Sunday, March 11, 2007

Low Carb

Are you a fat git? Do you struggle constantly with food?

I did for many many years too. I read all sorts of stuff about how to eat normally and remain healthy. I took all sorts of medical advice. None of it helped. In fact, much of it was ignorant clap trap.

This is how I deal with it now and what I found out. I do not intend to get into discussion about it. If it helps you fine, if it makes you angry, deal with it. This works for me.

Until i was 30, I kept slim by starving and binging. I'd go as long as possible without eating(maybe 3 days) and then I would gorge. Then I'd starve again.

Why? Because I knew that if I ate, I would not be able to stop until I had eaten far too much food. I knew once I started to eat, I would eat until I was sick. if I had a slice of bread, I knew I would eat the whole loaf. One biscuit, and the packet would be gone.

What i didn't know was this: it was the eating of carbs that caused this. I didn't know that I didn't eat carbs in the first place, such cravings would disappear. It does NOT matter for my body whether the carbs are refined or not, the effect is the same.

I discovered this because I complained that I always felt tired, hungry, and bloated. I complained that when I ate, I wanted more and then I fell asleep. Even if I had eaten a normal portion of food, if it contained carbs, I would fall asleep. I was very moody. I would get the 'shakes'. I also had constant diarrhoea and acid reflux.

Thru email, it suggested to me to try the Atkins diet. My doctor recommend it when i spoke with her. It seems my surgery's doctors all recommended it.

I DO NOT follow the Atkins diet but I did at first and discovered a way to eat that suits me.

Firstly, I followed the Atkins diet. Even though I felt absolutely awful the first week, I kept at it because I knew there was no other way for me. I could not continue the way I was before.

After a week, I awoke feeling the best i had ever felt. John, who did not know what I was doing, noticed I looked really well and my complexion had changed. He said I was 'glowing'.

The tiredness, the bloat, the diarrhoea, the acid all stopped. This I did not expect. By the way, I had been a vegetarian for over 20 years so this was a big step for me.

After a while, I had lost 100lbs in weight. I felt much better in every way. I also dropped the Atkins diet in it's pure form. Oh and I dropped from 8.8 to 4.7 in my cholesterol count. Which is from 325 to 174 for the USA.

AND THE CONSTANT HUNGER WENT AWAY.

I eat loads of veggies. At least 1lb a day.(no potato, corn, parsnip, etc) I eat any meat and fish. I do not eat much fat. I eat a little dairy.

It is the protein that keeps one satisfied, not the fat.

Of course, I sometime find my self wanting to eat the foods I know will make me ill. And I have slipped and eaten them and payed the price.

Most importantly, I quit making excuses and feeling resentful that I could not eat those foods I like and that others seem to eat and have no problems with.

From experience I know that many people will not follow this eating pattern. They will make excuses. They will balk at the idea of not eating bread or cake or rice or pasta. I have heard all the excuses. I know the excuses well cos I made them myself! These excuses just mean that for the sake of eating some pasta or bread, we'd be happy to die or live miserably!

Eating this way is not boring! Not at all. It doesn't mean plain food. The food is good, nutritious and appetizing and very tasty. It is up to you. And it is NOT expensive, in fact it is cheaper.

Bear in mind that man used to eat like this as a matter or normalcy! Those people who declare that we must eat carbs are talking rubbish.
This is not a carb free eating plan anyway, just a low carb one. There are carbs in veggies.

Do you like chocolate? So do I. And I eat it every so often. I eat 75% to 85% dark choc. It is low carb. It satisfies with just one or two squares. However, it is high fat so I don't have it often. Before I cleared my system of sweet stuff, I could not face eating this chocolate. Now I couldn't eat the normal kind-far too sweet.

So for the many people who have a problem with weight this may be the way for you. It is the only way for me. It requires desire, honesty,determination and a willingness to accept that we can't eat the way we want to without suffering. It also means we have to deal with our emotions in a way that doesn't involve eating!

I will publish recipes here from time to time.

1 comment:

Fibreaddict said...

Wow congrats on the loss. I too struggle with my weight and it is hard. Thank you for sharing ... it has given me lots to think about as I too need a nap after I eat ect and I too am addicted to food!!