We went out Friday night to celebrate Hotty Scotty's 38th birthday. That's right folks, we are careening towards 40...
We decided on Bonefish because, well, tuna. We love tuna. If you remember my favorite foods list (located here), tuna is definitely a favorite! So, naturally, this was our first choice for a birthday/night out/date night type of evening. We got there at about eight o'clock, and finally, by nine, we were seated.
Enter ahi tuna sashimi appetizer.
Yum.
Enter bread.
Fresh, warm, artisanal bread.
With olive oil.
And pesto.
Oh crap.
I made a bad decision and set off in a tail spin that did not end until today. FOUR days later. Thank goodness it has not been another five months...but let me tell you how the past four days have gone...
Saturday:
-woke up feeling yucky
-knees hurt
-dreaded facing the day
-ate pizza for lunch (another bad mistake, but I slipped into the well-I-already-messed-up-mentality)
-had to lay down for a nap
-miserable trip to Walmart to get camping stuff
-blood sugar crashes ALL DAY LONG
-continued to feed sugar cravings (cheesecake, crackers etc.)
Sunday:
-slept until 11:30 AM
-chose not to go to church
-knees and back hurt so bad, I moved to recliner
-slept until 2:00 PM while off and on waking up ill as a hornet and being ugly to my family
-completely overwhelmed with laundry/dishes that needed doing
-bad attitude combined with feeling miserable with off and on crying
-refused to help SK outside with pool prep
-started a load of laundry
-laid back down
-felt very depressed
-forced myself to get dressed (I looked awful...I can only imagine what people thought)
-cried some more
-SK took us to Jersey Mikes so I could get a sub-in-a-tub (he knew I was "off kilter")
-went to grocery store
-came home, ate more junk because blood sugar was still wonky
-did as little as possible the rest of the day
-skipped a shower
-went to bed
Monday:
-hit snooze button until last possible minute
-got up and packed lunches
-went to McDonalds for lunch instead of eating the low carb options I packed
-stayed super-sleepy all day
-got home and had zero energy
-fixed a crappy carb-laden dinner
-planted myself in the recliner until time for bed
Today:
-hit snooze button until last possible minute
-got up and packed lunches
-ATE THE LUNCH I PACKED.
-still hungry, tired, and miserable...but...
...it comes with the territory. Now I have to go through the withdrawals again. I have to have a solid two days of feeling icky while my body burns the last of the carb-binge weekend off and gets back to ketosis. Now I have to use every single ounce of my already floundering will power to stay on the straight and narrow. Now I have to tell myself that each and every decision I make about food these next couple of days will eventually earn me back my energy, my good attitude, my stable blood sugars, my joy.
Why all this? Because I know that if I let a derailed weekend turn into a week, it will spiral out of control into many months and pounds. At this point, I just cannot let myself go for too long. The misery from this weekend was ENOUGH. Sunday was bad. So bad. And it did not have to be that way. It was a beautiful weekend full of sunshine and opportunity. For the Kinley household, however, it was a bad weekend.
Showing posts with label Insulin Resistance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insulin Resistance. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Medicine and Supplements
Occasionally I get asked what medicines/supplements I take for my PCOS, so I thought this would make a good post. Interesting, maybe not for non-PCOSers, but informative none-the-less.
Before I start rattling off a list of drugs, I would like to point out that I have now had about 18 regular menstrual cycles in a row. Yep, you read that right, 18 months of periods! I guess regular is not a good word...they are not like exactly 28 days apart or anything, but wow. Never. Never in my life have I been thisregular steady. I've talked about my absence of periods here, and with my history of few to none, I am most definitely happy to be having them now. I contribute my regularness (new word! yeah!) to my combination of meds and supplements.
Now, we all know I am certainly not Dr. Christina by any means. I only know what works for me and my body. I'm not handing out medical advice here ya'll...
Prescription Medicines:
Questions you may be dying to ask:
Do I use one of those little pill boxes? Yep!
Do I feel like a little old lady? Yep!
Does my husband occasionally poke fun at me for it? Yep!
Do I sit down every Sunday morning and divvy out my pills? Yep!
Does he call me a pharmacist? Yep!
Do I look like a pharmacist counting out my little pills and putting them in to the right sections? Yep!
What does your pill box look like? Keep reading...
My pill box looks like this one. I got it at the Dollar Tree for, you guessed it, $1. The text has almost rubbed completely off of mine, but I use a sharpie and re-do it on occasion.
I also learned the hard way that if you bend the little lids back too far, they will snap right off, leaving you with no other choice but to go spend another dollar!
Keep reading, I addressed each one below. I kept it simple. I have done my research (online, discussions with my doctors, personal preference, trying different supplement combinations) and so can you. My "reasons" below are my personal reasons and definitely not the only things these vitamins can do for our bodies. I just listed the ones that really stick out for me. If you want more information, I encourage you to do your research. There is plenty out there, so I am not going post it all here. This post could go on for days! Just make sure your sources are reliable.
Vitamin B Complex (1 caplet in the AM)
Energy, supplement possible deficiency
Vitamin C with Wild Rose Hips (500 mg in the AM)
Immune support, fight free-radicals, much more
Vitamin D3 (1000 IU in the AM)
Depression, seasonal disorder, immune, strong bones & teeth
St. John's Wort (300 mg at Noon)
Depression.
