6) CONTROLLING WEIGHT
e) Food "Rules"
All cultures have developed some strong rules and "paradigms" around food. For instance, most of us have heard that it is necessary to clean one's plate and to not waste food. In some households wasting food is right up there with murder as a crime. It is vital for any weight loss program that that "rule" be permanently broken. It is much better that a food ends up in the trash rather than that food increases the blood glucose level of person with type 2 diabetes or that food adding one tenth of a pound to the body weight of a person trying to lose weight. Yes, there are people starving in the world, but ruining the control of a case of diabetes won't help that starvation. Anyone with type 2 diabetes needs to eat slowly and stop eating when they are full, don't "clean the plate" out of habit or because you paid a lot for it in a restaurant.
Another "rule" is that a meal must consist of eating four to six "servings". Some cultures eat meals that have at least 6 servings of "stuff"; a salad, two or three meats, bread, potatoes, pasta, vegetables, and desert. Even very small portions are difficult on a diet if there are six small portions. There is nothing wrong with a meal that consists only on one serving of something such as fish. And the biggest problem of all might well be not hurting the cook's feelings. If a person doesn't eat at least three servings; the cook might well say, "what, you don't like my cooking?" And if the cook is the spouse, there can be problems, obviously.
Another often used excuse is that it is difficult to make "special" meals just for the individual with type 2 diabetes. Now in actuality any diet that helps the individual with diabetes control their type 2 diabetes is exactly the diet which will help everyone in the family live longer and be healthier. These diets should not be though of as "special" they should simply be though of as "healthy", because that is exactly what they are. Everything that prolongs the life of an individual with type 2 diabetes will also prolong the life of an individual without type 2 diabetes.
There are also "rules" for good weight loss dieting, regardless of the particular weight loss diet selected. The "National Weight Control Registry" is doing a large research study into the habits of people who have lost weight and kept it off (you can find their website at www.nwcr.ws ). They say:
"We have also started to learn about how the weight loss was accomplished:
45% of registry participants lost the weight on their own and the other 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program.
98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off.Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh them self at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day."
We've underlined the important results as we see them. The amount of exercise reported was astounding. The "always eat breakfast rule" is questionable for someone with type 2 diabetes if that person suffers from the "dawn phenomenon". Our Paleolithic ancestors probably did not have breakfast, they ate as they found food. They didn't have boxes of cereal in the cupboard. The body naturally releases carbohydrate stores from the liver just prior to the time it "thinks" it's going to wake up, probably because our ancestors did not have breakfast available to them. This is what increases the metabolism and "revs up the body" in the morning. It is the basis of the "dawn phenomenon" in individuals with diabetes. We don't like rigid eating times. We're more inclined to go with the "eat only when your stomach growls" or "eat only when you are really hungry" philosophy., a person should eat only when they are really hungry and should stop eating when they have had enough to satisfy the craving for food. If you are hungry in the morning, eat some very high fiber cereal, beans or some vegetables, but don't worry about breakfast if you are not hungry. This is especially true if a person with type 2 diabetes gets the "dawn phenomenon", or a spike in blood sugar when they wake up, eating breakfast will just increase the "dawn phenomenon".
Current Chapter: 6) CONTROLLING WEIGHT
a) Introduction
b) What is "Overweight"
c) The Endless Cycles of an Overweight Person with Type 2 Diabetes
d) Food and Diet
e) Food "Rules"
f) USDA Food Pyramid
g) Adaptive Human Body
h) Timing of Meals
i) Serving Size
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