The First Few Weeks

So how am I getting on with my new healthy eating regime?

To tell you the truth, I don't remember too much from over eight years ago. I do remember however, that I was fairly strong willed with my meals. I did stick to my meal plans, on the whole. I did cheat sometimes.

But I did buy a couple of chocolate bars and biscuits.

Do you remember me saying that I have a Sugar Addiction?

My bread intake was cut right down. I bought one calorie fry spray for cooking. No more alcohol. Just diet soda type drinks and water. I detest the taste of Co**, so Diet P***i was my main vice in those early days. No snacking stuff like crisps or tortillas and dips.

I took a tub of something with salad to work for my dinner. I tried lots of low calorie, low fat, low satisfaction type things. I attempted to satisfy myself with this stuff.

Oh how boring my life had become. But hey! I'm losing some weight. Plus.... my sugar levels must be coming down?

After a month I was asked to give blood again. In order to check my glucose levels. See if my health kick had borne any fruits.

I don't know if many people have the same problem as me, but the minute a needle goes into me, my veins collapse. This makes it difficult to give blood and it is also gets very painful.

After multiple stabs in both arms and no luck, I did advise the increasingly frustrated blood taking nurse to bite my neck as it would be less painful.

Well that went down like a vampire in a church. No sense of humour...... She did however, get half of a vial of blood from me..... Eventually......

I return to see my diabetes nurse and she gives the results of my full check up. Heart, kidney, liver, cholesterol, BP. The lot. Everything is fine. Plus...... I had lost over half a stone in weight. If I were a dog, I would have broken furniture with my wagging tail. I was soooo encouraged.

Now my glucose levels? That's Blood Sugar to normal people....

What? It was fluctuating up and down. That didn't compute with me. If I am cutting out just about all of my sugar intake, why is it spiking and dipping....?

"I haven't been cheating"! I protest most profusely to my sweet suffering diabetes nurse. "I'm not eating sugary things".

Honestly!......

So where the hell is all this sugar coming from?

I'm doing the right thing but these readings are making me look like a liar..... I run through everything I can remember in an attempt to identify how the sugar was entering my body. NOTHING!

The next blood letting appointment came and went fairly painfully. This time I raised the idea of leeches with my newly named Vampirella, the mega unimpressed blood letting nurse.....

Nope. Still Nothing! Not even a grin......

My diabetes nurse calls me in to discuss everything again. I informed her that I had finally worked out where the extra sugar had come from. It was from a place that nobody had informed me about....

Yoghurt

I and many other dieters are totally unaware that most yoghurt is so full of sugar. Especially the flavoured ones.

I also worked out why my veins were collapsing whilst being stuck with needles.... Dehydration!

I have since drunk much more water before a blood letting. The night before and prior to Vampirella attacking me. That has seemed to have done the trick.