I weigh over 300 pounds and have for about 4 years. My weight fluctuates a lot – from 327 to 342 over the course of a few months. When I started getting back into theater, 6 years ago, I weighed around 280. I thought that was a big deal, then, but I see pictures of myself from that time and I was small compared to my weight, now.
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with “toe in the water” Type 2 diabetes. Instead of managing it, I went into denial. A couple months ago, I had some alarming symptoms: thirst all the time, waking up multiple times in the night to “water cycle” (i.e., water out, water in), and a sudden vision change. I went to the doc, who tested my blood sugar and fund it to be 338 (normal maximum is 150). She immediately started me on insulin and metformin. My fasting sugar has dropped to “high normal” (generally the 130s & 140s), but that is with the help of insulin.
My doctor has assured me that I have a good chance to getting off the insulin if I lose the weight. I have tried all sorts of ways to lose weight over the past umpteen years – Weight Watchers, Atkins, Primal Blueprint, vegetarian, vegan – and nothing really seems to do it. This morning, I received an email from a dear friend (and unapologetic bookworm) who is reading a book about the negative effects of wheat (not just what gluten) on the body’s systems. Another dear friend is working her way through a 10 Days No Sugar challenge (last we spoke she was on Day 5 and breathing through the cravings).
So now I am considering an experiment: 10 Days No Wheat. Really, we might as well say 10 days no food, since pasta and pizza dough are my staples, but I’m not going to be dramatic. Even if I were, it’s not nearly as dramatic as losing a toe, or going blind, or dying. I have the pasta dish I made yesterday to work through (if I don’t eat it, no one else will). I also have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and can discuss this thought with my doc.
I’ll update my progress.