Is there a limit to how much insulin you can take?

In this video I share my thoughts on one of the most popular questions we get asked inside The Training Lab. Is there really a limit to how much insulin you can take? Watch this video to find out.

Based on my experience coaching 100s of people with diabetes I’m going to confidently speculate that 8/10 people want to get lean and have more visible muscle definition. Do strong abs, great shaped glutes (for the ladies) and well-shaped pecs and arms (for the guys) sound appealing?

Of course they do.

Which is interesting, because out of the two goals, is getting leaner harder than gaining weight and putting on size?

We all know what it it’s like to get lean…

You have to train hard, do plenty of cardio and deal with daily cravings for delicious food like pizza, chocolate and other great tasting desserts.

Whereas, when it comes to putting on muscle mass and getting bigger (which I appreciate isn’t everyone’s goal) – it’s a little easier, as there is way less cravings and lack of energy.

If your goal is to get leaner, would it be fair for me to say that you want to get results as fast as possible?

Who doesn’t?

We all want results tomorrow and we all want a crutch or, some secret pill to help us lose fat faster.

And a whole corner of the supplement store is dedicated to products – “fat burners” – promising to help you do just that.

Question is, can they?

Let’s have a look at the research and look at the practical use of fat burners in people living with diabetes.

What Are Fat Burners?

Let’s be clear at the start: “fat burner” is really an industry term, used to describe nutritional supplements that claim to help you reduce body fat levels at a faster rate.

From a physiological standpoint, what this means is actually a few different processes. You see, the “burning” of fat requires we break it down from storage, release it to make it available for use, and then in fact use it for energy.

The term “fat burner” refers to any compound that can enhance any of these processes, either enhancing the breakdown of fat, increasing the rate at which it is oxidised [the technical term for “burned”], or increasing energy expenditure [often by increasing thermogenesis, or the generation of heat in the body] (1).

Different compounds could do this directly, by acting on a fat cell to increase the release of stored fat, or indirectly, through increasing metabolic or hormonal activity leading to greater heat generation or fat utilisation (1).

But are they even effective, and can fat burners really help you to goal of summer shreds?  If you scrutinise the label of most commercial fat burners, you’ll see many of them boil down to the same few ingredients. Here’s a popular product as an example:

What you’ll see here is typical of most products in the industry as far as ingredients go: caffeine, yohimbine, green coffee extract, and forskolin. Other common compounds in many other products include green tea catechins, in particular EGCG, and bitter orange extract.

What we’re really looking at here is a stimulant. A lot of stimulation at that. So, before you take the plunge and turn yourself into a jittery, anxious mess, shouldn’t we take a pause and ask: are these products even worth it?

Do they work?

Are they safe?

And what kind of impact could they have on diabetic control?

As the main fat burning compounds in use, this article is going to keep the focus on caffeine, EGCG, yohimbine, bitter orange, green coffee extract, and forskolin. Scheduled compounds, like clenbuterol or ephedrine, will also be discussed.

Fat Burning Compounds: Mechanisms, Safety, and Considerations

Let’s start with the compounds with the most research, and the best available evidence overall: caffeine and green tea catechins.

Green Tea Catechins

‘Catechins’, which are polyphenolic compounds [a type of non-nutritive compound with biological activity] found in green tea, are interesting because their effect on fat loss depends on both interactions with caffeine, the type of catechin, the dose used, and also the type of exercise (2).

The first thing to separate out is the type. Most of the research shows that the most potent green tea catechin is epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG, and lower doses of EGCG have been shown to increase fat burning than total green tea catechins (3; 4). In fact, the total EGCG content within an overall dose of green tea catechins is what you want to look out for.

For example, one study comparing 600mg of EGCG used divided doses of 100mg throughout the day, and the increase in fat burning observed was only not significant (2). In another study, 270mg EGCG given in a single dose to elite male cyclists tested at 60% of their VO2max failed to increase fat oxidation (5).

On the other hand, giving 890mg total decaffeinated green tea catechins containing 366mg EGCG increased fat oxidation by 17% over a 30min test period at 60% VO_2Max in untrained males (3). In another study in untrained men, 571mg decaff green tea catechins, of which 400mg EGCG, increased fat oxidation by 25% from baseline during weekly cycling at 50% VO₂max (4).

There are two points to bear in mind from the above studies. The first is mentioning the training status of the subjects. Basically, the increases in fat burning noted in these studies could reflect an adaptation to aerobic training (4; 6). They got fitter, and better at burning fat.

The other point to note is that studies often used decaff green tea extracts. Now why might this be important? Because it appears that the beneficial effects of EGCG are specifically related to its interactions with caffeine. While green tea naturally contains caffeine, it is nowhere near the doses seen with coffee or energy drinks. In fact, a high habitual caffeine intake negates the effectiveness of green tea catechins and/or EGCG even at various doses of EGCG (7).

For example, combining doses of 270mg, 600mg, 900mg, and 1,200mg EGCG together with 600mg caffeine resulted in no effect on fat oxidation (8). However, some caffeine appears to be beneficial – perhaps reflecting the interactions of the compounds in green tea – as the combination of green tea catechins and lower caffeine levels increases fat burning by 4% more than caffeine alone (9).

Overall, the research shows that for green tea catechins/EGCG to be effective, an inverse relationship with caffeine is preferable, where the dose of green tea catechins/EGCG should exceed caffeine, and daily caffeine intake should remain around 300mg or lower. We’ll come back to this point later as to why this is important for diabetic management.

You could go drowning yourself in green tea every day, to the tune of up to 8 cups, to get the desired dose: supplementing is likely an easier route.

What about caffeine?

Caffeine

Caffeine is probably one of the most researched compounds around, and is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world – we really love coffee. Caffeine has repeatedly been shown in research to increase sympathetic nervous system activity, boost resting metabolic rate, increase adrenaline output, and increase fat mobilisation (1; 10).

However, note two things about those effects of caffeine. First, they primarily relate to enhanced physical performance, particularly central nervous system drive and adrenaline output.

Secondly, and more importantly, caffeine promotes fat mobilisation, but not necessarily oxidation. In fact, the distinct performance enhancing and fat mobilising effects of caffeine have never been concretely linked to increased fat burning (10).

For example, a study using doses of 100mg, 200mg or 400mg caffeine found an increase in metabolic rate and in fat breakdown, but measurements of energy expenditure in the subjects showed that the increase in energy burning came from equal oxidation of carbohydrate and fat (41). Other studies using very high doses of caffeine – 6mg per kilo bodyweight – also failed to find any increase in fat oxidation during cycle tests for 45-60min at 70% VO₂max (10; 11).

One issue with caffeine in studies may be the timing of intake. For example, in the latter two studies caffeine was given 60-90mins before testing (10; 11). However, another study divided that dose into 3mg/kg 90min prior to testing, followed by another 3mg/kg 30mins after, and found fat oxidation remained elevated both during exercise and up to 2-hours post-training (12).

Another variable you may have noticed thus far is the use of a set VO₂max in studies. Why could this be an issue? Well, if a specific percentage of VO₂max is used, it may not in fact be a uniform intensity for the intervention group due to differences in fitness levels – different subjects may have different thresholds for exercise intensity (13).

Using lactate threshold to define intensity may be more effective, as this is the threshold where aerobic energy systems relying in fat metabolism are operating at their max capacity, and beyond that we shift into anaerobic metabolism and carbohydrate oxidation (13). In a study using 6mg/kg caffeine before 60mins cycling at the lactate threshold, measures of energy expenditure indicated a significant increase in fat oxidation (13).

Ultimately, caffeine is not the fat burner many think it is, and requires higher doses to achieve an effect: the issue is tolerance may negate performance benefits, and more is not better when it comes to caffeine and fat burning.

It appears that caffeine is best used at higher doses, and during submaximal aerobic intensities. However, there are implications for blood sugar management with caffeine, which we’ll consider below. There are also implications for tolerance, and increasing dosage does not overcome tolerance to caffeine.

Yohimbine

Yohimbine is similar to caffeine in that it is a plant alkaloid, occurring naturally in a particular species of tree. It’s also similar in that it can increase levels of adrenaline in the body, however, a word of caution here: if you’re a caffeine-sensitive type, and get the jitters easy with coffee, yohimbine will have you crawling up the walls.

Yohimbine is a compound that acts both directly and indirectly to influence fat oxidation. In its direct effects, yohimbine acts on receptors on fat cells that normally act to suppress fat oxidation and inactivates those receptors (14). In doing so, it allows fat to continue to be oxidised without suppressing those mechanisms.

It also has an indirect effect, similar to caffeine, through increasing adrenaline levels, and adrenaline itself stimulates fat mobilisation and oxidation (15). Yohimbine is popular because the fat cells that it acts on both directly and indirectly through adrenaline are particularly concentrated in the thigh are in women and belly in men, i.e., “stubborn” body fat, and there is research supporting its fat burning effects in women (16), healthy men (17), and athletes (18).

However, a word of caution: yohimbine is highly, highly stimulatory. It’s also noted to have significant side effects – elevated heart rate in particular – and if you’re in any way an anxiety-type, then steer clear. Another issue is that there appears to be significant issues around labelling accuracy on supplements, and wide variability in the precise dose contained in a given product (19).

All in all, while effective, yohimbine simply comes with too much baggage.

Bitter Orange Extract

Bitter oranges contain a compound known as p-synephrine, which can increase metabolic rate in humans (20). It is important to note at this point that bitter oranges are not your average tangerine or satsuma in the shop, and are a rare enough form of citrus fruit with historical use in traditional Chinese medicine (21).

One of the interesting things about p-synephrine is that it increases metabolic rate independent of variables like diet and exercise. For example, one study using a single 50mg dose of p-synephrine found an increase resting metabolic rate by 65kcal over 75min post-ingestion (20).

In terms of underlying mechanisms, p-synephrine is in fact similar to ephedrine, only milder (and legal). It increases adrenaline and dopamine system activity, thereby increasing fat breakdown and metabolic rate (21).

It is also synergistic with caffeine, and of interest to the strength and performance-oriented athletes amongst you, p-synephrine and caffeine have been shown to increase power output in the squat (22). Studies using doses of 49-100mg p-synephrine have found increased energy expenditure, fat mobilisation and fat oxidation, with no adverse effects (23).

Indeed, the longest study in p-synephrine supplementation to date using 49mg doses for 60-days found no adverse effects across cardiovascular, liver, kidney and blood analyses (24).

The human research is thus far overall positive. One trial supplementing 51.5mg p-synephrine twice daily before meals found a reduction in appetite and improved eating control, in addition to increased energy expenditure (20; 24).

With a wide safety margin, p-synephrine is generally considered safe and effective at the doses commonly used (25).

Forskolin

Forskolin at this point remains a very intriguing research compound, but hard to say much more. For the physique-enthusiasts amongst us, we should cross our collective fingers in the hopes of further research into this promising supplement.

Derived from the herb Coleus forskohlii and with traditional use in Ayurvedic medicine, the primary mechanism of action of forskolin is to increase levels of a molecule in our cells called cyclic adenosine monophosphate [cAMP], which is important in regulating energy metabolism (26). Mechanistically, high levels of forskolin can increase the breakdown of fat from storage, however, the doses used to show this effect have not been replicated in humans (27).

The human research is relatively limited to date. A study in overweight women supplemented with a 10% forskolin extract (250mg twice daily) noted a protective effect against weight gain, with insignificant weight loss (28). An interesting randomised, double-blind and placebo controlled trial in overweight and obese men supplemented with 250mg (10% forskolin) twice daily for 12-weeks found a significant increase in lean body mass, reduction in fat mass, and increase in bone mass: all these results were confirmed by DEXA scans (29). There was also an increase in testosterone noted, which could explain the results but despite this being an RCT, and despite the quite profound results, we’re still waiting on this research to be replicated.

So, there’s a few caveats to the research to date. First, overweight and obese persons have lower levels of cAMP, and thus the effects of forskolin supplementation may be more pronounced in these populations (30). Secondly, the effects of increased testosterone may underscore the fat burning effect, as distinct from any direct fat burning effect of forskolin itself, an observation somewhat supported by the difference in the study in women [no significant effect] compared to the study in men [significant effect].

Fascinating compound. More research needed. And it may have caution in diabetics, for reasons explained below.

Green Coffee Extract

Green coffee extract is extracted from unroasted green coffee beans, as the compounds are largely lost in the process of roasting coffee beans (31). Green coffee extract is touted as a fat burning compound but we can be relatively brief with this: the evidence is weak.

A recent meta-analysis confirmed this (31). While there was an overall weight loss effect noted, the trials did not specify dosage used, and had significant methodological limitations which cast doubt on the results (31). Two authors of one study were also affiliated with a company selling a GCE weight loss product (31).

Aside from the methodological limitations of the studies on GCE to date, the results themselves are of questioning clinical relevance (31). Despite this being a common feature of many marketed “fat burner” supplements, all it’s going to give you is expensive urine.

Ephedrine and ECA

Ephedrine is a plant alkaloid derived from the Chinese herb, Ma Huang, and is about as potent a fat burning compound as you could find: the trade-off is you might have a heart attack. Ephedrine acts by both directly stimulating the production of heat in muscle cells, and by stimulating the breakdown of stored fat (42).

Ephedrine also boosts metabolic rate, an effect which is seen without exercise, in contrast to caffeine which is effective at mobilising stored fat but requires exercise to burn that released fat (42). Combined together, ephedrine and caffeine show distinct fat burning synergy, due to the effect that the class of compound which caffeine is, a methylxanthine, boosts the ability of ephedrine to increase metabolic rate (43).

The stack of ephedrine and caffeine, combined with aspirin, and known as ‘ECA’, is an effective fat burning compound due to the combination of ephedrine and caffeine, although there is evidence that aspirin enhanced the thermogenic response to feeding in obese subjects, but this effect was not found in lean persons (44).

There have been significant concerns, however, raised over the use of ephedrine and ECA: ephedrine and the combination of ephedrine with caffeine have been associated with increased risk for nausea, vomiting, anxiety, heart palpitations, and adverse cardio and cerebrovascular events (45).

So, is it worth it? Like most things, the dose makes the poison: the combination of 20mg ephedrine with 200mg caffeine taken three times per day has been shown to be well tolerated and safe up to 6-months use (46; 47). The issue for diabetics isn’t the tolerability, it’s the fact that ephedrine increases insulin and blood glucose levels (42).

So there are two caveats: one  is that it’s illegal in many jurisdictions now, the other is the effect on blood glucose and insulin. So, yes it can be safe, and it is certainly effective, but may place an added burden on diabetes management.

Clenbuterol

‘Clen’ is possibly one of the most popular fat burning compounds in the physique community for one reason: it works like little else. Clenbuterol is a synthetic drug that is currently illegal in most developed countries, but that hasn’t prevented its popular use.

Clenbuterol leads to significant improvements in body composition not solely attributable to fat burning, but also to lean mass increases (48). In the context of an energy deficit that is a pre-requisite for fat loss, clen preserves lean mass while significantly increasing fat burning (49).

Clen enhances fat burning through the same mechanisms as yohimbine and ephedrine, stimulating fat oxidation (50). It also does not appear to have any impact on blood glucose levels, however, insulin disrupts the signalling of compounds like clenbuterol to fat cells, so there is a potential interaction that could be relevant to timing of use of both insulin and clen (51)

Potent fat burning compound, with the same caveats applying regarding legal status. If using, use wisely: there are plenty of ways to burn fat outside of prison.

Can Diabetics Take Fat Burners?

Ok, so some compounds can be effective – like EGCG and caffeine – and some are a waste of money – like green coffee extract. For those that may be effective, we need to consider the potential interactions of these compounds with diabetes management.

Let’s start with the obvious one: caffeine. Caffeine distinctly does increase blood glucose levels, through a combination of transiently reducing insulin sensitivity and prevent glucose disposal into muscle cells by 24% (32). The main effect of caffeine is interfering with insulin action on glucose disposal, not impacting on insulin secretion itself which is unaffected by caffeine intake (33). Timing caffeine use away from meals would be a good idea to avoid any interaction with post-prandial glucose metabolism.

Consider ephedrine here too: it has dose-dependent increases in insulin and blood glucose, so more is definitely not better, and caution is required when considering its use.

For caffeine, we are talking about caffeine and not coffee as a food supplement. Coffee intake is strongly associated with reduced risk of Type-2 diabetes, an effect which is more attributable to other compounds in coffee as the protective effect is also observed with decaff (34).

Thus, while coffee intake is itself a beneficial food product, it remains inadvisable from a blood sugar management perspective to supplement with isolated caffeine, which will increase blood glucose as a result of impaired glucose disposal (32; 33).

Green tea catechins may in fact benefit diabetics, although it should be noted that the research is in Type-II. A study in Type-II diabetics found 500mg of decaff green tea extract, of which 285mg EGCG, taken 3 times per day resulted in significant improvements in insulin sensitivity [measured via HOMA-IR], reduced insulin concentrations, and reductions in triglycerides over 16-weeks (35). The effect on improved insulin sensitivity is not always observed in Type-II diabetics (36).

However, green tea catechins may improve blood glucose regulation. Green tea catechins have been shown to improve post-meal glycaemic control in pre-diabetics by inhibiting glucose uptake, without impacting on insulin secretion (37). Brewed green tea may also increase glucose disposal and nutrient partitioning in monocytes over adipocytes, although this has yet to be demonstrated in humans (38).

Overall, supplementation with green tea catechins appears to be potentially favourable to diabetes management, without negatively impacting insulin secretion or action.

What about forskolin? There simply is no human evidence, but studies in cell cultures have shown that forskolin stimulates insulin release from pancreatic cells (39). In this context, and without any human research, the advice here would be to err on the side of caution and opt against supplementation with forskolin: we just don’t know what impact it could have on insulin and diabetic control.

A similar position can be taken with yohimbine: rat studies suggest it can increase insulin levels in diabetic rats (40). This was in fact considered a positive, as insulin secretion is suppressed by mechanisms which are inhibited by yohimbine, thus supplementation was normalising insulin function in diabetic rats (40).

Again, we have no human data on the potential interaction, and given the side-effects of yohimbine outweigh the efficacy, from a diabetic management perspective it is best to scratch this off the list.

P-synephrine, on the other hand, does not appear to negatively impact on blood glucose management or insulin function. A safety study looking at the effects of 49mg p-synephrine twice daily found no adverse effects after 60-days on blood chemistry, including blood glucose, albeit this was in non-diabetic subjects.

P-synephrine is considered to have a wide safety margin, and the lack of any observed effect on blood glucose taken with its observed increase in metabolic rate, suggest that this could be supplemented safely in diabetics.

Clenbuterol may have an interaction with insulin, insofar as elevated insulin may suppress activity of the drug: this is highly mechanistic and likely means clen should be taken away from meals.

Practical Application: Fat Burners, Diabetes and Blood Sugar Control

Ok, so we’ve established what works, what doesn’t, and what is safe for use in in the context of diabetic management. Let’s put this together into some action points.

1. Green tea catechins/EGCG and diabetes: Recall that the effectiveness of green tea is dependent on lower caffeine levels. This works nicely for a diabetic looking to enhance fat oxidation, as taking on supplemental caffeine is contraindicated for blood sugar management. So, as a diabetic looking for a fat burning boost, your best bet is to keep caffeine low and opt for more green tea.

Your dose: 500mg EGCG per day, with lower caffeine intake. A cup of coffee a day won’t hurt, but don’t be a habitual high-caffeine consumer or you’ll impair the effects of green tea on fat oxidation.

2. P-synephrine & diabetes: The increase in metabolic rate, fat mobilisation and oxidation, in the context of its established safety and lack of impact on blood glucose make this an attractive supplement.

Your dose: 49-100mg per day, ideally in divided doses separated 6-hours apart.

3. Caffeine, yohimbine, forskolin, green coffee extract and diabetes: Between the negative effects on blood glucose management of isolated caffeine, to the increased blood pressure and anxiety side effects of yohimbine, to the lack of evidence for interactions with forskolin, and lack of evidence overall for GCE, don’t waste your time with these options.

4. Clenbuterol, ephedra-caffiene-asprin (ECA Stack) and diabetes: You’re an adult, you can do as you like but I didn’t tell you one way or the other!

Also, final point to bear in mind: the greatest “fat burner” we know of is a calorie deficit in conjunction with a higher protein diet. Your final consideration is this: diet always comes first to any body composition goal.

How can people living with diabetics control their blood sugar levels when taking over the counter fat burners?

We asked John Pemberton, Head Coach at Diabetic Muscle and Fitness, for his thoughts on fat burners. He gave us options for how to adjust diabetes regimens to manage blood glucose levels when taking fat burners, from his ten years of clinical and coaching experience.

Here are his pearls of wisdom.

The safety and efficacy of the different fat burners have been laid out nicely in this article, and I agree with the conclusions. This was a great read.

I have detailed below some considerations on how to manage blood glucose.

1. Green tea catechins/EGCG with diabetes: EGCG should have very little impact on blood glucose levels, because it does not significantly increase stress hormones (Catecholamine’s & Cortisol). From my coaching, personal and clinical experience, no therapy adjustments are needed, but you always have to monitor and assess, we are all individuals.

a.  On a side note, EGCG is strong polyphenol that has been shown to activate the expression of your “Lean Genes”. By increasing Sirtuin Enzymes in the cells. I have written a comprehensive guide on how to “Activate your Lean Genes” in the Training Lab that covers this in great depth. This moves the conversation past fat burning, into discovering the wide range of benefits Polyphenols have for long-term health and getting a great looking body.

2. P-synephrine with diabetes: Technically you would expect this to raise blood glucose, because it activates the adrenergic receptors, which increase adrenaline, and should therefore lead to the liver pushing lots of glucose into the blood stream. However, the activation of the adrenergic receptors from P-Synephrine is weak, so the glucose impact is usually not an issue. Also, because the half-life is only 2 hours, the impact is very brief.

a.  If you find it increases your glucose level, a small dose of quick acting insulin upon taking P-synephrine will prevent a glucose spike. But like I said, you are unlikely to need this. Monitor first and adapt if needed.

3. Caffeine with diabetes: The drug of choice slurped down every morning by most people. Especially fitness enthusiasts who use it as a “performance enhancer” or “Fat burner”. At doses needed for a “performance” or “fat burning” effect (2-3mg/kg or 1-1.5mg/lb) it is unlikely to increase glucose levels. However, at does above this (5-6mg/kg or 2.5-3mg/lb), you are likely to get a glucose spike from insulin resistance and increase liver output of glucose, which can last 4-6 hours. On a practical note, don’t take a high dosage past 2pm, otherwise you will disrupt your sleep and recovery. How would you manage a high caffeine dose?

a.  If you are doing aerobic exercise such as running, it’s likely your glucose level will stay stable rather than drop. Some use this as hypo prevention strategy.

b.  If you are doing anaerobic exercise such as heavy weights, it’s likely your glucose level will spike more than usual. You may need an insulin before you start your heavy lifting

c.  In the Training Lab, I have developed a guide on how to manage different types of exercise with Diabetes. This covers how to calculate how much insulin to give before anaerobic exercise.

4. Yohimbine with diabetes: Very similar to caffeine, except the exact dosages are a little hit and miss as it’s a plant alkaloid. The potency of the supplement will vary according to manufacturing processes. So, it’s going to be a bit of trial and error, just like everything else with diabetes!

5. Ephedrine & ECA stack with diabetes: This will 100% increase your blood glucose. Unlike P-synephrine, ephedrine is a potent activator of the adrenergic receptors. It will spike adrenaline, which will spike liver output of glucose. Ephedrine has a half-life of 6 hours, so you can expect high glucose level for a long period. From my clinical and coaching experience you will need more insulin, a lot more, for a long period. Here are some options to consider, but always check with you medical team and monitor aggressively.

a. If on an insulin pump increase the basal rate to 150% for 6-8 hours.

b.  If on split background insulin (NPH, Levimer), increase the morning dose by 25-50%.

c.  Increase insulin doses for meals by 25-50%.

d.  Correction doses every 2-3 hours.

5. Clenbuterol with diabetes: Works in a similar way ephedrine, but not as potent. It does however have a half-life of 26 hours! So if it causes your glucose level to rise, you will be on the celling for a long-time. From my experience, the most effective way to manage this is to increase the background insulin. Here are are some options to consider, but always check with you medical team and monitor aggressively.

a.  If on an insulin pump increase the basal rate to 120-130% for 24 hours

b.  Increase background insulin doses by 20-30%.

One final note from me.

You should only be considering “fat burners” if you have optimised;

• You caloric intake according to your fat loss goals.
• You have 7-8 hours quality sleep per night.
• You diet is full of real foods and you’re having 1.8–2.2g/kg protein (0.7 – 1.0g/lb) spread over at least 4 meals.
• You are resistance training at least three times a week.
• You are walking 10,000 steps per day.
• You are accountable to someone for hitting all of these goals.

If you have not got the above on point, you are barking up the wrong tree. Get the basics in place and you will see it’s actually easy to shred body fat.

You would be better advised to spend your money on a high quality coaching program or selection of calorie controlled meals plans that will give you a clear plan of action and keep you accountable by looking after all the essentials! That’s why I created Diabetic Shred – a 112-day fat loss system for men and women living with diabetes. It contains everything you need to know about eating, training and living to get lean. You get weekly meal plans tailored to your metabolism and over 50 challenging workouts.

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29. Godard, M., Johnson, B. and Richmond, S. (2005). Body Composition and Hormonal Adaptations Associated with Forskolin Consumption in Overweight and Obese Men. Obesity Research, 13(8), pp.1335-1343.
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32. Greer, F., Hudson, R., Ross, R. and Graham, T. (2001). Caffeine Ingestion Decreases Glucose Disposal During a Hyperinsulinemic-Euglycemic Clamp in Sedentary Humans. Diabetes, 50(10), pp.2349-2354.
33. Keijzers, G., De Galan, B., Tack, C. and Smits, P. (2002). Caffeine Can Decrease Insulin Sensitivity in Humans. Diabetes Care, 25(2), pp.364-369.
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Simple, you need to activate your LEAN GENES.

You must have come across similar claims;

“DNA testing is the future.”

“We tailor nutrition to your genes.”

Or maybe,

“We program perfect workout plans for your genome!”

Skeptical?

You should be.

Those claims are talking about genetic determinism. This basically means. You are born with a genetic code that perfectly predicts your future health and physical potential. Also, you can do very little to change your outlook.

You either got it, or you don’t, right?

Wrong. Current science shows the exact opposite. Your genetic code only predicts 20% of your future health (1).  It’s how your genes are activated that makes all the difference, 80% of the difference. This is the field of science called Epigenetics.

Epigenetics is the science looking at the environmental, nutritional and physical factors that influence your genetic expression.

Let me break this down for you.

Imagine your genetic code is a large fridge freezer.

The top part is the fridge, which is full of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean cuts of quality meats, and a host of quality fresh produce. You can consider these your “good” or “LEAN GENES”.

The bottom part is the freezer, containing pizza, chicken nuggets, ready meals, ice cream and a shed load of processed food. You can consider these your “bad” or “fat” genes.

Now it’s true that some people are born with bigger fridges that others (genetic determinism). But that is not the most important thing. The important thing is how you make your daily selections from the fridge or freezer (epigenetics). This is what predicts health, body shape, and insulin sensitivity.

Research shows clearly that if you regularly fire-up your LEAN GENES, you can expect:

• Reduced inflammation (2)
• Reduce Fat storage (3)
• Improve blood glucose control & reduce insulin resistance (4)
• Increase insulin secretion (5)
• DNA repair and protection (6)
• Inhibition of protein degradation (7)
• Increased protein synthesis (8)
• In type 2 muscle fibers, the growth of satellite cells (9)

So basically, looking good, feeling good, on your way to Hollywood!

What happens if people with diabetes turn on their LEAN GENES?

