My doctor told me a year and a half ago that I was "borderline diabetic." I was- and still am - overweight and out of shape. I started doing the low carb thing right away, and lost 20 pounds, and after a year, succeeded in getting my blood sugar down to where he wasn't worried about me any more, as long as I kept it up. But I haven't. I've lapsed. Badly. I started making desserts and breakfasts with real sugar again, I started eating potatoes again, and have just basically sucked at doing what's good for me. Well, not totally. But enough that when my friend S. sent me a link to an article about "curing" diabetes, and said that she and her husband were going to work on it together, I decided to stop fooling around and start getting serious about losing the weight and keeping the blood sugar down.
Kalyn can do it, and still eat well. So can I. So while I've enjoyed making the goodies, I will either stop making them, or I'll get serious about using Splenda. I like Splenda, so there's no excuse for me not to use it. (Yes, I know there are folks out there who are concerned about the chemical changes made to sugar to make it Splenda.) I will start using vegetables other than potatoes again, or I'll just have a taste of them when I cook some for my husband. I think that's my biggest challenge - not the main dishes, but the side dishes. I'll have no problems with dessert - pretty good willpower there - but trying to wrap my brain around eating vegetabes other than potatoes, noodles, and white rice, when all my life that's what I've eaten. Your suggestions are welcome. In the meantime, I'll be visiting some of these blogs over to the right and compiling great recipes to try.
Speaking of my husband, Don has no problems with his blood sugar. He just wants to lose weight, so he's promised to be very supportive of my re-dedication to lowering carbs. I mean, it should result in lowering calories, too - as long as I keep the fat levels down.
I told my friend that once I post about this on my blog, I'm committed. Don't you feel that way? Once you make something "public," it becomes almost embarrassing to fail. It becomes a challenge to succeed. And since I can still focus on cooking and eating, it will be fun!
So, here's the last hurrah: Baked French Toast. I've always wanted to make it, and I found several different recipes on different websites that I've adapted to make my own version. (Which, unfortunately, I 'll not make again, since there's so much SUGAR!) Maybe I'll experiment to come up with a low-sugar version. Surely, there's a way to do it. But I put this one together last night, and cooked it this morning, BEFORE I got the email from S. So that's my poor excuse for eating it this morning. But boy, was it good! And Don says he'll eat the leftovers. I have leftover Frikadellen and cole slaw which will make a wonderful low-carb lunch.
Baked French Toast
1 pound) (1 loaf French bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices8 eggs
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup butter
1 ⅓ cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the slices of bread in the bottom. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, maple syrup, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and maple syrup; heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture.
Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes. It puffs up nicely, and then settles later. Serve warm.
Wish me luck! Join me if you want.
food & drink
5 comments:
Cyndi,
My wife has found that if she allows herself one 'cheat day' a week she does much better. On her cheat day she can eat anything she wants as long is it is in moderation. That way she does not feel like she is totally depriving herself.
For me, the most effective things I do are to bumb up my exercide a little and bump up the water intake.
Good Luck!
Cyndi, good luck. You can do it. I think the mental part is the hardest, to actually maintain the will. I slip up a little sometimes, but when I do I go back on phase one for a few weeks (or what my brother and I laughingly call phase 1.5.) Have you read the South Beach Diet book? I recommend it highly. Not only is the book very motivating, but it helps you understand why some foods are "good" and others are "bad".
After you do phase one don't forget about Dreamfield's pasta and Uncle Ben's converted rice. Both of those are low-glycemic. Can't help you with the potatoes, but I can honestly say I don't miss them.
Good luck Cyndi! I'm doing South Beach right now and I feel so much better about myself when I'm not eating tons of junk. I agree with everything Kalyn said, and also remember that later on you can eat sweet potatoes (much better for you than regular potatoes). One great thing about eating low-glycemic is that you can still make all kinds of delicious soups and stews and chilis.
I am joining you in your endeavor. We can do this.
best of luck to you Cyndi, i have also found having a designated indulgence day helps. dont focus on public failure though, as long as you keep trying you can never really fail :)
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