American Diabetic Assoc. diet

DeeDeeKay60 · Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:06 pm

Back in March and April, I was all over these boards about SBD and my frustration with it. I posted my food journal on these boards to get advice but no one could find anything wrong with what I was eating. The SB diet was not the diet for me. I was only on it for 3-4 weeks. I did the obligatory 2-week phase 1. I felt like hell - I was weak, and practically passed out twice. I finally went on Phase 2 and thought that gradually putting back carbs in my diet would make me feel better. After almost two weeks, I didn't feel much better.

In addition to feeling bad, I also felt it was inconvenient - there were too many foods on the "foods to avoid" list. What I was eating totally felt unnatural for me. In other words, I felt like I was on a strict diet. It was "no" to this and "no" to that. CAN'T I HAVE A SLICE OF WHITE BREAD PLEASE?!

I probably would have stayed on it longer but during that 3-4 week period, I only lost 2lbs. I lost that all at once after the 2nd week and that was it.

I am 44 years old and I had a minor stroke a year ago. No residual effects, thank goodness, but my doctor has been all over me about my weight. I'm 5'8" and weighed in at 200lbs. YIKES. After I failed miserably on SBD, she told me I should see a nutritionist which I did on July 26. The nutritionist put me on a diet that is used for diabetics (I am NOT diabetic). It is a diet put out by the American Diabetes Association and is healthy for everyone. Based on my age, activity level, etc., she put me on 1400 calorie per day diet (but it is more about the right foods/portions than calorie counting) I have been losing about 2-3 lbs per week (not 8lbs in the first two weeks and then stall in phase 2 like is usual on SBD). I'm never hungry, and I don't really feel like I'm on a diet. I had to make a few adjustments and watch my portions (except non-starchy veggies are free!), but it has been easy. I can eat white bread, potatoes - I have gone out to eat in just about every ethnic food restaurant around (Mexian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mediteranean, etc.) and I continue to lose.

I do have to say that reading the SB diet book helped me on the diet that I'm on now. Many of the principles are the same, except that my diet does not have a two-week intro stage, and although they recommend natural grain breads and pastas, it is not mandatory. In fact, when I looked at sample menus from the three stages of SBD, SBD's stage three seems very close to the diet I'm on now. I have even used some of the meal plan ideas from SBD to plan my meals for my present diet.

I guess different diets work for different people.

Dee

zaljaa · Thu Sep 02, 2004 7:58 pm

I've been on the SBD for almost a week now and am having the same problems as Dee! I feel terrible, weak, spacey, dizzy all the time and also have almost passed out twice. I really want to stick with it because it does seem to be a sensible way to eat even after weight loss goals are achieved. I just don't know how long I can continue feeling this poorly.

My goal is to lose weight, about 60 pounds, but more importantly I need to bring my blood sugar level down to avoid diabetes medication. Last week after some routine bloodwork, my doctor told me my blood sugar level was 140 and that I needed to bring it down by dieting.

Where can I find the diet put out by the American Diabetes Association? I looked on their website but only found a few recipes rather than a plan.

Thanks in advance,
zaljaa

pouncer00 · Wed Sep 08, 2004 12:02 am

eat nuts and more snacks :-) or go into P2 b/c it sounds like you're not eating enough - the ADA diet (sometimes called the hypoglcemic diet) is actually an OLD diet (from the 80s) that is no longer recommended b/c they feel people should be able to figure out "healthy" eating for themselves (literally what my mom's doctor told her when she asked for a copy of it for me...) it's actually a good diet, once you get used to "exchanges", was on it most of my younger life (age 6 - 18)

Here's a sample meal plan:
http://www.itlnet.net/users/k2l/DIET/DIET.HTM

Here's the NIH's info on diabetes and meal planning
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabeticdiet.html

DeeDeeKay60 · Mon Sep 20, 2004 2:00 pm

It is an old diet but it works. I was put on it by the dietician at the Diabetes and Wound Care center of my local hospital. I think that medical professionals putting me on this diet says volumes. Certain more than than someone trying to make a profit off selling a book.

