Hi,
I shared once before about watching the TV series "Heavy" on Netflix and hearing one of the coaches say: "Keep your goals in front of you. Sometimes to reach goals you have to do very difficult things."
I have those words on a sticky note stuck to the edge of my monitor and sometimes my eyes wander to it. It always encourages me.
The goals: 1. Normalize blood sugar levels, 2. Lose body fat, 3 Reduce body pain
Practical application to reach the goals: eat only fresh raw vegetables and some kind of animal protein for every meal and snack for six days. On day seven for one meal, eat a high carb "no holds barred" cheat meal that can last up to one hour at some time during the day. On day eight begin again with the fresh raw veggies and protein. Exercise three times a week.
I think I may begin referring to these two phases as "Six day" eating and "Cheat meal" eating for simplicity. (For complete information on lowering your blood sugar levels with this eating plan see: http://cureprediabetes.blogspot.com/2012/01/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html )
Is this diet for everyone? No. There are people out there who do not have Diabetes hanging over their heads. They can eat some other way and be healthy and happy. This diet is for that person who has pre-diabetes, or type II diabetes, and who is also grossly obese, too. This diet is for the one who has "tried everything" and nothing works. This one works even for the woman who is post-menopausal. Yippee!! It took quite a while for me to figure this one out. I think it took a long time because it was difficult for me to accept that I had to do something that seems so drastic to the American eye.
I wanted to be able to eat anything I wanted. I still do. But if I am going to normalize my blood sugars, reduce my A1c to below 6.0 and keep it there, and also lose weight and reduce the body pain, I have to cleanly follow this program. Whenever I add in something that is not on the shopping list (see link above) I will see the effects by the end of the day -- or in the morning.
For one thing, it will actually affect my emotions. It will be a very subtle change, but my body will feel "differently." I will put on water weight so my weight will go up the next morning instead of going down. My ankles will swell up a little larger than normal by the end of the day. I will feel a bit "foggy." And the feeling of "full" will have a different sensation to it. I am not sure I can describe it so another person can understand but in giving it a go I would say: when I eat the fresh raw veggies and protein, I feel full, clean, and satisfied. When I eat in some other way, including things that are not on this program, for a couple of days, I feel full and hungry at the same time. This means the addiction has kicked in and if I don't get myself back in line, I will be out of line for quite a while. This means my weight will steadily go up, day by day. My morning blood sugar numbers will start to creep up. And my aches and pains will become persistent, again.
This diet is supremely simple, but it is not easy if you have never done it before. Sometimes we need to be reminded why we are eating this way and not eating from the middle of the grocery store. I know I need to be reminded. I consider myself to be a relatively intelligent person with an addiction to processed foods and starchy carbohydrates. The addiction sometimes shows its ugly head in the form of "forgetfulness" or in "justifications" and most often it is both. I call it "magical thinking." Somehow my mind will just magically begin to think it is OK for me to eat a forbidden food and it will seem perfectly justified at the time. Don't laugh. It can sneak in at any moment.
The one thing that really keeps it real for me is to keep personal records and to blog -- so this blog is as much (and more so) for me as it is for you, the reader. The one thing that allows me to re-apply the practical habits I need is to make the decision to do so. The one decision that has the most positive effect and keeps me in line the most, is to decide not to eat "that forbidden food."
Keeping the goal in front of me, helps me to make the right decisions.
I hope you are doing well. Here is to the next meal being clean and good for us. Hear! Hear!
Be back soon,
Marcia
Hi Marcia,
ReplyDeleteI have been working late all week so I hadn't had a chance to check your blog until late tonight - Saturday. It is after midnight and I should not be up - it's always bad for my blood sugar, as well as just bad for me. But I really felt the need to see if you had posted and was so glad to see all your new posts. (By the way, I like the new blog name very much - it inspires me!)
Imagine my surprise to see myself mentioned in your first post for the new year! I'm so glad that I motivated you. I know that I constantly need motivation and support. Dietary changes are SO hard to make. Congratulations on getting yourself back on a plan that works for you and sticking with it through the hard times.
I have not had a chance to re-read my book or make any preparation, but I decided to start making what changes I could now, and I started on Monday. I knew if I didn't, I would just keep putting it off. So I have followed the God's Diet guidelines as much as I could. I'm not nearly as strict as I was on it the first time I did it, but I'm eating much better than I was last week, so at least it is an improvement. My blood sugar has been very high still (in addition to not so great eating, I have had lots of stress and little sleep this week). But I trust and pray that they will get better as I go along.