You can expect lower glucose levels, improved pancreatic function and to increase your fat burning potential. As shown in this diagram below taken from a leading research review article (10)!

So, you are probably thinking;

“What daily habits can I employ to make sure I am selecting from the fridge and not the freezer?”

Or in technical speak,

“What nutritional, environmental and physical practices can I adapt to activate the expression of my lean genes?”

It’s great you’re asking that, it means you are in the right place.

As you read this article, you will discover the BIG THREE lifestyle practices you can employ to get all the benefits of activating your Lean Genes.

Let’s begin.

Before we start making changes. It’s essential we understand how the selection process works. What decides if the LEAN GENES (fridge) or fat genes (freezer) are expressed?

There is a wide range of factors, but science is showing clearly that there are a set of MASTER REGULATORS within our cells that control the gene expression process.

What are these MASTER Regulators?

A group of enzymes called the Sirtuin Enzymes. There are seven of them, but Sirtuin 1 and 3 are the most important when it comes to the expression of your LEAN GENES.

The cartoon below shows how the Sirtuin Enzymes (the conductor) create the lean gene activation (beautiful harmonious music from the orchestra).

How do the MASTER REGULATORS alter gene expression?

Simple explanation. The Master Regulators direct the hand into the fridge, so healthy selections are made.

Technical explanation. The Sirtuin enzymes remove acetyl group (deacetylation) from proteins in the cells, which alters the activity of the proteins in favour of expressing your LEAN GENES.

This deacetylation process requires NAD+, so the higher the NAD+, the more effective this process is. See this cartoon showing how the Sirtuin Enzyme removes an Acetyl group of a Histone, allowing the Histone to fire-up LEAN GENE expression.

Make a mental note here.

Anything that increases the NAD+ or Sirtuin enzymes in the cells, enhances Lean Gene activation.

This will help you understand how lifestyle changes activate LEAN Genes.

So, if you are with me so far, you are probably thinking;

“If I increase the number of Master Regulators (Sirtuin Enzymes) in my cells, and make them work more effectively (increase NAD+), I will really fire up may Lean Genes!”

If you are, you are 100% correct. The aim of the game is twofold:

1. Increase the number of Sirtuin Enzymes in your cells.

2. Create conditions (increase NAD+) in the cells that enable the Sirtuin enzymes to work as quickly and effectively as possible.

Now you are clear on the process of activating your LEAN GENES. It’s time to discover how to increase the number Master Regulators, and create a cellular environment that makes them sing!

You are going to do this by employing the principle of Hormesis.

Hormesis is the principle of applying a small stress to the body, the body fights that stress, then adapts the metabolic machinery to be stronger, healthier and more robust.

So next time you can handle a higher stress load and you evolve into a machine that can handle anything!

Just think of Hormesis as;

“What does not kill you makes you stronger!”

There are endless ways to stress the body to get this effect. But I am sure you want the ones that give you the best bang for your buck, right?

Good, because the rest of this article outlines THREE of the most effective Hormesis strategies for activating your LEAN Genes. Three strategies that increase the number of Master Regulators and create the optimal cellular environment to fire up your LEAN GENES.

What are the BIG three?

1. Polyphenols (including Resveratrol)
2. Cold Stress (Energy stress)
3. Fasting (Caloric Restriction)

This diagram presents an overview of how the BIG THREE work and consolidates your knowledge so far!

You can see how the big three increase the Sirtuin Enzymes (Sirt1) directly and/or increase NAD+. There are several metabolic pathways involved, including the AMPK and LKB1 pathways, but you do not need a deep understanding of the pathways.

You just need to know once the Sirtuin Enzymes are activated with NAD+, there is a positive cascade leading to LEAN GENE expression and good health.

Let’s break the big three down.

What are Polyphenols and how do they work by Hormesis?

Polyphenols are the plant’s defense mechanisms, they protect from UV light, insects, microbial infections, and they attract pollinators.

They are compounds that contain at least one aromatic ring and are classified into different groups according to the number of aromatic rings and the structural elements that bind these rings together. Therefore, polyphenols are classified as flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes.

When we consume polyphenols, they act by applying a stress to our cells and increase the Sirtuin Enzymes. Because this stress comes from plants, it’s technically known as Xenohormesis.

Polyphenols also have an anti-oxidant effect and help lower blood pressure by dilating blood vessels.

This all sounds great, but what is the evidence to say consuming Polyphenols is beneficial for health?

A review of all the key evidence in 2016 reported (11):

“A multitude of proven benefits for consuming a diet that has a high and diverse intake of polyphenols”

The benefits include;

• Proven long-term benefits

–    Reduced relative risk of cancer by 40%

–    Reduced relative risk of cardiovascular disease by 30%

• Proven short-term benefits:

–    Anticarcinogenic

–    Antiatherogenic

–    Antiulcer

–    Antithrombotic

–    Anti-inflammatory

–    Antiallergenic

–    Anticoagulant

–    Antimicrobial

–    Vasodilatory

The most important thing to understand from the above research is the statement;

“High and diverse intake of polyphenols”

This graphic shows each category of polyphenols has sub-categories, and lots of individual polyphenols. There are literally thousands!

Fortunately, a European Team has identified the 500 most important polyphenols and created a database, the Polyphenol-Explorer. The Polyphenol database allows you to see which foods are bursting with the key polyphenols. I spent hours trawling the database to develop this table that summarizes things nicely.

You should now be starting to realize why you need a high and diverse intake of different foods groups to get your Polyphenols!

The Polyphenol-Explorer database has been independently validated by a huge pan-European study (12). The study also reported usual intakes by the different nations. Do you think consume more than your nations average?

At Diabetic Muscle and Fitness, we have spent months creating a tool that allows you to enter how frequently you eat the Top 100 polyphenol-rich foods. In return for your efforts, you get a report that details;

1. Your overall daily intake in mg.
2. Your intake is broken down into the key food categories.
3. Notification if your intake is low, medium, optimal, or too high in the different food categories.
4. Considerations of how to improve your intake.
5. Top food lists to help you achieve optimal intakes.

Interested?

See the below report from one of our Training Lab members.

You can see his overall intake is medium and there are several food groups with a low intake. Interestingly, he thought he had a “healthy diet”, but this made him realize there was a lot of room for progress.

After chewing over his report, he decided to take on the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Four-Week Polyphenol Challenge with other community members in the Training Lab.

He used the top foods list we created to improve his polyphenol intake. Below are two of the eight Top Food lists.

Using the 100mg and above list for Teas and Cocoa products,  he decided to introduce Green Matcha Tea and add in a couple of cups of peppermint tea per day.

Using the 150mg and above list for Fruits, he decided to introduce Figs, prunes and plumbs.

He completed the tool again after the four-week challenge and was rewarded with the below report

What an amazing turnaround!

He now has optimal intake overall and most in categories. He has a “high and diverse intake of polyphenols”, so he can expect all the health benefits, as he is regularly firing up his LEAN GENES.

Still some room for improvement in the herbs, spices, and condiments – But nobody is perfect, right?

How do you think you would score?

If you want to find out, access the Training Lab to use the unique tool.

Two final things to consider with polyphenols from the leading research review (11):

1. A healthy gut increases the absorption of polyphenols, and foods high in polyphenols feed a healthy gut. So, look after your gut and you will get the most out of your polyphenol intake. Some simple advice:
2. Eat fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi.
3. Eat at least one fruit and veg from each colour of the rainbow every day.
4. Eat foods high in pre-biotic fibre such as onions, garlic, and leeks.
5. See the Guide in the Training Lab for more detail.

2. Increase the bio-availability of polyphenols with these simple tips:
3. Add lemon juice to tea.
4. Consume fat with vegetables e.g. light frying of onions.
5. Eat high-quality protein (high in Leucine).
6. See the Guide in the Training Lab for more and a more detailed explanation.

Ok, Polyphenols are done, let’s get into cold stress.

Cold Stress

Cold Stress was popularized by Tim Ferris in his book The Four Hour Body, and more recently by Wim Hoff -The Ice Man.

Stories of ice baths, cold packs, Cryotherapy, and cold showers being the fountain of youth.

Promises of rapid fat loss, increased metabolic rate, improved mental health, and building resilience.

Sounds too good to be true, right?

Let’s find out, but first, what does Cold Stress look like?

The Cold Stress Options:

1. Cold shower: Turn the shower to full cold and stand under for 5-15 minutes. Not as easy it sounds. Start with 5 minutes and increase by a minute each time.

2. Cold bath or bin: Submerge up to the neck for 5-15mins. This is actually easier than a shower as you do not get the constant sprinkle of cold on you. Build duration up over time.

3. Cryotherapy: Enter a cold capsule and be blasted by liquid nitrogen for a short time period, usually 2-3 minutes. Much more expensive but very time efficient. Usually 2-3 minutes.

Which is best?

Studies comparing all methods show they elicit the same response, as long as the core temperature drops (13). So, the best for you depends on finance, availability, and your mental strength to withstand the cold for longer durations.

What do the research papers say?

1. Cold stress causes a BIG surge in stress hormones: Noradrenaline increases by 300 -500% and Dopamine by 150-250% (14).

How does this benefit?

• Good for mood: noradrenaline and dopamine electrify the regions of the brain to make you feel good, the same effect induced by caffeine. Interestingly the cold stress response does not go away with daily practice, unlike the quick graduation from a single, to a double, to a triple espresso. Sound familiar?

• Good for the immune system: noradrenaline reduces inflammation by decreasing key inflammatory factors, and increasing beneficial natural killer cells (15). This has been linked with reducing brain inflammation, by better use of Serotonin (happy chemical).

• Good evidence shows cold stress improves arthritis symptoms (16) and lowers incidence of nasty chest infections (17). Interestingly, studies of centenarians (people over 100 years) show INFLAMMATION (low levels that is) is the strongest predictor of living a long and healthy life (18).

This is a big leap I know, but could occasional exposure to cold stress help you live longer and stronger?

2. Cold Stress stimulates heat production and increases metabolic rate by up to 350% (19). This is mediated by two processes.

• Shivering (believe me, this happens!). The muscles twitch rapidly using glucose to produce heat. This creates a serious energy stress and is very much Hormesis.

• Stimulation of brown fat to produce heat by burning fat. Brown fat found in your sternum and collarbone region is special. Why? because it is the only type of tissue that can burn fat purely to produce heat. Consistent exposure to cold stress increases brown fat accumulation over time via the Sirtuin 3 metabolic pathway (20).

This sounds great, as it increases fat burning potential!

However, there is a strange irony with brown fat. The accumulation only happens for LEAN INDIVIDUALS. Unfortunately, brown fat accumulation is virtually non-existent for obese people (21). This is a cruel paradox, and is shown in the graphic below!

3. Cold Stress has been shown to improve our internal anti-oxidant defense systems by 40%, to help fight the damage from everyday inflammation (22). Could cold stress become one of your five a day?

4. Cold stress can improve recovery from training and injury. Amazing, let’s get in the cold bath, right? Not so quick, the devil is in the detail. It all depends on timing and type of training!

• For strength and muscle building training: DO NOT APPLY COLD STRESS IN THE 1 HOUR AFTER TRAINING (the anabolic window). You need the inflammatory response after training to drive muscle growth and strength! Research has shown cold exposure in the hour after strength training slows any gains (23).

• For endurance events and sports specific activities, it’s a different story. Applying cold stress soon after the activity is important. Why? Stopping inflammation is key, so repeated bouts of training can be completed. It is the enzymatic changes and increased number of mitochondria that drive performance improvement for endurance training, not hypertrophy (mostly). Cold stress has also been shown to increase the number of mitochondria (energy-producing cells) in muscles (24). Cold stress has been shown to improve performance markers in elite runners by 20% (25) and increase sprint power of elite cyclists by 5% (26).

This all sounds great, but what about people with Diabetes, any evidence?

As usual NO, but there are no reasons why this would not work for people with Diabetes.

Just a few things to consider:

• The massive increase in noradrenaline may:
• Increase blood glucose during and after.
• If you have a heart condition it can be very dangerous (27), DO NOT DO IT.

• The increased glucose utilization from shivering may make your glucose drop.
• The cold feeling will mask any signs of going hypo.

• You will need to be aware of the last time you gave a bolus of insulin. If in the last 3 hours your response will be much more unpredictable.

My safety advice would be:

1. Make sure glucose is 7mmol/l (125mg/dl) before starting.
2. Measure before and after and 30 minutes after to see the effect.
3. Start with 5 minutes and build up minute by minute.
4. Have someone with you for the first few times.
5. Make sure your last bolus insulin was at least three hours ago.
6. Keep it to three times a week for practicality, and to reduce to risk of too much stress.
7. If you are dieting hard and in a big energy deficit, do not use cold stress. It may be one stress too far and lead to overtraining and illness.

SAFETY WARNING

ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR MEDICAL TEAM BEFORE TRYING ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY COLD STRESS

Check with your Doctor before trying anything, especially if you have a heart condition. If you are thinking of doing contrast therapy, from hot to cold and back, this puts the body under increased stress. This has been shown to be an issue for people with poor heart health (28).

So, there you have it. Cold Stress has quite a few potential benefits, but you have to be prepared for a bit of mental torture three times a week to get them!

Diabetes does present a few extra challenges, but you now have the tools to overcome them.

Do you want to join an elite group of people with Diabetes who have taken on the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Four-week Cold Stress Challenge?

Is so, head over to the Training Lab where the Activate Your LEAN GENES Guide will walk you through it step by step.

Ok, two down, fasting to go!

Why does fasting fire up your LEAN GENES?

There are multiple metabolic pathways that lead to the activation of LEAN GENES whilst fasting. We will keep our focus on the main two. Firstly, fasting directly increases the level of Sirtuin 1 enzymes. Secondly, the caloric restriction leads to the cells using a lot of nutrients, which causes a very high NAD+ level (29).

This combination is a true stress on the body, and leads to serious activation of your LEAN GENES.

The research evidence on the benefits of fasting is vast and beyond dispute (29). Not to mention that it’s been practiced throughout human evolution, is practiced routinely by many religions, AND IT’S WHAT OUR GENES EXPECT REGULARLY TO BE HEALTHY!

In western society we have just forgotten about it.

Why?

Because there is an abundance of food on every street corner and takeaways just the click of an app away. Instead of fasting being imposed on us by seasonal food scarcity. We have to purposefully pursue the practice of fasting to get the benefit!

This is the challenge. We, humans, love immediate gratification, that’s why we love tasty food, we get in the car for all our trips, and we often prioritize being on our phone until late, in place of seven hours quality sleep.

To meet our evolutionary need to fast, we need to understand the benefit, then shape our environment to make occasional fasting a way of life!

We are now clear fasting is beneficial and that our current environment works against us. But what is not so clear is;

“What type of fasting is the best choice for people with diabetes.”

There are several different ways to employ fasting popular types of fasting are:

Intermittent Fasting:

• 20:4 – Eating window 14:00 – 18:00
• 18:6 – Eating window 12:00 – 18:00
• 16:8 – Eating window 10:00 – 18:00
• 14:10 – Eating window 8:00 – 18:00

5:2 Diet – Popularized by Michael Moseley

• 5 days’ maintenance calories
• 2 days 300-500kcal

One or two 24 hours fast a week – Popularised by Brad Pillion – Eat Stop Eat.

• Usual fasting window 20:00 to 20:00

3-7 day prolonged fasts:

• Water only

In my ten years of clinical and coaching experience, there is one clear winner for people with Diabetes. Before I tell you which one, let’s break each of them down.

If you go for 24 hours without eating, once or twice a week, then back to maintenance caloric intake, your basal insulin requirement changes drastically. Even though modern background insulins have improved, they cannot keep up with this fluctuation. People on an insulin pump have a better chance, but they need two or three basal profiles – this requires a high level of daily management.

In my opinion from lots of clinical and coaching experience, the Eat Stop Eat method often leads to erratic blood glucose.

This is a similar story for the 5:2 diet. Changing from maintenance caloric intake to 300-500kcal twice a week will require two different regimens. Not quite as challenging as Eat Stop Eat, but a level of inconsistency that does not match diabetes medications.

If you are considering a 3-7 day fast, please seek medical support.

You will need a planned gradual reduction in background insulin or medications. You will need to understand the difference between nutritional ketosis and diabetic ketoacidosis. You will need to stop resistance training. Finally, you will need a crazy level of grit and determination.

You may have guessed by now. The best choice is Intermittent Fasting.

Why?

Matching diabetes medications (especially insulin) to metabolism requires one thing, CONSISTENCY. Intermittent Fasting provides a level of consistency from day to day that allows diabetes medications to be matched very effectively.

I have helped countless people with diabetes get the benefit from intermittent fasting with very few blood glucose issues.

Here are my top tips:

1. An 18 (fast) 6(eat) regimen you can improve your hba1c. If you stop eating at 6 pm then your quick acting insulin is out of your system by 10 pm (bedtime). If you get your glucose in the target before bed and your background insulin set correctly, you get the next 18 hours target range.

2. You may need a small correction dose of insulin first thing in the morning if you experience dawn phenomenon.

3. Train at 4 or 5 pm after you have eaten so you have the energy to smash a tough session. Fasted sessions can be challenging.

4. You may need a reduced dose of background insulin in the morning If you take a split dose or you are on an insulin pump. Why? Your liver glucose output drops in favour of burning fat as the fasting period goes on.

This sounds GREAT, so I should use Intermittent Fasting all the time, right?

Not quite. There are times when Intermittent Fasting will be beneficial, and other times detrimental.

When Fasting is beneficial?

• Maintaining current physique or slow body fat loss phase.
• Time pressures.
• Training intensity is not of primary importance.
• Issues with post-breakfast glucose spikes.

Intermittent Fasting will not be optimal when you need to spread out protein feeds, and prioritize recovery from training:

• Gaining size and strength.
• Training twice per day.
• Heavy periods of training requiring on point pre and post nutrition.
• Physique contest preparation.

We have had some amazing results in the Training Lab from those who have taken on the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Four-Week Intermittent Fasting Challenge.

The Challenge takes you from a 14:10 to a 20:4 over four weeks. It also provides you with a detailed guide on how to adjust medication to manage blood glucose control. Obviously, you need to agree on any medication changes with your Health Care Professional.

Let’s recap on what we now know.

Our Genes only determine 20% of our health, the most important thing is which ones we turn on. Simply, it’s not the size of your fridge or freezer that counts, but the selections you make from them.

The Sirtuin enzymes are the master regulators that fire-up your lean genes by a process of deacetylation. Simply, the Sirtuin enzymes are the conductor and the Lean Genes are the Orchestra.

Hormesis is the process that stimulates the Sirtuin enzymes and elevates the level of NAD+ in the cell to fully activate your Lean Genes. Simply, what does not kill you makes you stronger.

The big three for activating your Lean genes are:

• Polyphenols – High and diverse intake.
• Cold Stress – Fat burning and mood elevation.
• Intermittent Fasting – Consistency is key.

The Training Lab is the place to go for:

• A detailed video guide and practical handbook to further your knowledge.
• The unique Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Four-Week Challenges to convert understanding into real learning by taking ACTION.
• A Community of like-minded people to learn from and get accountable for.

I hope you enjoyed this article. If so, please share with friends who have Diabetes.

John Pemberton

Head Coach at Diabetic Muscle and Fitness

Diabetes Specialist Dietitian/Educator

References

1. PLoS Med. 2011;8:e1001116. Epub 2011 Nov 1
2. Adipocyte. 2013 Apr 1;2(2):113-8

1. Biochem Pharmacol. 2011 Mar 1;81(5):569-76.
2. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Mar;25(3):138-45
3. Nature (2007) 450, 712-6
4. Physiol Rev. 2012 July ; 92(3): 1479–1514
5. Aging Cell (2015) 14, 511-523
6. Eur J Cell Bilogy (2009) 88, 35-44
7. Cell Stem Cell (2015) 16, 171-83

10. World J Diabetes (2014), 15; 5(6): 894-900
11. Nutrients 2016, 8, 78
12. Eur J Nutr (2016) 55:1359–1375
13. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00365510701516350
14. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s004210050065
15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1845768
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16870097
17. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987703002706
18. http://physiolgenomics.physiology.org/content/24/1/13.long
19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3726172/
20. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0046352
21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4338605/
22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3726172/
23. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0046352
24. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP270570/epdf
25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26041108
26. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3233540/
27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24504431/
28. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10085493
29. Physiol Rev . 2012 July ; 92(3): 1479–151

You should be expecting an article full of miracle diets, sexy new supplements, or juice cleanses.

Sorry to disappoint.

At Diabetic Muscle and Fitness, we only deal with strategies that are backed by science and have a consistent track record with our weight loss clients.

So ask yourself:

Do I want to kick-start my fat shredding efforts by losing 15 pounds in 28 days?

Do I want to use tried and tested strategies?

Do I want to know how to easily implement these strategies?

I thought so.

As you read this article you will discover the simple 5 step process. When you follow these you can expect to shred 15 pounds of body fat in 28 days!

Special note. We are not saying these 5 steps will lead to 15 pounds of fat loss every 28 days. We are saying for the first 28 days, i.e. YOUR FAT LOSS ACCELERATION PERIOD.

After 28 days your fat loss will slow, but by then you will have new habits, and there will be no looking back.

Ready to find out how to lose 15 pounds in 28 days?

Let’s go.

Step 1: Be in a 1,000 – 1,500kcal daily energy deficit for the first 28 days.

There is no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to shredding fat. If you want to lose the flab, you need to be in a negative energy balance.

Normally you would only want a 500kcal daily negative energy balance for a weekly loss of 1-2 pounds. But in the first 28-day fat loss acceleration phase, you need a greater daily deficit of 1,000 – 1,500kcal. This will shred 3-4 pounds of fat every week, for the first four weeks.

As a general guide, if you are a female, your daily maintenance kcal will be about 2,000 kcal per day. Therefore you would need to restrict daily kcal to 800-1000kcal. No lower than 800kcal.

As a general guide, if you are a male, your daily maintenance kcal will be about 2,500 kcal per day. Therefore you would need to restrict daily kcal to 1000-1200kcal. No lower than 1000kcal.

The above examples are GENERAL estimates. You can go to an online nutritional requirements calculator to work out your specific daily maintenance kcal – like this one.

Better still, get a coach who can calculate your nutrition requirements, taking into consideration your weight loss history.

Should you go Low Carb or Low Fat?

The answer is: IT DOES NOT MATTER.

The definitive study, DIETFITS, has just answered this very question. Stanford University recruited 609 people into a year-long study. Half of them followed a Low Carb diet, less than 20g of carbs per day, and the other half a Low-Fat diet, less than 20g of fat per day (1).

Which group lost the most after a year?

Both groups lost on average 13 pounds over the year. This is 2 pounds less than you will in 28 days.

In both the Low Carb and Low Fat groups, the people who followed the diet to the letter every day lost up to 60 pounds. Those who did not follow the diet gained up to 20 pounds.

This study should tell you one thing.

Fat loss is achieved by hitting a consistent daily kcal deficit.

So sustainable success comes from following the type of diet you enjoy and can stick to for the long term.

For the people with Diabetes who dose insulin for their meals, you will need a dosing method that fits your chosen diet type. You can learn how to do this by reading this article.

This being said, you will be well-served following the 80:20 rule: 80% of your diet should be real quality food such as quality cuts of meat, fruits & vegetables, nuts, and beans, leaving 20% for “junk food”.

In fact, with such a low daily kcal intake for the first 28 days, you would benefit from following the 90:10 rule. This will ensure you get adequate vitamins and minerals.

After the 28 days, you can relax, reducing the daily deficit back to between 500-700kcal each day. This will prevent your metabolism from slowing, and stop you from dreaming and daydreaming about never being allowed chocolate biscuits ever again!

Step 2: Protein intake of 0.7 – 1.0 grams per pound of body weight (1.4 – 2.2g per kilogram)

For shredding fat, we have just discussed it does not matter if it’s low carb, low fat, or somewhere in-between. However, consuming enough protein DOES MATTER.

Why?

Three reasons backed by science (2):

First, protein provides the building blocks necessary to preserve lean muscle tissue from the resistance training you will be doing.

Second, of all the macronutrients, protein keeps hunger at bay, by keeping you feeling fuller for longer. Keeping your protein intake high is essential to manage the food cravings during the 28-days.

Finally, to digest protein, your body has to work very hard. This will go towards your daily negative energy balance.

To get the most out of your protein intake, it is best to spread it out over 3-5 meals with at least 20-30g at each meal.

• 3-4 eggs
• Tin of fish
• Palm size of chicken or meat
• 150-200g cottage cheese
• 400g mixed beans and legumes
• 25-40g protein powder (Whey, Pea, Hemp, Cricket)

For most people, this means changing your breakfast to include a protein source.

Step 3: Resistance training three times per week and 10,000 steps per day.

What will happen if you put your body into a 1000-1500kcal daily energy deficit without resistance training?

You guessed it.

You will lose lean muscle mass – exactly what you do not want.

To maintain your precious lean muscle mass, you must put your muscles under stress. This sends the message to prioritize keeping muscle tissue. What will be burned instead of muscle? Your fat, exactly what you want!

The best approach is to resistance train three times a week, using large muscle group exercises. For the maximum effect you should incorporate exercises from each of the five key movement patterns: Squat, Push, Pull, Hip Hinge and Walk.

Your program should ensure progressive overload to ensure adequate stress is put on the muscles.

If you are not sure how to create a resistance training program, you should seriously download our infamous Diabetic SHRED Program.

But what about cardio, you surely need cardio to lose 15 pounds in 28 days?

In a word, NO!

It is the daily energy deficit that will drive the fat loss. So it is more important to keep your overall daily activity level high. Doing 15-30 minutes cardio 2-3 times a week will not do that.

What will?

Keeping your daily step count at 10,000 will ensure your energy usage remains high 24/7!

Not just when you put your lycra on.

Step 4: Get 7-9 hours quality sleep each night.

Pay attention Simon Cowell. Sleep is the X-factor.

Without a doubt, not getting enough quality sleep is one of the main reasons for failure where fat loss is concerned.

Why?

Sleep is when your body recovers both physically and mentally, and re-sets ready for the next day.

After a poor night’s sleep, your stress hormone cortisol increases, your hunger hormone ghrelin increases, and your insulin resistance increases, by up to 20%!

Just imagine what this does to your glucose control.

If that were not enough, your positive mood hormones Serotonin and Dopamine decrease.

Combined, this leads to poor food choices, not going to the gym, failing to hit 10,000 steps per day, and no interest in tracking your progress!

So sleep can either be your X-factor, or your reason for failure.

These simple tips are taken from one of our other popular articles on the seven tactics to revolutionize your sleep,

1. No blue light technology after 8 pm (SMART phone, laptop, tablet)
2. No caffeine after 2 pm
3. No intense training after 7 pm
4. Keep your bedroom blacked out
5. Have your sleeping temperature at 18-21 degrees Celsius (60-68 degrees Fahrenheit)

Step 5: What gets measured gets managed – if you are held accountable.

On average people underreport their food intake by 25-50%. We never report that handful of crisps, that slice of cake, or that latte. We are very good at fooling ourselves and others.

When you go to the gym, do you ask questions such as:

What weight did I do last week?

How many reps did I do?

What exercise was meant to be next?

This is why measuring and monitoring is ABSOLUTELY VITAL.

The method you use is not that important, just that it works for you.

For nutrition:

You could track macros by using MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.

You could use a hand portion guide.

You could invest in a personalised meal plan.

Whatever works for you.

For counting steps, you could use a Garmin, a Fitbit, or any other tracker.

For logging gym sessions you could use notes on your phone, write down the routine on paper, or you use an online tool with a coach such as Fitbot.

If you are measuring, you are half way there!

What’s the second half?

Monitoring and accountability.

Generally speaking, we are not very good at holding ourselves accountable.

Ever heard yourself saying?

I will just miss the gym today because I am busy, but I will definitely go tomorrow.

