OK gang, I have just finished SPII and having read both of the books, I am still a little confused as how to proceed. I have been doing Atkins for 3 months and feel I am over the carb addiction phase. Weight loss has not been great and I have been wanting to make the switch to SP for a few weeks now as I feel it is more what I need long term. My concern is I really don't know which eating plan to follow as I have not been able to diagnose which of the four plans I align with most. I can not afford to get testing done until after the first of the year when my husband's new insurance goes into effect so I need to give it my best educated guess. I am thinking I should start out with the 15 or 20 carbs per meal. What did some of the rest of you do when you first started? I want to heal but I also need to lose 70 pounds or more also.
Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Jacque

I, too, started with Atkins several months ago. I initially lost weight, but couldn't stand to eat the restricted diet anymore. I read SP and believe her plan is more realistic and healthier than Atkins, although I do eat more sugar than she wants us to. I am *finally* over the carb addiction after beginning SP - I saw a huge change in my food cravings and hunger pangs during this past month. I also purchased and have read through most of SPII. I agree that it was a bit confusing trying to determine which "hormone type" I am without the testing, but I just kept re-reading the chapter on Transition over and over until I was comfortable placing myself in one category. Here's what I did:

I am lucky in that I am only insulin sensitive - that aspect I could determine for sure. I couldn't determine exactly whether I have healthy adrenals or burned-out adrenals, so I decided that I should go with the "worst case scenario" just in case I did have healing to do. Does that make sense? I can't harm myself by following the nutrition and exercise recommendations for someone who is insulin-sensitive with burned-out adrenals!

So my recommendation to you is to try to pinpoint where you are on the scale of insulin and adrenal glands and, if you aren't sure, choose the scenario that allows for more healing of your body. Remember, Dr. Schwarzbein says that for fat loss to occur, we must heal ourselves first. While I know you want that weight off as soon as possible (I have a mother in the same boat as you wanting to lose 75 #'s!), you must heal to allow the weight loss to occur.

I have found that I am still losing fat even though the scale hasn't changed in a month. I can see and have measured differences in my body, so now I only weigh myself once monthly just to be sure that I'm not gaining. I'm trying to focus on the healing and getting in touch with my true hunger and NOT on the scale!

Good luck ... you can do this!
Kris

Kris, Thank you so much for your input. I agree with your take on the situation. It is pretty much what I had decided to do - follow the worse case scenario and see where it leads me. I can always increase the carbs but it is more difficult to decrease them.

Jacque

I'm with both of ya'll on the adrenal glands stuff. I couldn't figure out whether mine are burned out or not, and I don't have the time or money to pay to get that tested, so I, too, am following the worst case scenario. I happen to know I'm insulin resistant since I'm a Type II Diabetic, and I really think I don't have burned out adrenal glands, but just in case I'm pretending I do. That issue is, I think, one of the more difficult ones for alot of us.

I tested myself today----after being really good about bad carbs for weeks, I was confronted with a piece of Oreo Cake and I just didn't feel like resisting it. I was fully expecting the shakes and nausea that so many people describe after a cheat, but it didn't happen. Does that mean I am not Insulin Sensitive??? I've been trying to figure it out since reading SPII also. I've been assuming I'm resistant, simply because I can't lose weight to save my life! I'm pretty sure I have healthy adrenals because none of that lifestyle stuff fits me, but the IR has me stumped!

I agree with you guys that choosing the worst-case scenario is the safe route, but I don't feel like trying to figure out another plan and have just been sticking with the 15g per meal.

Sara, I see you are on SP/Somerizinb combo. How do you do that? I am assuming you eat the foods SP says but do it in a food combination way. Am I correct?

I think the same way you do, I don't have the reaction when I eat something with sugar content so I assume I am not insulin sensitive. Guess I will stick with the low eand eating plan though, just in case!


Jacque

I'm with the rest of you - 'self-diagnosing'. I think that I am seriously insulin resistant, and have mild adrenal burnout. Besides that, the 15g carbs 5X a day sounds like something I could strive for, and more carbs sounds really scarey. Not too scientific, but we'll see how it works.

I belong to an HMO and discussed my weight situation with my Dr. She suggested that I go to their weight management sessions, where I can learn to substitute low-fat for regular and how to cut back on fast food. So I am looking forward to the updated website & hopefully some links for getting tested that will not cost an arm & leg.

Lila

Schwarzbein is pretty similar to Somersizing level 2 or maintenance. SS says to eat legal carbs without fat which I don't understand or agree with, so if I'm not going to be totally balanced as SP says, I eat my oatmeal w/ butter and cream so there isn't as much of an insulin rush. I never eat fat free carbs and I sometimes eat my protein, fat and veggies and leave out the real carbs.

For example, I just had oatmeal for breakfast w/ butter and cream, but I had more than my 15g alottment, so I won't eat any more carbs for the day--except in the form of non-starchy vegetables.

I don't know how well this will work for balancing my hormones, but I have a major tendency to go overboard with the carbs; it's just easier to leave them out of a meal.

The 2 plans don't see at all compatible to me. Sommers emphasizes food combinations like fruit only in isolation, and never combine fat & carbs, etc where Schwarzbein empahsizes a balance of protein, carbs, fats & non-starchies at every meal & snack as much as possible. It seems to me that one is much better off with a balance throughout the day, and I trust the endocrinologist over the actress. However, if you are happy with your results, you're doing alright!

Lila

I join the confusion from the book about where our individual metabolisms are. While I truly appreciate her detailed explanations of the various combinations of metobolic disorders, she missed the 'how-to' part of the diagnosis.

IMHO, the book is not clearly written and there is too much repetition. I find things in me that fit all four categories.
My book is full of stickies to mark all the sections I want. I'm also presuming I have to find a local homeopathic Dr. that can properly run the tests. Sounds expensive since I'm also in a HMO. Plus, a homeopathic Dr. is going to want to balance my hormones with lots of expensive homeopathic remedies! Do we need a TSP III?

Flamingo

What seemed to me to point most to adrenal gland burn-out was cravings and addictions. And for insulin resistance it was bloodsugar swings.

That was how I came to the conclusion that I do not have adrenal gland burn-out, never had. And also, I know when I started 9 months ago, I was probably insulin resistant, but I am well on the way to healing my insulin resistance.

Interestingly, I have been following the insulin resistant only plan for about a month (upped my carbs from 15/7.5 to 20 for all meals and snacks) and the other night I didn't feel like having any carbs so I had just some chicken with some Ranch Dressing. The next morning I felt like I had real low bloodsugar -- shakes, very hungry, etc. But eating my normal breakfast took care of it quite well and I haven't had any such symptoms since. I think I'll keep eating the carbs.

I did gain about 5 pounds when I suddenly upped my carb intake, but it's starting to come back off now. And I am actually feeling better than when I was following the original plan, if that is possible, since I was feeling so good to start with.

;-Deb