Linda Gardner's Blog: “So Happy to Know That All I Have Done for the Last Year not Only Worked, It Worked Well”

Amy attempted to get her diabetes and weight under control with the Atkins diet, but got very tired of being constantly hungry and feeling poorly so she decided to give up.

At a checkup later on, her blood sugar came back worse than ever, and she realized that she needed to use either diet or doctor to get her health back. Fortunately, she found Diet Doctor – the best of both worlds:

In January 2012 my A1c was 7.7%, using the Atkins induction phase and part of his 45 grams of carbs per day meal plans. I was constantly starting the day with fasting blood sugars in the 140s (7.8 mmol/l) or 150s (8.3 mmol/l). Even the lower carb attempts I made then did not help. Sometimes I was over 200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l). I would be starving by lunch, even if I ate breakfast, and be shaky by supper. I felt bad all over.

By 0ctober 2013, I’d come to realize that starch and sugar were serious problems and eliminated some of them, but not all. It did not last very long — not only was I addicted, I got tired of living meal to meal and being constantly hungry. Soon I gave up and went back to my old, carb-filled habits.

My husband insisted that I do something, either by diet or doctor (and medicine)…/…and I found you, Diet Doctor, the best of both.

Fast forward to October 2015… I felt weird one morning and since I had not been checking my blood sugars for over a year, I decided to start there. I was almost 500 mg/dl (27.8 mmol/l)! I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t really want to do anything either because I was miserable the last time I tried. But this feeling was also miserable.
My husband insisted that I do something, either by diet or doctor (and medicine). I decided to give low carb another go but went searching for new information… and I found you, Diet Doctor, the best of both.

I quickly learned why the other way of low carb had not worked for me… just removing some sugar and starch from my diet was good but not enough. So I eliminated them and, this time, added healthy fat and protein. From your website I learned not to be fat-phobic anymore and I learned the importance of protein. I also learned to not worry so much about calories, just focus on real food.

I do much better when I stick with the strict/keto kinds of foods and only enjoy liberal occasionally. I do not have cheat days anymore, not even for birthdays (I am mother of 5 — so there are lots of those). I make my own low-carb treat to have instead (or just fast during the party).

One major culprit I found was the non-dairy coffee creamer we had been using in our coffee. I never realized it was made of corn syrup solids. Even though the sugar/carb count is listed as very low, it is made of dried up corn syrup = pure sugar. My blood sugars proved it. During coffee (no food) they would shoot up 200+ mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l)… not shoot up to 200, I was starting the day well over 150 mg/dl (8.3 mmol/l) and would hit 300s (16.7 mmol/l) and 400s (22.2 mmol/l) quickly. I quit coffee altogether for awhile. I also quit Diet Coke and a fruity, Splenda-sweetened vitamin water.

One thing that has become helpful is to calculate my average fasting blood sugar for the month, that way I can better see my progress – since day to day fluctuates (partly because of my monthly cycle, partly because no two days are exactly alike).

Here is a graph to show how I progressed with LCHF:

From October 2015 to February 2016, I only used LCHF. In March 2016 I started occasionally fasting with the 16:8 schedule (only two meals) a few days per week, since I hadn’t yet reached my goal of starting the day much nearer to 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/l).

In mid-June I started walking about two miles a few days a week, and then increased it. In August 2016 I modified my fasting days a little and only ate once a few days a week.

After calculating the averages for November I realized I had walked much less that month than the months before, but everything else was basically the same…

I could not believe my ears when the doctor told me the results… A1c 5.0%!

When I finally got brave enough to go to the doctor for blood work at the end of November, I could not believe my ears when the doctor told me the results… A1c 5.0%! All the liver and kidney markers were excellent as well. Then she leaned over and said, “Now, how are you doing this?” So I began to explain my LCHF/fasting/walking protocol. She kept nodding and took notes on most of what I said. I gave her copies of some things from various low-carb sources that I had printed for reference and she gladly accepted them. At the end, she told me not to change a thing and come back in a year. I am so glad she was receptive and did not try to talk me out of it.

I am so happy to know that all I have done for the last year not only worked, it worked well… all without medicines.

I am so happy to know that all I have done for the last year not only worked, it worked well… all without medicines.
Many of the ailments and pains I had before are gone, even some that I had accepted as part of aging (I am 42).

I reached my goal weight early on and have since lost even more (170+ lbs down to 145 lbs – 77 kg to 66 kg).

I’ve gone from pants size 16 to size 9/10.

I rarely eat more than twice a day (usually 1 meal and 1 snack or just 1 meal and no snack).

I do not walk every day (but walking definitely helps).

Whatever I eat fits into the LCHF plan (with the exception of these things: Splenda, store-bought salad dressing, French fried onions, and occasionally fried chicken).

I closely monitor my blood sugar to know how any new recipe or product affects me.

I no longer crave foods like I used to, I enjoy my meals without feeling enslaved to food.

I can also enjoy NOT eating without getting shaky or feeling dominated by a fasting schedule… if it works out that day, fine. If not and I need a little snack, that’s fine too.

All I’ve learned from your site and sites like yours is helping me teach my children how and why to make better choices for themselves.

So, thank you. I could not have had this success without finding your website and learning what was and wasn’t working.

Also “thank you” to these people as well (that I found through your site):

Dr. Jason Fung and intensivedietarymanagement.com

Dr. Ted Naiman and BurnFatNotSugar.com

Dr. Gary Fettke and nutritionforlife.healthcare

Libby and ditchthecarbs.com

Amy and tuitnutrition.com

Tim Noakes and Real Meal Revolution

Marty Kendall and optimisingnutrition.com

RD Dikeman and Type One Grit, who introduced me to Dr. Bernstein

Ivor Cummins

Thank you again for all you do,
Amy Moore

P.S

A word about Splenda… I know you disapprove of sweeteners (natural or artificial), I’m not trying to change your mind. I admire anyone who can do without completely. I was a carb-sugar addict. Now regular sweets are too sweet for me. I also realize the dextrose in Splenda translates to glucose in my body and so I use very little. I am experimenting with Swerve and stevia and reducing Splenda in my coffee and low carb treats. All that being said, what “sweets” I get now is tiny when compared to what I used to eat – a whole pint of ice cream in one evening… regularly. Simply put, I did not want to imply that my LCHF was perfect by not mentioning that I use it.

Comments

Congratulations to your great success, Amy!

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