Kathleen's Getting off Insulin Whole30

[crankymom]

So, I started my first whole30 on January 1st and it is only the 8th and I am astounded by the results. I went into the program hoping for different things that most people probably do. After numerous lackluster attempts at low carbing, primal eating, etc. I decided to jump into the deep end with Whole30. I'm doing the program as written. I've truly not eaten any sugar, grains, dairy, alcohol, etc unlike the times on low carb diets when I hadn't eliminated those things entirely. (I know, I know, just spit out what you wanna say already... )

So after only a week, I have reduced my mealtime insulin by 86%. I went from around 35 units a day to a total of 4-5 a day. Not only that, by my overnight insulin dose has been cut by 30%. I have not once become hypoglycemic due to plummeting bloodsugars which came after bloodsugar readings which had been too high earlier in the day. I have not woken up sweating with heart palpitations from trying to get that Dam insulin dose right. My blood sugar control has been absolutely perfect. BTW, my doctor has given me complete control over the amount of insulin I take. I've been doing this for 13 years (since being gestationally diabetic and getting to keep diabetes as a booby prize) and he trusts me.

I will not be surprised if continuing with the Whole30 is the thing which finally helps me say goodbye to insulin forever. Nothing I've ever tried has brought me this close. I'm so hopeful.

No idea if weightloss is happening, but I suspect it is. My nagging knee pain is also vastly reduced, almost gone really.

I will not lie to you. I'm finding that working full time and raising 3 boys plus trying to do the Whole30 perfectly well is very difficult for me (please note that I bore 3 children and am still saying this!). However, just like having kids, you just know it is going to be worth it. I'm also lucky in that my husband is along for the ride as well. Very supportive of him! He's seeing some improvement with his chronic digestive issues.

I'll try and post weekly results.

Cheers everyone and good luck on your journeys.

[Robin Strathdee]

This is phenomenal! Congratulations, and we can't wait to hear more!

[CSB1960]

Congrats! Awesome job on your blood sugar.

[crankymom]

Thanks everyone. I decided to include a little bit more about what I'm eating and what else I've been experiencing during my first 9 days.

Yesterday I had

BF: slice of crustless spinach and bacon (sugar free but not nitrate free bacon). 1/2 an avocado cup of coffee with coconut milk/coconut oil

I have learned that eating lots of good fats with breakfast helps me to not need an insulin shot with lunch. I'm not sure of the reason why

Lunch: Home made meatsauce with veggies over spaghetti squash, small handful olives

Dinner: Flank steak salad over spring greens, hard boiled eggs, avocado, carrots radishes, oil and vinegar, 1/2 a small clementine

Snacks: Coconut flakes, walnuts, pecan medley.

So, it's not all ponies and rainbows. I was immensely cranky over the weekend to the point that my husband was like "this plan is not really a good fit for you", but then I turned the corner and my mood is slowly getting better.

I also noticed that I just can't eat certain fruits such as the clementine for dinner without suffering a spike in glucose. Pears don't have the same effect. I'm still experimenting with the higher carb but Whole30 foods. This weekend I'm planning on making sweet potato and ground beef hash. We'll see how that goes.

[crankymom]

Almost half way there and things are still going well. The only thing that I cannot really eat too much of is fruit, so I'm pretty much leaving it alone for the time being.

Some other positives that I noticed were that PMS apparently decided to pass me by completely this month. This is good news for me and those around me.

I have had to add a belt to my pants, so I'm thinking this is a positive sign.

My husband's 5 year battle with digestive issues is completely over. In fact, he is feeling so good that he is writing a letter to his doctor outlining whole30 so that the doctor can pass that along to the next patient who isn't helped by any other means.

I'm not lying to you, the weekends pretty much suck eggs with all the food shopping, prep and cooking. I'm going to have to become more efficient soon because although I like to cook a lot, I don't like doing it for two days straight. I get home too late to be the one to make dinner at night so my husband does that ususally. Now I try and make 3-4 meals a week ahead of time so that he can just pop them in the oven.

Any suggestions for speeding up the cooking process are very welcome!

