Black holes and revelations

[clevermanka]

Sometimes I wonder about my memory, you guys.

I recently eliminated fruit from my diet, in an effort to further cut down potential inflammation. I wasn't making much progress with the AIP, and I know that raw foods are problematic for me. So it was easy enough to conclude the fruit might be keeping me from seeing results on the AIP. I was into my third week of no fruit when I remembered the part about needing more glucose than some people because of my body's need for extra support converting T3 to T4. *facepalm*

Obviously, I shall be reincorporating a few select fruits that are high glucose, low glycemic index, and have a low inflammatory rating. Medjool dates top the list, with bananas somewhat at the bottom of my acceptable range, thanks to a higher inflammation factor. But bananas are convenient, tasty, and not terribly sweet. Grapes are okay (at least they meet my criteria for acceptable for my purposes), but they're so sweet. I worry they'll trigger sugar cravings. Pomegranate juice is okay, which is a good thing since that's what I use to take my BioSil (it and Cod Liver Oil are the only supplements I still take that aren't prescribed by Dr. Khosh).

So! A few limited fruits are back on the menu. I hope this eliminates the muscle fatigue and sleeping problems (which, according to research and experience, it should).

BTW, this is the nutrition data website I used. It has a lot of information about foods, far beyond the typical protein/carbs/fat nutrition data labels.

As I approach the halfway mark of my AIP experiment, I feel ready to start looking at What Next. One of the things I appreciate about the AIP is that it's actually really easy. I mean, I'm just doing what someone else tells me. I can't tell you what a relief and a blessing that is. Years of experimentation and floundering around in uncharted waters is exhausting. Yes, the AIP is limiting, and I've given up a lot of stuff, but it's been a fucking walk in the park compared to when I was first negotiating gluten-free, then grain-free, then paleo, etc.

It's not news to me that I like being told what to do. I'm a secretary. I take direction well. And, really, self-experimentation is not fun when your life is on the line. It's all well and good for people like Timothy Ferriss, but I'm not (yet?) at a point where I try things to see how much better I can do them. I'm just trying to keep doing things at all. So yeah, having someone competent and who has gone through similar trials telling me what to do is Just Great.

That knowledge about myself leads me to wonder if I should try the year-long program from Precision Nutrition. I agree with mckitterick's opinion that it sounds kind of cult-y, but so did CrossFit. Also, one of the women's counselors is Krista Scott-Dixon of Stumptous, whom I've adored for years. It's pretty expensive, though, and I have a lot of questions about the exercise program especially (like, would I need to join a gym--that's a dealbreaker). But it's something on my radar, anyway.

Next week, after my body has had a chance to acclimate to the higher glucose in my diet, I'll write up an analysis of how I feel, six(ish) weeks into the AIP.

Comments

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

Hopefully, the added fruit will add a little flavor too. Although, you haven't seemed to mind the lack so much after the first week.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've stopped actively missing it. Won't deny those dates tasted really fucking good last night, though.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Glad you're doing well on the AIP; my sympathy and an I'm-right-there-with-you fistbump on the brainfart!

I eat at least an apple a day; it fills me up without adding a lot of heavy calories, plus 1) I like adding the fiber to my diet, 2) it's a sort of a dessert, and, 3) as you say, they aren't as sweet as grapes, especially if I get Gala or Jonagold or Fuji apples, as opposed to Red Delicious or Golden Delicious.
Rather than just knawing them, I cut them up into sections, because my mouth would drive me to distraction if I ate them whole. They may be completely off your list, but they work well for me. Grapes, on the other hand, apparently have some sort of astringent thingie going on with me, as far as my innards are concerned.
And I eat raw carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers-anything in a salad, really.
The hard part is that I don't like eating lots of raw food when it's cold out. I want hot, filling, heavy stuff.
So, thank heavens the weather is starting to warm up, so I can get back to light eating, as well as getting out and walking more than the couple of blocks to take the dogs on their nightly stroll! We got in a mile a couple of days ago, and then the freezer door got left open again, so back to a short walk last night. Hopefully it will warm up a bit more today!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Apples are very high fructose, which is something I try to avoid. And I can't eat them raw, anyway. Which is fine. I don't like raw foods even when it's boiling hot out.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Huh-and yet, most of the time, they aren't as sweet as grapes.

