View Full Version : Achilles Heel Thread
You know that one thing that always causes you to stumble and struggle? That thing you're always "working on?" You make progress, then backslide, then give up, then try again, experience some success!, only to backslide again... And you get embarrassed talking about it because you just know people will roll their eyes and think, "Here we go again."
Yeah, this is a thread for venting about THAT.
For me it's my eating habits.
I had leftover chicken and salad for lunch and felt quite virtuous. Then around dinner time I felt a sudden craving for popcorn. And for whatever reason, I decided, why not? So I had a bowl of popcorn. Then the pepperoni pizza in the fridge started calling my name. So I ate that too. That was my dinner: popcorn and pizza. And afterwards I felt super crappy. The combination of sodium, bad fat, and carbs hit me like a ton of bricks.
I'm going cold turkey on the low-carb eating. As of right now! In the past I've been able to do it in phases but it's not working and I'm sick of feeling crappy. The first 3 days are always the hardest and I'm going to use this thread to b*tch and moan about it. >:(
Feel free to use it for your own venting needs.
I am working on lowering carbs also, and finally gave up potatoes which I had a great sentimental attachment to. My mother ate them 3 times a day as a child, and they kept her alive during World War 2. She cooked them all the time so they are a comfort food to me, and I have even grown them in my garden. But with my slowing metabolism I just couldn't lose weight eating below ground vegetables. But I could relapse with potatoes, or with the empty calories in a glass of wine.
Bad boys are another recurring vice, and it will be a year next month since I completely set aside the last one. The ones I like are no good for me, and the ones that are good for me I don't like.
Also I have to be on guard against negativity at work, especially since I sit next to the chief company complainer and some of it can rub off.
Decluttering also comes and goes in bursts as well.
I am inconsistent with exercise.
It's the human condition. Good luck to you.
Oh for me it is getting paperwork and money things done. So challenging, and embarrassing to talk about. Right now There isn't any emergency type things but I really need to check my bank balances. I spent a lot of money last month and I am still nervous weeks later. I did however pay a bill on time, get medical tests, and return my library books
I feel like I need often to know I can call a friend right after or have something good I can do. I just need to get out of the anxiety of handling it
Chicken lady
8-12-17, 9:14am
Hmm, do I have an Achilles heel? Teacher Terry and Ultralite, do you think you could help me out here? - lol!
i actually found my old thread about my studio yesterday. A year later it is either much better or marginally improved depending on if you are me or ultralite.
Examples:
a year ago I was trying to get all of the bags of dry clay into buckets but I didn't have enought buckets and they were all piled in the middle of the floor.
Now all the clay is in buckets, some of the buckets are in use as legs for a glazing table, and I am slowly using up the clay and removing buckets (currently three empty ones waiting to go to school)
a year ago the shelves were full of toys my kids had left behind.
now one shelf is full of toys and the others are full of pottery related items
a year ago my soapmaking stuff had been used once and was scattered everywhere and I couldn't find some of it
now it is pared down, all gathered under one small table and I have used it 4 times this year and will be offering soap for sale in my booth next weekend and when I need a new bar of soap for the shower, I just go get one.
a year ago there were plaster molds everywhere, some clean, some dirty. Now there are clean plaster molds on a designated shelf and a slowly decreasing pile of dirty plaster molds next to the clay buckets.
there are more examples.
the only thing that has gotten worse (much worse - because the kitchen cabinets came encased in cardboard) is the pile of cardboard. I should set aside a few days to mulch everywhere and then recycle, but it isn't a priority.
Cauliflower is a pretty good substitute for potatoes--particularly mashed and in fauxtato salad.
CL, I'm in the GREAT PROGRESS camp for your studio. How wonderful! congratulations.
Cauliflower is a pretty good substitute for potatoes--particularly mashed and in fauxtato salad.
Though very gas inducing in my case. I am actually growing some in my garden, and its low productivity is something I am handling okay.
I'm going cold turkey on the low-carb eating. As of right now! In the past I've been able to do it in phases but it's not working and I'm sick of feeling crappy.
Quitting carbs is tough! Your body is used to converting lots of carbs into glucose. Take away most of the carbs and the hormones/liver/digestive system that's used to processing high volumes has to make some changes. On a macro level, they're not immediate. The first three days are about the worst. When I went from low-ish carbs to almost-no carbs, I still spent a few days feeling weak and headache-y and a little out of sorts.
It does get better. Now I have kind of the opposite effect: if I eat something with a lot of carbs in it, the carb spike and my body's (over)reaction to it kind of reverberates for a couple of days before things settle down again. I have to say that, with almost-no carbs, I rarely have the "FEED ME!!!" days I used to have. That helps provide me the incentive to say no to "cheat days" and the like. Of course, seeing the results from the bad behavior on a blood-glucose meter adds incentive, too.
ObThread My Achilles heel has to be the last 20% of pretty much any project. That could be the putzy trim work after painting. Or finding a place for the recycling that's not easy to recycle (cross-town trip, limited hours, etc.). I don't like that about myself, but it's existed long enough that way that I try to find ways to address it. It's not easy.
