One of the difficulties that we have encountered in our home is that the different approaches to the exchange system sometimes clash. For example, every time that Callie has been home and on an eating plan, I have cooked to meet her exchanges and the family ate what she ate. And we all gained weight.
Now; however, I have to follow my own exchanges and so I have been cooking lighter dinners to meet my needs with low carbohydrate selections. We recently discovered that despite the fact that I was telling Callie that the meals were no longer meeting all of her exchanges, she was not eating enough and was also losing weight.
Eating is a very social time for our family, and quite frankly, it is very difficult to not eat what everyone else is eating. I know I get a certain satisfaction from sharing a meal with my family. And, it doesn't feel good to me when I have to eat less or another person is not eating all that the rest of us are eating. We are learning how to adjust the family norms so that we can all have our needs met, but this has not been easy.
Another interesting difference that we have noticed is that we both tend to estimate calories differently. This became apparent when we both got Fitbits and started logging our meals and sharing the information with each other. Here's a recent example: We each had a kimichi egg roll for dinner. If you look this item up in an online food calorie guide there is likely to be a spectrum of possibilities. The range that I saw was 120 to 320 calories. I estimated that it was 180 calories. Callie estimated that it was 280 calories. Isn't it interesting how these estimates just happened to meet our true desires? I am restricting but don't really want to and Callie is eating more than she wants to while wanting to restrict!
We now double check each other on calorie estimates, and when I cook I make a starch for others to eat even if I choose not to eat it at that meal. I feel hopeful that with a few minor adjustments we can find a balanced middle ground that will lead to good health for us all.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Eric: Exchanges from My Perspective
I learned about the exchange system when Callie was in treatment for her eating disorder. We were given the responsibility of planning her exchanges for each of her meals. I hated the idea of it at first, but after a little experience with this system it became clear that it is an effective method for monitoring and maintaining a balanced diet.
Now, as a diabetic, I am using this system to manage balanced nutrition while losing weight and reducing my intake of carbohydrates. The meal plan below is for approximately 1800 calories and limits carbohydrates to 225 grams.
What I have found to be the most difficult with reducing carbohydrates is that it is really easy to replace them with fats, which I am trying to avoid. However, this approach is working. Along with a minimum of 300 minutes of exercise a week and following this plan, I have gone from 262 to 239 pounds in about 8 weeks.
Now, as a diabetic, I am using this system to manage balanced nutrition while losing weight and reducing my intake of carbohydrates. The meal plan below is for approximately 1800 calories and limits carbohydrates to 225 grams.
What I have found to be the most difficult with reducing carbohydrates is that it is really easy to replace them with fats, which I am trying to avoid. However, this approach is working. Along with a minimum of 300 minutes of exercise a week and following this plan, I have gone from 262 to 239 pounds in about 8 weeks.
Daily Meal
Plan (~1800 calories for weight loss)
Breakfast:
385 cal
1 fruit 15
grams CHO
2 starches 30
grams CHO
1 fat
1 milk 15
grams CHO
Morning
Snack: 140 cal
1 starch 15
grams CHO
1 fruit 15
grams CHO
Lunch: 420
cal
2 starches 30
grams CHO
2 fats
1 vegetable
1 protein
1 milk 15
grams CHO
Afternoon
Snack: 155 cal
1 starch 15
grams CHO
1 protein
Dinner:
560 cal
2 proteins
1 fat
1 vegetable
2 starches 30
grams CHO
1 fruit 15
grams CHO
1 milk 15
grams CHO
Evening
Snack: 155 cal
1 starch 15
grams CHO
1 protein
So What Exactly is the Exchange System?
Most people are unfamiliar with the exchange system and they don't really know how it works. I used to be in the dark too, but hopefully through this blog, Eric and I will be able to explain and bring to light what a beneficial system it is.
While Eric and I are both using this system, we are each using it for opposite purposes. Eric is using it to lose weight and I am using it to gain weight, and eventually to maintain our new healthy weights.
You may wonder how this is possible. We are able to use it for differing purposes because the exchange system is unique to every individual who uses it, and can be modified as the individuals needs change.
A doctor or dietician will "prescribe" you a certain number of exchanges to eat in the day. Exchanges consist of a certain number of protein, dairy, fat, starch, veggie and fruit you are supposed to have in the day in order to maintain, gain, or lose weight. Each "exchange" has a caloric value, and certain nutritional criteria.
The exchanges are as follows; One protein would be 75 calories with 5g of fat, one dairy exchange is 120 calories with 8g of protein, one fat exchange is 45 calories and 5g of fat, one starch exchange is 80 calories with at least 15g of carbs, one veggie exchange is 45 calories with 5g of carbs, and one fruit exchange is 60 calories with 15g of carbs.
