THE EPIPHANY – sixty-five pounds
A dear friend who happens, is also one of the best doctors in town, looked at me a year or so ago and said: “If you don’t lose that belly you will be in serious trouble!”. Thinking that I was slated for a routine check-up anyway as we traveled through the U.S. to Europe I acknowledged the comment, passed it off, as most do and went to my appointed appointment at the Veterans Administration in Phoenix. I felt good, looked [looking back] OK , but a little chubby <grin> . I / We were distraught to learn I had diabetes II. The Dr. had added more pills to my mild cardiac regimen. The good life had caught up to me. We decided we would fight back!
Well, as the name of the blog suggests we travel a lot. We were living part of the year in Mexico, and traveling the western world and Europe where we enjoy the culture and the culinary arts of the places we go and see. Italy is pasta and wine, the Germans eat heaping portions of food that really isn’t good for a diabetic, the Austrians follow the lead of the Germans and Mexicans eat lots of beans, tortillas, and things that really aren’t as healthy as one might assume. It’s a really good thing tequila gives me heartburn to the point I think death would be a relief which makes it a to be avoided at all costs, drink.
A few years ago we were invited to an Austrian friend’s home for dinner, with the admonition that it would be a little different in that there would be none of the usual starches, [translates to carbohydrates] in the meal. She further explained; her husband had lost about thirty-five kilo- by using this method of eating. Our reaction was one of curiosity and interest. The dinner was excellent — grilled salmon, wine, vegetables [not over cooked] salad and more wine. Strawberries for desert. Wow! I was satisfied — not stuffed but relaxed and content. It was an interesting enough meal that we purchased the book in the only language available at the time and she translated it from the German to English to find out more. That said; we returned to our old eating habits…the method seemed too complicated…that was five years ago. Fast forward to last year this time. The diagnosis shocked us, frightened us. However rather than leap head first into another batch of pills my wife remembered our friend telling her about the “Montignac Method”.[ http://www.montignacmethod.com]
Latini’s Restaurant / San Gimignano, Italy: Owned by the Latini family. One daughter runs this restaurant — She an accredited chef, sommelier and runs a great restaurant and is sympathetic to “The Method” as a way of eating, although the menu does have the typical, and fantastic faire of Italian cuisine…Its a NOT TO BE MISSED experience when you are in central Italia.
We spend our summers in beautiful Italia. Italy is food. Italy is wine. Italy is art. Italy is beautiful loving people who love to eat. Here I was with diabetes II, how could I possibly eat in Italy? Italy is pasta with every meal. [the photo is the country restaurant & hotel that is the sister restaurant to one of the ten best restaurants in Florence / Firenze] I will say the friends [Italian] did tease me when I would abstain from gelato, but would eat pizza [another Italian staple] and pasta as well as drink the luscious Chianti wines. How did I do that and loose sixty-five pounds? Simple: We adopted “The Method” [www.glycemicmethod.wordpress.com]
We are about to venture out once again across the U.S. and “The Pond” eating as we go along the way and using, as I have for the past year plus, “The Method” that has allowed my body to regain its proper proportions for my bone structure, surprised me when I found a belt that had been custom carved for me when I was sixteen that once again, not only fits but is actually a bit too big, and to look at a rack of pants in the general size range instead of the ones with baggy legs that are specifically for fat men.
We have been involved in the food business for many years and in many venues. I was raised in the hospitality industry by a Father that was a leader in the industry; consequently I was exposed to food at every level. We have owned our own restaurants and I have consulted and operated restaurants in the U.S. and other countries. Nuff said about background; In short we are highly qualified to comment on the places we eat, the food we see and the food we choose to consume.
Ride with us; Learn with us; Experience with us our journey our enjoyments as well as our disappointments along the way.
More as we travel…Oh yes, one year later: The amount diabetes pills have been reduced in number, I have lost 65 pounds, the bad cholesterol numbers are down, the good are up dramatically, blood pressure is down, and the doctors are very pleased with the lab results. I can’t say enough good about “The Method”. I must add however it isn’t the end all diet. It isn’t a quick fix for weight loss, It is, however a much healthier way of eating and living. I still enjoy my pizza, my pasta and my wine and coffee, but I do them much differently now. I can eat off [almost] any menu and not worry about the usual diet concerns and guilt that come with binging..
