Am I eating too much to lose-weight?

[maidmarian]

Hi all.  I went to the doctor yesterday and was mortified that I gained back 25 pounds since last year.  He told me my blood pressure and blood sugar are going up.  I told him I don't feel well and I am not moving.  He said, "You have to move".  So, today, I got on my treadmill (ouch, I have made myself a cripple laying in bed these last few months) for ten minutes and 5 minutes on the Schwinn AirDyne. I felt better having done that. So, this is what I ate today and I kept very full.  I am worried I am not going to lose weight this way as it seems too good to be true.  I'd like your feedback.  Here's what I had:
Breakfast:  3 fresh eggs cooked in butter over medium with grated fresh parm cheese on them, pepper.
Got hungry several hours later, had a whey protein shake with coconut milk...came to 4 carbs for the shake (don't get on my case, I like to replace a couple of meals with this low carb shake I blend, I don't digest well)
A few hours later had another shake...but this time I put a handful of freshly picked blueberries in it on top of the 4 carbs.
Then a few hours later (hungry) I had a nice .4 lb. piece of lamb I grilled on my little George Foreman grill and I had a bowl of cauliflower mashed potatoes.  I used an entire package of Great Value brand frozen cauliflower, butter and a spalash of heavy cream, blended this with sea salt.  Delicious.  
It would be hard to believe I can honestly lose weight eating this much.  I feel very satisfied.
Please tell me if I had too many carbs and too much food in any way.  What did I do right? What did I do wrong?...I want to know this about yesterday too.  Here's what I had:
For breakfast...I ate a giant breakfast for some giant hunger.  First I made a juice in my juicer of ONLY greens...quite bitter, but I wanted the nutrients.  Then I had 3 eggs, 1/2 large can of salmon, homemade pesto.  This kept me full for NINE hours, I'm not kidding.  Then around 6:30pm, I had a bowl with some full-fat greek yogurt, some ricotta, a cup of Costco triple berry berries, a TBSP hemp hearts, TBSP flax meal, TBSP chia sead, cinnamon, etevia and SF whipped cream (I am against artificial sweeteners, but I had this).  I love this "meal", but it's probably too much carb ... or is it?  Is it ok if the rest of the day is pretty much NO carb?  Then I went to bed very hungry, but didn't feed that hunger.  Didn't want to do that...too late to eat.
So, my blood sugars have been high...in the 140's to 150 chronically.  I take insulin at night and with meals.  my blood sugar was a bit better this morning in the 130's, but not good enough.  My goal is to reverse this diabetes and get this fat off of me AGAIN.  I starved to do it last year on Medifast and I was miserable.
Thank you for any feedback.
your friend, Marian

[morgan]

Hello again maidmarion.  Firstly, I think when we think we are overeating we usually are.  

You may want to write down all you eat then put a running total of the carbs and stop when you get to 20.  From the looks of it I think you are overdoing the carbs as they can add up very quick.  Reread the fts book, that should get you on your way again.  Follow doug's rules about what to eat, portion sizes, eating when hungry and the 15-minute rule.  

It's hard to motivate yourself, we all know it's hard to move off the couch - but the saying is true "move it or lose it" our mobility just locks up.  You can twist that saying "if you move it, you will lose it (the weight that is)"  

[Doug Varrieur]

Hi Maid Marion, welcome back....here's the deal, you are on a roller coaster. The culprit that makes you hungry IS the insulin, yes it's true. Increased blood insulin increases hunger AND makes it harder to drop weight. Assuming you're a type 2 your goal now should be to get your blood sugar back into line so you can get off the insulin. Once your doc takes you off the insulin things will progress much easier for you. The best course to get that blood sugar back into line comes down to being extremely careful about your carb intake. For example stop the blueberries and switch to strawberries. Keep the proteins, fats and greens pouring in    

[shawn116]

Welcome back Marian    It's good to see you!

