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  • Blood pressure blues – but only temporary

    Ken

    ·

    The last two days I’ve had some weird and slightly worrying blood pressure readings.

    Tuesday:

    • 140/92 69bpm
    • 144/91 70bpm
    • 147/93 64bpm

    Wednesday:

    • 151/97 66bpm
    • 151/99 65bpm
    • 157/99 65bpm

    This is in contrast to my last readings, taken after my BP seemed to stabilise after I adjusted my medication.

    Two weeks ago:

    • 133/89 58bpm
    • 132/87 55bpm
    • 133/86 58bpm

    A jump of 10 points on systolic pressure isn’t awful in and of itself, but a reading that is either above 140 systolic or above 90 diastolic puts you into stage 2 hypertension. Given that both my systolic and diastolic readings were in stage 2, that’s a clear indicator. However, it’s still nowhere near the worst case I saw when I was first diagnosed with hypertension – I had readings like 201/128, 203/114 etc which are “hypertensive crisis” readings.

    So a jump of nearly 20 points to yesterday’s figures is definitely slightly concerning, but not an automatic panic. Given the upward trend I decided to wait it out and see how things looked today, ready to call my GP if there were still high readings. It occurred to me that when we corrected my medication dose – effectively reducing my dosage by more than half by removing one medication entirely and halving the dose of the other – we may have over-corrected, leaving my vascular system lacking sufficient support to keep my blood pressure down.

    That definitely wasn’t something I wanted to hear, but you have to listen to your body! If that’s what I needed, then so be it.

    I was mid-36-hour-fast when I took my BP yesterday which is of course a stress on the body, and I was due for my mid-week swim yesterday evening. I often treat my Wednesday swim as a recovery swim, lowering my distance to 1km, and reducing my sets from 500m to 250m with a good rest in between sets, so I felt quite comfortable about continuing this routine.

    I also contemplated breaking my fast early, but since I had no other symptoms – no light-headedness, no headache, no feeling of weakness etc – decided I’d just give it one more day.

    Anyway, I woke up this morning and took my BP again and was very relieved to see a complete return to normal!

    • 129/84 65bpm
    • 122/83 67bpm
    • 120/82 67bpm

    It’s quite likely that the last two days represent my body still adjusting and adapting to my reduced medication, combined with the “stress” of my recent Paris trip – which almost certainly saw an increase in salt intake, as well as a blip in my carbs from hidden sugars – the result of which was a 6.1lb (2.7kg) weight increase. This was clearly just “water weight,” which I then shed literally within days of getting back on track.

    Gaining and losing 6lbs of water weight is still a physiological stress – especially when you use aggressive ketogenic dieting, 36 hour fasts, and are increasing your exercise the way I have. So it’s quite likely my recent blood pressure spike was just a sign of my body adjusting to all this stress.

    The fact that it’s settled back to a normal range today is definitely a very good sign. My GP told me way back that I shouldn’t necessarily take my BP every day as it’s perfectly normal to see ups and downs – the important thing is the overall trend. But I will of course, track it over the next few days just to see that today isn’t the blip in an otherwise increasing BP trend.

    The human body is a complex thing, and it can adjust to almost anything – but it sometimes takes time. By being as consistent as I can be, I’m giving my body the best possible chance to adapt to my new lifestyle – regular exercise, consistent fasting, and a healthy eating pattern.

    If you’re on a similar journey, I would always advise being both patient with yourself and reasonably vigilant. Don’t be panicked by what appear to be sudden and extreme changes – e.g., in body weight or blood pressure. But let yourself be guided by the data. If you are seeing long-term spikes in blood pressure, especially, it’s vital that you report them to your GP, who can take an objective view and, if need be, adjust your medication.

    But also remember that consistency doesn’t mean forcing yourself and pushing yourself to the breaking point! Note that I’m listening to my body and considering my options, backing off a little where it makes sense in order not to take silly risks with my health.

    Ultimately, this journey is about improving health – not about seeing numbers drop off the scale. As you have hopefully seen through my journey, weight is very fickle; it can bounce around by as much as 6lbs in a few days just due to fluctuations in salt and water levels.

