I honestly believe that there is nothing as unproductive as regret, especially considering the number of mistakes, big and small, that I've made in my life. That doesn't mean that I don't sometimes let regret drag me down, but I do make serious efforts to avoid it.That said, I try to learn from my mistakes. I make an effort to figure out what the universe and my subconscious are trying to tell me. That's how I've been trying to process my recent cookie related difficulties. After all, for someone with prediabetes, those little slip ups have implications for my health, not just my self-image (though that alone is bad enough).
After really considering my situation, I've decided that I need a change. I've been doing Weight Watchers with some success over the course of the last year and a half. During that time, I've lost 46 pounds, so I do believe that the program, when I stick to it can work. But I haven't seen the changes in my blood glucose I would expect and I've found the program really tedious lately.
I've heard a lot about the virtues of diets that focus on lowering overall carbs and encouraging "good" carbs from friends and medical professionals. With that in mind, I decided to give the South Beach Diet a shot.
I officially made the switch on Friday, so we'll see how it goes. I know that I will lose at least some weight just because, without being able to consume high carb foods, I'm just not eating as much as I was. The South Beach Diet claims that I'll lose 8-13 pounds during the first two weeks. I guess that's possible, but I'm not going to count on it.
On a positive note, I've already noticed a significant impact on my blood sugar, especially, my fasting blood sugar. (Which I find curious). This probably won't mean much to most people out there, but while my fasting bg is usually between 120-135, it was only 85 this morning! My post meal tests are lower than they have ever been since I began testing last year.
I've also noticed that I'm not hungry, which is probably due in part to the protein that I'm consuming. So far, my desperate desire to climb into the freezer case at the grocery store and eat all the Ben & Jerry's is absent, as well. Dr. Agatstun, the creator of the South Beach Diet, argues that carb cravings are actually caused and intensified by consumption of high glycemic index foods. He claims that people get addicted to sugar. That seems to gel with my own experiences. I've often discussed the emotional component of my overeating, but I've never really considered that there could be a physiological cause as well.
I wondered if I should mention the change here. I don't want to seem like I'm endorsing any particular diet. I decided to mention it because I blog about my weight loss efforts and this is a pretty significant change to them and I've certainly mentioned Weight Watchers before. It seemed reasonable that I should share. I also know that, in the end, people are smart enough to make up their own minds.
So I'm continuing the drive to -50 with a fresh perspective and new bag of tricks. I hope to post some progress pics when I get there. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
3 comments:
That is very interesting - your blood sugars, that is. I have done some reading on low carb diets and must say that the whole GI index thing makes alot of sense. I hope it works well for you!
My only question about this type of "diet" is if it is sustainable long term.
That's my concern too. The thing I liked about Weight Watchers was the fact that I could eat whatever I want; this might grate on me after awhile.
I'll just have to play it by ear and maybe switch back to points before it gets to be too much for me.
Hello from a sugar addict! It's so true that the cravings disappear when you cut out the fast carbs. I hope you feel good enough on SB to keep it up! You can do it:-)
Post a Comment