* Lifestyle Change

As far as carbs go I try to have next to none. I allow myself to have 5 grams or less per day. What I'm doing is not the normal low carb style. This does mean that I have cut out carbs and sugar including those in many fruits and vegetables.

This may make you uncomfortable when thinking about your vitamins and nutrients you will be missing, I thought about that and I take 2 multi-vitamins each and everyday. The other concern is of coarse fiber. There are low carb fiber products out there such as Benefiber cystals, I mix it with my protein drink in the morning if I feel I need it. I take a colon cleanse “Super Cleanse” from Vitamin Shop from Friday thru Monday. Let me tell you it works and thats all I'm going to say about that.
I have always thought of diets differently. It was always about what you can't have, and what you limit yourself to.
I have had to think differently this time, this is about all you can have, it just has to be thought about.
I have always failed with counting calories, I guess I just lose count! Counting calories for me was about depriving myself and borderline starvation.
I never understood that I could eat 1000 calories a day and feel good. I was eating the wrong things. I now eat between 1000-1200 per day and 1500 calories Sundays. I keep track by being completely honest about everything and the portions on my sparkpeople page were it adds all the stats up for you each day, but the key is being honest!

One of the coolest things about this is when you step off the plan, it's not about starting over it's about just cutting out the carbs again. No feeling guilty enough to give up for a while,. Just walk right back into it.

The hardest thing has been to educate the people who want to support me about what all this is. And not having the fear to ask for something you want or need in a restaurant. My Mom and Dad still don't know exactly were the carbs are and my Mom is Great cook! That's explains a lot about why I look like this to begin with, and none of us are too keen on the portion control thing! My Dad had to learn a little about carbs and sugar when he was diagnosed with Diabetes and I'm glad he did. He still doesn't stick to the program he should be on, but he has lost a considerable amount of weight. I really want to help him as much as I can. He has seen my progress and now asks questions about the food that he eats and what kind of carbs should he be eating. I love him so much and I want him to be around to enjoy his great-grandchildren as mush as he enjoys his grandchildren now. However they are the culprits, they love to make grandpa the cakes and cookies that he loves. They are the ones I will have to teach. Splenda, not sugar Wheat, soy or tapioca flour, not white flour, smaller pieces and not so many layers!

At the same time my Mom tries to understand, she will in the same sentence ask what I can have and then offer me a piece of 3 layer cake. She always wants to send it home with me. I wish that was the case, that the carbs disappeared on the drive home! I would visit more often!

I am no longer uncomfortable with saying no, I used to be, I never wanted to have to explain it in the middle of dinner with anybody. Now I just look for something I can have, and I have that. In restaurants, I tend to stick to my favorite places, were I know the folks who work there. They are always willing to make me something just the way I want it!

The first thing I had to do when I started going out again was to un-train the bartenders to not immediately put my favorite beer up for me as I walked into the bar!
No more beer for me! This is something I do miss, I always loved a good beer.
Rum and diet coke for me know, yuk but they do taste better the more of them you have! Remember, rum has no carbs, no clear liquor does but it has about 65 calories in an ounce, and they free pour the drinks, they probably have at least 80 calories in them. I have tried the low carb beers but you have to consider even though they only have 2 carbs each, do you only drink one? I don't especially during football season! Thank goodness I just don't like the taste of them.

I only want talk about things that effect real people living a real life. This is about a lifestyle change, I had to revamp my thinking about going out and having fun. I am a social person and I need the interaction with people, I thrive on it. I just have to do it with supportive people and in a more moderate manner.