Diet and Weight Loss Archives - The Life of a Diabetic

NuGo Slim Protein Bar Review

April 8, 2019April 8, 2019 Chris Stocker 5 Comments

Ever since my diagnosis in 2004, one of the biggest issues that I’ve had in my diabetes management are spikes in my blood glucose levels after meals. Because of this, snacking in-between meals has always been difficult. The primary reason of why it’s been difficult is because, even though I need a snack, I’m trying to bring my blood glucose levels down, so a snack may just keep them spiked (if it’s not a typical low-carb snack, which sometimes I want something other than low-carb).

I have tried so many different granola bars, fruit bars, nuts, this, that and everything else in the middle, and I just couldn’t seem to find something that worked great for me.

Then I found NuGo Slim.

So, here is exactly what I was looking for. Something high in protein and fiber and low in carbs.

Here is some information from NuGo about their healthy protein bars:

NuGo is the only company to make REAL Dark Chocolate coated protein bars for many lifestyles. NuGo’s REAL Dark Chocolate melts in your mouth, releasing a luscious flavor. Other ‘dark chocolate’ protein bars substitute unhealthy palm kernel oil for the natural cocoa butter, raising the melt point above body temp, making it waxy and too sweet.

NuGo Slim contains 16-18g protein, 5-6 grams net carbs, and has a tested and verified very low glycemic index of 24-29 to help avoid blood sugar spikes. These gluten-free, low sugar bars are sweetened with luscious real dark chocolate and chicory root fiber without using maltitol or artificial sweeteners. Four flavors are vegan and Kosher Pareve: Crunchy Peanut Butter, Espresso, Toasted Coconut, and Chocolate Mint. http://www.nugonutrition.com/products/slim/

Read and sign the petition created on change.org by NuGo Nutrition to create a FDA standard for dark chocolate.https://www.change.org/petitions/dark-chocolate-food-labeling-tell-the-fda-to-stop-the-deception

So, why am I so bullish on these NuGo Slim bars? Simple.

Steady Blood Sugar Levels

They help me when I need a snack and and most importantly, there’s no blood sugar spikes and they help maintain a steady blood sugar. Here are a couple of Dexcom screenshots to show my blood sugar graphs before and after eating NuGo Slim.

Here is a Dexcom screenshot from when I don’t eat a Low Glycemic index snack or foods. You can see the crazy spikes which then lead to a rapid decline which just makes my body feel like absolute crap!

Flavors of NuGo Slim Bars

So far, I’ve had a few different flavors:

Crunchy Peanut Butter

Brownie Crunch

Vegan Chocolate Mint

Other Flavors Include

NuGo Slim Sample Pack

NuGo Slim Sample Pack – Vegan

COUPON CODE – USE CODE “DIABETES” for 15% off NuGo Slim through June 30, 2019

Low Glycemic Index

As you know, I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I also do not claim to fully understand how the body works and how exactly the glycemic index works, but I do know the basics. For example, foods with low glycemic index have much less of an effect on blood sugar levels, especially post meal spikes.

NuGo Slim bars have a low glycemic index of 24-29, verified by GI Labs of Toronto.

When I decided to sample and try these products, I wanted to wait until a time where my blood sugar was not jumping all around, up and down, so that I could get a good gauge on what the bar would actually do. As you saw in the Dexcom screen grabs above, my blood sugar did not spike after eating.

Why is that?

Chicory Root Fiber

NuGo Slim bars use a Chicory Root Fiber, which according to the NuGo website;

Has virtually no effect on blood sugar levels because it doesn’t absorb or digest until it reached the large intestine.

Another important reason as to why I have enjoyed the NuGo Slim bars is because I am NOT a fan of sugar substitutes. I try to eliminate any forms of sorbitol, maltitol, or anything else. The sugar substitutes are typically used to help avoid a blood sugar spike, but there are a plethora of other negatives about using them.

NuGo Slim bars contain NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS!

Energy, Energy, Energy

I am awake about 18-19 hours a day. I am working on getting a better amount of sleep, but currently, that’s just where my life is at. During these times between meals where I need a snack, I tend to get a bit low on energy as well. That is another reason why I’m loving these bars. With about 16-18g of protein in each bar, they help sustain your energy, and I sure need that!

If you are looking for an in-between meal snack, a protein bar for breakfast, maybe before or after a gym workout, then I highly recommend the NuGo Slim bars.

Where to Buy NuGo – NuGo Store Locator – Find NuGo Nutrition

Find out where you can pick up NuGo protein bars at a location near you! NuGo Nutrition makes the finest, healthiest, most delicious protein bars and snacks available.

