It's not a diet as in 'counting calories just till I fit that dress', it's a diet as in 'this what I eat on a regular basis'. There is a difference, you know, and it has helped me tremendously to live the latter rather than the former.
Ever since my sister mentioned the words Insulin Resistance to me, I have searched the web for information. I didn't like what I found, particularly the potential outcome of the condition - a possibility of diabetes developing.
The fear for my health, plus not being pleased with my appearance, catapulted some changes in my life. I researched the kinds of foods I should be eating and shopped accordingly. Whole grains, brown rice, foods that have a low glycemic index. I sweetened my tea with honey instead of sugar and I drank a lot of water.
I didn't totally eliminate refined foods from my diet, my family was not jumping on this bandwagon with me, lol. But I think the occasional mac'n'cheese or slice of pizza was not a big deal. I kinda viewed them as treats for myself. I still craved some sugar too, lol, so I buy a slice of cake when the urge hits me and stretch it out over a few days.
One day I took the kids to get some burgers and fries, and I ordered some for myself along with some sweet tea. Ladies and gentlemen, let me just say my body didn't appreciate me re-introducing that junk on such a large scale. My blood sugar spiked, then dropped leaving me feeling weak, irritable and in need of a nap. Let's just say I won't be doing that again, lol.
After all this time, I had expected so see some weight-loss, some changes in the mirror. I don't own a scale, so I hadn't weighed myself. I didn't think that I looked any different, but I look at myself everyday and when you do that you don't see the subtle changes.
And then....today I pulled out a pair of pants that I hadn't worn in months. The last time I had put them on, it was a struggle to fasten them. They were tight on my thighs, and cut into my waist. Not today! Today, they glided up over my hips, and when I zipped and buttoned them, there wasn't a muffin-top in sight! They fit like they were supposed to. I was beyond pleased.
It has encouraged me to keep doing what I'm doing. Yes, I know my health is the most important thing, but I also know that my outward appearance reflects that health. It's been a long wait to see results, and I probably could have gotten here faster by being more radical, but I don't mind the trip. I kinda like the scenic route.
