In my last post, I talked about how I lost 70 pounds in just 5 months. It was pretty simple in concept. I went on the theory that type 2 diabetics (which I was becoming) are insulin resistant. This means that a low fat diet is not a good idea, because carbs are difficult for insulin resistant people to process in a healthy way, and tax a system that is already in disorder.
The problem:
The signs that diabetes was coming were there: over 40 years old, 50 inch waist, BMI of 42, high LDL (bad) cholesterol, low HDL (good) cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, high blood pressure, and the sudden appearance (within the past year) of skin tags around the neck and shoulders. (Skin tags are sometimes a sign of insulin resistance.) This was confirmed by an A1C of 6.6. A reading of 6.6 is a little high, and is technically on the low end of being diabetic.
If I wanted to not be a diabetic, I needed to lose weight and keep it off, and then I must learn to control my diet in a healthy and maintainable way. I decided that I needed to lose at least 100 pounds.
The solution, phase one:
I immediately gave up all starches and sugars, and the only carbs I am eating are vegetable fiber. So, I eat vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber (and pickles), olives, string beans, and other low carb vegetables. I stay away from nuts, peas, carrots, corn, potatoes, rice, wheat and grains of all kinds, all oils except olive oil, and no fruit.
I limit my eating of tomatoes, onions, and dairy products. I can eat meats, except I stay away from organ meats in order to avoid gout.
I can eat one dessert each day that uses alcohol sugars, and one Adkins bar in place of lunch. You also have to learn to only eat when you are hungry, not when you have an appetite. There is a difference.
I eat less than 30 carbs a day, most days less than 20.When counting carbs, do not count dietary fiber or alcohol sugars like splenda, because they do not affect insulin resistance and do not cause spikes in blood sugar. No alcoholic beverages.
A typical day for me goes like this:
6 a.m. Breakfast: Two sausage patties, two scrambled eggs with a tablespoon of salsa or chopped onion for flavor, and a large cup of coffee with two Splenda. Total carb count: 4
noon: An Adkins bar to hold off hunger pains. 3 carbs. Sometimes, I will instead have a salad of spinach, arugula, a small slice of onion, olives, cucumber slice, low carb ranch dressing. 4 carbs.
6 p.m. Dinner NY strip with steamed broccoli and cheese. Total carbs: 4
9 p.m. Snack: Jello no sugar added pudding cup. (They are sweetened with alcohol sugar. Banana fudge is my favorite.) 4 carbs
I drink 2-3 liters of water per day. Other than that one cup of coffee in the morning, that is all I drink.
Total carbs for the day: 15.
The results:
They kind of speak for themselves. I have lost 70 pounds since September, my waist is now 10 inches smaller, and my A1C is now normal. My BMI is now 34.
My ultimate goal is to weigh about 180 pounds, which I hope to see this summer.
In defending myself:
I am trying to avoid the fate of this guy, so: I am not a dietician. I am in school to be a licensed practitioner, but I am as of yet simply a paramedic. Although based in scientific fact, this site contains my opinions, and should not be taken as being medical advice. Nothing on this site is intended to be medical advice, and does not imply a provider-patient relationship. I am not your doctor. Do your own due diligence, and consult a professional if you have any health or diet related questions. This site is intended to chronicle my own success, and is not intended to assist you in diagnosing, treating, or managing any disorder or disease. The reader assumes all risk if attempting anything mentioned on this page.
Sucks that I have to put all of that, but that is our world now.
5 comments:
Like I said, wow.
Thanks.
Wow, very impressive. Good for you!
Don't suppose you're on the west coast of FL, are you?
I can say my diet is very similar to you, after deciding (last June) that I really needed to drop about 50 pounds (starting at 255). I have nuts, a few almonds, sometimes twice a day, instead of the Atkins bar. Very similar. I stayed in Atkins induction, or the Duke Medical Center diet of less than 20 grams per day, most of the time since last June.
At best, I've lost 10 pounds since last June. (Friends think I'm insane for sticking with it).
I'd really like to find a doctor who understood Atkins, but his is a small city. My regular doctor pushes a 20% fat, low calorie diet. (Literally - he runs a weight loss clinic on the side and just touches the line of inappropriately pushing it without going over the line. Much.)
You will lose weight that way, but you probably won't keep it off.
Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint.
How's that for a cliche?
The diet you describe is a variation of the Atkins Diet. It works great for weight loss (I know), but it's almost impossible to maintain (which I also know).
You can and should eat some carbohydrates, but it's important to pick the right ones.
Complex carbs are what you want. Whole grains are much better for you than processed foods.
Lots of fruits and vegetables are good too.
As you point out, stay away from sugar as much as possible.
Here's the other key. Exercise. I ride a bike 5-6 times a week. Now, because of the weather, I'm on a stationary bike for 50 minutes each day I ride. When the weather gets better, I'll be outside for an hour or more a day.
As my doctor told me, medication is about 5% of the solution, diet and exercise are the other 95%.
Good luck.
Every diet is a variation on one of three themes:
1 Less carbohydrates
2 Less fat
3 less calories
For a person who is insulin resistant (as I am), there is no other option.
The difference between Adkins and a diabetic diet is the fact that many on the Adkins diet think that eating a pound of bacon is a good idea. They also view it as a diet that they can quit when they hit a weight target. Being that I am insulin resistant, this is a lifestyle that I will have to maintain for the rest of my life.
The idea here is to control wild swings in my blood glucose. Since my fasting BGL is 120, but my A1C is 5.8, I am maintaining my blood glucose levels in a very narrow band. The weight loss is a secondary benefit to the main goal, controlling that BGL.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19439329
high fructose is bad for metabolic syndrome:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22291727
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