COUPON CODE – USE CODE “DIABETES” for 15% off NuGo Slim through June 30, 2019

Jardiance for People with Type 1 Diabetes

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018 Chris Stocker 3 Comments

I have struggled with weight problems and insulin resistance for a long time. It’s one of the reasons that my insulin to carb ratio is outrageous. It’s almost 1 unit of insulin for every 2-3 carbs.

So for me, it’s been a viscous cycle. I take a lot of insulin which makes it more difficult for me to lose weight. I don’t care what the happy go lucky people try to tell you, if you take a lot of insulin, you will gain weight

Now, the large amounts of insulin are also due to eating high carb foods and unhealthy foods and not exercising, so that is also tied into it.

When I exercise consistently, my insulin ratio jumps to about 1 unit of insulin for every 5-7 grams of carbs. A big, big difference.

Unfortunately, I’ve never exercised or ate healthy consistently.

So, I think I need some help.

One of the things that my endo recommended to me on my last visit a few months ago was to start on Jardiance. This would help with all of the issues that I stated above.

Benefits of Using Jardiance with Type 1

I know that Jardiance will help me lower my insulin needs by increasing my insulin sensitivity.

Jardiance would help me lose weight. I don’t like the way that Jardiance would help me lose weight, which was described to me as having a smaller appetite and potentially feeling nauseas. I don’t want a chemical in my body affecting my appetite. I’d much rather control it on my own, which has obviously not worked for the last 10 years.

I know that Jardiance will also help prevent and lower heart disease. I am already on blood pressure medication, cholesterol medications and also triglyceride medication.

I am always afraid to add another pill into the mix.

But, I tried to stay off of BP and cholesterol meds as long as possible as well until I realized that my body just needed them. I was at a disadvantage living with Type 1, so I had to level the playing field some how.

Now, of course there isn’t just the positives when it comes to adding another medication into the mix.

Possible Side Effects of Jardiance

The first and biggest side effect is DKA. You could go into DKA without any notice. Your blood sugars could be perfect, but still be going into DKA, so it is important to constantly be checking for ketones.

I don’t know if that’s something that I would be willing to do, because I know that I won’t remember to check frequently.

Another side effect of Jardiance that I don’t even like the name of, is higher risk of yeast infections. Another thing that I don’t know if I’m willing to deal with.

So, as of now, I am torn. I don’t know if I should give it a shot or not.

Ultimately, the final decision will come down to me. My doctor can prescribe it, but I have to be the one who takes it.

So, I’m asking anyone in the community, have you taken Jardiance as a Type 1 before?

If so, what has your experience been?

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Weekends Kill My Diets

August 30, 2018August 30, 2018 Chris Stocker

If my weight loss and diet goals were based on only Monday – Friday, I would have probably hit my weight loss goal for the year.

But unfortunately, the weekend hits and all hell breaks loose.

Monday – Friday I am going for a walk every morning at 6 am and eating less than 75g of carbs a day, but on the weekends, the walks don’t happen and then I tend to eat about twice the amount of carbs and calories.

I’ve gone some weeks where I lost 5 pounds in a week and then put 3 back on over the weekend. The good thing is that I would still be down 2 net pounds, but could have been down 5 and a lot closer to my goal.

Unfortunately when this happens, my weight ends up being equal.

No matter how hard I try over the weekends, I just can’t help but eat more.

The biggest issue is because I eat out more during the weekend. I work so much during the week that when the weekend comes, we try and get out of the house and do as much as possible outside of the house, and then we end up eating out.

What I need to work on is eating healthy when I do eat out. But I feel like I’m wasting money eating a salad at a restaurant when almost the same price I can get a meal with a couple sides that also includes a salad.

It’s all about the discipline. How bad do I want to hit my weight loss goals?

That’s what it all comes down to.

Any tips?

Eating at home is not an easy solution because we are usually far away from home during lunch and dinner times.

My Unhealthy Relationship with Food

April 10, 2018April 10, 2018 Chris Stocker 5 Comments

There’s been something that I’ve been thinking about in my head for a long time. I’ve never said anything to anyone about it, but I think it is time.

I have an unhealthy relationship with food and I have a problem.

A few nights ago, I was talking with my wife about how I just feel disgusted with myself. When I first met my wife I weighed in at a solid 205-210. I was in shape. I was going to the gym.

13 years later at my last doctor’s appointment, I weighed in at 292.5 pounds.

I have never publicly shared this weight before, so as I am typing this, I am feeling embarrassed, ashamed, anxious and a mix of other feelings.

You can do the math, but that is over 80 pounds in 13 years.