Potassium Gluconate (550 mg every other PM)
Heart, nervous system
What brand of vitamins do I use? Puritan's Pride. They are SO affordable and work well for me. (exception: Potassium Gluconate is from Walgreen's...) I actually linked you right to the ones I use in the first med list above. You're welcome!
Their bottles are beautiful translucent colors too, with flip-top caps. It never hurts to have a little color :) I also buy coconut oil, Scott's vitamins, and other things from them. They do B1G2 and B2G3 sales a lot. Totally awesome!
Before I start rattling off a list of drugs, I would like to point out that I have now had about 18 regular menstrual cycles in a row. Yep, you read that right, 18 months of periods! I guess regular is not a good word...they are not like exactly 28 days apart or anything, but wow. Never. Never in my life have I been this
Now, we all know I am certainly not Dr. Christina by any means. I only know what works for me and my body. I'm not handing out medical advice here ya'll...
Prescription Medicines:
- Metformin (1000 mg twice a day)
- Aldomet (1000 mg twice a day)
Supplements/Vitamins:
- Vitamin B Complex (1 caplet in the AM) (find it here)
- Vitamin C with Wild Rose Hips (500 mg in the AM) (find it here)
- Vitamin D3 (1000 IU in the AM) (find it here)
- St. John's Wort (300 mg at Noon) (find it here)
- Potassium Gluconate (550 mg every other PM) (find it here)
(Here is a whole separate post about St. John's Wort and how it absolutely manages my depression.)
Questions you may be dying to ask:
Do I use one of those little pill boxes? Yep!
Do I feel like a little old lady? Yep!
Does my husband occasionally poke fun at me for it? Yep!
Do I sit down every Sunday morning and divvy out my pills? Yep!
Does he call me a pharmacist? Yep!
Do I look like a pharmacist counting out my little pills and putting them in to the right sections? Yep!
What does your pill box look like? Keep reading...
My pill box looks like this one. I got it at the Dollar Tree for, you guessed it, $1. The text has almost rubbed completely off of mine, but I use a sharpie and re-do it on occasion.I also learned the hard way that if you bend the little lids back too far, they will snap right off, leaving you with no other choice but to go spend another dollar!
So why these specific vitamins?
Keep reading, I addressed each one below. I kept it simple. I have done my research (online, discussions with my doctors, personal preference, trying different supplement combinations) and so can you. My "reasons" below are my personal reasons and definitely not the only things these vitamins can do for our bodies. I just listed the ones that really stick out for me. If you want more information, I encourage you to do your research. There is plenty out there, so I am not going post it all here. This post could go on for days! Just make sure your sources are reliable.
Vitamin B Complex (1 caplet in the AM)
Energy, supplement possible deficiency
Vitamin C with Wild Rose Hips (500 mg in the AM)
Immune support, fight free-radicals, much more
Vitamin D3 (1000 IU in the AM)
Depression, seasonal disorder, immune, strong bones & teeth
St. John's Wort (300 mg at Noon)
Depression.
Potassium Gluconate (550 mg every other PM)
Heart, nervous system
What brand of vitamins do I use? Puritan's Pride. They are SO affordable and work well for me. (exception: Potassium Gluconate is from Walgreen's...) I actually linked you right to the ones I use in the first med list above. You're welcome!
Their bottles are beautiful translucent colors too, with flip-top caps. It never hurts to have a little color :) I also buy coconut oil, Scott's vitamins, and other things from them. They do B1G2 and B2G3 sales a lot. Totally awesome!
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Partner
I really really really wish that I could blog telepathically. Lord knows all the topics, situations and thoughts that go through my head that I want to blog about, unfortunately I am usually either driving or simply living life. (Neither are bad, they just seem to keep me away from writing...even when I really want to or, like lately, need to.)
I guess I should update you on which diet I am on right now. That is kind of a joke, but it very well may be what you are wondering...
I am on no sugar and very little carbs.
Surprise.
This time, however, I have a partner in crime. My best partner. My favorite partner. My Hotty Scotty is in this with me. Are you shocked yet? Well, long story short, he has been diagnosed with an over-growth of yeast in his stomach (that also affects his face... some of you might have noticed the red splotches at times over the years). Lots of research and doctors have said that sugar is the enemy. It feeds the yeast, and makes it worse. So, my Hotty Scotty decided he would cut out sugar. That simple. For him. He dropped sugar and most carbs like it was nothing. For about two weeks I hated him for it. Not hated...more like resented him. If you have read any of my previous ramblings, then you know that cutting out sugar/carbs is extremely hard on me at first. Headaches, anger, cravings, foggy mind, weak, shakes, wanting-to-punch-people-in-the-face, etc. It is pure withdrawal, like an addict.
But I did it anyway. I hopped on his bandwagon.
(after i apologized in advance for my sure-to-come symptoms)
I also had a long talk to him about how he has to stick with this long term because, quite frankly, I have dreamed about the day that my husband would be eating the same way as me. The day that we would no longer have a house full of CRAP that I did not need, but somehow wanted. The day that fish or chicken served with a salad or veggies and a few berries would be OK. The day that I would sit on the couch next to him and we would share some almonds. The day that I would not have to watch him plow through a box of oatmeal cream pies and not seem to gain an ounce.
