Horrible. Yes I said it. Who thought this no carb thing was a good idea? I don’t know what I was thinking. I can understand minimizing the amount of carbs you eat, but completely stopping has left me feeling blah. I don’t know if it is because I stopped cold turkey or what, but this just isn’t going to work for me.
I missed my quinoa and brown rice. Last week I only ate chicken, wild salmon, eggs, nitrate free turkey bacon, dairy (eggs and cheese), and vegetables (spinach and whole green beans). The food was delicious, but I just felt bloated. In hindsight, maybe I should have gone off the carbs gradually. I do know one thing, and that is I am never doing that again. Or maybe I should do more research…
After doing some research, I realized that I was missing something key in my diet that I get from my carbs and that is fiber! I came to this revelation after reading this Live Strong article about gas and bloating.
Benefits of Fiber (Source)
1. Normalizes bowel movements. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it.
2. Helps maintain bowel health. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease). Some fiber is fermented in the colon.
3. Lowers cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol levels. Studies also have shown that fiber may have other heart-health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
4. Helps control blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, fiber — particularly soluble fiber — can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels. A healthy diet that includes insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
5. Aids in achieving healthy weight. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you’re no longer hungry, so you’re less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less “energy dense,” which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
Here is a list of foods that are high in fiber from MayoClinic.org
- Raspberries
- Pears (with skin)
- Apples (with skin)
- Bananas
- Whole wheat pasta
- Bran
- Oatmeal
- Whole wheat or multi-grain bread
- Lentils
- Black beans
- Lima beans
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Artichoke
- Green peas
- Broccoli
- Sweet corn
- Brussel sprouts
- Carrots
- Baked potatoes (with skin)
Most of the items were essential parts of my diet. I don’t know what I was thinking this week. I know not to have those thoughts anymore lol. I guess the real reason is that I wanted to drop 2-3 lbs before my trip, since I know I will gain about 5lbs lol.
I think I get in my own way. I know what I need to do, I just need to rid the urges of immediate results and become comfortable with delayed gratification. I know I said I won’t ever do that again, but who knows…now that I know the foods that have fiber and are low carb, I may feel better. Maybe I didn’t let my body get used to the change. Whatever it is, I don’t want to ever feel like this again..=
If the low-carb thing works for you…God. Bless. You.
> Maybe I didn’t let my body get used to the change
Bingo. I’ve been on a low-carb diet for 20 years (Natural Hormonal Enhancment by Rob Faigin). And the only time I felt blah all these years was during the first week, when my body was switching to fat-burning mode. Since then I’ve always felt great and been able to see a line down the middle of my abs, which I was never able to see before.
That may partly be because on NHE your daily carb limit on most days, aftter the switch, is 60 grams and on every third or fourth day, the carb load supper is 100 grams or more. It may also partly be because I’m a vegan, for the usual three reasons: health, ethics and the environment.
If you try it again, I recommend going the NHE route, sticking with it for at least a month, making sure you get enough fat and going vegan.
But if not, just increasing the fiber in your diet is the proven way to maximize the likelihood that you’ll stick to your weight-loss and health-promoting diet for the rest of your life. Which is why I highly recommend the Full Plate Superfood Guide by Full Plate Living for those seeking to lose weight, keep it off, get healthy, be healthy and live long.
Best wishes with your healthful lifestyle!