How did this happen? How could I let myself gain over 80 pounds?

Well, it was actually quite simple and easy.

I was lazy.

I ate like shit.

And when I would feel depressed, down, anxious, or any uncomfortable feeling, I would turn to food.

And, I would eat a lot of it.

Chinese food and purposely order more than I needed so that I could eat the leftovers (most of the time, I just ate it right then and there).

Here’s an example of a time that I did this.

I went to lunch with 2 coworkers. We went to the mall next to our job and went to the food court. Food court Chinese food is one of my top 2 or 3 comfort foods. I ordered two whole meals. I said the second one was going to be for dinner.

I sat down at the table and finished off the first one pretty quickly. I was obviously still hungry because of how fast I ate it. My coworkers weren’t done eating and I was having an extremely stressful day at work, so I just said, fuck it, I’m going to eat this second one right now.

It was instances like this that occurred way too often over the last 13 years. This didn’t just happen once, this happened a lot.

Vicious Cycle

Here is how the pattern works:

1. I get stressed out or super busy, so I just want to go out and eat something unhealthy.

2. I eat the unhealthy food and usually too much of it.

3. I then bitch and complain about how I feel and how disgusting I am and can’t stand the way that I look and why did I allow myself to eat like that.

4. Then just end up saying fuck it and continue to eat like shit for the next few days.

5. I finally snap out of it, go back to the gym, eat healthy and will lose a quick 5-8 pounds….. until I get stressed out.

I have an addiction and food is the drug.

It took me 13 years to finally come out and say this and to admit it to myself. I knew it was really a problem when I said the following the other day…

“I know I can stop whenever I want to, I just keep going back to it.”

The famous words of an addict.

I have these cravings for food and I will fight them and fight them hard. And then I get set into a mood where the only thing that will make me feel better (for a very short period of time) is food….lots of it.

As I’m typing this, I am saying to myself…. “wtf man, how did you let this shit happen to yourself.”

I have been working on de-stressing and calming anxiety and I have gotten a lot better at it….. A LOT. But the food thoughts still creep into my head.

A quote from a book that I have read “Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable” says:

“Teach the mind to train the body. You can’t get anywhere without first training your mind to get you there. Physical dominance can make you great, mental dominance is ultimately what makes you unstoppable.”

I am only two days in right now of knowing that I have some sort of problem and working on fixing it. It all starts in my head. My reality is the way that I perceive it to be.

I can fix this.

I have the mental toughness to be able to work myself through this. I think that writing this blog post is the second step after having the conversation with my wife about it.

Meditation and Breathing

I am working on replacing the food rages with meditation.

Meditation and breathing exercises have been my go to method over the last 9-12 months when I would begin to feel overwhelmed, or anxious or depressed. It was in those moments that I didn’t put those actions into play that I turned to food.

One thing that I heard from Tony Robbins in the past (and I do not condone his latest #metoo actions and think they were despicable) was that when we stress out and want to eat unhealthy food, why not train your brain to think that you should eat a salad or an apple when you feel stressed out.

I truly believe that our brains are the most powerful things in this world. When you can train your brain and control the way that it thinks, is when you can truly do amazing things.

This has felt great writing this post. I know a lot of people will not actually read this, but to know that I got it off my chest is a big relief. I feel like I have been holding this in for so long.

Here is to becoming a better version of me.

I Gave Up Soda and Juices for hint Water – Sponsored Post

September 30, 2017November 3, 2017 Chris Stocker

A few months ago I was sitting at the dinner table pouring the remaining diet soda from a 2 liter bottle. I realized that I just opened this 2 liter at lunch time. I thought about how much water I had to drink that day and the answer was easy…. none.

I had a few cups of coffee and a bunch of soda throughout the day, but no water.

It’s no wonder why I felt sluggish all the time. The amount of water I was drinking was extremely low.

My wife would come home with the 12-packs of diet soda, 3 for $10 and they would be gone by the time the next shopping trip came the following week.

I’ve always forced water down just because I knew I needed it. Whether it’s because I am going to the gym and want to be hydrated or I am dealing with a high blood sugar and I need to hydrate and flush my system, I’ve just always had to force the water down.

I can’t remember the last time I thought to myself, “I could really go for a nice ice cold glass of water”.

Just last night I thought to myself, “I could really go for a bowl of ice cream”, but that’s a totally different story!

hint logo The story of how I came across hint water goes like this. Every Monday I receive the Gary Vaynerchuk Hustler’s Digest and for a while, he was allowing brands to do a giveaway or discount at the bottom of his newsletters. I just so happened to be sitting at the computer at that exact time on a Monday when hint was giving away a free case of water.

