So, I was supposed to be updating with my weight every week, right? But that plan has been changed. I finally got an appointment with the dietician last friday and one of the things she said was not to weigh myself. The only place I am allowed to weigh myself is in her office. So there goes that plan. For completeness sake, here is last weeks weight update.
Progress Report : 1 Mar 2011
Starting weight : 80kg
Current Weight : 77.3kg
Last goal met : YES
Goal for this week : Not set.
Now instead, I will be explaining the insulin lowering program I am on and update on how I feel. The updates will be on a weekly summary format but it will track my daily progress.
The Program :
Its a simple fairly easy to follow diet, exercise and medication plan. The difficulty is the adjusting to it part. The steps are as follows :
1 - 500mg Metformin morning and evening
2 - 2 Capsules Cinnabalance every morning (to help curb my appetite and sugar craving)
3 - 1 sachet Ino-Folic in water every morning (Folic acid and Myo-Inositol to "assist in hormonal function at cell level")
4 - Eat a strictly controlled diet (more on that later)
5 - Exercise on the elliptical every day => getting my heartrate up, sweat going and working until I am out of breath.
The diet is easy in concept, but difficult in implementation. I have to omit all forms of sugars from my diet. That means all carbs, high-sugar fruits and high-sugar vegetables. Fats are allowed in small amounts and then only healthy fats.
So its goodbye fruits, pumpkin, butternut, potato, sweet potato, peas, carrots, corn, madumbis and flour (any flour!) or derivatives thereof. Now if you're a vegetarian like me, you're probably looking at this list and saying "What are you going to eat?? Theres nothing left!"
Well, I got good news. There is actually lots left. Soya, all types of beans and lentils, milk (low fat of course), yogurt, paneer, tofu, all salad items (except carrots) and basically any green vegetable. I also have to control portions. Lunch and supper means equal amount protein and veggies. So for example, if I am eating a red beans (protein) curry (without rice, roti or bread) then I must eat a decent sized salad (veggies) with it. Or if I am having braised Brinjals (veggie) then I must have dhall (protein) with it.
Additionally, the in-between optional snacks are decent. Low fat cheese wedges, skinny cuppachino's, Milo (made with water and a dash of milk), sugar free icecream, lite cup-a-soups.
With all this food, you would think I would be fine, right? When I first saw the diet, I thought "Piece of cake" (pun intended :P) I really thought this would be easy. Basically, I'd be giving up bread, right? The sweets and chocolates and other sugars I have given up before with no issue.
How wrong I was! I am on day 4 of this thing and I am here to tell you, when you are used to having a certain amount of carbs entering into your system, giving them up is a painful thing. Last night I would have done ANYTHING to add just 1 slice of bread to my meal. Just one. I know most people would say, "well whats the harm?" And granted I have a list of maximum portion sizes of carbs for when its absolutely necessary. But that would start a slippery slope. Cheat the first time and the next time is easier. And the nxt even easier. Until the point of the diet is lost. And that goes for the exercise as well. Decide to not do it for one day and the next time you feel like skipping it, well, you'll make it up the next day , right?
All of this explains the what. Now for the why. WHY put myself through this torture? Why am I doing this? Its a question I ask myself when the pain/cravings get really bad. And the answer is simple. Its not a wishy-washy feel good answer like "To live a healthier life" or to "Improve my health" which are both lofty and good goals to have. Its not even a vanity answer like "To lose weight and look better". None of these things are sufficient motivators for me.
Why am I doing this? Because not doing this was preventing me from reaching my goals. Because allowing my body to control what I can and can't do is unacceptable to me if there is a concrete solution to the problem. Because I refuse to go through the pain of losing another baby without knowing I have done everything in my power to prevent it. Because I am willing to fight for my dream of having a family.
Progress Report : 1 Mar 2011
Starting weight : 80kg
Current Weight : 77.3kg
Last goal met : YES
Goal for this week : Not set.
Now instead, I will be explaining the insulin lowering program I am on and update on how I feel. The updates will be on a weekly summary format but it will track my daily progress.
