The Autistic Me

So far, counting calories has helped me lose about five pounds. At the same time, counting calories reinforces the fact that bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes are evils I need to resist a bit more. Since my favorite foods are Italian and Mexican, I'm not sure how to avoid bread, rice, and pasta. The potatoes, I can do without. Bread? Pasta? Those will be a challenge. One of the things my wife will attest to is that when I get a craving it is specific and nothing else will do. It isn't that I'm a picky eater, overall, but that I am struck by cravings. There are days when some foods aren't appealing, too. Parents and teachers tell me that some children and teens with autism are much, much pickier. One mother told me her autistic son went through a period when he would only eat the "blue box" of macaroni and cheese for lunch. Nothing else was acceptable for the young boy. When the mother tried to add anything to the pasta, he wouldn't touch it. A diet of...

My wife and I are trying to learn a bit more about our diets. Information is a good thing. We each downloaded and installed the iPhone App from MyFitnessPal. The app is at: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ I'm not good with the entire idea of dieting. I'm not going to stop eating chocolate, bread, or pasta. Low carb? Nope. And I love beef, chicken, and fish. Since I'm not going to change the "what" of my diet, I might as well monitor the "how much" to see how far over my ideal caloric intake I might be. The iPhone makes keeping the diary of our meals easy. If this helps me lose five to ten pounds, I'll be sure to let people know.

Many parents ask me about my diet. Just looking at me should answer the question. Diet? Ha! The only "diet" in my life is diet cola. Usually we have Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Pepsi, and Diet Canada Dry Ginger Ale on hand. The only reason I stick to diet soda is the quantity I drink. I love food. My weaknesses are all the standard problem foods: bread, pasta, cheese, and any sweets. Donuts and pastries are difficult to resist. Forget trying to convince me to try a low-carb or veggie diet. Not going to happen. Any "free" isn't my first choice, from "fat free" to "gluten free" to "sugar free" I'm not that interested. We prepare chicken and fish frequently. Red meat is expensive and I don't really crave it that often. But, I want my seafood or chicken with some fresh bread. At least I like bread plain, especially warm fresh bread. Like too many adults, I struggle with my weight. My "ideal" weight according to my doct...

I was asked about my diet again, a question that seems to be asked about a third of the time when I discuss autism with groups. This inevitably leads to parents (and some support providers) starting to argue about the various "treatments" such as the gluten free diets or pressure chambers. Yes, I've been asked if I've tried everything from "detox" procedures to special pads you stand on to "drain heavy metals" from your body. My blunt answer on diets? You do not want to take away my chocolate, processed sugar, and don't even dream of touching my pasta dinners. I'd rather die young than give up my favorite foods. My favorite foods are all "bad" for me, which is why I don't eat pasta or chocolate cake every night. Caffeine makes me sleepy, as does too much sugar, so my wife is more than content to have me drink a mocha before bedtime. Personally, I prefer to stick to herbal teas with honey or Splenda. I do not get caffeine m...

I have received a few questions via e-mail and Twitter. As promised I will answer questions as best I can. You can contact me on this blog's "Ask the Author" page or via Twitter (@autisticme). Q: Have you tried different diets? If so, do they have any effect? A: I have a chlorophyl allergy (seriously), so I cannot eat a lot of green vegetables without incurring a lot of pain and misery. Unfortunately, I also love salads, so I must limit the amount to a small, small serving. We tend to eat fish and chicken. I react to grease and oil, so we bake and grill with fruit juices, coconut milk, and various marinades. I absolutely adore breads and cookies. Not about to skip those, but we also try to control carbs because I want to lose weight. I've been avoiding pasta and other starchy foods. Q: Are you sensitive to clothing? A: Yes. I have always removed tags. I hate "itchy" clothes and really hate itchy bedsheets. I don't like wool, despise "sticky" cl...