More Dieter-Friendly Foods

Dieter-friendly foods typically share characteristics such as low calories, high fiber, and essential nutrients that support overall health while aiding weight management. I recently blogged about celery, which I call a "dieter's friend". Here are several other foods that can be classified as dieter-friendly, along with the reasons why they are effective for those looking to maintain or lose weight: Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard) High in fiber and very low in calories, leafy greens can be added to meals in large quantities without significantly increasing calorie intake. They're also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) Berries are low in calories but high in fiber and nutrients. They also contain natural sugars, which can satisfy sweet cravings without the calorie load of refined sugars. Berries are also permitted on many low-carb diets. Just be careful not to eat too many. A handful as a topping fo
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Why I Decided to do Low Carb


In June of 2023 when I started my new healthy way of living and eating, I initially got back into Weight Watchers. I knew about it, I had already done it, I had experienced some success with it, I found it easy to follow. There are no meetings where I live, so I joined the online program.

I found it easy to follow, as before, and I started losing weight immediately. However, since I am diabetic I was studying about how the body metabolizes sugar and fat and insulin, and how some people are resistant to insulin (I definitely am). Even with the standard Weight Watchers diet, I was seeing my fasting glucose numbers start to come down, I was able to slowly start decreasing the amount of insulin I was injecting every morning. I had been reading a lot (and watching a lot of videos) about low carb, keto (ketogenic), carnivore, and those types of eating plans. I was fascinated by the stories that many people were sharing, of how they were able to lose weight more easily and even get off insulin.

So I decided to try it out for a couple of weeks to see how it made me feel. I was really surprised. My fasting glucose numbers started coming down very fast. My weight loss was even better than with the standard WW plan that I had been following. I was having to reduce my insulin so much that I became very curious as to what would happen if I stopped taking insulin. I admit that this made me pretty nervous. I decided to try it, but to closely monitor my glucose levels. It might be a little silly, but for two days I measured my glucose every hour. LOL! Yes, I was that nervous about it.

Note: I do not advocate or recommend that anyone stop taking any medication that has been prescribed for them by a competent physician. I am merely telling the story of my own experience. I am not recommending that anyone do what I did.

I continued using WW to count the "points" of everything that I ate, but after a while I decided that it didn't really make sense, if I planned to continue with a very low carb or keto diet. The goals are completely different, and I wanted something that would track the percentage of fat/protein/carbs that I was consuming on a daily basis. After trying a lot of different apps, I finally settled on one that is called FatSecret. Once I figured out how to change the macros (fat/protein/carbs) to the target numbers I was looking for, it has turned out to be a very valid tool for me. I pay a few dollars a month for the pro version, because I wanted to be able to add/save my own recipes and have it calculate everything for me.

I don't care about having a community or anything like that. I'm weird maybe. Many people seem to have a need or desire to talk with other people about their diet and exercise, or to have "accountability" with a group of people. Personally I find all of that distracting. I just want to know what my goals are, and get them done. Maybe if I wasn't totally convinced about what I'm doing, or it wasn't working the way I thought it should, it might be a good idea to have a sort of support group where I could talk about the challenges I'm facing and get ideas for how to overcome them. But that's not me, at least not for now.

I do talk to my husband about what I'm doing, and he's a great listener. He never criticizes, he has never said to me that I should lose weight, he has never told me what I should or should not do. We both share things that we've noticed or learned about various diets, exercise, and whatnot, but neither of us ever says to the other one "you should do this or that". As I've said in previous posts, I am the one who decides what's right for me.

Therefore, I'm also the one to blame if something is working or not working. Remember my number one rule: I can eat anything that I want, but I have to be honest about it. If I'm honest, then I am able to correctly evaluate the situation, rather than make excuses. If I'm honest about it, then I can fix it or change it or get help or whatever needs to be done.

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The information provided here is not intended as medical advice and should not be considered a substitute for professional healthcare guidance. It is offered for informational purposes only, and individuals should consult with qualified healthcare professionals for personalized advice regarding their health conditions.