Just re-joined...cutting out carbs...

Monklady123 · June 2015

I joined up at MFP ages ago but then never posted. But now I really need to do something about my weight so here I am back.

My doctor told me that my A1C was a bit high, "pre-diabetes" she called it. She said I need to lose at least 40 pounds eventually, but she wants to see 10 by the time I come back to see her in six months. Ten pounds is totally reasonable for six months so I'm planning to wow her by losing more than that. I hope. lol. 3-4 pounds per month seems like a good goal, so we will see....

Anyway, the doctor told me to start exercising -- she recommended just walking and to work up to "very briskly". And she said to cut out processed "white" carbs and most added sugar. So pasta, bread, cake, donuts, etc. We agreed that adding sugar to my coffee was a Necessary Part of Life

so I'm not touching that for now. hehe

She also told me about pairing carbs and protein and to spread the carbs out over the day. So a bowl of cold cereal and milk is no good (this would leave me with that shaky hunger where I'd eat everything in sight), but oatmeal and a piece of cheese is okay, or an egg and one piece of toast, etc. I'm amazed at how much better I feel with just that small change. I found a bread -- Ezekiel sprouted -- which doesn't make me feel "shaky" at all. Very interesting.

So now I'm working on adding in more fruits and vegetables to my diet, which was kind of lacking before. I've been trying to have a big salad for lunch with some sort of protein in it -- egg, or lunch meat -- or maybe the salad plus some almonds. Or maybe the almonds in the salad. lol

Anyway, that's my intro. I've just started so I haven't lost any weight yet I don't think. I'm only going to get on the scale once a week because I know daily weighing can be discouraging because of normal ups and downs.

farfromthetree · June 2015

HI...so your post should read cutting out "refined" carbs... It sounds like your doctor is giving you good advice. Always try and have protein in your meals. When I was pre diabetic, I decided to just go with a calorie deficit. That worked, then I began substituting the white carbs with the healthier carbs. Brown, multigrain rice, I love ezekial bread and have it in the morning with chicken sausage. I always weigh my foods, and usually the carb is limited to 1/2 cup at a meal.
With weight loss my blood sugar went down. I think it had more to do with the weight loss then it did what kind of carb I ate. But I am all for the healthy carbs.
Make sure you are eating at a modest calorie deficit, and just try and make good choices, one meal at a time! Good luck!!

Monklady123 · June 2015

Yes, refined carbs definitely! Not vegetables, etc. My doctor said she doesn't believe in these extremely low-carb diets (I'm sure some people here might disagree, but I love my doctor so I'm following her advice), she just wants me to cut out the white pasta, and white bread, and sweets, etc. Although, she did say don't cut it out entirely unless whatever "it" is will cause me to binge on that. So for me that means no potato chips because as that old commercial said "you can't eat just one". lol. But, a piece of Dove dark chocolate after dinner is fine because I am able to stop at one.

I'm just figuring out how to log my food and calories, and I bought a small kitchen scale for weighing. I figure that "baby steps" is the way to go, so I'm starting at first by at least logging everything I eat. That's a real eye-opener when I discovered that the wine glass we use at home is TWO servings of wine. oy. lol. So yeah, writing it all down as a first step seems like it will be very helpful.

asrai50 · June 2015

Me too

I am re-joining today. I lost 135 pounds about 3 years ago....gained 30 back in my last year of grad school

I let those bad habits back in. Here I am again to get those gained pounds off plus lose the rest of what I need to. High protein, reasonable amount of fat and lower carb worked for me before...here is hoping it will work again!

Monklady123 · June 2015

Good luck to you Asrai. Wow, 135 pounds is fabulous! So you know you can do it.

I remember grad school, lots of sitting around studying and writing and listening, and mindless snacking. At least that's how it was for me. ugh.