A blood glucose meter is a wonderful tool--especially if you're a bio-geek. :~)
Speaking of bio-geekery, I've been looking into autophagy lately. This creaky old body needs a tuneup.
My Achilles heel is farther up--my knees. And I often say my mitochondria are MIA. See line 2, above.
Teacher Terry
8-13-17, 1:56pm
CL: I would say you have made great progress in our studio:)) I think that getting rid of stuff and organizing eventually becomes self-reinforcing because you feel better. At least for me it has.
Every time I visit my parents I fall off the wagon a little. Yesterday I opted for bean soup instead of fried rice, and garden vegetables in tossed salad instead of in tomato/cucumber sandwiches, but then my mother brought out the homemade dessert of their own backyard blueberries baked in a crust of flour and sugar.
Procrastination. It still catches me off guard. I'm too old to do the adrenaline rush of trying to beat the clock because I haven't managed my time properly, but I do it anyway. I blame tendencies toward perfectionism and fear of failure.
Hmm, do I have an Achilles heel? Teacher Terry and Ultralite, do you think you could help me out here? - lol!
i actually found my old thread about my studio yesterday. A year later it is either much better or marginally improved depending on if you are me or ultralite.
Examples:
a year ago I was trying to get all of the bags of dry clay into buckets but I didn't have enought buckets and they were all piled in the middle of the floor.
Now all the clay is in buckets, some of the buckets are in use as legs for a glazing table, and I am slowly using up the clay and removing buckets (currently three empty ones waiting to go to school)
a year ago the shelves were full of toys my kids had left behind.
now one shelf is full of toys and the others are full of pottery related items
a year ago my soapmaking stuff had been used once and was scattered everywhere and I couldn't find some of it
now it is pared down, all gathered under one small table and I have used it 4 times this year and will be offering soap for sale in my booth next weekend and when I need a new bar of soap for the shower, I just go get one.
a year ago there were plaster molds everywhere, some clean, some dirty. Now there are clean plaster molds on a designated shelf and a slowly decreasing pile of dirty plaster molds next to the clay buckets.
there are more examples.
the only thing that has gotten worse (much worse - because the kitchen cabinets came encased in cardboard) is the pile of cardboard. I should set aside a few days to mulch everywhere and then recycle, but it isn't a priority.
That sounds like a lot of progress to me! Congrats!
Quitting carbs is tough! Your body is used to converting lots of carbs into glucose. Take away most of the carbs and the hormones/liver/digestive system that's used to processing high volumes has to make some changes. On a macro level, they're not immediate. The first three days are about the worst. When I went from low-ish carbs to almost-no carbs, I still spent a few days feeling weak and headache-y and a little out of sorts.
It does get better. Now I have kind of the opposite effect: if I eat something with a lot of carbs in it, the carb spike and my body's (over)reaction to it kind of reverberates for a couple of days before things settle down again. I have to say that, with almost-no carbs, I rarely have the "FEED ME!!!" days I used to have. That helps provide me the incentive to say no to "cheat days" and the like. Of course, seeing the results from the bad behavior on a blood-glucose meter adds incentive, too.
ObThread My Achilles heel has to be the last 20% of pretty much any project. That could be the putzy trim work after painting. Or finding a place for the recycling that's not easy to recycle (cross-town trip, limited hours, etc.). I don't like that about myself, but it's existed long enough that way that I try to find ways to address it. It's not easy.
After reading your post I realized that I lied. I'm cutting my carbs down but not super low, not ketogenic or anything close to it. I'm not restricting fruit, which is pretty high carb. I'd guess I'm around 65-70 carb grams right now. So I'm actually still doing phases, just bigger ones I guess. I eat all the veggies and fruit I want along with protein and good fat.
I do notice that since I'm not eating starchy fillers my tummy is having a harder time with caffeine. It's making me feel queasy so I will need to start cutting back on that. I've been eating LOTS of veggies to counter it but it's not that effective. I also think it's making me eat more fruit.
So far the changes have not been too tough, probably because I've been busy mentally with other things (our new cat! the new roommate arriving soon). And knowing I can have fruit helps a lot too. I've had a few occasions of really wanting to eat bread or popcorn. In the past it would turn into a mental debate, but now I just shut it down with a firm no. I suspect it will be much harder when I start restricting fruit. Right now I can say, "No, you're not having X. Have some fruit instead." And it works. Not sure what I'll do when the fruit is not an option either. Maybe veggies or salad prepped and ready to eat in the fridge. A few years ago I was blanching veggies and then marinating them with Italian dressing in the fridge. It was a wonderful snack. I should try that again.
Every time I visit my parents I fall off the wagon a little. Yesterday I opted for bean soup instead of fried rice, and garden vegetables in tossed salad instead of in tomato/cucumber sandwiches, but then my mother brought out the homemade dessert of their own backyard blueberries baked in a crust of flour and sugar.
