So, I'm on the No Carb Diet. Well, as "no" carb as I can get it. That means that I'm eating proteins, fat and a few low carb veggies, so my current diet consists of ham, chicken, beef jerky, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, hard boiled eggs, cheese, and nuts. Logan will be getting me a chard, kale and spinach salad mix on Thursday.
This isn't that much different from the diet I adopted about a month ago, which included fruits, milk, other veggies and some bread. I've been losing weight on this diet without much portion control and no loss in energy. It's also really fun, 'cause Logan gets me grapes with the seeds still in them, and I have as much fun spitting grape seeds and munching provolone as I do chowing down on seedy watermelon. I love every little reminder of my connection with this earth....
I got on the new diet for health reasons (I got tired of gaining weight, feeling tired and never being full), and I'm on the No Carb Diet for other health reasons.
The funniest thing about this diet is that it is the exact opposite of my college diet, which was mostly carbs. A diet high in carbs makes me feel sluggish and bloated, my blood sugar spikes and drops, I eat till I get sick on sugar without ever feeling really full and my body never feels satisfied.
On the new diet of all the foods I actually like, especially the fruits and veggies, I feel fuller sooner, my blood sugar is much steadier and I actually get to the point where I don't feel the urge to shove food into my mouth the instant it presents itself (which is a side affect of the insidious corn syrup). I started losing weight without any lifestyle change and I enjoy my food a lot more.
This No Carb Diet, though, man. I started it Sunday afternoon, so I've only been on it for about two days. But even in that time period, I've noticed how different it is. For one thing, I'm constantly thinking about carbacious foods (no, that's not actually a word), like my grapes, and apples, and carrots, and beans, and rice and nice, hot fresh bread.... and crackers. MmmMMMmmmm. And then there is the fact that I finally learned to eat only after I got hungry, but can't do that on this diet. I've eaten till my stomach started to hurt and my blood sugar didn't change. Turns out, it takes longer to digest meat and tough veggies, so blood sugar doesn't change for a while after eating (who would'a guessed?). So, I'm going to have to learn to eat before I get hungry. The other thing is that I feel lighter, emptier, and not bloated, and my energy levels are stable.
The best experiment happened today, though, when I cheated on my diet and ate a piece of cake. One of my coworkers had a birthday today, and my not-boss got her a chocolate cake. I decided to get a little piece, carry it to my desk, and throw it away when no one was looking. Hoorah! for upholding social expectations without breaking the rules of my diet!!
Heh. That was a great excuse to get carbs! I just had to taste the chocolate icing, and it was actually good! And then I bit the cake... and it was actually good, too (I don't normally enjoy cake, much less store-bought cake). Aaaaaaaand, I'd hadn't had sugar in so long!! (Since Saturday, as a matter of fact.)
Oh, but the effects of that compromise were almost immediate. It was a fantastic progression of misery. First, it tasted really good (not amazing, 'cause it was still cake), then my blood sugar shot straight up and something that claimed to be an internal organ started to complain. Then I got bloated, felt lethargic and antsy at the same time, and then alternated between wanting to cry that I had to start my diet over (I have to go a straight seven days), wanting to laugh that I been handed something I may have been tempted to steal, and wanting to cry because of my pitiable lack of self-control. Then I just felt sick.
So, the diet started over this evening with ham and cooked green peppers, onions and mushrooms.
I was promised I could have spaghetti, meatballs and garlic toast for my first non-No Carb Diet meal. After today's experience, I may just settle down with a glass of milk.