I'm trying to embrace the idea of "good fat" since I think our brains are conditioned to think "fat = BAD!" But I've been reading and it makes good sense that half of an avocado is better fat than the chocolate donut. lol. And I happen to love avocados. So for breakfast this morning I had half an avocado, some almonds, a piece of Ezekiel bread, and of course coffee. And I was full till lunch time. And at lunch I was just "ordinarily" hungry, not "shaky must eat everything" kind of hungry. It's all very interesting. lol

farfromthetree · June 2015

I hear a lot of bad "doctor" advice on here. Yours seems like a keeper. Just wanted to add I tried the whole super low carb thing...it didn't work for me. I found just having that slice of bread or half cup of rice, pasta was what my body needed so I didn't crave them in excess.

I was the same (and still am) with chips. I cannot stop at one. The good news is, it does get easier. The cravings get less and less. We sound very similiar. I can do one piece of Dove dark chocolate too. That is my preferred "treat".

ihatetodietalways · June 2015

Monklady123 wrote: »

I joined up at MFP ages ago but then never posted. But now I really need to do something about my weight so here I am back.

My doctor told me that my A1C was a bit high, "pre-diabetes" she called it. She said I need to lose at least 40 pounds eventually, but she wants to see 10 by the time I come back to see her in six months. Ten pounds is totally reasonable for six months so I'm planning to wow her by losing more than that. I hope. lol. 3-4 pounds per month seems like a good goal, so we will see....

Anyway, the doctor told me to start exercising -- she recommended just walking and to work up to "very briskly". And she said to cut out processed "white" carbs and most added sugar. So pasta, bread, cake, donuts, etc. We agreed that adding sugar to my coffee was a Necessary Part of Life so I'm not touching that for now. hehe

She also told me about pairing carbs and protein and to spread the carbs out over the day. So a bowl of cold cereal and milk is no good (this would leave me with that shaky hunger where I'd eat everything in sight), but oatmeal and a piece of cheese is okay, or an egg and one piece of toast, etc. I'm amazed at how much better I feel with just that small change. I found a bread -- Ezekiel sprouted -- which doesn't make me feel "shaky" at all. Very interesting.

So now I'm working on adding in more fruits and vegetables to my diet, which was kind of lacking before. I've been trying to have a big salad for lunch with some sort of protein in it -- egg, or lunch meat -- or maybe the salad plus some almonds. Or maybe the almonds in the salad. lol

Anyway, that's my intro. I've just started so I haven't lost any weight yet I don't think. I'm only going to get on the scale once a week because I know daily weighing can be discouraging because of normal ups and downs.

Maybe you should get a glucometer and monitor how the food is affecting your sugar. Test 1 hour after a meal. I have read that prediabetes should be considered diabetes and it should be taken seriously. It is great to eat clean, but if your bread or brown rice is too much, it will increase your glucose. Also, please watch out for fruit. It contains a lot of sugar. Go for strawberries and rasberries, and some blueberries. If you want vit. c, green leafy veggies have more than most fruit. Anyway, I have mostly diabetic friends or insulin resistant friends on this site and you can friend me if you so desire. good luck

charlene77 · June 2015

I am doing lower carb too! I lost 11 pounds in two weeks......mostly water weight I'm sure. I have found trying to eat really low carb very restrictive and I end up not being hungry and eat too little actually! I'm going to be switching to a more Paleo style soon.....I've just started working out too so that should help.
Feel free to add me....

Leigh_b · June 2015

Sounds like you have a good plan to start. I love Ezekial bread and have a slice toasted with a slice of cheese and a hard boiled egg for breakfast most mornings... Trader Joes has a version that is just as good (I might even like it better) and cheaper than the Ezekial brand. (in case you have a Trader Joes nearby). Feel free to add me as a friend. I'm here every day

slucki01 · June 2015

If you like cereal in the morning, try it with yogurt. It tastes great and has protein.

DeeBerning · June 2015

I've done this before and MFP is always a major part of my journey. The last time I was using this site I lost 45 pounds. Yeah me! But then life happened and I let stress and depression win the battle. I put 30 of those pounds back on and I am NOT happy and just don't feel good. I'm back at it and more determined than ever.

