Atkins/Zone/South Beach/WW/LF
My blood sugar is now completely in control and was in control during the first week of low carb - I haven't taken even 1 shot of insulin since I started doing this. My A1C went from a 12 to 5.9.
My triglycerides went from 650 down to 169
My blood pressure is down to 114/78
After the first 5 days, I got a boost in energy that I didn't know existed!
My resting heart rate dropped from over 100 to high 70's
I can walk! Which is more than I can say for BEFORE Atkins/low carb. Wait.. I don't just walk... after the first month I started working out in a gym doing cardio and weight training. Back then I could do maybe 5 minutes on a lifecycle.. now I can do 2 hours on a treadmill or eliptical.
OHHHHHHHHh the biggest side effect.... darn.. almost forgot to mention.
I'm down about 115 lbs since October 1, 2007.
Now.. problems.. constipation here and there.. easily rectified with flax seed oil or magnesium supplements.
between Atkins and exercise,
my bp went down 110/70
my glucose went from 122 to normal
my cholesterol remained perfect
I lost 60lbs
my resting heart rate lowered to 54
my energy skyrocketed
I'm a broken record. Whenever I meet someone...like a few days ago...who complains that they can't lose and yo yo constantly, I give them my prescription. I share my exercise regime, how to figure out calories, exercise and recipe links...and encourage them to try it before giving up on weight loss.
Most amazing for the short term? Atkins - no hunger, at least n the short term. No accounting if you stick to fresh unadorned foods. It's the grain cravings that killed me in the end. I tend to be a pasta-bread-fruit-cheese person by basic nature, so it took real conviction to even try it.
Where i am for now & probably forever: South Beach (and in my book, the Zone is close enough to get a cigar when compared). I just feel better eating more animal protein and can live with small portions of quality whole grains.
Atkins way simply scares me for the amount of fat, esp sat fat with my familial history. I also feel better (as in more satsified with less food) with a more moderate amount of fat - 35-50%, just cannot go to the 60-80% that Atkins pushes.
Eating more often, and restricting cals to a more moderate level (1400-1600) works for me.
"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." ~Mark Twain
"the way you learn to eat what everybody else eats in the right portions"
Funny you said that, today is my second day back on it and I'm having a hard time fitting all my foods in. I always have this problem at first when I rejoin WW, and always get yelled at by the leader. I've been told multiple times to start fresh the next day because I don't use up most of my points.
I had to redo my dinner a bit and I still didn't get in all my points. I still have three points left and I ate six times. I feel like a vending machine today.lol My stomach hurts so I'm not pushing it now. It's amazing how you get use to eating a certain way. Unfortunately my way must not be the correct way! :) I eat more Core (or like too), but I want to "relearn" all about portion control so that is why I'm on flex atm. With fruit and veggies not being many or no points I can end up eating all day! That's the downfall of flex in my books. I'm learning my eating habits are either extremely good, or I live in a restaurant all day. Need to find that "happy medium"!
