"Look Ahead" Diabetic Research Program

I am on a 10 year nationwide study "Look Ahead" and would like to get in touch with anyone else who might be on the program. I have lost almost 30 lbs since April. They like for you to take it off slowly and do not refer to it as a diet but a "lifestyle" program. It is being funded by the American Diabetis Foundation and the American Kidney Foundation but we are not paid any money.

I have been overweight all my life and have been on many diets, was diagnosed with diabetes about 12 years ago, am on oral medication. so I am just trying to become more healthy.

I am going on a cruise January 9, 2005 on AOS, hope to lose 20 more lbs before then.

Good luck to all, no matter what diet you choose, but first of all love yourself!

Hi I am a diabetic. Could you please tell me how I could find this diet? My email is

maurflo1@yahoo.com

Thank you

Hi,

I am diabetic also and really would enjoy a thread of people with diabetes. We have a whole set of problems in dieting that others don't have. I would love to talk with those who also face the same things as I. Is there anyone else out there who is diabetic?

Angie

Are you Type I or Type II diabetic? How long have you had diabetes? In any case it sounds like you are on the right track. Keep it up and stay strong - you're doing great!

Screamwithme, are you allowed to share your experiences on this lifestyle change? As someone else said, diabetics have an entire set of issues of their own as far as diet is concerned. I think you'll find a lot of support and have a lot of questions from our members here.

Please share what you can. I know some studies you are not allowed to share any information.

I am type II. My family has an incredible history of it on both my mom and my dad's side. It is interesting though that none of my siblings or cousins have it even though some of them are a little heavy. I have lost 38 lbs since february and have brought my numbers down a lot.

Angie

There are 18 sites around the country participating in this study. It is being funded by the American Diabetes Association and the American Kidney Foundation. It is a 500 million dollar study although we are not getting paid. The study began in 2000, was advertised on tv, hospitals, and doctor referrals. There was an intense screening process , both physically and mentally and a computer randomiztion of those who qualified to see who got in the most intense group called "Lifestyle". The study recruitment is now over across the country for participants but I am willing to share with others what I have learned via e-mail. We met initally every week,( first half hour weigh in,) last hour educational component). Each one of us have a personal coach(interventionist) that we can talk to anytime and meet with once a month privately. In my group (the Leftovers, because we are the last group in Denver ) there are 16 of us. All are age 50 and over, both male and females and racially and culturally diverse. The main focus is loosing at least 10% of your intial weigh in weight which I have. This has scientifically shown to reduce your glucose A-1 readings which it did for me. The doctor has all ready taken me off one of my oral medications which I am on. I am only on oral medications. My husband is a diabetic, does not have any weight to lose and is on insulin. Exercise is a very important part of the program, we have to exercise now at least 50 minutes a day. We all have to keep a daily journal of everything we eat/drink (caloric count ) and keep tabs on our fat grams. No, we do not count carbs. this journal is turned in every week we meet. We are encouraged to take baby steps, take it off slowly because this is a 10 year study, none of us know what the other person weighs, do not get ridicule if we gain, that is not the main focus, they do not share what anyone has gained or lost but talk to us more about how to eat, what to eat, the importance of exercise and now we all are encouraged to start a "strength building" routine. We also keep count of our daily steps. It is impossible to share everything about the program on this site but if you would like to know more about this study, go to your search engine and type in "Look Ahead Diabetic Study" and you can read about it.

My e-mail address is: amel38@comcast.net. Again, do what you can and keep a positive approach to anything you are doing. I have been on at least 100 diets, have always been overweight, so I am taking it day by day.

Thanks Amel 38 for replying. It sound like a good study. I am going to have to learn more about it. I have lost somewhere around 15% of my weight. When I started my diet back in Feb. My A1C test was 8.3 and by May it was down to 6.1 . I started to reduce my medication (metiformin & glyburide) and now am totally off glyburide. I feel such freedom without it. I can diet so much easier. I no longer have really bad episodes of low blood sugar. My overall morning fasting sugars have been considerably higher. I won't know until November when I have my next A1C, if the weight loss since May has compensated for the lack of Glyburide. I hope so because I do not want to go back on it.

