Learning Through Trial and Error (veggies, doctors, stomach, hormone)
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When I hit 50 my metabolism took a holiday and never came back, despite my best efforts. I did the yo yo dieting, and yes, could lose weight on jenny craig, or fasting etc, but the minute I went back to regular food wham! Yo Yo dieting did a lot of damage. It wasn't like I ate fast food, or fried foods, or cakes, pies and sweets, or evening snacking or that I was lazy. I ate moderate proportions, with occasional treats like pizza with my friends, or a curry buffet lunch, but that was not a weekly thing. I love salads and veggies so it's not like it was hard to stick to a basically healthy diet. Before I got cancer I was riding my bike on the trails an hour a day, swimming three times a week and walking every night and still not losing weight.
Cancer hit and during radiation I was not allowed to swim, and radiation fatigue along with floppy knee syndrome made biking a thing of the past. After radiation my weight was at it's worst but the hospital program I was in included a licensed dietitian and a personal trainer. For 6 months I worked with them and my weight didn't really shift, and my diet was already pretty good with some tweaks. Then we moved state and the first 4 months I was plagued with emergency room visits, mri's, x rays due to chronic back issue and severe hamstring issues in my left leg. Despite that I walked twice a day, or hobbled more like. Now I swim laps every morning, and sometimes in the evenings.
Blood Sugar Swings and Weight Gain
Some types of carbohydrates -- white flour, white rice, and foods made with added sugar -- contain small molecules of glucose that are easy to digest, so they enter the bloodstream quickly. When blood sugar spikes, insulin is released to remove the excess sugar. While that’s a critical job, it can lead to weight gain.
"When there’s too much sugar in your bloodstream, and insulin can’t restore balance by transporting sugar to cells for energy, it sends messages to the liver that it’s time to store fat. After the glycogen stores are filled, the liver turns glucose into triglycerides that are stored in adipose tissue. But insulin doesn’t stop there. It also tells the fat cells to stop breaking down fat that’s already in storage. In other words, insulin prevents you from losing weight while also making you more prone to gaining weight." https://www.livestrong.com/article/3...u-gain-weight/
My husband suggested the Paleo Diet and I talked to my health team . I knew I could live with it as a lifestyle change with a moderated Paleo down the road. Well I am not starving myself, not counting calories, not feeling deprived, not limited in social situations, and while the progress is slow I have thus far lost 18 lbs. It turns out it wasn't how much I was eating but what I was eating. Now paleo isn't going to work if you overeat , but cutting out white stuff and sugar completely has been a major game changer. It may not be a dietary lifestyle for everyone, or something that works for everyone, but for me I am so happy to find a plan that I can live with.
Cheers everyone and all the best with your health and diet
When I hit 50 my metabolism took a holiday and never came back, despite my best efforts. I did the yo yo dieting, and yes, could lose weight on jenny craig, or fasting etc, but the minute I went back to regular food wham! Yo Yo dieting did a lot of damage. It wasn't like I ate fast food, or fried foods, or cakes, pies and sweets, or evening snacking or that I was lazy. I ate moderate proportions, with occasional treats like pizza with my friends, or a curry buffet lunch, but that was not a weekly thing. I love salads and veggies so it's not like it was hard to stick to a basically healthy diet. Before I got cancer I was riding my bike on the trails an hour a day, swimming three times a week and walking every night and still not losing weight.
Cancer hit and during radiation I was not allowed to swim, and radiation fatigue along with floppy knee syndrome made biking a thing of the past. After radiation my weight was at it's worst but the hospital program I was in included a licensed dietitian and a personal trainer. For 6 months I worked with them and my weight didn't really shift, and my diet was already pretty good with some tweaks. Then we moved state and the first 4 months I was plagued with emergency room visits, mri's, x rays due to chronic back issue and severe hamstring issues in my left leg. Despite that I walked twice a day, or hobbled more like. Now I swim laps every morning, and sometimes in the evenings.
Blood Sugar Swings and Weight Gain
Some types of carbohydrates -- white flour, white rice, and foods made with added sugar -- contain small molecules of glucose that are easy to digest, so they enter the bloodstream quickly. When blood sugar spikes, insulin is released to remove the excess sugar. While that’s a critical job, it can lead to weight gain.
