medication on the list pertaining to my prescriptions is "blood pressure meds". But I've never noticed anything suggesting the meds are less effective: most days, at rest, I've seen between 117 and 129 over something like 75.

Just to update: two BP readings in sequence: 117 / 70 and 122 / 70. After drinking a cup of cof-effe. [The new "President-Speak" synonym and spelling.]

 

[balloonshark]

I reviewed the link you provided. The only relevant medication on the list pertaining to my prescriptions is "blood pressure meds". But I've never noticed anything suggesting the meds are less effective: most days, at rest, I've seen between 117 and 129 over something like 75.

Just to update: two BP readings in sequence: 117 / 70 and 122 / 70. After drinking a cup of cof-effe. [The new "President-Speak" synonym and spelling.]

If I remember correctly it can cause there to be too much medicine in your system. The pharmaceutical companies were seeing if they could use the mechanism to reduce the amount of active ingredients in a med to reduce their costs.

I would ask you doctor the next time you speak with them. Better to be safe than sorry. I haven't had grapefruit in a very long time.

Excellent blood pressure by the way 🙂

 

[nakedfrog]

I wouldn't trust scale readings on a plush carpet, I always do it on a hard surface.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

BIG TIME NEWS FLASH, FOLKS!

[First -- to get it out of the way -- yes, we shouldn't use bathroom scales on carpet. Teledoc/Livongo sent me a free digital cell-phone-connected scale, and it proves the 40-year-old unit is still accurate to within a pound or so.]

HERE COME DA BIG NEWS, VOLKS!

My A1C result from a December 20, 2025 phlebotomy (drawing blood) was 7.6.

My A1C for the March 2026 sample is . . . . . . 6.5. I said SIX POINT FIVE -- the demarcation between pre-diabetes and diabetes.

I'm still waiting for the kidney markers or eGFR and uACR results -- latter from the urine in the cup.