Thanks Marilyn
Decades of diabetes gives you a far different perspective than we might have had 30 or 40 years ago when we thought we were indestructible
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But dear Jim, we still have to believe that we are pretty darn indestructible.
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I have been hungry since 1978. I started looping a year ago (Loop app then Android APS), and I am no longer ravenously hungry 24/7. I have always been active, but the constant subtle overdose of insulin seriously over-rode my good intentions.
Because looping turns off my insulin or turns it down when that is necessary, I am no longer always hungry, have far fewer hypos to deal with, and I have dropped about 1/3 of my daily insulin use (from around 36-40 to about 24u). I have been injured for most of the last year (3x knee surgeries) and unable to exercise easily, but have managed to lose a good few pounds, with amazingly little effort.
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I’ve had a lot of success this year. The concept may not appeal to most, but it worked great for me. It seems on its face to be way too hard, but it is the easiest weight loss thing I’ve ever done … and I’ve done a lot!
I’m 5’3" and 65 years old. Type 1 since 1971 (oh, man…) In March I weighed 191 pounds and had an 8.4 AIC. I said, okay, that’s it.
I went on the low carb, 20 grams or less, per day. And only one meal a day, known as intermittent fasting on the internet. Also called 20:4 – I only eat from 4 to 8 p.m. (with a few exceptions for special meals). So I ate just dinner, skipping breakfast and lunch.
If you told me last year I could skip meals on a regular basis, I would have scoffed at you. “You’re nuts!” But I’ve been amazed to find it EASIER than eating three meals a day. It’s a nice breather/vacation from thinking “next meal … what to eat … how much insulin for it …” You all know what I mean! And I am never, never hungry. From the huge insulin drop?
I eat roughly the same thing for my dinners – protein, fat, low-carb veggies like asparagus, cauliflower, etc. that are jazzed up with a ton of spices. Probably 800 calories total. For “dessert,” I mix sugar-free Torani syrup into either a diet soda plus a teaspoon of cream … or mix the syrup into a couple of tablespoons of cream cheese. It isn’t what normal people would consider a dessert, but it satisfies me.
Results: Now weigh 136 – dropped 55 pounds March to September. AIC has dropped to 5.2 (shock and joy) – but have been testing about 8 times per day. It reaches 100, I take action. I got a pediatric Novolog pen that allows half-unit injections, which I use for small tune-up shots. BP, which was 150/90, was measured yesterday at 110/60 – on no meds. And get this – was taking 55 units per day (Tresiba and Novolog) in March. Today I take about 12 units. Cholesterol 181. Triglycerides 96.
I’ve been visiting the reddit.com website for their /intermittentfasting and /keto postings. So, so inspiring – love the before and after pictures. Truly amazing. Lots of great tips.
Side note: I’ve loved reading this forum. In my nearly 50 years of Type 1, I have NEVER known a single other Type 1 person. You feel pretty alone! So thanks so much, everyone!
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Patricia, I’ve been type 1 for almost 30 years, and at one point I had the frequent hunger you mentioned, and I snacked way too often. I finally realized I was on too much insulin. When I tested basal rates and adjusted downward a bit, the hunger lessened.
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Welcome to TuD, @Type1For48Years. And congrats on your successful weight loss! Now your big challenge will be to sustain that loss.
I’ve been low carb for seven years now and it has led to weight loss, using far fewer units of insulin, and much better glucose control. I did regain some of my original weight loss but in the last year have lost that and then some.
I truly think that carbs drive weight gains in most people. Processed carby foods are the worst for weight gain, in my opinion. They provide no satiety and people can often eat and eat and eat without any signal from the body to stop. You just can’t do that with healthy protein and fat consumption.
Keep up the good health habits you’ve created for yourself. Do you see one meal a day as a permanent way of life or will you transition to perhaps two meals a day in a time limited fashion like eating both meals within eight hours and fasting for 16 hours each day? That’s my eating pattern and I find it quite easy to maintain, even when interacting socially with family and friends.