That would be so tough to resist! Although I think if it's just an occasional treat, it's not a bad thing. Maybe you can build in a mom treat allowance? The thing that would make it difficult is if that one treats lead to a cascade of other "treats." That's what happens with me, but maybe you don't have that problem?
Procrastination. It still catches me off guard. I'm too old to do the adrenaline rush of trying to beat the clock because I haven't managed my time properly, but I do it anyway. I blame tendencies toward perfectionism and fear of failure.
This used to be a big issue for me. When I started getting better sleep I suddenly felt more energized (suddenly was after a few weeks of catching up on sleep), I found myself being more productive and I procrastinated less. You mentioned that you're a bit sleep deprived. Could that have something to do with it?
That would be so tough to resist! Although I think if it's just an occasional treat, it's not a bad thing. Maybe you can build in a mom treat allowance? The thing that would make it difficult is if that one treats lead to a cascade of other "treats." That's what happens with me, but maybe you don't have that problem?
Geila,
I agree about the "treat" circumstances multiplying. I remember being impressed with one mom who said she never described any food she gave to her children as a "treat." I thought that was very wise.
It seemed to remove the idea that you can allow all kinds of excuses to eat food that isn't good for us: birthdays, holidays, happy hours, vacations, staycations, etc. etc. Hence people saying afterwards, "I was very bad." It's a weird dynamic.
Geila,
I agree about the "treat" circumstances multiplying. I remember being impressed with one mom who said she never described any food she gave to her children as a "treat." I thought that was very wise.
It seemed to remove the idea that you can allow all kinds of excuses to eat food that isn't good for us: birthdays, holidays, happy hours, vacations, staycations, etc. etc. Hence people saying afterwards, "I was very bad." It's a weird dynamic.
You're right. After visiting Europe for an extended trip years ago, I noticed how our American culture handles sex and food in a good/evil way. We are prudish when it comes to sex yet have a huge porn industry that is often violent and degrading to women. We are 'bad' if we eat fatty foods, yet are the fattest nation in the planet. A lot of dissonance in our culture.
When I was in Europe I saw sexuality represented as a normal part of every day life. Food was rich and delicious and it was something to enjoy, not beat yourself up over. I ate SO much delicious food on my trip. And yet I did not gain an ounce of extra weight. We walked a lot and the rich food felt satisfying and enjoyable without feeling addictive.
The treats have not cascaded so far, but there will be a big gathering at Thanksgiving.
Yesterday I ate only a salad at 11:30 and wasn't hungry until 7 PM. I never go that long without wanting to eat, so maybe I am getting somewhere. It had lettuce*, tomatoes** onion, feta cheese, chia seeds, tahini, oregano** and thyme**. *locally grown **from my garden
Edited to add: and a hardboiled egg
Have any of you found that fresher, more flavorful foods fill you up better?
Geila berries are a better fruit. Do nuts, seeds, or sugarfree yogurts appeal to you? A hardboiled egg? A piece of cheese? Celery with natural peanut butter?
rosarugosa
8-14-17, 5:25am
Frittering away time on the internet would be mine. I feel like I'm not as productive as I used to be, and I believe that is the underlying reason. I read this quote recently in an article by Wayne Curtis in Yankee Magazine: "The internet is to time what a vending machine is to nutrition: always there, always tempting, always full of empty calories."
Ultralight
8-14-17, 6:30am
For me it all food-related, I think.
1. I overeat.
2. I eat some unhealthy foods.
3. I eat at restaurants too often.
Food. Food. Food.
This used to be a big issue for me. When I started getting better sleep I suddenly felt more energized (suddenly was after a few weeks of catching up on sleep), I found myself being more productive and I procrastinated less. You mentioned that you're a bit sleep deprived. Could that have something to do with it?
Good suggestion, but I've been a life-long procrastinator, and I have a decent energy level throughout most days. My energy is just diverted to other things. Having a report due always seems like the best time to clean out a closet. :)
But on the sleep-deprived note, I got a Fitbit about 2 months ago and was astounded to see that my average sleep time is only 6 hours 30 minutes, even though I'm pretty regular about my 8-hour bedtimes/wake times. Pretty sure the dog is too blame.
Williamsmith
8-14-17, 10:06am
Definitely my lack of patience. I hate standing in lines, waiting on someone else, relying on someone else. I want things done my way, on my terms, to my satisfaction. Because of this, I have a secondary Achilles heel. Outwardly, I look very calm and cool. Inside, I am boiling and I have an explosive temper. Not violent. There is a difference. I have learned how to avoid turmoil and since my retirement I have become very even tempered. But my family is always looking for signs and knows how to deescalate potential confrontations. I have researched this myself and determined that I can recognize hypervigilence as a developing trait that threatens my happiness. So I place myself in stressful situations in order to practice patience, place my trust in others including strangers and thus....I can make small steps away from any effects of PTSD like symptoms. I'm not saying I have PTSD. I don't think I do but ask others and you might get different opinions.
I seem to have more Achilles heels than I have feet. . .
I seem to have more Achilles heels than I have feet. . .