I will eat this donut now, but I promise I will make up for it tomorrow.

Does tomorrow ever come?

This is why you need to make yourself accountable. There are loads of way to create accountability.

Social Media – Post about your 28 days Fat Acceleration Phase, and update it daily – there is always someone stalking you!

Fat shredding partners – do it in a group of two or more. Why not have a betting pool where the biggest loser is the biggest winner?

Online accountability such as Stickk – create your own financial disincentive, by pledging to donate money to a cause you HATE, if you do not achieve your goal!

Hire a coach – pay for professional support, education, and accountability. Hire someone who is an expert in what you are trying to achieve. This will save you time, money and heartache in the long term. This is why top performers in all fields from sports and business hire coaches. It’s the fast track to guaranteed success.

Have you ever hired a coach before?

Maybe that’s why you’re reading this?

Let’s wrap this up.

You are now aware it is possible to lose 15 pounds of Pure Fat in a 28-day fat shredding acceleration phase. But after 28 days the fat loss will slow, and your daily kcal restriction will need to be more conservative for long-term success.

You have been through the simple 5 step plan you need to follow. You have identified the key actions you need to take.

You understand that measuring, monitoring and getting accountable are the keys to ensuring success.

All that’s left to do is to take action!

Oh and by the way, if you want to make the challenge easier and more enjoyable. You would be wise to arm yourself with a selection of delicious calorie controlled diabetic friendly meal plans. If your serious about dropping body fat and staying lean for the rest of your life you need to check out The Ultra Lean Diabetic Cookbook. 

Please share this article if you found it useful.

References

(1) https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2673150?redirect=true

(2) https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0174-y

• My friend eats way more than me, but he never gains weight!
• I eat the exact same calories as my work colleague, but she loses more weight than I do!
• Every time I diet and lose weight, I always regain it, even though I eat healthy.
• Is it because I have diabetes and they don’t?

If so, I bet your friends, dietitian, doctor, partner and work colleagues say…

• You must be eating more than you’re saying.
• There’s no such thing as a “slow metabolism”.
• You’re not trying hard enough.
• It’s because of the diabetes medication, especially insulin, it’s working against you.

Are you feeling a little frustrated by it all?

Want to understand what’s going on?

Want to discover how to break the yo-yo dieting cycle?

As you read this article, you will start to realise you were right about a few things,

• You will have a “slower metabolism” after losing weight, especially if you dieted without strength training.
• You find it harder to maintain the same weight as your naturally lean friends.
• Diabetes medication may be adding to your challenge.

Want to know how to overcome these challenges?

Let’s go…

I’ve distilled ten years of clinical experience as a Diabetes Educator and body transformation coach into 10 fundamental principles every person living with diabetes must follow in order to lose body fat and keep off it for good.

1. There is no ‘BEST’ fat loss regime.

If you consume fewer calories than you expend, you will lose weight _{(1, 5).} You can lose weight equally effectively with the Zone diet, Atkins diet, Ornish diet, or anything else if you achieve a consistent kcal deficit _(1,5).

But clinical experience has highlighted a special consideration when it comes to Diabetes. You must pay attention to macronutrient consistency (carbs, fat, and protein), to ensure glucose stability. If you have diabetes you can choose any diet type you prefer, but you must be macronutrient consistent from meal to meal, and day to day.

2. The best diet regimen is the one you can stick to properly, for the longest _{(1, 2, 5).}

This varies from person to person based on the food preference, psychology (all or nothing person vs. person of moderation), environment, food availability, social support, and accountability. So pick the diet type that is easiest for you follow, and suits your lifestyle.

If you don’t know how to build your own diet check out these two articles.

THE BIKINI BODY DIET PLAN FOR WOMEN WITH DIABETES | CALORIES, MACROS AND SUPPLEMENTS.

THE ULTIMATE MUSCLE BUILDING & FAT LOSS DIET PLAN FOR MEN WITH DIABETES | CALORIES, MACROS AND SUPPLEMENTS.

3. You must proactively adjust your diabetes medication as you lose weight.

This prevents too many hypos and consuming extra kcal that set you back. It’s not usually the 15 grams of quick acting carbs that’s the problem. It’s raiding the fridge due to an insatiable hunger.

4. If you adhere strictly to the plan, you can lose weight consistently for the first 6 months.

Usually about 10% of body weight. So if 200 pounds, lose 20 pounds. If 70kg, lose 7kg.

5. Expect a plateau at around 6 to 12 months in. _{(2, 5).}

6.At 12-24 months’ weight is usually regained, often back to where it started for 80-90% of people. ₍₂₎

This was shown clearly in a Randomised Control Trial that had 811 people follow an energy-restricted diet strictly, for two years. They found the 80% who stuck to the diet (20% dropped out) lost an average of 6.6kg in the first year, but regained 1.2kg by the end of the second year, to lose 4.2kg.

Only 15% or the study participants kept 10% of body weight off at the two-year point. Even though they were supposedly in an energy restriction according to the standard metabolic formulas. ₍₅₎

Sound familiar?

7. The only people who keep weight off at 24 months are those who significantly increase their physical activity level _(3).

Increase to a level way above that of the average person, and much more than they did previously. In short, you must increase your activity level for life, not just for 6 to 12-weeks diet period, if you want to keep the weight off for good. ₍₄₎

8. Be slow, diligent and tactful.

Semi-starvation is the guaranteed way to fast-track weight regain.

You must lose weight slowly, so the vast majority of the loss is fat.

This is best achieved by consistently being in a 500-700kcal daily deficit over a long period of time. Not a 1000-1500kcal daily deficit for a couple of months, following the latest detox or juice cleansing diet.

Second, you must challenge your body by resistance training. This will make sure your lean muscle is retained. This will give you the greatest chance of keeping the fat off in the long term.

So that begs the question:

WTF happens at six months?

You may be thinking…

” I am still in a calorie deficit because I am following the diet prescribed by the Dietitian, Personal Trainer, Doctor, or Online Guru. They have worked out my kcal requirement correctly, right?”

“Why am I not continuing to lose weight, and when I go back up to maintenance calories, why do I start regaining the weight I have lost?”

Ready for it…

When you lose 10% of body weight, your daily calorie burn drops by 25%. ₍₂₎

If you use the standard metabolic equations for working out calorie requirements, and factored in the initial weight loss, the drop in calorie burn should only be 10%. ₍₂₎

So where is the extra 15% drop coming from?

Consider this:

When you lose 10% of your body weight, key hormones that determine basal metabolic rate plummet, such as thyroid hormone. Also, hormones, such as Leptin, that tell your brain your body has plenty of energy supplies drop ₍₂₎.

In short, your hormones work against you losing any more weight.

Secondly:

Your level of NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) drops off the face of the earth. You stop fidgeting, getting up to go to the toilet, laughing, wriggling around and taking the stairs. The reduction in NEAT accounts for 80% of the problem ₍₂₎.

Here is the nasty truth that you have always probably known, despite being told otherwise.

If you have lost 10% body fat and achieved the same weight as your friend, this reduction of 20-25% in daily calorie burn is persistent, for the very long term.

This means you will have to eat 20-25% less than your friend, who has always been that weight, to maintain the same weight.

Studies have followed people who have managed to maintain their 10% weight over the long term, to see if their metabolism re-boots, to blast away the 20-25% disadvantage.

Guess what?

The people who had lost 10% or more and kept it off still burned 20-25% less energy than the same weight person who was always that weight. ₍₆₎ They only managed to keep it off by having a much higher activity level, and being conscious of their food intake.

Let’s put this into a real-life example.

John weighs 100kg (220lb) and his daily maintenance kcal requirement is 3000kcal.

He wants to lose 10% (10kg, 22lb) of weight over six months. He plans to do this with a 700kcal daily deficit for six months, therefore he plans to keep to 2300kcal.

For the first three months, he loses weight at a rate of 0.5 – 0.75kg (1.0-1.5lb) per week.

Total loss for the first three months is 7kg (15lb).

But after three months survival mode kicks in, he only loses 0.25-0.5kg (0.5-0.75lb) per week.

Total loss for months three to six is only 3kg (7lb).

He has reached his 10kg (22lb) target, but his weight loss has flatlined.

If only taking his weight loss into account when calculating his energy requirement, his new maintenance kcal at 90kg (200lb) should only be 10% less, which would be 2700kcal. So theoretically, he should still be in a 400kcal daily deficit, as he is only consuming 2300kcal per day.

But in reality, his new maintenance kcal is 25% less than when he weighed 100kg (220lb), so it’s actually 2250kcal – a whopping 450kcal less than predicted; as he is consuming 2300kcal, it makes sense why he has hit a plateau.

To rub salt in the wound, John’s best mate Phil, who has always weighed 90kg (200lb) has a maintenance kcal of 2700kcal.

So Phil can enjoy an extra 450kcal each day and not gain any weight.

To gain some perspective 450kcals would equate to…

3,150kcal per week – X2 Large Dominos Pizzas and a 2-litre bottle of coke.

12,600kcal per month – X8 Large Dominos Pizzas and x4 2-litre bottles of coke.

151,200kcal per year – X96 Large Dominos Pizzas and x48 2-litre bottles of coke.

A pretty good reason to get annoyed at your naturally lean friends. Don’t you think?

This is also why people dieting for physique contests and bodybuilding shows need to drop kcal intake more than expected in the late stages of prep. After three months of dieting, things start to get really tough, and daily intake has to drop lower than predicted by the standard metabolic equations.

You may be thinking?

That’s unfair!

Why would evolution do this to us?

Simply, it’s a survival mechanism that was fit for purpose a few hundred years ago.

Not so long ago, a weight loss of 10% signified starvation and imminent death.

But in today’s environment of unlimited food availability, this protective mechanism is no longer needed, but unfortunately our biology has not caught up.

Now you know this, you have two choices.

First option:

Take the mind-set of poor me, my lean friends can eat more than me, it’s unfair, everything is against me, I might as well not even bother…

or

Second option:

Reframe your mind-set to appreciate what an amazing adaptive machine the human body is. If you were born a few hundred years ago, this would have been a lifesaver.

Now you’re informed, it’s time to be a little more creative. The challenge is real, bring it on!

If you have chosen option one, stop reading right now, and take a long think about how your mind-set and perceptions are holding you back. If you opted for number two, carry on reading to discover the top tips to overcome the 20-25% challenge.

I’ve outlined below 10 incredibly useful tactics I use with all our diabetic coaching clients inside the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Online Coaching Academy to increase NEAT and halt fat re-grain.

Check these out…

1.  Consume 1.5-2.2g/kg (0.7-1.0g/lb) of protein daily.

• This is proven to reduce hunger and preserve lean muscle tissue.
• Be sure to spread your intake over three to five feedings a day.
• If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need to factor protein intake into your mealtime insulin dosing regimen. If you’re not sure how to do that – check out this article.

Arming yourself with a selection of delicious diabetic friendly meal plans can really help! If your serious about dropping body fat and staying lean for the rest of your life you need to check out The Ultra Lean Diabetic Cookbook. 

2. Strength Train at least three times per week to prevent the loss of lean muscle mass.

This is the silver bullet in preventing weight regain. If you preserve your lean muscle mass when losing weight, the chances of fat regain are much lower.

3. Get an activity tracker and ensure at least 10,000 steps per day.

This will help you become conscious of your body trying to drive NEAT down.

4. After losing 10% of weight, increase your daily calorie intake slowly to find your new maintenance level.

Do not jump straight into a bulking phase and eat 200-300kcal more than what you think is your maintenance kcal level. I can guarantee you will overshoot by 800kcal per day.

You must find your new maintenance kcal intake by increasing kcal slowly and monitoring your weight. This is essentially the concept of reverse dieting, a topic for another day.

It is also essential to have some way of tracking food intake. If you’re not assessing, you’re guessing:

• Apps such as MyFitnessPal or Chronometer.
• Follow a meal plan specifically designed for your needs.
• Get good at flexible eating and swapping foods of similar kcal value.

5. Get your diabetes under control.

Taking too many hypos will lead to increased calorie intake that makes overcoming this 25% challenge very difficult. Here are some useful coaching tips.

• Get a plan that is consistent with macronutrients (carbs, fat, and protein), so you can easily match your diabetes medication to your meals.
• Test your basal insulin to make sure you’re not taking too much. I wrote about how to do this here.
• Test your mealtime insulin dosing regimen to make sure you are not overdosing. I wrote about how to do this here.

What if I have Type 2 diabetes?

If you have type 2 diabetes and take insulin secretagogues like Gliclazide, you may need to reduce the dose as you increase your activity and lose weight.

Always adjust your medication to compensate for exercise rather than consuming extra carbohydrate.

6. Build habits on a weekly basis to keep calories down and activity high.

For example:

• Strict ban on using any lifts.
• Do an online shop which limits foods that will sabotage your efforts.
• Cycle to work.
• Get off one or two bus/train stops early.
• Have walking meetings (use a Dictaphone).
• Ban snack food from the work coffee and tea station.
• Taste the Rainbow! Have one fruit and veg from each colour of the rainbow every day.

7. Respect the fact your food portions will need to be 25% smaller than your friends’ who have never been overweight.

This is very important when eating out.

8. Get a credible coach & mentor who can:

• Create a plan in light of the 25% disadvantage.
• Keep you accountable to your goals.
• Offer creative solutions to keep you on track.
• Understands how to integrate diabetes management with all of this.

9. Get a reliable workout buddy to prevent you from skipping exercise.

It really helps if they are a little stronger and more experienced than you.

10. Join an online community who can offer support, creative solutions, and accountability:

You’re more than welcome to join the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Facebook Group, interact, learn and keep yourself accountable. There are thousands of people just like you inside.

Join here 

TAKE HOME

1. If you want to lose 10% of weight and keep it off, you will be at a 25% disadvantage compared to a friend who is at the same weight naturally.
2. Change your mind-set, environment, and habits to make up for the 25%.
3. Get accountable.
4. Get professional support from someone who can help you integrate your diabetes with a long-term weight loss plan.

If you found this article useful please feel free to share it with people you think it may help.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15632335
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673773/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18223628
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21030947
5. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0804748
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18842775

If you want to build a great looking body you’re going to have to respect a number of fundamental principles, these include…

Controlling your calorie intake, regular strength training, keeping active (outside the gym), getting high quality rest and following a healthy lifestyle.

These are all compulsory. whether you’re diabetic or not. However, people with diabetes have an extra responsibility that overrules all of these factors.

You can be incredibly precise with your calorie intake, disciplined with your training, physical activity and sleep schedules, but if you don’t dose your insulin correctly in relation to all of these factors, then your efforts to get in shape will be futile.

If you want to build your best body yet, you need to be disciplined and knowledgeable when it comes to dosing insulin and managing your diabetes. This is an area almost every hard training diabetic I have come across fails on.

They know how to train and eat, but when it comes to managing their blood sugars, bolus and basal insulin they are sunk! As a result, they never reach their true muscle building and fat loss potential and end up going round in circles trying one diet/training regime to the next without actually looking at the root of the problem, which is ignorance and lack of knowledge on insulin dosing.

Think about it.

Dose too much – you’ll end up going hypo and have to consume what’s available, which could add a tonne of unwanted calories, never mind straining your central nervous system, which can have detrimental effect on mood and exercise performance.

Vice versa, don’t inject enough insulin and you’ll end up going hyperglycaemic, which is highly catabolic, detrimental to health and the last time I checked…doesn’t really feel that good!

I asked our head coach John Pemberton, who runs the Diabetic Muscle & Fitness Elite Physique Coaching program and who also happens to be one of the UK’s leading diabetes dieticians, to share his views on how people with diabetes can learn to dose their insulin more accurately for better fat loss and muscle.

Check out he had to say in the article below.

Get a pen and paper ready. As you absorb the latest information in this article, you will quickly become more advanced than the vast majority of Diabetes Dietitians.

Yours in Strength,

Phil Graham

Unfortunately, people with type 1 diabetes are taught (previously by me) that calculating insulin at meal times is simple:

1. Add up the carbohydrate of the meal.
2. Apply your carb ratio.
3. Deliver the insulin.
4. Your blood glucose level will remain in target for the next four hours.

Carbohydrate is the only macronutrient that increases blood glucose after eating, right?

You know this isn’t true. It’s not as simple as just calculating carbs.

How many times have you experienced random high and low blood glucose levels after eating, even though you thought you accounted for every last carb?

Take, for instance, the latest research¹ on how much extra insulin is needed for a 70g carbs pizza base vs. a 70g carb pizza with extra cheese and meat.

How much extra insulin do you think was needed?

Wait for it…

65% extra insulin on average, and some people needed up to 124% extra!

Yes! That means you need to think outside the box of just counting carbs. Once you realise this you will gain significantly more control over your diabetes. Let’s break it down.

First things first, have you heard of any of the following?

• The Warsaw Fat and Protein Unit System.
• The Food Insulin Index.
• The Bell (2015) Systematic Review insulin dose algorithm.

Maybe not?

Don’t worry. I hadn’t either, and embarrassingly, even during my time working as a Diabetes Specialist Dietitian for the National Health Service.

Initially I employed the counting carbs-only approach for the first five years of my Type 1 journey (still working as Diabetes Dietitian), and found it to be successful 75% of the time.

This may sound ok, but I was experiencing unexpected highs and lows which I didn’t appreciate.

Despite doing everything right, I wasn’t confident in controlling my diabetes.

Are you in the same boat?

If so, what have you done about it?

Nothing?

Well, I’m here to tell you –  it is time to move past the “You must not be counting your carbs correctly!” answer you’ll get from your diabetes specialist or dietician.

When I realised things weren’t working for me, I invested myself heavily into the research and physiology textbooks in search of answers. I wanted to devise a set of flexible insulin dosing strategies that would put me and any other fitness fanatics with type 1 diabetes in full control of their physique and fitness goals.

This is something that would help you, right?

How easy would it be to choose the right insulin dose if all you had to do was?

1. Enter your carb, fat and protein grams into a calculator.
2. Observe the different insulin doses suggested by the four main systems.
3. Choose the insulin dose based on your current goals, gaining, leaning, maintaining.

Keep reading and I will tell you where you can go to find such a revolutionary calculator. But before that, let’s look at what the research and textbooks tell us.

I am not going to bore you with all the details of reading 100s of articles, 1000s of hours of personal trial and error, and 100s of patients trailing different methods in my clinical practice.

I’ve done all the hard work for you. Let me take you right to the juicy stuff. You ready?

Say hello to Kristine Bell, a Type 1 diabetes researcher in Australia. She authored what I consider to be one of the most important Type 1 Diabetes articles: the most comprehensive evidence review on the effect of carbohydrate, fat, protein and glycaemic index on after-meal glucose levels.²

Finally, a team of experts took the time to pull together the best research to explain the physiology, and most importantly to offer solutions. This is a landmark paper for people with Type 1 Diabetes.  Why?

The paper highlights the physiology behind, and the best techniques to prevent, your glucose level going out of range after eating. Here are a few of the highlights to whet your appetite:

• Glucose soaring after eating carbs that get absorbed quickly (high glycaemic index). This is because even though we have “quick acting” insulin, it’s not as quick as that breakfast cereal or bagel! Breakfast is usually to worst for post-meal spikes, right? Here some pearls that will keep those post-meal levels in check.

• Takeaway 1: Give your insulin 15-30 minutes before food! How about even earlier, how does 40 minutes sound if your glucose level at 12mmol/l (215mg/dl) pre-meal? This will keep those post-meal spikes in check!

• Takeaway 2: Ever heard of a Super Bolus? If you are on an insulin pump, try borrowing from the basal by doing a temporary basal rate, and then add it to the meal insulin. I have seen this destroy after-meal highs, it’s something I use every day.

• Glucose level going high and staying high four to ten hours after eating a meal containing large amounts of fat or protein. Do you think this is due to excess protein being converted to glucose? It’s actually due to excess protein causing pancreatic glucagon release, which goes to liver and floods the bloodstream with glucose; not forgetting the prolonged insulin resistance caused from a high fat intake. What’s the answer?

• Takeaway 3: If you are on a pump you need to increase the meal insulin way above that suggested by the carbs alone, and use a dual/extended bolus option to spread it out! How much extra? How long to extend?
  • Start with 25% extra and increase from monitoring
  • Start with a 50/50 split of the bolus and extend the second 50% for 2 hours bolus
  • Monitor and make adjustments as needed. I need 50% extra insulin when I have Pizza. I bolus 60% upfront and the remaining 40% over three hours. I do love a stuffed crust!

• Takeaway 4: If you are on multiple daily injections you also need to increase the meal insulin way above that suggested by the carbs alone. But you need to do two injections to cover the delayed rise.
  • Start with 25% extra and increase from monitoring
  • Start with the first 50% of the insulin before the meal, and give the other 50% in 60-90 minutes time.

You may be thinking,

“All these techniques are for high carbohydrate diets, what about the low carb diet, how should you calculate meal insulin?”

Some key takeaways for the low carb crowd:

• Takeaway 5: The amount of insulin required to cover the glucose raising properties of protein is less when eaten with very low carbs. So you will need a very small insulin dose at mealtimes to cover protein if you go very low carb or KETO. From clinical experience a lot of people find success with counting 25-50% of the protein and applying their carb ratio to get an effective dose. But this requires some trial and error.

What about the fitness fanatics and physique competitors who go from high carb when gaining mass, to low carb when shredding fat?

They need to be adept at counting macros and switching up their insulin dosing strategy as they manipulate their macros. This takes time, experience and plenty of trial and error.

By now you’ve probably realised how much valuable information is inside this paper?

You would be 100% correct.

However, there is one big problem…

It is written in a very scientific way – making it incredibly difficult to understand for the average layman. It certainly doesn’t have videos and tools to bring it to life. This is where I come in.

I have condensed thousands of hours studying the amazing work of Kristine Bell and summarised it into a BREAKTHROUGH course hosted inside the Diabetes and Muscle Fitness Training Lab.

What is it called? What does it entail? I hear you ask…

“Becoming a Bolus Wizard”

This eleven module video course will be the best five hours you have ever invested in your Diabetes. It starts you at the basics to cement your foundational knowledge. It will then advance your knowledge to a point where you can start to apply:

• The Warsaw Fat and Protein Unit System
• The Food Insulin Index
• The Bell (2015) Systematic Review insulin dose algorithm
• Super Bolus
• Glycaemic Index
• Personalised Nutrition

Not only does the course have an interactive workbook, but it has that bolus calculator I mentioned earlier – the calculator that allows you to simply enter your meal details, and hey presto, you have all the insulin dosing systems at your fingertips.

Sound like a one-stop shop?

It is truly a unique resource that I am very proud of and has taken an immense amount of work. I am excited to be sharing it with you, so you can take control of your diabetes and build the body you’ve always dreamed of.

I guarantee you will be 100% satisfied, why? Because hundreds of people with type 1 Diabetes have already benefitted from the course and calculator. Take Andy for example, Type 1D of 20 years.

“For years I was taught it was only carbs I needed to account for. I knew this was too simplistic, but what else was there to know? My healthcare professional kept telling  me it was only carbs. The course built my knowledge, instilling the basics, then I started bolusing for protein. What a game changer, Type 1 Diabetes is no longer a mystery!”

After absorbing this article, you are now aware you need to broaden your insulin dosing horizons. Imagine completing the modules inside Becoming a Bolus Wizard , using the calculator and dominating your diabetes control.

I’m not saying you have to join the lab and read through my course.

You could do all the research yourself, but do you have a few thousand hours to spare?

How about five hours?

If you want to learn faster, more effectively and get better diabetes control, there is only one thing to do.

1. Become a member of the Training Lab. (you get a free T-shirt and shaker when you join)
2. Watch the videos
3. Complete the modules
4. Download the workbook and test your new found knowledge
5. Use the calculator
6. Dominate your diabetes game

You will be joining a community of people with Type 1 Diabetes who are positive about diabetes, who are training for strength and physique, and who inspire you to be more.

Are you are the type of person that wants great detail and the research behind all the insulin dosing strategies?

If so the Training Lab also has the most detailed guide available:

“The Definitive Guide to insulin dosing for carbohydrate, fat and protein”

Be warned, this goes deep!

Ever heard of “you are the average of the five people you associate most with?” Upgrade your circle of positive influence, and join the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Lab.

I hope this article helped you!

See you on the inside.

References

1. Bell et al. (2016) Optimized Mealtime Insulin Dosing for Fat and Protein in Type 1 Diabetes: Application of a Model-Based Approach to Derive Insulin Doses for Open-Loop Diabetes Management. 

2. Bell KJ, et al. (2015) Impact of fat, protein, and glycaemic index on postprandial glucose control in type 1 diabetes: implications for intensive diabetes management in the continuous glucose monitoring era.

3814 words, 30-minute read.

KEY POINTS

• Whey protein is the least important thing you need to worry about when it comes to building a better looking body.
• Certain types of whey protein are overpriced and aren’t worth the money.
• Whey protein will not ruin your kidneys or liver.
• Whey protein can affect your blood glucose levels and needs to be accounted for with the appropriate level of medication.

Does whey protein live up to the hype for people with diabetes?

Can I take whey protein safely if I have Diabetes? What about my kidneys?

Am I wasting my money on another marketing scam?

My health care professional says I do not need protein supplements, do they really know, or are they playing it safe?

All my gym buddies take whey and getting results, but they don’t have diabetes, will it work for me?

These are questions I hear all the time in my clinical Diabetes practice. Mainly by young men and women who are starting at the gym and want to build a great physique. They want to maximise their gym efforts by supplementing with whey protein. But they are concerned with safety, effect on blood glucose, and their finances. Sound familiar?

There are some amazing articles online that have every last detail on whey protein. But I am guessing you do not want every last detail, right?

If you want the most potent information, in an easy to understand format, that is specific to diabetes? This article is perfect for you.

Not only that, it details the best practical strategies, taken straight from the pioneering Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Lab . These strategies are guaranteed to put you in control of your blood glucose level, and get the most out of whey protein.

Oh, one more thing, I guess you want a diabetes specific guide for how to choose the right whey? Don’t worry this article covers that to.

Ready?

Let’s go.

Before we get into the specifics, let’s zoom out to get some perspective.

How important do you think whey protein is in the grand scheme of losing weight and building a better body with diabetes?

Very Important?

Sort of important?

Not so important?

Check out the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Pyramid below.

As you can see Phil Graham has outlined very clearly the most important dietary factors when it comes to building a better body with diabetes.

• A high value on fitness and diabetes management. (Your WHY)
• Excellent blood glucose control.
• Dietary adherence.
• Appropriate calorie intake for your set goal.
• Adequate essential macronutrient intake – especially protein which, according to the well-researched Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide, should fall into the following ranges:
• Fat Loss Protein Recommendations: 1.7 – 2.0g/kg (0.8 – 0.9g/lb) of lean body mass.
• Mass Gain Protein Recommendations:4 – 1.7g/kg (0.6-0.8g/lb) of lean body mass.

• Dietary Timing
• Micronutrient, fibre and water

Then…

Last, but not least – Supplements.

I would argue there are other more important factors before supplements – all of which are outlined in the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide. These include

• Progressive Muscular Overload.
• Fatigue/Stress management and Sleep.

As you can see there are many more important factors to consider than the newest whey protein on the market.

Supplements and esoteric practices have at best, a 5-10% impact on your muscle building and fat loss efforts.

How many times have you jumped down the rabbit hole and spent madly on the next breakthrough supplement?

Many times?

Me too!

Before you do it again, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is my diabetes control on point?
2. Do I have a HbA1c of 6.5% (48mmol/mol) or less, with less than five hypos a week?
3. Am I consistently getting 7-9 hours sleep every night?
4. Am I hitting my protein targets?
5. Are my food choices real or fake?
6. Am I managing stress well?

It is easy to jump to the quick fix, after all that’s how our brains are wired. Resist, get the fundamentals sorted first.