The Program :
Its a simple fairly easy to follow diet, exercise and medication plan. The difficulty is the adjusting to it part. The steps are as follows :
1 - 500mg Metformin morning and evening
2 - 2 Capsules Cinnabalance every morning (to help curb my appetite and sugar craving)
3 - 1 sachet Ino-Folic in water every morning (Folic acid and Myo-Inositol to "assist in hormonal function at cell level")
4 - Eat a strictly controlled diet (more on that later)
5 - Exercise on the elliptical every day => getting my heartrate up, sweat going and working until I am out of breath.
The diet is easy in concept, but difficult in implementation. I have to omit all forms of sugars from my diet. That means all carbs, high-sugar fruits and high-sugar vegetables. Fats are allowed in small amounts and then only healthy fats.
So its goodbye fruits, pumpkin, butternut, potato, sweet potato, peas, carrots, corn, madumbis and flour (any flour!) or derivatives thereof. Now if you're a vegetarian like me, you're probably looking at this list and saying "What are you going to eat?? Theres nothing left!"
Well, I got good news. There is actually lots left. Soya, all types of beans and lentils, milk (low fat of course), yogurt, paneer, tofu, all salad items (except carrots) and basically any green vegetable. I also have to control portions. Lunch and supper means equal amount protein and veggies. So for example, if I am eating a red beans (protein) curry (without rice, roti or bread) then I must eat a decent sized salad (veggies) with it. Or if I am having braised Brinjals (veggie) then I must have dhall (protein) with it.
Additionally, the in-between optional snacks are decent. Low fat cheese wedges, skinny cuppachino's, Milo (made with water and a dash of milk), sugar free icecream, lite cup-a-soups.
With all this food, you would think I would be fine, right? When I first saw the diet, I thought "Piece of cake" (pun intended :P) I really thought this would be easy. Basically, I'd be giving up bread, right? The sweets and chocolates and other sugars I have given up before with no issue.
How wrong I was! I am on day 4 of this thing and I am here to tell you, when you are used to having a certain amount of carbs entering into your system, giving them up is a painful thing. Last night I would have done ANYTHING to add just 1 slice of bread to my meal. Just one. I know most people would say, "well whats the harm?" And granted I have a list of maximum portion sizes of carbs for when its absolutely necessary. But that would start a slippery slope. Cheat the first time and the next time is easier. And the nxt even easier. Until the point of the diet is lost. And that goes for the exercise as well. Decide to not do it for one day and the next time you feel like skipping it, well, you'll make it up the next day , right?
All of this explains the what. Now for the why. WHY put myself through this torture? Why am I doing this? Its a question I ask myself when the pain/cravings get really bad. And the answer is simple. Its not a wishy-washy feel good answer like "To live a healthier life" or to "Improve my health" which are both lofty and good goals to have. Its not even a vanity answer like "To lose weight and look better". None of these things are sufficient motivators for me.
Why am I doing this? Because not doing this was preventing me from reaching my goals. Because allowing my body to control what I can and can't do is unacceptable to me if there is a concrete solution to the problem. Because I refuse to go through the pain of losing another baby without knowing I have done everything in my power to prevent it. Because I am willing to fight for my dream of having a family.
HI,
ReplyDeleteYour article was quite inspiring. I happen to be on a very similar diet so either we went to the same dietician or all dieticians think the same way.
I totally agree with your concluding comments, the diet is extremily difficult to follow at first, but every time you crave carbs, you just have to think of the end result and it makes the situation less painful.
The amazing thing about this diet is that you begin to feel so like a new person after the first few day...its like a new lease on life.
What were some of the side effects that you had to overcome??
Hi Reni
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment :) The side effects were bad! It was as if the carbs were an actual drug and I was in withdrawal, I would get light-headed, dizzy, at times. I would be hungry ALL the time at first. And watching other people eat without a care in the world as torture. And if i gave in to the craving and had that bit of sugar and carbs, it would mean almost instant migraine :(
The good news is, it did get better. And I achieved my goal. I now have a beautiful baby girl. The bad news? I pretty much let the diet side about half way through my pregnancy. Now that its time for me to go back to work, I have to go through all of that again!
Good luck to both of us :)