What Happens to Your Body When… You Carb Binge?

What Happens to Your Body When… You Carb Binge? | Mark’s Daily Apple.

A great post from Mark at Mark’s Daily Apple about the effects of a carb binge. Posting it here so I can read it anytime I feel like I’m missing out by cutting out the carbs.

Dammit Mother!

So I go to visit my mother this evening and she has of course just pulled a delicious hot steaming meatloaf out of the oven. My mother makes the best meatloaf in the entire world but she puts so many breadcrumbs in it I might as well be eating Pixie Sticks on white bread ala Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club

“You didn’t happen to go light on the breadcrumbs this time did you?” I ask her hopefully, knowing what the answer will be. “Of course not. Why would I?” My mother fully supports my attempt at low carb living but she’s not ready to take the plunge yet.

I very nearly gave in and had a piece. After all, how bad can a big hunk of meat be? But before I did I took a peek at the carb count and ingredient list on the bread crumbs. Then I backed slowly out of the kitchen and drove home crying. Crying but meatloaf-free.

Diet Soda Not So Good, Al

Soda has always been one of my true vices. I drank Coke for a loooong time and it made me a lot fatter than I would have been without it. Two years ago I switched from regular to diet and lost almost twenty pounds without changing anything else about my diet or fitness level. I lost another twenty when I started walking every day but the soda made a huge difference.

Once the switch to diet was complete I started working on my caffeine addiction. I’m happy to say I’ve been almost completely caffeine free for year. I may have one regular diet soda when I’m out somewhere or perhaps an iced tea but only a few times per month, if that. My anxiety levels are down and I’m sleeping better than I ever have.

So I thought I was doing pretty good with the caffeine-free diet soda. But I had one today and a half hour later I am feeling fuzzy-headed and tired. I also had a very strong craving for cigarettes that didn’t go away until I switched back to water. It could just be a coincidence but I’m not willing to risk it. I think the ciggy thing is due to conditioning. When I drank soda I smoked (since I was doing both almost all the time) and my mind made a connection between the two of them, hence why the craving disappeared when I went back to water. But I can’t explain the fuzzy thinking and sudden dip in energy. I’ve been full of getupandgo since I started eating low carb. The only thing I did differently today was drink the soda.

It was a caffeine-free diet Pepsi I drank. I wonder if things would be different if I had Splenda-sweetened Diet Rite instead? Maybe I should just scratch it and avoid soda altogether from now on. I’ve certainly felt healthier since switching to water.

Update: I’m also feeling a teensy bit nauseated. Don’t know if it’s related or not.

Just Another Note About My Twitter Stream

Just another little note re: Twitter. I am using it mainly to record what I’m eating, how quitting smoking is treating me and cravings I am experiencing. I want to keep a record of such things so I can see how my moods fluctuate throughout the day. I’m also recording weight and health statistics along with notes and reminders.

How Many Teaspoons???? « The Migraineur

How Many Teaspoons???? « The Migraineur.

An enlightening post reminding us to keep an eye on just how much sugar we’re eating. Just remember to divide by four!

Current Statistics Page

I’ve added a new Current Statistics Page. It’s over there in the sidebar under “See Here” unless this an old post and I’ve changed my template in which case it could be anywhere. Just keep clicking randomly until you hit a list of shockingly fat numbers.

Some of My More Petty Reasons to Lose

I have a big post planned outlining my more inspirational and noble reasons to lose weight but there are a few that aren’t so noble. Here they are in no particular order:

1. I used to have this “friend” who was nearly as big as I was. She was maybe a size smaller. She delighted in pointing out when I was looking fatter than usual. She used to give me all sorts of advice on how I could lose weight and get down to her size. Thanks but no thanks, sweetheart. You’re just as much of a fatty as I am. She annoyed me and I happen to know she is still fat. I’d kind of like to get thinner and then rub her face in it.

2. My ex boyfriend for obvious petty reasons.

3. My aunt — who has always been one of the fattest people I know (as well as an annoying, busy-body, know-it-all Jesus-freak) — has recently lost a ton of weight. I don’t want to be bigger than she is because I know she’ll find a way to needle me about it. Sorry, Auntie.

4. I just want to feel pretty and smug for a little while.

There. Got that out of my system. I’m not proud of it but I’ll take my motivation where I can get it

Just a Quick Note

I’m Twittering now. You can find me here. There is also a list of my recent Tweets over in the sidebar. I’ll be using Twitter for stuff too random or short to blog here.

The First One is Always the Hardest

Welcome to my new blog. I started it so I’d have a way to document and be accountable for a few changes I am trying to make. I’ll be detailing my battle to get my fat ass under control. Right now it’s a dumptruck. I’d like to bring it down to a nice, mid-sized sedan if I can. I’m also trying to quit smoking. I’m quite a delight to be around right now, as you can imagine.

There are a lot of weight loss blogs out there. I was inspired to start this one because of the many sensitive, eloquent, well-spoken bloggers who have written intelligently about their own struggles to get in shape. I felt it was time for me to add my own voice to the pile.

The problem is I am not eloquent, well-spoken or all that intelligent. So I’m going to go for brutally honest and see if I can work it from that angle.