Eating and drinking is one of my greatest pleasures in life as is sharing food and drink with friends.

Yes, me too. I'm sorry and sad that something that brings me such joy personally is the source of angst for others.

I get the thought of People Chow, especially at those times when you have more month than money and can't face all your frugal leftovers.(I think cereal is as close as we get to kibble for people.) I think I'd get bored, though. I look forward to meals generally.

Yeah, I wouldn't do well with People Chow. Food is fun for me. I like trying new foods and flavors and stuff, and playing around with how different things will work together. (Of course, I say this as I'm eating potato chips for lunch. It's one of those days.)

I enjoy food a great deal too. I am, therefore, stunned by how easy low glycemic has been. It annoys me that eating out is annoying, that cuisines or restaurants won't have brown rice or whatever options, and I mostly have to make my own dessert since I need to supervise the sweetening, but...within the boundaries of my own kitchen, I crave more of what I started eating more of. And the things I thought I couldn't quit been knocked aside without second consideration for new obsessions.

It didn't cure my migraines or anything, but I can't argue against other positive impacts.

Weird as fuck. Only dietary change I've ever managed in 45 years.

There have been occassions when all I wanted to eat was chocolate, wouldn't bother to eat anything else if it were just a little more nutritionally complete. That's when I buy Slimfast shakes and just go with it.

Though the more I think about it, the more I think if I had one of those phases now, I'd probably go with Yoplait chocolate yogurt and take vitamins.

I still love chocolate. Sometimes I think fondly of the feel of a chocolate bar in my mouth and wonder if anyone makes one sweetened with coconut palm sugar, but I haven't had any chocolate in three or four months that wasn't drizzled over low-glycemic granola bars or in the low glycemic chocolate muffins I make. It's not as much of a self-creating compulsion as it used to be, and I'm still surprised by that.

But cocoa's not off limits, and it tastes great sprinkled lightly over strawberries, and I never sweetened my hot chocolate in the first place.

ita, I can't remember -- what does the low-glycemic diet help you with?

I had random edema in my ankles that no one could pin down to any reason (and could be as extreme as 1-2 shoe sizes on a bad day), and was confusing various doctors, and that's pretty much cleared up. Also, my stomach is *much* happier with me. It took me a while to notice, but so few digestive problems compared to before.

I'd also say less period cramps/discomfort, but I'm perimenopausal, so I don't know.

I probably dropped most of my no-exercising weight too. I'm not fit or anything, but I wasn't trying to lose weight. But hey! Free shopping in my closet, so works for me.

Two things that are ugh:

1) I got an email from a woman at work (who I have never spoken with, or hardly emailed with--we had some rearranging, so the person who does most of my sites is someone else). I was confused, because it was to a place I was at last week, and was all "OMG you don't have access to our important system please fill this form out you need access!" And I wrote back saying "where do you get the idea they don't have access? Person X might not, but Person Y does" And she got ALL OFFENDED, and was like "WELL I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP HOW DARE YOU I AM JUST DOING MY JOB". Jesus. I re-read mine and could see how it came off a little more strident than intended, but definitely not enough for her to freak out on me. Now I feel like an ass, but also irked that she flipped out.

2) My roommate applied for and tentatively got a job, several months ago. But needed security clearance. She's been waiting and waiting (they've come back with a few more questions, so she knows it's ongoing). Her current job ends this Friday. The new job is in New Jersey. She was concerned because she can't start the new job without the clearance, but if she's between jobs too long she loses some seniority and stuff. She got a call today--they still don't have her clearance, and think it'll come in a couple days, and they want her to start on MONDAY. As in, the monday after her last day at a job in Seattle. On a week's notice. And she is nuts and agreed. WTF. Also I'm a bit irked because (a) that means she's gone in a week, and (b) she won't be able to come move her shit out of my apartment until THANKSGIVING (because they are sending her to a training). She said she'll pay rent, but it's still a bit crazy. And it's not like she needs the cash and can't handle a few weeks between jobs. I think it's nuts, and I think that they're even asking her to do this is nuts (most people couldn't, IJS). But she's freaked out and stressed already, and now will be INSANE to deal with, and I can't say anything to her because she's so stressed.