:laff:
The treats have not cascaded so far, but there will be a big gathering at Thanksgiving.
Yesterday I ate only a salad at 11:30 and wasn't hungry until 7 PM. I never go that long without wanting to eat, so maybe I am getting somewhere. It had lettuce*, tomatoes** onion, feta cheese, chia seeds, tahini, oregano** and thyme**. *locally grown **from my garden
Edited to add: and a hardboiled egg
Have any of you found that fresher, more flavorful foods fill you up better?
Geila berries are a better fruit. Do nuts, seeds, or sugarfree yogurts appeal to you? A hardboiled egg? A piece of cheese? Celery with natural peanut butter?
Yppej - your salad sounds delicious!
My body does not handle dairy very well. Occasional cheese is okay, but yogurt is not (shame too because I like yogurt). Peanuts/peanut butter don't work well either. Nuts like pistachios/almonds are ok in small quantities. Eggs work very well so I use them a lot in salads. I also like deviled eggs.
I think I'll take some time today to boil a batch of eggs and prep some broccoli for eating with olive oil and lemon juice. I'd also like to cook up some meat to make tacos with romaine leaves instead of tortillas. I've really liked that in the past. There's also a Vietnamese grilled pork that I really like with greens. It has a bit of sugar but I find that if I eat the sugar with protein, fat, and veggies, it's not a problem.
Oh, I've been wanting to try tahini!
SteveinMN
8-14-17, 11:07am
Right now I can say, "No, you're not having X. Have some fruit instead." And it works. Not sure what I'll do when the fruit is not an option either. Maybe veggies or salad prepped and ready to eat in the fridge.
Veggies/salad is good. Watch commercially-prepared dressings, though -- many of them have surprising amounts of sugar even if they don't taste sweet.
Pickles are good -- they're my go-to (again, not the sweet ones though, tbh, some of the commercial ones are far too vinegary for me). Roasted seaweed snacks and pork rinds fill the "chip and pretzel" void for me quite well. A taste of high-fat something is good, too -- an ounce of cheese, a little (plain) yogurt, a few slices of pepperoni or salami, a hard-boiled egg. Fat is not the enemy here and is more satisfying for a longer period than even complex carbs.
Gradual is good. Having a substitute ready when the pang hits is even better. :)
Oh food. Definitely a week area for me. I've noticed over the last year that I eat too late in the day. Use to never eat after 6pm but now I seem to consume most of my food between 6-9pm! No wonder I'm reaching for the Tums almost nightly and then not in the mood for breakfast or lunch the next day. I'm out of balance. I will work on that.
CL: Congrats and wonderful improvements over the last year. I like that you looked at it that way. Sometimes we never see a change until we take a longer view. Progress is progress!
Vent.
I'm so hungry today. I did a short walk this morning because my old knee injury has been bothering me since the weekend. And I planned a quiet day today to acclimate the kitty to the family, so not much other physical activity. But it's like I just can't eat enough. I have the TOM coming up this weekend, but normally I don't get hungry this early.
It's 11:30 and I've already had:
coffee
banana
scrambled eggs with sausage and sauteed cabbage
banana
apple
bowl of chicken broth
I'm still hungry and I'm feeling a bit of stomach cramps, the kind you get with the TOM. I'm going to prepare some linguica with broccoli next. I think when I eat fruit it actually makes me hungrier. I've been having about 3 pieces of fruit per day. I've already had that so I'm going to avoid any more fruit today.
ETA: I'm also feeling more nausea than the past couple of days. I had plans to cut back on the morning coffee but it did not happen.
Fruit, and carbohydrates in general, make you hungry by raising insulin, known as the "hunger hormone." That, in turn, really messes with your blood sugar levels. And the cycle continues. Also, fruit--fructose--is directly metabolized by the liver and can lead to tissue damage, including fatty liver.
Wine? I drink one bottle a week parsed out over a few days. I would like not to drink alcohol at all but I have not been successful when I try to go without.
Wine? I drink one bottle a week parsed out over a few days. I would like not to drink alcohol at all but I have not been successful when I try to go without.
Is there a reason you want to eliminate it? From all accounts, wine seems to be good for the health. A bottle a week doesn't seem excessive to me.
Fruit, and carbohydrates in general, make you hungry by raising insulin, known as the "hunger hormone." That, in turn, really messes with your blood sugar levels. And the cycle continues. Also, fruit--fructose--is directly metabolized by the liver and can lead to tissue damage, including fatty liver.
Ok, I probably need to cut back on fruit sooner rather than later. Thanks, Jane.
After I posted earlier, I took a shower and had plans to eat something but I lay down on the couch and passed out for over 2 hours. Then I had 2 big glasses of water. I always make sure to drink lots of water when I'm active and today I wasn't as diligent so I might have been a bit dehydrated.
Now I'm eating my linguica and broccoli. I always forget how much I like steamed broccoli. I will have a salad later if I feel munchy or hungry.
No more fruit this week to see how I do. I'm hoping my knee will feel better if I abstain because carbs always make my joints flare up.