Guess it's sort of like lemons-if I recall correctly, they have the highest sugar content of any fruit-and taste sour as hell!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Fructose and glucose are two different types of sugar. So sweetness level doesn't really have anything to do with whether I can eat it or not. It's the fructose/glucose ratio.

I'm not sure where you saw that data about lemons, but it's really wrong. There's five grams of sugar in a cup of lemon, cubed. Twenty-three grams in a cup of grapes.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Huh. I hadn't thought about the glucose thing either.

mmmm dates! At least it's something with some mouthfeel and chewy factor, too.

Cool site! Self was always my go-to glossy mag when I was buying them for information as well as well.. glossy stuff.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought about the glucose thing either.

I felt really stupid when I realized.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

It kind of explains sugar cravings, though.

The body knows.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Holy crap, I hadn't even thought of that part! How did I not make that connection? JEEZUS, WTF.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Man, no kidding - good eye! I should be more on-the-ball about all these restrictions and requirements and so forth that CR must follow so that I can help out, because we all forget some details sometimes.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

I have the Precision Nutrition big binder guide thingie you can look through, if you feel that would be helpful. I didn't take the leap to sign up for their Lean Coaching (or whatever their calling it).

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Oh WOW! That would be super. Thank you thank you thank you! I had no idea you'd looked into this, too.

OH AND I FORGOT, mckitterick will probably be home Friday night for you to drop off that stuff. If for some reason he's not, you can leave it on the back porch. I don't think the squirrels will bother it. =) I'll leave the other yogurt container back there, too!

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Yup. Looked into it and found some inspiration, but have decided (for now) that it's just not a leap I can take. Maybe someday...in the meantime, I'll be glad the resource can be of service. You'll have quite the box of goodies when you get home on Friday night. :)

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

Hopefully, the added fruit will add a little flavor too. Although, you haven't seemed to mind the lack so much after the first week.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've stopped actively missing it. Won't deny those dates tasted really fucking good last night, though.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Glad you're doing well on the AIP; my sympathy and an I'm-right-there-with-you fistbump on the brainfart!

I eat at least an apple a day; it fills me up without adding a lot of heavy calories, plus 1) I like adding the fiber to my diet, 2) it's a sort of a dessert, and, 3) as you say, they aren't as sweet as grapes, especially if I get Gala or Jonagold or Fuji apples, as opposed to Red Delicious or Golden Delicious.
Rather than just knawing them, I cut them up into sections, because my mouth would drive me to distraction if I ate them whole. They may be completely off your list, but they work well for me. Grapes, on the other hand, apparently have some sort of astringent thingie going on with me, as far as my innards are concerned.
And I eat raw carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers-anything in a salad, really.
The hard part is that I don't like eating lots of raw food when it's cold out. I want hot, filling, heavy stuff.
So, thank heavens the weather is starting to warm up, so I can get back to light eating, as well as getting out and walking more than the couple of blocks to take the dogs on their nightly stroll! We got in a mile a couple of days ago, and then the freezer door got left open again, so back to a short walk last night. Hopefully it will warm up a bit more today!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Apples are very high fructose, which is something I try to avoid. And I can't eat them raw, anyway. Which is fine. I don't like raw foods even when it's boiling hot out.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Huh-and yet, most of the time, they aren't as sweet as grapes.

Guess it's sort of like lemons-if I recall correctly, they have the highest sugar content of any fruit-and taste sour as hell!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Huh. I hadn't thought about the glucose thing either.

mmmm dates! At least it's something with some mouthfeel and chewy factor, too.

Cool site! Self was always my go-to glossy mag when I was buying them for information as well as well.. glossy stuff.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought about the glucose thing either.

I felt really stupid when I realized.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

It kind of explains sugar cravings, though.

The body knows.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

I have the Precision Nutrition big binder guide thingie you can look through, if you feel that would be helpful. I didn't take the leap to sign up for their Lean Coaching (or whatever their calling it).

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Oh WOW! That would be super. Thank you thank you thank you! I had no idea you'd looked into this, too.

OH AND I FORGOT, mckitterick will probably be home Friday night for you to drop off that stuff. If for some reason he's not, you can leave it on the back porch. I don't think the squirrels will bother it. =) I'll leave the other yogurt container back there, too!

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Yup. Looked into it and found some inspiration, but have decided (for now) that it's just not a leap I can take. Maybe someday...in the meantime, I'll be glad the resource can be of service. You'll have quite the box of goodies when you get home on Friday night. :)