Thread: NEW TYPE 2 DIABETIC IN NEED OF ADVICE

iHello, after 25yrs in the gym I took what most would consider an unwanted 8 yr leave of absence from training. I was both quite strong and muscled yet the 8 yrs of illness has left me both 35 pounds overweight and the weakest I've ever been. What I'm uncertain of is what path I should take. It would make sense to me that I'd attempt a high protein low carb diet as a diabetic yet I'm uncertain how high I could go on the carbs and at what calorie intake can I gain and lose weight. I'm embarrassingly 215 lbs. at 5' 7" and my body fat is around 25%. Yet 8yrs ago I was 10% bf at 190 lbs. Could anyone direct me in the right direction as i'm 48 now and terribly depressed regarding my situation. I guess I could go to 200grams of carbs if I used rapid acting insulin to keep my blood sugar down. Also since this diabetes it seems impossible to lose weight especially in the belly section. Any info on where I can communicate with other diabetics please message me. I'm actually considering a trainer at this point yet funds will make that

unlikely. Thank you Also an anabolic cycle is a possibility.
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Well I don't feel comfortable giving you Marcos considering your situation. My advise is basic: do whatever will get you to go to the gym consistently and pick a diet that you will stick to. Don't try doing too much at once cause then you'll fall off. Try and get in an adequate amount of protein distributed throughout the day and I'd keep your carbs low and focus them around your pre/post workout meals. As far as anabolics go I'd get yourself into decent shape naturally before doing anything or maybe a trt dose.

Well mate you're​ taking steps in the right direction and thats what is important right now.

Your also young.. yes 48 is young.. this is an opportunity to rid yourself of the type 2 diabetes and be the healthiest you've ever been.

The good news is given your situation, your type 2 diabetes is most likely complely reversible if you get your weight and fitness in order.

As for diet i wouldn't say cut out carbs. It works in the short run but isn't sustainable. Eventually the weight loss plateaus and you won't have energy for training.

Find a calorie calculator online and use this to calculate your calories, eat just below what you need. Also keep a record of every mea you eat with macros if possible. In the long run you'll see where you've improved and where you need to improve more.

You won't really need a trainer. Just set goals. Realistic goals and start working towards them. Month by month and honestly you can easily be in the right shape by the end of the year.

I would start off easy..
First 2 weeks:
do 1 day of cardio for 40 mins at a heart rate of 105-115
1 day weights, keep them light, make sure you hit back exercises, chest and legs. Can use machines if you like to start off with.

Weeks 2-4

Double what you have been doing, so 2x cardio 2x weights

By the end of week 4 your body would be well conditioned and you would have had a chance to get your diet in order. You would have also lost some weight too.

From week 5 onwards:
You want to be hitting the gym 4-5 times a week.

Ideally you would be doing cardio 3-4 times a week and wieghts 3 times per week.

This will help shed the fat and also do it in a realistic way. Not a one month fix. Rather a complete lifestyle change.

Also note cardio can be from walking/treadmill, exercise bike, cross trainer, and rowing. I would recommend mixing all these up to be effective.

Also as a note its not the easiest to loose weight around the mid section. You can't really target that specifically. What would help though if your gym has h.i.i.t classes you can do them as your weights sessions.

As for steroids.. not now.. get the diabetes under control first.. and don't let anyone tell you diabetes isn't completely reversible.. because it is and all it takes is some hard work and dedication. If you don't fix it when your body can take the physical work then it'll never happen.

P.s I've helped diabetic and borderline diabetic family members by guiding them the exact way ive stated above

All the best, feel free to ask any questions

Originally Posted by Fancycat69

Don't try doing too much at once cause then you'll fall off. Try and get in an adequate amount of protein distributed throughout the day and I'd keep your carbs low and focus them around your pre/post workout meals. As far as anabolics go I'd get yourself into decent shape naturally before doing anything or maybe a trt dose.

I couldn't agree MORE with this advice. We're talking about a complete lifestyle change...you will change how you do EVERYTHING. I lost 70 lbs in about a year by lifting & changing my diet. People have asked me how I did it. My answer is "I changed everything." Make steps to clean up your diet. You can't do it all at once. Start incorporating whole foods, lean meats, eggs, veggies (LOTS), etc. more than you did before. Find an app that will help you track your intake and get used to using it (I use MyFitnessPal). Buy a food scale & get used to weighing your foods so you KNOW what you're eating. Get used to portioning/packing your food for work & cut back on eating out. Find some high protein/low carb/lower fat recipes you enjoy & get used to making them. I cook in practically industrial proportions when I cook chicken, beef, veggies, etc and eat on it until it's gone.

Ease into training. If it were me, I'd get on a good linear progression program (Starting Strength, Greyskull LP). I think starting with 1-2 sessions/wk for a few weeks is a good idea, then upping it to 3-4 weight training sessions/wk. Most Novice programs are 3 days/wk, anyway. They're designed to get you used to the barbell lifts & to take you from low weights up to heavier loads pretty quickly. You can do low intensity cardio on off days, but don't overdo the cardio..it'll cut into your recovery from lifting if you overdo it. When you're new, you can eat in a calorie deficit for a while and still get stronger, gain some muscle, and lose fat simultaneously. But you need to get rest and cover your nutritional bases. As far as macros, I'd just make sure to get adequate protein (1-1.3g/lb Lean body mass) and play with how you fill your carb/fats for the day. See what approach makes you feel satiated, gives you energy, etc.

I wouldn't recommend AAS unless your Test levels are in the crapper. Then, I'd recommend just a TRT dose. If yours is low, it'll make a pretty significant difference.