I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and IBS)

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I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and IBS)

Postby taymariekay » Thu Jun 06, 2019 6:36 pm

Hello everyone!

I am new to the forum, but am very familiar with the McDougall way of eating. I am a 28 year old female and have been struggling with my weight (and health) for basically my whole life, even as a WFPB vegan. I do struggle with a bit of a food addiction issue - it is hard to regulate even McDougall approved foods like pasta, breads, etc. and I can easily get stuck in this yo-yo between clean starch based and junk food vegan. I am realizing that I really need community, because I can't go at this alone any longer.

For a quick diet history, I grew up probably eating a bit worse than most kids my age since my parents owned a vending machine business, and we kept all inventory in our basement. Any candy, chip, snack you can think of, frozen pizza/corn dogs, and soda pop was at my disposal. I think this is what has caused my food addiction to this day. Breakfast was pop tarts, lunch was pizza, dinner was fast food with a hefty dose of ice cream at night. By the time I hit high school I developed severe IBS, depression and anxiety. The heaviest I've weighed was about 220 lbs and I'm 5' 7".

I went vegan when I was 21, started exercising and lost 50 lbs in just a few months (too quickly) following the Forks Over Knives diet which is basically McDougall. I started feeling weird and getting headaches, so I went to the doctor and I had developed subclinical hypothyroidism, I believe from losing weight so rapidly from intense workouts. Shortly after this I went fruitarian because of the trend and hoping it would heal my hypothyroidism. Geez! This really messed up my health, hormones, my gut, and this made my health even worse than when I was eating the standard American diet. I blamed the vegan diet for all of this and not my dumb trendy diet. I gained my weight back and was back to 200 lbs.

I frantically looked for help online and started incorporating animal products again, as well as cooked foods and junk foods again. This helped me gain some health back surprisingly, but I was still not healthy and had no energy, was depressed, had obsessive compulsive thoughts, and obsessed with trying to feel good. I don't think I had ever really felt good in my life so I just felt hopeless.

Fast forward to the spring of 2017. For the last 6 months prior to this, I had been eating all the food, animal products, junk food, sugar, and developed candida issues. My IBS became unbearable, so I basically intuitively cut out everything except microwaved hannah (white) sweet potatoes. I ate only these sweet potatoes for a couple weeks. I think I accidentally did a Mary's Mini. Once my tummy settled down and started feeling better, I started incorporating other healthy whole foods and some vegetables, sticking to wholesome foods. After some time doing this, I remember waking up one morning realizing that I had sprung out of bed with a zest for life that I don't think I've ever had. I even had so much energy that I WANTED to go for a walk (something that I've never experienced). My gut felt the best it's ever felt. It actually felt GOOD. I was happy go lucky, nothing could bother me, even keel mood. I lost 15 lbs in what seemed like overnight. I couldn't wait to go on bike rides. Around the same time I was starting to eat blackstrap molasses drizzled on my oranges and I thought that it must have helped my iron stores (that I assumed I was low in), so I just attributed my feeling good to eating the molasses! Now I'm realizing it probably wasn't as simplistic as that, and was probably my starch based diet doing the trick, and maybe the molasses gave me a good boost too.

Then, I had an extremely traumatic event happen that caused me to spiral out of control, drink, and eat bad foods again. The next two years I slowly put the weight back on, and haven't been able to get to that same healthy state again.

So here are my issues: anytime I try the McDougall diet now, I feel like my blood sugar is so sensitive and causes my energy levels to plummet, even if I make sure to eat very low fat. I can eat hardly anything without blood sugar spikes and dips, or without it triggering me to overeat. If I eat applesauce in my oats, I crash. If I eat fruit, I crash or it causes IBS. If I eat pasta or bread, I can't regulate it and so I eat too much and crash. So that leaves me with only being able to eat sweet potatoes (can only be microwaved and not baked), brown rice, cooked vegetables, and POSSIBLY oatmeal but it has to be plain because the sugar from fruit or syrup causes a crash. Does anyone have this issue? I feel like my diet has to be so restrictive in order for me to benefit because of my sensitive bowels, sensitive blood sugar, and food addiction. It's like I know what to do feel my best, but it's extremely hard because of how limited I am. And the only way I can make myself interested in the foods is to eat them with hummus (Oasis brand which is oil-free but has tahini - only 1g per serving though). I know that the obvious answer is to go back and do what I did before, but it seems unattainable and not sustainable because it was SO restrictive.

I also want to add that because I feel like my eating can be out of control, I quickly develop obsessions with counting my calories, macros, and nutrients on Cronometer. I will plan my day's meals but it either leaves me hungry or is too MUCH food and I then feel like it overrides my intuition - which to be honest, I don't know what it's like to eat intuitively because of my lack of control around certain foods, and my uncertainty of how much is enough/too much of the healthy foods. This whole aspect has also caused a great deal of stress and turmoil - stressing over calories and making sure I'm hitting nutrient levels. I end up binging on food because of not eating enough after so many days of meal planning. I am still at 195 lbs.

