Tag: sugar

My Girly’s 50th Birthday

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I just arrived back from a trip to North Carolina where I helped my “ladyfriend,” S, to celebrate her 50th birthday. We had a very good time. We celebrated with her Son and his wife and their two kids on Thursday and Friday. It wasn’t a party per se. We just hung out, played some games, and watched some TV and enjoy being together. Then, S and I went to visit her mother at Beech Mountain, NC.

I let my blood glucose get away from me for a couple of days. I didn’t get it back to normal until this morning. It took some fasting, of course. And it took some exercise. S’s mom and dad took us on a couple of good hikes. I couldn’t go far because of my pain issues, but,  I got some good exercise to help burn off that excess glucose.

I learned how important it is to watch what I eat, and, that it doesn’t take much to get the things out of whack. I also learned that there are certain foods I may have to give up for good. Pizza may be one fo those. It hurts me to even think such a thing. Of course, sugary foods are out, except for a few holiday occasions, and even then, limited to almost nothing. I have just accepted that sugar is just poison to the body.

I am back home now, in South Carolina, to face Dorian! Bring it, Bitch! Pray for us here.

I am still losing weight. Before I left for North Carolina I was down to 229 lbs. That’s the lowest since I began trying to lose weight in 2015 with a starting weight of 267 lbs. My goal weight is  165 – 175, 30-inch waist.

Intermittent fasting is working wonders. I will keep you informed.

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34 Pounds

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My last report was on August 1. It is now August 17. I have lost another 4 pounds. I’m still doing intermittent fasting, and it is still fairly easy to do. I am feeling better all the time. I have had no drops in energy. And the weight keeps coming off, and I suspect and hope that everything else about my health is improving as well.

I have adjusted my fast from 20 hours to only 18 hours, leaving myself a six-hour window for consuming nutrition. This seems to work better for me. I have fewer issues with hunger.

I am starting to notice that my face looks a bit slimmer. My legs are becoming pretty skinny. I think my waistline has decreased, but since it was so large in the first place, I can’t really tell. I can tell you that all of my clothes are fitting me much more loosely. Makes me wish that I had not gotten rid of my smaller clothes a few months ago.

I do still struggling to eat the right stuff. Every now and then I screw up and carb-load like a marathon runner. Or my sweet tooth overcomes me and I become a dessert monster. Other than that I am mostly in control. Perhaps one day I will learn to eat right all the time.

Oh, why no pictures? Because I don’t want to. Maybe when I reach my goal weight. But for now…

I’m Tired

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Well, WordPress notifications tell me that I haven’t posted in the last 22 days. So here is an update. I have continued to eat whatever I want whenever I want and I am paying the price. I have gained about 8 pounds I think. And I can feel the affects of it. My back and knees hurt. Of course, the thing with the knees could be because of the bus driving.

I really do need to try to get back on track. I have let my schedule at work dictate how I eat. My excuse is that I don’t have the energy to prepare my meals, or plan my meals as I should. Enough with the excuses though. I need to get my crap together. I don’t even want to know what this is doing to my inner workings.

My battle feels like an uphill endeavor. My energy is sapped by my physical pain, which is increased the more I eat the wrong things. Inflammation, low energy, and just not feeling quite right is the worst.

In the beginning, the busy work schedule seemed to be helping me. But then I let my sweet tooth take over. A little ice cream here and there became ice cream for lunch. The more sweets I ate the more fried foods I wanted, and the more fried food I had.

So now, I am at that place where I have to fight to get started again. I have to fight to make myself eat the right stuff and get rid of things I don’t need. I am truly living yo-yo diet life style. I like how eating the right stuff makes me feel, but I also love the immediate feeling the wrong foods give me.

I will keep updating and reporting the good and the bad. I really wish my first eating habit had been a better one. Maybe all of this would be easier.

What can I do about it? The best I can. That’s all I know to do. I’m tired.

Macronutrients of the day

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I went over on my carbs today, or tonight rather. I went to a big band jazz concert. There was an intermission they had cookies. I had three. I was actually surprised that I didn’t go over my sugar limit.

