The Whole30 from a Diabetic Perspective

My husband Rob and I have been traveling a LOT this year. So far, we’ve been to Mexico, Texas, Kentucky, Ohio, parts of Ontario Canada, and Hawaii. Needless to say, home cooked meals have been hard to find. Travel is difficult; you want to try all the delicious foods because you won’t have the opportunity once you return home, well – that’s what my brain tries to tell me anyway.

We returned from Hawaii two weeks ago and I hopped on the scale. I knew that even though I was keeping up with my fitness regimen, my clothes were feeling tighter in all the wrong places. Yup, the scale confirmed how I was feeling. I weighed 134lbs. I haven’t weighed 134lbs since 2011. In a matter of three months, I put on roughly 15lbs. Laura was not happy.

Overtime, I’ve learned that EVERYTHING begins with nutrition. Like I demonstrated, you can get your workouts in and you can “think” you’re making healthy choices, but unless you really pay close attention, you can go off track very quickly.

While traveling, Rob and I dined out every day. Being diabetic, I find that entree salads are safe for me. Generally, the carbohydrate count and glycemic index is low, therefore making post-meal blood sugars more predictable. When traveling, this is important. The unfortunate part is that restaurant made salads can be LOADED with hidden calories. Those calories add up. For example, meats may be tenderized in sugar rich marinades, cheese is tucked everywhere, dressings are loaded with fat and oil… yet you “think” since you ordered a salad, it’s healthy.

When I dine out, I try to prevent million calorie salads by opting for

• Dressing on the side, such as oil and vinegar
• Little to cheese, on the side
• Grilled meats

Unfortunately, travel is also a time when you feel “care free.” The responsibilities of the real world tend to disappear and for a time, you feel empowered to be naughty. Nightly glasses of wine and that periodic chocolate dessert (or in my case… chocolate covered macadamia nuts) add up.

Our Whole30 Motivation

When Rob and I returned home and stared at ourselves in the mirror, we saw a couple who made some wonderful memories. But…

When Rob and I returned home and stared at ourselves in the mirror, we saw a couple who made some wonderful memories. We do not regret a single moment or a single meal (well, except for the disgusting taco plate we had in a cheap hotel in Cancun… but, that’s another story). We had an amazing time and returned knowing that we needed to make some changes – big changes.

I had wanted to do the Whole30 nutrition program for awhile. It’s a 30 day elimination diet, removing specific foods from my diet; a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal the digestive tract, and balance the immune system. I felt this was exactly what we needed. And so it began!

Getting Started with the Whole30

We began the Whole30, the Monday after we returned from Hawaii. There was no sense in waiting. I was ready to get back on track. Thankfully the first week of the program is easy; in the new Whole30 book, you’re provided a menu and grocery list for your first week. Yay! This tired traveler didn’t have to think too much. The Whole30 also has a set of rules that MUST be followed. Rob was horrified; no added sugar or artificial sweeteners, no alcohol, no grains, no legumes and no dairy.

As diabetics, the rules made us nervous. What if we had a low blood sugar? What would we eat? We are physically active; how will we get enough carbohydrate? What are we getting into? There is a reason for eliminating these foods from the plan – it’s an elimination diet. After 30 days, you gradually reintroduce the eliminated foods back into your nutrition plan to see how your body reacts so you have a “clean slate” and can start fresh… gradually… with newfound personal awareness. It’s your personal nutrition experiment. How often do you get to do an experiment on yourself?

So far so good…

Today, Rob and I are Day 18 of the Whole30. I am very happy; I was never a fan of breads and having an excuse to eliminate them was music to my ears. Overtime, I’ve noticed bad blood sugars happen because of bread (most specifically, because it’s more difficult to figure out the carbohydrate count in baked goods for me).

At this point, here are a few things Rob and I have done as active type 1 diabetics on the Whole30:

When we do a morning workout*

Pre-workout snack: We enjoy a hardboiled egg if our blood sugar falls within a normal range. If blood sugar is low, we eat 1/2 an apple or pear 15 minutes before beginning our workout. Safety first! We check our blood sugar and once it falls within a normal range, we begin our workout.

Post-workout breakfast: When Rob and I workout first thing in the morning, we follow our workout with the Whole30 recommended meal plus additional energy sources exactly as indicated in the program.

*Our morning workouts are usually 30-45 minutes of weight bearing exercises, 45 minutes of cycling or a bootcamp style workout.

When we go for a run (usually early or late afternoon)

Pre-workout snack options: Rob and I have noticed that we need to consume about 15g of carbohydrate every 3 miles to ensure our blood sugars stay level. Prior to our run, we generally have 1 banana to ensure our blood sugars stay safe.

Post-workout snack: Our blood sugars react to different styles of runs. When we go for a strenuous trail run, our blood sugars are elevated due to this stress. We generally opt for a protein source immediately, such as a hard boiled egg, followed by a regular meal. We also reduce our insulin for the next 14 hours. When we go for a run on a flat surface, our post run blood sugars are usually lower and the perfect way to finish a run is to have a nutritious snack or meal combining a protein source and carbohydrate. Sweet potatoes are wonderful!

Low Blood Sugar Helpers

Thankfully, with the Whole30 we are becoming extremely aware of how we feel. Are we hungry or bored? Are we thirsty or having a high blood sugar? We are monitoring closely but we have developed an action plan should one of us experience a low blood sugar. These foods are kept nearby at all times:

• Bananas
• Apples
• Pears
• Sweet Potatoes
• Lara Bars (yes! These handy little snack bars are Whole30 approved and fit nicely in my purse)

Every diabetic is different. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” in Diabetic-land. The key is to monitor what the body tells you. We are listening and learning a lot about how our bodies are adapting to different fuel sources and will update this post with our thoughts the further into the Whole30 we get. We will also share our results. Did you know that one of the Whole30 rules is to NOT get on the scale. Yay! I don’t have to see those darn numbers for a month either.

Results so far

Well, I’m a domestic DIVA! I’ve created our own Homemade Mayonnaise, Salad Dressings and even Almond Milk. Who would have thought?? However, my most wonderful news is the severe acne I have been suffering with since late last year… has been reduced! I also feel pretty darn great too.

Laura is happy.