Just to reiterate, I am still in awe that he could drop the junk that easily. That shows what a huge difference there is in our bodies. Just watch. HE will probably be the one to drop pounds. Ugh. As long as I am healthy, I guess. I am still tracking my calories, etc. in MyFitnessPal.com I still LOVE it. Love it. You could very easily overeat/overindulge on nuts, cheese, etc. so that keeps me in check.
I guess I should update you on which diet I am on right now. That is kind of a joke, but it very well may be what you are wondering...
I am on no sugar and very little carbs.
Surprise.
This time, however, I have a partner in crime. My best partner. My favorite partner. My Hotty Scotty is in this with me. Are you shocked yet? Well, long story short, he has been diagnosed with an over-growth of yeast in his stomach (that also affects his face... some of you might have noticed the red splotches at times over the years). Lots of research and doctors have said that sugar is the enemy. It feeds the yeast, and makes it worse. So, my Hotty Scotty decided he would cut out sugar. That simple. For him. He dropped sugar and most carbs like it was nothing. For about two weeks I hated him for it. Not hated...more like resented him. If you have read any of my previous ramblings, then you know that cutting out sugar/carbs is extremely hard on me at first. Headaches, anger, cravings, foggy mind, weak, shakes, wanting-to-punch-people-in-the-face, etc. It is pure withdrawal, like an addict.
But I did it anyway. I hopped on his bandwagon.
(after i apologized in advance for my sure-to-come symptoms)
I also had a long talk to him about how he has to stick with this long term because, quite frankly, I have dreamed about the day that my husband would be eating the same way as me. The day that we would no longer have a house full of CRAP that I did not need, but somehow wanted. The day that fish or chicken served with a salad or veggies and a few berries would be OK. The day that I would sit on the couch next to him and we would share some almonds. The day that I would not have to watch him plow through a box of oatmeal cream pies and not seem to gain an ounce.
Just to reiterate, I am still in awe that he could drop the junk that easily. That shows what a huge difference there is in our bodies. Just watch. HE will probably be the one to drop pounds. Ugh. As long as I am healthy, I guess. I am still tracking my calories, etc. in MyFitnessPal.com I still LOVE it. Love it. You could very easily overeat/overindulge on nuts, cheese, etc. so that keeps me in check.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
1650 Calories
If I want to lose approximately 2 pounds a week, I need to stick to about 1650 calories a day.
That's what MFP tells me.
That may sound like a lot of calories, especially if you are a smaller person, or are dieting yourself and do not consume as many. For someone my size, it's reasonable. In fact, compared to my "bad days" it seems very low to me. Compared to my binge days, it seems down-right cruel.
I am managing, though. For this week, anyway. The first week is always the hardest AND the easiest for me. :) Unfortunately, I am always at the beginning. :(
Proof in the pudding...
In fact, 4 days into sticking to 1650 calories has brought on pure confirmation that this is good for me. I started my period. (if you are new to my blog, read here...) Quick explanation of why this happens: Particularlly in insulin-resistant, very obese females, Estrogen is stored in fat cells. When you begin losing weight and shedding excess glucose, the fat cells you are "shedding" begin releasing the estrogen into your system. This works with my whacked out hormones to create an ideal period-causing-cycle!
Sooo... here's to 1650 calories.
That's what MFP tells me.
That may sound like a lot of calories, especially if you are a smaller person, or are dieting yourself and do not consume as many. For someone my size, it's reasonable. In fact, compared to my "bad days" it seems very low to me. Compared to my binge days, it seems down-right cruel.
I am managing, though. For this week, anyway. The first week is always the hardest AND the easiest for me. :) Unfortunately, I am always at the beginning. :(
Proof in the pudding...
In fact, 4 days into sticking to 1650 calories has brought on pure confirmation that this is good for me. I started my period. (if you are new to my blog, read here...) Quick explanation of why this happens: Particularlly in insulin-resistant, very obese females, Estrogen is stored in fat cells. When you begin losing weight and shedding excess glucose, the fat cells you are "shedding" begin releasing the estrogen into your system. This works with my whacked out hormones to create an ideal period-causing-cycle!
Sooo... here's to 1650 calories.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Doctor Update
My check-up with Dr. C went well today :)
She tends to only give me a three month supply of my meds at a time, which kinda forces me to have to go see her and check in every three months. Well played, dear doc!
My reason for going was simply to get refills on my Aldomet (a very weak blood pressure medicine) and Metformin (helps with my insulin resistance), and to have my cholesterol checked. (which tends to run on the high-end of normal)
Blood Pressure = 108/72
Weight = down 10 pounds since April and down a total of 21.6 pounds from a year ago.
Definitely progress made! I am a happy girl!
She tends to only give me a three month supply of my meds at a time, which kinda forces me to have to go see her and check in every three months. Well played, dear doc!
My reason for going was simply to get refills on my Aldomet (a very weak blood pressure medicine) and Metformin (helps with my insulin resistance), and to have my cholesterol checked. (which tends to run on the high-end of normal)
Blood Pressure = 108/72
Weight = down 10 pounds since April and down a total of 21.6 pounds from a year ago.
Definitely progress made! I am a happy girl!
