Sunday, February 25, 2007

Insanity defined

Ok, so I'm a moron. For reasons I can't quite explain, even to myself, I once again tried a low calorie, high carb, low fat diet. Go ahead, laugh. I deserve it. For some reason, the diet gremlins got to me and said, Ya know, "This time it will be different". Riiiiight!. I had my fasting glucose down in to the mid 80's. Then, in less than 5 days of this nonsense, while eating less than 2000 calories, my sugar hot up to well over 100. The part that confuses me the most about my own behavior, is that I wasn't unhappy with what I was eating or feeling deprived or anything. This need I have to occasionally self sabotage, is most confounding. Its also not like I haven't done this before with the same results. But because I'm insane, what else could possibly explain this behavior, I keep going down this same path expecting it to lead some where new. I guess at some level, I had thought that because I was engaging in daily exercise that I would be able to handle 300! g carbs a day. Never mind the fact that I sit at a desk 9 or more hours a day. Perhaps its all the marketing that we are exposed to all day everyday. Its difficult to ignore the message that is being broadcast that high carb, low fat, is how we are supposed to eat. If people like me who know better can succumb to the pressure, how should we expect the general public to fare? This time my misadventure was short lived. Thanks to my glucose meter, I was able to see very quickly where this was leading. The experience of doing "everything right", and seeing the results quickly go the wrong way, was a metaphorical two by four to the back of the head. I can only imagine what would be my fate if I hadn't tested my own glucose. If nothing else I did gain some insight into why many people diagnosed with T2 give up and eat whatever they want. Marketing is a powerful tool, and the high carb/lowfat cult are beating our asses with it. We in the carb control arena need a better message, and a better way of delivering it. Blogs and message boards are great, but that is basically just preaching to the choir. Dean Ornish has a colum in Newsweek. Bob Greene and Dr Oz are regulars on Oprah. The closest thing the low carb community has to national exposure are the Drs Eades on PBS . PBS vs Oprah, is it any wonder we can't get the word out?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

300 grams of carbs a day...wow! I'm just curious, were they coming from whole grains, pasta, potatoes, or what? I don't go as low carb as some people actively trying to lose, but I'd be had pressed to get in more that 100 grams a day. Of course, I'm pretty small...my stommach doesn't hold much anymore at one setting.

Sorry if I'm rambling.

K. Dill said...

yeah, it was a lot of carbs, but when your only eating about 50g protein and 65g fat, (USDA guidelines)it takes a boat load of carbs to get full. Breakfast went something like OJ, oatmeal made with LF milk, and toast with fruit spread. Lots of rice and or pasta for lunch and dinner. I used mostly whole grain stuff, but Its hard to eat only "GOOD CARBS" and eat a carb heavy diet.

Unknown said...

I hear you. I used to be a low fat dieter. I ate mostly whole grains, pasta, rice, potatoes, very lean protein, non-fat everything, and never felt full or at least a sense of satiety. Now, it takes so little volume wise. And I love meat, cheese, butter, oil, vegetables, and berries!