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Something strange (and great) happened while trying to lose weight?
Hi, I have been counting calories since I was a teen (I'm 44 now.) I know the calorie count of almost every food out there, and it has always been my go-to diet plan when needing to drop a few lbs. This worked out well for me in my 20's, it worked in my 30's, but it doesn't seem to be working in my 40's. I've never been overweight, just "medium"..and I'm always trying to get into the 120's weight range, but I'm usually stuck in the 140's. I'd also like to add that I suffer from hypoglycemia, a problem that I've struggled with for years now (I think it started when I was about 12.) I am not diabetic.
I'm writing to ask about something that (accidentally) happened, and I'd like to know why, so I can use this for future health benefits/weight loss. Because I am only experienced in calories, you will understand why I need some help in figuring this out. Last night I totally gave up on counting cals. I was hungry, shaky, (low blood sugar again), and just plain sick and tired of counting them, especially because it doesn't even seem to be working anymore now that I'm in my 40's. Because I was so fed up with the whole thing (and really hungry), I decided to eat whatever I wanted. But I grabbed for some strange foods that I'm normally not that interested in...and whatever this magical combo was, made a huge impact on me and is now making me re-think EVERYTHING about trying to lose weight, and calories in general.
I'll tell you what happened, and then I'd love for a doctor or nutritionist or anyone experienced in this field to explain why it happened. When I decided to "binge"....or "be bad"....this is exactly what I ate: I reached for a frozen Atkin's Meal - Mac and Cheese Dinner. I melted a slice of American cheese on top of it too to make it even cheesier. Then I ate 2 toasted full-grain (brown) English Muffins with as much whipped butter as I wanted, and a little bit of strawberry jelly on both of them. That was it. I felt STUFFED. So now here's where the magic happened. Right after, instead of walking off the guilt, or doing sit-ups, or even moving around, I took a 4-hour nap. That's right, 4 hours. It was the first time in years I slept GREAT, the first time in years I didn't clench my teeth in my sleep (which has been an ongoing problem that I couldn't seem to stop!), and the first time EVER in my life that I woke up from a nap and didn't feel STARVED. You know when you first wake up from a nap and all you wanna do is eat because you feel famished, weak, and shaky? Not this time. I wasn't hungry at all. I still felt satisfied. And that has never happened after a nap, never once in all my life...except this time.
So just for the heck of it, I decided to jump on the scale, expecting AT LEAST a 2-lb. weight gain from stuffing my face and then sleeping for so many hours instead of moving around. But to my great surprise, (and the reason I'm writing this)....I actually LOST A POUND. In my calorie-counting world, this makes no sense and is unheard of. I just can't figure out why that meal I ate was so beneficial in so many ways to me, and I didn't even burn it off by walking afterwards. I just took a long nap instead...and yet I dropped a lb? Was it the high protein and fiber in the Atkin's Meal? (It was very, very high-fiber.) Or the fact that the English Muffins were whole grain?? My sugar is STILL stable after eating that meal and waking up from the nap. It has not dropped, which normally it would have by now, especially after taking a nap. I am interested in this because I think I'm onto something here, I just don't know what. And for once, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with calories. It has something more to do with the certain foods I reached for, and I ate as much as I wanted.
Please let me know what was so good in that meal that I must have been missing all my life...so I can continue it and match it with similar foods/meals! Thanks so much to anyone who can answer this for me. God Bless. I feel great right now, and I hope this can help others as well.
-Marie :)
I'm writing to ask about something that (accidentally) happened, and I'd like to know why, so I can use this for future health benefits/weight loss. Because I am only experienced in calories, you will understand why I need some help in figuring this out. Last night I totally gave up on counting cals. I was hungry, shaky, (low blood sugar again), and just plain sick and tired of counting them, especially because it doesn't even seem to be working anymore now that I'm in my 40's. Because I was so fed up with the whole thing (and really hungry), I decided to eat whatever I wanted. But I grabbed for some strange foods that I'm normally not that interested in...and whatever this magical combo was, made a huge impact on me and is now making me re-think EVERYTHING about trying to lose weight, and calories in general.
I'll tell you what happened, and then I'd love for a doctor or nutritionist or anyone experienced in this field to explain why it happened. When I decided to "binge"....or "be bad"....this is exactly what I ate: I reached for a frozen Atkin's Meal - Mac and Cheese Dinner. I melted a slice of American cheese on top of it too to make it even cheesier. Then I ate 2 toasted full-grain (brown) English Muffins with as much whipped butter as I wanted, and a little bit of strawberry jelly on both of them. That was it. I felt STUFFED. So now here's where the magic happened. Right after, instead of walking off the guilt, or doing sit-ups, or even moving around, I took a 4-hour nap. That's right, 4 hours. It was the first time in years I slept GREAT, the first time in years I didn't clench my teeth in my sleep (which has been an ongoing problem that I couldn't seem to stop!), and the first time EVER in my life that I woke up from a nap and didn't feel STARVED. You know when you first wake up from a nap and all you wanna do is eat because you feel famished, weak, and shaky? Not this time. I wasn't hungry at all. I still felt satisfied. And that has never happened after a nap, never once in all my life...except this time.