...and yes, I have to go back in October.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Just 'a Swingin...
Well I have successfully managed to swing back and forth between No Sugar/Low Carb and Weight Watchers...oh, about six or seven times now in the past year. I do not know what to say. The latest one has been Weight Watchers.
I have lost 11 pounds since Christmas maybe. I am not sure how accurate that is but in simpler terms, I am as fat and as miserable as ever. I need to get back to a happy place.
I am hungry all the time. Real hunger? I do not know, but that is what I will call it for now since it feels like hunger and I end up eating (read: stuffing myself) in order to make the feeling go away.
My joints hurt. My feet are really giving me a hard time right now. I crave candy. Smarties and Caramel Creams. I am like Homer Simpson. Mmmmmmmmmmm Smarties.
Sure I can talk it allllll day long...but my walk is just not happening.
I am trying to do "something" and meanwhile do my research.
Latest findings: someone on the lowcarbfriends.com discussion boards mentioned that she cannot seem to "stick with" anything. She's found that every time she tries to get "fancy" and start experimenting with those processed "low-carb" foods, she fails every time. However, as long as she sticks with lean meats, fish and veggies she does just fine. Enter lowcarb pancakes and she's a goner.
Lowcarb or not, those processed foods still trick your body... making it think that it is the real thing. Your body says "Hey... something sweet"... "I'd better produce some insulin!"...Start the cycle.
There's some unprocessed food for thought.
It was like I was reading my very own story.
Right this very moment, I have a pantry full of lowcarb pancake, bread and muffin mixes. I have lowcarb/SF syrups and lowcarb pudding mixes. Thinking back to my many attempts at cutting the sugar and carbs...every time I decide "hey, these muffins are okay because they are LC/SF"... that is usually what begins my slippery slide.
I have lost 11 pounds since Christmas maybe. I am not sure how accurate that is but in simpler terms, I am as fat and as miserable as ever. I need to get back to a happy place.
I am hungry all the time. Real hunger? I do not know, but that is what I will call it for now since it feels like hunger and I end up eating (read: stuffing myself) in order to make the feeling go away.
My joints hurt. My feet are really giving me a hard time right now. I crave candy. Smarties and Caramel Creams. I am like Homer Simpson. Mmmmmmmmmmm Smarties.
Sure I can talk it allllll day long...but my walk is just not happening.
I am trying to do "something" and meanwhile do my research.
Latest findings: someone on the lowcarbfriends.com discussion boards mentioned that she cannot seem to "stick with" anything. She's found that every time she tries to get "fancy" and start experimenting with those processed "low-carb" foods, she fails every time. However, as long as she sticks with lean meats, fish and veggies she does just fine. Enter lowcarb pancakes and she's a goner.
Lowcarb or not, those processed foods still trick your body... making it think that it is the real thing. Your body says "Hey... something sweet"... "I'd better produce some insulin!"...Start the cycle.
There's some unprocessed food for thought.
It was like I was reading my very own story.
Right this very moment, I have a pantry full of lowcarb pancake, bread and muffin mixes. I have lowcarb/SF syrups and lowcarb pudding mixes. Thinking back to my many attempts at cutting the sugar and carbs...every time I decide "hey, these muffins are okay because they are LC/SF"... that is usually what begins my slippery slide.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Checking In!
Here's an easy reading post...
I still feel great!
I am NOT struggling to eat right!
I have found a few new products that are fab!
TMI: remember what always happens to me when I eat right... the thing that PCOS makes me NOT do... well, yep...it's happening! Most women complain... I CELEBRATE!
Energy!!
No joint pain!
More positive mood and outlook!
I pray that this continute and that I do not LET myself go back to old ways. Self: keep this up. You do NOT want to give up this awesomeness.
Love to all of you!
I still feel great!
I am NOT struggling to eat right!
I have found a few new products that are fab!
TMI: remember what always happens to me when I eat right... the thing that PCOS makes me NOT do... well, yep...it's happening! Most women complain... I CELEBRATE!
Energy!!
No joint pain!
More positive mood and outlook!
I pray that this continute and that I do not LET myself go back to old ways. Self: keep this up. You do NOT want to give up this awesomeness.
Love to all of you!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
17 foods
Avocado.
Greek Yogurt.
Spring Mix.
Zucchini.
Vidalia Onions.
Sauerkraut.
Raw/Rare Sashimi Tuna.
Red Bell Pepper.
Pomegranate.
Jalapenos.
Watermelon.
Raspberries.
Blue Cheese.
Meyer Lemons.
Olives.
German Johnson's.
Basil.
What is that? It's a list of my top 17 favorite foods. Non-negotiables. Foods I want. Foods I love.
Why not a top 20? Well... I thought long and hard about this list. I am sure there are others, but these were the ones that really jumped out at me. (In fact, I kept sitting up in bed the night before last and jotting them down. I woke up the next morning, and bam! there was my list.)
Look at that list. It's a pretty good list. Hotty Scotty tends to say I like "weird foods". (Realize though, that he is a meat-and-potatoes-and-little-debbies-and-whole-box-of-chocolate-covered-cherries-at-a-time-and-all-sorts-of-other-crap kind of guy. He manages to eat things and amounts of stuff that would make you want to slap him and *still* stays right at his ideal weight. His job is extremely physically demanding though, and I swear that has to be what offsets his caloric/junk intake.)