    I’m specifically watching my salt intake today to ensure I keep it below the DASH recommendation – which is around 3.75g of salt per day. It does seem like my vascular system is particularly sensitive at the moment so keeping an eye on this while also watching my electrolytes which I support through electrolyte tablets as well as diet – e.g. today I’m planning to have two avocadoes, one with my breakfast and then another will go into a smoothie which I’ll split, having half at lunch time and the rest after dinner as a dessert to satisfy my swett tooth.

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  • Blipped back! Business trip banished!

    Ken

    ·

    Just to prove my point from my Saturday weigh-in post business trip – where I apparently put on 6.1lbs in just a few days – today I weighed in and have “lost” 6lbs!!

    This just highlights the comment I made, that kind of rapid weight gain during an extended period of ketogenic dieting, exercise, and fasting is almost entirely water. You simply cannot put on body fat that quickly – just like you can’t lose it that quickly.

    The only thing this blip cost me is time. And time is not of the essence as far as my weight loss goes. I know that taking my time to lose this weight rather than rushing is more likely to instil the good habits I need for long-term maintenance. I’m currently on track to hit my target around late August or early September – that will be about 67lbs lost since I started in December – no small feat! But even if that slips to October or November, or beyond – so what? If I get down to my ideal weight and am able to keep it there, then it’s a huge achievement, no matter how long it takes.

    And as I also discussed in Saturday’s post, weight loss is no longer my primary focus. It’s all about reversing my type 2 diabetes, something I am well on my way to doing. And despite putting on 6.1lbs during my business trip, I know I actually did really well from that perspective – I stuck to my diet as well as I could in the circumstances, but eating out while travelling is almost always going to be problematic, and result in water weight gain. The key thing is I didn’t fall off the wagon, and succumb to the very tempting carb fest which is inherent in French food! Croissants! Pain au chocolat! Eclairs! Even French bread! I’m not actually a big bread-eater, but the only place I ever feel tempted to eat just bread is France! They make such good bread!!!

    And I abstained. I stuck to my guns, and kept to my plan, and the results speak for themselves. A temporary blip that is gone in literally just three days! 😊

    What was my protocol for getting back on track? Nothing majorly different from what I normally do. The only slight difference was on Saturday and Sunday, I fasted for 20 hours and 18 hours respectively, before breaking my fast.

    Then on Sunday night I started my normal 36 hour fast, swam as usual on Monday night and that was it. That was all it took to drop 6lbs in water weight.

    Now I have another week to take a few more steps forward. Next week is a big week. I have another three-day business trip to contend with, which happens to fall literally the day before my 3-month diabetic check-up on Friday, 27th March! That will include a new HbA1c blood test, which is the ultimate test of my progress towards diabetic reversal.

    From my last test result in December, which was 79mmol/mol (9.4%), I am hoping to get down to at least 59mmol/mol (7.5%) – which is where I was in March last year. But secretly I’m hoping for a much better result – ideally 48mmol/mol (6.5%). 48mmol/mol is the point at which clinicians start to seriously use terms like “diabetic remission” or “diabetic reversal”.

    Is it possible in just three months to make such a radical reversal? It’s an ambitious stretch goal, but I believe it is possible. The HbA1c test is a “snap shot” of blood sugar levels from the last three months (weighted 50% the previous month, 30-40% the month before, around 10-20% the month before that), and apart from a few very slight blips – mostly Christmas and New Year’s, so right at the beginning of my first month – I’ve been very strictly keeping to a low sugar/carb diet, combined with intermittent fasting and exercise. All of those things help manage and reduce blood sugar levels.

    And the science genuinely backs this up. The DiRECT trial – probably the most cited piece of research on lifestyle-driven diabetes reversal – found that people who committed hard to dietary changes and weight loss were seeing HbA1c reductions of 15 to 25 mmol/mol in just three months. Ketogenic diets in particular have some of the best short-term data going, with some studies showing drops of 20 to 30 mmol/mol over a similar period. Weight loss is a huge part of the picture too – I’ve dropped 26lbs in three months, and every percentage point of body weight you lose carries its own independent benefit for blood sugar, on top of everything else.

    There’s also the very real-world, objective sign that things are heading in the right direction. My blood pressure medication had become too strong for me. My GP was forced to halve my prescription and had me drop one of my three drugs completely. Doctors don’t reduce your medication because you’re “feeling a bit better”. They reduce it because your body’s numbers are genuinely improving. My cardiovascular system and lower weight had simply moved on without telling my prescription about it.

