gals over 50? page 17

[Digby]

Oh my. I read 'Jane can you....' as 'Jesus can you...' I've asked for a lot of things, but never thought to ask Jesus to come clean my house. It's an option though!

Well, hello ladies. May I join this group? I am 57, diabetic, recent former low fat vegan, getting used to eating meat again. I really thought that being vegan would help my diabetes (see Mark's article 'My Escape from Vegan Island' for what I was into with McDougall), but it just never worked for me. Over 3 years I've only lost 20 lbs, my blood sugars are not where they should be and I need to do something.

Maybe 10 yrs ago I tried Atkins and got so depressed over what I couldn't eat, I couldn't stick to it. I don't know if I was a carb addict, but the idea of no rice or crackers just threw me for a loop and I already felt 'punished' for being diabetic and having to take meds, etc. Since that time, I've come to a better understanding of carbs and diabetes control and have decided to take back my health before it's too late. Diabetes runs on both sides of my family and a few have died from its complications. So far, my health is good, but I know the sugar in the blood stream is doing insidious damage and I have to put an end to it. I'd also like to free myself from the expense of diabetes care and frequent doctor visits (and I have good insurance).

So, I started back on the new Atkins program for vegetarians and vegans, but when I learned about Primal eating, I could see immediately that the Atkins option was giving me too many grain-based carbs and I might still have a problem with blood sugar control. Now I'm eating meat again, trying to understand this whole Primal thing, reading the boards here and on other Primal/Paleo sites and looking at recipes. I love to cook and became quite the vegan cook/baker. I realized I needed to cut out the vegan sweets : ( , but it still wasn't enough to get my diabetes in control. I know low carb works for most diabetics and I'm here to give it another try. I'd also like to be slimmer before I hit 60. I'm tired of being the plump, but really cute, person in the room.

Nice to meet all of you.

Welcome. I didn't start being happy with my eating until I eliminated all sugar, artificial sweets, and the higher carb fruits and veg. I had to get over the belief I would be deprived. The only thing I'm deprived of is cravings, and feeling miserable.

[HillsideGina]

Jane, my CPA gave me the name of a professional organizer, so I'm set for now. I need her to set up a filing system for my home office and file everything away for me. Ugh. I have my work stuff all perfect, but I can't get motivated to do the home office.

Welcome Della. My husband and I did Atkins for many years before going Paleo, so the adjustment was not too rough for us. It is hard to get off breads - some friends who tried Atkins just could not do it.

Take it one day at a time, and my best advice is just don't buy that stuff - don't have it in the house. Those of you who live with others who are not on board Paleo are going to have a harder time because you still have grain-based foods, sodas, etc. in the home. I feel bad for you.

[it1958]

Welcome, Dellastreet! I so know what you mean about feeling deprived when following Atkins! It made me so mad for him to tell me not to eat fruits and grains!! But that has been many years ago and I have learned so much in that time.

You questioned being a carb addict; I found out that I AM a carb addict. I felt it to some extent when I started Atkins but it has only been this past year when i TRULY went "low carb" that I was shown just how addicted to carbs I AM.

I thought I was weak; that was the reason I kept falling back in to the carb bowl. Perhaps there IS some emotional ties (I read an article recently about "Overeaters Anonymous") but I now believe that most of our cravings for those carbs are caused by Candida, which are sweet organisms within everyone's bodies until they are riled up. Then they begin to multiply (their original intent is to break the body down after death!) and cause us all sorts of problems. Check out an extensive list of symptoms here: <http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/cabout3.php>

So now I have made an informed choice to give up: grains, sugar, starches, fruit, dairy and nuts to allow my body to heal from this "yeast overgrowth".

Like others here have shared, it takes some time to quiet those beasts within, but it does happen and when it is a choice YOU have made, it becomes easier...

[Dellastreet]

Hi all -
Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

I am lucky that my grown son lives with me and after eating vegan at home these past few years, he is happy to have meat back on the menu! Plus, he wants to be more cut and is generally happy with our going primal (I do the cooking, so whatever kick I'm on, he ends up on it, at least for dinner), though I expect he will still want his rice and some spaghetti. One of our local stores has a fantastic meat department and we get local meats, some organic/grass fed and things like sausage and ground meat made right in the store, so I'm fortunate that way. I don't have to eat soy Frankenfoods any more.