So just for the heck of it, I decided to jump on the scale, expecting AT LEAST a 2-lb. weight gain from stuffing my face and then sleeping for so many hours instead of moving around. But to my great surprise, (and the reason I'm writing this)....I actually LOST A POUND. In my calorie-counting world, this makes no sense and is unheard of. I just can't figure out why that meal I ate was so beneficial in so many ways to me, and I didn't even burn it off by walking afterwards. I just took a long nap instead...and yet I dropped a lb? Was it the high protein and fiber in the Atkin's Meal? (It was very, very high-fiber.) Or the fact that the English Muffins were whole grain?? My sugar is STILL stable after eating that meal and waking up from the nap. It has not dropped, which normally it would have by now, especially after taking a nap. I am interested in this because I think I'm onto something here, I just don't know what. And for once, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with calories. It has something more to do with the certain foods I reached for, and I ate as much as I wanted.
Please let me know what was so good in that meal that I must have been missing all my life...so I can continue it and match it with similar foods/meals! Thanks so much to anyone who can answer this for me. God Bless. I feel great right now, and I hope this can help others as well.
-Marie :)
COMMUNITY LEADER
I agree that this was probably a fluke, and my guess is you got rid of a lot of fluid, not fat.
There's, also, often more fat in the Atkin's meals, so it could very well have been that, which made you feel more satisfied for a longer period, which is why you weren't hungry when you woke up from your nap.
Last year, I lost 26 lbs, by forgetting about calorie counting and going back to full fat dairy, adding more olive and coconut oils and real butter - all within healthy portions, of course.
My doctor had me on a high protein diet, and while protein is necessary for building muscle, it "is" possible to get too much protein, which is what was happening to me... I continued gaining weight, never losing, until I cut back on my protein and carb (including fruit) intake and increased my fat intake.
It's also well known that quality sleep is necessary for weight loss, so that 4 hour nap might have taken the place of an "unrestful" night.
Last, but not least, there are some medical conditions that can make it difficult to lose weight and since you find it more difficult to lose weight now, than you have in the past, I'd suggest that you get some simple blood tests to make sure you haven't developed any of those. I bring these up, because I have them all and started having issues when I was about your age...I'm much older, now, than you are, but I find myself, currently, with a condition called Metabolic Syndrome. Had I known, then, what I know now, I might have been able to prevent it... I struggled to turn things around and continue to struggle to keep it turned around.
Since you have a history of hypoglycemia, you should get your a Hemoglobin A1c test done to make sure your blood sugar and insulin levels are where they should be. Insulin spikes can cause weight gain and/or make it very difficult to lose weight. Insulin spikes happen when blood glucose (sugar) levels dip (hypoglycemia) and you eat something sweet/sugary (or other carbs, like bread, pasta, etc) to increase your blood sugar level. What happens is the blood sugar dips, you eat something sweet to increase it, insulin spikes, then a couple hours later, the bottom drops out and your blood sugar drops again, so you eat something sweet again - it becomes a circle, so you're continuously spiking the insulin. If you aren't exercising and using all that sugar, insulin shuttles it into fat cells to be stored for later use. Insulin is often called the "fat storage hormone".
Another thing that causes weight gain/inability to lose is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is more prevalent in women, than men and is more common, the older we get. You should ask for Free T4, Free T3 and TSH.
Peri-menopause is also, often, a cause, as we get older and our reproductive hormones are no longer in balance.
There's, also, often more fat in the Atkin's meals, so it could very well have been that, which made you feel more satisfied for a longer period, which is why you weren't hungry when you woke up from your nap.
Last year, I lost 26 lbs, by forgetting about calorie counting and going back to full fat dairy, adding more olive and coconut oils and real butter - all within healthy portions, of course.
My doctor had me on a high protein diet, and while protein is necessary for building muscle, it "is" possible to get too much protein, which is what was happening to me... I continued gaining weight, never losing, until I cut back on my protein and carb (including fruit) intake and increased my fat intake.
It's also well known that quality sleep is necessary for weight loss, so that 4 hour nap might have taken the place of an "unrestful" night.
Last, but not least, there are some medical conditions that can make it difficult to lose weight and since you find it more difficult to lose weight now, than you have in the past, I'd suggest that you get some simple blood tests to make sure you haven't developed any of those. I bring these up, because I have them all and started having issues when I was about your age...I'm much older, now, than you are, but I find myself, currently, with a condition called Metabolic Syndrome. Had I known, then, what I know now, I might have been able to prevent it... I struggled to turn things around and continue to struggle to keep it turned around.