If you're going to eat fruit, I'd choose berries--they provide the most bang for the buck.
Also avocados, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, etc. are all fruit, but not high in fruit sugar.
I'm picking up some of those veggie fruits you listed to liven up my salads. Tonight I had a ton of romaine with Asian sesame dressing (homemade). I was very tempted by the apples and bananas but was able to resist. Then dh made a batch of popcorn, had to resist that. Every time I go by the kitchen I see the bag of plump bagels sitting there. Today's been the hardest for temptation. I do think my knee is feeling a tad better tonight though.
Fruit, and carbohydrates in general, make you hungry by raising insulin, known as the "hunger hormone." That, in turn, really messes with your blood sugar levels. And the cycle continues. Also, fruit--fructose--is directly metabolized by the liver and can lead to tissue damage, including fatty liver.
I have a hard time believing that eating any fruit is bad for you. I belong to the Michael Pollan, "eat real food" camp. I eat a banana every day and I feel it's a good source of carbohydrates, calories and micronutrients like potassium. Same with apples. How can eating an apple be bad? It defies reason to me. Just because it got Adam and Eve thrown out of paradise doesn't mean it's ALL bad! :). I know apples are classified as simple carbohydrates, and simply carbohydrates can be more problematic in terms of insulin spikes, but eating "an apple a day" is still good advice IMHO.
When it comes to processed carbohydrates, I will agree with you. Especially the ones made today, as opposed to when our grandparents kneaded the dough themselves.
I have a hard time believing that eating any fruit is bad for you.
Whether it comes from candy (sucrose), fruit (fructose), dairy products (lactose), or something else, carbohydrates break down into glucose. The fiber and vitamins/minerals that accompany the sugar in fruit are a benefit to the body. But, at a cellular level, where the sugar came from makes no difference to cells or to the insulin which reacts to it.
In most people, the insulin their bodies generate counteracts the glucose present in food. For those with endocrine-related disorders (diabetes, PCOS, etc.), either the insulin is not present or is not present in the right amount -- the body provides some-but-not-enough insulin or provides enough but fails to stop producing insulin when it should. This results in a dip in blood sugar that has its own effects, including feeling the need to eat more. Then there's that old issue of serving size: most bananas in the market are not one serving; they're two or more. Ditto with supersized apples and other fruits. By Geila's account, she may have eaten as many as five or six pieces of fruit before noon. That's why I suggested up-thread that truly going low-carb would require giving up most or all of the fruit in one's diet.
As Jane pointed out, adding avocados and olives to the diet will help, both by providing botanical fruits with much lower levels of carbohydrates and by providing fat which helps people feel full longer. Berries are a better fruit choice, too. As a Type 2 diabetic, I can sneak a few berries without seeing the results of that on my meter. But I can't add as little as an apricot or half a small apple or peach without seeing a much higher blood-glucose reading on my meter. I'm guessing that a cup of berries would show up for sure. Not sure I want to experiment with that right now, though.
Every body is different. But most folks with insulin issues (regardless of cause) do not do well with fruit, no matter how healthful it may be for most people. Kind of like the way nuts are a good food -- unless you're allergic to them, in which case they're off the table regardless of their health benefits.
Thanks for the explanation, Steve. I do realize that people with insulin issues have different dietary requirements and prohibitions.
Avocados are a wonderful source of potassium. Spinach too.
It looks like most Americans will have insulin/blood sugar issues if they live long enough; diabetes is certainly trending.
catherine
8-15-17, 10:41am
Avocados are a wonderful source of potassium. Spinach too.
It looks like most Americans will have insulin/blood sugar issues if they live long enough; diabetes is certainly trending.
Yes, it is trending, but I'm more likely to blame processed foods over fruit for getting T2D to begin with. If you start with a normal pancreas, I still don't think eating apples and bananas alone are going to throw you into insulin resistance.
But diabetes is epidemic, that is for sure. My DH goes in and out of pre-diabetes/diabetes depending upon how much white bread and cookies he eats. He does love bread.
Another thing with fruit is that the current fruit we eat has been modified to be MUCH sweeter than it used to be. Sometimes apples taste sweeter than candy to me. And yes, everything is super sized. A third issue is that fruit, and the sugar it contains, is now available year-round in unlimited quantities. And we don't have to expend any energy whatsoever to acquire it. I was born in a small village surrounded by fruit orchards, but everything had it's season, you shared the available fruit with the rest of the village, and you had to do some serious physical work to procure the fruit. Same with honey. You had to actually figure out how to get it!
And the lack of physical activity means that the sugar has nowhere to go. When I've done low-carb before, I've been able to reintroduce fruits once my physical activity warrants it. And then it's fine in moderation. My system is very sensitive in general, I react strongly to coffee, alcohol, carbs, meds, stress, etc.... Dh can have plenty of carbs and sugar without any ill effects but I suspect he will have a day of reckoning.
