The Health Kick
Jan. 7th, 2011 09:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
same_skySo I joined a gym.
Wait, let that sink in a minute. I'll say it again.
I joined a gym.
Are you ready for the bigger shock?
I am doing the low-carb thing too.
I KNOW! Ms Potato Lover Herself! It's MADNESS.
Anyway, I am all lifestyle-changing over here in 2011, apparently. You know, the holidays happened and the uncontrolled PCOS has raged on and it all did nothing positive for my ability to fit into pants. But I still probably would have continued doing nothing extreme except I went out to lunch with my parents last week. Just after we sat down, I started feeling strange. The backs of my ears started burning, and the back of my neck, and my hands started shaking and my brain got foggy. My mom is a diabetic, and our theory that it was my blood sugar crashing was easily tested, since she carries a meter with her. A bit of tea and some food and I was feeling fine again. It started happening again a couple of days later, but I didn't get any farther than tingly ears before I ate some M&Ms and stopped it before it got going. (The backs of my ears are really sensitive, apparently. They also tingle when I eat apples. Is that weird? My mom thought it was the strangest thing she'd ever heard when I told her I didn't eat apples because they made my ears burn.)
Here are a few facts. PCOS is strongly linked to insulin resistance/pre-diabetes. Having PCOS raises your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, as does a family history, and pretty much everyone on my mom's side of the family is a diabetic. Both grandparents, my mom, one aunt, two cousins. I have known all my life that it's pretty much inevitable and have rationalized a good deal of sugar in my lifetime by knowing that one day I wouldn't be able to eat it so I might as well eat it now. (Stupid, yes, but there you go.) One of the suggested ways of treating PCOS is to reduce carbs, because if you're insulin resistant, your body just can't handle them well, and the insulin throws a bunch of other hormones out of whack. And yes, I have known this, but it's so much easier said than done. All the things that I love to eat are carbs! But alas, it seems that it's time to stop burying my head in the sand and pretending that I can really continue eating whatever I want to because... this route is leading quickly to treating diabetes as well as PCOS.
So I consulted with Dr. Google re the hypoglycemia incidents and received the advice to eat more protein in the morning rather than carbs and so far so good. (I have been testing it to see what it was doing, not just relying on my Accu-Check ears, you'll be glad to know.) It hasn't happened again. At the same time, I started the Insulin-Resistance diet, for real this time. I purchased the book years ago (the only diet book I've ever bought) but couldn't bring myself to do it for more than eight hours at a a time. The thing is, it's the most reasonable of the carb-counting diets and the only one that I ever thought I had a shot at. The basic rule is that you can have 30 carbs per meal as long as it's linked with protein in a 15:7 carbs:protein ratio. In practice, it means that I can still eat potatoes... in limited quantities. I can also eat cheese! As much damned cheese as I want! Well... sort of. You still have to consider the calories of what you eat to some degree, and they recommend low-fat stuff. I think that low-fat cheese is, for the most part, a vile, devil-created substance. I figure that I am giving up enough all at once and am totally not worrying about that part of the meal plan at this stage...though I will continue improving upon what I eat as I get the hang of it better.
As for the gym, I have been considering this for quite some time but I haven't followed through because I get so nervous about things I've never done before. It's intimidating. So, I kept putting it off until finally, last night, I came up with a fun plan that involved dragging my husband along with me to sign up for a family YMCA membership. That way, I would be less intimidated and it might actually HAPPEN. And then, the three of us went swimming. :) That was the fun part. We had a great time. The pool is part of the reason I rationalized paying for a membership. They have open swimming and family swimming for a few scheduled hours a day. There are also some water fitness classes of some type, which I might do if I can work up the courage to go party with the old ladies. ;) And, I went back this morning to use the exercise room, so I am off to a good start. The trick is just to stick with it.
Oh, and I've lost three pounds in three days so... right now, motivation is high. :) We'll see how it goes. So far, I'm not even having that much trouble with the eating part. I made a fantastic meal last night that had no effective carbs in it, allowing me to actually have a Pepsi with my meal. A Pepsi! On a low-carb diet! That was always one of the hardest parts for me, saying to myself that I would never have pop, ever. It hurts less to think that I can have anything if I just plan for it. The strangest part of all is that I am actually really excited by our new healthy lifestyle. (M gets dragged along whether he wants to or not because I do the cooking, but... the way that this will have to work for a while is for me to start an Adventurous Cooking phase where I try out new recipes, and those recipes are going to have to involve meat. He's THRILLED.)
Wait, let that sink in a minute. I'll say it again.
I joined a gym.
Are you ready for the bigger shock?
I am doing the low-carb thing too.
I KNOW! Ms Potato Lover Herself! It's MADNESS.
Anyway, I am all lifestyle-changing over here in 2011, apparently. You know, the holidays happened and the uncontrolled PCOS has raged on and it all did nothing positive for my ability to fit into pants. But I still probably would have continued doing nothing extreme except I went out to lunch with my parents last week. Just after we sat down, I started feeling strange. The backs of my ears started burning, and the back of my neck, and my hands started shaking and my brain got foggy. My mom is a diabetic, and our theory that it was my blood sugar crashing was easily tested, since she carries a meter with her. A bit of tea and some food and I was feeling fine again. It started happening again a couple of days later, but I didn't get any farther than tingly ears before I ate some M&Ms and stopped it before it got going. (The backs of my ears are really sensitive, apparently. They also tingle when I eat apples. Is that weird? My mom thought it was the strangest thing she'd ever heard when I told her I didn't eat apples because they made my ears burn.)