I use Fitday, which I think will help me stay honest with myself about what I'm eating. It also seems to help me plan out my meals - I can tell from what I've had earlier in the day what I should have for dinner. I can put in my options and see how they stack up. I also got Robb Wolf's book, Mark's quick cook book as well as a family cook book by Sarah Fragoso, PB, and Gary Taubes' two books. Kindle for iPad is a wonderful thing! I'm the kind of person who jumps in and does a lot of research, so the more I can read, the more sites I can visit, the better I feel about what I'm doing.

Still, a lot of my identity was tied up in being vegan. There's a whole community there, people I really like and causes I have supported for years. I expect to continue supporting the animal welfare causes, but the identity thing will be hard to shake. I don't think I'm up to eating meat in public just yet. I'm in a small town and see the same people frequently. I really don't feel like having a big discussion (pro or con) over what I'm eating while I'm at a restaurant or eating with co-workers.

[it1958]

Still, a lot of my identity was tied up in being vegan. There's a whole community there, people I really like and causes I have supported for years. I expect to continue supporting the animal welfare causes, but the identity thing will be hard to shake.

I have a dear neighbor who was vegetarian for about 35 years; a true hippy! She was so certain she was eating the right/best way. Then she started having teeth issues then found a tumor. It was then she "met" Weston A Price (Foundation) and started eating meat. She is so cute. Now she grows chickens (for eggs) and goats and gave half her garden over to the animals... So know there is hope. She feels as you do about animal welfare, etc.

[Cletc]

I haven't been back in a couple weeks because I have NOT been able to get my Primal going.
Terrible, I know.

So far today I have not eaten anything, so I'm going to try again for today.

Not going well here ! I'm going to try again!
June 21st, three weeks later

[me jane]

I haven't been back in a couple weeks because I have NOT been able to get my Primal going.
Terrible, I know.

So far today I have not eaten anything, so I'm going to try again for today.

Not going well here ! I'm going to try again!
June 21st, three weeks later

This is exactly the time you need to keep coming to the boards. It can only help you get your mind into the game.

[Classic]

Hi all -
Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

I am lucky that my grown son lives with me and after eating vegan at home these past few years, he is happy to have meat back on the menu! Plus, he wants to be more cut and is generally happy with our going primal (I do the cooking, so whatever kick I'm on, he ends up on it, at least for dinner), though I expect he will still want his rice and some spaghetti. One of our local stores has a fantastic meat department and we get local meats, some organic/grass fed and things like sausage and ground meat made right in the store, so I'm fortunate that way. I don't have to eat soy Frankenfoods any more.

I use Fitday, which I think will help me stay honest with myself about what I'm eating. It also seems to help me plan out my meals - I can tell from what I've had earlier in the day what I should have for dinner. I can put in my options and see how they stack up. I also got Robb Wolf's book, Mark's quick cook book as well as a family cook book by Sarah Fragoso, PB, and Gary Taubes' two books. Kindle for iPad is a wonderful thing! I'm the kind of person who jumps in and does a lot of research, so the more I can read, the more sites I can visit, the better I feel about what I'm doing.

Still, a lot of my identity was tied up in being vegan. There's a whole community there, people I really like and causes I have supported for years. I expect to continue supporting the animal welfare causes, but the identity thing will be hard to shake. I don't think I'm up to eating meat in public just yet. I'm in a small town and see the same people frequently. I really don't feel like having a big discussion (pro or con) over what I'm eating while I'm at a restaurant or eating with co-workers.

You might want to add "The Vegetarian Myth" and "Deep Nutrition" (Amazon.com: Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food eBook: Catherine Shanahan MD: Kindle Store) to your reading list. Great books.

[Cletc]

This is exactly the time you need to keep coming to the boards. It can only help you get your mind into the game.

Yeah that or paralyze me with depression.

Thanks for the kind words! I'm back!

[Cletc]

I did my No Grains Day #1 yesterday
Yay
Day 2 I've done a few times.
It's Day #3 that gets me feeling terrible and I go back to grains
So we'll see how Thursday goes for me!