    As you’ll know if you’ve been following my blog for a while, I do love a good challenge, and reversing type 2 diabetes in just 3 months would be right up my street. If I’m being completely honest with myself, getting all the way to 48 would be at the outer edge of what’s been recorded clinically – it would be a remarkable result by any measure. But the combination of things I’ve been doing – the keto eating, the extended fasting, the regular and progressive cardio sessions – is about as potent a toolkit as you can put together for driving blood sugar down. So if it’s achievable, I’m giving it the best possible shot.

    But as always I’ll be pragmatic and philosophical about it. Getting from a reading of 79 to 59 would still be an incredible achievement – and whatever the number on the 27th, I’m still well on track to reversing my diabetes and reclaiming my health. I know from experience that as you get closer to your goals, it can take longer. Weight loss can be much more rapid when you are massively overweight, and so it is with diabetes. Simply giving your pancreas breathing space from the sugar overload is often enough to trigger significant reductions in HbA1c – but once you’ve lost the first chunk of weight and seen a solid reduction in HbA1c, then it’s about letting your body genuinely repair itself, which takes time.

    The plan was never to reach a target and resume my old lifestyle; it was to make long-term, permanent changes that mean I won’t be back here fighting the same battle again. While I am confident I can meet my weight loss target within a year, it might take 18 months or longer to get my HbA1c down to 42 or under, which is the optimum for long-term health. Ongoing health is always a marathon and not a sprint. The sprint part – this aggressive program I’m on right now – was to limit the damage I was already seeing to my nervous system, and prevent other complications like diabetic retinopathy. It looks like I may have been just in time since my last diabetic eye screening revealed the early signs of retinopathy – but no damage yet! This kind of news completely justifies my approach and makes it all worthwhile.

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  • Easy come, easy go – business trip blips, and how to reframe a 6lb weight gain as a success!

    Ken

    ·

    So, after my last post in which I saw my biggest weekly weight loss since starting this program in December, I had a business trip to Paris which I also mentioned.

    I came back from the trip feeling really positive about myself. I had avoided all of the obvious temptations completely. Not a single slip, despite the fantastic food on offer, the urge to partake in croissants and other pastries, etc.

    But while I avoided the “obvious” temptations, it’s always much harder to avoid the hidden pitfalls when eating on the road and where you are not in complete control of everything you consume. Also, while on this trip, I did not fast, nor did I maintain my usual regular exercise schedule. This is not a trivial change.

    The result of all this was I weighed in this morning to find I’ve regained 6.1lbs! On the surface it would be easy to feel like I’ve just wiped away all of the weight loss I was so proud of last week in one fell swoop! But we’ll address that.

    It would be easy to get disheartened, but as I’m sure you’ve seen if you are a regular reader of my blog, these kinds of rapid gains (and losses) are invariably just water weight, and to do with flushing and reloading water and glycogen stores rather than actual fat loss/gain. Glycogen is particularly tricky – it acts almost like a sponge. Every gram of carbohydrate stored as glycogen carries about 3 to 4 grams of water with it.

    It’s also worth noting that just prior to leaving for Paris, I completed a 36 hour fast, during which I also included a 1.4km swim, and also a walk/run – in which I had increased my usual running schedule so instead of 2 mins run, 1 min walk, I did 2.5 mins run, 1 min walk.

    What this effectively did was empty out all of my glycogen stores, completely draining those sponges, priming them to soak up any hidden carbs while I was away.

    And the most important thing for me to remember is that losing weight is only part of the picture. An important part, sure, but is it actually the most important? Not for me! Being type 2 diabetic, having early stage diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy – the single most important thing for me is controlling my blood sugar. And this is the reason that I can come back from a business trip like this, find that I’ve put on 6.1lbs, and still feel pretty good about myself. I did NOT fall off the wagon in terms of my food choices. I stuck to the best possible options at every stage. Yes, there were some hidden carbs that I missed, but these would have been very minor in the big scheme of things.

