Nutrition Battle

The one area of type 1 diabetes that has caused me the most frustration the last few years has been nutrition. I have tried everything under the sun. It seems like the more I know about nutrition and how the body works, the more confused I become. There are so many different approaches. There are books, the internet and other resources to sift through. Trying to find the ideal approach has left me questioning too much. There are high carb, low carb, no carb, Carb Nite, CBL, Paleo, the Zone, the ADA, IIFYM, traditional American diet and everything else. Ahhhh! 

A few weeks ago I was in the midst of a war on carbs. I was eating a lot of fat and protein. I was run down and tired. The blood sugars weren't doing that great either. I would be good for about an hour then the blood sugars would elevate and stay elevated for a few hours. They wouldn't get real high, but they hovered around 160-190. Lifting weights and training for strongman suffered as well. I needed to make a change.

I started working with a nutrionist that knows what is like to push the body. With her we setup a macronutrient breakdown of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fats. I did this in the past with decent results. 

 At first, I was scared of all the carbs. I have kept the carbs to fruits, veggies, and gluten free foods. I have been feeling pretty good and have had good control. My caloric intake has increased a bunch and I keep track and measure out my food now. This can be a nuisance at times. It truley makes me realize how much I was under eating. There's no reason I should have only been around or below 2,000 calories a day. No wonder I stalled so often with my strength numbers. 

It's only been about 2.5 weeks, but I have leaned out a bit and I have had more energy training. What needs to happen is that I stay the course for the long run with minor adjustments made here and there. Consistency is key here. I want to feel good and become strong. 

The War On Carbs

For the last month and a half I have kept my carb intake to less than 40 grams a day. My control has been much improved. 

Using my Dexcom CGM along with my pump, has made things a lot easier. I have been using square wave bolusing because of the amount of fat I have been eating. Coconut oil is my new best friend.

Performance wise, things are going well. I am back to programming for myself. I thought I wouldn't have enough energy to train without the carbs, but that hasn't been the case. Since my numbers have been more regulated, I feel pretty good day in and day out. 

I have no idea what my next athletic endevour will be. For the last month, I have been lifting and doing short spurts of conditioning. I still have an itch to compete in strength sports. I am leaning more towards strongman than anything else. I wouldn't mind a little CrossFit comp if it is heavier and shorter.

Competing is double edged sword sometimes. I miss it and am not aiming towards any goal. It's been refreshing not thinking about competing in anything the last two months. The time spent with my family has been wonderful. 

This Friday I will be doing blood work for a doctor's appointment in a few weeks. I believe I am on track for an A1C in the 6s. The war on carbs will help me see better control.