Anyway...my point with this post is this:
Look at what I love. There are no cupcakes, or pastas, or donuts, or sodas listed. In fact as I was making this list, those things did not even cross my mind. (Yes, I do like an occasional pasta dish... but look at this and this.)
The question I have had to force myself to face is, "if that list contains the foods that I absolutely love, then why the *HELL* (sorry, mom) have I spent a good say, twenty of my 31 years eating crap??!".
I do not like donuts. At. All. (Yes, really-really.) Have I eaten them plenty of times? Yes. In fact, I have, at times, eaten not one, but like three or four. (or five.) Now the next question I have to face is why? Why eat said donuts or other stuff when it is not even something I really like.
Remember my posts about insulin resistance, addictions, and other struggles? (In fact, just go back to the oldest posts and start at the beginning. You will see my struggles ~ then you will call me a nut-job fo' sho'.) Well, once I get a small taste of something (like said donuts or maybe a cupcake at a birthday party) it's on. I mean it's on like Donkey Kong. The sugar and other processed stuff sets off a reaction in my body that would easily rival a drug addict. Once I get in to the "cycle" you've seen me write about, I go into a downward spiral. I. Must. Have. Donuts. I eat them, a lot of them, then I feel bad about it, but they were soooooo "good", they gave me my fix. Blood sugar and insulin SPIKE. Crash. Need. More. Donuts.
Yep.
Now, if you have read this bah-log from the beginning, you have seen my seemingly-bipolar-indecisive-multiple-personalities battle over Weight Watchers vs. Low Carb/No Sugar. I am learning more and more everyday that tailoring a plan to your own body and medical issues is vital. I need the portion control that WW offers, but more than that I also need the restricted sugar/starches/wheat to keep my hormones and body chemistry happy.
Greek Yogurt.
Spring Mix.
Zucchini.
Vidalia Onions.
Sauerkraut.
Raw/Rare Sashimi Tuna.
Red Bell Pepper.
Pomegranate.
Jalapenos.
Watermelon.
Raspberries.
Blue Cheese.
Meyer Lemons.
Olives.
German Johnson's.
Basil.
What is that? It's a list of my top 17 favorite foods. Non-negotiables. Foods I want. Foods I love.
Why not a top 20? Well... I thought long and hard about this list. I am sure there are others, but these were the ones that really jumped out at me. (In fact, I kept sitting up in bed the night before last and jotting them down. I woke up the next morning, and bam! there was my list.)
Look at that list. It's a pretty good list. Hotty Scotty tends to say I like "weird foods". (Realize though, that he is a meat-and-potatoes-and-little-debbies-and-whole-box-of-chocolate-covered-cherries-at-a-time-and-all-sorts-of-other-crap kind of guy. He manages to eat things and amounts of stuff that would make you want to slap him and *still* stays right at his ideal weight. His job is extremely physically demanding though, and I swear that has to be what offsets his caloric/junk intake.)
Anyway...my point with this post is this:
Look at what I love. There are no cupcakes, or pastas, or donuts, or sodas listed. In fact as I was making this list, those things did not even cross my mind. (Yes, I do like an occasional pasta dish... but look at this and this.)
The question I have had to force myself to face is, "if that list contains the foods that I absolutely love, then why the *HELL* (sorry, mom) have I spent a good say, twenty of my 31 years eating crap??!".
I do not like donuts. At. All. (Yes, really-really.) Have I eaten them plenty of times? Yes. In fact, I have, at times, eaten not one, but like three or four. (or five.) Now the next question I have to face is why? Why eat said donuts or other stuff when it is not even something I really like.
Remember my posts about insulin resistance, addictions, and other struggles? (In fact, just go back to the oldest posts and start at the beginning. You will see my struggles ~ then you will call me a nut-job fo' sho'.) Well, once I get a small taste of something (like said donuts or maybe a cupcake at a birthday party) it's on. I mean it's on like Donkey Kong. The sugar and other processed stuff sets off a reaction in my body that would easily rival a drug addict. Once I get in to the "cycle" you've seen me write about, I go into a downward spiral. I. Must. Have. Donuts. I eat them, a lot of them, then I feel bad about it, but they were soooooo "good", they gave me my fix. Blood sugar and insulin SPIKE. Crash. Need. More. Donuts.
Yep.
Now, if you have read this bah-log from the beginning, you have seen my seemingly-bipolar-indecisive-multiple-personalities battle over Weight Watchers vs. Low Carb/No Sugar. I am learning more and more everyday that tailoring a plan to your own body and medical issues is vital. I need the portion control that WW offers, but more than that I also need the restricted sugar/starches/wheat to keep my hormones and body chemistry happy.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Following my own advice.
Can I just say that I am VERY well versed in a lot of food-weight-heath-nutrition-related categories. I love to talk about those things.
Yeah, yeah, like everything else it has many different sides...for me it is a battle of willpower vs. PCOS/IR viciousness.
It is a shame that I do not have a body that would supposedly match my "numbers" (blood count, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.)
I really do feel that sugar is my biggest problem. Without it, I am pretty hunky-dory. With it, my life falls apart.
