This is my journey for a healthier life with Huel. There is no end date or as of right know any goal weight. I am looking to get healthy and lose fat (a lot of fat). The honest truth is I started my journey at 494.6 pounds; I began this journey on November 03, 2018. I have been flirting with 500 pounds for over ten years. I would go down in weight then return a few months later. My doctor asked me the other day at a checkup visit if I knew enough people to carry my casket if I did not change my ways. That statement was enough for me to jump into action. Since I am truthful with my weight, I also have type II Diabetes and high blood pressure. I take Metformin 1000mg twice a day and Glipizide 10 mg twice a day for Diabetes and four other pills for my high blood pressure, which is still not entirely under control.
I found and ordered Huel over the weekend and began using it on November 08, 2018. I also use Oats Overnight for a breakfast meal with Almond Milk Unsweetened. I replaced my lunch with a Huel shake for know I might try replacing dinner as well. I have been implementing intermittent fasting as well I have made it up to 16 hours between dinner and breakfast, I am trying to go up to 18 hours, but I need to get used to the dramatic change in my caloric intake first. I am consuming 1200 – 1400 calorie a day with doctor’s approval. I have found my energy is going up in the few days of using Huel, and I can be more active as well.
This long story does have a happy ending today, November 10, 2018, I weighed myself and was at 480.4 pounds. This weight loss might be water weight loss, but it is a loss, and I will take it. I hope I can continue to lose weight (just not this dramatic) each week. My glucose numbers have maintained a 120 average in just a week. At the end of November, I have another doctor’s visit for a blood test to see if anything has changed internally. I will continue to post weekly with my progression on my healthy journey.
This is very encouraging to hear. I myself used to be type 2 diabetic years back. Lost the weight and now my A1c is like 5.
One thing I would caution you with is intermittent fasting while taking Glipizide. Glipizide stimulates the pancreas to release insulin. Although its effect is more prominent during a meal, it can still stimulate the pancreas to release some insulin during fasting periods. So there is a small risk of becoming hypoglycemic deep into a fast. I’m not wanting to alarm you. A simple finger stick at random periods into your fast will tell you if you’re dropping too low or not. I’d advise to check your sugar at like 10 to 16 hr mark of your fast. Just do once a day for a few days to be sure. You’ll probably be okay, but I’d feel better if you checked. (I’ve practiced pharmacy for 18 years.)
Metformin doesn’t have this issue since it won’t increase insulin release.
I myself practice 16 hr intermittent fasting every day. It’s been great for me.
@Deron thank you for the info, I am checking my sugar three times a day, and since starting Huel I have been checking before and after drinking a Huel to watch for sugar spikes. Like I mentioned above my numbers have lowered and stabilized into the normal range before my numbers would fluctuate as high as 250. With the medications, it has helped, but this week my numbers have been perfect. I will check during my fasting times and watch where my numbers are.
God willing, your doctor can wean you off the Glipizide soon. Once that happens, you’ll find weight loss is even faster.
To lose body fat, you must lower insulin. Meds like Glipizide or injected insulin only raise insulin levels and actually make the insulin resistance worse in the long run. They are a hindrance to weight loss and can actually promote weight gain.
that’s quite the journey! I’m using Huel for cutting purposes as well, though nowhere near as dramatic as what you’re going through. It really helps to simplify the problem of managing the calories that go in your body without much stress, and that makes more difference than I even thought it would, when I think back to how much hassle meal planning and preparing used to be. However, I have settled into having my evening meal be “food food”, just make sure it hovers around 500 calories and all good clean foods- and for my Huel “meals” I usually replace a scoop or two with the same calories’ worth of berries- got to have those antioxidants! If your diabetes is bad enough that berries are too high glycemic for you at the moment, you should go for some pecans and unsweetened (or stevia or monkfruit sweetened) green tea. Also get a hold of some spirulina powder to mix in to a Huel shake each day.Well, at least those are my two big nutritional “hacks” to Huel to push it from nutritionally complete to nutritionally balls-out awesome… well, those, and replacing a bit of Huel with more protein (high quality whey or pea, measured in terms of replacing the same number of calories) because a higher protein to carb ratio helps with weight loss. So far losing weight on “the Huel diet” is proving bearable, and Huel really has a nice taste, kind of farina-like. My body feels better than it has in a long time, which to me indicates that Huel is succeeding at what it promised to do. Best of luck on your journey to good health!
-Jim
WEIGHT UPDATE. Today I cheated and stepped on the scale. I wanted to see progress after one week of using Huel, and I have lost 4.8 pounds, which brings my total to 475.6. That is a 12-year low for me. The last time I could weigh myself was on a freight scale in 2006. Thank you Huel.
OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN. Since Thursday I have removed another pound of fat off my body. So, that brings me to 474.6 pounds. The best part of my journey so far, I was able to walk around a Target store without feeling any pain or fatigue. This weight loss makes for 20 pounds down in two weeks. The possibilities are endless with Huel in your life.
Weighing-in today and I was down another 2.3 pounds. It was a little difficult with Thanksgiving this week; we had a lot of family over the past few days which means a lot more food in the house. I tried to keep my food intake low but with multiple meals, every day for three days in a row makes it hard, back on the Huel wagon on Monday and Doctors visit this Wednesday.
I do not want you guys to think that I have fallen off the Huel band-wagon, I have been very busy with my end of the term research paper.
I am still doing great, I have lost 10 pounds so far this month and received my second order of Huel. I will be going back to the doctor at the end of February unless there is a major side effect with my medication. The doctor has reduced some of my pills (trying to wing me off of them), I hope the next visit I will be coming off some or all of the medication.
It has been more comfortable for me to walk these days, without the back pain I can do so much more. I spend a lot of time outside walking the neighborhood and studying for this paper. I now have the next two weeks off and plan to do some more walking and losing weight.
I tried to eat a homemade cookie this evening, and the taste was terrible, not saying the cooking was awful, I believe my body does not want sugar in it anymore.
I can’t wait for the new year to come and get back to doing more outdoor activities. It has been a long time since I went hiking and bike riding on the trails.
If I do not get back to you guys until after the holidays, I wish you all a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year, no matter what religion you practice, or what holiday you celebrate. Stay safe and Huel on.
around a Target store without feeling any pain or fatigue. This weight loss makes for 20 pounds down in two weeks. The possibilities are endless with Huel in your life. 
