16 February 2022

According to Diabetes.org.uk,

HbA1c is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol (6.5%) or below.

 

If you’re at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, your target HbA1c level should be below 48mmol/mol (6%).

Last October, my HbA1c reading was 54mmol/mol and my doctor set me a target of 48mmol/ml or lower.

My blood test on Monday this week showed that my HbA1c reading is now 37mmol/ml and therefore in the ‘normal’ range. In addition, my HDL cholesterol and triglycerides – which were already good – have improved. LDL cholesterol unchanged, but that ought to change (downwards) over time. Also, by the surgery’s scales, I have lost 18kg since October – that’s just short of 40lbs for North Americans.

I’m delighted.

I don’t plan to give up, though. Although my primary target has been reached, I want to go a lot further in terms of weight and fitness. The 34″ trousers I bought just 2 or 3 weeks ago are now a bit baggy and loose around the hips and I want to get into a 32″ waist (with ambitions for 30″ by the end of summer.) The weather here is currently horrible, but once it clears up I’m aiming to get some light jogging going, based generally around the ‘couch to 5K’ approach. I see the doctor on 16 March for a formal review, and I’d guess that she’ll want to see me again before summer to see how things are going. By summer I want my numbers, and my fitness, to be even better.

And I’m not going to change my diet substantially – I’m enjoying what I’m eating and don’t see any reason to change in most respects.

Finally, this has been achieved without any medication.