It really is a shame that I can offer so much advise and knowledge, but cannot seem to practice what I preach.
If you have ever struggled with your weight and/or health issues that affect your weight, you know as well as I do, that the practicing is the hardest thing that you ever do. When the excitement of things wears off and you start realizing that you are going to have to do something *forever*... it's those thought that a lot of us are unable to push through.
However, in the back of my mind,
I cannot help but wonder of my audience at the time
of one of my spills is thinking that it is funny
hearing food-weight-health-nutrition-related advice
...from a fat girl.
I cannot help but wonder of my audience at the time
of one of my spills is thinking that it is funny
hearing food-weight-health-nutrition-related advice
...from a fat girl.
Yeah, yeah, like everything else it has many different sides...for me it is a battle of willpower vs. PCOS/IR viciousness.
It is a shame that I do not have a body that would supposedly match my "numbers" (blood count, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.)
I really do feel that sugar is my biggest problem. Without it, I am pretty hunky-dory. With it, my life falls apart.
It really is a shame that I can offer so much advise and knowledge, but cannot seem to practice what I preach.
If you have ever struggled with your weight and/or health issues that affect your weight, you know as well as I do, that the practicing is the hardest thing that you ever do. When the excitement of things wears off and you start realizing that you are going to have to do something *forever*... it's those thought that a lot of us are unable to push through.
Monday, April 11, 2011
My Food Pyramid
This is my optimal food pyramid. This is ideal if you have Insulin Resistance and/or PCOS.
Notice that grains are at the top, meaning you need to eat very little of them. The ones you *do* eat should be complex like whole-wheat pasta or brown rice. For me, I am better almost completely eliminating them as they seem to act as triggers for my IR.
 |
| (Thank you Laura Dolson from Low Carb Diets!) |
Food for thought. Especially for those who battle with sugar-issues.
*I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on television. I am simply stating my opinions and what works for me based on theories tested. Thank you.
It. Is. Time.
I am feeling super-strong today (even after sleeping a few minutes longer and having to rush out the door) so *today* will be the day I begin my own personal 21-day challenge. It is *time* to break the IR cycle. I almost used running late as an excuse to hit a drive thru for a biscuit (nom nom) and seasoned fries... but I know that one excuse leads to another, so instead I (yes, still hit a drive thru) got 3 (4?) scrambled eggs with a bit of cheese and two strips of bacon. I am nibbling on this right now. Protein, no carbs/sugar. I guess that sounds good to some folks, but ehhh, not me.
Anyways...
For the next 21 days I will consume ZERO sugar/simple carbs. I say zero, but let's be realistic here, sugar is everywhere. I will not intentionally put sugar into my body, but I have discovered that even a couple of my favorite Ms. Dash seasonings have sugar listed as an ingredient. (not enough to show on the nutrition data label, but it's listed none-the-less)
I will try to post what I eat here for both accountability purposes as well as your reading pleasure! (ha!) More so, I will post how I feel and all that good stuff. I *may* post the foods on a different tab/page at the top, so it keeps the front of my blog cleaner.
Why 21 days? Is that not the amount of time needed to form a habit? I did read that 66 days is a good number too, something about that's when people hit a plateau. Let's do 21 days, then evaluate. 21 just sounds easy to me. I know I need to do this fo-evah... but the 21 is good for right now. Funny how our minds work.
Thoughts for the day:
I cannot wait to get my spiral slicer thingy!!
I. Hate. Eggs.
Anyways...
For the next 21 days I will consume ZERO sugar/simple carbs. I say zero, but let's be realistic here, sugar is everywhere. I will not intentionally put sugar into my body, but I have discovered that even a couple of my favorite Ms. Dash seasonings have sugar listed as an ingredient. (not enough to show on the nutrition data label, but it's listed none-the-less)
I will try to post what I eat here for both accountability purposes as well as your reading pleasure! (ha!) More so, I will post how I feel and all that good stuff. I *may* post the foods on a different tab/page at the top, so it keeps the front of my blog cleaner.
Why 21 days? Is that not the amount of time needed to form a habit? I did read that 66 days is a good number too, something about that's when people hit a plateau. Let's do 21 days, then evaluate. 21 just sounds easy to me. I know I need to do this fo-evah... but the 21 is good for right now. Funny how our minds work.
Thoughts for the day:
I cannot wait to get my spiral slicer thingy!!
I. Hate. Eggs.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Sugar: the Bane of my Existence
I am not even sure where to start. I have severe (SEVERE!) Insulin Resistance. When I eat anything with sugar in it (or carbs that will eventually turn into a form of sugar) my body cannot process it. Here's a (as-brief-as-I-can-be) rundown of IR:
Insulin resistance is a condition in which a person's body tissues have a low level of response to insulin, (insulin: a hormone from the pancreas that helps to regulate the body's blood sugar levels). As a result, the person's body produces more and more insulin to maintain normal levels of glucose in the blood.
Long version:
After a person eats a meal, digestive juices in the small intestine break down starch/sugars in the food into glucose. The glucose then passes into the bloodstream. When the amount of glucose in the blood reaches a certain point, the pancreas is stimulated to release insulin into the blood. Eventually, if everything works correctly the glucose is converted into energy. If the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or the insulin receptors do not function properly, the cells cannot process the glucose and the level of glucose in the blood remains high. Excess blood sugar gets deposited in fat cells, causing weight gain. The more weight you gain, the worse IR tends to become.