Need some help? That’s why the Diabetes Muscle and Fitness Training Lab was started.

To provide you with evidenced based knowledge that is converted into daily strategies. Most importantly, the community is full of people with diabetes who have, or are working towards, a great physique.

If you’re not in our Facebook group already – take two seconds and join here. Then come back to read the rest of this article.

Once you have the fundamentals in place. Let’s see what benefits whey protein has to offer people with Diabetes.

What is whey protein?

How is it manufactured?

Whey is the water soluble protein in dairy, its fat-soluble sibling is casein.

Whey is technically the group of milk protein polypeptides (lots of amino acids bonded together) left in the liquid portion. Once dried it’s put in a tub and sold off the shelf as whey protein powder.

Whey has a variety of polypeptides that come in different amino acid combinations and structures.  They include ß-Lactoglobulin (BCAA rich), Alpha-Lactalbumin (L-Leucine rich), Immunoglobulin’s (L-Cysteine rich), Glycomacropeptides (hunger suppressing), which all have unique bioactive properties. Whey has all the essential amino acids (EAA) and a high content of branch chain amino acids (BCAA). It has the closest amino acid makeup to skeletal muscle, and gets absorbed rapidly.

This gives whey the potential of driving muscle protein synthesis, as it provides all the building blocks, in the right amounts.

Does this potential get realised?

Keep reading and you will find out.

But before that, what are the whey protein options you see on the shelf?

Do you know the key differences, and which is best for you? Don’t worry, you soon will.

Once separated from casein, whey undergoes a variety of purification processes, leaving it in one of three forms:

• Whey Protein Concentrate– Contains between 30-80% protein depending on manufacturer. This is the cheapest because it contains a small amount of fat and lactose. If you want the best bang for your buck, and you are not concerned with a little fat and lactose, this is perfect for you. Look for whey concentrate that is 70-80% protein by weight. This will ensure you get a good protein content, and not a mass gaining blend full of fast acting carbohydrate. It should be per 100g:

• • 70-80g of protein
  • Total carbohydrate less than 10g
  • Total fat less than 10g
  • As few additives and ingredients as possible
  • Cost between $15-$26 (£12-£20) per 100g

Below is a comparison of some of the popular whey protein concentrates, in protein content order. Notice a few things as you look at them.

• The names can be deceiving, 100% Whey!
• Cost range from $15-$26 (£12-£20)
• Differences in fat and protein content

Also remember a typical serving is 25-50g, so the fat and carb content are a quarter to half of what is shown in the table.

Key Questions to consider when selecting whey concentrate with Diabetes:

• How much impact will 3-6g carbohydrate have on my blood glucose level?

• How does an extra 4-8g of fat impact on my overall daily calorie intake?

• Do I have an unfavourable reaction to milk proteins or lactose?

Do I want flavourings added or not?

Source: http://compareproteins.co.uk/

Bottom line: If you ensure the protein is at least 70g per 100g weight, you are not going to get a huge amount of fat and protein per serving.

• Whey protein isolate– is the result of further purification, to remove almost all the fat and lactose. Look for whey isolates that have more than 80% protein by weight. To ensure getting a good whey isolate, and not a glucose busting mass mix, it should be per 100g:

• • 80g or more protein
  • Total carbohydrate less than 5g
  • Total fat less than 6g
  • As few additives and ingredients as possible
  • Cost between $22-$46 (£17 – £35) per 100g

Below is a comparison table of some of the popular whey protein isolates. They are in order of protein content. The real questions you need to ask yourself are:

• What’s the benefit of a 97g vs. 90g vs. 80g whey isolate?

• Is a difference in carb and fat content per 25-50g serving of 0.25-2.0g a deal breaker?

• Do I want flavoured or unflavoured?

Do I have issues with a tiny amount of lactose or milk proteins?

Source: http://compareproteins.co.uk/

Bottom line: Don’t be dragged into the hype that 97% pure protein is massively better than 90%! If you have lactose intolerance then you may need the 97% stuff, otherwise, save your hard earned cash!

• Whey protein hyrdrolysate– is the most purified form, following partial hydrolysis of large polypeptides into di-peptides and free amino acids. This does lead to some loss of the sulphur rich amino acids, such as L-Cysteine, and makes it taste very bitter. This form is ideal for people who have allergies to milk proteins or digestive issues, such as infants and people with Chron’s disease. Adults with intact digestive systems tolerate whey concentrate and isolate very well. Their pockets tolerate it even better! If you have digestive issues, a good whey hyrdrolysate should be per 100g:

• • 90g or more protein
  • Total carbohydrate less than 1g
  • Total fat less than 2g
  • As few additives and ingredients as possible
  • Cost $33-$66 (£25-50) per 100g

Bottom line: 99% of adults have the digestive capability to process whey concentrate and isolate. So only go for whey hyrdrolysate if you have specific digestive issue, or have not managed well with isolate.

How do you know if you are buying a quality product that has been rigorously tested?

This is a great question.  Regulations on supplement manufacturers vary from country to country. Enforcement of them over the internet is virtually non-existent.

My suggestion is to head over to Labdoor.com, they independently test and score whey protein, among many other supplements. You can filter your criteria by cost, quality and several other useful metrics.

If you want to compare brands and costs, go to http://compareproteins.co.uk/. You can filter your search by protein content, and almost any variable you can think of.

Whey protein’s effect on muscle protein synthesis and insulin requirement.

Whey protein spikes amino acid levels in the blood within 40-60minutes, most importantly, it spikes L-Leucine. Research (1) shows this spike in L-Leucine is accompanied by an increase insulin production in non-diabetics, and an elevation of protein synthesis by 30%, when compared to casein and animal protein in the first three hours. But, total protein accumulation is equal between all sources at seven hours.

There are a few important take-homes:

• If you are training twice a day, whey protein may well offer an advantage in protein synthesis.

• If you choose whey protein with Type 1 Diabetes, you are going to need more insulin than expected due to a spike in L-Leucine. If you don’t, you will miss that 30% increase in muscle protein synthesis, and have a high glucose level!

Inside the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Lab we have a highly detailed execution guide called ‘Becoming a Bolus Wizard’ that covers everything you need to know about insulin dosing at meal times. There is a module and calculator showing you how to dose insulin accurately to cover protein. Gain 2 Months Free Access to the Training Lab (+ a free t shirt and protein shaker) by clicking here.

• If you choose whey protein with Type 2 diabetes, the effect on your blood glucose level could go either way. If you still have adequate beta-cell function in your pancreas, the L-Leucine spike will trigger a surge of insulin. This has been shown to reduce after eating glucose levels by 20%. However, if your Beta-call function is exhausted, you may require extra insulin if you are injecting.

Whey protein: Does it increase strength and improve body composition? 

Ever seen a claim such as:

“Whey protein, scientifically proven to increase muscle mass whilst shredding fat!”

This type of headline is from studies where protein intake is sub-optimal. When protein intake is consumed at 1.5-2.0g/kg/day, the muscle gains from additional whey disappear.

But if you are struggling to hit your daily protein requirement, whey protein is a great option for you.

Whey protein – Does it have an antioxidant effect?

Diabetes is unique in that it poses a huge oxidative stress challenge to the body. Constant fluctuations in blood glucose levels decrease cellular antioxidant levels, which in turn increase the oxidative load on the body (2).

What is oxidative stress, and how do antioxidants work?

Although your body needs oxygen to survive, it is oxygen that can lead to oxidative stress in the body. As you breathe oxygen to produce energy, there are by-products created called FREE RADICALS.

If theses FREE RADICALS are not neutralised, they cause damage to cell membranes, proteins and genes, by a process called oxidative stress.

Imagine you start a little fire to keep warm whilst camping in dry bush land. You need the fire for your survival, but you would surely put the fire out before you went to bed, right?

Of course you would. The water you extinguish the fire with, is that same principal of how antioxidants work. Antioxidants are forever neutralising free radicals before they can cause oxidative stress.

Now imagine one night you left the fire flickering and fell asleep, what’s the risk? Complete bush fire! Probably not, it would not go up that night, but if you do this often enough, eventually a massive bush fire is guaranteed!

Those bush fires in the body are caused by persistent oxidative stress with little antioxidant neutralisation. If this goes on uncontrolled for years, the risk of cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s increases massively. As for building muscle, very little progress!

You might be thinking, the solution is easy, just throw back some vitamin C and a load of other antioxidant pills, right? 100% not right!

The most powerful antioxidants are already present in the body. One of the most potent being Glutathione. Glutathione is responsible for 24/7 protection in all your cells, by neutralising free radicals.

Therefore, it is more important to supply an abundance of building blocks needed to re-generate Glutathione. That’s where L-Cysteine come in. This amino acid is the rate-limiting factor for the regeneration of Glutathione.

As whey is very high in L-Cysteine, it may have potential in preventing oxidative stress.

Worth investigating, don’t you agree?

Animal studies (3) have shown the addition of whey protein reduces inflammation, elevates glutathione stores, lowers HbA1c and reduces insulin resistance.

I hear you, you are not animal, what about human research?

Human research is lacking in terms of mechanistic proof of the antioxidant effect. But at the very least there some human trials showing cardio protective effects for people with type 2 diabetes when supplemented with whey protein (4).

Whey protein: Does it cure Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)?

NAFLD is very common in people with type 2 diabetes, and a serious health risk. One study (5) showed up to 75% of insulin naive type 2’s had the clinical markers of NAFLD. It was suggested insulin resistance is the main culprit. The same study showed the type 1 diabetes population had no increased risk, further adding weight to insulin resistance being the main factor.

A Study (6) supplementing NAFLD subjects with 20g whey protein per day over 12 weeks showed an improvement in liver function, elevated liver glutathione levels, reduction in liver fat mass, and improvement in body composition. The benefit is thought to be due to the increase in L-Cysteine from the Whey protein.

Does whey protein cause kidney damage in people with diabetes?

Are your kidneys not in poor health?

Do you have chronic kidney disease stage 3 or higher?

If you answer yes to either of these two, then check with your health care professional before adding extra protein to your diet. It may make it worse.

If you answered no to both, then a higher protein intake does not pose an issue (7). If unsure, always check with your healthcare provider.

When is the best time to take whey protein if you live with diabetes?

Are you meeting your daily protein intake for your phase of training?

If you are, there is little benefit to be gained by adding in extra whey protein. You will be wasting your money by downing multiple shakes before and after training.

However,

Are you are planning on training twice a day, training fasted first thing, or are you not meeting your daily protein needs?

If yes, then having 20g whey protein before (8), and certainly in the one hour after, will ensure adequate amino acid supply. Especially the L-Leucine spike to drive muscle protein synthesis.

Let’s whey all this up.

What are the most important factors for building muscle and a great looking physique with diabetes?

That’s right, those first and second order factors in the Diabetes Pyramid of Muscle Building:

• Blood glucose control
• Consistent calories intake
• Progressive overload
• Sleep
• Adequate total protein intake according to phase of training
• Diet quality
• Allostatic load (stress management)

When you have these checked off, then consider whey protein. Let’s summarise the potential benefits for different types of diabetes.

People with Type 1 Diabetes who may benefit from supplemental whey protein:

1. Those with sub-optimal dietary protein intake <1.2/kg/day.
2. Those who train twice per day.
3. Those who struggle to meet protein requirements through real food due to time.
4. Those who are leaning down and need to hit 2.0g/kg/day.

People with Type 2 Diabetes who may benefit from supplemental whey protein:

1. Those with sub-optimal dietary protein intake <1.2/kg/day.
2. Those who train twice per day.
3. Those who struggle to meet protein requirements through real food due to time.
4. Those who are leaning down and need to hit 2.0g/kg.
5. Those who have NAFLD if substituted for other calorie sources.

Key things to pay special attention to:

1. Whey protein will require more insulin than expected due to L-Leucine content. Very important for people with type 1 diabetes, and people with type 2 diabetes who have exhausted beta-cell pancreatic function.

2. If you have chronic kidney disease stage 3 or above, it is not advisable to have extra protein. Check with your healthcare professional.

What to consider when choosing a Whey protein:

1. Do I have lactose intolerance or milk protein allergy?

• If yes, go for a 97% whey isolate or hyrdrolysate
• If no, then go for a whey concentrate or isolate.

2. Does it matter if per serving, the carb and fat content is 3-6g?

• If yes, choose a whey isolate >90%
• If not, choose a 70-80% whey concentrate

3. Is cost a major consideration?

• If yes, choose a 70-80% whey concentrate
• If no, choose a whey isolate >90%

There are a host of other considerations depending on the type of person you are:

1. Grass fed animals vs. not grass fed
2. Added sweeteners vs. no added sweeteners
3. Flavourings vs. no added flavourings

For these, it is over to you to check the labels!

If this article has helped you, please share it on your social and educate other people with diabetes.

There’s More!

Believe it or not. This article is only a condensed version of the main Whey Protein and Diabetes article inside The Training Lab.

If you found this article useful – you’ll gain even MORE VALUE information inside The Training Lab. There is an insane amount of regularly updated high quality content inside the Lab waiting for you. It will add immense value to your diabetes management, health, muscle building and fat loss efforts.

You won’t find content like this anywhere else on the internet.

Join today and claim 2 months free membership, a free training tee and Diabetic Muscle and Fitness protein shaker!

References

1. Reitelseder, S. et al (2011) Whey and casein labeled with L-[1-13C]leucine and muscle protein synthesis: effect of resistance exercise and protein ingestion. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Jan;300(1):E231-42. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00513.2010.

2. Asmat, U. (2015) Diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress—A concise review. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal Volume 24, Issue 5, September 2016, Pages 547-553

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2015.03.013

3. Jain, S.K. (2009) L-cysteine supplementation lowers blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, CRP, MCP-1, and oxidative stress and inhibits NF-kappaB activation in the livers of Zucker diabetic rats. Free Radic Biol Med. 2009 Jun 15;46(12):1633-8. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2009.03.014.

4. Ballard, K.D. et al (2013) Acute effects of ingestion of a novel whey-derived extract on vascular endothelial function in overweight, middle-aged men and women. Br J Nutr. 2013 Mar 14;109(5):882-93. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512002061.

5. Cusi, K. (2017) Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevalence and its metabolic associations in patients with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2017 Apr 17. doi: 10.1111/dom.12973.

6. Frestedt, J.L (2008) A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study Nutr Metab (Lond). 2008; 5: 8. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-5-8

7. Chitapanarux, T. et al (2009) Open-labeled pilot study of cysteine-rich whey protein isolate supplementation for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2009 Jun;24(6):1045-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2009.05865.x.

8. Friedman, A. N. (2004) High-protein diets: potential effects on the kidney in renal health and disease. Am J Kidney Dis.2004 Dec;44(6):950-62.

1094 words, 10-minute read.

Key Points

• There is no doubt about it – Sleep is a prerequisite to high-performance living. Skip it at your peril.
• Sleep in the darkest environment possible.
• Enforce a technology ban at a certain time every night.
• Take advantage of modern-day apps that filter blue light, if you need to work on a computer late in the evening.
• Do your best to avoid strength training right before bed.

‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’…

LOL – Good luck – you’ll die quicker without it!

Sleep is a prerequisite to high-performance living.

Sleep hygiene, as the name implies, equates to ‘clean uninterrupted flawless sleep’.

In order to achieve good sleep hygiene, you must focus on building consistent habits and practices that are conducive to sleeping well.

Most people’s sleep environment is far from optimal.

Whilst some sleep disorders are outside your control such as shift work, sleep apnea and the neighbour’s dog barking its f****ing head off, there are many other factors negatively affecting sleep but which develop from environmental factors within our control.

Check out these 7 key tips you can use (as of today) to improve and maintain your sleep hygiene.

1. Buy a pair of blackout blinds and don’t sleep with the light on.

Make your sleep environment like a bat cave.

The hormone melatonin is linked to a series of biological processes that recur naturally on a twenty-four-hour cycle, even in the absence of light fluctuations known as the circadian rhythm. These include darkness related behaviours such as sleep initiation and a decrease in body temperature and mental alertness.

The production of melatonin is primarily controlled by an enzyme called AANAT. The production of melatonin is blocked by light very quickly, as AANAT activity decreases by 50% every 3 minutes after the introduction of light. This is why exposure to light is so detrimental to you getting a good night’s sleep. Melatonin is great at getting you to sleep, but won’t keep you asleep once you’re there.

It is important to stress that, whilst melatonin prepares the body for sleep and helps to maintain sleep once it is initiated, it is not a sleep hormone/sedative or hypnotic.

2. If toilet breaks are interfering with your sleep during a fat loss phase, consume the bulk of your carbohydrates and sodium towards bedtime.

This useful strategy is more typically used with athletes and individuals taking part in physique competitions.

Anyone who has dieted to an ultra-low level of body fat is susceptible to more toilet trips during the middle of the night. These can result from several factors, such as lower levels of muscle glycogen (stored carbohydrate), loss of sodium loss through sweating and increased use of stimulants with diuretic properties like caffeine, green tea, and coffee etc.

Both carbohydrates and sodium are osmolytes, meaning they attract and retain water.

Carbohydrates retain x4 times their weight in water, whilst sodium retains an astonishing x50 times its weight. Carbohydrates are typically eaten in larger amounts compared to sodium, meaning more can be consumed.

Although there appears to be no current research on this strategy, if you consumed the bulk of your carbohydrate and sodium later in the evening it would help retain fluid before bed, and so potentially reduce the number of toilet breaks throughout the night.

Anecdotally, having worked with many bodybuilders and physique competitors, this strategy has worked well for many. The effects are more noticeable with high carb/sodium-rich cheat meals like pizza consumed before bed. However,  this may prove problematic for blood glucose management.

That being said, brief awakenings happen.

Sleep is cyclical, so waking up very briefly during the night is to be expected. Sometimes you’ll be more aware of it than other times, especially if your cortisol is high, but follow the rules of step one and you should get back to sleep.

3. Eliminate Blue Light.

Electronic devices such as phones, TVs and computers all have screens which emit predominantly blue light.

If you can’t get a blue light filter on your phone (most major operating systems are bringing them in) minimise the amount of time you spend looking at it, and completely stop looking at screens at least an hour before bed to give the melatonin concentration time to build up.

Check out these apps which automatically pull blue light from your screen, come evening time, in preparation for bedtime.

Mac Users -> https://justgetflux.com/

Android Users -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.urbandroid.lux&hl=en_GB

The iPhone has a built-in nighttime setting – set it to a time that suits you.

4. Avoid Caffeine after 5-6 pm.

Caffeine is a stimulant – it will keep you awake, plain and simple.

It has the ability to reduce or eliminate the feelings of fatigue by blocking adenosine receptors. As adenosine is involved in the initiation of ‘deep’ sleep, this is not a great thing to happen before you go to bed.

Individual clearance of caffeine varies, with some studies showing a half-life (concentration dropping by 50%) of between 1.5 – 9.5 hours. With that in mind, monitor your caffeine intake and eliminate it in the afternoon to ensure you can achieve proper deep sleep.

De-caff, unfortunately, might have to be an option! The struggle is real.

5. Avoid High-Intensity Exercise Before Bed.

High-intensity exercise, like weight training or interval training, stimulates the production of various stress hormones, all of which serve the purpose of increasing mental clarity and awareness.

Performing such activities within a few hours before bed is not ideal, and will, without question, reduce sleep quality. The best time to train in my honest opinion is first thing in the morning. The stress hormone response dampens across the day and reaches its lowest point later in the evening, naturally in line with a working day, like it should.

6. Avoid Evening Naps

While napping can prove useful during the day, napping within a few hours of going to bed is a bad idea.

How many times have you tried this and then found returning to sleep difficult?

Doing a lot of travel, I’ve found the best thing to do in this case is either:

A) go to bed super early and wake up when you wake up, and proceed with your day,

or,

B) hold off sleeping (without stimulants) until you reach a state of exhaustion.

These simple strategies will allow you to get the most out of your sleep!

7. Chill the F**K out

Horror movies and anxiety before bed aren’t a good mix.

They stress the system and drive up the production of stress hormones which, as mentioned earlier, increase mental alertness and prevent you from falling asleep. Your body doesn’t know the difference between a real vs perceived threat.

Take time to unwind before bed, read, meditate or make love to your significant other.

Avoid spiking your heart rate and priming your system for fight or flight.

So there you have it,

“Sleep hygiene is the key to sweet dreams”

Don’t use the bed for anything but sleep (and sex!)

Want to learn more? 

If you found this article interesting. You’ll love The Definitive Guide to Sleeping Better for Health, Strength and a Better Looking Physique inside the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Lab. The guide goes into super depth on the science of sleep and includes over 4 hours of video presentations, detailed articles and multiple resources to help you sleep better.

It will add immense value to your diabetes management, health, muscle building and fat loss efforts. Click here to join today and claim 2 months free membership and a free training tee and Diabetic Muscle and Fitness protein shaker!

Written by Phil Graham

Founder of Diabetic Muscle and Fitness

Sports Nutritionist, Strength Coach, and Fitness Educator

Type 1 Diabetic for 12 years

Do you think it will work with Diabetes?

If so this quick read is a must for you.

Let’s start by classifying some key terms.

Nutritional Ketosis:

1. Purposeful reduction of carbohydrate to less than 50g. Protein ~0.7 – 1.5g/kg and, ~70-80% of energy intake through fat.
2. Purposeful reduction of insulin, BUT still taking background insulin and usually small boluses for protein. YOU STILL TAKE INSULIN. There is enough insulin to prevent excessive ketone production and therefore stops acidic blood which is the main issue with DKA.
3. Blood ketones ~0.6-3.0mmol/l (can go up to 7mmol/l if extremely strict with the diet and in a negative energy balance, but unusual) – because the liver has to convert fat into ketones to provide fuel for the brain and muscles, because fat in its original state cannot be burned quick enough to provide the requisite energy.
4. Most people following a diet they believe to be KETO are not in nutritional ketosis, especially type 1 diabetics, because their circulating background insulin is higher than people without. The only way to know is to test blood ketones daily to see if in the sweet spot of ~0.6-3.0mmol/l. It’s easy to knock out of nutritional ketosis from treating hypos, eating too much protein, having a background insulin too high. Don’t fool yourself thinking you are there. Keeping in nutritional ketosis is as much art as it is science!
5. A normal blood PH (measure of acidity)

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

1. Lack of insulin or, no insulin in the body.

Can be from:

1. The person not taking purposefully, (teenagers mainly)
2. Insulin is faulty and the person does not know.
3. Severe illness when insulin requirements ramp up massively.

2. Blood ketones greater than 7mmol/with a very acidic PH in the blood.

Risk of death if insulin is not given quickly, requires hospital treatment.

PROS of Nutritional Ketosis (Keto)

1. Will get a very good HbA1c – low carb = low fluctuation.
2. Some people find a ketones level of ~0.6 – 3.0mmol/l helps curb appetite and support fat loss efforts.
3. Often people like the tight feeling of not carrying extra water that is accompanied with high glycogen stores in the muscle and liver.
4. Can help with keeping to a calorie deficit because the food choice is very limited.
5. Can be effective for long distance and ultra-long distance endurance events – iron man etc. due to the energy systems involved.

CONS of Nutritional Ketosis (Keto)

1. Highly Restrictive Diet. A challenge for most usual social occasions unless you are in a keto community.
2. Reduced performance. Particularly, for individuals participating in activities that require fast energy burn, team sports, bodybuilding, 10k run, track cycling. Due to the carbohydrate-dependent (glycolytic) nature of the activities, individuals consuming a keto-based diet will not be able to perform OPTIMALLY. They will still be able to perform well, but not OPTIMALLY, because they do not have the glycogen (stored carbohydrate) to fuel those activities.
3. Electrolyte deficiencies in potassium, magnesium, and sodium can be common, especially in the early stages. Supplementation is worthwhile.
4. If you aim is to gain muscle mass and size, the results will be slower. This is because the protein intake has to be capped at 1.5g/kg, full muscle glycogen stores significantly greater muscle protein synthesis, and you will not be able to push out those last few reps to get as much progressive overload.
5. Dyslipidaemia – Unfavourable fatty acid levels in the blood. If you are genetically susceptible and choose saturated fats primarily, your LDL cholesterol may rise high, which is negative if the particle number increases. Choosing monounsaturated fat options can help prevent this – macadamia nut oil, olive oil and avocados etc.
6. Potential to downregulate thyroid function, especially reverse T3. It is important to monitor this Biomarker when on a ketogenic diet.

Personal Case Studies

Phil Graham – Founder Diabetic Muscle and Fitness

The idea of eating fatty foods like bacon, whole eggs, steak, chicken with the skin on, nuts, whole butter and cream, whilst getting lean sounded too good to be true. I was desperate to experiment.

In 2014 I went all in and lived the ketogenic life for 6 months in between Magazine Photoshoots and Bodybuilding Contests.

At the time, my body fat wasn’t high. In fact, it was relatively low. I was just after competing and wanted to use the ketogenic diet to maintain low levels of body fat between my events.

I had experience of eating low carb before, especially in the final weeks leading up to my contests, where calories were ultra-low. Carbs were the main macronutrient I cut out. I always liked the dry look low carb eating brought to my physique. For those of you not familiar with bodybuilding language. ‘Dry’ simply refers to low levels of water retention and bloat.

The ketogenic diet took my lower carb experiences a step further. I kept my intake strictly under <50g CHO for 6 months flat with the odd refeed day every once in a while (when I felt like it).

Let me bullet point my experience.

• My blood glucose control was the best ever. My HBA1C was 5.5%.
• My blood glucose levels would go high the odd time. This was mostly due to acute periods of stress from training and after consuming red meat. Regardless, I always corrected.
• The food choices were awesome (at the start), but I admit I did get bored quickly. The last 3 months were a mental challenge. I missed fruit, oats, bread and milk massively.
• My performance dropped. I struggled to get a pump when weight training.
• My muscles did not look as full and pronounced.
• Social events were awkward. I felt awkward going to dinner parties or just out for dinner. I always had to ask, ‘What had my meat been cooked in?’, ‘May I have the sauce separate please?’ etc.
• My hunger was blunted to a degree. But, in no way did the ketogenic diet bulletproof my hunger in the long term.
• I took one full day to refeed carbs when I felt I needed it. Getting back into ketosis after this was relatively easy. I did look forward to the carb refeeds.

I personally do not recommend Ketogenic dieting for highly active people with type 1 diabetes who have a goal of building muscle and strength. It can be used in the short term to drop some body fat. But, don’t expect miracles.

 

John Pemberton – Head Coach Diabetic Muscle and Fitness

I followed KETO for 6 months in 2016 and results were:

1. HbA1c 5.3% – the best it’s ever been.
2. Low frequency of hypos because just had background insulin covering most of needs (80%) with small boluses for protein (20%)
3. Weight stable at 92kg with a ripped look at 6% body fat. Good for the beach.
4. Gym performance average, 1 RM decreased as did my 4-8RM – I did not like this.
5. My LDL rose from 2.5 to 5.5 but after changing to monounsaturated fats back to 3.5 (my dad has cholesterol of 9.0 so likely a genetic issue)

Contrary, following a 35% protein, 40% carb, 25% fat for the last year led to the following observation:

1. HbA1c 6.0% – a slight increase but still in a very good range
2. More hypos because of bigger insulin doses at meal times and therefore more unpredictability, but still only 3-4 a week, which I can manage with some dextrose.
3. Weight 102kg at 9% body fat – gained 8-9kg lean tissue (probably 2-3kg water and glycogen).
4. Big improvement in 1 rep max (RM) and 4-8RM on all lifts
5. Can engage easily in social functions, rather than glugging olive oil at the back. This was due to my lack of imagination with food choices. I am a simple man.
6. Not always looking as ripped by the end of the day – water accumulation.