Since you have a history of hypoglycemia, you should get your a Hemoglobin A1c test done to make sure your blood sugar and insulin levels are where they should be. Insulin spikes can cause weight gain and/or make it very difficult to lose weight. Insulin spikes happen when blood glucose (sugar) levels dip (hypoglycemia) and you eat something sweet/sugary (or other carbs, like bread, pasta, etc) to increase your blood sugar level. What happens is the blood sugar dips, you eat something sweet to increase it, insulin spikes, then a couple hours later, the bottom drops out and your blood sugar drops again, so you eat something sweet again - it becomes a circle, so you're continuously spiking the insulin. If you aren't exercising and using all that sugar, insulin shuttles it into fat cells to be stored for later use. Insulin is often called the "fat storage hormone".
Another thing that causes weight gain/inability to lose is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is more prevalent in women, than men and is more common, the older we get. You should ask for Free T4, Free T3 and TSH.
Peri-menopause is also, often, a cause, as we get older and our reproductive hormones are no longer in balance.
I'll be honest, I'm wondering if this wasn't a fluke. Even taking a 4 hour nap isn't great for us as if disrupts the more quality night time sleep pattern. I do agree with gymdandee that some lean protein, veg, whole grains and fruit are key- I've always considered that a healthy diet. Have you ever heard of the "plate" method? Half a plate of veg, quarter lean protein and quarter whole grains. Add fruit on side. That is a good way to think of what we should eat portion wise. I like gymdandee' food suggestions too.
But I really don't think you had a miricle combo after one meal and a nap. Just stay true to a healthy diet, exercise and solid rest at night. Good luck
But I really don't think you had a miricle combo after one meal and a nap. Just stay true to a healthy diet, exercise and solid rest at night. Good luck
lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains are waist- friendly because of their nutrients and low calorie content.
Start the morning with a glass of fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juice to sip on along with warm quinoa, a protein grain and milk topped with dried fruit and nuts. Smoothies make a great breakfast or dessert; Just toss ice with Greek yogurt, almonds, bananas, dark leafy greens, ground flax seeds and strawberries for a protein-packed drink. Make your omelet with a side of cottage cheese and fresh fruit like cantaloupe, mango, strawberries and blueberries.
For lunch have a cup of lentil soup; you can add protein-packed grains, cheese and tomatoes. Mix and match your grains, proteins and veggies everyday to add variety. Start with brown rice today and switch to buckwheat tomorrow, stewed tomatoes today and roasted asparagus tomorrow or turkey burgers today and smoked salmon tomorrow. Re-heat last leftover chili, made with split peas, black beans, avocado, Parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds . Create a tuna salad and spice it up with cashews, pecans, dried cherries, fresh basil and a spoonful of Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
Stir-fry for dinner with amaranth, a protein-packed whole grain, red and orange bell peppers, apples and peas. For chicken, stuff a chicken breast with dried fruits like apricots, pears and raisins. Try sources of protein like bison;(I love bison) create burgers using dried cranberries and topped with fresh mango and avocado salsa.
It's the fiber and protein that does the trick! Just don't go crazy with overdoing it with the fiber and protein.
Too much fiber can cause gas, diarrhea, and stomach upset. Also, consuming too much fiber may lead to an inability to absorb certain nutrients.
High protein diets can cause a loss of calcium in bones, which can cause osteoporosis.
Too much protein could put a strain on the kidneys.
Start the morning with a glass of fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juice to sip on along with warm quinoa, a protein grain and milk topped with dried fruit and nuts. Smoothies make a great breakfast or dessert; Just toss ice with Greek yogurt, almonds, bananas, dark leafy greens, ground flax seeds and strawberries for a protein-packed drink. Make your omelet with a side of cottage cheese and fresh fruit like cantaloupe, mango, strawberries and blueberries.
For lunch have a cup of lentil soup; you can add protein-packed grains, cheese and tomatoes. Mix and match your grains, proteins and veggies everyday to add variety. Start with brown rice today and switch to buckwheat tomorrow, stewed tomatoes today and roasted asparagus tomorrow or turkey burgers today and smoked salmon tomorrow. Re-heat last leftover chili, made with split peas, black beans, avocado, Parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds . Create a tuna salad and spice it up with cashews, pecans, dried cherries, fresh basil and a spoonful of Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
Stir-fry for dinner with amaranth, a protein-packed whole grain, red and orange bell peppers, apples and peas. For chicken, stuff a chicken breast with dried fruits like apricots, pears and raisins. Try sources of protein like bison;(I love bison) create burgers using dried cranberries and topped with fresh mango and avocado salsa.
It's the fiber and protein that does the trick! Just don't go crazy with overdoing it with the fiber and protein.
Too much fiber can cause gas, diarrhea, and stomach upset. Also, consuming too much fiber may lead to an inability to absorb certain nutrients.
High protein diets can cause a loss of calcium in bones, which can cause osteoporosis.
Too much protein could put a strain on the kidneys.
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