Thanks for this thread.

I needed this right now.

I do have to say when I first started medformin I lost weight.

I am at a stand still right now. But I have to get back to losing again.

Donna

Hi dmom:

We're in this TOGETHER.

We'll lose the weight.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!

lol

All kidding aside. Losing weight is a lifetime thing. Too bad I didn't realize this years ago when I used to sit in front of the tv and just inhale dips and chips and ding dongs and dong dings, etc.

Bad Melody

But I learned!!

And I applied what I learned.

You keep trying.

You'll get there.

Melody

Hi Dmom and Mrs. D.

This morning I began doing the 30 gram thing. Made the protein shake and drank it as I was getting dressed. No inconvenience whatsoever. I have one of those small hand blenders that are battery operated.

Then I went to my local breakfast place (I have never had to order breakfast because i have eaten the same thing for over 10 years).

I walk in announcing "new breakfast, new breakfast", and everybody started laughing because they thought I was going to pull a plant out of my shopping bag and eat the plant.

After we all stopped laughing I said "No, no more roll for me, (( I had gone over to the owner and said "Can I add an egg and take away the roll and pay the same price??") NO PROBLEM.

So I ordered two eggs with a slice of cheese and they refill your coffee, and I then got my plate will eggs and cheese, dumped my sprouts, folded it over like an omelette, held it up for all the locals to see and I said out loud "See, Melody has a new breakfast"

We all laughed, Then I explained the 30 gram thing and what my goals were.

One of the guys said "You know Melody, the other day I was in this buffet place having lunch and they all these sprouts and I burst out laughing and said "oh, that's what Melody eats"

I then said "See, you remembered me because I'm memorable"

So I shall see where this 30 gram breakfast is going to take me.

Change is good (thank goodness I don't mind changing my eating habits).

Take care

Melody

Oh, Mrs. D or anbody, I have a question about the one day binge thing. The guy on the Dr. Oz show said "you can eat anything". I don't think he was referring to diabetics, right?

Maybe not referring to diabetics. But certainly helpful for insulin resistant people (like me) But for diabetics one could always just up the insulin a few units for the binge. That is what people do who shoot Humalog, etc. Brittle diabetics would need close monitoring I think. The purpose of the "binge" is to LOSE WEIGHT. People who don't need to lose weight, don't do the calorie restriction the other 6 days in the first place!
And your goal, Mel is to lose some more weight, right?

My binge is quite small....just pizza. I might have a little vanilla ice cream or a chocolate treat (2 pieces of Ghirardelli dark squares with mint). It's the pizza crust I count as the "binge" thing. The purpose of the "binge" is to stimulate thyroid hormone to wake up and increase metabolism. Really, it is hard to really binge in the true sense of binge, after eating less all week. It seems sickening in fact. It is just giving yourself a small treat so you won't miss fave things etc ( it is not eating 9000 calories or some such!). And I love pizza.
I could eat pizza every day!

I am starting to do lentils for dinner now. Cooking them up with
chicken broth and garlic. They don't bother me like red beans do, and they are very satisfying (good source of magnesium and also anti-inflammatory). I am expecting my glucose strips this week, so I will start testing to see what changes come about.
I have to test quite a bit before starting the metformin again. (this version is supposed to be better for the GI side effects...Glumetza.)

You know, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this binging thing. I saw it in my mind as me eating a table load of food and I couldn't do that in a heartbeat. Maybe 20 years ago, NO PROBLEM. But now??? after I worked so hard to get my eating in the right place, well, it's nice to know that MY VERSION of binging will be maybe a slice of pizza (or 2) for dinner on Monday evening.

I have designated Monday as binge day.

Oh my god, I haven't had pizza in 10 years. Do you know how I love pizza??

lol

Right now I'm sauteeing the bean sprouts that I sprouted. With some onions and garlic. Divine.

And some grilled chicken.

But next Monday, it will be pizza or some other decandent thing.

This is going to make my metabolism go faster, or stimulate my thyroid, or whatever?? Who knows.

And I know PLENTY of diabetics who never take their sugar but they are skinny as rails, type ones, and LOVE to eat Cannolis and everything with sugar.

One guy I know has had 5 eye operations. He's 57 or so and LOVES his food. He must weigh no more than 140. He takes 5 shots a day. I asked him "You take 5 shots a day and you don't monitor your glucose levels?" He said "I never check my sugar, I know what it is"

Well, I don't know how he knows what it is but having 5 eye operations does not bode well in my opinion. He's been doing this for 30 or so years.