I think the best questions you can ask yourself when considering starting a Ketogenic diet are:

1. Are my aims gains and high energy performance, and am I happy to put more effort into diabetes management?

If so, KETO is probably not for you. You need more carbs.

or

2. Is my focus optimal on diabetes control with less requirement for management, whilst knowing my physique progress will not be optimal but can still perform?

If so KETO may be worth a trial for you.

There is no right or wrong answer, just the one that suits you.

Just be sure to do your homework before you try, and consult with a professional who has experience in type 1 and KETO.

If you liked this article and want to learn more about nutrition and living with diabetes, you need to check out the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Lab.

It contains a vault of in-depth knowledge and resources you can’t find anywhere else on the internet. You’ll gain valuable new found knowledge on diabetes, nutrition, training, mind-set and more.

Join 1000s of other diabetics just like you. Ask questions, learn and start building the body you have always dreamed of. 

How important is it?

Does Whey Spike Blood glucose levels?

Is whey bad for people with diabetes?

Will whey ruin your kidneys?

What does the research say about blood glucose, whey and diabetes?

How to incorporate whey protein into your diabetes bodybuilding diet plan?

Watch the video below to find out.

If you liked this video and want to learn more about nutrition and living with diabetes, you need to check out the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Lab.

It contains a vault of in-depth knowledge and resources you can’t find anywhere else on the internet. You’ll gain valuable new found knowledge on diabetes, nutrition, training, mind-set and more.

Join 1000s of other diabetics just like you and start building muscle, shredding body fat and build the best version of you.

Calories influence energy levels and body fat.

Protein influences everything from muscle growth, appetite control right through to hormone production.

Fiber feeds the bacteria in our guts which play a role in the health of our immune system.

Carbs influence blood glucose and exercise performance.

Vitamin C protects against the damaging effects of high blood glucose and oxidative damage.

Salt influences water retention.

etc… We could go on forever.

The nutritional components of food serve many different roles within the human body.

This article aims to highlight 5 key nutritional aspects of food which have been shown to improve the action (or sensitivity) of insulin, resulting in improved blood glucose management in people with diabetes.

Before we go into details – it is important to understand a few key terms surrounding insulin and diabetes.

Key Terms

Insulin is a key hormone involved in the use and storage of fuels within the body.

Insulin sensitivity refers to how effective the hormone insulin is at doing its job in the body. This varies between individuals and is reduced in people with diabetes.

Insulin resistance is when muscle, liver and fat cells do not use insulin properly. As a result, glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine and is excreted out of the body, never fulfilling its role as the body’s main source of fuel.

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by different degrees of insulin resistance, where not enough insulin is produced, or the current insulin produced does not work effectively.

Disorders in insulin production and signalling can have widespread and devastating effects on the body’s organs and tissues if left uncontrolled. Therefore, it is important that people with type 1 diabetes (who produce next to no insulin) have an uninterrupted supply of high-quality insulin medication to replicate their own natural insulin production.

Individuals with type 2 diabetes may also need to take medication to improve the effectiveness of their natural insulin production.

In both cases of diabetes, certain lifestyle factors are advised to support medication therapy. Nutrition is one of them.

5 Incredibly Powerful Eating Tips That Boost Insulin Sensitivity Naturally

Consume Foods That Have Been Scientifically Proven to Boost Insulin Sensitivity.

Scientific research has demonstrated foods like vinegar, lemon, lime, walnuts, almonds, green tea, cinnamon, and turmeric have insulin-sensitizing properties. Including nutrient-dense foods like these in your diet may help improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin and ability to store consumed carbohydrates within muscle glycogen stores instead of as fat. That’s why I included all these kinds of foods inside the Ultra Lean and Muscle Building Cookbooks. If you haven’t checked these cookbooks out already, you’re missing out on over 200+ mouth-watering diabetic friendly recipe ideas that will help you get you in shape without giving up the foods you love.

  Consider Supplementing with Magnesium and Vitamin D.

Magnesium and vitamin D have been shown to improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Low magnesium levels are common in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Magnesium is an essential dietary mineral and the second most prevalent electrolyte in the body besides sodium. Magnesium has a strong relationship with insulin and thus plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism _1,2.

Research has shown that subjects who supplemented with oral magnesium improved their fasting blood glucose levels and increased their insulin sensitivity.³

The standard dose for magnesium supplementation is 200-400mg.⁴

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient essential for human survival.

Vitamin D is known to aid in improving insulin receptor function, prevent islet cell death, as well as improve beta cell function.

Research in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have shown positive results in that supplementing with vitamin D has the potential to lower haemoglobin A1c compared to baseline.^5,6 Much of this may in part be due to improving insulin resistance.

Individuals with diabetes should get a 25(OH)D blood test to assess their current vitamin D status. The Vitamin D Council recommends a blood level between 50–80 ng/mL year round.

If needed, 1,000-2,000 IU (25–50 mcg) of Vitamin D per day is more than adequate. ⁷

Both magnesium and vitamin D may be consumed via supplements. However, they can also be obtained from food.

Magnesium rich foods include green leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and broccoli.

Vitamin D is easily received by getting sun exposure daily; however, people who live further away from the equator or experience harsh, cold winters are at a disadvantage and may need an additional vitamin D supplement. Also, foods such as fatty fish like salmon, dairy, eggs, and cod liver oil may be consumed to achieve adequate vitamin D levels.

 Prioritize the Essential Fatty Acids, especially Omega-3.

The human body can synthesize most of its fat needs from the diet. However, there are two essential fatty acids, known as Omega 6 (linoleic acid) and Omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid) which cannot be produced in the body and must be consumed from food. Both of these fats can be found in plant and animal foods.

Consuming a healthy balance of omega-6s and omega-3s is very important for human health.

However, in today’s modern society many populations at risk of obesity and diabetes have an imbalance in their consumption of omega 3s and 6s, whereby too much omega 6 is consumed at the expense of omega 3.

While both of these fatty acids are essential for good health, the stark imbalance is pro-inflammatory and detrimental to insulin sensitivity. The imbalance is a result of the world’s growing food intake, particularly increased consumption of processed food cooked in processed polyunsaturated fats like sunflower oil.

The first line of defence in rectifying this imbalance involves eating fewer calories and improving energy balance with physical activity. The next step is to increase omega 3 consumption from cold water fatty fish or use of high-quality Omega 3 food supplements.

Ideally, 340-453g (12–16 oz.) of cold-water, fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel each week, if personal taste allows for it. Otherwise a good quality fish oil supplement.

 Avoid Trans Fats.

There is nothing positive or healthy about man-made trans fats. They are well established to cause insulin resistance, resulting in a decrease in insulin sensitivity. Additionally, trans fat may increase abdominal fat storage.

Food products that contain trans fat include, cakes, vegetable oils and margarine. Substitute these common cooking products for healthier oils like olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil or real butter.

Trans fats are mentioned on nutrition labels.

Strive to purchase and consume foods that contain 0g Trans Fats.

Food over Macronutrients.  

Carbohydrates have the greatest effect on blood glucose levels, protein has a moderate effect and fat a relatively small effect.

However, when it comes to mealtimes, we mostly consume mixed macronutrient meals comprised of different food sources.

Think about it. You rarely eat a potato on its own. Rather, a combination of potato (carbs), meat or fish (protein) and a good dab of butter (as fat).

If you keep consistent with the amounts of carbs, fat and protein at meal times, you’ll have a much better chance at working out a reliable insulin to carb ratio.

This is great, but what happens when you make an extreme change and decide to consume a food dominant in one macronutrient? Or, vary the composition of your set meal in favour of a certain macronutrient such as a pepperoni pizza which is super high in fat?

When the time comes, you must be willing to increase or decrease your insulin accordingly. This requires an in-depth understanding of how to dose and spread your insulin for mixed and, or, single macronutrient-based meals.

Dosing your insulin accurately is extremely important for avoiding hyperglycemia and further insulin resistance.

Want to put this learning into practice?

I’ve taken all of these principles and incorporate them into Diabetic Shred Guide – a 112-day fat loss system for men and women living with diabetes. It contains everything you need to know about eating, training and living to get lean. You get weekly meal plans tailored to your metabolism and over 50 challenging workouts.

If you want to learn more about flexible dieting you can check out my body transformation diet and training guides created exclusively for people with diabetes.

Diabetic Shred –  112-day Advanced Body Transformation Guide Built for FAT LOSS.

References

1. Paolisso G, Scheen A, D’Onofrio F, Lefebvre P: Magnesium and glucose homeostasis. Diabetologia33:511–514, 1990
2. Nadler JL, Buchanan T, Natarajan R, Antonipillai I, Bergman R, Rude R: Magnesium deficiency produces insulin resistance and increased thromboxane synthesis. Hypertension21:1024–1029,
3. Mooren FC, Kruger K, Volker K, Golf SW, Wadepuhl M, Kraus A. Oral magnesium supplementation reduces insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects-A RCT. Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism. 2011;13(3);281-284
4. http://www.nap.edu/read/5776/chapter/8#223
5. Aljabri KS, Bokhari SA, Khan MJ. Glycemic changes after vitamin D supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and vitamin D deficiency. Ann Saudi Med. 2010;30(6):454-458.
6. Mitri J, Muraru MD, Pittas AG. Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011.65(9):1005-15.
7. Example.com The Supplement-Goals Reference Guide

It’s beautiful.

What else feels this good right after a long day at work, and hard gym session?

The warm plates are sitting out, the food is on the table and your family (or better half) mumbles with a half-eaten piece of pizza in their mouth, ‘Sit down and have a few pieces, there’s dessert too.’

You really wish you could, but there’s one big problem…

You are 2 weeks into your new fat loss diet and want to be in the shape of your life for once.

You know this type of food isn’t going to help you. It’s one of the reasons you need to lose weight in first place.

Add to that, you know this food and diabetes don’t get along. You’re anxious about the amount of insulin you are going to inject for the massive blood sugar spike you are about to experience.

But, in the famous lyrics of R.Kelly – Bump N’ Grind. Your mind is telling you no, but your body is telling you YES!

See, our food environment is a pretty big deal.

As humans, we make hundreds of decisions about food every single day¹. This tends to get more challenging when you start dieting and get ‘hangry.’

When you live with your family, a partner or friends you are exposing yourself to their way of eating. This can be a problem…

Like I say in my book if you live with three other people who eat crap and don’t value a lean healthy body, there is a high probability that you will become the fourth person in the group.

Cooking and eating food has a massive social element that many people overlook. This is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to food environment.

Just think of how awkward the following circumstances can be when you are trying to diet.

• Being asked out to a buffet meal with friends and family.
• Cuddled up on the couch for a movie with a brand new date who brought you a share size bag of M&M’s to enjoy.
• Eating at a restaurant with a group of friends and the breadboard comes out.

Then there are other factors like convenience and prevalence of junk food in your fridge or naughty cupboard.

IT’S EASY TO FEEL GUILTY

… when you turn down someone’s cooking efforts, the surprise pizza order or that share size bag of M&M’s.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed, give in and say, ‘I’ll start back on the diet tomorrow,’ which, of course, rarely ever happens.

Willpower Has a Fuse

It can run out, especially when you are under stress, and have to make hundreds of decisions about food on a daily basis.

When you’re tired and running low on calories, you are much less likely to exert willpower and far more likely to jeopardize your fat loss efforts by indulging in excess calories. Especially, if they are ‘offered on a plate’ or just down the stairs.

This relates to the model of behaviour known as “Ego depletion” ²

A large amount of scientific evidence (meta-analysis) by Hagger et al in 2010 showed that:

• Ego depletion significantly affected self-control task performance.
• Ego depletion was significantly affected by the degree of effort, perceived difficulty, perceived negative effects and subjective fatigue.
• Low blood glucose levels affected ego depletion negatively.

Given the fact that willpower is a limited resource,

it makes sense to elevate your food environment and improve it by either removing unhelpful food choices that are contradictory to your end goal or simply not putting yourself there in the first place.

Changing Your Environment Can Help

Let’s take the same situation you were in earlier on, but this time you don’t smell pizza or brownie, nor get tempted to ‘have a piece’ because you know your family, or better half sits down at the same time every single week to eat a takeaway.

Eating a filling meal before you arrive home grants you permission to use the, ‘I’ve eaten already’ excuse.

Or, if you live with a partner, you could tactfully plan your daily calories around the takeaway meal using an intermittent fasting style approach, backloading your calories into the evening. Another solution would be to ask your better half to have a friend round to eat with.

Losing body fat is a process that requires food restriction.

Sacrifices have to be made if you want to look a certain way or want to hit a target bodyweight. If your friends and family can’t support your goal, educate them on why you’re doing it and how it will improve your quality of life. In turn, letting you live life to the fullest.

If they can’t accept that, stick to your guns.

No one needs to eat pizza and brownies to fit in.

Having competed as a bodybuilder for many years I know too well how to enhance my food environment for muscle gains and fat loss.

Try any of these tactics if you suspect your environment is holding you back

• Empty your naughty food cupboard of sweets and confectionary. Out of sight, out of mind. Just make sure you keep some fast-acting sugars for hypo prevention. Sports drinks are perfect as they are the least likely food product to be consumed when you are bored or hungry.

• Diet soft drinks are great for killing a sugar craving and support fat loss due to their zero calorie content.

• Equip yourself with great tasting diabetic friendly recipe and snack ideas. That’s why I created the Ultra Lean Diabetic Cookbook – it’s loaded with 100 delicious diabetic friendly recipes you will love including Tortilla Pizzas, Protein pancakes and much more. All the calories and macronutrients are outlined for you – they even come with a Myfitness pal barcode for easy food tracking.

• If you use flexible dieting as an eating strategy, keep all junk food in opaque tins at the top of a cupboard so they are hard to see and reach.

• When the share board comes out, excuse yourself and nip out to the toilet. Tell the table to “eat away” and by the time you get back most of it will be gone.

• Avoid going shopping when hungry.

• Avoid hoarding junk food when it is on offer at your local supermarket. Before you place it in your trolley, ask yourself, ‘Do I need it?’

• Don’t walk down the sweetie isle when dieting. That’s just torture.

• Don’t watch Man Vs. Food or any form of bakery program when dieting. It might push you over the edge and cause you to say, ‘F**k it, let’s eat!’

• Increase your protein, and fiber intake when dieting to keep hunger under control.

• Coffee (pre 5 pm) can help suppress appetite.

• Master your insulin dosing. Be mindful that a hypo will require you to eat. Keep your food environment in mind and do your best to consume straight sources of glucose rather than cakes and crisps which contain a lot of excess calories.

• Sugar-free jelly is ultra-low in calories and provides a temporary fill me up.

• You can also use the good old diabetes excuse and tell people that junk food doesn’t have a place in your diet. Obviously, make sure your friends and family know what a hypo is and what foods are best to treat it.

There are many other strategies you can use, but these are great examples.

While you are here, make sure to check out the Diabetic Shred Guide a 112-day fat loss system for men and women living with diabetes. It contains everything you need to know about eating, training and living to get lean. You get weekly meal plans tailored to your metabolism and over 50 challenging workouts.

• Insulin and amino acids play an important role in assisting with muscle growth.
• Glucose and amino acids are both insulinogenic and have the potential to increase blood glucose.
• When glucose and amino acids are consumed together they require more insulin, than if consumed alone.
• Adequate medication must be given to accommodate the blood glucose increasing effects of these two macronutrients.
• Hyperglycaemia is highly detrimental to muscle protein synthesis.
• Besides focusing on carbs and protein alone, it’s important to see the bigger picture and consider all the other important factors that influence rate of muscle growth, of which there are many.

What you’re in for?

• 600 Words
• Reading Time ~ 8 minutes

  SHOULD TYPE 1 DIABETICS EAT CARBS AND PROTEIN TOGETHER IN AN ATTEMPT TO BUILD MORE MUSCLE?

Insulin is considered an anabolic (constructive) hormone. When protein is consumed the B-cells of the pancreas secrete insulin to shuttle amino acids into cells for anabolism. Insulin has been shown to play a role in the creation of new proteins across the body as well as inhibiting muscle protein breakdown ¹.

All the amino acids that make up protein impact insulin secretion differently. Certain amino acids are more potent at stimulating insulin secretion than others, especially leucine ². This explains why whey protein, one of the richest sources of leucine, increases insulin secretion more than any other protein source ³ , and, why the food insulin index considers the insulin requirement for foods as a whole (inc. protein and fat) rather than just their carbohydrate content ⁴.

The synergistic combo of glucose and amino acids signifies a high energy state (compared to one macro nutrient alone) leading to elevated insulin secretion. This is what promotes anabolism, glycogen storage and synthesis of fat tissue (if excess energy is available). Eating protein alone would not yield as much of an insulinogenic or anabolic response compared to a matched meal of protein and carbs.

Besides focusing on carbs and protein alone, it’s important to see the bigger picture and consider all the other important factors that influence rate of muscle growth including, but not limited to,

• Overall diabetes management
• Overall calorie intake
• Body composition
• Stress
• Sleep
• Training frequency
• Progressive overload
• Use of ergogenic aids (PED, Supplements like creatine etc.)
• Other diseases and illness

Should type 1 diabetics pair carbs with protein to maximize protein’s anabolic effect?

The most popular approach to mealtime insulin dosing is counting carbohydrate and applying an insulin to carbohydrates ratio. Most people with type 1 diabetes believe they are only giving insulin for the carbohydrate; however, the insulin dose calculated from the Insulin to carbohydrate ratio actually takes into account the insulin requirement for usual protein portions. Carbs and protein are rarely consumed in isolation. It is much more likely that both macronutrients will accompany each other at mealtimes ⁵.

Provided essential amino acid needs are met across the day, the primary responsibility for someone living with type 1 diabetes is to dose enough exogenous insulin to accommodate any increase in blood glucose.

References

1. K N Frayn and P F Maycock. Regulation of protein metabolism by a physiological concentration of insulin in mouse soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles. Effects of starvation and scald injury. Biochem J. 1979 Nov 15; 184(2): 323–330. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1161767/
2. Gannon MC, Nuttall FQ. Amino acid ingestion and glucose metabolism–a review. IUBMB Life. 2010 Sep;62(9):660-8. doi: 10.1002/iub.375. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20882645
3. Nilsson M, Stenberg M, Frid AH, Holst JJ, Björck IM. Glycemia and insulinemia in healthy subjects after lactose-equivalent meals of milk and other food proteins: the role of plasma amino acids and incretins. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004; 80: 1246-53.
4. Bell, K. et al (2016) Algorithms to Improve the Prediction of Postprandial Insulinemia in Response to Common Foods. Nutrients 2016, 8, 210; doi:10.3390/nu8040210
5. Smart CEM, Evans M, O’Connell SM, et al. Both dietary protein and fat increase postprandial glucose excursions in children with type 1 diabetes, and the effect is additive. Diabetes Care 2013;36:3897–3902

• Women with Diabetes can develop a great looking body, they just need to think differently, and require unique information and support.
• Improving your body is more challenging if you have diabetes. There are many important nutrition considerations.
• The best fat loss and body sculpting diet plan for females with diabetes is the one that fits your lifestyle and isn’t difficult to manage from a diabetes perspective.
• Improving your body involves set periods of eating a calorie surplus and deficit.
• 99% of women looking to lose fat and develop their shape prioritise the wrong things when it comes to diet.
• If you don’t assess your diet you won’t reach your ideal shape.
• You need fewer supplements than you think. Women do well with whey and creatine, and these are valid options for people with diabetes.

What you’re in for?

4,000 Words

Reading Time ~ 22 minutes

Before we begin, let’s get straight with each other why you’re reading this exact article.

You’re a female living with diabetes who wants to look better naked and buy a completely new wardrobe?

You’ve tried to lose weight and get in shape countless times but you still aren’t happy.

No matter how many diets you have tried, you keep asking yourself,

‘What do I need to eat?’

‘How much do I need to eat?’

‘Am I allowed to eat this? Am I allowed to eat that?’

‘What should I do for this night out I have coming up, will my diet fail?’

‘Why am I constantly hungry?’

‘Is diabetes the reason I’m struggling to lose weight and get in shape?’

‘Dieting downright sucks and I have no hope of building a body that men will bow down to.’

Ok, Stop.

Panic over.

If you have struggled to find decent diet information for creating a better-looking body with diabetes, you’ve come to the right place.

This article is grounded on ten years of academic learning, 1000s of blood glucose tests, 1000s of hours in the gym and over 700 client transformations.

You will learn many new things and discover various aspects you haven’t considered before. You’ll walk away equipped with the right knowledge to make massive changes and create the body you always desired.

I’m all for creating a great looking body as fast as possible. However, to achieve this, your diet MUST be set up correctly.

There is a fine line between…

• Eating too much vs. eating too little.
• Taking too much insulin vs. taking too little.
• Training too much vs. training too little.

Overlook one detail and you run the risk of burning out, losing shape, gaining waist inches and looking the same (or worse) from year to year.

Sound familiar?

Let’s look at how we can fix it.

In order to build a great looking body, you’ll need to build muscle and lose body fat.

Nutrition, in conjunction with a well-structured training program and dedicated periods of rest are essential in every woman’s journey to creating the perfect looking body.

This article focuses on the nutritional aspect of developing a great looking body.  If you want to learn more about the training, make sure you read this article after.

___

The diabetic body is governed by a different set of rules and requires a much more tactful approach to diet than would be advised by the mainstream fitness media or your local gym hero.

___

Let’s look at the challenges females with diabetes face in their quest to build a better-looking body.

• Increased levels of muscle protein breakdown.
• Reduced strength.
• Decreased joint and muscle mobility due to glycation.
• Increased potential for injury.
• Increased fatigue.

These challenges are real.

However, they only become a serious problem to creating a great body when blood glucose levels are not controlled. You can safely say diabetes is not an advantage, BUT, with the right knowledge, plans and guidance, diabetes DOES NOT have to be a disadvantage.

The more you know about diet, the better you will control your blood glucose levels.

GETTING STARTED:

THE BODY SCULPTING DIET PLAN FOR FEMALES WITH DIABETES.

When it comes to creating your own diabetic fat loss diet plan a number of factors need to be considered. Some are more important than others and must take priority. It’s easy to get excited and place more attention on the small details like the newest supplement, diabetic special food or the best time to consume your whey protein, rather than prioritizing the more important (yet sometimes boring) aspects like the ‘WHY’ behind eating better, overall, calorie intake or diabetes management.

THE DIABETIC MUSCLE AND FITNESS NUTRITION PYRAMID

The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Nutrition Pyramid (pictured below) outlines all the nutritional aspects of building a successful fat loss diet for females living with diabetes. The most important factors are at the bottom and the least important factors are at the top.

Structure your nutrition like this and you can guarantee high-quality results.

This is the exact hierarchy of importance I have incorporated into my 112-Day Female Focused Fat Loss Transformation Guide for Females. 

1. PERSONAL VALUES FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS.

Your personal values for health and fitness are your WHY behind your HOW TO.

Find as many reasons as you can to support why improving your diet will enhance the quality of your life. These answers are the driving force behind your daily attitude and actions.

Confidence, better sex, tastier fashion, job opportunity, and improved quality of life are all obvious benefits of losing fat.

2. DIABETES MANAGEMENT.

Even if a diet is comprised of the best quality and freshest food or most expensive supplements on the planet, poorly controlled diabetes can predispose individuals to malnutrition, a condition where the cells of the body cannot utilise fuel properly.

Malnutrition resulting from poorly uncontrolled diabetes adversely affects body function, well-being, predisposes individuals to disease and delays recovery from illness.

Your diabetes must be exceptionally well controlled in order to reap the full benefits of healthy eating.

3. ADHERENCE.

Whether your goal is to shred pounds of body fat, create a perfect body shape or maintain body weight, your diet plan must be able to accommodate social occasions, days off, and the odd slice of pizza when you fancy it. Yes, a diabetic just said pizza.

The best body sculpting diet plans for females with diabetes incorporate a little give and take. If set up correctly, the total number of calories you consume will allow you to achieve your goal without restricting the foods you love.

Eating ‘clean’ doesn’t mean you’re doing things optimally. This is especially true if you find yourself craving the foods and macronutrients you restricted.

What good is a diet that drives you crazy?

You’ll struggle to get results, never mind maintain them.

Besides being ultra consistent with your calorie intake and essential nutrient targets, the secret to developing a better-looking body is eating a diet you enjoy. Adherence is everything. This viewpoint is also supported by the Journal of the American Medical Association who researched pretty much every fat loss diet on the planet and found ‘adherence’ was the most significant factor behind a diet’s success ⁹.

How many massively restrictive diets have you started, only to stop once your burst of enthusiasm has been replaced by pure monotony? Time to re-think things?

As for training. It’s only the fun part.

I take dietary adherence seriously. I’ve even incorporated detailed instructions and principles on how you can eat the foods you love, and still get in amazing shape in my breakthrough fat loss diet and training guide for females living with diabetes. 

Forget overly restrictive, dull, boring chicken, broccoli and rice diets, carb cycling, detoxes and super expensive supplements.

Focus on sustainability and killer consistency.

Once you’ve identified the goal of fat loss you will need set yourself a time frame, measure your progress and get accountable.

1. SET A TIME FRAME

You need to set yourself an adequate time frame for getting in shape.

How long will depend on how much progress you want to make.

There is a huge difference between,

• Losing 10lbs of fat vs. 100lbs

While developing a great looking physique takes years, generally speaking, 16 weeks is enough time to make significant body transformation changes. This is the exact length of Diabetic Shred – the breakthrough fat loss diet and training plan for women with diabetes.

2. MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS

If you aren’t assessing you’re just guessing.

To get the most out of your body sculpting diet plan, you must learn to evaluate and measure your food intake.

“Tracking food may seem like a mundane task”

Think again, tracking allows you to build portion control habits, and eat more flexibly in relation to your body transformation goals.

Fat loss requires eating less than you burn off. Overeating will hinder your fat loss efforts, while under eating will increase your chances of muscle loss and fatigue.

Far too often people blindly drop their calories and increase their training when there is no need. You must adjust when the time is right. How will you know? Tracking of course!

Having worked with 100s of females in the pursuit of getting a great looking body, I know too well how confusing it can be when it comes to making decisions about when to cut calories and where from. I paid great attention to this dilemma when developing Diabetic Shred.

The plateau is usually the time when people give up on their goals. Diabetic Shred outlines a crystal clear decision process for when and where to adjust your calories, once you hit a plateau.

Having a clear set of questions and actions like this saves hassle, gets better results, and most importantly keeps you progressing not quitting!

3. GET ACCOUNTABLE

To get the most out of your body sculpting diet plan, you must get accountable.

Hiring a coach or personal trainer with a proven track record who understands diabetes management will be worth its weight in gold, especially if it is your first time getting serious.

A good coach will give you that much-needed push during training, along with good honest critical feedback on your development and shape.

Now let’s get into the nitty gritty of nutrition and talk calories, carbs, protein, dietary fat and supplements.

4. Energy Balance

The first place to start when building your diet plan is calories.

Calories play a crucial role in everyone’s attempts to get a great looking body¹.

If your goal is to lose body fat or develop your shape, you must first establish how many calories you need to maintain your current bodyweight, and then work from there.

How do I work out my maintenance calories?

Record your body weight and calorie consumption over 14 days. Total the values up and divide each of them by 14 to get your fortnightly calorie and body weight average. Compare this value to your starting body weight…

• If your body weight has gone up, this indicates a calorie surplus.
• If your body weight has gone down, this indicates a calorie deficit.
• If your body weight has remained the same, this indicates maintenance calories.

Oh, and if the idea of weighing yourself seems daunting, here are some useful tips on how to weigh yourself properly.

Another way to calculate maintenance calories is by using a calorie calculation.

These aren’t 100% bulletproof, but they do get you on the right path.

Once you’ve established a maintenance level of calories, you’ll need to adjust it to your goal.

Generally speaking, for fat Loss – eat slightly fewer calories than you need to maintain your body weight.

