The journey to tackling type 2 diabetes often begins with a stark realisation. For one Briton, that moment came when his health began rapidly deteriorating.
Since targeting type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes, Carl has witnessed transformations in both his physical well-being and mental health.
The realisation that both quality of life and long-term health prospects were diminishing became the catalyst for meaningful change.
"My health was getting worse, more fatigue, aching all over, low energy, more visits to the nurse, poor glucose control, medication increasing," Carl told GB News.
"I was always feeling hungry, but that has gone now, and I am a lot more disciplined about how much I eat and when I eat," he added.
Carl is enjoying his newfound discipline
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Eventually, a combination of worsening symptoms and increasing medical intervention created a tipping point for Carl.
"Just the whole pattern of my lifestyle, from my fitness to my mental health, having high anxiety in my sleep about everything going wrong," he recalled.
The first step in his transformation began with a complete overhaul of his dietary habits, in the form of a structured eating pattern designed to mimic the benefits of fasting while allowing some food intake.
"I started doing cycles of the Fasting Mimicking Diet, a 5-day nutritional program called Prolon," Carl explained.
"During my first cycle, I lost four kg of fat, especially at the abdominal level, and I felt surprisingly well and full of energy."
Alcohol was eliminated entirely almost two years ago, with Carl since "trying to eat a much better diet, cutting out the takeaway and the sugar and the carbs, much more colourful plates and smaller portions".
Carl's focus has equally shifted to protein-rich foods and abundant vegetables.
"The big changes have been from cutting out the heavy carbs and eating a much healthier, protein-based diet with fish and loads of vegetables and salads, olives, red onion, aubergine, mushroom sprouts, I love them," he explained.
"I'm going to the gym, my cardio fitness and weights and walking have been great, and I do this most days. Two big dog walks a day, going to the gym, and eating healthily."
While the fasting-mimicking diet has proven a strong starting point in Carl's health reset, he hopes to build on his results with a new program designed to reduce blood glucose.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Carl has added more colour to his plates and eats smaller portions
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"It's expected to reduce my blood sugar levels and hopefully lead to the full reversal of the condition - all under the supervision of a doctor and a nutritionist."
What were once challenging lifestyle changes have evolved into sustainable habits for Carl, and the mental transformation has been as profound as the physical.
"Reversing my diagnosis would change my day-to-day life, because when you have type 2 diabetes and you know you are not controlling it as well as you could, it is very hard to sustain," he explained.
"I would love to get to a point where I can not bury under the carpet. My whole life will be better... I will be better at my job, in my family."