    I love French food and especially French pastries, and so this was a massive test of my resolve, and I passed with flying colours. Some day, when I’ve got my blood sugar back down to a normal, healthy level, and am in full diabetic remission I will be able to eat those things again, precisely because I’ve now developed the tools and awareness necessary to manaage my blood sugar effectively.

    So, now back to it! I just completed a 22 hr fast straight after coming home last night (Friday), and have been swimming this afternoon (Saturday). Tomorrow (Sunday) I’ll aim for at least another 18-20hr fast, and also get another run in, and then I’ll be back to my usual 3 x 36hr fasting protocol as of tomorrow (Sunday) night.

    I imagine it won’t take me more than 3-4 days to get my weight back to where it was pre-trip and get back on track.

    When you understand the physiology of exercise, fasting, and your diet it becomes much easier to avoid getting disheartened by these “blips”. You just need to accept that “life will get in the way” of your plans sometimes, and that’s fine. Just make sure to get back on track when you are able, and the results will continue to follow.

    While it sometimes feels like I’m taking “two steps forwards, one step back”, the net result is still one whole step forwards each time! And that’s how we get to where we’re going, one step at a time!

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  • My biggest weight loss week so far! An absolutely stonking week!

    Ken

    ·

    My final weigh-in this week, and it did not disappoint! This is why I don’t worry about the odd “birthday blip” on my weight loss and diabetic reversal journey.

    I weighed in this morning and – fanfare please….

    I am now an increasingly svelte 16 st 7.7 lbs (231.7 lbs / 105.3 kg). That’s a 3.4 lb (1.54 kg) loss since my last weigh-in on Thursday, and a 5.9 lb (2.67 kg) loss since my Tuesday weigh-in! That is the single biggest weekly weight loss I’ve had since starting this process in December!

    Even when you account for my 1.7 lb blip, that is still a 4.4 lb total drop this week. Remember, my target average weight loss to hit my 6-month goal is 2.56 lbs (1.16kg) per week; this week’s incredible progress keeps me firmly on track. I’m over the moon, walking on clouds – and I’m light enough to do it! 😝

    So – let’s look at the overall weight loss stats:

    Progress Update • Week 11 – March 7, 2026 (from December 20th)

    16st 7.7lbs
    231.7 lbs | 105.3 kg
    Total Loss: 1st 12.2lbs (26.2 lbs / 11.9 kg)

    Exercise status: 1.25km swim (1 * 250m + 2 x 500m) and second weekly outdoor walk/run sessions completed.

    Fasting Status: Third 36-hour fast completed.

    Target: 12st 12lbs (180lbs) | Remaining: 51.7 lbs

    Since I started this new lifestyle in December, just 11 weeks ago, I’ve lost 26.2 lbs – just shy of 12kg!!! So that’s now over 1kg per week!

    If you go back to when I was diagnosed in 2023, I’ve lost 33.8lbs (15.3kg)! And that equates to 12.73% of my starting body weight! As you may recall, there is a key window stated by diabetic clinicians which is – losing 10-15% of your body weight is often sufficient to REVERSE type 2 diabetes!

    At 231.7lbs I’m now in spitting distance of another big milestone – I’ll soon be out of the 230s and into the 220 lb range! I’m almost halfway through the 16-stone range, with 15 stone in my sights. And only another 5 kgs to get to a huge milestone – under 100kg! From triple to double digits!

    All very exciting stuff! I genuinely get such a buzz when I have not one, but two days like this in a single week!

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  • The Birthday “Blip” is gone (and it took some friends with it!)😂

    Ken

    ·

    Well, that didn’t take long!

    In my last post, I talked about my  “Birthday Blip” – a 1.7 lb gain after a week of entirely expected birthday celebrations.

    But even when you plan for a fall the landing still bruises the ego. You know it’s probably just water weight when you see the scale move the wrong way, but it still stings a bit.

    However, as I predicted, it didn’t take long to correct it! Not only is the blip gone, it’s been well and truly obliterated.

    After just a few days back on my regular protocol I’ve hit a new low: 16 stone 11.1 lbs (235.1 lbs / 106.6 kg). That’s a 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) drop since Tuesday! “What!?” I hear you cry! “That’s just two days ago isn’t it!?!?”

    Yes, gentle reader, I’ve dropped 2.5lbs – which is my weekly average weight-loss target – in just two days!!! 🥳🎉🥂🎂

    If that isn’t the best birthday present, I don’t know what is!