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Is there any way to know if you are just naturally a high insulin producer and that might increase your food intake. Are you type 1 or type 2?
Terry4 – boy, you said it! Thanks for giving me your experience of eating with the 16:8 pattern. I might do that down the road.
I think maintenance can be just, if not more, time- and energy-requiring as, quote, dieting or weight loss. Constant vigilance! More than once in the past I’ve thought, heck, I’m “done” with the diet now! Let’s eat normally! Yikes.
I am going to very cautiously add in foods – for instance, thinking of adding in half an avocado each day for the nutrients and especially the fiber.
I plan to start by sticking to one meal a day. If all goes well and I can maintain with some added calories, I might add in daily lunch – a small lunch, like that avocado half and some protein.
I just don’t want to slide down that slippery slope again!
I’ve been walking 3 miles a day, which I plan to maintain. It’s easy (retired now), and at 5’3" and 65 years old, it’s probably necessary to keep weight in check. Add it to the to-do list, LOL !!
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I have been trying to get at least 30 g of fiber/day - thinking the research on gut microbiome may have something to do w/ my difficulty loosing weight. I was treated for a gastroenteritis (hospitalized) at 1 year old – likely the start of the cascade of things that triggered my T1. Also could have wiped out some good GI bugs. Good sources of fiber = inulin (can purchase), leeks, berries, beans, etc. Yes - CHO’s but, very good CHOs and slow absorption. Today I ate 20 grams fiber at lunch 
That could very well be my problem too. I have been very aggressive w/ insulin over the years – tend to do the insulin surfing thing = follow BGs and treat early and sometimes need to eat more if overshoot my goal.
Thank you for your insights Type1For48Years! I was dx in 1981 and also felt like I knew very few people w/ T1 until I found TUdiabetes. I actually shared the info w/ my endo and left cards in the waiting area - so others could get the support I felt here on TU 
I think it is hard for Drs to related to our experiences and I feel like I gain the most practical and effective recommendations from other T1s. Of course, don’t negate the advice from my Dr. but instead, share the info I gain here and nudge them to allow me to try other things - like say Metformin, Symlin, etc.
Glad you have done so well and reinforces my belief that we need far less calories than are often recommended and that lower CHO is easier and probably healthier.
Moral of that story - we need faster insulins that either have a tail that covers slow digesting CHO, Pro, fats…or that goes away quickly and we can does again. None of the insulins, currently available, are fast enough or effective enough. Excited to see how BioChaperone® Lispro + Symlin works. I am trying Symlin again to try to cut off the postprandial rise but, still struggling w/ how to dose w/ insulin.
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I am a T1 - they have checked and I make very little insulin (<1 on the c peptide test).
I use FatSecret app - FREE and works really well on tracking CHO, fiber, etc. Gives me net CHOs…and I usually add 1/2 pro to that and sometimes 10% of fat if higher fat meal. Most of the research says that each macro contributes to BG but, depends on amount and form of the food – pretty unpredictable too. I would really like it if apps could integrate into Dexcom phone app so that I could look at all of it at the same time
Only thing that has worked for me is low CHO and/or Symlin injections. Going back to old Endo and plan to talk about GLP1 injection… all things our bodies should be making and do not. Help w/ reducing insulin needs and helping control hunger through gastric emptying and feeling of fullness.
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I wish Simlyn was avail in Canada!
Yes I have gained an average of 5 lb/year since starting insulin 20 years ago. I am at a loss of what to do. Of course cutting out carbs helps. Still I inject way to much insulin to be able to go ketogenic. I tried invokana to be able to go ketogenic and lose weight. This worked but my premise that male do not get UTI was very false. With 5% glucose in the urine you are asking for an UTI. After 2 years I am not sure if UTI is finally over. Now with covid-19 getting a urine culture is risking your life. So I check the urine for opacity twice a day and go by that.