Just diagnosed as pre-diabetic

Last week, during a visit to my endocrinologist, I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic.  Yesterday, I had a long appointment with a dietician who specializes in diabetes and she basically confirmed that my "diet" was probably not the reason for my diagnosis. 

I am 35 pounds overweight.  I hope to lose 15 pounds prior to my next doctor appointment at the end of June.  I do daily Curves workouts (except Sundays) and stand all day at work (no sitting allowed!).  I am almost 51 years old, adopted but do know that I have some aboriginal heritage.  I do have hypothyroidism and I eat approx 1400-1500 calories per day spread over 3 meals and 3 snacks.  My current weight is 199 lb.

Question:  Has anyone here been diagnosed pre-diabetic but succeeded in reversing it?   Is there anything else that anyone can suggest I do to help reverse or at least stall the progression to diabetes?

Aboriginal communities throughout North America have specific genotypes that do not experience increased levels of LDL serum cholesterol and diabetes when those with the genetic markers avoid a western diet.

In English, your diet may not be low enough on the glycemic index and involve sufficient indigenous forms of protein, fat and carbohydrate for your particular genotype, although for those of European descent it may seem balanced and healthy.

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/29/8 /1866.long

The above is a comparative study of pima Indians in Mexico and in the US and the huge discrepancies in health and obesity of these two genetically related and geographically separated communities.

It's something you can investigate further as you determine how to proceed.

You are also eating too little. That's counterintuitive I know. But leptin and insulin resistance are outcomes of suppressing the metabolism with inadequate energy intake.

While you want to increase your intake to at least 2000 (with your current activity level), keep the food choices low on the glycemic index to get to that calorie level. This will actually help get the metabolism functioning back at a normal level which will help reverse pre-diabetes as well as improve your chances of losing weight.

You want to have a modest calorie deficit (meaning eating 200-500 calories less each day than you burn) to ensure your metabolism starts to respond rather than functioning in a suppressed mode because the calorie deficit is too great at the moment.

Activity and exercise is key in reversing the progression to full-blown diabetes.

Curves workouts are great, but you should incorporate longer and lower-intensity efforts every day as well. Walking is ideal and up to 30 minutes (working up to 60 minutes eventually).

If you have a history of yo-yo dieting then exercise needs to be the focus over calorie restriction. But you can absolutely reverse your condition at this stage with no drug intervention. Best of luck!

Thank you so much hedgren.  I have read most of the article but will read it again in more depth.  It does raise many points one would not normally think of.  I do try to eat as organically as possible but will take your suggestion as to increasing calories but lowering glycemic index and try to impliment it as it does make sense to me.

I reversed my prediabetic condition with weight loss and controlling my intake of carbs.  I started (at age 54) at 215 and symptoms were pretty much gone after the first 25 lbs of loss.  My biggest dietary change was dropping dry cereal/sugar/milk for breakfast and substituting whole wheat toast with peanut butter.

Your diet already looks low on calories for your weight and amount of exercise. I would suggest replacing high GI simple carbs like sugar and starch with other foods anywhere you can.

The following site was very helpful to me for selecting foods to control my blood sugar:

www.glycemicindex.com