Here are a few facts. PCOS is strongly linked to insulin resistance/pre-diabetes. Having PCOS raises your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, as does a family history, and pretty much everyone on my mom's side of the family is a diabetic. Both grandparents, my mom, one aunt, two cousins. I have known all my life that it's pretty much inevitable and have rationalized a good deal of sugar in my lifetime by knowing that one day I wouldn't be able to eat it so I might as well eat it now. (Stupid, yes, but there you go.) One of the suggested ways of treating PCOS is to reduce carbs, because if you're insulin resistant, your body just can't handle them well, and the insulin throws a bunch of other hormones out of whack. And yes, I have known this, but it's so much easier said than done. All the things that I love to eat are carbs! But alas, it seems that it's time to stop burying my head in the sand and pretending that I can really continue eating whatever I want to because... this route is leading quickly to treating diabetes as well as PCOS.
So I consulted with Dr. Google re the hypoglycemia incidents and received the advice to eat more protein in the morning rather than carbs and so far so good. (I have been testing it to see what it was doing, not just relying on my Accu-Check ears, you'll be glad to know.) It hasn't happened again. At the same time, I started the Insulin-Resistance diet, for real this time. I purchased the book years ago (the only diet book I've ever bought) but couldn't bring myself to do it for more than eight hours at a a time. The thing is, it's the most reasonable of the carb-counting diets and the only one that I ever thought I had a shot at. The basic rule is that you can have 30 carbs per meal as long as it's linked with protein in a 15:7 carbs:protein ratio. In practice, it means that I can still eat potatoes... in limited quantities. I can also eat cheese! As much damned cheese as I want! Well... sort of. You still have to consider the calories of what you eat to some degree, and they recommend low-fat stuff. I think that low-fat cheese is, for the most part, a vile, devil-created substance. I figure that I am giving up enough all at once and am totally not worrying about that part of the meal plan at this stage...though I will continue improving upon what I eat as I get the hang of it better.
As for the gym, I have been considering this for quite some time but I haven't followed through because I get so nervous about things I've never done before. It's intimidating. So, I kept putting it off until finally, last night, I came up with a fun plan that involved dragging my husband along with me to sign up for a family YMCA membership. That way, I would be less intimidated and it might actually HAPPEN. And then, the three of us went swimming. :) That was the fun part. We had a great time. The pool is part of the reason I rationalized paying for a membership. They have open swimming and family swimming for a few scheduled hours a day. There are also some water fitness classes of some type, which I might do if I can work up the courage to go party with the old ladies. ;) And, I went back this morning to use the exercise room, so I am off to a good start. The trick is just to stick with it.
Oh, and I've lost three pounds in three days so... right now, motivation is high. :) We'll see how it goes. So far, I'm not even having that much trouble with the eating part. I made a fantastic meal last night that had no effective carbs in it, allowing me to actually have a Pepsi with my meal. A Pepsi! On a low-carb diet! That was always one of the hardest parts for me, saying to myself that I would never have pop, ever. It hurts less to think that I can have anything if I just plan for it. The strangest part of all is that I am actually really excited by our new healthy lifestyle. (M gets dragged along whether he wants to or not because I do the cooking, but... the way that this will have to work for a while is for me to start an Adventurous Cooking phase where I try out new recipes, and those recipes are going to have to involve meat. He's THRILLED.)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 02:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-09 12:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 03:09 am (UTC)I share your apprehension about using the exercise equipment when you don't know how. I think that's a big reason why I thought I would stick with running, or the stationary bike or rowing machine, because I know what do. Those other machine intimidate me.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-09 06:44 pm (UTC)I'm planning to stick with the treadmill for quite some time. Starting slowly so I don't wear myself out on it before it "sticks". :)
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 04:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 12:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 04:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 12:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 09:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 12:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 11:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 01:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 12:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 05:43 pm (UTC)I've been doing LCHF (have M Google it, as most of the info is in Swedish), low carb high fat, for 2 years and 2 months. In that time, I've lost 20 kg (44 lbs) and have never felt better in my life. I've met a doctor from Karlstad, who recommends it to his type 2 diabetic patients. His stats show how their blood sugar levels sink and stablize. I plan to eat this way for the rest of my life. No point in adding carbs back in when I know what it does to me.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 01:04 am (UTC)I'm glad that it's working out for you and that you're finding it okay to stick with! I've been totally excited about it this week until this evening, but hopefully I'll be feeling better about it tomorrow. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 11:02 pm (UTC)I am sorry to hear about the pre-diabetes starting to happen. That is totally bizarre about your ears. One of the top ten strange things I've ever heard.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 01:07 am (UTC)I am not sure that I'm going to love the gym with quite the red hot passion that you have, but so far so good. I've got a backlog of magazines to read, and am thinking that short-attention span articles might work well with exercise equipment, and I think my book reader will fit beautifully on the ledge of the treadmill, so how bad can it be? I'm sure you have said, but why can't you go now?
no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 01:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 01:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 02:22 am (UTC)It's completely unfair that you have high cholesterol on top of everything else. :) It's so weird, what people love and have to give up. For me? I could give up bacon any time, if I absolutely had to. I mean, I like it! And I especially like it as an ingredient in some things, but it wouldn't DEVASTATE me to think I could never have bacon again. I would be SAD, but I'd find it do-able. It's like our bodies know exactly what it is that we shouldn't have, and THAT is what we crave. (This is a completely sillly thing to say, really, because there are plenty of things that I shouldn't have that I don't crave. Cheesecake. I've never liked cheesecake. Etc. I just don't CARE about not being able to have cheesecake on a low-carb diet. But STILL.)
no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 02:50 am (UTC)Actually when your body doesn't want something I find it's pretty easy to give it up, whatever it is. I'm even slowly not cheating with dairy because I just feel so yuck it's not worth it.
What would be the hardest thing for you to give up?