My nutritionist told me that this diet is set up so that the person can live on it the rest of their lives since people with diabetes need to do just that. I'm on a lower calorie intake because my goal is to lose weight but once I achieve that I will be increasing my calorie intake for maintenance.

I don't feel like I'm dieting, and I don't "cheat". If I decide to have a little extra "treat" on one day then so be it - I just continue on. The other thing that I like about it is that I can eat anywhere without worrying about "whole grain this", "enriched that", etc. I feel normal!

Hot4Bo · Mon Sep 20, 2004 2:20 pm

DeeDeeKay60 wrote: It is an old diet but it works. I was put on it by the dietician at the Diabetes and Wound Care center of my local hospital. I think that medical professionals putting me on this diet says volumes. Certain more than than someone trying to make a profit off selling a book.

It so happens that I am a diabetic and my diabetes doctor is the one who put me on SBD. And he's not trying to sell a book.

That said, I love SBD and I've lost 16 lbs. since I've started with much more to come!

RedRox · Mon Sep 20, 2004 5:31 pm

DeeDeeKay60 wrote: I have been losing about 2-3 lbs per week (not 8lbs in the first two weeks and then stall in phase 2 like is usual on SBD). I'm never hungry, and I don't really feel like I'm on a diet. I had to make a few adjustments and watch my portions (except non-starchy veggies are free!), but it has been easy. I can eat white bread, potatoes - I have gone out to eat in just about every ethnic food restaurant around (Mexian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mediteranean, etc.) and I continue to lose. I guess different diets work for different people.

Dee

First of all I am glad you found a program that works for you. I think the 1400 calorie limit probably has a lot to do with your success. I think most P2 SBD menus probably end up higher than that, so even if you were on SBD, you would have had to adjust your portion sizes down if that is the level you need to be at to see regular effective weight loss. I think this is the value of working with a professional nutritionist who can identify what that level of caloric intake needs to be up front. I think with doing SBD on your own, this is more of an empirical trial and error process to find that level where you can achieve regular weight loss.

However, I feel exactly the same way about SBD as you do about your program. I find it very easy to follow, it doesn't feel restrictive to me, I'm not hungry nor do I feel deprived and I eat out regularly in all kinds of ethnic and other restaurants. I was just on a business trip last week and ate out all three meals from Sunday night to Friday night. I ate Indian, Thai, Japanese (Sushi), American (chili), and ate at an airport twice and I lost a pound while I was gone.

But just because SBD didn't work for you, doesn't mean it doesn't work for others or that it is a "bad" program in some way. It just may not have been the best choice for you and in the end we are all responsible for making the best food choices for ourselves, whether it is within an SBD framework or some other healthy program, such as the ADA plan. I'm glad you found something that worked for you and are feeling the same way about the ADA program as many of us feel about the SBD program. I think it is very important to find a program that you can stay with for the long term as this is where the real gains are made in any lifestyle change program. For me that choice is SBD and I couldn't imagine eating any other way than this for the foreseeable future as it gives me such a wonderful variety of foods to work with and a framework for managing them. I'm sure you feel the same way about the ADA plan. Good luck and enjoy your new life!

Kimboroni · Mon Sep 20, 2004 5:46 pm

I'm glad that you came back to share your story, Dee. Sometimes I wonder how people who were struggling with SB are doing. It's great that you're losing weight and not feeling hungry!

I guess I find it funny that the inability to eat white bread was a deal-breaker for you, since I can't stand the stuff! But to each his own, right?

It is good to hear from you. Take care!

ericb · Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:48 pm

I'm one of the ones that gets along great with the SBD. I can't handle heavy starch or white bread anymore...30 minutes after eating it I'm cranky and exhausted. I can eat low carb high protein and stay active and alert all day. While I agree Phase 1 is restrictive I'm not really having problems with Phase 2...I've added back more veggies, fruits, oatmeal and whole wheat bread and pitas. Having to give up white potatoes (french fries), heavy sugar (cookies and cake) and white bread (including doritos and chips) isn't restrictive to me and is actually very healthy overall.

The key thing is everyone's body is different. It's possible you will never have any positive improvement from SB while the weight flies off using another diet. The important thing is you are losing the weight and becoming more healthy. Good luck.


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