| Admin |
 |
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:00 am
Posts: 101
Location: Nearly There
Low-Carb Plan: Atkins-Protein Power-Me
|
February 2003 Jo in Texas  It was literally an answer to prayer when I saw an infomercial for the Protein Power Plan back in 1996....
I followed the plan faithfully for a while, then fell off the wagon for about six months. My doctor mentioned at that time how impressed he was with Redux’s track record, and I leapt at the chance to take the pills, even though he warned me I would only lose about 10% of my total weight. I did lose 30 pounds, but I gained them back, and more, after the pills stopped working.
I started following the Atkins Diet after that, and I followed that plan for many years. Just last year, I discovered Dr. Bernstein’s diet book, Diabetes Solutions. I find it to be a little more restrictive than Atkins, but the tangible results are worth it, so I’m following it now. I found an ancient copy of Calories Don’t Count by Dr. Herman Taller and am trying to implement a few of his ideas, as well.
I am a Type 2 diabetic, and the huge amounts of fat I am eating now (65-90% of total caloric intake) have succeeded in bringing down my morning blood sugar dramatically. Last week, before I hopped back on the wagon, my blood sugar was 130. This morning it tested at 82, and that’s without the Glucophage I took for several years!
Other improvements a low carb way of life have brought me: I’ve sustained a 90-pound weight loss. My cholesterol, once 236, is now 190. My HbA1c was 5.9 several years ago, and is now 4.9. My fasting glucose was once 148, and is now a fantastic 87. My doctor regularly tests my kidneys and liver, and the tests come back normal.
I do have to be fairly strict about my carb counts. On Protein Power, I was eating around 37 carbs daily. On Atkins, I kept them around 30.
Presently, I’m trying to keep carbs between 15 to 20 per day. Fortunately, with all the fat I’m consuming, I am happy to say I’m never hungry. The carbs I consume now all come from vegetables, and, on rarer occasions, a piece of low-carb toast.
Low carbing makes me feel really good emotionally, thanks to controlled blood sugar. I’m never hungry, unless I fail to plan my mealtimes. (I eat 5 times a day and have a tiny snack in the evening.)
Congratulations on all you've accomplished, Jo! Thanks for reminding us that many of us face bumps in the road during our own low carb journeys... even detours or backslides. But those who just keep keepin' on, eventually find their way... always! And road trips are ALWAYS more fun in groups! We're all so glad you're "back", sharing your expertise and cooking savvy with us! ~ KarenQuote: Sharing Success Strategies JO SAYS: I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Don’t cheat!” a million times. Allow me to make it a million and one. I got very impatient with my body last September, and decided I wasn’t losing fast enough. I foolishly turned to “natural” supplements, including carb blockers, to help speed things up. They accomplished a great deal, in that they wasted a lot of money and created a very false hope. I became even more frustrated, and ran to the arms of my old love, sugar, for solace. Eating sugar was one of the biggest mistakes of my life, and, as a diabetic, I was daftly playing Russian Roulette with my health. My lack of patience wound up causing a 4-month layover in Gainesville and a renewed addiction to sugar. I dug a hole that’s not going to be very easy to get out of, but I’m more determined than ever to make it. So, my best advice is to be very, very patient with your body, and forget about pills of any kind.
~ Jo
Jo’s Best Hamburgers
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons minced onion, or 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons TLC ketchup (or any sugar-free ketchup)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
½ teaspoon salt
pepper, to taste
1 pound ground beef
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the beef, thoroughly. Add beef and mix well, using your hands. Shape into four patties, about 3/4” thick. Grill, uncovered, for 5 or 6 minutes a side, or until desired doneness is reached.
Per serving: 1 carb
Jo’s Pork & Green Chile Casserole
1-1/2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 tablespoon cooking oil
15-oz. can black soy beans, rinsed & drained*
3/4 cup Five Brothers Alfredo Sauce
14-1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
4 oz. can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese In a large skillet, cook pork in oil until no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, sauce, tomatoes, chilies, salsa and cumin; cook and stir until bubbly. Pour into an ungreased 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand a few minutes before serving. Yields 6 servings; 6 carbs and 33 protein each. *Eden Organic brand, which can be found at Whole Foods, health food stores, and online.
Per serving: 5.6 carbs (10.9 minus 5.3 fiber) and 35.2 protein
_________________
Tell me ... what fits in your schedule better: Exercising and prepping food for an average of an hour a day, or being/feeling dead 24 hours per day?
|
|
