I will be 40 on August 17th.
There are 113 days until Saturday, 17 August 2013.
At the beginning of this year, I made a resolution to lose 50 pounds by my birthday.
I’ve lost about 10. And only because I was very ill for a month.
I keep eating less and less and my weight sticks in the same place. Maybe it’s the Zoloft. Or the Glipizide. I’m on a hefty dose of Metformin, so I should be losing weight. At least you’d think!
While pondering this, I was reminded how the only lifestyle change I’ve ever tried that actually allowed me to lose weight without starving was The Primal Blueprint. I’m been following the Eating The Food movement and while I agree with the theory whole-heartedly, I also believe that having diabetes that responds to nothing but a grain-free and moderately low-carb diet means that it’s best for me to eliminate grains and limit carbs.
I didn’t count carbs or calories or fat when I was Primal. I simply ate as much as I wanted of whatever I wanted–except grains–and I lost around 50 pounds in 6 months. Without formal exercise. My stomach got flatter (even before the pounds started melting off) and I had more energy, was less anxious and had much more motivation and mental focus. My IBS and constant symptoms and bloating we gone, as we most of my headaches and my migraines–gone completely. I even ate a baked potato or two daily, which aren’t really considered primal fare (sweet potatoes are, and I had those too). I also didn’t give up my crap coffee creamer and made myself daily frozen coffee drinks with whole milk, sucanat, sweetened creamer and Almased, which has honey and whey. I stopped drinking milk in its liquid form but had plenty of cheese, sour cream and yogurt.
On Primal, my daughter, who has Crohn’s and who is in remission but always has some mild symptoms of GI distress lost all her abdominal bloating and some extra weight she tends to carry. She’s 8 now and is carrying that extra weight again, despite being in dance, musical theater and tumbling. She’s very active and eats well, but that weight hangs on.
I had a talk with her about me going grain-free because I’m diabetic and I mentioned that being grain-free has helped her Crohn’s symptoms in the past. I didn’t mention her weight or bloated belly…she is very confident in her skin and I don’t want to ruin that! I told her I thought it’d be great if we tried this again together…just the two of us. She was luke-warm about the idea at first but announced that as long as she doesn’t have to give up all sugar, she’s in. I figure it’s a good compromise since she doesn’t eat a lot of processed sugar anyway!
I plan to experiment with soaked grains and see how they affect me–and Katie. I hope to slowly trial them once I reach my next goal which is to lose 40 pounds. My main purpose right now is to get control of my blood sugar and I know that losing a significant amount of weight will be key.
So, 113 days, hopefully to a healthier, happier me.
