For the last 10 days I’ve followed phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. Except for Easter I didn’t eat carbs, sugar, or fruit. I felt okay the first few days but on Thursday of last week I started feeling very weak in the afternoons. I had a hard time staying awake and doing things that required energy like walking up stairs on campus.
These symptoms didn’t bother me at the beginning but over the weekend they really started to worry me. I’ve done many diets in my life and I’d never felt like that. As soon as I ate a few carbs and sugar on Sunday I felt better which made me think maybe I should call and ask my doctor about it. I did and Dr. Rosett thinks I’m probably a little hyper-glycemic so I need the carbs and sugar in the afternoons to get through the day. My Grandfather had insulin dependent diabetes for almost his entire life so I probably inherited the problem from him.
Breakfast
1 slice of Oroweat 7 Grain bread (whole grains instead of white flour!)
1 fried egg with a slightly runny yolk seasoned with salt pepper and onion powder
1 TBSP blackberry jam
6 PointsPlus
I don’t want any of you to think I’m saying the South Beach Diet is a bad diet because I’m not. I actually really like it and want to incorporate the health principles into my daily life. I just can’t go without the carbs and sugar in phase 1.
The Basic Principles of the South Beach Diet
Eat whole grains instead of white flour. I didn’t realize how many empty carbs I was eating every day until last week and I’m a little appalled. I want to try and eat breads, crackers, pastas all made from whole grains. Especially sprouted grain products because they process in the body like proteins.
Don’t Eat Sugar! Sugar is in so many things, even not dessert things. Flavored yogurts have a ton, iced teas, jams. I do like the idea of not eating unnecessary sugar. I think fruit is okay but I want to control how much sugar I ingest. Did you know a tall non-fat chai tea latte from the bucks has over 40g of sugar in it?! Try checking out the sugar content on those nutrition labels, I promise you’ll be surprised.
So basically I’ve taken away a few new and great healthy eating habits form my South Beach experience. Hopefully they’ll help me be an overall healthier person.
On an exciting note…
My computer is in Nashville Tennessee in transit to California.
Isn’t it pretty?
It’s 14 inches so it’s big but not too big. It’ll play movies, run iTunes, and be a great blogger! All much better than my little netbook.
Ohh and it’s Peacock Blue.
