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  #1   ^
Old Fri, Oct-11-13, 05:56
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default Guilty

I am feeling a bit guilty over my apparent ability to eat carbs without consequences, in the light of so many posts from people here who document such difficulties. I finally dropped a lb after being stuck for years - even though this year I have been eating more sugar and being less strict than usual. I thought it would encourage me to be more strict with my diet, but it didn't. My apple tree is groaning with gorgeous crisp fruit, and I decided to make an apple dessert as a rare treat. (Nothing to do with my weight-loss - I just hate to see the apples going to waste.) My partner won't eat substitutes, so I had to make it with wheat and sugar, but promised myself I'd only have one small portion. I have a health/energy issue, so sadly, I didn't have the option of making a second, low-carb version for myself.

Yesterday, I ate three small (ish ) portions of that carby apple/wheat/sugar dessert smothered in heavy cream. I worked out today that a conservative estimate of the carbs involved is around 100-130g, not counting the cream. I never eat that many carbs normally! I'd only had a light lunch, and had no space for my evening meal, so I just had a tiny snack late at night. I weighed myself this morning, and I am still the same weight as yesterday. I read all the posts on this forum of people whose arthritis, skin, bowel, stomach or other trouble flare up because of wheat/carbs, or they gain several pounds after bouts of gluttony, or they are beset by terrible cravings, and I am beginning to feel guilty! Eating carbs on this occasion has led to no immediate consequence for me. No craving, no weight gain, no flare ups!

What's wrong with me???? Could I be diabetic? I included all the skins of the apples, and I'd had mushroom soup for lunch - did the fiber get digested more slowly, resulting in less of a sugar hit? Or did I just use up all the calories?

Last edited by Kirsteen : Fri, Oct-11-13 at 06:23.
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  #2   ^
Old Fri, Oct-11-13, 12:13
Verbena Verbena is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,056
 
Plan: My own
Stats: 186/155/150 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 86%
Location: SW PNW
Default

I don't feel guilty, though I do feel very fortunate that I don't seem to have any major issues with food - other than it makes me gain weight LOL. What I mean is that, so far as a I can tell, I have no allergies or intolerances. I love food, eating it, cooking it, reading about it. I enjoy learning about new places through the food (and history, but that is a different subject LOL). I find that low carb eating makes me feel good, and helps me lose weight, but taking a step back now and then and eating something "forbidden" is just plain enjoyable, and doesn't spark a wild rush to slide down the high carb slope. For instance, I was at a cocktail party the other evening, and among the nibbles served were olives wrapped in a cheesy crust, with flour, and either fried or baked. They were so unusual and tasty that I had two, and could have easily had more, but didn't need to - I got a taste, enjoyed the novelty, and left it at that.
Your post above has prompted me to consider an apple crumble with the apples my husband brought home yesterday. I will make it as low carb as I can manage, while still sticking to my "whole foods" philosophy, and I won't eat much of it, but I will have some (with plenty of cream), and I won't feel guilty.
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  #3   ^
Old Fri, Oct-11-13, 14:30
Liz53's Avatar
Liz53 Liz53 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 6,140
 
Plan: Mostly Fung/IDM
Stats: 165/138.4/135 Female 63
BF:???/better/???
Progress: 89%
Location: Washington state
Smile drat, I put that smiley in the wrong place, how do I remove it?

Can I join this circle? I too feel very fortunate that I seem to be able to eat limited carbs without huge consequences as well. I also don't think we have to feel guilty about it. I will say that when I'm at home and at most restaurants, I eat strict LC. I will ask for potatoes to be subbed with salad or cooked veggies, turn down the bread basket, etc. However, I travel a fair amount and when I'm staying with friends I try not to be a total PITA about what I can and cannot eat. I spent a week with a friend out of town a few weeks ago and only gained about 1.5 lbs eating a somewhat expanded diet that included lentils, butternut squash, more tomatoes than I usually eat, 1/2 slice of really great bread most days, and wine every evening. I will say that we ate lots of veggies, no desserts at all. Desserts are historically my personal downfall.

Dr Atkins and his successors talk about metabolisms healing by eating low carb over a long period of time. I feel my metabolism IS healing (and it sounds like yours is as well, Kirsteen), and should we feel guilty about that? I don't think so. Let me end by saying that I think I will have to be vigilant for the rest of my life and stick to LC 90-95% of the time, but I am happy - and feel very very fortunate - to be able to branch out a bit.

It is a bit like playing with a loaded gun though. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, she said, mixing metaphors.
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  #4   ^
Old Fri, Oct-11-13, 14:49
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Thanks so much for the reassurance and the perspective. I was worrying that perhaps I might have become diabetic, but the thought that my metabolism has healed a little is a much more attractive idea, and one that rings true. When I think back to how cold I used to feel, and how much less I am suffering now, I have to believe that there are positive changes in my body.