Today will be my first day of no caffeine, no fruit. I had a big glass of water instead of making coffee and slowly the desire for coffee subsided. I'll have breakfast soon.
I've decided to make this a rest week for a few reasons: cutting back this much on carbs might make me feel tired, I'm still working on acclimating the new cat to the family, I'm enjoying the last week of having the house to myself and being able to walk around in my underwear, the TOM is coming up with it's own set of issues (for me it's usually lower back pain and tiredness), and I'm still resting my knee (it's feeling better today). I will focus on adjusting to my new way of eating and the rest will be low key, just doing the easy everyday chores.
The weather is cooperating with my plan - it's been very cool and overcast. Perfect weather for sleeping in and afternoon naps.
If you start with a normal pancreas, I still don't think eating apples and bananas alone are going to throw you into insulin resistance.
Agreed. But it sure seems like many people do not have normal pancreases. Diets that supply large spikes in glucose (particularly from foods that don't need it, like salad dressing) don't help.
TooSweetForMe
8-16-17, 8:35am
As a Type 2 diabetic, I can sneak a few berries without seeing the results of that on my meter. But I can't add as little as an apricot or half a small apple or peach without seeing a much higher blood-glucose reading on my meter. I'm guessing that a cup of berries would show up for sure. Not sure I want to experiment with that right now, though.
Steve, I am also a T2 diabetic, and I have also found that berries spike me less than oranges or apples or grapes. Surprisingly, watermelon doesn't spike me, maybe because it has so much water in it?
I've learned that people who give up processed food often need to supplement electrolytes--especially salt (which is not--for most people--the bugaboo we've been told it is.) Not doing so can result in muscle cramps and fatigue. From Ketovangelist:
Salt (Sodium, Na) performs many important functions in the body.
It helps keep our cells hydrated through assisting the elasticity of the cell wall.
It assists in maintaining the delicate fluid balance in and surrounding all the cells in our body.
It assists in the uptake of potassium into our cells- if we don’t have enough salt in our system, when we eat potassium rich foods, the potassium is wasted, because it doesn’t transfer through the cell walls effectively.
It plays a crucial role in digestion- along the entire digestive tract, from the acidic environment of the stomach, to the absorption of fluid in the bowel.
ApatheticNoMore
8-16-17, 11:17am
Yes, it is trending, but I'm more likely to blame processed foods over fruit for getting T2D to begin with. If you start with a normal pancreas, I still don't think eating apples and bananas alone are going to throw you into insulin resistance.
it's probably mostly linked to obesity, although there are some thin T2D (maybe the thin T2B just do have genetic tendencies and do have to be extra careful). And fruit consumption overall seems to be more linked to being a healthy weight than obesity but one can certainly get any nutrients and fiber in fruit elsewhere also.
berries spike me less than oranges or apples or grapes. Surprisingly, watermelon doesn't spike me, maybe because it has so much water in it?
I haven't documented it on myself to my satisfaction with my meter, but I do seem to tolerate watermelon fairly well also. The water content definitely could play a part. But I suspect it's one of those "some T2s can and some can't" things, like bread. :)
Yesterday was tough. The toughest day so far. Lots of temptations and a feeling of lethargy akin to a flu or cold. I've heard that some people get flu-like symptoms although I've never had them before. But I haven't given up caffeine at the same time before either. And I've never done it this close to the TOM.
I had a few mild and brief headaches last night, not sure if it was the carb withdrawal or the caffeine. I was able to nap a good amount and that helped a lot. Today I slept in and had breakfast and I feel really good. I still glanced lovingly at the bagels, but that was it. I've been having some caffeine-free tea and that has helped with the absence of coffee.
When I'm feeling temped I remind myself how much better I will feel in a few days. Having the memory of that actually happening is helping.
But this morning when I woke up I was having a dream about pizza and candy! :)
I've officially hit the 48 hour mark and if I remember, this is when the body makes the change to fuel itself by consuming available body fat (of which there is plenty!) In the past, I've started feeling really good around day 3. Not sure how that will work out this time since around day 3 is when my tiredness from my hormones will really kick in. One big positive is that my knee pain is gone and so is my lower pack pain. And all the withdrawal symptoms have been mild enough to tolerate without any use of Advil or anything else.
I'm hoping today will be better energy-wise. I'd really like to spend some time in the garden and I have a few things to catch up on.
I'll post my meals in case it proves helpful later:
Monday - (from vague recollections)
breakfast - eggs, sausage, sauteed cabbage
lunch - linguica with broccoli
dinner - green salad with ham and ranch dressing
Tuesday -
breakfast - eggs and sausage, herbal tea
lunch and dinner - big chef's salad
snacks - romaine with Asian sesame dressing, a few slices of salami and cheddar, herbal tea w/ Splenda
I am now eating within a 12 hour time frame each day and it was not a hard adjustment like I expected.
"Low carb flu" is mostly caused by a lack of electrolytes. See post above.
"Low carb flu" is mostly caused by a lack of electrolytes. See post above.