"When there’s too much sugar in your bloodstream, and insulin can’t restore balance by transporting sugar to cells for energy, it sends messages to the liver that it’s time to store fat. After the glycogen stores are filled, the liver turns glucose into triglycerides that are stored in adipose tissue. But insulin doesn’t stop there. It also tells the fat cells to stop breaking down fat that’s already in storage. In other words, insulin prevents you from losing weight while also making you more prone to gaining weight." https://www.livestrong.com/article/3...u-gain-weight/
My husband suggested the Paleo Diet and I talked to my health team . I knew I could live with it as a lifestyle change with a moderated Paleo down the road. Well I am not starving myself, not counting calories, not feeling deprived, not limited in social situations, and while the progress is slow I have thus far lost 18 lbs. It turns out it wasn't how much I was eating but what I was eating. Now paleo isn't going to work if you overeat , but cutting out white stuff and sugar completely has been a major game changer. It may not be a dietary lifestyle for everyone, or something that works for everyone, but for me I am so happy to find a plan that I can live with.
Cheers everyone and all the best with your health and diet
I'm happy that you've finally found a successful path forward.
I'm a fan of paleo because it aligns with what I've found to be central to my own success, avoiding empty calories. I almost never eat processed foods anymore and when I do binge, it's usually on things like nuts and fruits. Long term success is usually found in making better food choices and paleo pretty much demands you do so.
I'm happy that you've finally found a successful path forward.
I'm a fan of paleo because it aligns with what I've found to be central to my own success, avoiding empty calories. I almost never eat processed foods anymore and when I do binge, it's usually on things like nuts and fruits. Long term success is usually found in making better food choices and paleo pretty much demands you do so.
Good luck in reaching your goals.
I can no longer stomach processed food. I did have a couple of weeks where I lost nothing and realized I was eating too much fruit. I agree about paleo forcing better food choices. Reading other people’s experiences on Paleo has been so helpful and encouraging, thanks for sharing.
OP, did you ever consult with your doctor on what diet approach is best, or did you do it on your own? I'm just curious to see what doctors might be recommending these days. In my observation, endocrinologists understand that low-carb, and elimination of non-whole grains (white rice, white bread, etc., as you noted) is the way to go. Primary care docs still are stuck back in the days of "a calorie is a calorie", which as you discovered, isn't true. Endocrinologists, OTOH, are well aware of the effect of starchy food on insulin, and of insulin's function as a fat-storage hormone. I find it sad, that people like yourself still aren't getting correct information, but I'm glad you found something that works, and had a learning experience. And btw, fruit can cause your blood sugar (and insulin) to spike, so be moderate in your fruit intake, and avoid high-glycemic fruits, like pineapple, and especially--fruit juices.
OP, did you ever consult with your doctor on what diet approach is best, or did you do it on your own? I'm just curious to see what doctors might be recommending these days. In my observation, endocrinologists understand that low-carb, and elimination of non-whole grains (white rice, white bread, etc., as you noted) is the way to go. Primary care docs still are stuck back in the days of "a calorie is a calorie", which as you discovered, isn't true. Endocrinologists, OTOH, are well aware of the effect of starchy food on insulin, and of insulin's function as a fat-storage hormone. I find it sad, that people like yourself still aren't getting correct information, but I'm glad you found something that works, and had a learning experience. And btw, fruit can cause your blood sugar (and insulin) to spike, so be moderate in your fruit intake, and avoid high-glycemic fruits, like pineapple, and especially--fruit juices.
Congratulations! Keep up the good work!
I stay away from fruit juices but didn't think about pineapple and then did a bit more research and realized YIKEs I need to be very careful with that and so am currently avoiding it. I talked to my post cancer care dietitian and my oncologist after my husband suggested I try the Paleo Diet. I do have to be careful about bone health due to a medication I need to take for the next couple of years, so I continue to do research and how to protect and maintain bone health. https://chriskresser.com/how-to-keep...-a-paleo-diet/
Omg I’m so excited because I’ve lost a few another pound and have now hit the first major milestone. I’m trying not to think of how many pounds I need to lose and just work on 5lbs at a time.
Please share your paleo experiences and a fave dinner recipe.
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