Can I ask how much weight have you lost and what medication are you on. I know each person is different, but I get inspired by others success stories.

Angie

I have lost 30 lbs since April. I am targeting my goal for January 2005 to be another 20 lbs down before the cruise, that comes to about 1 lb or a little more a week. I don't feel the hunger/cravings that I have felt on other diets or maybe I am a little more focus now, i don't know but I just take it one day at a time and not compare myself to other people who might loose more or on other diets, I wish everyone success no matter what diet they might be on.

The medications I am on now are Avandia and Hydroclorothiazide. The doctor took me off glyburide after the nurse/practioner suggested(Look Ahead ) looked at my very low readings week after week. they can suggest but our own personal physician still has the final say. We still go to our own doctors for all our tests. I took myself of glucophage and told the doctor, he approved it because it was causing too many abdominal/gastrinal problems. I have done fine without it. My last 3 months test was 7, before that 6.7, hoping to be down to 6 by the test in November but my blood pressure, cholesterol, especially the good type is so much better and I and the doctor contribute that to exercise and diet so he is not worried about those readings I wish I had been this motivated when I was younger and overweight, but better late than never, besides there was never all this research then. If I can be of help to anyone, I will certainly share what I have gained out of this program with others. Good luck and think positive!

Thanks Amel 38, I am curious about how avandia works. I maybe should go and research it. I also have stomach problems with Glucophage, and would like to be off it.

I agree with you about not comparing myself to others. Some people here who started diets at the same time as me have lost more than me. There are also lots of people having success with Adkins and SB diet. I could never do the low carb thing. I am losing slow (around a lb per week) and I am making modifications to my diet that I can stick with for life. Right now I eat around 2000 calories per day with 300 grams of carbs, 65 grams of fat and I don't even feel like I am dieting. But as long as the weight continues to come off, I am not doing anything different.

The one thing I am focusing on the most, is my stomach and abs. I am trying to build up lean muscle mass there and burn off the fat. Is it true that doctors say that fat around your belly is what makes your insulin not work right?

I am on 1500 calories a day and no more than 50 grams of fat. We all (the group) began the meal supplement program in April: 2 supplements a day, either Slim fast or Glucerna(Ensure makes that specifically for diabetics). They provided either one of those for the participants, I chose Glucerna, did not like Slim Fast. Now, after 6 months we are on 1 a day and 2 regular meals. The liquid supplements are counted in your daily caloric count. This has all been researched and studied by the team of doctors on this progrm and endorsed, also approved by my doctor. Although we had to pass many tests to get into the program, you also had to get approval from your primary physician since he is still responsible for your health. We get feedback in the way of charts as to our weight loss, I went on my first 3 mile walk about 1/3 of the way into the program, felt good and completed it in less than an hour. We got some gifts for that. We will have our yearly exam from the study doctor in January to compare how we are than to when we joined. Again you can read about the program by going to your search engine and typing in "Look Ahead Diabetic Research Program"

I am happy for you, keep that same positive approach and we will check in with each other to see how each other are doing.

amel (sorry I got the name wrong before :o ) -- can you tell us what types of exercises you're doing? My internest is watching my blood sugars. I am not diabetic, but he thought I might have been. He keeps stressing the importance of exercise, but I was wondering if there's one type that you've found that helps more than another as far as working out those blood sugars. In the summer I swim (which makes a difference), but it's now too cold and I'll be losing my pool.

Btw, it sounds like you're doing great on this plan!!!

Walking is the best exercise. I started out walking only 20-25 minutes a day, now I am up to 40-60, 2 1/2-3 miles a day. We have to count our steps, so we are wearing a step counter, I am trying to build up to 10,000 steps a day, averaging now around 6,700. I work part-time from home so I am on the computer at least 6 hours a day, so you see, that restricts my movement.

I just began a beginning "strength building" class, this is my second week, we are being introduced to various machines. No weight lifting .Good Luck!