Now that I am officially a diabetic, I have to watch my carbs/sugar.  I have not seen the " diabetic educator" yet, because I have not had time.  Besides I am a self educator.  Note to mom who is now upset that I have not seen the diabetic educator, I made an appointment today.  Anyway, this has reduced me to reading labels, specifically the how many calories etc... labels.   This makes grocery shopping take much longer than  it should be, but I figure it will be second nature soon.
I was excited when I was in the bread aisle and I saw bread with a big sticker on the front that said, " five net carbs and 35 calories a slice."  Sure it tastes like cardboard but that's the price one pays when they have a disease.
 
I wondered though, how do I really trust that this is the case?  How do I know there are really only five net carbs?  I mean it's probably against the law to lie on those nutritional things, but is someone actually checking?

Back when I was in my fat free phase, my girlfriend and I used to go to this Dairy Dream ( or something) that is now closed down.  We got this stuff,  the name escapes me now, that tasted EXACTLY like chocolate ice cream.  The sign basically said this stuff was fat free about  2 calories.  It was pretty much like one step above water.  At the time we thought it was a miracle food.  We went almost every night to get some.  Now I'm thinking there is no way.  It was just too good, and I have had enough diet food since to know, nothing is THAT good without paying some price. 

I'm hoping the new things I buy are really what they say they are.  I have not done the blood sugar testing thing yet because I am waiting for the free samples at the doctors office.

Here are some things I have learned since being on this diet.

1) Soy and flaxseed tortillas taste like sh#t unless you drown them in salsa.

2) Celery is not as good as pizza, and it's about the only thing you can binge eat, without gaining weight.

3) People stare at you when your overweight and checking labels.  Then they give you a knowing smile, as if to say " another diet? good luck with that" in a sarcastic tone.

4) water is just not as good as sugar drinks.

5) Walnuts are not as good as a bag of barbecue potato chips.

6 ) If you don't look at the fast food restaurants when you pass by, you can still smell them.

7) when you can't have something, you really want it, even if you din't like it before.

8) If something is low cal, low fat, and low carb/sugar, high fiber, it will taste like dirt or it is a vegatable.

I hope when I'm skinny and hot, I don't lose all my fat friends.  Sorry fellow fatties, I have to lose weight.  Just remember when your eating that giant piece of cake, I am suffering with my carrots and celery and my "special" bread.

 And I will be jealous of you.

When Jennie was first talking about going to South Africa, we discussed the food issues.  Jennie and I both thought she would lose a lot of weight there because the food would be gross.  Then we learned you are force fed.  We weren't too worried because we figured they would be too poor to have a lot of food. 

Yesterday Jennie called me from her rural homestay.  Actually, I was shocked she got any reception since there is no electric or flush toilets.  Obviously there is a cell phone tower though.  Which I think is odd.

The first thing she told me was her "diet" was shot at the rural homestay.  She informed me that not only were you not allowed to have leftovers, due to no refrigeration
, ( not to mention it's rude) you also got fed way too much.  This might be okay for a week if the food was good.  For example, when your on a cruise ship, good food, 24 seven, you let yourself go. 
Unfortunately, Jennie whispered ( so as not to be overheard and offend) the food is NOT good and there is way too much.  She started listing a typical day and I made her stop so I could take notes.

Breakfast:  Porridge that looks like cream of wheat but tastes like crap unless you put tons of sugar in it.  Sour Milk.  Four pieces of buttered " toast" ( not made in toaster) eggs cooked in oil, french fries, and fried tomatoes.

Lunch is at school, but when they are home, it's two NOT Oscar Meyer, Bologna sandwiches with tons of mayo ( I didn't ask how that was kept cold, so I will have to ask ) Tea

After school snack: french toast ( very strange)

Dinner:  Huge Polish sausage, pap ( corn mash type thing) heaped in a huge pile on plate with some kind of spinach type vegetable on top.

After dinner snack or desert:  Popcorn with weird season salt.

Apparently dinner is around 8:00 pm. and bed time is around 8:30 pm.

She said all the food is lukewarm, due to the fact that they only have one burner so you can only cook one thing at a time. 

The rural homestay mom is apparently fat. 

I don't understand how you can be both poor and fat.  I think I would rather have a flush toilet and TV. rather than two not real Bologna sandwiches.

Admittedly I am not even close to being a skinny minnie myself, but that's because I can afford to be fat.  I have a flush toilet ( more than one in fact) and I have electric and several TV's.  I even have Cable, a DVD player and DVR.  This actually encourages me to eat a lot.  If I were poor however, I think I would be thin.

I also feel bad that no one has told the poor, fat, homestay mom, that eating late at night is bad, especially right before bed time. 

And it's not like they are eating in front of the TV.  I don't get it. 

Thankfully, Jennie is only there for a week.  Now when she goes back to the other homestay house, I don't think she will feel bad not cleaning her plate.  After all they have a refrigerator for left overs, and Jennie has been there long enough to tell the mom, it's not cool to stuff your face in America. 

Unless of course you have already enjoyed being thin in your youth, as I have, and now think you deserve to just let go.

And like I said, you have to be able to afford it.  It's hard for me to feel bad for the poor welfare moms who weigh 5,000 pounds, but now I know that's not unique to America. 

I have to give my kid credit though.  I could NEVER eat something I don't like.  I couldn't force myself, and I would throw up if I did.  I may be chunky, but I have my standards when it comes to food.  And Pap is definitely OUT.

I bet she never thought she would long for the yucky bathtub, but I think she is missing her "normal" homestay house. 

I will let you know when she has updated again so you can read the rural homestay stories yourself.

Till then, I am going to make myself some healthy Kraft Mac and Cheese, and call it a night.