    Progress Update • Week 10 – March 5, 2026 (from December 20th)

    16st 11.1lbs
    235.1 lbs | 106.6 kg
    Total Loss: 1st 8.8lbs (22.8 lbs / 10.3 kg)

    Exercise status: 1.25km swim (2 x 500m + 250m) and outdoor walk/run sessions completed.

    Fasting Status: Back on 36-hour fasting protocol.

    Target: 12st 12lbs (180lbs) | Remaining: 55.1 lbs

    That’s another couple of milestones ticked off – 10kgs lost since I started in December! 30lbs lost since my type 2 diagnosis in 2023!

    At this rate, it won’t be long before I’m under 230lbs, and until I also break through another epic milestone – the 100kg mark!

    The Three-Pronged Attack

    But a reminder – these results don’t come cheap.

    There is no doubt you could get decent results just by intermittent fasting, or just by cleaning up your diet, or just by exercising alone.

    But to get these kinds of “aggressive” results that actually move the needle on a regular basis – and not just on the scales, but in terms of reversing type 2 diabetes –  a multifaceted “three-pronged approach” is the best way to do it. For me, this week that meant:

    • The Fasting: Getting straight back into my 36-hour rhythm to reset my insulin levels.
    • The Fuel: No sugar, refined carbs or ultra processed food. Just high-quality protein and “clean” veggies.
    • The Exercise: I’ve had a big 1.25km swim session on Monday (2 x 500m + 250m), then a recovery swim last night (4 x 250m) and also a trail run (walk/run) on Tuesday.

    That third prong is huge. Getting into the pool or out on the road isn’t just about burning calories; it’s about forcing your muscles to soak up any excess blood sugar.

    A pragmatic side note about fat loss vs water loss

    Let’s be real about that sudden massive loss of weight. I didn’t actually burn off two and a half pounds of fat in two days. That would be challenging to say the least (but not impossible!). What I’ve experienced in the last few days is what’s known in dieting circles as the “whoosh effect.”

    When I broke my scheduled programming for my birthday (eating more carbs and salt than usual, no fasting, no exercise) just for a few days, my body loaded back up on water like a sponge.

    Once I got back to the fasting, the swimming, the running, and the ketogenic eating, my body finally felt comfortable letting go of that water.

    But hitting 235.1 lbs means that underneath all that water fluctuation, the actual weight loss hadn’t stopped. Just paused temporarily.

    Eyes on the prize: Diabetes is getting on my nerves!

    While the scale is a great ego boost, the real reason I’m celebrating is my neuropathy. Every swim and every “clean” meal is a deposit into the health bank to protect my nerves. This all started in December when I had a painful wake-up call – my first symptoms of diabetic neuropathy – numbness in one of my feet which lasted 18 hours!

    This was shortly followed by an HbA1c reading of 79 mmol/mol – which told me exactly why I’d had numbness in my foot.

    So the reason for such an aggressive approach to weight loss is that my diabetes was literally starting to get on my nerves. I had my wake-up call, and results like these above demonstrate that I’m answering it, loud and clear. Fuck you diabetes!

    I’m feeling much fitter, both in the water and on the trail, my blood pressure is doing great, my resting heart rate is excellent for my age, and I’m ticking off weight loss milestones even despite the occasional blip where life gets in the way.

    The lesson

    Don’t ever let a “blip” become a “slide.” Own these little detours. They are often predictable. If you have a business trip coming up or an occasion like a birthday, or Easter, or whatever it might be – just plan for it. Yes, life gets in the way sometimes! And that’s fine! As long as your plan is solid any minor detours that life presents you will simply be that – detours. You will continue to get fantastic results. Just get back on track, and wait for the whoosh!

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  • Blood pressure results signal success

    Ken

    ·

    Despite my slight weight gain blip, it’s great to see that my blood pressure is doing just fine! I accidentally let myself run out of one of my blood pressure medications this week. It was a simple enough error, and a knock-on effect from the reduction in my BP meds I spoke about previously. I was prescribed a new 50mg dose of my other medication, but still had a batch of the 100mg tablets, and they have that handy little groove on the pills that makes it easy to just split the tablet in half by hand – so I’d been using those for weeks and so complete forgot about the fact that my other meds would be running out soon.