 5. MACRONUTRIENTS.

Everyone gets confused about macros. It’s no surprise considering the vast amount of conflicting and over-complicated information found online and in the papers.

Low carb,

High carb,

High fat,

Low fat.

Which macro split is best for diabetes?

Here’s what you need to know about macros…

Certain macro nutrients are essential, others not.

Protein and the essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6) need to be consumed via the diet.

Carbohydrates and other forms of fat are non-essential as the body can produce them by itself.

The best diet contains all the macronutrients in the right amounts specific to your overall calorie goal for fat loss, shape development or body weight maintenance.

What ratio of macronutrients you decide to eat is largely down to personal preference once you have met your essential needs for protein, essential fatty acids and carbohydrates for hypo treatment/prevention purposes.

How much protein do I need?

To keep it simple, 1.4-2.0g per Kg (0.6-1.0g per lb) of protein for the majority of people reading this.

In other words, if you weigh 67kg (147lb) you would consume 90-150g of protein per day. Split equally over 3-5 servings of 20-40g each day.

How much fat do I need?

Generally speaking, consuming 20-30% of your calories from fat is a great place to start. You might consume different amounts each day. However, over a period of weeks/months – they should average out.

In respect to your overall fat intake, certain types of dietary fat are essential, others not.

Omega-3s are essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that need to be supplied through the diet

There are three types of omega-3s involved in human physiology: ALA, EPA & DHA. Predominantly of marine origin, EPA and DHA are better than ALA found in plant oils, due to their greater bioavailability ^2,3.

Consuming fatty fish and fish oil supplements has been shown to improve dozens of aspects of health and disease, including insulin sensitivity, blood lipids, depression, inflammation and blood pressure, to name a few ^2,3,4,5,6.

Taking the different government and health organisations’ recommendations into account, 1-3 g of combined EPA-DHA per day suffices. The upper dose of 3g would be more suitable for people with diabetes due to the predisposition of a high triglyceride level and elevated blood pressure.

1 gram of fish oil is the equivalent to around 3 fish oil capsules per day or three to four 112g portions per week of oily fish like salmon, mackerel or sardines.

You’ll want to check how much Omega 3 you can take with your health care professional if you’re taking blood thinning medication.

How many carbs do I need?

Carbohydrate should make up the remainder of your calorie intake once you have calculated your calorie intake for protein and fat. The more carbs you eat, the less fat you’ll eat, and vice versa. The more dietary fat you eat, the fewer carbs you’ll consume.

Think of carbohydrate as a performance fuel, not a recovery fuel. The more training you do, the more you’ll need.

Do I need to go low carb if I live with diabetes?

Not necessarily.

If you are highly active and strength train 3-6 times per week, carbohydrates will help fuel your exercise performance and provide your body with a better training stimulus.

The fibre aspect of carbohydrates has also been shown to play a key role in the health of our microbiome, which has now been repeatedly shown to play a key role in body weight management ^7,8.

Carbs provide a range of different vitamins and minerals. They also taste great and help with dietary adherence.

Provided you manage your blood glucose levels and account for the calories you consume from carbohydrate, there is no reason to exclude them. On a side note, you must account for the carbohydrate calories you use to treat hypoglycaemia. This may vary from day to day.

If you”re like most women with diabetes, trying to figure all this out can get pretty overwhelming. One of the easiest ways to overcome this is to follow simple recipe plans. That’s why I created the Ultra Lean Diabetic Cookbook – it’s jam packed with 100 delicious diabetic friendly recipes. All the calories and macronutrients are outlined for you – they even come with a Myfitness pal barcode for easy food tracking.

6. NUTRIENT TIMING

Nutrient timing is more important for people with diabetes, especially when it comes to preventing/treating hypoglycaemia or preventing hyperglycaemia.

Refer to the infographic below and review when nutrient timing is Very Important, Worth Considering and Not Important. It’s the perfect size for Instagram, so please do feel free to share on social media (remember to tag us)

Getting your nutrition timed right has favourable effects on body composition, mood, and diabetes management. However, it should never be prioritised over the more important levels of the pyramid such as energy balance and macro nutrients.

A prime example of this would be the ‘no carbs after 6 dogma.’

In terms of meal frequency, 2-4 meals for fat loss and 3-5 if developing shape.

7. MICRONUTRIENTS/FIBER/WATER.

The topic of micro-nutrition may sound mind-numbing but you can’t overlook it.

Long-term micronutrient deficiencies will have a detrimental impact on your health and ability to perform/recover optimally from your training efforts.

Micronutrient deficiencies can result from prolonged period of low-calorie dieting and poorly controlled diabetes. A varied diet is a great way to get a range of micronutrients in

If you have any problems with energy levels, hunger, skin, or problems sleeping, you might be short of a few vitamins or minerals. Rather than assuming, the best way to check for micronutrient deficiencies is by getting a blood test done.

Fiber Intake

First of all, it is worth noting fiber is not an essential nutrient.

1. It makes you feel fuller (helps with fat loss)
2. Slows gastric emptying and nutrient absorption (can help with blood glucose management)
3. Decreases blood cholesterol
4. Decreases mineral absorption
5. Provides food for the bacteria in our guts which are shown to play a massive role in health and obesity prevention.
6. Helps you go to the toilet.

High-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables contain lots of other nutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are important to health.

If your fiber intake is low, don’t start ploughing it down. The body, particularly the bacteria within your gut need a little time to adapt. Otherwise, you’ll be pretty bloated and be blowing a lot of gas.

Provided you don’t suffer from IBS or any other serious bowel condition, 30-40g of fiber is a great target to shoot for daily.

Water Intake

Water is important for all things health, muscle building and exercise performance. There isn’t really a fixed water goal you should work to, per say, as hydration needs vary widely with body weight, sweat rates and frequency of hyperglycaemia.

Generally speaking,

• Aim for at least 5 clear urinations a day.
• Make sure you’re not dehydrated before training.
• Hydrate yourself well both during and after hyperglycaemia.
• Your hydration needs will increase if you are using the likes of creatine.

  8. SUPPLEMENTS.

When it comes to supplements, let’s get five things straight.

1. Supplements are the least important part of the nutrition pyramid.
2. Supplements can be a great nutritional insurance to someone living with diabetes. However, they will not mop up the damage caused by poorly controlled diabetes.
3. Supplements are a healthy addition to a good diet plan, but they will not make up for a poor one.
4. Generally speaking, supplements are not needed. Unless you don’t eat oily fish or natural sources of omega 3.
5. Supplements are never to be seen as shortcuts.

What supplements do I need?

Generally speaking, protein powder is a convenient easily digested source of high-quality protein, creatine along with caffeine are useful for boosting strength and cognition, Vitamin D is good for health if you live in a dull climate, fish oil seems to improve many elements of health – which makes all of these a worthwhile investment.

Since I consider the subject of supplements such a non-important topic, I’ll cover them in greater detail in a separate article, as I don’t want them distracting from the more important parts of this article.

In fact, I guarantee some people will have skipped everything I’ve said up until now. If you have – go back and start afresh.

If you’ve read the whole way up until here. Great!

Respect the hierarchy of importance for each element outlined in the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness nutrition pyramid, get focused on creating healthy habits over the long term, assessing your progress and just eat real food.

TAKE HOME

Before you pay for another month of gym membership ladies please consider these key principles for losing fat with diabetes.

• Proper female fat loss nutrition is about understanding how to eat healthily and sustainably towards your goals. All diet plans work (for a while), use them as a template from which you can adjust according to your results and personal circumstances.

• Never hop from diet to diet. It’s best to measure progress after about 2 to 4 weeks and then continually adjust.

• The ultimate nutritional approach to sculpt a great body will always be calorie controlled and nutrient dense, along with a diet that supports exercise performance and recovery.

• To get the best possible results your diabetes must be extremely well-managed through regular blood glucose testing and appropriate amounts of medication. This is essential for the proper absorption and metabolism of nutrients from food.

Since you have made it to the end of this blog, you are obviously serious about losing fat and building a new wardrobe (ha).

I hope you take action on what you’ve learnt!

If the idea of building your own diet and training seems too daunting for you,

here’s an 85% off coupon for what many diabetic women have coined the world’s Best Female Diabetic Body Transformation Diet and Training Plan.

Everything is done for you!

Join over 3500+ women who are currently following the plan and creating a better body and life for themselves.

The best thing about it?

It only costs a fraction of a typical 1-hour personal training session. You get 112 days’ worth of first class diet and training content that isn’t available anywhere else in the world, bar here!

IF YOUR GOAL IS FAT LOSS GET DIABETIC SHRED

REFERENCES

1. The poor, misunderstood calorie: calories proper: Volume 1 Lagakos Ph.D., Dr. William
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28289069
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23794360
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25278765
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013121/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24117792
7. Le Chatelier, T. Nielsen, J. Qin, E. Prifti, F. Hildebrand, G. Falony, et al. Richness of human gut microbiome correlates with metabolic markers Nature, 500 (2013), pp. 541-546.
8. -P. Furet, L.-C. Kong, J. Tap, C. Poitou, A. Basdevant, J.-L. Bouillot, et al. Differential adaptation of human gut microbiota to bariatric surgery-induced weight loss: links with
9. Pagoto, Sherry L, Appelhans, Bradley M. A. Call for an End to the Diet Debates

Quick Summary 

• The more emotionally attached you are to your health and fitness goals, the clearer they’ll be and the greater you’ll value them.
• Lifting weights to look better is a sound reason to get started, as the health benefits always come as a byproduct.
• Increased muscle mass can help reduce diabetes medication needs and improve blood glucose control.
• You should never go into a set completely shattered. Each set needs to be quality.
• It doesn’t matter how good your training program is: if you don’t control your blood glucose levels, you’ll never build the body you desire.
• Each session should provide the body with a different training stimulus.
• Rest is equally as important as the training itself.
• A professional coach is worth their weight in gold.

What you’re in for?

4,000 Words

Reading Time ~ 26 minutes

HOW TO SET UP A WEIGHT LIFTING PLAN FOR DIABETES

We get all sorts of visitors on DiabeticMuscleandFitness.com: both men and women, ranging from the everyday gym goer to professional bodybuilders with diabetes, sports athletes right through to newly diagnosed teens who haven’t an ounce of muscle to their name.

If the idea of building muscle, getting stronger and improving whole body definition sounds good to you, then you’re in the right place.

The training information I am about to share with you is grounded on the latest exercise science, thousands of gym sessions and countless hours coaching people with diabetes of all shapes and sizes.

Let’s get started.

Weight Training and Diabetes 101

Weight training, also known as resistance, body weight or strength training is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise you can perform, especially if you live with diabetes.

When performed properly, weight training delivers a host of health benefits including,

1. Increased physical strength.
2. Denser, stronger bones.
3. Increased metabolic rate at rest (allows you to eat more calories, whilst staying lean)
4. It burns body fat and helps prevent obesity.
5. Releases key endorphins that make you feel great.
6. Improves balance and coordination.
7. It can protect against sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss)
8. Increased glucose uptake (it can help manage diabetes)
9. Improved blood lipids.
10. Plus, looking jacked and toned in your favourite clothes feels great!

In this article, I want to discuss the most important principles for building a highly effective weight training program for people living with diabetes, whose goal is to build muscle and simply look better naked.

If you are a typical reader of fitness magazines like Muscle and Fitness, Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Oxygen, this article is for you.

What this article is not.

This article does not focus on the goal of building maximum strength for sports like powerlifting and Olympic lifting. I will cover these specific training goals in another article.

Let’s get started…

The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Pyramid.

The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Pyramid outlines all the most important variables that make up a successful weight training program in order of importance. Similar to nutrition, many people prioritize the wrong stuff like what is the best exercise for arms over more important stuff like sets, reps, weight used on the bar and personal values for health and fitness (the driving force).

Let’s run through each aspect of the pyramid and highlight everything you need to know when it comes to getting the most out of strength training with diabetes.

Feel free to download the pyramids and upload them onto your social media if you wish. It’s important other people living with diabetes see these. If you’re using a PC right click and ‘Save As’. If you are using a mobile, hold your index finger down and saving the image.

Also, (if you haven’t already) get signed up to my insiders’ mailing list. You don’t want to miss an update. Strength training science is constantly evolving. I’ll keep you in the loop with anything worth knowing. So sign up and don’t miss a thing.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF SETTING UP A WEIGHT TRAINING PLAN IF YOU LIVE WITH DIABETES ARE…

1. PERSONAL VALUES FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS.

Change your mindset, before you change your behaviour.

Why are you thinking of getting more muscular and healthy?

The more value you see in your health and fitness goals, the more attention you’ll give them. This is why personal values for health and fitness are the most important aspect of the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Pyramid.

If you want to get the most out of strength training you need to identify how it will benefit your life. For most people, the idea of looking better is more important than health.

Girls, you’ll probably see more value in building a great shaped butt, tight core and strong defined legs over improving your bone density.

Guys, you’ll value a well-cut 6-pack, jacked arms and 300lbs bench with more than improved glucose uptake.

Lifting weights to look better is a sound reason to get started, as the health benefits always come as a byproduct.

The more you value something in life, the more energy and focus you’ll put into it. This is your WHY.

Check out these examples of WHY people value strength training.

• I’ll look better naked.
• Have better sex.
• Have more confidence.
• Be able to wear nicer clothes.
• Physical Strength and Fitness.
• Both physical fitness and a great looking body are signs of self-respect and care.
• Working out feels amazing and lets me clear my head.
• Being strong will help me protect myself.
• Lifting weights allows me to eat more food, (if you follow my insta stories you’ll know I love food. 🙂
• Increased muscle mass lowers my insulin needs – it literally resembles a vacuum for glucose.

Setting Realistic Goals Is Important.

Goal setting is a powerful process for mind and body. Clear goals provide you with direction and motivation to turn your vision into a reality.

However, there is a big difference between positive and realistic goal setting.

What is your goal, is it realistic?

Positive goal setting is like flicking ‘Beast Mode ON’ and thinking you’re going to be Arnold Schwarzenegger in 6 months or Monica Brant after you finish your newest tub of pre-workout.

So many of us fall prey to this mode of thinking. They spend so much time scrolling through Instagram and Facebook comparing incredibly jacked and ripped guys and girls on Instagram, thinking to themselves,

‘I’m going to look like that!’

The problem is, not many people come to terms with the backstory to their favourite fitness photos on Instagram.

• Genetics (different parents, ethnicities).
• Years of training experience.
• Expert coaching and mentorship.
• Use of anabolic steroids.
• More free time (giving them the ability to train multiple times a day).
• No kids to keep them up at night.
• The list is endless…

Be realistic when setting your training goals.

Be original, define YOUR own personal success criteria, do not borrow those belonging to an individual whose life bears no resemblance to yours.

Stay focused and make the best of your own unique circumstances, rather than comparing yourself to everyone else, especially the pro fitness models and bodybuilders who have been at it a lot longer than you.  The acronym S.M.A.R.T is a great framework to base your goals off.

Every time you set a goal, ask yourself, is it…

S –  Specific, Significant, Stretching

M – Measurable, Meaningful, Motivational

A – Attainable, achievable

R – Realistic

T– Time-Based

The best way to set a training goal is to acknowledge;

• How you don’t want to look and feel.
• How you want to look and feel in your new body.

You need to get very specific.

Ask the right questions and you’ll come up with great answers.

• How lean do I want to be?
• How muscular do I want to be?
• How strong do I want to be?
• How do I want feel?

Goals will differ from person to person. Some people will want to look better for the beach, while others will want to look like a hardcore bodybuilding monster.

Once you visualise how you want to look, hold that image in your head and think about it constantly.

So, how do you look? It’s not that far away.

Now we have goal setting and motivation out of the way, let’s look at the fundamental building blocks that make up a highly effective diabetes weight training program.

The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Pyramid outlines all the key elements of strength training program design in order of importance. Too many people prioritise the wrong stuff, like the best exercise to do, or the best weightlifting belt to buy over the much more important stuff like managing blood glucose levels around exercise, adequate training volume and sufficient rest.

We’ve already covered the most important element of the pyramid ‘Personal Values for Health and Fitness’. Now, let’s discuss the other factors and their role in building a successful strength training plan for diabetes.

2. DIABETES MANAGEMENT.

It doesn’t matter how good your training program is, if you don’t control your blood glucose levels, you’ll never build the body you desire. One of the most important take-homes people have when reading my best-selling book, The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide is this:

‘OBSESS OVER PERFECT BLOOD GLUCOSE CONTROL 24/7 – 365 DAYS A YEAR.’

While looking after your diabetes may seem obvious, not many people do it (well).

How dedicated are you to perfecting your control?

What does good diabetes control look like to you?

1. Do you check your blood glucose levels regularly?
2. Do you correct high blood glucose ASAP?
3. Do you question ‘WHY’ your blood glucose levels go outside range, and get to the root of the problem?

Call it obsessed, but some of us want to get more out of training and live longer.

Poor blood sugar control (both short and long term) is the enemy to building a better looking and feeling body.

We live in an age with breakthrough diabetes management tools. There has been no better time to have diabetes. Recognise this reality and make the most of what is on offer.

Dedicate your life to chasing perfect control. Get as close to normal (nondiabetic) A1C levels as you can. Your dedication will pay off.

I’ve also covered a tonne of information on the effects different types of exercise have on blood sugar levels and diabetes in my book The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide.

3. TRAINING ADHERENCE.

The term fitness is defined as, ‘the ability to do a task.’

You may be fit enough for one training program, but not another.

Before you consider exercises, sets, reps and how much weight to use, you must ascertain the following key factors:

• What is the maximum number of days you can train per week?
• How much time can you spend training per session?
• What is your training experience? Do you know your exercises?
• What is your current fitness level?

These factors determine how much training you can handle.

Have you ever jumped into a hardcore program without considering what’s best for you? How did that end up?

If you’re new to training, you’ll lack the basic strength and physical fitness to handle high levels of work. You will get a lot out of a little. Less is more. The great thing is, you will progress quickly and will be hungry for more.

If you are thinking of following the training plans of professional athletes, fitness superstars or pro bodybuilders – be warned! These people are fitter than you, and most likely have more resources in their corner including genetics, supplements, more free time and a coach.

If you have a decent level of experience and strength base, you’ll be able to handle more training. However, it still needs to be manageable from a time and recovery perspective.

This is especially true if you’ve taken time out from training, because of injury or needing a mental break. You’ll not be fit enough to jump back into your old ways of training. You’ll need adequate time to get back in and adapt yourself.

YOU SHOULD NEVER LEAVE THE GYM SICK, IN PAIN, ABSOLUTELY SMASHED or asking yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’.

Focus on leaving the gym tired, stimulated and challenged.

LEAVE SOME FUEL IN THE TANK FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAY.

So many people hold the misconceived notion that a workout must leave absolutely f***ked. If it doesn’t they automatically assume they haven’t worked hard enough.

This way of thinking isn’t smart.

What good is a workout program that burns you out physically and mentally?

There is a fine line between too much, too little and just enough. Your workouts need to be challenging and enjoyable at the same time. This is much more sustainable and you’ll reap far better results.

Follow a training program that stimulates, not annihilates.

Have an intro week, test how certain exercises feel and how well you recover from set number of training sessions.

Your strength training program should keep you healthy and yield long-term progress rather than burn you out, cause injuries and drive you to resent training.

How Long Do I Need to Train For?

Would you say you are a beginner, intermediate or pro?

This is highly dependent on your personal agenda and lifestyle. If you perform other forms of exercise like football, yoga etc. or work a very heavy laboursome job you will need to be mindful of doing too much and cap training sessions at 2-3 times per week.

As an example, let’s assume you were dedicating all your exercise time to weight training. You training frequency would look like this:

Beginners: 30 mins of strength training x3-4 times per week for the first 3-6 months.

Intermediate: 30-60 mins of strength training x5-8 times per week.

Pro: Sports Specific -30-60 mins of strength training x5-10 times per week.

You also need to consider fitting training around your family. One of the most valuable things you can do is introduce them to exercise, especially loaded movement.

There’s nothing stopping you taking time out to show your partner or kids a few simple exercises like body weight squats or weighted carries. If you have really young kids, just get them moving and playing – embracing the full range of human movement.

Why not make it a family ritual to train together one day every week? You can get a tonne of training done with just bodyweight alone.

4. TRAINING VOLUME AND FREQUENCY.

Training volume is defined as the amount of sets x reps you perform over time for a given body part or movement, in other words, the total amount of work you do.

As a general rule of thumb, your training volume should increase over time.

However, this doesn’t mean you should continually add sets and reps in an endless fashion.

Volume increases only work up to a certain point. If you add too much volume you run the risk of overreaching and building high levels of unwanted fatigue.

As fatigue increases, your performance and training effect will diminish.

In a nutshell, you need to perform enough volume to progress, but not as much as possible. Only increase training volume when you have plateaued or feel very well recovered well.

Frequency refers to how often you train a particular body part or movement.

Generally speaking, you should aim to train each body part at least x2/week. If you have a weak part that needs attention, you may consider going to x3/week if you have the time.

How many reps?

Research has shown muscle gain is possible across a range of rep schemes ^1,2. Gains in muscle mass are pretty much equal regardless of repetition range provided training is carried out to muscle failure

Generally speaking, you could have one day dedicated to 6-10 reps and the other 10-20 reps.

Each session should provide the body with a different training stimulus.

You will need to go to failure on reps over 15 Rep Max, whereas reps between 6-15 rep max are probably the most time efficient and don’t need to be taken to complete failure. What would be the difference in time in the gym for these per session, per week, per month, per training block of three months – this would bring it right into the reader’s mind!

5. INTENSITY & PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD.

You must give your muscle tissues a reason to adapt. This requires challenging your muscles progressively and changing your training program over time.

Increasing weight is one of the most obvious ways to force an adaption.

Other methods include increasing the number of sets and reps you perform or using advanced training variables like bands, chains, drop sets and supersets.

Does this mean my workouts need to get harder and harder, for the rest of my life?

Not necessarily on every set of every workout, it might take you a few weeks training at a particular weight before you acquire the strength and fitness to move the weights up. Generally speaking, you should strive to get physically stronger on a consistent basis, over the course of the month/year.

Learn to measure your training…

When was the last time you kept a note of your sets, reps and progress, honestly?

Track your progress via photos and a log book. If you aren’t getting stronger, look at your diabetes management, total calories, rest and work effort during training. Something will be out of place.

If the idea of manipulating sets, reps, and training loads seems too complicated for you, don’t panic – I’ve done all the hard work for you by creating two complete done-for-you 16-week training protocols that incorporate all the essential aspects of progressive overload needed for optimal strength and muscle development. They also come in 16-weeks of printable log books.

Diabetic Shred is a 16-Week fat loss training guide -> Get Started!

Diabetic Mass is a 16-Week Muscle Mass and Size -> Get Started!

6. EXERCISE SELECTION.

Exercise selection needs to change between training sessions and block phases. This provides your body with a variety of stimuli and helps avoid injury or niggles.

There is no such thing as a mandatory exercise; however, there are mandatory movement patterns you will need to include in your strength training program.

Movement patterns are fundamental to the proper functioning of the body and involve the use of multiple muscle groups at one time. Exercises are drills that allow you to overload each mandatory movement pattern.

Thousands of exercises exist. However, not all are created the same. I’ve outlined some of the most popular and effective exercises for each movement pattern below.

Consider the muscles involved in each movement.

Squatting

• Front Squat
• Goblet Squat
• Back Squat
• Box Squat

Unilateral (single leg)

• Lunges
• Dumbbell Split Squat
• Single Leg Press

Quad Dominant

• Leg Press
• Leg Extension
• Band Exercises for quads

Hip Hinge/Hamstring Dominant

• KB Swing
• Deadlift
• Romanian Deadlift
• Good morning
• Rope pull through
• Lying Leg Curls
• Seated Leg Curls

Horizontal Pressing

• Bench press
• Close Grip bench
• Decline bench press

Vertical Pressing

• Military press
• Seated Dumbbells shoulder press
• Push Press
• Front Raises
• Lateral Raises

Horizontal Pulling

• Barbell Rows (overhand)
• Dumbbell Row
• Chest Supported Rows
• T-bar rows

Vertical Pulling

• Pull Up
• Lat Pull Down

Elbow Flexion Exercises

• Any kind of bicep isolation exercise.

Elbow Extension Exercises

• Any kind of triceps isolation exercise.

Carrying

• Farmers walk
• Single arm walk

Core

• Palloff Press
• Abs Roll outs
• Handing Leg Raises

How many Exercises?

How many different exercises did you do in your last session?

Generally speaking, for most body transformation training, 4-6 exercises per workout is more than sufficient. These should include all the exercises above, unless injury is an issue or there are noted weak points in one’s physique, sometimes common in competitive bodybuilders.

Workouts can be split into both whole body or upper/lower based body workouts. I’ve created some very useful templates you can perform each day you train.

WHOLE BODY TRAINING TEMPLATES

Workout #1

X1 Squat/Unilateral Leg Exercise

X1 Hip Hinge/Hamstring Dominant

X1 Horizontal Press

X1 Horizontal Pull

X1 Carry

X1 Core

Workout #2

X1 Unilateral Leg Exercise

X1 Hip Hinge/Hamstring Dominant

X1 Vertical Press

X1 vertical Pull

X1 Core

Workout #3

X1 Quad Dominant

X1 Hip Hinge/Hamstring Dominant

X1 Vertical Press

X1 vertical Pull

X1 Core

UPPER/LOWER BODY TEMPLATES

Workout #1 – Upper

X1 Horizontal Press

X1 Horizontal Pull

X1 Vertical Pull

X1 Vertical Push

X1 Elbow Flexion

X1 Elbow Extension

X1 Core

Workout #2 – Lower

X1 Squat/Unilateral Leg Exercise

X1 Hip Hinge/Hamstring dominant

X1 Quad Dominant

X1 Core

7. REST PERIODS.

How much rest do I need during training?

I’ll keep this ultra-simple and to the point.

You should never go into a set completely shattered. Each set needs to be quality.

• Big Bang Exercises like squats, deadlifts etc. 2 minutes is adequate.

• Moderately Taxing Exercises like pull ups, barbell rows, close grip bench etc. 1-1.5 mins rest is sufficed.

• Isolation Exercises like curls and cable work 30-60 seconds is more than enough.

If you’re new to weight training – take a little longer.

Is it ok to take a break from weight training?

Yes, and I highly recommend you do.

Milk every training session for as long as you can, then take a self-assessed break or period of detraining to recharge your batteries. You can’t just keep adding more.

Have you ever got bored with same the routines, frustrated you’re not progressing?

Generally speaking, every 4-8 weeks of consistent training should be followed up with 5-10 days of detraining or complete rest. The more stress you are under (like poor sleep, stress, illness, not eating enough and high or low blood glucose levels) the shorter your training cycle and the longer your detraining/rest periods should be.

During a detraining period, you’ll need to manipulate:

• Training Volume – Reduce training volume by 50% of your normal routine. So instead of 4 sets, do 2.

• Intensity – This includes the load and how hard you push to failure. Reduce your training load by 60-80% of what you normally use. Don’t bring your sets to exhaustive failure, work with around 60-70% of the effort.

• Frequency – Reduce frequency from 2-3 times per week to 1.

Tempo refers to the speed at which you are lifting across different parts of the rep.

It’s one of the least important factors when it comes to training for a better-looking body.

I’ll get straight to the point with this one.

• Perform all your reps in a safe and controlled manner.

• Maintain consistent control and speed during the negative (lowering) and positive (pressing/pulling) parts of the rep. Generally speaking, 2 seconds is a good speed to go at.

• Pause at the bottom and top of each rep for around 1 second.

• Repeat again until the target number of reps has been achieved.

That was long but worth it.

You’re now equipped with more knowledge than most personal trainers when it comes to designing a strength training program.

I hope you enjoyed what you read and take action on the tips I have shared with you the next time you pick up a barbell.