I've been getting plenty of sodium though. I'm thinking it's just a combo of a lot of different things interacting: carb and sugar withdrawal, caffeine withdrawal, TOM hormonal fluctuation and tiredness, sudden life changes (new cat, new roommate), knee inflammation from too much carbs, sugar and increased activity, etc... I had been very physically active so I might have gotten a bit worn down. My body just needed a big break. At least I hope that's what it is and that will soon pass.
Today I feel much more energized. I've already gone outside and gotten some things done and I'm feeling anticipation at getting even more things accomplished today.
I am now eating within a 12 hour time frame each day and it was not a hard adjustment like I expected.
Do you mean 12 hours between dinner and breakfast? That one is not a problem for me either.
Are you doing 12 hour intervals during the day too?
I go 12 hours without eating (roughly 6 PM to 6 AM). Before I used to go about 9 hours max.
ApatheticNoMore
8-16-17, 7:10pm
tends to lead to a tendency to overeat at dinner though because horror of horrors otherwise if one is hungry one might have a tiny nibble before bed and so one preemptively avoids it at a certain point. Yea I tried it, I didn't gain weight or anything and probably slept better, but the psychology shifts to thinking that way, to eating somewhat past mere satiation at dinner.
It might be good as a general guideline, as it did seem good for sleep as long as I wasn't too hungry, but food rules quickly become fanatical absolutes in my mind until even if my hunger is keeping me up at night (and it's happened where I couldn't sleep because I was so very hungry) having even say a tiny nibble of cheese to quell is absolutely prohibited, until it's 1am or 2am and I give up already, yea no wonder one shifts to thinking preemptively.
I've been getting plenty of sodium though. I'm thinking it's just a combo of a lot of different things interacting: carb and sugar withdrawal, caffeine withdrawal, TOM hormonal fluctuation and tiredness, sudden life changes (new cat, new roommate), knee inflammation from too much carbs, sugar and increased activity, etc... I had been very physically active so I might have gotten a bit worn down. My body just needed a big break. At least I hope that's what it is and that will soon pass.
Today I feel much more energized. I've already gone outside and gotten some things done and I'm feeling anticipation at getting even more things accomplished today.
Oh yeah--caffeine withdrawal. I sympathize completely.
I've given up caffeine for a month or so at a time. Brutal.
TooSweetForMe
8-17-17, 7:52am
I haven't documented it on myself to my satisfaction with my meter, but I do seem to tolerate watermelon fairly well also. The water content definitely could play a part. But I suspect it's one of those "some T2s can and some can't" things, like bread. :)
I've noticed breads spike me more, white bread and biscuits especially, in the AM. Red potatoes spike me less than russet potatoes, for some reason. And I also seem to be more sensitive to carbs in the AM than in the PM, according to my meter readings.
Okay totally not food related, but the getting things done issue. And i am quite nervous about sharing this. It is the week before school starts and i got a call from supervisor yesterday because of things i hadn't done quite on time. One i really thought i did correctly but could have sat down and read more carefully. The other i told him i wasn't able to do on my back up computer, my computer still needs the stupid battery and dell customer service hung up on me, and his suggestion was to find a computer to borrow. Even though i understand these things happen i also wanted to start my new year better with a lot of new admin people. It seems that i am right back in the normal range of making mistakes and being unpromotable. A lot is my nervous system when things take so many hours, it doesn't matter how much time off i got my system is not a battery that holds the energy forever.
Chicken lady
8-17-17, 8:37am
Zoe girl, does work provide you with a computer? Would this "borrowed computer" belong to a coworker? Is there an office where you could go to use it? Or do they expect you yo provide your own computer?
also, are you sure you want to be promoted? Wouldn't being promoted mean more stress? It took my dh 15 years of working his tush off struggling to become "management track" to realize that that was something he didn't actually want. His quality of life improved when he switched to accepting and optimizing the job he actually has.
I have 2 computers that are both work provided. Over a month ago mine died and I went to our tech support office. You never get to go there so it was serious. They told me they were sending me the information on what battery to buy and the vendor. I never got that so I spent 2 weeks on vacation and came back and started calling and emailing. I finally got a call back and missed it somehow, the message was just to go through my purchaser. I talked to her and she said I could just search online and use my work visa. Oh yeah, I also went to our giant computer store and they found a battery but said it did not look right. Now I am trying to order from Dell, and I called them to find out about turning in the tax exempt number, in transferring me they hung up. I was out of time again. I have a new 800 number to try today just for schools. The tech guy was able to transfer my files but this work computer has had a few glitches. Mostly I was using a google form and it kept defaulting to the internet explorer browser and would not get to the form. Of course it works fine now after the deadline. So in talking to my supervisor about not getting into the google doc last week he said he is not a computer expert but he can try to help, well that is just dandy. Help would have been to just enter that 4 people were coming to training for me in 30 seconds. I am way more computer literate than he is. Yesterday I was interrupted every time I tried to finish a task for a deadline. I really don't want to be a complainer this year, but I also really need to meditate, exercise and take care of myself.