I was one of the first 200 or so people to sign up for the free case of water.

I actually won something from a newsletter, sort of.

I’ve tried plenty of different flavored water options. Flavored, soda water, powder mixes, liquid squeezers, everything. And nothing tasted right. So, at first, I was not sure if I was going to even like the hint water, but I figured I’d give a try.

My thoughts on flavored water changed when I tried hint for the first time.

Yes, this is a sponsored post, and yes, I really do drink hint and think that it’s amazing.

I love hint because it tastes natural and real. Because it is.

hint Water Variety Pack I’ve been drinking hint for a while now and drinking water is no longer something that I force. I love the taste of the watermelon infused water. It’s not overwhelming to the point that it tastes fake and artificially sweetened.

It actually tastes like water with a hint of strawberry.

Now, I must say that I haven’t fully substituted hint out for all water consumption in general. I still drink a glass of regular water in the morning, before and after the gym (when I actually go) and one at dinner. But, I have replaced soda, juices, and other sparkling water drinks with hint.

When I first tried hint after winning the GaryVee giveaway, I tried their original fruit infused water. I was then able to try their hintfizz water as well. The hintfizz is their version of sparkling water and has some carbonation to it. I like to drink this at dinner time because the carbonation gives it that feeling of drinking a diet soda, but without all the bad that comes along with it.

My wife and I have even started giving our daughter hint water. Her favorite is the watermelon. Which makes total sense hint fizz Water Variety Pack since her favorite fruit to eat is watermelon. She now always asks “daddy, can I have some watermelon water please?”

Of course it’s impossible to say no when she says please…. right?

As I mentioned above and I will repeat it again here, this is a sponsored post, but these are my true feelings about hint. I wouldn’t promote something and share with you if I didn’t use it myself, and also love it myself.

That’s the main reason why I decided to do this sponsored post.

I’ve heard a lot of people with diabetes talk about not drinking enough water because they hate water. Well, this is a perfect reason to not hate water anymore and to increase your intake of water. Most diets that exist today would allow hint to be included in it. For example, hint was just recently accepted into the Whole30 diet.

I still enjoy a diet soda, or two….. Ok 3… when I’m eating out, but when I’m home, it’s all natural infused water.

Just a few facts about hint:

Zero diet sweeteners
Zero calories
Zero preservatives
Vegan
Gluten-free
Non-GMO
All Natural

Some of their flavors include:

Raspberry
Peach
Watermelon
Honeydew
Blackberry
Blood Orange
Crisp Apple
Pineapple
Peppermint
Strawberry Kiwi
Grapefruit
And more

You can check out all of their flavors and products at DrinkHint.com

Replacing Coffee with La Croix

April 11, 2017April 11, 2017 Chris Stocker

If you know anything about me, you know that I love coffee. I love coffee too much. I’ll drink it from McDonald’s, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, or my favorite, local coffee shops, especially a cold brew. I used to drink a lot more coffee. Like, a lot more. But, my doctor scared me enough to realize that I was drinking too much coffee and I needed to cut back a bit.

I started to cut out my afternoon coffee, but I still needed the caffeine, so I was drinking a soda. The soda I was also trying to cut out because I was trying to lose weight. And I don’t care what studies say on either side of it, when I drink diet soda, it makes me gain weight, bottom line.

I needed an alternative.

I love water, and I drink a lot of water, but I needed something “special.”

Well, just as I was going through this time period of figuring out what I could substitute the afternoon soda with, I was walking through the grocery store and I saw it. There it was. On sale. BOGO. Buy One Get One Free.

La Croix sparkling water has replaced my afternoon coffee and changed my life! Click To Tweet

La Croix, Naturally Essenced Sparkling Water

I put it in the fridge and got it nice and cold and….. “EWWW” this stuff is disgusting. It was like I was expecting something super sweet like soda because it was carbonated, but it didn’t give me that flavor.

But then, I stuck with it. And now… you can’t separate me from my La Croix. I am now drinking 1-2 cans of La Croix everyday and I love the taste. I love the flavors that they offer.

And most importantly, it has replaced my afternoon soda, which replaced my afternoon coffee. I am not getting the caffeine that I needed, but giving myself the caffeine was just putting a band-aid on the wound, it wasn’t actually fixing the problem, which was, breaking the caffeine habit.

So, this is to you La Croix.

This Week’s Meal Plan

April 9, 2017April 9, 2017 Chris Stocker

As you have read earlier, I’m on a long-term diet. More like a lifestyle change as opposed to diet, which we all know don’t last. In order for me to stick to this, I have to meal plan.

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

So, here’s my meal plan: