How can I gain some weight?

[NicHolzhauer]

I have been trying to put back on the pounds that I lost from diabetes, but haven't really done so. I am a 19 year old male, 5'11 and only 130-135 lbs. I was 150 before I was diagnosed.

So my question is how can I put on some pounds? I talked to my endo about it but he said he's not too concerned yet because I'm still in the normal range. I do eat a lot of chicken and bacon. It is hard to find good diabetic food that helps put on weight. So what else could I eat? Protein bars? I am pretty active if that matters, I play basketball and workout a couple times every week.

Please help me!

[inkvisitor]

It hasn't been very long since your diagnosis so I'd think that after sticking to a normal (whatever that may be for you and your diabetes) regimen for a few months, you'll gain naturally.

[Jonathan_R]

I was diagnosed in Novemeber of 2006 and lost eighty some pounds. I have not gained any of it back.

Of course it would help if we knew your blood sugar trends and what you eat. Not just what, but how much.

By the way, I have a log, a spreadsheet that you can use if you want it. I has my notes and a lot of info.

diabetes log (http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tQp5VrYrxH00p9ezK4jlc7A&single=true&gid=0&output=html)

Feel free to email me. Use the forum to contact me, if you so wish.

[betty6333]

You are doing great by getting the a1c down. That will be a big help. Make sure you keep those BG in range as much as possible so you don't lose calories you are working to get.

Do a food log and then add 200 calories to your daily routine.
An extra glass of milk and an apple or banana a day will put pounds on slowly and give you the nutrients to have that weight be body mass, not fat. ( I am assuming you are not looking to gain a spare tire around the waist)

After a month if 200 additional calories is not cutting it, you can try 300, just remember that BG control will help a LOT in keeping the calories from going to waste, so don't forget the insulin. It took my son a year to get the weight back and he is finally looking "healthy" . His last a1c was 5.5 and I am convinced that the healthy food with a well controlled BG is the key to this whole mess that D started.

[BUFORDHWY]

Nic-

I just don't know how you do it which such a low insulin loading, particularly the Humalog - You will be unable to process calories if you are not taking enough insulin - have you checked ketones - if you're still dropping weight, lethargic, and get winded very quickly, have ketones, you may be entering an acidosis state.

suspect you are managing the sugars with extreme levels of exercise. But don't be fooled, without insulin, your body cannot process the food you eat so it'll begin to break down fat/protein for energy (ie catabolism)

Which basically leads to the questoin - Are you really sure you aren't a T2D? What was the basis of your endo's diagnosis. Let us know your c-peptide level!

Any other posters manage their type 1 with 6 units lantus 1x/day, and 1 unit regular every few days?

[Cluck]

Nic-

I just don't know how you do it which such a low insulin loading, particularly the Humalog - You will be unable to process calories if you are not taking enough insulin - have you checked ketones - if you're still dropping weight, lethargic, and get winded very quickly, have ketones, you may be entering an acidosis state.

suspect you are managing the sugars with extreme levels of exercise. But don't be fooled, without insulin, your body cannot process the food you eat so it'll begin to break down fat/protein for energy (ie catabolism)

Which basically leads to the questoin - Are you really sure you aren't a T2D? What was the basis of your endo's diagnosis. Let us know your c-peptide level!

Any other posters manage their type 1 with 6 units lantus 1x/day, and 1 unit regular every few days?

When first diagnosed my basal Lantus was only 5 units/day, but I took Humalog according to how many grams of carbs I was eating at each meal. At diagnosis I only needed 1 unit/15-20 grams carbs so the amounts I was taking were tiny (1-2 units per meal, sometimes nothing if eating a salad).

I don't understand the 1 unit Humalog every few days. What is that meant to do?

I also suspect that your great A1cs might be an average of some huge spikes (after eating) and some considerable lows after alot of exercise.

[Grunch]

You just have to eat more calories than you burn. If you eat the same calories you ate before diabetes you'll go back to the same weight. Are you low carbing?