I had a bad day foodwise today - ate a bunch of things I shouldn't - but was still much better than a typical Saturday and didn't feel the compulsion to keep eating something sugary after I'd had a little of it, which is a huge improvement for me. Tomorrow is a new day and I intend to keep getting better and better.
So be strong tomorrow, and I will too, and let us know how you do. Pray for me and I will pray for you. God will help us; He wants us to succeed.
Hugs and blessings. I'll be checking in on you.
Tricia
Hi Tricia,
ReplyDeleteI am kind of a night owl so I was up when your post came through. So very glad to hear from you and of your decision to start. Seems that neither one of us followed completely through on the "ideal" way to get started but as long as we are getting started and stepping in the right direction that really is better than doing nothing at all and then wallowing in self pity because of it. LOL
I did finally get fully going on my plan and I lost 5 pounds this week even with my mis-steps on the first three days. I had my huge "cheat meal" today (day seven) with my cousin. It was quite an experience to actually load up on high carb items at the Hong Kong Buffet and not feel guilty because I was still right on track and doing what I was supposed to be doing.
If you are not able to find time to re-read your book and to make the proper preparations (hopefully you will) maybe it would be a good idea to begin writing down what you are eating -- no matter what it is. Writing it all down, for at least a week, may point out some things that you have become accustomed to overlooking. It has really helped me in the past to write them down. It was a real eye opening experience -- and very motivating.
So glad to hear you are eating better this week than last. Tomorrow is a new day!! God's mercies are new every morning!! We get to begin fresh every morning because of His eternally new grace. Praise the Lord -- He never grows old!
I'll be praying for you -- and thanks for your prayers for me. God is so gracious and kind to one such as I am. Your friendship makes me feel good. Gee... I just noticed that even our first names are similar. What are the odds?!
Remember the most important decision is to "not eat anything you should not eat." I need that one the most :)
Glad to hear from you.
Grateful to be in Christ with you,
Marcia
Happy Sunday, Marcia,
ReplyDeleteLOL about our names being similar! I never noticed that. Today is definitely a new day and I feel encouraged and motivated to keep going. Sleep is always a big help in that direction.
Congratulations on losing 5 pounds this week! That is a LOT of weight to lose in a week. I hope you are being fully appreciative of how well you have done and how much you have to celebrate! Forgive me if I am reading you wrong, but I get a sense from your first paragraph that you are like me - not feeling quite good enough about yourself because you didn't do everything perfectly. Remember that life is not perfect and people are not perfect. You did AWESOME to stay mostly on track and lose five pounds in a week. You should be SO proud of yourself.
You need to reward yourself in some way (not with food, obviously). Do a fun thing or something healing that shows you that you love yourself. Magazines always recommend buying clothes, but that's unrealistic at this stage, not to mention that it costs money, which I'm always short on - and I think everyone is. (Plus, I'm trying not to focus so much on material things.)
Here is a reward idea I have for you - watch the short healing video at the top of the page at the following link:
http://sivangarr.com/healingvideos.html
It is called I Love You. It seems odd at first, but please watch it all the way through and let me know what you think. I will tell you my experience with it when you have done that.
Now I need to take my own advice and be kind to myself and proud of what I accomplished this week. My blood sugar has been a little lower yesterday and today since I got more sleep.
Thanks again for the encouragement and advice. I actually had been thinking about writing down what I eat because I have been wishing that I had done that when I was on God's Diet before. I would have been able to use that to help with meal plans now and remind me of what worked and what didn't. I live with a partner who loves to cook and we had all kinds of great meals we ate that helped us not feel deprived. Some of them we have continued to eat, but many we can't remember anymore. It would sure help to be able to find the recipes again (we have a huge collection of cookbooks and I can barely remember some recipes we tried last month, let alone several years ago). Are you sensing a trend of being focused on food, here?
At any rate, I am going to start trying to write a food journal for at least a week, and also write lists of meals and snacks that work for me as I go along over time.
Now on to my day! Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers. Prayer has worked miracles in my life when I have opened myself to it, and I need all I can get. Thanks very much for writing - I enjoy having someone to talk with about this.