I agree wholeheartedly with Doug and Morgan.  I remember having long discussions with you about keeping track and counting.  I know you have the desire to do it.....My best advice is to make those lists of what you are eating and how much so you can keep a true count on those carbs.  Keep them below 20 net carbs and only eat when you are hungry.  Only you know what a handful is     You can do this....I know you can   

[umpa]

I lost the post where you asked me about coffee TooSweet I had to quit coffee because it was giving me panic attacks with the menopause.All better now ! I really miss my cuban coffee though!
Marian welcome back!

[shawn116]

Wow Umpa I hate to hear that...panic attacks aren't fun at all.  Glad you found the cause    I broke my habit of drinking coffee for a long time and then the hubs bought me a Keurig as a gift.  (Sweet man...I'm a lucky girl  ) now I'm hopelessly attached to it again  Haha I suppose I could walk away again....but I sure would hate to 

[maidmarian]

Hi all, thanks for the replies.  I honestly don't know how to post and reply properly, so I hope I'm doing this right.  My weight has gone up almost 2 pounds this morning, having lost half a pound yesterday.  I am going on the treadmill and bike after having been completely sedentary for months.  But it hurts.  I'm at 15 minutes total with stretching.  I have to really force it and I don't feel well doing it.  Also, if insulin makes me fat and hungry, which I know it does, I would rather get the heck off of it.  I am plenty discouraged.  I ate almost no carbs yesterday and had this weight gain.  I'm devastated.  I have a raging sweet tooth.  I write everytihng I eat in my food log and have for years.  I have FTS, the dessert book and the carb counting book. Could you please tell me how to make a VERY easy dessert for this sweet tooth? I only use stevia, erythritol or Lo Han for a sweetener. Doug, I have been making mock mashed potatoes and for the carbs on cauliflower you only have the amount for 1/2 cup raw.  I'm using a package of frozen, Great Value brand, with butter and heavy cream.  I ate 1/2 of the package last night, my husband ate the other half.  We shared a pork steak with those.  For breakfast I had 3 eggs, some salmon and pesto. Pretty much no carbs.  It kept me full all day.  Late afternoon all I had was a 4 carb whey protein shake.  Now I'm up a pound and a half.  I think I might simply stop the insulin.  Yes, I'm type 2.  If I do that, maybe I have a chance.  The hardest thing is this sweet tooth.  I have to ignore it somehow and hope that as time passes, it will cease.  I agree, Doug, it's the insulin.  I listened to your CD, maybe I have to cut portions, I can't tell what's wrong.  I do know that my body won't release weight unless I starve on Medifast.  That is painful, but it works.  It's nice to see you all again.  Thank you for being there.  I'm absolutely discouraged.

[maidmarian]

I looked back on my log from yesterday.  I had 2 squares of 85% Lindt dark chocolate and when I was hungry, I had a cheese stick and a pickle.  That's a snack I have most of the time when hungry.  I obviously have to get off insulin and use my treadmill to bring my blood sugars down instead.

[shawn116]

Hi Marian

Insulin is a tuff one.  Your body needs it as a type two but at the same time it is causing a good bit of what you are fighting against.  Tread carefully here dear.  Blood sugar drops can be dangerous.  That being said....does your doc know that you are trying to eat low carb?  You should be able to reduce if not completely take the insulin away but you should be monitored by your physician along the way to be safe.    

I love the lindt chocolate myself....but it will cause me to crave BIG time after I eat it.  It may be low in sugar but it has just that sugar.  Try making your own or looking for something that is sweetened with stevia or erythritol.  Umpa's fudge comes to mind http://www.fattoskinny.net/index.php?topic=3741.45  or even her sugar free chocolat chip recipe...just let it set up in a thin layer and break it apart for chocolate bars.  Check these recipes out in the dessert section of the forum     http://www.fattoskinny.net/index.php?board=27.0   Also keep in mind that your weight will fluctuate from one day to the next as your body holds on to fluid and then releases it.  Put the scale away and only weigh yourself once a week or even every other or if you brave once a month    .  That little box will drive you crazy for sure.  Take your measurements....those will change sometimes even when the weight doesn't.  Give your body a chance to do what it needs to do....

