Type 2 diabetes remission occurs when you have blood sugar levels below 6.5% on no diabetes medications, for at least 3 months.
Dean’s journey is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to take control of your health. After living with type 2 diabetes for over 20 years, he successfully lowered his A1c, got off medications, and completely transformed his relationship with food — all through using DMP’s program.
Dean started by taking the T2Diet Program. Here’s what he said after the 16 weeks.
Dean has continued as a VIP Member with ongoing access to meal plans and support and he has now got his type 2 diabetes into remission, after 20 years!
Thank you, Dean, for sharing your story and inspiring others in the DMP community. We’re excited to continue celebrating your success!
Meet Dean
For over two decades, Dean managed type 2 diabetes with medications, keeping his A1c in the 7% range but never quite able to lower it further. When he joined the T2Diet program, he was hopeful but unsure of what to expect.
Following the T2Diet program, Dean saw remarkable results—his A1c dropped from 6.9% to 5.6% in just four months, low numbers he had never reached before.
“The first ones that came in in the fives, it was almost like—yeah, so this is a good turnaround after all that time,” Dean said.
As a result, his doctor took him off Jardiance, marking the beginning of his journey toward a medication-free life.
What Kind of Diet Were You Eating Before Joining?
Dean had always been hesitant about certain foods, particularly vegetables. But as he learned more about low carb nutrition, his mindset completely shifted.
“I never liked a lot of those vegetables, but now I actually enjoy them. If you’d told me two years ago that I’d be saying I love cauliflower and broccoli, I would have said you were mad,” Dean shared.
His diet had previously included more convenience foods and carbs, and while he never felt like he was making terrible choices, he wasn’t aware of how much they were impacting his blood sugar.
Over time, he learned to enjoy whole, unprocessed foods in a way he never had before.
Challenges and Setbacks Along the Way
Despite his early success, Dean faced a period of stress that led to a small rise in his A1c. After his doctor left unexpectedly, he had to find a new one, and when he finally got tested again, his A1c had crept back up to 6.5%.
“That was a bit of a mystery to me because I didn’t feel like we had broken the diet too much,” Dean said. “Maybe being out and about more and making some different choices played a role, but stress was definitely a big factor.”
During that time, Dean faced multiple life stressors, including losing a family member, unexpected work demands, and an injury that affected his exercise routine.
“It was almost a constant state of stress with no downtime,” he reflected. “And I didn’t even realize how much of an impact that had on my blood sugar until I saw the results.”
Refocusing and Getting Back on Track
After seeing his A1c rise to 6.5%, Dean knew he needed to make some adjustments.
“It wasn’t huge changes. It was just keeping our mind on the diet all the time, even when we were away. But we just kept our eye on the diet all the time,” Dean explained.
One of the key areas he focused on was being more conscious of food choices, even small ones.
“You know, it’s just… it’s so easy when a meal comes with salad and chips to eat the salad and, oh well, the chips are there, and you eat half the chips and you think, ‘Well, that’s good, I still left half behind.’ But the reality is I shouldn’t have eaten the first half in the first place,” Dean said.
Along with paying closer attention to food choices, Dean was also able to increase his exercise.
“We probably got an opportunity to do a little bit more exercise as well. And, yeah, that brought it back down to 6.0%,” he shared.
With this progress, Dean’s doctor finally agreed to take him off all medication, marking a huge milestone.
“It’s good. I’m really pleased with it,” Dean said.
Dean’s Best Advice for Those Wanting to Make a Change
For Dean, the journey wasn’t just about food—it was about a mindset shift and having a purposeful WHY.
“I’ve never been someone who’s wanted to rely on medications to get me through life, and I probably inherited that from my mum. My mum is 85 now and she’s determined to keep off as many medications as she possibly can, so she looks after herself well to do that. So I guess the driving motivation for me always has been how can I look after myself better and not rely on the doctors to have to keep propping me up. And I think you know your thing came along just at the right time. The T2Diet has been fantastic.”
“And look, it’s all a learning thing and I gotta say, even simple things like following new recipes is enough to make you learn, ah now, I never realized that vegetable does this, or it’ll taste like that, or if you boil it it tastes yuck, but if you do it this way it tastes really nice. For both my wife and I, there’s just something about learning all this new stuff that we both enjoy about it. It’s good. “
Dean’s Full Story on the Podcast
CHAPTERS
1:02 Dean’s background story
4:42 Dean’s minor setback
10:05 An overview of Dean’s journey midway
11:56 Dean’s determination through the next phase
15:13 Dean off all medications and journey insights
21:21 Reflection on Dean’s road to a medication-free life
__________
Thank you for sharing your story Dean!
The great news is, Dean continues to maintain his motivation and has maintained an A1c of 6% and has stayed off medication – Dean now maintains his type 2 diabetes remission!
Achieving diabetes remission may not happen overnight, but if you continue to be proactive, you can return your health to normal, or as close to normal as possible.
Every choice you make is a step toward the life you want – keep stepping forward!
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