[Delphinus]

Dude.

Come to my house for about week.

When I pick the fridge up to dump everything into my mouth, just be there to catch everything that falls off to the side.

[NicHolzhauer]

K I'll answer a few replies here:

BUFORDHWY: I am in the honeymoon phase, that is why I need such a small dose of insulin each day. For about a week after diagnosis I was on 9 units of Lantus a night and had to take 1 dose of Humalog for each 15 carbs before I ate. Then I entered the honeymoon phase. I am not dropping weight, I am just not gaining too much, but then again I never have gained weight very quickly. I am not off insulin all together. I take the Lantus every night and that is sufficient for me. I wake up with great numbers each morning. I also do not exercise as extreme as you made it out to be. I play basketball for an hour or two and lift weights a few times a week. I don't exactly know the reasoning behind my doctor's diagnosis- but maybe along the lines of my age, weight, and A1c. I don't know my C peptide.

Cluck: The Humalog is used when I have a large meal or eat something that makes my blood sugar level go out of my comfort zone. There is no set time I take it, most days I don't need any but some days I will need 1 or 2 units. I do not have huge spikes after I eat, I check almost 10 times throughout the day, including 1 or 2 hours after I eat each meal. Sure the exercise helps, but I do not have severe lows from it. You'd be suprised by how balanced my numbers are on a graph.

Grunch: If I am low carbing, it is not on purpose. I figure I eat close to 175 carbs a day. I talked to my CDE the other day, she said if I wanted to gain more weight I had to increase my intake of calories, but make sure not to overdue it on artery-clogging fat calories, and to make sure that my blood sugars are still good.

General comments: Thank you all for your support and comments. I will increase my calorie count and let you know how it works for me. I also have been working out more and eating more protein to build and retain muscle mass. I think that's all for now, I'll edit if I left something out.

Ideas on my thoughts? I'd like to hear them.

[Cluck]

K I'll answer a few replies here:

BUFORDHWY: I am in the honeymoon phase, that is why I need such a small dose of insulin each day. For about a week after diagnosis I was on 9 units of Lantus a night and had to take 1 dose of Humalog for each 15 carbs before I ate. Then I entered the honeymoon phase. I am not dropping weight, I am just not gaining too much, but then again I never have gained weight very quickly. I am not off insulin all together. I take the Lantus every night and that is sufficient for me. I wake up with great numbers each morning. I also do not exercise as extreme as you made it out to be. I play basketball for an hour or two and lift weights a few times a week. I don't exactly know the reasoning behind my doctor's diagnosis- but maybe along the lines of my age, weight, and A1c. I don't know my C peptide.

Cluck: The Humalog is used when I have a large meal or eat something that makes my blood sugar level go out of my comfort zone. There is no set time I take it, most days I don't need any but some days I will need 1 or 2 units. I do not have huge spikes after I eat, I check almost 10 times throughout the day, including 1 or 2 hours after I eat each meal. Sure the exercise helps, but I do not have severe lows from it. You'd be suprised by how balanced my numbers are on a graph.

Grunch: If I am low carbing, it is not on purpose. I figure I eat close to 175 carbs a day. I talked to my CDE the other day, she said if I wanted to gain more weight I had to increase my intake of calories, but make sure not to overdue it on artery-clogging fat calories, and to make sure that my blood sugars are still good.

General comments: Thank you all for your support and comments. I will increase my calorie count and let you know how it works for me. I also have been working out more and eating more protein to build and retain muscle mass. I think that's all for now, I'll edit if I left something out.

Ideas on my thoughts? I'd like to hear them.

It sounds like you know what you are doing :) And thanks for replying as I was worried by what you said initially. I'm glad that you are not having spikes or lows.

You are lucky to have to take so little insulin right now, lets hope your honeymoon phase lasts for a while.

Good luck with putting on some weight and muscle. It took me quite a while after diagnosis (very skinny) to put some weight back on. Low carbing did not help my weight but it certainly helped the BG numbers.