Another Diet Disappointment

It's been a while since I tried dieting but the doctor said I was my A1C test shows I am at risk for diabetes. The nutritionist gave me lists of the glycemic value of foods and said that following the plan should help me lose a few pounds and keep my blood sugar down. She tried to make it sound easy but I knew it wasn't. I was already on a restricted diet for multiple food allergies.

Still, I tried hard to follow her advice. At her suggestion, I tried hemp protein and chia fiber, but they both made me ill. I read two books on low-glycemic diets and a third book on blood glucose levels. Although I've followed a fairly low-carb diet for many years, I tightened it up by cutting out white rice and baked potatoes, and I added in a little more protein.

So I did the homework but failed the exam. In the first two weeks, I gained two pounds. My energy levels dropped and I started having episodes that felt like low blood sugar, and my already-low blood pressure dropped a couple of points. Just walking up the driveway left me dizzy. The nutritionist recommended some supplements that didn't seem to help much.

Another two months passed and I gained two more pounds. I admit that I am snacking a bit when those weak and dizzy spells hit me. And now my energy is finally coming back, but I don't know whether it's because of the snacks or because I'm getting to bed earlier.

The only reducing diet that resulted in weight loss for me was Atkins. Unfortunately it had digestive side-effects that made it unhealthy for me.

Years ago I went on a 1600 calorie diet and gained weight. I cut back to 1400 calories and stopped gaining but did not lose even though I was careful and wrote down the calories in everything I ate. Then I cut back even further and finally lost 4 pounds... but it took 4 months. By then I felt exhausted and my skin was so dry from cutting out fat that it was cracking. A visit to the doctor and a blood test set me straight. The doctor said I wasn't getting enough protein and needed to get off the diet. I did, of course. But I often wonder if that severe dieting might have caused some permanent damage since my food allergies and sensitivities really started multiplying after that.

[Foods I actually test "allergic" to include wheat, baker's yeast, brewer's yeast, black pepper, black tea, white beans, and white fish. I won't bore you here with the list of additional foods that I cannot digest without severe symptoms.]