The promotion thing, the best reason is that I want to have a larger influence on sites and staff. i think I could make a difference with my management style affecting more programs. Other reasons are ambition in general, still wanting to break out of the ways I feel I have been limited, and of course recognition. Plus one supervisor got to take off the first week of school for the eclipse! So this level of job has decent pay, really high stress and is extremely difficult to plan time off. It makes it harder to do that work/life balance.
Yesterday was a good day. I even made it out to the pool and jacuzzi in the evening. Physically I felt better (I did nap quite a bit) and the temptations were fewer. I still wanted an apple when I heard dh crunching on one and I had to remind myself that this is only temporary. I don't have to avoid fruit forever.
Today I'm feeling like my old self again. I slept in but I feel refreshed and ready for a new day.
I've been away a bit but wanted to update on the low-carb thing. Let's see...
Thursday - good day, decent energy, started to feel like myself again
Friday - great day, high energy, felt refreshed and energized even after several hours of shopping (and that never happens), first day of having little interest in food. I'd say this is the first day where the benefits of the switch really became evident.
Sat/Sun - really good days, high energy, very little appetite but I made sure to eat decent meals because I've been busy and didn't want to have any energy crashes. Have houseguests and need to also have energy for that.
I've had very little in the way of typical muscles aches for this TOM. I feel as energetic as if I was consuming caffeine even though I'm not. I've been able to stay awake longer than normal without feeling tired at all. Very pronounced energy jump.
My meals have been mostly the same. I don't count carbs and I don't weigh. I typically eat:
breakfast - eggs, sausage, sauteed cabbage (which I love)
lunch/dinner - big salad with protein and full-fat dressing.
snack - herbal tea with splenda. a few bites of salami and olives as an appetizer before the salads.
I don't restrict how much veggies I have although I'm not eating any root veggies and my only higher carb veggies are cherry tomatoes and red cabbage. I've been using lots of black pepper, jalapeno, and a variety of dressings for interest.
When I first started I was having maybe 2-3 packets of splenda per day and I'm down to 1. I make a large mug of spicy cinnamon herbal tea and sip on that throughout the day when I want to have a taste of something sweet. The splenda satisfies the feeling without triggering cravings.
I am SO glad I did this. I feel so good. And happy. Not only is my energy elevated, but so is my mood.
SteveinMN
8-21-17, 12:37pm
Geila, that's terrific! It's also the way it's supposed to work. I'm glad it's working out for you.
My Achilles heel? I have so many I must be some kind of spider...
Procrastination.
Stress eating in social situations.
Desire for gazingus pins of several varieties.
Selfishness, laziness, indifference to the suffering of others.
Low carb is working for me also. My appetite is less and I have now lost 6 pounds. I have been scouting out new foods and one of my favorite is sheets of seaweed, a nice salty snack at only 10 calories per sheet.
Five years ago I was in the middle of an intense 6-wk math class. One day, I had a mango (which I'd eaten my whole life) and it set off a huge allergic reaction. My face exploded in huge, red, swollen hives. I looked like I'd been beat up pretty badly. The doctor claimed to have no solution for me and was convinced I had a poison ivy reaction. In reality, mango shares a chemical with the poison ivy plant. Anyway, the reaction lasted a whole week. After that, I avoided mangoes for years. This past year I started to take occasional bites of it and was fine. Then a few weeks ago I had a whole one and was perfectly fine.
So when nephew left, I celebrated by eating one of the large ripe mangoes we had in the house. They'd been on sale and I'd bought a bunch for dh. It was delicious. Well, that evening I had bad stomach upset and abdominal pain. And yesterday my face broke out in the same allergic reaction as five years ago, just not as severely. My theory is that I become allergic to it during stress.
Yesterday I also began to have strong carb cravings. My guess is that the combo of stress from the allergic reaction and the onset of SAD is responsible. My serotonin must be very low because if I try to eat regular low-carb food it doesn't taste good and I still feel hungry and cravings. Last night I decided to put low-carb on pause until this issue resolves itself. I've been pretty amazed at how good the carbs have been making me feel. Before the reaction, I had zero cravings for carbs, but now I can't seem to get enough of them. Interesting what stress does to our bodies.
So I'm going to post on here to attempt a deliberate pause on the low-carb without allowing it to devolve into a free fall.
Well, the deliberate pause turned into a bit of a free fall after all. I think the stress with dh is what tipped it over. Plus, the allergic rash lasted about a week.
Now I want to get things back on track. I see that it's been 10 days, and I was eating a lot of junk for a few of those so I'm going to start tracking my food again as I start reducing the carbs. Today my food intake has been mixed, but instead of beating myself up, I'm just going to make a daily effort to increase my intake of healthy foods and slowly reduce the junk.
9/20
breakfast - coffee with sugar and cream, cinnamon raisin bagel with butter
lunch - homemade soup: veggies with sausage
snack - iced oatmeal cookies with cinnamon tea
I've also gotten derailed on my physical fitness routine and want to get back into that. I'm trying to motivate myself to get to a cycling class tonight.
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