I like to break down my total number of exchanges by assigning a certain number to each meal. For example, I am supposed to have 3 milk exchanges in the whole day, so I assign one milk exchange to each meal. I am also supposed to have 6 protein exchanges, so I assign 3 of these exchanges to lunch and 3 to dinner. However, I am not rigid about making sure I meet each assigned exchange at each meal. For example, if I happen to crave a protein or two for breakfast I will have them and then simply adjust my lunch and dinner to account for the proteins I already had in the morning.
Along with my regular meal exchanges, I am also supposed to have 3-4 exchanges of my choice for an afternoon snack, as well as 3-4 exchanges for a night time snack. So as an example, I could have an apple with 1 TBS peanut butter, and 1 cup of soy milk.
Exchanges are fairly easy to follow once you are familiar with them, and once you know fair estimates of the nutritional values of basic foods. Exchanges don't have to be exact, they are just relative estimates. The challenge facing Eric and I is not only the fact that our exchanges differ greatly, and I don't know about Eric, but that I tend to manipulate the system.
By manipulate, I mean that I tend to go for the bare minimum, or even just under the minimum caloric values of the exchanges. It's very difficult for me to have full servings of exchanges and I convince myself that I've had a full exchange just because I had a certain food even if it doesn't meet the full nutritional value. For example, I will have a little bit of hummus, less than the 2 TBS serving, and I will still count it as a fat. Each time I do this, I shortchange myself and I convince myself and those around me that I am truly following my exchanges. I know that I am only hurting my recovery, but it feels so convincing in the moment, it is difficult for me to catch myself and admit that I am not in recovery mode. Now that I'm writing about it, my recovery voice is growing just a little bit louder, and I am already aware of how I can improve my day to meet my exchange needs.
This system can really work for anyone, but I don't recommend using it without the assistance of your doctor or dietician/nutritionist. This system takes some getting used to, and a lot of practice, but once you have a firm grasp of the types and amounts of foods that meet your nutritional needs, and are willing to follow your plan, it proves to be extremely effective.
While Eric and I are both using this system, we are each using it for opposite purposes. Eric is using it to lose weight and I am using it to gain weight, and eventually to maintain our new healthy weights.
You may wonder how this is possible. We are able to use it for differing purposes because the exchange system is unique to every individual who uses it, and can be modified as the individuals needs change.
A doctor or dietician will "prescribe" you a certain number of exchanges to eat in the day. Exchanges consist of a certain number of protein, dairy, fat, starch, veggie and fruit you are supposed to have in the day in order to maintain, gain, or lose weight. Each "exchange" has a caloric value, and certain nutritional criteria.
The exchanges are as follows; One protein would be 75 calories with 5g of fat, one dairy exchange is 120 calories with 8g of protein, one fat exchange is 45 calories and 5g of fat, one starch exchange is 80 calories with at least 15g of carbs, one veggie exchange is 45 calories with 5g of carbs, and one fruit exchange is 60 calories with 15g of carbs.
I like to break down my total number of exchanges by assigning a certain number to each meal. For example, I am supposed to have 3 milk exchanges in the whole day, so I assign one milk exchange to each meal. I am also supposed to have 6 protein exchanges, so I assign 3 of these exchanges to lunch and 3 to dinner. However, I am not rigid about making sure I meet each assigned exchange at each meal. For example, if I happen to crave a protein or two for breakfast I will have them and then simply adjust my lunch and dinner to account for the proteins I already had in the morning.
Along with my regular meal exchanges, I am also supposed to have 3-4 exchanges of my choice for an afternoon snack, as well as 3-4 exchanges for a night time snack. So as an example, I could have an apple with 1 TBS peanut butter, and 1 cup of soy milk.
Exchanges are fairly easy to follow once you are familiar with them, and once you know fair estimates of the nutritional values of basic foods. Exchanges don't have to be exact, they are just relative estimates. The challenge facing Eric and I is not only the fact that our exchanges differ greatly, and I don't know about Eric, but that I tend to manipulate the system.
By manipulate, I mean that I tend to go for the bare minimum, or even just under the minimum caloric values of the exchanges. It's very difficult for me to have full servings of exchanges and I convince myself that I've had a full exchange just because I had a certain food even if it doesn't meet the full nutritional value. For example, I will have a little bit of hummus, less than the 2 TBS serving, and I will still count it as a fat. Each time I do this, I shortchange myself and I convince myself and those around me that I am truly following my exchanges. I know that I am only hurting my recovery, but it feels so convincing in the moment, it is difficult for me to catch myself and admit that I am not in recovery mode. Now that I'm writing about it, my recovery voice is growing just a little bit louder, and I am already aware of how I can improve my day to meet my exchange needs.
This system can really work for anyone, but I don't recommend using it without the assistance of your doctor or dietician/nutritionist. This system takes some getting used to, and a lot of practice, but once you have a firm grasp of the types and amounts of foods that meet your nutritional needs, and are willing to follow your plan, it proves to be extremely effective.
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