So in conclusion, my main issues are my sensitive blood sugar/energy levels and not knowing why, my food addiction that causes me to overeat on even healthy foods, and my IBS which keeps me from being able to eat sugary/sweet things, even healthy fruit. Does anyone else relate or have these issues?

I believe I have a fruit intolerance and an intolerance to anything remotely processed. I feel like many people have such good results eating a wide variety of McDougall approved foods while I have issues with almost all of them, including potatoes! I think I am okay if they are boiled and cold but otherwise they cause me to crash.

Would love feedback!! I've been going at this alone for so long and know that I need to reach out for help. Thank you so so much.
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby Grammy Ginger » Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:05 pm

I started this WOE because I was very sick with lots of food intolerances and allergies. Most of these have now resolved but it took time and determination. When my tummy was its my worst, eating beans, brown rice, and salad or steamed veggies was my best choice. IBeans and veggies are good at regulating blood sugar, too, which I struggled with. Since age 12, I had trouble with food addictions and eating disorders: emotional eating, bulimia, anorexia. I followed Chef AJ's idea of eating steamed or roasted vegetables for breakfast and staying away from salt, sugar, and flour. I lost a little too much weight plus I turned orange from eating too many sweet potatoes. AJ's ideas which are basically McDougall Maximum Weight loss helped me get over the addictions and disorders. I still crave and eat tons of veggies, salad, and beans but also eat more fruit and grain products (corn tortillas, oats, brown rice, brown rice pasta, and 100% whole grain bread). I don't know if this helps. I wish you well. Have a lovely day.
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby taymariekay » Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:47 pm

Grammy Ginger wrote:I started this WOE because I was very sick with lots of food intolerances and allergies. Most of these have now resolved but it took time and determination. When my tummy was its my worst, eating beans, brown rice, and salad or steamed veggies was my best choice. IBeans and veggies are good at regulating blood sugar, too, which I struggled with. Since age 12, I had trouble with food addictions and eating disorders: emotional eating, bulimia, anorexia. I followed Chef AJ's idea of eating steamed or roasted vegetables for breakfast and staying away from salt, sugar, and flour. I lost a little too much weight plus I turned orange from eating too many sweet potatoes. AJ's ideas which are basically McDougall Maximum Weight loss helped me get over the addictions and disorders. I still crave and eat tons of veggies, salad, and beans but also eat more fruit and grain products (corn tortillas, oats, brown rice, brown rice pasta, and 100% whole grain bread). I don't know if this helps. I wish you well. Have a lovely day.


Thank you so much for your reply (not sure how to do this forum thing yet). I do think I would benefit following Chef AJ's advice, and I have a hunch that MWL and her UWL program are what will help me because of my food issues, but they end up being so hard for me to stick to. I can't eat many raw vegetables, only steamed. When I eat too many vegetables, I end up not eating enough starch and then binging. I guess I just need to find my balance :)

Have you found that you have to stay completely away from flour, sugar and oil or are you healed from addictive food triggers and can have them occasionally? I think that I will unfortunately need to stay away from any flour and sugar forever and I think that thought is so daunting that I can't stick to plan :(
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby landog » Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:58 pm

taymariekay wrote:If I eat applesauce in my oats, I crash. If I eat fruit, I crash or it causes IBS. If I eat pasta or bread, I can't regulate it and so I eat too much


Then don't eat them. Follow the MWL plan.

If weight loss is your goal, watch this video on calorie density!

Here are some resources.
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby Grammy Ginger » Thu Jun 06, 2019 8:38 pm

taymariekay wrote:Have you found that you have to stay completely away from flour, sugar, and oil or are you healed from addictive food triggers and can have them occasionally? I think that I will, unfortunately, need to stay away from any flour and sugar forever and I think that thought is so daunting that I can't stick to plan :(


I did stay away from them completely for about 2.5 years--I thought it would be for life. I will never ever eat oil. Not only does it not enhance flavor in any way, but it is also not needed for cooking. I do eat some flax seed now. I don't generally eat sugar, because it tastes too sweet to me. Fruit satisfies my need for sweets quite well. At the beginning of my no SOSF journey, ate LOTS of sweet potatoes; they taste like dessert. Now, I occasionally eat the white ones so I turn orange. I will never ever eat refined grains or flours but now do eat whole grain flour products such as corn tortillas, brown rice noodles, and whole wheat bread. You don't have to eat salad at all if it doesn't work for you. Steamed or roasted veggies are just as good for you. If grains don't work, eat beans or sweet potatoes. There are so many choices.

Getting away from the triggers for so long has given me power over my appetite. Food doesn't rule my life. It's a tool. My self-esteem and health simply became more important than a momentary taste frenzy. I actually enjoy real food over processed junk now. I don't obsess over food anymore but have found other ways to enrich my life through volunteer work, family time, worship, exercise, and hobbies. Like my favorite dietitian/comedian Jeff Novick says, " Cut the CRAP and get a life."
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby f00die » Thu Jun 06, 2019 11:10 pm

theres a lot going on
what are you actually eating day to day?
and what does "crash" mean?
at 28, do you have a diabetes diagnosis?
do you check your blood sugar?
or is this just a feeling?
the goal is to get the majority of your calories from starch.
no need to worry that its restrictive, nutrient deficient, etc.
or that you are over eating
over time, eating starch every meal, your body will change
and start to heal
heres a possibly helpful link
https://youtu.be/nSXAdJRdc8g?t=1350
and a quote from https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl ... ionate.htm
Starches Are Appetite Satisfying.