He says "I LOVE to eat"

Yeah, WE ALL love to eat, but jeez, eye operations??? Five shots a day. He says "I know the carbs in my meals and I adjust my humulog accordingly".

I never knew that people did this, or could do this.

And do me a favor Mrs. D. Give me some binging things that I can do on a Monday. I gather if I take 10 or so of the Lantus on a regular basis, than Sunday night I would take 12 or so because I'm going to binge on Monday? So what can I eat besides pizza that would be considered a binge and not kill me.??

lol

Melody
P.S. Here's a good question. Do I binge in the afternoon or is it a dinner thing? Which meal is the one that people should binge? I really sound clueless, I know this. lol

Don't do any extra insulin the first time...just monitor your sugar.
See what happens. Get a thin crust for that pizza. It will be less carbs.

Don't forget the grapefruit...this is what keeps the sugar down on binge day.

Are you using RX drugs? (lisinopril is not affected).
Grapefruit interacts with some RX meds.

I think the TV show was a bit overdone with the binge. Dr. Oz does that...and that is why I don't like him much. But being sensible and having forbidden things...is sort of a binge IMO.

That guy is on FIVE shots a day.... that is alot. I would not envy him. you will probably outlast him considerably.

I'd do the treat at dinner. The idea is to do a real food intake that day, compared to reduced intake the other 6. If you eat 1200 cal a day, then 2000 on binge day is almost double. Not much to make 2000!

Okay, let's see if I have this straight.

I drink half a cup of grapefruit juice before dinner. Then I eat two pieces of thin crusts pizza (I can buy a frozen pizza and bake this??) Only a thin crust one.

Then I take usual shot at night time and next morning, I'll see what happens.

Now here's a question. Should a diabetic be drinking some grapefruit juice every day???

I haven't had that in YEARS!!

And about the calorie load for the day. I don't count calories. I just eat my eggs and cheese with sprouts (like a sprout omelette) for breakfast, lunch is a salad with tuna or grilled chicken or maybe a piece of fish. And supper is a salad, chicken, veggies, etc. then at 8 p.m. I love a piece of sugar free cake (that I make myself), with a cup of coffee.

don't really know how many calories that is, but on BINGE MONDAY, as I'm going to call it, I should up my calorie load to a bit more than I am used to, right?

So maybe I would have some veggie bacon (I'd bring that with my sprouts, they wouldn't care), and perhaps at dinner I might have something else about an hour after I eat the pizza. So if I eat my dinner (pizza) at 6 p.m, maybe at 8 or 9, I'll have some chicken.

I know, not really doing a binge but you have no idea how hard this is going to be for me. I have eaten like this for YEARS. Finally got it into my head to eat natural, not processed, REAL food and lo carbs. And now I have to go against everything I have ever been taught.

Good Lord!!!

lol
so tell me if my plan IS A PLAN!!!!

Thanks much

Melody

That sounds good. Just a bit of a binge... since you are on Lantus.

The grapefruit has been shown to increase insulin actions. Only use unsweetened 100% juice. (or a half grapefruit fresh)
You cannot use the grapefruit if you are using RX drugs.
This is a list of drugs that interact with grapefruit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._by_grapefruit
Remember new drugs may not appear on this list yet.
Always check with your pharmacist if in doubt.

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs.../jmf.2006.9.49

And remember, to move those large muscle groups during the binge time + grapefruit... the excess sugar is supposed to go to your muscles and not your stored fat. (in the videos).
(I go up and down our stairs). The thyroid receptors are also in your muscles.

Test your blood sugar before bedtime to see where you are.
And the next morning. After that you will know if you need a few more units of Lantus on the binge day.

Since you do not need daily short acting insulin with meals, you should show little effect, I am predicting.

Other diabetics with less control would need more supervision and perhaps not do the "binge" day.

You might be able to then lose that last weight. No guarantees tho...but it is worth a try.

Mrs. D. you asked:

"Are you using RX drugs?"

Only Lantus and Lisinopril. Hard to believe in this day and age. All of my friends take 10 pills a day and various injections of this or that. I think it's my sprouts that are saving me. I really do.

Melody

I found this page today...and find it answers some of your questions, Mel.

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/16422495.php

The bottom line is that people vary. There is no one answer.