The cauli mash is probably more carbs than you think.  I have used the same bag from Walmart....I tend to get 4 servings from my recipe.  Depending on the carb count in your heavy cream if any (assuming 0 carb)...by your recipe and according to the nutritional information on the bag you should be getting  5 net carbs per serving if you are splitting it with the hubby.     Maybe try to watch your serving sizes.  Eat half of your plate, wait 15 minutes and if you are still hungry eat some more.   Speaking from experience...when taking insulin I felt sick when I didn't eat enough for it to work against.  That was the first medicine to go when I started this way of life.  I couldn't handle the roller coaster I was on.  "Try to eat healthy to control blood sugar, take insulin like I was told, feel sick because I wasn't eating enough carbs so having to eat to feel better, not feeling better but sicker because too many carbs    and on and on..and steady gaining weight.."  I'm so glad I got off of that coaster.  By the way....try putting some bacon and cheddar cheese on top of you cauli mash and put it under the broiler to make it bubbly for a twice baked cauli mash....yummmm!!  That is my hubs favorite way to eat it 


Great Value: Cauliflower, 16 Oz

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 85 G
Servings Per Container 5
Amount Per Serving
Calories 20
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0 G   
Saturated Fat 0 G
Trans Fat 0 G
Cholesterol 0 Mg   
Sodium 20 Mg   
Potassium 160 Mg   
Total Carbohydrate 4 G   
Dietary Fiber 2 G

Sugars 2 G
Protein 2 G   
Vitamin A   0
Vitamin C   35
Calcium   0
Folic Acid   0
(-) Information is currently not available for this nutrient.

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:**

** Percent Daily Values listed below are intended for adults and children over 4 years of age. Foods represented or purported to be for use by infants, children less than 4 years of age, pregnant women, or lactating women shall use the RDI's that are specified for the intended group provided by the FDA.

Calories:   2,000   2,500
Total Fat   Less than   65g   80g
Sat. Fat   Less than   20g   25g
Cholesterol   Less than   300mg   300mg
Sodium   Less than   2400mg   2400mg
Potassium   3500mg   3500mg
Total Carbohydrate   300mg   375mg
Dietary Fiber   25mg   30mg
Calories per gram:

Fat 9·Carbohydrate 4·Protein 4

[Doug Varrieur]

Hi Marian, try this recipe...delish! http://www.fattoskinny.net/index.php?topic=5400.msg57310#msg57310 Listen to TooSweet, consult your doc. I assume you're checking your blood sugar prior to taking insulin...not just taking it. Eating low carb lowers your blood sugar pretty quickly...matter of days. If your blood sugar numbers are in line when testing do you still take the insulin?

[shawn116]

The insulin that I was taking (Levemir) I didn't have to check my sugar before hand.  It was a long acting insulin that was to be taken at night once a day.  It really messed with me A LOT though when I started following FTS.  I'm guessing with Levemir that the dose must be based on how well your sugar is controlled, based on the fact that my doctor kept upping my dose on me.    I remember when I first started following FTS I checked my blood sugar no less than 6 times a day  Haha  I was so afraid that I would have an extreme sugar dump....I had that happen in the middle of Walmart one day...and again in a grocery store not fun    I felt so silly looking up from the floor and seeing all these folks looking at me.....Me not remembering much of anything.    Not something I wanted to repeat.  I had to keep glucose tabs with me at all times.  I haven't had to pop one of those in over two years now thanks to finding FTS.  It didn't take me long to realize that I was feeling sick with the insulin after restricting the carbs below 20 net.   If I remember right I dropped the Levemir after two days with my docs advice and the pills followed a few days after that....I haven't looked back since.  I have way better control over my sugar now than I ever did when I was trying to do it with medication.  My last A1C was 5.1    But I would never have tried without my doc monitoring it the whole way.  A lot can go wrong when dealing with your blood sugar and medicine that controls it.  There isn't much worse than feeling sick like that    You don't know if you should eat something or not eat something....it's a vicious circle    You should just ask your doc if it would be safe to drop it and see if you can control it with your diet.  Take Doug's book with you.      