It will be better tomorrow. The goal is to reach ketosis so the body which is a sign that the body is burning fat for fuel. Ketones are a byproduct of that process and can also be a source of energy for the body and brain. The amount of carb intake has to be low for this to happen.

So, I lost out to my addiction again.

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1st Doctor Visit of the Year

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I had my first doctor visit yesterday. It was just to get new scripts for my medications. The real fun doesn’t start for a few weeks, blood work, and test results the following month.

I don’t necessarily look forward to it. For the past ten years or so I have been moving ever closer to type II diabetes. It is one of the reasons I chose to try the keto diet or low carb-high fat diet.

Throughout the years I don’t think doctors have been very clear on what was moving me in that direction. All they talked about was me needing to lose weight.  So I tried several diets. However, many diets are high in carbs and low in fats and they didn’t help. Not one of my doctors had talked about carbs or hidden sugars in certain vegetables and the way they affect blood sugar. And most grains certainly have the same effect.

It has only been nearly a year since I have been trying to change my eating habits to a diet without high carb foods and sugar. I am addicted to carbs & sugar. It has been mostly easy. However, there are times that I fall off the wagon like an alcoholic, and it is very hard to get back on, as demonstrated this past holiday season. I’m sure you have seen the recipe posts.

So every doctor visit where I get the results of my blood test I’m worried that they will tell me I have finally reached my apparent goal of getting type II diabetes (not really my goal). I have been told I’m becoming, or, have become insulin resistant for several years now, but with no ideas or suggestions about how to change that. That is until Dr, Tara Hughes, my current doctor. She has been extremely helpful, and very supportive of my current diet. She is a very supportive person. You’d think all doctors would be.

Anyway, I have given myself nearly a month to get my act together before my first blood test of the year. I have for the most part been back on track since around Jan 2. I have until Feb 1 before I have blood drawn. A month after that I will sit down with my doctor to go over the results.

I’m not sure a month is enough time to help me because I really went off the rails in November and December. I was completely out of control. If I was a crack addict (or something worse) I might even be dead. And if I don’t get things under control I still may end up dead before my time.

Still, I am starting the new year almost 20 pounds lighter than I was last year. That is a positive start for me. I don’t intend to die before my time. My daughter has already told me I’m not allowed. So I’m still in the fight.

Keep watching for my success.

Keto Adaptation

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Keto Adapting

I have spent the last several weeks, maybe over a month, eating all the wrong stuff. One day all I ate was cereal; high in sugar and carbs. It started with that stupid storm (Matthew); survival foods for when the power went out. It is very hard to get back on track when you get off, even for a short time.

macro_ketoWhen you get on the keto-diet there is a period of adjustment, usually referred to as keto-adapting. It involves keeping your carb intake very low, and your fat intake very high. It is not a high protein diet. High protein can be converted to sugar just like carbs. The macro breakdown is usually 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fat. The fat is what makes this thing work.

It is during the adaptation period that the body gets used to the idea of burning fat for energy. During this period the body is burning off the last bits of sugar or glucose from the blood. When that happens the body has to find another source of energy; fat which is converted to ketones, which is then used as fuel. This will not happen though until all the sugar is gone from the blood.

I have a really hard time during this period. Mainly I’m dealing with false hunger pains. For instance, today after each meal, I would feel hunger with a full stomach. I don’t know why this happens. But once I adapt the very opposite happens. The low amount of carbs at each meal keeps the blood sugar from spiking and therefore, I can go long periods without hunger. That means fewer calories eaten, fat being used for energy, and weight is lost.

So, today is actually my first serious day trying to adapt to keto again. So, I am in for some days of discomfort. I have regained 10 of the 34 lbs. I’d lost. I’m a little disappointed in myself. I will not quit though. I am still very serious about reaching my goal weight of 165-170 lbs. I started at 267 lbs., and currently weigh 243 lbs. So, I have no new pics to post – yet.

A Right Frame of Mind

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x240-9Zx10 pounds in a week? Yea, that’s a  bunch of bull!

I think to get your health back you have to be in the right frame of mind. I know a lot about nutrition, and I have for many years, but that means nothing if your head is not right.