What key things do you remember, what are you going to take action on?

Here’s some you will want to consider…

Take Home Points

• You must follow a weight training plan that suits your current fitness level and personal schedule.

• Obsess over perfect blood glucose levels pre, during and after exercise.

• Train using a variety of exercises.

• When performing an exercise, do so with intent. Focus on complete quality and putting your body into the most favourable mechanical position.

• Don’t be stupid and train through pain. Get it looked at.

• Perform a range of 6-20 well-controlled reps.

• Progressively increase the weight you use over time. If you don’t have the fortitude to turn double, treble or even quadruple your lifts, then take up fishing.

• Never start a set exhausted. Wait until you have properly recovered.

• Train using a range of movement patterns and exercises.

• Weightlifting belts, squat shoes and heart rate monitors are the least of your worries.

Safe to say, you’re pretty serious about building muscle, aren’t you?

As you know strength training is only a piece of the puzzle when it comes to getting in shape.

There’s so much more to it, especially when it comes to managing blood sugars with diet, supplements and lifestyle to achieve greater fat loss and maximise muscle growth.

But, I can only cover so much in these articles.

If you want to learn more (much more) and master everything there is to know about strength training science, managing your diabetes and becoming your own personal strength coach and nutritionist, then you need to check out The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide.

With over 400+ pages of evidence-based theory on how to build a stronger, better-looking body with diabetes, this is an absolute must for any dedicated gym goer living with diabetes.

IF THAT SEEMS LIKE TOO MUCH INFORMATION FOR YOU…

I HAVE TWO MORE PRACTICAL GUIDES FOR YOU.

If your goal is fat loss -> GET DIABETIC SHRED   

If your goal is lean weight gain –> GET DIABETIC MASS

References

1. Schoenfeld BJ et al. Muscular adaptations in low- versus high-load resistance training: A meta-analysis. Eur J Sport Sci. 2016;16(1):1-10. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2014.989922. Epub 2014 Dec 20.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25530577
2. Schoenfeld BJ et al. Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Oct;29 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25853914

Quick Summary 

• Everyone who goes to the gym with the goal of getting stronger and leaner is technically bodybuilding whether you like it or not.
• Competitive bodybuilding is fat loss taken that little bit further.
• The best diabetes bodybuilding diet plan is the one you can stick to the longest.
• Bodybuilding involves set periods of eating a calorie surplus and deficit.
• Bodybuilding is more challenging for people with diabetes. There are many important nutrition considerations.
• 99% of people looking to lose weight or gain muscle mass prioritse the wrong things when it comes to diet.
• If you don’t assess your diet you won’t reach your true potential.
• You need fewer supplements than you think. Both whey and creatine are valid options for people with diabetes.

What you’re in for?

3,500 Words

Reading Time ~ 20 minutes

If you live with diabetes and love bodybuilding, this article is for you.

I’m all for building muscle and shredding fat as fast as possible. However, to achieve this, your diet MUST be set up correctly.

There is a fine line between…

• Eating too much vs. eating too little.
• Taking too much insulin vs. taking too little.
• Training too much vs. training too little.

Overlook one detail and you run the risk of burning out, losing muscle, gaining body fat and looking the same (or worse) from year to year

Sound familiar?

Bodybuilding with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, is more challenging than you think.

That’s why so many people living with diabetes fail to look and perform their best in the gym.

It’s taken me ten years of academic learning, 1000s of blood glucose tests, 1000s of hours in the gym and over 700 clients later to develop, The Ultimate Bodybuilding Cutting and Mass Building Diet Plan for people living with diabetes.

BEFORE WE BEGIN:

WHAT IS BODYBUILDING?

When you hear the word bodybuilding what comes to mind?

Most people, conjure up images of overly tanned men and women hitting muscle poses on stage in their underwear.

While this represents the ‘competitive bodybuilder’, what about the vast amount of everyday gym goers who have no intention of getting on stage, but simply want to look better naked?

Like it or not, anyone who goes to the gym with the intention of looking better is bodybuilding.

Male, female, young, or old – it doesn’t matter. Bodybuilding is about building muscle, minimising body fat and looking your physical best.

Competitive bodybuilders train year-round in an attempt to increase their muscle mass and strength. They dedicate set periods of time (usually 20 weeks) to ‘MASS GAIN’ followed by another 10-20 weeks of fat loss, doing what is commonly termed CUTTING. When the time is right, the competitive bodybuilder steps on stage with other competitors to be judged.

The judging criteria is based on overall aesthetic development which includes muscle size, muscle symmetry, level of body fat and presentation skill (i.e. posing).

What is required to compete and look your best?

Nutrition, the right training stimulus and dedicated periods of rest are essential in every bodybuilder’s journey to building the perfect looking body (competitive or not).

This particular article focuses on the nutritional aspect of bodybuilding, specific to people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. I will cover the training aspect in another article.

Bodybuilding with Diabetes

Bodybuilding and Physique sports are becoming increasingly popular nowadays. Just look at the increased availability of protein supplements, meal prep services, and healthy eating restaurants.

Bodybuilders who live with diabetes are few and far between. The fear of low blood glucose, the frustration of high blood glucose, lack of support and not knowing how to eat are the main reason so many people with diabetes fail to pursue their bodybuilding or physique body transformation goals.

Does this mean bodybuilding with diabetes is out of reach?

Living with diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t partake in body building or transform your body.

Just look at the likes of IFBB PRO Anth Bailes, IFBB PRO Jason Poston, IFBB PRO Collete Nielson, Aidrian Brodlell and other leading diabetic bodybuilding stars.  All of these individuals have won trophies and graced the front of many muscle and fitness magazines, all while living with type 1 diabetes.

While it’s great to see so many people take an active interest in their health, it’s a hard push to find good quality, evidence-based diet information for bodybuilding and diabetes. As a result, many individuals end up following sub-optimal advice that jeopardises their health and bodybuilding results. You may have experienced this yourself?

The diabetic body is governed by a different set of rules and requires a much more tactful approach to diet than would be advised by the mainstream fitness media or your local gym hero.

Let’s look at the challenges a bodybuilder living with diabetes faces in their quest to build a better-looking body.

• Increased levels of muscle protein breakdown.
• Reduced strength.
• Decreased joint and muscle mobility due to glycation.
• Increased potential for injury.
• Increased fatigue.

These challenges are real.

However, they only become a serious problem to building muscle when blood glucose levels are not controlled. You can safely say diabetes is not an advantage to bodybuilding, BUT, with the right knowledge, plans and guidance, diabetes DOES NOT have to be a disadvantage.

The more you know about diet, the better you will control your blood glucose levels.

Getting Started:

The Diabetic Bodybuilding Diet Plan.

When it comes to creating your own diabetic bodybuilding diet plan a number of factors need to be considered. Some are more important than others and must take priority. It’s easy to get excited and place more attention on the small details like the newest supplement, diabetic special food or the best time to consume your whey protein. Rather than prioritizing the more important (yet sometimes boring) aspects like your ‘WHY’ behind eating better, overall calorie intake or diabetes management.

The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Nutrition Pyramid

The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Nutrition Pyramid (pictured below) outlines all the nutritional aspects of building a successful bodybuilding diet for fat loss or muscle gain with diabetes, from most important (at the bottom) to least important (at the top). Structure your nutrition like this and you can guarantee high-quality results.

This is the exact hierarchy of importance I have incorporated into my new 112 Day Body Transformation Guides, Diabetic Shred and Diabetic Mass, developed exclusively for people living with diabetes.

1. PERSONAL VALUES FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS.

Your personal values for health and fitness are your WHY behind your HOW TO.

Find as many reasons as you can to support why improving your diet will enhance the quality of your life. These answers are the driving force behind your daily attitude and actions.

Quick hint, you’ll need a lot more reasons than simply wanting to look better to fit in.

I’ll do a separate article on the psychological aspects of getting in shape as it’s a complex subject well beyond the scope of this nutrition article.

2. DIABETES MANAGEMENT.

Even if a diet is comprised of the best quality and freshest food or most expensive supplements on the planet. Poorly controlled diabetes can predispose individuals to malnutrition, a condition where the cells of the body cannot utilise fuel properly.

Malnutrition resulting from poorly controlled (i.e. uncontrolled) diabetes, adversely affects body function and well-being, in addition to predisposing individuals to disease and delaying recovery from illness.

The point of the matter – Your diabetes must be exceptionally well controlled in order to reap the full benefits of healthy eating.

 3. ADHERENCE.

Whether your goal is to shred pounds of body fat, gain mass or maintain body weight, your diet plan must be able to accommodate social occasions, days off, and the odd slice of pizza when you fancy it. Yes, a diabetic just said pizza.

The best diabetes bodybuilding diets incorporate a little give and take. If set up correctly, the total number of calories you consume will allow you to achieve your goal without restricting the foods you love.

Eating ‘clean’ doesn’t mean you’re doing things optimally. This is especially true if you find yourself craving the foods and macronutrients you restricted.

What good is a diet that drives you crazy?

You’ll struggle to get results, never mind maintain them.

Besides nailing your calorie intake and essential nutrient targets, the secret to building a better-looking body is eating a diet you enjoy. Adherence is everything. This viewpoint is also supported by the Journal of the American Medical Association which researched pretty much every fat loss diet on the planet to find ‘adherence’ was the most significant factor behind a diet’s success ⁹.

How many massively restrictive diets have you started, only to stop once your burst of enthusiasm has been replaced by pure monotony? Time to re-think things?

As for training, it’s only the fun part.

I take dietary adherence very seriously in my guides. I’ve even incorporated detailed instructions on how you can eat the foods you love and still get in amazing shape. The breakthrough diabetes bodybuilding diet and training guides are Diabetic Shred and Diabetic Mass.

Forget overly restrictive, dull, boring chicken, broccoli and rice diets, carb cycling, detoxes and super expensive supplements.

Focus on sustainability and killer consistency.

Know Your Goal:

To Cut, Build or Maintain?

Now you’ve got to terms with the foundation of your diabetes bodybuilding diet plan, let’s discuss your goals before going any further.

1. FAT LOSS – Fairly self-explanatory. The goal is to get as lean as possible while maintaining, and where possible increasing, muscle mass at the same time.

2. INCREASE BODYWEIGHT & MUSCLE MASS – When the primary focus is an increase in body weight, muscle size and strength. Successful mass gain involves very little fat gain.

3. MAINTAIN BODYWEIGHT – Maintaining your current level of body fat and muscle mass. Typically reserved for retired bodybuilders or individuals who no longer have the time or resources to commit to a full-time bodybuilding lifestyle. If you want to keep looking great naked, with the minimum effective dose, maintaining is your goal.

Once you’ve identified your diabetes bodybuilding goal you will need set yourself a time frame, measure your progress and get accountable.

Let me elaborate…

1. Set a time frame.

You need to set yourself an adequate time frame for getting in shape.

How long will depend on much progress you want to make.

There is a huge difference between

• Losing 10lbs of fat vs. 100lbs
• Gaining 2lb of muscle mass vs. 20lbs

While building a great looking physique takes years, generally speaking, 16 weeks is enough time to make significant body transformation changes.

2. Measure your rate of progress.

If you aren’t assessing you’re just guessing.

To get the most out of your diabetes bodybuilding diet plan, you must learn to evaluate and measure your food intake.

“Tracking food may seem like a mundane task”

Think again, tracking allows you to build portion control habits, and eat more flexibly in relation to your bodybuilding goals.

Fat loss requires eating less than you burn off. Overeating will hinder your fat loss efforts, while under eating will increase your chances of muscle loss and fatigue.

Mass gain requires eating slightly more than you burn off. Overeating will increase your chances of gaining unwanted body fat, while eating too little will slow muscle growth and prevent you adding size.

Far too often people blindly drop their calories and increase their training when there is no need. You must adjust when the time is right. How will you know? Tracking of course!

Having worked with 100s of bodybuilders and physique athletes, I know only too well how confusing it can be when it comes to making decisions about when to cut calories and where from. I paid great attention to this dilemma when developing Diabetic Shred and Diabetic Mass.

Both guides give you a crystal clear decision process for when and where to adjust your calories, once you hit a plateau. The plateau is usually the time when people give up on their goals. Have you given up when improvements have slowed?

Having a clear set of questions and actions like this saves hassle, gets better results, and most importantly, keeps you progressing not quitting!

3. Get Accountable.

To get the most out of your diabetes bodybuilding diet plan, you must get accountable.

Hiring a coach or personal trainer with a proven track record who understands diabetes management will be worth its weight in gold, especially if it is your first time.

A good coach will give you that much-needed push during training, along with good honest critical feedback on your physical progress, and posing.

Now let’s get into the nitty gritty of nutrition and talk calories, carbs, protein, dietary fat and supplements.

4. ENERGY BALANCE.

The first place to start when building your diet plan is calories.

Calories play a crucial role in everyone’s attempts to build muscle and shred fat ¹.

If your goal is to lose body fat or increase body weight, you must first establish how many calories you need to maintain your current bodyweight, and then work from there.

How do I work out my maintenance calories?

Record your body weight and calorie consumption over 14 days. Total the values up and divide each of them by 14 to get your fortnightly calorie and body weight average. Compare this value to your starting body weight…

• If your body weight has gone up, this indicates a calorie surplus.
• If your body weight has gone down, this indicates a calorie deficit.
• If your body weight has remained the same, this indicates maintenance calories.

Oh, and if the idea of weighing yourself seems daunting, here are some useful tips on how to weigh yourself properly.

Another way to calculate maintenance calories is by using a calorie calculation.

These aren’t 100% bulletproof, but they do get you on the right path.

Once you’ve established a maintenance level of calories, you’ll need to adjust it to your goal.

Generally speaking, for…

• Fat Loss – Eat slightly fewer calories than you need to maintain your body weight.
• Mass gain – Eat slightly more calories than you need to maintain your body weight.
• Body maintenance – Keep eating the same amount of calories.

5. MACRONUTRIENTS.

Everyone gets confused about macros. It’s no surprise considering the vast amount of conflicting and over-complicated information found online and in the papers.

Low carb,

High carb,

High fat,

Low fat.

Which macro split is best for diabetes?

Here’s what you need to know about macros…

Certain macro nutrients are essential, others not.

Protein and the essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6) need to be consumed via the diet.

Carbohydrates and other forms of fat are non-essential as the body can produce them itself.

The best diet contains all the macronutrients in the right amounts specific to your overall calorie goal for fat loss, mass gain or body weight maintenance.

What ratio of macronutrients you decide to eat is largely down to personal preference once you have met your essential needs for protein, essential fatty acids and carbohydrates for hypo treatment/prevention purposes.

How much protein do I need?

To keep it simple, 1.4-2.0g per kg (0.6-1.0g per lb) of protein for the majority of people reading this.

In other words, if you weigh 67kg (147lb) you would consume 90-150g of protein per day. Split equally over 3-5 servings of 20-40g each day.

How much fat do I need?

Generally speaking, consuming 20-30% of your calories from fat is a great place to start. You might consume different amounts each day. However, over a period of weeks/months – they should average out.

In respect to your overall fat intake, certain types of dietary fat are essential, others not.

Omega-3s are essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that need to be supplied through the diet

There are three types of omega-3s involved in human physiology: ALA, EPA & DHA. Predominantly of marine origin, EPA and DHA are better than ALA found in plant oils, due to their greater bioavailability ^2,3.

Consuming fatty fish and fish oil supplements have been shown to improve dozens of aspects of health and disease, including insulin sensitivity, blood lipids, depression, inflammation and blood pressure, to name a few ^2,3,4,5,6.

Taking into account the different government and health organisations’ recommendations, 1-3 g of combined EPA-DHA per day suffices. The upper dose of 3g would be more suitable for people with diabetes due to the predisposition of a high triglyceride level and elevated blood pressure.

1 gram of fish oil is the equivalent to around 3 fish oil capsules per day or three to four 112g portions per week of oily fish like salmon, mackerel or sardines.

You’ll want to check how much Omega 3 you can take with your health care professional if you’re taking blood thinning medication.

How many carbs do I need?

Carbohydrate should make up the remainder of your calorie intake once you have calculated your calorie intake from protein and fat. The more carbs you eat, the less fat you’ll eat, and vice versa. The more dietary fat you eat, the fewer carbs you’ll consume.

Think of carbohydrate as a performance fuel, not a recovery fuel – the more training you do, the more you’ll need.

Do I need to go low carb if I live with diabetes?

Not necessarily.

If you are highly active and strength train 3-6 times per week, carbohydrates will help fuel your exercise performance and provide your body with a better training stimulus.

The fiber aspect of carbohydrates has also been shown to play a key role in the health of our microbiome, which has now been repeatedly shown to play a key role in body weight management ^7,8.

Carbs provide a range of different vitamins and minerals. They also taste great and help with dietary adherence.

Provided you manage your blood glucose levels and account for the calories you consume from carbohydrate, there is no reason to exclude them. On a side note, you must account for the carbohydrate calories you use to treat hypoglycaemia. This may vary from day to day.

If you”re like most men with diabetes, trying to figure all this out can get pretty overwhelming. One of the easiest ways to overcome this is to follow simple recipe plans.

That’s why I created the Ultra Lean Diabetic Cookbook for men looking to shred fat.

….and The Diabetic Muscle Building Cookbook for men looking to pack on muscle size and strength.

These books are are jam packed with 200 mouth-watering diabetic friendly recipes. They include everything from beef burgers, tortilla pizzas, tacos the whole way through to protein bars and pancakes. All the calories and macronutrients are outlined for you – they even come with a Myfitness pal barcode for easy food tracking.

6. NUTRIENT TIMING

Nutrient timing is more important for people with diabetes, especially when it comes to preventing/treating hypoglycaemia or preventing hyperglycaemia.

Refer to the infographic below and review when nutrient timing is Very Important, Worth Considering and Not Important. It’s the perfect size for Instagram, so please do feel free to share on social media (remember to tag us)

Getting your nutrition timed right has favourable effects on body composition, mood, and diabetes management. However, it should never be prioritised over the more important levels of the pyramid such as energy balance and macro nutrients.

A prime example of this would be the ‘no carbs after 6 dogma.’

In terms of meal frequency, 2-4 meals for fat loss and 3-5 if bulking to add size.

7. MICRONUTRIENTS/FIBER/WATER.

The topic of micro-nutrition may sound mind-numbing but you can’t overlook it.

Long-term micronutrient deficiencies will have a detrimental impact on your health and ability to perform/recover optimally from your training efforts.

Micronutrient deficiencies can result from prolonged periods of low-calorie dieting and poorly controlled diabetes. A varied diet is a great way to get in a range of micronutrients.

If you have any problems with energy levels, hunger, skin, or problems sleeping, you might be short of a few vitamins or minerals. Rather than assuming, the best way to check for micro nutrient deficiencies is by getting a blood test done.

Fiber Intake

First of all, it is worth noting fiber is not an essential nutrient.

1. It makes you feel fuller (helps with fat loss)
2. Slows gastric emptying and nutrient absorption (can help with blood glucose management)
3. Decreases blood cholesterol
4. Decreasing mineral absorption
5. Provides food for the bacteria in our guts which are shown to play a massive role in health and obesity prevention.
6. Helps you go to the toilet.

High-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables contain lots of other nutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are important to health.

If your fiber intake is low, don’t start ploughing it down. The body, particularly the bacteria within your gut need a little time to adapt. Otherwise, you’ll be pretty bloated and be blowing a lot of gas.

Provided you don’t suffer from IBS or any other serious bowel condition, 30-40g of fiber is a great target to shoot for daily.

Water Intake

Water is important for all things: health, muscle building and exercise performance. There isn’t really a fixed water goal you should work to per say, as hydration needs vary widely with body weight, sweat rates and frequency of hyperglycaemia.

Generally speaking,

• Aim for at least 5 clear urinations a day.
• Make sure you’re not dehydrated before training.
• Hydrate yourself well both during and after hyperglycaemia.
• Your hydration needs will increase if you are using the likes of creatine.

8. SUPPLEMENTS.

When it comes to supplements, let’s get five things straight.

1. Supplements are the least important part of the nutrition pyramid.
2. Supplements can be a great nutritional insurance to someone living with diabetes. However, they will not mop up the damage caused by poorly controlled diabetes.
3. Supplements are a healthy addition to a good diet plan, but they will not make up for a poor one.
4. Generally speaking, supplements are not needed, unless you don’t eat oily fish or natural sources of omega 3.
5. Supplements are never to be seen as shortcuts.

What supplements do I need?

Generally speaking, protein powder is a convenient easily digested source of high-quality protein, creatine along with caffeine is useful for boosting strength and cognition, Vitamin D is good for health if you live in a dull climate, fish oil seems to improve many elements of health – which makes all of these a worthwhile investment.

Since I consider the subject of supplements such a non-important topic, I’ll cover them in greater detail in a separate article, as I don’t want them distracting from the more important parts of this article.

In fact, I guarantee some people will have skipped everything I’ve said up until now – if you have – go back and start afresh.

If you’ve read the whole way up until here. Great!

Respect the hierarchy of importance for each element outlined in the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness nutrition pyramid, get focused on building healthy habits over the long term, assessing your progress and just eat real food.

Take Home

Before you pay for another month of gym membership consider these key principles for cutting, bulking or maintenance phases.

• Proper diabetes bodybuilding nutrition is about understanding how to eat healthily and sustainably towards your goals. All diet plans work (for a while), use them as a template from which to adjust according to your results and personal circumstances.

• Never hop from diet to diet. It’s best to measure progress after about 2 to 4 weeks and then continually adjust.

• At all times, whether gaining, losing or maintaining, the ultimate nutritional approach for diabetic bodybuilding is a calorie controlled, nutrient dense diet that supports exercise performance and recovery.

• To get the best possible results an individual’s diabetes must be extremely well-managed through regular blood glucose testing and appropriate amounts of medication. This is essential for the proper absorption and metabolism of nutrients from food.

Since you have made it to the end of this blog, you are obviously serious about your physique, so

I’m going to give you an 85% off coupon for what many have coined the most advanced diabetes bodybuilding diet and training programs in the world. And, yes before you ask you can do SHRED first, then MASS (or vice versa)

They are also both an absolute steal too, at only £13 ($16)

If your goal is fat loss -> GET DIABETIC SHRED   

If your goal is lean weight gain –> GET DIABETIC MASS

References

1. The poor, misunderstood calorie: calories proper: Volume 1 Lagakos Ph.D., Dr. William
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28289069
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23794360
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25278765
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013121/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24117792
7. Le Chatelier, T. Nielsen, J. Qin, E. Prifti, F. Hildebrand, G. Falony, et al. Richness of human gut microbiome correlates with metabolic markers Nature, 500 (2013), pp. 541-546.
8. -P. Furet, L.-C. Kong, J. Tap, C. Poitou, A. Basdevant, J.-L. Bouillot, et al. Differential adaptation of human gut microbiota to bariatric surgery-induced weight loss: links with metabolic and low-grade inflammation markers Diabetes, 59 (2010), pp. 3049-3057, 10.2337/db10-0253
9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256290225_A_Call_for_an_End_to_the_Diet_Debates

Before we discuss creatine and diabetes let’s discuss what creatine actually is and abolish some of the common myths and fallacies around this ever popular sports nutrition supplement.

Quick Fire Myths Dispelled

Q. Is creatine a steroid?

No

Q. Does creatine make you go bald?

No

Q. Does creatine cause cancer?

No

Q. What happens when you stop taking creatine?

Generally nothing.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a molecule we naturally produce in the body. It is a natural tri-peptide which means it has three amino acids. If you eat a diet rich in animal proteins like beef, fish and dairy you will naturally be consuming creatine

Creatine has profound effects on exercise performance by increasing your body’s availability of Adenosine-Triphosphate (ATP) the body’s primary source of energy, especially when performing resistance based exercise. Increased ATP availability allows you to lift heavier for longer which amplifies your ability to stimulate muscle growth.

Creatine Supplementation = More ATP = More Energy = Greater Training Stimulus

There is also research supporting the cognitive benefits of creatine supplementation in those with depression.

Noted benefit and possible side effects include:

• Increased strength
• Water retention
• Stomach cramping (if insufficient water is consumed)
• Diarrhoea of nausea (if too much consumed)

There is some concern that it could harm the kidney, liver, or heart function. However, a connection between high doses and these negative effects has not been proven.

Q. What is the best type of creatine?

There is a host of different creatines available on the market including Creatine monohydrate, Kre-Alkalyn and Creatine Ethyl Ester.

Which form of creatine is best?

Creatine monohydrate is the best form. It is the cheapest and most researched creatine of the lot.

How Do you take creatine?

There are two approaches to dosing creatine.

Approach 1 – Loading Phase

• 0.3g per kg bodyweight per day
• 80 KG male = 24g (broken up into 5g doses)

Approach 2 – Maintenance

• Supplementing with 5g per day.

Q. Do you need to cycle creatine?

Given the current body of evidence, you do not need to cycle creatine.

CREATINE AND DIABETES

How does the holy grail of supplements fare against diabetes?

The research to support creatine consumption in people living with T2 is relatively large. Unfortunately, there is zero research investigating the effects of creatine consumption in people living with T1 which definitely warrants future research.

Benefits of Creatine in Diabetes

Increased muscle mass and frequent muscle contraction in people without diabetes is known to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake into cells.

Creatine has the ability to improve glycemic control, based on its ability to increase training performance.

Muscle tissue acts like a vacuum and storage house for glucose.

When muscle tissue is contracted such as during resistance training, specific glucose transporters known as GLUT-4 translocate (rise) to the surface of the muscle cell and assist with the disposal of glucose out of the bloodstream and into the muscle cells.

The harder an individual trains the greater uptake of glucose.

It is well established that people living with Type 2 diabetes have a marked increase in GLUT-4 activity following strength training ² which assists in the lowering of blood glucose.

These favourable changes could also be seen in people with Type 1. However, due to a complete lack of insulin production, the liver’s production of glucose can often outweigh uptake and thus lead to hyperglycemia.

Is it fair to say these benefits would be useful in well-controlled type 1 diabetes, especially if the liver’s production of glucose is accounted for with appropriate amounts of injectable insulin?

Maybe so….

Either way, more research is needed.

If you want to learn more about building muscle tissue with creatine, I’ve covered an absolute tonne of useful strategies in my book The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide.

Is creatine safe for diabetics?

One of the main concerns with creatine is kidney trouble.

The underlying theory does make sense. The more creatine consumed, the harder the kidneys have to work to process it. And, since people with diabetes already have an increased susceptibility to kidney disease, especially when poorly controlled, creatine consumption might exacerbate the issue.

In fact, there isn’t one single peer-reviewed study or case report suggesting creatine as the causative factor behind kidney damage, which is a marked complication of poorly controlled diabetes.

Research by Gualano in 2010 studied a man with one functioning kidney who consumed more than 20g creatine monohydrate per day. His remaining kidney failed to show any signs of damage ³.

A significant double-blind trial by Gualano and colleagues in 2011 looked at the kidney function of people with Type 2 diabetes who consumed 5g of creatine/day versus those who consumed a placebo. Both groups performed a mixture of aerobic and resistance based exercise, but neither presented any evidence of kidney damage ⁴.

In a separate study, Gualano and colleagues also noted that creatine consumption could improve overall diabetic control by lowering HbA1C levels ⁵.

Two groups, one consuming a placebo and one consuming 5g of creatine/day, both took part in a mixed exercise plan of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Those who were consuming creatine found a significant reduction in HbA1C compared to the placebo group within a period of 12 weeks.

It was proposed these beneficial effects were a result of increased GLUT-4 activity and ensuring glucose disposal into cells ⁵.

If you want to learn more about the effects of creatine on the diabetic body before taking it you definitely need to check out the hour-long webinar I recorded with Dr Darryn Willoughby (one of the world’s leading exercise researchers) inside the exclusive webinars section of The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Training Lab.

