Post
by connorcream » Tue Jan 18, 2011 11:02 pm
We had a party at the house this weekend, 2 women came up to me and asked what I had "done". I found out later, a third was too shy to ask. This is a question I still get ferquently. DS, also mentioned me to a friend's mother who needed some help. I thought it would have died down by now.
My answer has morped from calorie reduction, to calorie reduction focused on carbs, which is so easy to do with computer food journaling. I found out early in my wl process, carbs were easy calories to cut. Then I realized that it was easier (no cravings) and other positive side effects occured. Quicker wl, no hunger, no hip discomfort (again one side only). I watched for slower metabolism when the opposite occured evidenced by my horse riding and morning exercise routines.
Unlike some low carb sites, I do not think it is either/or but rather and/both. I have found that I can eat more calories (not unlimted) if the carb content is low. More interesting to me is the ancillary side effects. My rosacea is gone, unless I am reflecting on it, I do not think about. A family member called me yesterday about this, she has rosacea as well, she had seen my skin recently and discussed her problem and what I would suggest. In addition to the IPL treatments, I told it is carb driven. Could it be because I weigh less- at first I thought so, but then OVERTIME- I have observed how my skin does when a meal is higher carb and I get redder quicker than when I don't. DH mentioned how beautiful my skin was 2 days ago. The tech at my last visit in Nov was stunned. She brought out my first visit pix and my current pix. She too was very interested in MY story.
I find it very fascinating how different people react to carbs. DS has Crohn's, DH has a tendency to have gingivitis both conditions I am not a bit plagued by. DH is the poster boy of oral hygenine. DH is also developing a belly, something he has never had to contend with ever in his life (48 yrs). He is more interested in this carb thing than he used to- both for the healing of our son as well as his own insulin resistance manifestations. My sleep is fantastic. Again, it could be lower weight, however, when I indulge in a carby meal, my sleep is disturbed.
On the other hand, I have always had fantastic blood pressure numbers, cholesterol numbers, etc.. In fact, I would use these great numbers as a way of fooling myself. I would think, I must not be THAT unhealthy, my blood pressure is great. The isle of denial has many ports of call.
I also find losing "bump up" weight is easier when it is low cal/carb. This is a work in progress. I did not know how my body would react, was it too far gone, too insulin resistant. Only time would tell. There is a point of no return. I am hoping DS has not reached that point himself.
I find myself merging the two books, so I apologize for not staying strictly on topic. I found Taubes (and the other authors I have read) more credible when weight loss is mentioned somewhat last rather than first. Strange but true. I do think this is Metabolic Syndrome.
The family has been part of a rare and unique alcohol reasearch study starting from our graduate school days at UCSD. I have seen over the past 25 years with this work how alcohol affects different people differently. It isn't strictly a gluttony & sloth problem. The fact I am not a drunk, is because I my body sends negative messages to me to quit drinking. I could act smug and superior and think I have better self control when the reality is that if I drink to much, my skin gets red, I feel poorly, I sleep poorly, then I am tired the next day, and being buzzy isn't such a great feeling either. And all of these reactions occur with 1-2 glasses of alcohol. I also know my alcohol tolerance increases when I am drinking more. Then I want more. To me this is parallel to carbs in how different body's react and how the more one drinks, the higher the threshold is needed to get the same positive choice.
This study makes me realize what a burden halth agencies have in giving reccomendations to the public. However, I appreciate my ability to have our own family experiment. What, if like alcoholics, my physical reactions would be positive. Then I would want to drink more and it would be more of a struggle not to. And alcoholic damage too reaches a point of no return. Case in point is my FIL who has Ataxia from drinking. He has stopped drinking but the Attaxia is still progressing.
I need to run but wanted to get a few thoughts down.
BA, you are a God send in many, many ways!
connorcream
5'8.5"
48 yrs
Started calorie counting
10/6/2009
start/current
192/mid 120's maintaining
Maintaining a year