Meeting with a Registered Dietitian: Mind. Blown.

This post is actually a few days overdue, but my friend and I met with a Registered Dietician the other night.  Since counting calories in vs. out has frustratingly not had the effect I've known to believe should be true, I had been thinking about meeting with an RD to see what I really need to do.  This meeting was one of the best meetings I've ever had, ever.  I went into it thinking she would tell me to eat less fat, less sugar, less of anything that tastes good.  But, she didn't!!!!!

She glanced through my food log without much comment, except on the coffee I drink.  She asked where do the mochas come from?  I said probably Starbucks or McDonalds (just because Caribou is too far away from work to go to regularly).  I proudly said I get it with skim milk and no whipped cream (you know, the much-less-tasty version of what I really want).  Know what she said?  Get it with whole milk.

WHAAAAAAAAT!

She then proceeded to draw out what happens with carbs, using skim milk as an example.  Skim milk, having all the fat sucked out of it, is filled with carbs.  Carbs turn into Glucose.  Glucose knocks on your cell's door, and your cell lets it in to produce energy.  Insulin helps that door open.  However, with too much glucose, your cells get tired of opening the door repeatedly and tells you to eff off.  Well, actually it just builds an insulin resistance.  When glucose has no where to go, it turns into fat.  Or puffs up your fat cells, actually I think that's what it does.  Because you can't get rid of fat cells, only shrink them.

Then, she asked what I have as a typical breakfast.  Oatmeal.  At my desk.  Which is all carbs.  She said that when I eat carbs, it makes my blood sugar spike.  Then I crash and I'm starving again.  So I eat more carbs and the cycle continues.  If I eat protein, that will keep my blood sugar level and help me stay full.

Soooo, what do I do now?  The RD laid out a list of foods with a diagram of my plate.

Plus I need to be sure to eat enough fat, because fat doesn't make you fat, it keeps you full!  Now, that doesn't mean I get to stuff my face with cream and butter.  This means I get to use it in cooking or on my veggies, etc.

Which lead to my next question.  What kind of fat is good or bad?  Only trans fat is bad fat.  Again, mind. blown. 

So. Freaking. Happy.  This plan seems completely doable and I'm so excited to get going this weekend.  I forgot to mention I get to have fruit too, in 1/2 cup servings (for fresh or frozen fruit) as long as I eat it with protein.  This concept is not completely new to me, when I was on Nutrisystem we had to eat fruit with protein as well to prevent blood sugar spikes.

Oh, and I'm super pumped that I get to have heavy cream and butter.  My French side is beside herself with joy.

**Please do not read this post and take my information as if I was the dietitian giving you advice.  I am not a dietitian, and am merely recounting my experience and explaining the plan meant for me.**