The hunger drive keeps you and the whole human race alive. You will not fool your hunger drive by pushing yourself away from the table, putting your fork down between bites, eating from a small plate, or counting calories. It will always hurt to be hungry and you can never train yourself to not feel that pain, even if you practice until you are 90 years old. So give in and eat, you must satisfy this basic survival need. The control you do have is the composition of the foods that are on your plate. Choose wisely. Meat, dairy, and oils for meals will mean overweight and sickness. Starches, vegetables, and fruits will mean a trim fit body and lifetime of excellent health.

and
At times I wondered if I had emotional issues with food because I was never content. Maybe I was a compulsive overeater? Fortunately, my “mental illness,” my compulsiveness, was completely cured once I began eating sufficient amounts of appetite-satisfying carbohydrates, plentiful in starches.
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby michaelswarm » Fri Jun 07, 2019 12:46 am

For food addiction, have you listened to Doug Lisle? He’s psychologist for McDougall Program and also True North and has worked with Chef AJ too. He has good explanation of addictions in general and food addiction in particular. Another person who relates to food addiction is Andrew Taylor (SpudFit).

Recently listened to a couple of plant based gastroenterologists interviewed about IBS. See this post for list.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=59727

Get all the community support that you can. Learn all that you can. You can learn from your previous success and your previous setback. Mindset is important.

You are young and open and aware, which are all things in your favor.
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby taymariekay » Fri Jun 07, 2019 7:19 am

Grammy Ginger wrote:Getting away from the triggers for so long has given me power over my appetite. Food doesn't rule my life. It's a tool. My self-esteem and health simply became more important than a momentary taste frenzy. I actually enjoy real food over processed junk now. I don't obsess over food anymore but have found other ways to enrich my life through volunteer work, family time, worship, exercise, and hobbies. Like my favorite dietitian/comedian Jeff Novick says, " Cut the CRAP and get a life."


Your reply is really, really helpful. It seems like we are very alike! I'm going to remember that quote, it's a good one :) Starting today I am going to keep all my trigger foods completely out and see how it goes.

f00die wrote:what are you actually eating day to day?
and what does "crash" mean?
at 28, do you have a diabetes diagnosis?
do you check your blood sugar?
or is this just a feeling?


f00die, thank you for your reply and resources! I am eating a lot of potatoes, but also a lot of fruit. Sometimes I will eat too much pasta and bread. Crash means that my energy completely plummets and I have no motivation to do anything. It's very odd. I wonder if I have food intolerance's as well. My recent check up showed no signs of diabetes or blood sugar problems. It is just a feel that I get and I assume it's blood sugar because it affects my energy, but maybe it is something else? I am going to only eat foods that I know won't give me a crash, and stay away from fruit (which is hard for me)!

michaelswarm wrote:For food addiction, have you listened to Doug Lisle? He’s psychologist for McDougall Program and also True North and has worked with Chef AJ too. He has good explanation of addictions in general and food addiction in particular. Another person who relates to food addiction is Andrew Taylor (SpudFit).


michaelswarm, thank you! I actually did a consult with Dr. Lisle when I was having really bag binging episodes a couple years ago. He recommended completely abstaining from the trigger foods. It's as if I know what to do, but putting it into action is difficult - I work at Whole Foods surrounded by all the junk foods (which is ironic) and I live with people who eat junk, so it can be really hard. I am trying to get everyone on the McDougall wagon with me :)

Thanks everyone for your replies! They are so so very helpful. I think what also keeps me from succeeding is not being able to eat the foods that make my starches enjoyable, like maple syrup, hummus, etc.. But I know that I will soon adjust if I stick to it :)
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby Lyndzie » Fri Jun 07, 2019 9:11 am

I used to work in Specialty at Whole Foods when I first started eating this way. Slicing all those gourmet cheeses, right next to bakery, it was hard!! What department are you in? I feel like the only “safe” ones are front end and produce. Have you been able to connect with other people who eat similarly? I have many WFPB friends who were either co-workers or customers. You are lucky to work in a place that attracts the WFPB crowd.
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Re: I'm New and Need Help (Blood Sugar, Food Addiction, and

Postby taymariekay » Fri Jun 07, 2019 11:11 am

Lyndzie wrote:I used to work in Specialty at Whole Foods when I first started eating this way. Slicing all those gourmet cheeses, right next to bakery, it was hard!! What department are you in? I feel like the only “safe” ones are front end and produce. Have you been able to connect with other people who eat similarly? I have many WFPB friends who were either co-workers or customers. You are lucky to work in a place that attracts the WFPB crowd.


That’s funny! I actually am a supervisor in the front end, which does help, but it’s the snacks we keep up front and the break room that’s packed with junk! I have to eat in the cafe to avoid it all! I think I’m the only WFPB eater/attempter here lol. It’s really hard!
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