It is a VICIOUS cycle.
Short version: (yep, another bulleted list!)
Eat Sugar/Carb containing foods.
Blood sugar goes up.
Pancreas makes insulin.
Insulin receptor cells do not recognize the need to function.
Pancreas makes even more insulin.
Meanwhile, excess blood sugar is going to your fat cells.
Finally insulin works a bit.
Now, blood sugar will drop quickly.
Because you of the drop, you now feel hungry/crave sweets again.
You eat more Sugar/Carb foods.
Repeat cycle.
Continuously.
Now, insert "You feel like crap.", "You feel bloated/heavy.", "Your joints ache.", and "Your have zero energy." into the cycle above at various points.
I live this life. Continuously.
The only time I feel better is when I cut out ALL sugar (and carbs). After a "detox" phase of about 2 days (where I am literally like a pissy-drug-addict-coming-off-of-the-good-stuff) I am a different person. Yes, really.
I am extremely energetic. I am happy. I have a positive outlook on things, including my weight (LOL). My body (knees!!!) does not ache. I feel lighter. I can even run my fat butt up my porch steps. It is amazing. This lasts the entire time I eat like I *should*. Then comes the boredom with the same foods over and over. I start to miss fruits. I lust over some real bread. I see a baked potato. I need pasta. I somehow convince myself (easily) that I can have just a small bit of said pasta/bananas/bread/etc... BAM. I begin to binge. Bad. Then so begins my IR cycle.
What is a gal to do? I KNOW I need to cut out sugar PERMANENTLY. I have attempted this, with a good-faith effort 3 times in the past 12 months. Good grief, was I testing a theory or what?! The longest I lasted was a good, solid 2 1/2 months. The last 2 weeks of which, begin to feel like torture when I would think about what I could *not* eat.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention...I drop weight. Pretty easily. But I have to be very strict with my eating. Every day. Every meal. Every bite. Literally only meats, cheeses, veggies, eggs and 1 serving of dairy a day (greek yogurt or milk). A rare, small serving of strawberries or raspberries seems to be ok too.
The other major thing I notice when I eat zero sugar is regular periods. I mentioned in this post that due to my PCOS I have maybe one a year. Well, cut out the sugar and WHAM. Instant period within about 5 to 7 days! In the months I ate like this, I had a regular period each month. Mind blowing! Well, part of the science behind that is that estrogen is stored in fat cells. When you begin losing weight and shedding excess glucose, the fat cells you are "shedding" begin releasing the estrogen into your system. This works with my wacked out hormones to create an ideal period-causing-cycle!
Somehow, in spite of the bit of amazing energy, weight loss, and regular periods... I still fail.
The point of this looonnnngggg post: I have been doing Weight Watchers for 3 weeks now. I have been able to eat anything I want, just less of it. As long as I stay within my points, I am supposed to lose weight and feel great. Well, not me. I have been miserably hungry ALL THE TIME. I have even gained a pound. My IR cycle is very prominent with this way of eating. It is *supposed* to be calories in/calories out. With IR, there is much more involved. Don't get me wrong. It IS calories in/calories out BUT with no-sugar/carbs the cycle stops dead. You do not crave the crap all the time. In fact I am never hungry at all. What a free feeling! Without the sugar highs and crashes, I do not crave stuff, and when I do eat, its basic foods like protein and veggies, therefore I take in fewer calories.
So, WW = FAIL. Yes, I was sorta successful in the past with WW, but I was miserable. I was hungry. I was obsessed. I still felt icky. This only leaves me with what I know works. So why can't I stick with it?
I sure would like to answer that, then fix it so I could be happier and healthier.
Monday, April 4, 2011
P.C.Ohhh.S.
I have PCOS. That is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. You can read more about it here and here, but here's a very quick run-down...(in a bulleted list, cause that's how I roll...)
Let's take a brief look at each symptom. I am doing this for informational purposes, not to provide myself with excuses, but it dang sure looks like I have a lot stacked against me.
In no particular order:
Fertility problems/Crazy periods: One miscarriage and one precious child later, it's hard to say if I actually have any fertility issues. Things happen. I have maybe one period a year, but Dr. B says that that does not mean you are not ovulating.... sooooo, we planned carefully, and there you go! No drugs, no nothing. Just a bit of heartache that friends/family/GOD got us through and then along comes Miss B and her awesome little self!
Acne: ehh. Not really ever struggled too much with this one. Every now and then I get a whopper on my chin!
Excess hair growth: Oh Yeah. After about the third time my little neice asked why I was growing a beard (ouch), I headed to Sona MedSpa in Greensboro and spent over $1500 for laser-hair-removal on my entire face! Now, that being said, it was not a end-all-complete-fix. I still have PCOS. The hair comes back. BUT the lasering did solve about 80% of the problem. I can go anytime and get a "touch up" for about $75. I still have to tweeze a lot of those pesky hairs, but not often, and I am certainly not spending 45 minutes a NIGHT like I used to. Seriously, I kept a 10x magnification mirror next to the bed with my high dollar tweezers... and every night I'd go to bed, turn on my lamp, and get to tweezing. Yep, in a year's time that's 16,020 minutes, or 267 hours, or over 11 days a year pulling hairs!