Have a great and successful day!
Blessings and much love,
Tricia
PS: Remember, it is very important not to eat anything you should not eat, but I think the most important decision is to love yourself. When you love yourself, you will take care of yourself. But you will also forgive yourself when you fail, keep trying and stay positive -- all critical keys to succeeding.
Hi Tricia,
ReplyDeleteThe Sivan Garr "I love you" video was really awesome!! What a wonderful idea and motivation to begin saying that to others. It felt like they were really talking to me.
I thought it was interesting that one lady sang the "bushel and a peck" song. My dad used to pick me up in the air and ask me how much I loved him and I would sing that song to him. He always gave me an extra laughing hug afterwards. I remember doing that when I was so small I could barely put my arms around his neck!! Thank you for the love and for the reminder of my dad.
Uh... about that first paragraph I was being sensitive to what you had shared and simply pointed out where I had also failed to follow my program but ended up with a good weight loss, anyway. It looks like both of us are "take charge" kind of women, too. LOL
Congratulations on the lower blood sugars today. That is real progress. You go girl!!
I have a slightly different take on the idea of "loving myself." When Jesus rescued me from committing suicide about 20 years ago the words He used were: "You are loved and you are worthwhile." From that, over a period of time I began to realize that what I needed and had not had before was the sense that "I am loved and I am worthwhile."
For me it is not about loving myself, it is about knowing and trusting that I am loved -- by Jesus -- for eternity that touches the chords of my deepest soul. Jesus' love will never change and can never be lost!! Praise the Lord! Amen!!
I am extremely satisfied and blessed with the knowledge that I am loved. On those occasions (and they happen to all of us) when I have forgotten that, He reminds me to say, "I am loved, and I am worthwhile." I share those words with anyone who can receive them, especially you, my friend. Looking forward to hearing about your experience with the videos.
It looks to me like you are heading in the right direction and I am looking forward to hearing about your revelations from journaling this week.
I enjoy our conversations on the mutual subject matter very much, too.
Love, hugs, and blessings,
Marcia
Hi Marcia,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked the I Love You video and that it brought you happy memories of your dad. I had a profound reaction to it the first time I saw it. At first it seemed a little odd to be watching these strangers tell me that they loved me, but by the time I got halfway through it, I was so moved that I started crying. It definitely felt that they were really talking to me - as you said - and, in truth, I would say they were talking to me - and to you - that's why they made the video. It felt amazing. I think it is so great that there are people who reach out to bring healing love to others. I have watched it a few times since the first time and each time it fills me with joy.
I read your testimony previously on your other site, where you tell about your experience when you planned to commit suicide, which may have influenced me telling you that it is important to love yourself. I think that your experience of having Jesus tell you that you are loved and worthwhile is amazing. I can only imagine how it must have made you feel. I think part of loving yourself is having that feeling that you are worthwhile and lovable and a sense that God loves you, so I think I am at least partly saying the same thing as you. But either way, I'm very happy for you that you feel loved! :-) I hope everyone does. And thank you for sharing those words "I am loved and I am worthwhile" with me. That's something I need to say to myself at times.
Sorry I misinterpreted your first paragraph wrong in the previous comment. Guess I am projecting my own need for perfection onto others. I am always having to remind myself that perfection is not the goal - getting things done is the goal.
And I think I am getting some good things done for my health now, and I'm excited. I'll let you know how the journaling goes this week - hope I can remember to do it! I look forward to hearing how you do this week.
Blessings and love,
Tricia
Hi Tricia,
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet heart you have... you are loved and you are worthwhile!! You are an amazing woman and I am glad you reached out and we started this friendship.
I am pondering what you said "perfection is not the goal -- getting things done is the goal" and I say Amen to that!!
I'm glad to be walking along beside you and looking forward to hearing what you devised to remind yourself to journal.
I will be posting again soon.
Blessings and love,
Marcia
Hi Marcia,
ReplyDeleteRight back at ya! You are an amazing woman too!!! I would say that you reached out first by putting this blog out to help others as well as yourself. I'm glad to be walking beside you as well.
Thank you for the great compliment. I think you have a sweet heart too!
You are loved and you are worthwhile. Sleep tight.
Blessings and love,
Tricia
Hey Tricia,
DeleteHave not heard from you.... Is everything OK?
Miss you,
Marcia