I’m on a diet. Not the lose weight kind. I’m 5’5″, wear a size 6ish pant, and weigh about 135lbs. While I do believe I should eat better and exercise, I’m not under the crazy misconception that I need to lose weight. I’m on a nutritionist prescribed diet to “normalize my adrenals,” or even out my ever falling/spiking blood sugar. And the diet sucks!
It lays out like this:
- 430am – wake up
- 530am (or within an hour of waking) – breakfast: drink an Ultra Meal shake (meal replacement stuff)
- 830am – snack 1: nuts and fruit
- 1130am – lunch: as many category 1 veggies as I want (picture just about anything green, oh, and tomatoes), a legume (peas or beans), a lean protein, and oil/vinegar dressing, if needed (think big salad)
- 230pm – snack 2: same as snack 1, or string cheese and fruit
- 530pm – dinner: as many category 1 veggies as I want, a protein, and one category 2 veggie (potatoes, carrots, or squash)
- 830pm – snack 3: hummus with a category 1 veggie OR 100% whole wheat crackers (my only saving moment)
- Drinks: all the water I can drink, of course, or decaffeinated, herbal tea (no sugar).
Sounds ok off the top, I’ll admit..but day 1 made me rethink that. WHERE ARE THE CARBS??? The bread, the rice, the pasta! Oh, woe is me! No chocolate, no dessert, no coffee (ok, I’m cheating here a bit in the morning), no soda! And my lists of approved foods in each of the above areas? No bananas, no corn, and who knew carrots were so high in sugar that they qualify for a category 2 veggie, which I’m only allowed at dinner. Oh, and that baked or sweet potato at dinner? No butter, no sour cream, probably no cheese but I’ve been sprinkling on a bit anyway. And to top it all off, I have two little kids and a husband already on a diet that are in no way willing to give up all those yummy things.
My doc said if I’m starving each day to call him and we’d tweak it a little, but I’m not. After all I can eat as many veggies as I want at lunch and dinner. It’s the comfort factor I’m not getting. The texture in my mouth of that yummy, starchy, carby stuff I so miss. The overstuffed, gorgefest fullness that is missing. But I’m not hungry.
And the very worst part? I. feel. better. Yep. I admit it. I do feel better. Mornings are still rough, but not as. I’m still not sleeping great, but better. But during the day is where it really shows. I don’t feel as moody. I’m more cheerful (except at dinner time when I’m making my salad and potato, and some carby yum-fest for the rest of the clan). I’m not falling asleep at my desk or on my drive home, or even on my drive to work in the morning. I haven’t had a headache since I started, and my body feels good. So much so that Mr. W noticed the change in the first couple of days. Dammit! I can’t even justify chucking it all and eating a pb&j. And I have never wanted a pb&j so much in my life!
I have a follow-up with the doc on Friday at which point he allows me to add some of that yumminess back in to my diet. Fingers crossed! I don’t think I can choke down another salad if my life depended on it!