Rapid weight gain: Check! My junior/senior year (1998-1999ish) I started gaining weight. At one point, I gained about 80 pounds. I was never small like the other girls, but adding a lot of weight on top of my already-bigger-frame... well, that was not good.
Difficulty losing weight: Do I really even have to go here? LOL. A lot of this ties in with the Insulin Resistance factor, as well as the Hormonal problems. It is all one vicious cycle for me. I plan to do several posts that go into more detail about these things and how they are all related.
Sooo...
I will say this, my obesity is mine. I cannot completely blame it on anyone or anything. I would say that PCOS is about 75% to blame, the rest is me and what I eat. Maybe 80%/20%. I do not eat that unhealthy. Any of you that know me, know that I am a foodie and that I love food. I love lots of food.
I do not love donuts and pies and all that crap. I still eat them sometimes, but I prefer a good "gourmet" recipe. I ADORE fresh fruits and veggies. I do not mean just your run-of-the-mill iceburg lettuce and red-delicious apples. I mean arugula and endive, beets, mushrooms, figs, clementines, starfruit, raspberries, honeycrisp apples, avocados, cherokee purple tomatoes, etc. I love garlic and spices. I love cooking.
So what gives? Sometimes I debate on going vegetarian for a while to see how I like it. Unfortunately the fruits tend to send my insulin/sugar levels sky-high, resulting in a high, then a crash, then a craving for more sugar. (more on insulin resistance later... as I think that's my biggest problem) Here's the kicker and another "bad" for me... I love bread. I love pasta. I love white potatoes. I love cereal. All of these things cause bad things to go on inside my body. How do you give things up completely though?!
Before I start rambling too far off my main subject, let me pull myself back in.
PCOS sucks.
- Hormonal problems.
- Insulin Resistance.
- May or may not have multiple cysts on ovaries.
- Crazy, if any menstrual periods.
- Excess hair growth. (like on your freaking face!)
- Rapid weight gain. (especially around the middle/belly)
- Difficulty loosing weight.
- Acne
- Fertility problems.
Let's take a brief look at each symptom. I am doing this for informational purposes, not to provide myself with excuses, but it dang sure looks like I have a lot stacked against me.
In no particular order:
Fertility problems/Crazy periods: One miscarriage and one precious child later, it's hard to say if I actually have any fertility issues. Things happen. I have maybe one period a year, but Dr. B says that that does not mean you are not ovulating.... sooooo, we planned carefully, and there you go! No drugs, no nothing. Just a bit of heartache that friends/family/GOD got us through and then along comes Miss B and her awesome little self!
Acne: ehh. Not really ever struggled too much with this one. Every now and then I get a whopper on my chin!
Excess hair growth: Oh Yeah. After about the third time my little neice asked why I was growing a beard (ouch), I headed to Sona MedSpa in Greensboro and spent over $1500 for laser-hair-removal on my entire face! Now, that being said, it was not a end-all-complete-fix. I still have PCOS. The hair comes back. BUT the lasering did solve about 80% of the problem. I can go anytime and get a "touch up" for about $75. I still have to tweeze a lot of those pesky hairs, but not often, and I am certainly not spending 45 minutes a NIGHT like I used to. Seriously, I kept a 10x magnification mirror next to the bed with my high dollar tweezers... and every night I'd go to bed, turn on my lamp, and get to tweezing. Yep, in a year's time that's 16,020 minutes, or 267 hours, or over 11 days a year pulling hairs!
Rapid weight gain: Check! My junior/senior year (1998-1999ish) I started gaining weight. At one point, I gained about 80 pounds. I was never small like the other girls, but adding a lot of weight on top of my already-bigger-frame... well, that was not good.
Difficulty losing weight: Do I really even have to go here? LOL. A lot of this ties in with the Insulin Resistance factor, as well as the Hormonal problems. It is all one vicious cycle for me. I plan to do several posts that go into more detail about these things and how they are all related.
Sooo...
I will say this, my obesity is mine. I cannot completely blame it on anyone or anything. I would say that PCOS is about 75% to blame, the rest is me and what I eat. Maybe 80%/20%. I do not eat that unhealthy. Any of you that know me, know that I am a foodie and that I love food. I love lots of food.
I do not love donuts and pies and all that crap. I still eat them sometimes, but I prefer a good "gourmet" recipe. I ADORE fresh fruits and veggies. I do not mean just your run-of-the-mill iceburg lettuce and red-delicious apples. I mean arugula and endive, beets, mushrooms, figs, clementines, starfruit, raspberries, honeycrisp apples, avocados, cherokee purple tomatoes, etc. I love garlic and spices. I love cooking.
So what gives? Sometimes I debate on going vegetarian for a while to see how I like it. Unfortunately the fruits tend to send my insulin/sugar levels sky-high, resulting in a high, then a crash, then a craving for more sugar. (more on insulin resistance later... as I think that's my biggest problem) Here's the kicker and another "bad" for me... I love bread. I love pasta. I love white potatoes. I love cereal. All of these things cause bad things to go on inside my body. How do you give things up completely though?!
Before I start rambling too far off my main subject, let me pull myself back in.
PCOS sucks.
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