[crankymom]

New Milestone - I had to take no (none, nada, zero) mealtime insulin yesterday. Whoo Hoo! My glucose readings were never higher than 160. I consider this a miracle.

What I ate yesterday?

BF: half avocado, two hard boiled eggs. 1 cup coffee with coconut oil and coconut milk

Lunch: Homeade tomato bisque (made with coconut milk). Sauteed swiss chard, 1 small pork cutlet

Dinner: Homeade chicken liver pate (love it!) with celery. 1 chicken skewer. I wasn't really hungry.

Snacks: Nuts and coconut flakes.

No fruit yesterday at all definitely impacted by glucose readings.

[crankymom]

So, after having a few days with zero mealtime insulin, I have had to take some in the last couple of days. Still less than 10 units a day, but more than I was hoping for. My overnight insulin is down again though. I had a test done a couple years ago which was supposed to measure how much insuline my pancreas is still producing, but it was hard to interpret, and there was some question as to whether I had done the right things before hand. LIke I think that I wasn't supposed to take any insulin the night before /day of and I did. So, who knows.

For the last few days all I have wanted to do is crawl in bed and sleep. I am not motivated to do anything. I walked a couple times over the weekend, but nothing more than that and I skipped the gym yesterday. Today I'm going. I think this is more of a winter time phenomenon. I feel like hibernating. I am still eating good food and trying to get enough rest. I weight must be declining because I recently put on some jeans that I hadn't been able to wear in like 5 years. That made me pretty darn happy. I wore them all weekend.

[Renee Lee]

how're your vitamin d levels? your talk of hibernating and lack of motivation smells like it could be D related.

[crankymom]

Hi Renee -

I'm not sure, but I do supplement with about 2000 to 3000 units a day. I have bloodwork scheduled for the end of February so I may ask my doc if he can add that test on. Thanks for the suggestion.

[crankymom]

Well I wrapped up my Whole30 two days ago. Overall, I was extremely pleased with the results of the program. I lost just shy of 10lbs, and probably inches off my waist even though I haven't done the follow up measuring. I am wearing clothes I haven't been able to get into for 4+ years.

While I did not manage to complete drop insulin from my life, it has been greatly reduced, and may still happen with continuing weight loss, adding strength training, and a bit of luck.

Here's what I am most pleased with:

• Losing weight (given)
  
• reducing insulin
  
• Slaying my sugar dragon
  
• Having my knees and joints not crack anymore
  
• Sleeping way better
  
• My new healthy eating habits
  

I have decided not to add certain things back into my life. Wheat/gluten is gone for good. I thought that I'd miss it and crave it like mad, but I don't and I truly believe that it was like a poison in my body. I'm not adding back beans. Never liked them anyhow. I will do occasional soy sauce at a Japanese restaurant, but that's it. I'm not adding back refined sugars either. Nope, done. I just classify pizza and cookies as things which are not food. I am also drastically limiting chocolate. I have two fine chocolate shops across the street from me which I will buy a truffle from once in awhile. No more chocolate in my desk.

• Things that I am adding back in are cheese (only when cooking with it or in a salad, not out of hand)
  
• Sugar substitutes since I cannot eat fruit due to glucose issues but only occasional treats
  
• Alcohol, but rarely, and no more beer at home. Beer is my one exception to the gluten rule. If there is a good beer when I'm out, I may have one, but I am not keeping it at home. I do have bourbon and gin at home for a drink once or twice a month.
  
• I'm also relaxing the strict ingredient restrictions when buying bacon, or worchestershire sauce, or chicken broth. I'm ok with 2g of sugar or less in something.
  

I plan on continuing to eat this way for life. It makes sense and I feel good. My husband is also going to keep up with it with very few additions back to the diet. He's kicked wheat to the curb as well.

I will do another Whole30 in the future if I find that my diet is slipping back into unhealthy habits. The fact that I look at food very differently is going to help me stay on track. Doritos, cookies, pizza etc don't even seem like real food anymore. They don't tempt me, and I'm happy about that.

Thanks all for your support!