[maidmarian]

Hi TooSweet, I am also on Levemir.  Your lows were obviously scary, yikes.  I have NEVER had a low.  Not ever.  I take 50 units of Levemir at 7pm each night.  I got it down to 20 when I lost the 25 pounds (the pounds I gained back) last year.  But here's what I am going to do.  Oh, and before I tell you, my doctor said to me "you have to lose weight and move"...I told him I'm low-carbing it.  He is fine with that.  I don't need his monitoring at all anyway.  I need my glucometer and that's it.  Yes, I must stop weighing myself, you're right.  Anyhow, I decided to keep eating the way I'm eating and dropping my insulin by 2 points each night.  I started this last night.  I went down to 50 units from 52.  I woke up this morning and my blood sugar was only 103!  That is great, considering it had been running too high.  Tonight I'm going to take 48 units and so on...until I'm off of it.  I am doing this in a way you all won't think is the right way, but it's the only way that seems to work for me.  I have decided to have 3 whey protein shakes per day (I put chia and flax in a couple of those and I unsweetened almond or coconut milk, plus my whey powder is only 1.5 carbs, so my shakes are 4 to 5 carbs each.  Then I am having a meat and greens meal.  If I get extra hungry I may add a hard-boiled egg and/or some string cheese.  I eat pickles which help too.  Lots of water.  Maybe some decaf with heavy cream.  This is the plan I made for myself.  I eat grass-fed beef burgers, turkey burgers, steak, pork steak, some cheese, fish...those are my proteins.  I have cut out all fruit, even the berries for now.  And I stopped the full-fat greek yogurt and the ricotta, even though they are acceptable.  I tend to want too much of them.
Let me know what you think.  TooSweet, I'm glad you got off the insulin.  I am surprised you had so much of a roller coaster with the Levemir because it's long-acting.  But, yes you're right.  It makes me hungry and fat.  But, I have always had the hunger problem even before the insulin.  I think it's because I had diabetes long before I had the diagnosis, which makes you hungry (diabetes does) plus I am leptin resistant which also makes you hungry.  So hunger has always been a tough issue for me. When I was on Metformin, that was the medication that made me so, so sick.  That's why I switched to insulin which made me feel better.  Anyhow, my goal is to get off the stuff.
I hope you all have a great day and I look forward to more of your replies.  Thank you for the dessert ideas.  I did see those in my e-book.  I pretty much may just have a one-minute muffin if I have anything.  I'm just giong to stick to the 3 shakes and the one meal for the most part.

[shawn116]

I am doing this in a way you all won't think is the right way, but it's the only way that seems to work for me

  If that is what works for you then that is the best way for you    It really sounds like you have a good handle on it anyway.  Having a plan is your best defense as far as I'm concerned.  So you are doing great     I'm glad to hear the doc is on board too. 

The roller coaster I was on with the levemir was because I wasn't eating enough carbs for it to work in my system.  Basically my body was telling me that I no longer needed it    103 is a great number!!!  I'm hoping it will continue to stabilize for you as you master the FTS lifestyle and lower those meds.  Hang in there...you are doing great    

Pay attention to what foods might be causing you to have cravings.  You can limit those until you get your FTS feet under you    Don't' be a stranger!!  We are all here for eachother!

[maidmarian]

I am keeping at about 20 carbs per day with the whey protein shakes and the one meal.  I will keep lowering my insulin...hope that works!  Thank you for the support and good wishes.

[mouseissue]

Welcome home, maidmarian!!!

In other discussion threads, we talk about restarting FTS after stopping for a time.
Our minds will want to revolt against the sugar detox more than the first time around.
It's part of how carb addiction works.

Hang in there!... You WILL get past it!
And we'll to help you as much as we can!

Tony