Need to lower Hba1c levels

lavenderannie
lavenderannie Posts: 31 Member
edited November 20 in Food and Nutrition
Hi

I'm a bit confused regarding setting macros. Wonder if anyone could advise.

Last year my Hba1c was 6.0 and I was advised to lose weight to lower it. It's now 5.8 after some weight loss.

I want to lower it a bit more and have read that lowering my carb percentage would help. If I lower it slightly then I need to alter the protein and fat percentages but don't know which to alter or maybe I should alter both?

Sorry if it's a simple question but I've been reading for ages and am still confused. Thanks.

Replies

  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
    lavenderannie wrote: »

    I want to lower it a bit more and have read that lowering my carb percentage would help. If I lower it slightly then I need to alter the protein and fat percentages but don't know which to alter or maybe I should alter both?
    .

    If you lower your carb intake you are basically going on a low carb diet. If that is what you want, great.
    However, working with macros is not really necessary for most people.

    Losing weight comes from a calorie deficit, and it does not matter where those calories came from.
  • mmghanna1
    mmghanna1 Posts: 123 Member
    I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes last year and was told to lose about 20 pounds. I did that by counting calories and my Hba1c number was fine the last couple of times it was checked. I'm trying to lose another 20 pounds for my health but my diabetes is okay now because I lost the amount of weight my doctor told me.

    My experience has been that losing a reasonable amount of weight helps a great deal with diabetes, but I think simply calories in calories out is enough, with a focus on reducing your sugar intake. I never really paid attention to my macros but counted calories and watched my sugar, and that was enough to help me lose weight and help with my diabetes. I think if you've lost some weight keep doing what you're doing, and try to reach the weight loss goal your doctor has set.

    Someone might give you great advice about macros and that's good, but I personally wouldn't worry too much about macros and just eat at a deficit and reduce your sugar intake.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    You could leave the protein the way it is, lower your carbs, and increase your fat/ oils.
    Try it for two or three weeks, and modify if you choose.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Carbs contribute to HbA1c so reducing them makes sense, you can increase both protein and fat as your protein isn't that high. Perhaps 25% or 30% of calories from protein as a goal. I would lose the high sugar fruit and the potato too.
  • lavenderannie
    lavenderannie Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks for all the responses, I've spent hours studying this and I think it's eventually sinking in :)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited June 2015
    yarwell wrote: »
    Carbs contribute to HbA1c...

    Only when eating at a caloric surplus.

    If OP is eating at a consistent deficit, the levels will go down, even without going low-carb.
  • Healthymom_5
    Healthymom_5 Posts: 244 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    yarwell wrote: »
    Carbs contribute to HbA1c...

    Only when eating at a caloric surplus.

    If OP is eating at a consistent deficit, the levels will go down, even without going low-carb.

    This is absolutely not the case for m and many others. I need to keep my carbs around 50 or less to manage my blood sugar, even while eating at a deficit.
    OP, I would recommend getting an inexpensive meter and start watching how different macro levels affect you. This might change as the weight comes down, but it might not. Getting a meter was the best thing I did to take control of my health.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    edited June 2015
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    yarwell wrote: »
    Carbs contribute to HbA1c...

    Only when eating at a caloric surplus.

    If OP is eating at a consistent deficit, the levels will go down, even without going low-carb.

    That is not true at all. Calorie surplus, calorie deficit, or maintenance- carb intake matters and can either positively or negatively affect A1c.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    OP: Your fat and protein intake are significantly low. You need to increase protein and fat intake. I would drop your carbohydrate intake to 100-125 grams/day.

    To increase protein and fat, try eating more chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, steak, beef jerky, turkey jerky, fish, nuts, seeds, nut butters, olive oil, avocados, flaxseed, chia seeds, etc.
  • NualaTW
    NualaTW Posts: 205 Member
    I was in the same boat as you last year, A1C levels hovering at 6.0. I just starting eating better (more veggies and fish/chicken), getting more exercise and limiting my carb intake to mostly whole grains and lower added sugars. Dropped to 5.6 in under 6 months.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    It is different if someone is actually diabetic.

    For those with elevated A1C but who are *not* diabetic, all that is needed to lower the number is a caloric deficit. Low carb is not necessary, nor does it speed things up.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited June 2015
    Call the office and get a referral to a dietitian. They'll be able to get instructions from the doctor or what you need and can take it from there, working with you to come up with a diet that you'll like and that helps you in your quest to improve your A1c and anything else you might need.

    Dietitians aren't just for weight loss. They have a lot of knowledge and resources to help people who are on special diets. That's what they do! :)
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Everyone is different but, for me, it helped to reduce my carbs some, but not go low carb. My a1c was 7.3 in Jan., 2014. By eating no more than 180 g of carbs daily I was able to lower it to 5.4 by December of the same year and have maintained that level ever since.

    This was the recommendation of both my RD and my PCP who is a Certified Diabetic Educator. I would ask for a consult with a RD to find out what is best for you.
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