The stress is not gone and won't be for some time BUT I am NOT letting have the control or power anymore.

I've got a total 80 pounds I'd like to lose from here. If you'd like some support, I will be on here daily. I promise to cheer on your victories and give you support when you need a kick in the behind. All I ask is that you provide the same....

Send me a friend request if interested.... and, good luck on your journey. Let's kick FATS butt!

Azexas · June 2015

Hi OP: Welcome back.

Since you are cutting carbs, you can readjust your macro settings in your food diary. Are you doing Low carb/high protein?

Sounds like you have a good grasp on moderation.

Monklady123 · June 2015

Thanks for the welcome, and for the good tips.

farfromthetree -- yes my doctor is a real "keeper". She'a part of a women-only practice which I love. I mean, the doctors are all women. The patients can be anyone.

Leigh_b -- Thanks for the tip on Trader Joe's version of Ezekiel bread. I was *just* there two days ago, lol. Wish I'd posted here before then. Oh well, it's not far from me, although the parking lot is one of those awful ones. There's no parking on any streets around it unless one gets lucky with a parking meter (and anyway, I hate to pay to park for a grocery store, ugh). But, about five blocks away is a space near a park where there's free two-hour parking. What I should do is park there and walk up to TJ's. That way I'd be getting some exercise too. hmm.. Good idea!

slucki01 -- Interesting suggestion about having cereal with yogurt... You mean just replace the milk with yogurt? I like the granola-type cereals so that might be good. But another favorite of mine is Chex. I can't imagine that in yogurt, but I'm going to try it. It could be really good! thanks...

I'll add people to my friends list as soon as I figure out how to do it. lol. (technology-challenged here...

)

kansas_km · June 2015

I had wondered if that bread was worth the money. I will have to go looking for it. I have alot of diabetes in my family and my mom just died from a sudden heart attack so I have to get this 30lbs off. I need to incorporate more protein in my diet so I will give your docs advice a try. Thanks.

Monklady123 · June 2015

Kansas_km, what's interesting to me about the Ezekiel bread is that it doesn't make me bloated or give me indigestion. Several months ago I was seriously thinking that I had developed a gluten intolerance because every time I ate bread, pasta, etc. I felt awful. Serious indigestion, bloating, intestinal "issues". When I cut out wheat I felt great so I figured I was right about the gluten. I started eating Udi's bread and felt fine. But what I didn't think about till later was that I was eating MUCH less of it than I'd been eating of regular bread, pasta, etc. (I didn't bother replacing the pasta with gf pasta, the only thing I ate was Udi's).

Then suddenly I started getting the same symptoms from the Udi's. Around then was when I went to the doctor, and she told me that my A1C was high (pre-diabetes). She said that indigestion can be a warning sign of pre-diabetes or actual diabetes. Who knew? My old doctor never mentioned that at all, just told me to buy antacids. ugh

So anyway, at the same time I discovered Ezekiel's and their claim that the sprouting of the grains basically changes the grain to a vegetable, in the way that we digest it. I have no idea if that's valid or not, but I know that I can eat a piece of it with peanut butter in the morning and feel absolutely totally fine. No indigestion, no bloating, no nothing. As a test one day I ate just a plain piece with a little bit of jam (no extra protein) and *still* felt fine. It's a miracle, in my opinion. lol. Of course, I am eating way less of it so that might be why it doesn't bother me. Well whatever the reason I'm just happy to have bread that toasts up nice and crunchy that I can have for breakfast.

disclaimer -- No, I don't own any stock in the Ezekiel company. lol. I just am thrilled to have discovered this bread.

Dustinsteven22 · June 2015

Welcome to MFP! You can definitely change your health with a few changes. Cutting out processed foods and sugar will help a lot. To be successful you need to have a solid plan in place. Stick to the 3 keys of Fitness: Nutrition, Exercise, and Support. Feel free to add me.

Just re-joined...cutting out carbs...

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