If it hadn't been for my sweetheart, who cooks almost everything for me normally, I'd definitely have made it with almond flour and erythritol. (Or at least wheat flour and erythritol.) But I wanted to make something nice for him for a change.

I wish I could have more self-control, as in sticking with the one portion. But never mind, it made an interesting substitute for a proper dinner.

I do want to lose more weight, and this is giving me a bit more confidence that I might be able to do so, finally. I guess I am worrying a bit because I have some challenges coming up with a lot of eating out, and I don't want to blow it.

[Verbena, I normally make crumble using a mix of seed meal, almond meal and butter. I normally have berries or rhubarb/ginger under it. It's as enjoyable as a wheat based crumble, and I can just make a single portion.]

Thanks again for your input. I appreciate it.
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  #5   ^
Old Fri, Oct-11-13, 18:59
lovinita's Avatar
lovinita lovinita is offline
Triple digit loss
Posts: 927
 
Plan: Dr. Bernstien
Stats: 352/206.8/175 Female 5'7
BF:
Progress: 82%
Location: Boston, MA
Default

Kirsteen if you are worried about diabetes just get a blood sugar monitor and strips. Test yourself 2 hours post eating sugar and see where you are at. Anything higher than a 140 after 2 hours of eating then you could be type 1 or 2 or insulin resistant.

My limited experience from people in my life everyone that i have known who became Type 1 diabetic. Lost a butt load of weight before doing so. Because their bodies couldn't convert the food into energy. They looked pale and sickly.

People who I know of who are type 2 insulin resistant gain a crap load of weight and have cravings.
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  #6   ^
Old Fri, Oct-11-13, 19:12
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Thanks for that, Lovinvita. I thought today I might get a blood sugar monitor, just to check, given that I seem to be experiencing no changes from the carb-fest. I amn't type 1, and it doesn't sound as if I'm type 2, because I haven't gained weight and I amn't craving. I'll see how things go with my diet over the next month or two.

Thanks for your reply.
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  #7   ^
Old Fri, Oct-11-13, 20:28
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Actually, I think it is usually 45min-1 hour after eating that is generally considered the highest. It can be different depending on what you eat.

Not all Type-2's gain weight. In fact, the ones who have the most severe sort do not gain weight.
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  #8   ^
Old Sat, Oct-12-13, 08:14
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Nancy, surely on a low-carb diet, the blood sugar would tend to meaure low anyway? The last time I asked my doc to check it, it was morning, and she said it was a bit low. (I hadn't had my breakfast, so that wasn't surprising.) Do you think it would be worth getting a blood tester when I am normally low-carb anyway? As a general rule, I only have the equivalent of 1/2 tomato carbs at breakfast, a leafy veg soup or equivalent carbs at lunch, and more at dinner. I'd say between 30-40g max, minus the fibre, mostly from veggies.
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  #9   ^
Old Sat, Oct-12-13, 20:10
lovinita's Avatar
lovinita lovinita is offline
Triple digit loss
Posts: 927
 
Plan: Dr. Bernstien
Stats: 352/206.8/175 Female 5'7
BF:
Progress: 82%
Location: Boston, MA
Default

Nancy, Actually medical professions say that 2 hours after your blood sugar should be back to normal. that is how they classify if you are diabetic. Because normal people will have a spike too. That is also according to Dr. Bernstein as well.

With that said, when experimenting I tested my blood sugar 1 and 2 hours in. I am a type 2 insulin resistant.

I did this to make sure I my blood sugars where not spiking and remaining even. Because with insulin resistance if your blood sugar spikes, so does your insulin which sets you up for the craving and not loosing weight because of having excess insulin in the blood stream..
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  #10   ^
Old Sat, Oct-12-13, 20:20
lovinita's Avatar
lovinita lovinita is offline
Triple digit loss
Posts: 927
 
Plan: Dr. Bernstien
Stats: 352/206.8/175 Female 5'7
BF:
Progress: 82%
Location: Boston, MA
Default

Kirsteen, I am confused, didn't you in your orignal post say you were questioning that you might be diabetic when you carb cheat?

If that is a legitimate worry, get some test strips and a monitor and test it when your do your overloading of carbs.

Then your worry will be gone, and you can move on.
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  #11   ^
Old Sat, Oct-12-13, 20:31
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Yes, Lovinvita - that's correct. Thanks for that clarification - that's what I wanted to know. I just don't overdo the carbs to that extent very often. So I think I will get a monitor and test my blood sugar next time I have some sort of mad blow-out. It probably won't happen for some time, so I am glad you explained this.

I was questioning if I have become a diabetic because I have suddenly lost a lb after 2 years of being unable to drop below 168, in addition to not gaining anything after my 130g carb pig-out. It seems too good to be true. Hopefully it's not, though.

Last edited by Kirsteen : Sat, Oct-12-13 at 20:37.
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