The Navy was really good about training it’s people in every aspect of our responsibility. In other words, if they expected us to stay in shape, they provided proper taining in that area. They didn’t always get it right, but they made a really good effort.

When it came to nutritional health and exercise they had a decent handle on things. However, as we got older getting  in  shape got harder. In youth, getting in shape was really easy for me and many others in the Navy. Just change a few things that you were eating  and add some exercise and you were good to go.

Because of how easy it was my head wasn’t necessarily in the right place when it came to getting in shape. Now it is not so easy to get in shape. In  fact, it’s not easy at all.

I’ve tried all kinds of diets and programs that promissed results for just a little bit of effort. The reason plans like this attract so many of us is because they appeal to our laziness. We naturally want things to be easy. Or we want to continue our old eating  habits and sedentary life styles and expect to achieve results that make us look like super models.

Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. We have to reset our minds. We need to become willing to change. We need to accept the idea that we may have some food addictions; like sugar, carbs, processed food, and general over eating. This is what I mean when I say we have to get in the right frame of mind to succeed in changing our health.

I have come to grips with the fact that I have food addictions. I also eat when I get discouraged or depressed. Early on I learned to love beer, wine, and many other alcoholic beverages. I’m addicted to simple carbohydrates, and sugars. The sad thing is that they are cheap and sometimes the only thing that poor people (like me) can afford.

Now my head is in the game! I know what to eat. I know what not to eat. I don’t always get it right, but I KNOW. I am more determined than ever to put the right things into my body for its best health. I am willing to put in some work exercising in order to strengthen my body.

Sometimes people ask me what I’m doing when they notice the changes in my  appearance. When I tell them I’ve given up bread, rice, and other grains, and alcohol, they usually respond with, “oh, I can’t do that. I love bread.” Well, I love bread too. But I’ve changed my mind about these foods. I’ve come to the conclusion that these foods are no good for me.

I believe I will be able to succeed by these simple changes in my mind. I am in a frame of mind to succeed and get what I want, which is my health. You can do it to if you willing to change your mind and get your head right when it comes to food.

Update

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I have lost 5 pounds this week. That’s a decent start. However,  I find myself trying to keep up with increased hunger after eating. I have not limited the amount of food I’m eating in any way. I have only eliminated certain types of food; processed stuff from boxes, cans, sugar, fried food, etc.  Basically just trying to eat natural fresh foods. But I think something is still spiking my blood sugar. Or maybe I’m just having trouble getting used to eating better food. I will try to do some adjusting.

I will not give up.

 

 

Working Through Pain

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Today I did my chest workout. I had to be very careful doing exercises that involved using my shoulders, which was all of them. Working through the pain was not easy. I think the shoulder is going to be more sore than my chest later on. I will definitely be taking pain medication tonight.

Next week I will be in Louisiana for a friend’s funeral. Then I will be in Texas to visit my Dad. It will be a  break from working out unless we find a gym we can go to. But if not it will give my shoulders some time to heal.

This is my 9th week in the gym. I have lost 10 pounds and am starting to notice subtle changes in my body. Over all I am feeling pretty good. My back pain flares up sometimes though. Its just the result of the back surgery. Of course it is not nearly as bad as before the surgery. I am feeling strong.

I have to say though,  I am still not as disciplined when it comes to eating. It’s because fried foods taste so good, and so do sugary drinks. Anyway, there is nothing new in this area. I have repeatedly eaten the wrong things. I can’t seem to help it.

Poor Diet on Weekends

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My diet is really poor on the weekends. Throughout the week I can manage to keep what I’m putting into the body in check. However, when the weekend comes I can’t seem to find the discipline to keep it civilized.

I eat all the things I have avoided all week; cheese, sugary snacks, sodium filled crap. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I picked up 4 pounds last week. Granted, some of it may be muscle. I have been working really hard in the gym. However, I feel like I am working against all that I have accomplished during the week.

I had scheduled my workouts for 5 day a week. The plan was to rest on the weekend. My sleep is erratic on the weekends as well, causing me to miss meals. That’s a problem. Maybe I should figure out something to do on the weekend as well; something to get me out of the house. I have a bicycle. Perhaps I should get it ready for some weekend activity.