If you’re obsessed with building a better body, The Training Lab contains a gold mine of information you will benefit from.

Take Home

People living with T2 can safely consume creatine. Research among people with Type 1 diabetes is lacking and should advocate further studies taking place.

Creatine has demonstrated significant benefits on glucose metabolism when used alongside exercise, raising its potential as a possible nutritional therapy in this population.

For the benefit of your overall care, you must mention it to your medical doctor.

Creatine is a proven supplement. But make sure you’re confident in your blood glucose control before using it. Even the best supplements in the world can’t protect against hyperglycemia.

Interested In Using Creatine As Part of Your Muscle Building Efforts?

Since you have made it to the end of this blog, you are obviously serious about your physique, I’m going to give you an 85% off coupon for what many have coined the most advanced diabetes bodybuilding diet and training programs in the world.

Both of these plans incorporate creatine monohydrate as part of their 112-day diet and training program.

The best thing about it…

For all the information you get, these guides are an absolute steal, at only £13 ($16) each.

IF YOUR GOAL IS FAT LOSS -> GET DIABETIC SHRED   

IF YOUR GOAL IS LEAN WEIGHT GAIN –> GET DIABETIC MASS

References

1. Ritcher, EA and Hargeaves M, (2013). Exercise, GLUT4, and skeletal muscle glucose uptake. Physiology Reviews
2. Holten MK, Zacho M, Gaster M, Juel C, Wojtaszewski JF, Dela F., (2004). Strength training increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake, GLUT4 content, and insulin signalling in skeletal muscle in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes.
3. Gualano B, Ferreira DC, Sapienza MT, Seguro AC, Lancha AH Jr. (2010). Effect of short-term high-dose creatine supplementation on measured GFR in a young man with a single kidney. American Journal of Kidney Disease.
4. Gualano B, de Salles Painelli V, Roschel H, Lugaresi R, Dorea E, Artioli GG, Lima FR, da Silva ME, Cunha MR, Seguro AC, Shimizu MH, Otaduy MC, Sapienza MT, da Costa Leite C, Bonfá E, Lancha Junior AH., (2011). Creatine supplementation does not impair kidney function in type 2 diabetic patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. European Journal of Applied Physiology.
5. Gualano B, DE Salles Painneli V, Roschel H, Artioli GG, Neves M Jr, De Sá Pinto AL, Da Silva ME, Cunha MR, Otaduy MC, Leite Cda C, Ferreira JC, Pereira RM, Brum PC, Bonfá E, Lancha AH Jr., (2011). Creatine in type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

Other References – Benefits of Creatine

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1…

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1…

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti…

https://link.springer.com/article/10….

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/…

https://link.springer.com/article/10….

http://journals.humankinetics.com/doi…

http://go.galegroup.com/ps/anonymous?…

http://jap.physiology.org/content/91/…

• People with diabetes can eat junk food, provided they monitor their calorie intake and dose their medication accurately.
• Junk food should never make up the bulk of your diet, even if the food choices fit your calorie needs.
• Junk food isn’t filling and may leave you feeling hungry. This can be problematic for fat loss.
• People with diabetes need to be vigilant with blood glucose management when including junk food in their diets.

CAN YOU EAT JUNK FOOD IF YOU HAVE DIABETES?

The simple answer is YES.

You can include junk food as part of your daily eating regime if you live with diabetes.

However, this doesn’t mean you can eat as much Oreos, Ben & Jerrys and Pizza as you like. There are certain rules and principles you must respect before you rush off and start snacking.

First, let me ask,

Is junk food good for you?

Honestly? Is It…?

Are there any benefits to including junk food in your diet?

Ask a health professional or someone on the street, and their first reaction will be a confident ‘NO’.

‘Junk food is not healthy and should be avoided or kept to an absolute minimum.’

Let’s explore this common dogma a little more.

Here are the main reasons why most people have a negative perception of junk food:

• Junk food is high in calories and increases fat gain.
• Junk food is low in vitamins, minerals and fibre.
• Junk food doesn’t fill you up and increases your chances of overeating the rest of the day.
• Junk food can spike blood glucose levels, increasing the potential for hyperglycemia.
• Dosing the correct amount of insulin with different types of junk food can be challenging and increase the potential for hypoglycemia.

All of these points are true.

However, these negative aspects only become apparent when junk food is overeaten or makes up the bulk of someone’s diet.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A GOOD OR BAD FOOD. JUST GOOD OR BAD DIETS.

Too many people look at food in isolation, blaming individual foods as the sole cause of obesity and other metabolic disorders like diabetes.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Excess calories and low levels of physical activity are the main reason for today’s obesity epidemic. This is a huge topic well outside the scope of this article.

IT’S BETTER TO REVIEW YOUR DIET OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. NOT JUST ONE DAY. THINK ACROSS THE WEEK, MONTH AND YEAR. 

For example, if you maintain your bodyweight on 2500kcals.

Which diet would prove more healthful?

A. 2500kcal of entirely fresh, whole minimally processed fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat.

Or,

B. 2500kcal of Oreos and processed beef burgers.

The answer is ‘Option A’ of course.

Even though both diets yield the same energy, Option A provides you with all the essential nutrients, vitamins minerals and fibre; whereas, option B is lacking and will inevitably pose a nutritional health deficiency risk if consumed over the long term.

Now, If I added a third option that included

C. 2500kcal of mixed food sources, with 2000kcals coming from fresh, whole minimally processed fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat and 500kcals coming from Oreos and other sources of junk food goodness.

Would this be unhealthy?

Not necessarily.

The bulk i.e. 80% (2000kcals) of the diet is made up of whole foods and a mere 20% (500kcals) is comprised of junk.

It still allows me to control my energy balance, body weight and obtain all my essential nutrients, whilst at the same time include 500kcals of junk food for intuitive or social nibbles if I really wanted it.

YOU CAN TACTFULLY INCLUDE JUNK FOOD AS PART OF YOUR DIABETIC BODYBUILDING AND FITNESS REGIME.

Some people call this style of eating ‘If It Fits Your Macros – IIFYM’ or flexible dieting.

If It Fits Your Macros and Insulin sound pretty cool.

I digress.
Call it whatever you want.

The flexible dieting approach has been shown to be superior to a more rigid-type approach (e.g. clean eating) for long-term weight loss/maintenance in the research. ^1,2

This terminology simply represents three important principles involved in goal-orientated diabetic bodybuilding nutrition.

#1 Energy balance.

Calories are important.

Provided your diabetes is kept in control, weight loss is pretty much the relationship between calories consumed from food versus calories expended by the metabolism, physical activity and exercise.

1. When people are in a caloric deficit, they always lose weight.
2. When people are in a caloric surplus, they always gain weight.

Eat within the lines – according to your goal.

#2 You are what you do on average.

In other words, if you eat the bulk of your diet from low-quality junk food, you will look and feel like junk. Hence, why fresh, whole minimally processed food MUST make up the bulk of your dietary intake.

As a general rule of thumb, I try to eat 70% + of my diet from whole food ingredients, but with up to 30% from junk. Very rarely do I go crazy and consume 50% + of my diet from junk food, bar Christmas. Then again that’s only 1 day out of 365 per year. See my point?

You are what you do and ‘eat’ on average.

#3 Adherence.

Modern food technology and marketing tantalise our taste buds and get us salivating from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed. We are faced with so much more pressure to eat nowadays than ever before. Add to that the convenience of foods – we are spoilt for choice.

Sometimes you have to face it.

A cold chicken salad won’t cut it. But your favourite chocolate bar will.

What do you do?

1. Give in and then feel guilty for eating a ‘bad’ food.
2. Be strong and restrict yourself, until you crack at the weekend and end up eating more chocolate than you could ever imagine.

Been there done that.

Feeling restricted is one of the biggest reasons why most diets fail.

If people only knew how to tactfully manage ‘desired’ junk food choices within their calorie intakes, we would undoubtedly see less obesity and more sustained fat loss.

What about ‘clean eating’ for people with diabetes?

The popularly coined way of dieting ‘clean eating’ has no real definition.

How do you know what you’re eating is ‘clean’?

Rather than focusing on ‘clean’ eating.

Get your calorie intake right,

Eat a colourful diet,

Vary your vegetable, fruit, meat and dairy sources,

Don’t overly restrict food groups

If you want a little bit of junk food, eat it.

Just ensure you cover it with the right amount of medication. Note as many details down as possible,

• Calorie intake
• Carb intake (this affects blood glucose the most)
• Protein (also affects blood glucose levels)
• Blood sugar before eating
• 45 mins to 120 mins after eating.
• Insulin Dose
• Any stress or physical activity that may have influenced blood glucose levels between eating and injecting.

Keeping a tab on all these details will help paint a better picture of how your blood glucose will behave when you consume certain foods leading to better long-term blood glucose control.

Check out this video of me eating ice cream in Barcelona. I discuss how I manage my own diabetes whilst eating sugary junk foods.

JUNK FOOD IS A USEFUL TOOL FOR HYPO PREVENTION.

Sugary drinks and confectionary are rapid treatments for hypoglycemia. If fat loss is your main bodybuilding goal, focus on using fast-acting carbohydrate sources of junk food that are low in fat and protein.

These foods bring blood glucose back into range faster than mixed macronutrient foods. You also avoid the unwanted consumption of fat and protein calories, which can add up over time.

Take Home

• People with diabetes can include junk food as part of a healthy muscle building and fat loss diet.

• The danger is in the dose. Never let junk food comprise the bulk of your diet. It’s generally low in vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre.

• Blood sugar levels may be more prone to hyperglycemia especially as you vary junk food choice and timing.

• Fast acting carbohydrate forms of junk food can be useful in treating hypoglycemia.

• Obsess over keeping your blood glucose levels in range. Track your food, medication, and how your blood sugars respond to set foods. This will allow you to predict and dose in the future. This may take some time.

As long as the bulk of your nutrition comes from high-quality foods, you keep your diabetes well managed, your body fat in check, avoid chronic stress, get enough sleep and are regularly active, you are going to be successful with your bodybuilding and strength training efforts.

I have incorporated these exact nutritional tactics into my incredibly popular Diabetic Shred 112 Day Body Transformation Guide. The transformations and results people are achieving are incredible. Every day I am tagged in posts by people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes who are now increasingly mindful of their calories, not feeling restricted, and are losing large amounts of body fat while still eating the foods they love like burgers, ice-cream and chocolate.

References

1. Stewart TM, Williamson DA, White MA. Rigid vs. flexible dieting: association with eating disorder symptoms in non-obese women. Appetite. 2002 Feb;38(1):39-44.
2. Stotland S. Moderation: an alternative to restraint as a mode of weight self-regulation. Eat Behav. 2012 Dec;13(4):406-9.

There are many challenges and distractions to getting in shape. The temptation of high-calorie convenience food presents itself everywhere you go and machines are taking your jobs.

It’s becoming easier and easier to overeat, move less and become an obesity statistic.

In this article, I want to highlight 5 useful tips that will help keep you on the straight and narrow with your muscle building and fat loss efforts.

1. Persistence is important, but planned, periodic bouts of “being bad” can actually be a good thing.

This can include everything from holidays, training breaks, sleeping in. right through to portion-controlled food options that lie outside normal ‘clean eating’.

 2. The SMART method is a great way to approach your diabetic body building and fitness goals.

Specific,

Measurable,

Attainable,

Realistic,

Time-Bound

Are your behaviours allowing you to achieve your goals?

If not, what can you do to alter these behaviours or habits?

3. If you keep slipping up (take note)

You either don’t want it bad enough or your diet and training programmes need to be tweaked.

One of the easiest ways to overcome poor dietary adherence is to follow delicious diabetic friendly recipe plans. They remove the stress of thinking ‘what’s safe to eat’ and give you done-for-you meal ideas that can be cooked in a flash.

Thats exactly why I created the Ultra Lean Diabetic Cookbook – it’s loaded with 100 mouth-watering diabetic friendly recipes. They include everything from beef burgers, tortilla pizzas, tacos the whole way through to protein bars and pancakes. All the calories and macronutrients are outlined for you – they even come with a Myfitness pal barcode for easy food tracking

One of the easiest ways to overcome this is to follow simple recipe plans.

4. A rigid, all-or-nothing approach to fitness is self-sabotaging to the majority of individuals, especially those who try to do it long term.

Staying in contest or photo shoot ready shape 365 days a year is not practical for 99% of the population both physiologically (physically) and psychologically (mentally) speaking.

Realise most of the incredibly shaped bodies you see on the fronts of magazines and Instagram eat, sleep and breathe fitness 24/7.

It’s their full-time job to look good. And, they usually have more time, money and effort to dedicate towards their goals than the average member of the public who works a full-time job.

There are various reasons behind an ‘all or nothing’ approach. Most people follow what they deem necessary, largely as a result of media influence, yet they fail to question or critique their approach.

Other reasons include habit, deep-rooted insecurity and even a superiority complex of ‘I’m working harder than you.’

Anxiety, depression and loss of opportunity in life and business can often result from being too fixated on your fitness endeavours.

You must find balance, be patient and realise not everything goes to plan.

5. Enjoyment is often more important than progress.

Building a great looking body is a life long journey – it needs to be enjoyable, manageable and most importantly sustainable.

–       Healthy is enjoying your life.

–       Healthy is being able to eat the food you want and at the time you want.

–       Healthy is not stressing if you missed a training day, especially if it’s because you’re doing something better or more enjoyable with your time.

Take Home

How you look, feel and perform right now is a result of what you do on average. If you can’t stick to your approach over the long term, your results won’t last.

If you want to learn the exact science of how to build a diet that is super easy to stick to, and doesn’t leave you feeling miserable you need to grab a copy of The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide.

With over 400+ pages of evidence-based theory on how to build a stronger, better-looking body with diabetes, this is an absolute must for any dedicated gym goer living with diabetes.

I go into great depth on how you can create your own diet principles, incorporate ‘cheat foods’, even if you crave something every single day.

The only food you ever need to feel guilty about is the food you steal.

Let’s face it, weighing on the scales can be a complete mind game for any diabetic looking to build muscle and shred fat.

One minute bodyweight moves in your favour, the next it takes an unexpected spike leaving you confused and ready to swing a sledgehammer at the scales. Check out these 5 super useful reminders to consider every time you step on the scales.

You don’t suddenly gain fat within seconds of eating something ‘bad’.

Fat gain results from consuming more energy than you burn off. Visible excess body fat accumulates over prolonged periods of time (multiple days, weeks, months) not 10 seconds after eating.

One sitting of ‘bad’ food doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll gain fat. What you eat across the day (total calories) in conjunction with how active you’ve been through exercise and basic day to day (non-exercise) activities determines how much fat you gain.

Body fluids can change rapidly over 24 hours.

There are various reasons why body water levels change across the day. Diet, especially the intake of water retaining nutrients like salt and carbohydrate, sweat rate during exercise right through to the use of certain medications all play a role.

If we remember the fact that muscle tissue is comprised of around 70% water, this gives us a fair idea just how heavy body fluids can be, especially in a well-trained individual.

If you have diabetes hyperglycemia can result in more frequent urination which results in water loss/weight loss. Long-term hyperglycemia can result in both muscle and fat loss – influencing weight loss on the scales.

Losing weight this way is unhealthy and counterproductive to diabetic bodybuilding, fitness and sporting performance.

Keep your weighing as consistent as possible: device, time and location.

Consistency is key for accurate weight tracking.

Comparing your morning to evening body weight is a stupid assessment.

 You’re just weighing the day’s food, water and bowel content. The next time you weigh on the scales, drink 2 litres of water then weigh yourself before going to the toilet.

You’ll be significantly heavier. Think how heavy a 2-litre bottle of water is?

None of this is ‘FAT’ gain.

Average body weight across 7 days works far better than 1 day in the week to the next.

Weighing from one day in the week to the next is highly inaccurate. Average body weights are much more reliable and take into account day to day peaks and troughs in bodyweight.

If you want to understand more about the science behind what the scales say and why they should never be a sole indicator of body composition progress, check out my hugely popular in-depth article on WHY THE SCALES LIE

Diabetic Shred –  112-day Advanced Body Transformation Guide Built for FAT LOSS.

Diabetic Mass –  112-day Advanced Body Transformation Guide Built for MUSCLE MASS GAIN.

Stupid question!

YES!

People with diabetes can build a quality set of abs, 6-pack or core (whatever your preferred term)

All it takes is consistent application of the right knowledge.

I’ve recorded a detailed video discussing a number of important issues people with diabetes face when it comes to building a shredded set of abs.

Topics include:

• Calorie Balance and Diabetes.
• Hyperglycemia – your biggest enemy to building muscle and looking great!
• Diabetes medication and fat gain.
• Insulin abuse in competitive bodybuilding
• Why hypoglycemia will make you fat!
• and much much more!

I appreciate getting below 10% body fat may not be every diabetic’s goal.

However, there a great deal of people with diabetes who are highly passionate about bodybuilding and showing off their physique, where ultra-low levels of body fat are essential to showcase muscular definition.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

If you love this kind of diabetes diet and training stuff and want to know even more about how to shred fat and build a better-looking body with diabetes, then you’re in the right place.

Right now, you can join many other like-minded individuals in the private Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Facebook group who are following my 112 Day Diabetic Shred transformation plan and also save a MASSIVE 85% OFF with this coupon below.

Backed by a full 100% results guarantee you have nothing to lose and, with this coupon, you can access over 112 days of workouts, 7-day meal plans supplement guides and personal support from Phil Graham and the rest of the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness team all for $16 (£14). Get started here and claim your 85% discount now.

Going too hard too soon with massive food drops, crazy amounts of cardio and training is unsustainable and will most likely backfire – killing your attempts to get lean(er).

More Is Better, Right?

How many times have you heard someone start out with the following intentions?

‘I’m cutting out all carbs.’

‘I’m going to the gym x7 nights a week.’

‘I’m cutting out all alcohol.’

‘I’m going for a walk every night.’

While all the above may be necessary at some stage in your fat loss efforts, they do not need to be conducted all at once. The harder you go, the greater the shock to body and mind.

The Body Doesn’t Like Sudden Changes

Changing 101 behaviours at once can prove stressful, leaving you miserable and overwhelmed.

The human body can sense steep drops in energy. As a result, the body does everything it can to protect itself (preserve energy)

Fatigue, irritability, reduced performance, muscle loss and major appetite issues are typical of a diet and training regime that’s too extreme.

From a diabetic perspective, sudden increases in activity and reductions in food intake may create havoc with blood glucose control resulting in more hypos/hypers than ever before. 

You must measure and review key factors like body weight, physical performance and visual appearance before adjusting your diet and training regime. You want to get away with the minimal amount of calorie drops, exercise and physical activity before adding more in or taking more away.

You want to get away with the minimal amount of effort, so employ slow tactful manipulation of food, exercise and physical activity. I’ve outlined what I consider ideal weight loss targets at the end of the article.

The three most important factors to adjust for on-going fat loss are:

1. Energy Intake

Once fat loss slows food (calories) may need to be reduced to create a deficit. The only time calories should be brought back to balance or into a surplus is during a diet break or scheduled re-feeds.

2. Strength Training

Lifting weights serves one main purpose, and that is to stimulate muscle growth. Your body’s ability to burn fat is much more reliant on the 23 hours of eating, physical activity and sleep to burn body fat. Training volume and exercise selection are adjusted to accommodate recovery needs, prevent staleness of training (boredom) and avoid/work around injury.

3. Physical Activity

This has a massive impact on energy balance. As your fat loss slows, physical activity will need to be increased. Remember as the body gets lighter – it burns fewer calories moving throughout the day.

How Much Weight Can I Lose Safely?

As a general rule of thumb, you can expect the greatest body weight losses during the first few weeks of a fat loss diet and training regime. 

It’s normal to lose between 2-4% of total body weight in the first or second weeks, especially if you are transitioning out of an extremely poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. Don’t panic this is usually a shift in fluid and bowel contents.

Generally speaking,

Obese Individuals – 2-4% total body weight (2.5-5lbs per week) 

Lean Individuals – 0.5-1% total body weight (0.25-2lbs per week) 

Super lean individuals may not lose weight between weigh-ins. The reality is, they mightn’t have any to lose. If you’re super lean and body weight stays the same, your main progress marker will be strength (it should be up or constant) and/or an improvement in physical appearance.

Individuals using creatine and other sports performance supplements need to be mindful that water retention can mask weight loss. Visual appearance, feedback from a friend or looser clothing are solid gauges that you’ve lost body fat.

Like What You’ve Read? 

If you love reading this kind of stuff and want to know even more about how to shred fat and build muscle with diabetes, backed by science and proven to work in 100s of clients then you’re in the right place.

Right now, you are more than welcome to join many other like-minded individuals who are following my 112 Day Diabetic Shred transformation plan.

Backed by a full 100% results guarantee you have nothing to lose and, with this coupon, you can access over 112 days of workouts, 7-day meal plans supplement guides and personal support from Phil Graham and the rest of the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness team all for $16 (£14). Get started here and claim your 85% discount now.

When it comes to building a better body what grabs your attention most?

• The newest supplement?
• A professional athlete’s latest diet and training plan?
• Or, some fancy training footwear that’s been proven to increase performance by 10% (well, so the studies say)

The problem with fitness nowadays is too many people focus their time, money and effort on the wrong stuff.

The Boring Stuff Matters Most

Calorie balance, progressively lifting heavier from session to session, good hydration, adequate rest and sleep.

If these aren’t in place, your muscle building, and fat loss efforts are going nowhere.

While new and exciting approaches flood our news feeds on a daily basis, it’s important to realise that 99.9% are spin-offs of the fundamentals, just packaged and marketed smartly.

For example, take the newest pedometer. Besides taking calls and coming in pink, black and beige.

What’s its primary function?

To track steps.

In other words – encourage you to move more and increase energy expenditure.

Sound familiar? Yeah, it should. It’s the basic fundamentals of fat loss.

What Are The Key Essentials?

Having worked in the industry over 10 years now, I’ve identified what I feel are the 5 most important factors to consider before paying attention to the mass of minutia.

While reading this, ask yourself honestly, have you mastered the 5 factors I talk about.

If you haven’t, you may as well wave goodbye to your hard earned gains, cash and happiness!

1. Adherence

The psychological aspect of getting in shape is often overlooked but is crucial in determining your overall success.

Your level of motivation may not resemble that of a professional sportsperson whose career and livelihood depends on how they look and perform. Respect the fact, their mindset, priorities and access to resources are different to yours.

Don’t compare yourself, especially with what you see on social media.

Your diet must be affordable, accessible and account for your personal food likes and dislikes (you won’t stick to a diet you don’t like – one sure way to encourage binge eating). It also helps if you can cook (and store) what’s on the meal plan!

Your training regime must suit your current level of strength and fitness. It must also be tailored to the equipment you have available.

2. Patience

Worried you’re not making enough progress?

Guess what?

I’ve never heard of anyone complain they’re progressing too fast.

We all know the odd person who looks incredible no matter how dumb or lazy their approach.

The fact of the matter it isn’t you, nor me, so get over it!

Everyone is subject to a plateau no matter how genetically gifted they are.

It just happens at different times for all of us. Your body can and will adapt to everything you throw at it, both from a nutritional and training perspective.

Accept the fact you will never progress in a linear fashion.

Be patient, identify plateaus and work with them.

Like I say to all my personal training clients – It’s those that train the smartest last the longest.

3. Goal Focused Nutrition.

Here’s a breakdown of the key factors I take into account when helping my clients focus on their long-term dietary success.

• Appropriate calorific intake (the major determinant of weight loss and muscle gain)
• Essential Nutrients (fats, protein and micronutrients)
• Metabolic abnormalities and medical conditions like diabetes etc.
• Flexibility and diet breaks – realise, you won’t be able to stick to your program 100% day in day out. There will be times when things will slip. There is nothing wrong with this, such is life. Having the right plan in place that allows you to compensate and get on with things effortlessly is crucial.

I appreciate trying to figure all this out can get pretty overwhelming. One of the easiest ways to overcome this is to follow simple recipe plans.

That’s why I created the Ultra Lean Diabetic Cookbook for men and women looking to shred fat.

….and The Diabetic Muscle Building Cookbook for men looking to pack on muscle size and strength.

These books are are jam packed with 200 mouth-watering diabetic friendly recipes. They include everything from beef burgers, tortilla pizzas, tacos the whole way through to protein bars and pancakes. All the calories and macronutrients are outlined for you – they even come with a Myfitness pal barcode for easy food tracking.

4. Respect Your Ability To Move.

I’ve seen too many people neglect the extremely fundamental yet essential aspect of mobility. Good mobility translates into quality movement; quality movement translates into getting more from your exercises.

As a result, you can expect to load your exercise more safely and achieve a fuller more productive range of motion. This equates to increased muscle fibre activation and stimulation, which is essential for maximising your muscle gain and fat loss efforts.

Healthy mobility also reduces your chance of injury as poor mobility can result in the body finding compensatory movement patterns, which equate to strain on certain areas of musculature that shouldn’t come into play in the first place.

Factors that contribute to poor mobility:

• Posture – think sitting hunched over all day
• Injury/Pain – think of that old knee injury
• Shitty technique – sacrificing technique for load
• Prolonged muscle soreness (under recovery) – inadequate rest, hydration and nutrition are to blame.
• Poorly controlled diabetes.

Factors I’ve found help improve mobility:

• Strengthening the glutes and core which function as key stabilisers
• Foam rolling, static stretching, Ice Baths – to help calm neural reflexes and hypertonicity (tightness) associated with overworked tissue.
• Being ‘postural aware’ – taking regular breaks from sitting etc.
• Perfect practice makes perfect – focusing on quality movement not just shifting a load from A-B
• Utilising different training techniques and exercises to work around injury and pain
• Adequate, rest, nutrition and hydration (recovery)

5. Don’t Rely On The Scales.

The scales should never be considered your sole indicator of fat loss progress, especially in individuals who are already lean. While weight loss is an important and expected side effect of fat loss, there will be times when the figure on the scales won’t budge in your favour.

Don’t stress, there are a number of reasons why your scales weight will go up, despite being in a calorie deficit.

Prime reasons include:

• Fluid retention from medications, supplements (creatine), illness or recent hydration. Try weighing yourself after drinking 2 litres of water (you will see just how much fluid weighs!).
• Carb cycling (increasing carbohydrate intake will increase body weight)
• Sodium manipulation (sodium increases water retention) – combine sodium with more carbs and there is greater potential for weight gain.
• Bowel content – influenced by diet.
• Faulty scales (it happens)
• Increases in muscle mass.

What’s my strategy for dealing with unexpected weight gain?

Before weighing always stop and ask yourself,

Q. ‘Am I looking leaner?’

Q. ‘Has anyone else noticed?’

If you answered yes and yes – you’re winning!

Visual assessment always trumps a set of stats, especially when improving body image is the main goal. As the saying goes the mirror is your best friend.

In order to provide a more accurate evaluation of your body composition progress, you can also correlate changes in body weight with other key measures including:

• Visual assessment,
• Tightness/looseness of clothing,
• Waist circumference,
• Umbilical skin fold measure (easy to obtain)

Take Home

Build your house on solid, time-tested foundations, not quicksand. Don’t be fooled by the latest accessories, get your priorities right!

Like What You’ve Read? 

If you love reading this kind of stuff and want to know even more diabetes-focused diet and training info backed by science and proven to work in 100s of clients then you’re in the right place.

Right now, you can join many other like-minded individuals in the private Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Facebook group who are following my 112 Day Diabetic Shred transformation plan and also save a MASSIVE 85% OFF with this coupon below.

Backed by a full 100% results guarantee you have nothing to lose and, with this coupon, you can access over 112 days of workouts, 7-day meal plans supplement guides and personal support from Phil Graham and the rest of the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness team all for $16 (£14).

Get started here and claim your 85% discount now.