A Nutritionist, Not a Sorcerer

Those of you who have been following my blog know that I am a self-diagnosed sugarholic. You also know that I recently had an appointment with a nutritionist.  Here is my account, and reflection, of the visit.

Maybe my expectations were too high. My reasons for going to see the nutritionist were to coordinate the conflict between the two diets I am supposed to be following and to come up with a food plan that would lower my A1c (a number that diabetics follow) and make my pee less susceptible to kidney stones (a low oxalate diet).   I left with a plan and it’s a plan I could have done on my own. She was not a sorcerer, she was a nutritionist.

We discussed my relationship with food at length. The appointment lasted an hour and fifteen minutes. I was weighed and measured. The scale gave more detailed info than just weight. It measured percentage of fat, a number I choose not to share with you! It was determined that my relationship with food is too much in my head and that I eat from habit and boredom.  Hmmm.  She didn’t say taste!

She, for the most part, ignored the Type 2 diabetes and high oxalate diagnoses.  Don’t worry too much about the glycemic index of foods, just lose weight and the numbers will follow.  She seemed to ignore the oxalate completely.  Oxalate, shmoxalate.

So I was given a traditional weight loss diet to follow. Eat in moderation from the food groups. Blah blah blah and yada yada yada.  My goal is 1700 calories a day. Because I am fairly active, that should lead to weight loss.  So far I have lost four pounds, about a pound a day. I am trusting that she is correct that if I just lose weight my diabetes will improve.  Oh and the low oxalate diet? Never mentioned. That’s partly my fault. I should have asked more questions.  In today’s world we each need to be our own healthcare advocate!

So, I am following my diet as closely as possible. Yesterday I attended an Open House at my alma mater, Muhlenberg College. The spread of desserts was so tempting.  But I behaved. Well, I had a small blueberry scone at the continental breakfast. In my defense, I expected a fruit tray but all they had were apples. I don’t like apples…I do like blueberry scones.

I also didn’t get much help with getting food out of my head. I was told to make sure emotion is not attached to food and to look at food as just an energy suppler.  I am not supposed to think how good it feels when that Hagen Daz Swiss Vanilla Almond ice cream meets my tongue. I’m not supposed to associate a Thanksgiving meal with wonderful family memories.  I am not supposed to think how much I hate whole wheat bread.  It’s nothing but energy supplied!  In other words….I need willpower. Uh oh.

We meet again in four weeks to see how I am doing. I will definitely ask more about oxalates. I sure don’t want kidney stones! In retrospect, I could have just gone on a weight loss diet. But a positive thing about going to the nutritionist is that I have one more person holding me accountable.  But I realize, she’s a nutritionist, not a sorcerer.

I am off to the Bucks County Book Festival today!  I hope you all enjoy your October day and remember that any October night is a marvelous night for a moondance!