    Anyway – I ordered my repeat prescription for the missing medication on Monday, having missed my dose that day, and it’s now Wednesday – so I’ve missed three doses.

    Obviously, because of that, I’ve been concerned about my blood pressure, and checking more regularly than usual. This morning my readings were pretty good, but this evening I just checked again and they were even better. I usually take three readings in a row, with a 4-5 min gap between them as this gives the best overall indication of my BP. But in fact, this evenings readings were the three most consistent (ie closest together) that I’ve ever had! And I’ve been taking my blood pressure myself now for 2.5 years!

    Reading 1 – 133/89 58 bpm
    Reading 2 – 132/87 55 bpm
    Reading 3 – 133/86 58 bpm

    Those readings are rock solid – my systolic pressure – the first number – is very slightly above where it might ideally be. And the diastolic pressure – the second number should ideally be under 80. But considering I’ve missed three days medication, and I’m 20 hours into a 36 hour fast, those numbers are incredible! And the consistency even more so. Usually the first reading is quite high, and then the second two drop considerably since I’m generally sitting and consciously relaxing.

    Also – well worth noting my resting heart rate range – between 55 and 58 bpm – which for someone my age is “athlete” territory! Given I’m diabetic and hypertensive, these are simply excellent readings, and well worth celebrating! 😊

    A final note before I get too carried away – While I’m celebrating these results, I’m not advocating for anyone to skip their meds! This was a legitimate and unfortunate mistake, and I’ve been on the phone to my pharmacy today trying to hussle them along. They were expecting a delivery this afternoon so I’m hoping to get my prescription filled first thing tomorrow to get back on my full regime.

    But this does suggest to me that I’m not too far away from being able to drop a second medication. If my readings had been under 130/80 I might even have suggested this to my GP. Every day I see results like this and I feel so validated and encouraged. I’m doing all the right things and the results speak for themselves.

  • The birthday blip! “Life gets in the way”

    Ken

    ·

    Last week was not only my birthday, but also that of my partner. We had planned a quiet celebration dinner at a local steakhouse, and I had further plans at the weekend with friends and family. I knew going into that week that I was not going to lose weight, and had budgeted for it in my projection spreadsheet.

    The damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been – I put on 1.7lbs but it definitely could have been worse, and as you’ve seen, I’ve been averaging a steady 2.3lbs loss per week, so I’ll quickly repair the damage and move on.

    This week I’ve already been taking steps to fix my birthday blip – with a 36hr fast yesterday, a 1.25km swim last night around 21hrs into my fast, and then a run today.

    Tomorrow I’ll be back to my second 36-hour fast this week, and then another swim, and to cap the week off, a third 36hr fast through Friday into Saturday morning, with a third swim Friday night. I’m confident that will reverse my 1.7lb blip completely and get me right back on track.

    It’s really important when you’re on a mission like mine to keep some flexibility and accept that sometimes “life gets in the way”.

    The important thing for me is the long-term target, which is not just about losing weight, but about reversing type 2 diabetes. And I still feel like I’m well on track to do that. If not by 27th of March , when I have my 3-month diabetic check-up, then very shortly after that I’m sure.

    And if I don’t quite make my HbA1c number by next month, and I have to wait for my next check-up in June, I will definitely have beaten diabetes by then – of that I have no doubt! As long as I keep doing what I’ve been doing, I feel like I can’t really fail. I’ve changed my lifestyle and eating habits radically, and without it feeling like I’m depriving myself.

    So if I don’t quite hit my target HbA1c in March, it won’t be the end of the world – this is a marathon, and not a sprint.

    I recently was called in for my regular diabetic eye screening, and this showed the early signs of diabetic retinopathy. Nothing to worry about at this stage, but obviously that should have been expected given my diabetic neuropathy wake-up call in December.

    It doesn’t change anything – it just means the stakes are higher than just the numbers on the scales. Every clean meal I eat, decision to run or swim, every 36hr fast, is a stride toward protecting my eyesight and reversing nerve damage before it becomes permanent.

    And of course, no endeavour like this would be complete without life conspiring to “get in the way” again and again.

    So, before my March 27 check-up, I’ve been very generously “volunteered” for two business trips. Next week I’m off to our Paris office for a two-day customer meeting, and then literally just before my March 27 GP appointment, I’m going to Barcelona for a two-day conference.

    Both of these trips will have lots of opportunities for temptation, so it will be a real test of resolve. Business trips are usually stressful – even if it’s a stress I’m used to – and keeping to a strict eating plan is always going to be challenging under any kind of stress. There will be meals organized while I’m on these trips, and ensuring that they are diabetic/keto-friendly will be difficult. Certainly not impossible, but difficult nevertheless.

    And meanwhile, let’s not forget that I’ve had a very real win last month already – having my GP halve my blood pressure medication because my readings have improved so much. My latest readings today were a great example – 118/76 which is an almost textbook healthy BP reading.

    Those are the kinds of results that make sticking to my guns during business trips feel less like a chore and more like just par for the course.

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  • Another one (point 5) bites the dust! 🥂

    Ken

    ·

    Post-36hr weigh-in this morning, and I’m now at 16 stone 11.9 lbs (235.9 lbs / 107.2 kg). That’s another 1.5 lbs lost in just the last three days since my Saturday weigh-in!

    That’s now 22 lbs (9.98 kg) lost – almost 10kg in less than 10 weeks! We should really discount the two weeks when I was ill and unable to fast/exercise, and my festive blip at Christmas / New Year’s—so it’s more like 6 weeks of actual effort!

    Since I recovered from my flu and blood pressure issues around three weeks ago I’ve managed to lose 8.2 lbs (3.7kg)!

    Progress Update • Week 9 – Feb 24, 2026 (from December 20th)

    16st 11.9lbs
    235.8 lbs | 107.2 kg
    Total Loss: 22 lbs (9.98 kg)

    Exercise status: 1.3km swim (2 x 500m, 1*300m) completed 21hrs into fast

    Fasting Status: 1st 36hr fast completed this week!

    Target: 12st 12lbs (180lbs) | Remaining: 55.9 lbs

    Those figures are relative to my “reboot” after my wake-up call in December 2025 of course, but taken from my diabetes diagnosis, I’ve now lost 29.6 lbs (13.4 kg), which is over 11% of my starting body weight.

    I need to track both time periods, even though my diagnosis was two and a half years ago now, since doctors measure progress from that point and there are key milestones in terms of percentage body weight lost since diagnosis that are key – I’ll come back ot that momentarily.

    But at the same time, I want to keep track of things like average weight loss week by week, and obviously tracking that back to my diagnosis would make the numbers meaningless.

    Anyway, from a post-diagnosis perspective, I’m now well on track to lose 15% of my starting body weight, which is one of the most significant milestones for type 2 diabetes. Effectively, “10-15%” is given as the range of weight loss in which diabetic remission occurs, and I’ve breezed past the 10% mark, so now I have 15% firmly in my sights.

    I’ve already halved my blood pressure medication, which is an incredibly positive sign not just of weight loss but of transforming my health for the better.

    Of course – progress is great, but life goes on and this week happens to be not just my birthday but also my partner’s so I have many social things happening – firstly my partner is visiting for a few days this week, then I have a friend due to visit on Friday/Saturday, before my brother and his family descend on me on Sunday!

    This will certainly limit my opportunities for fasting, and put a damper on my regular exercise routine, so it’s an interesting real-world test for me.

    While I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t lose any weight this week – in fact I had already budgeted in my weight loss projection spreadsheet to explicitly NOT lose any weight this week! The question is whether I can stick to my new lifestyle and avoid relapsing into old eating habits amid so many external pressures.


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  • Is fasting hard?

    Ken

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    That’s the first thing people ask when I tell them I don’t eat for 36 hours at a time. My answer is always: “It depends.”

    If you’ve followed my “reboot” since December, you know it’s not always a walk in the park. I view fasting like a muscle. If you don’t exercise it, it withers. If you train it, you can do more – in this case, go longer periods without food – and with surprising ease.

    Defining the Terms: What is “True” Fasting?

    Many people start with the 5:2 diet. I did! It’s a great “toe in the water.” But eating 25% of your calories isn’t technically fasting; it’s a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). It teaches you that you won’t collapse without three square meals, but it doesn’t unlock the full metabolic “cleaning” benefits of a true water fast.

    To me, fasting is simple: Not eating.

    Building the Fasting Muscle: From 12 to 16 Hours We all fast overnight (hence “Break-fast”). If you eat dinner at 7 PM and breakfast at 7 AM, you’ve done 12 hours. Easy.

    • 14:10: Just push breakfast to 9 AM. You’ve probably done this by accident on a busy Monday. Now you’ve done a 14 hour fast.
    • 16:8: This is “proper” Intermittent Fasting. Skip breakfast, eat lunch at 1 PM. You’ve just cut your “eating window” to 8 hours and have fasted 16 hours.

    Meeting the Hunger Gremlin: Ghrelin

    “Don’t you get hungry?” Yes and no. Hunger isn’t a constant scream; it’s a wave. That wave is caused by Ghrelin, the “hunger hormone.” Ghrelin is a creature of habit—if you always eat at 1 PM, it will bark at 1 PM.

    But here’s the secret: If you ignore it, it goes away. As long as you have body fat, you have “onboard fuel.” Your body just needs to switch the dial from “burning food” to “burning fat.” Every time you ignore a hunger pang, you’re training that fasting muscle.

    The “Sweet Spot”: 36-Hour Fasts I’ve settled into a 3×36 protocol. I finish dinner Monday, fast all Tuesday, and eat breakfast Wednesday.

    • Why 36? Because once you’ve fasted for 24 hours, you’ve already done the hard work. You might as well sleep on it! Going to bed at the 24-hour mark turns a difficult day into a 32 or 36-hour win effortlessly.
    • The Fat Math: One pound of fat is roughly 3,500 calories. By skipping a full day of eating, you’re incinerating about 1/2lb to 3/4lb of fat just by existing.

    To Infinity and Beyond?

    I’ve done 5-day fasts before, but they aren’t my “forever” plan. For me, 3×36 is the sweet spot for sustainability. It’s enough to keep my blood sugars in check and my weight dropping, but it allows me to enjoy normal meals with my family four days a week.

    The Takeaway Is fasting hard? No. It’s just a skill. You wouldn’t walk into a gym and try to bench-press 100kg on day one. Don’t try to fast for 3 days on your first go. Start with 16:8, build that muscle, and see where it takes you.

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  • Two milestones – 10% body weight and now into the 16 stone range!

    Ken

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    I’ve finally done it—I’ve shot past my initial target of losing 10% of my body weight since my Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Actually, I’m at 10.58%!

    This is a huge win. Endocrinologists and diabetes experts everywhere point to the 10% mark as a major physiological turning point for glucose handling. It’s often the ‘tipping point’ that signals the beginning of potential remission. That’s a total loss of 28.1 lbs—nearly two stone gone since diagnosis!

    The ‘Big 16’

    This morning’s weigh-in also saw me back into the 16-stone range for the first time in ages! I am now 16st 13.4lbs (237.4 lbs / 107.9 kg).

    The Reboot Stats

    I’m also tracking my progress from my “reboot” after my diabetic neuropathy health scare in December 2025, and since then, I’ve lost 20.5 lbs (9.3kg) in just 9 weeks.

    Progress Update • Week 9 – Feb 12, 2026 (from December 20th)

    16st 13.4lbs
    237.4 lbs | 107.9 kg
    Total Loss: 20.5 lbs (9.3 kg)

    Exercise status: 1km swim (4 x 250m) completed 21hrs into fast. Missed two swims this week, but getting back to it!

    Fasting Status: 2nd 36hr fast completed this week!

    Target: 12st 12lbs (180lbs) | Remaining: 57.4 lbs

    On paper, a 1.7 lb loss this week was slightly lower than my 2.53 lb target, bringing my overall average down to 2.3 lbs per week. But let’s look at the context: that average survived three Christmas dinners, a New Year’s celebration, and two weeks of illness where I couldn’t fast or exercise.

    When I look at it that way? I’m absolutely delighted!

    And the most important thing for me is that I’ve kept my blood sugar under control throughout that period, so I’m really confident that I’ll beat type 2 diabetes – all through lifestyle changes, and without any medication. I should see the real results of that as early as next month when I go back for my next diabetic blood test. Fingers crossed!

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