127 days since I
began to change to my life. 127 days and
I am still watching everything I eat, eating more fruits and vegetables,
cooking low fat, and not grazing my way through the day. 127 days and FINALLY my PT is working on my
lower back so I am now able to be more active. 127 days and I am losing weight
(33 pounds so far) and feeling overall healthier. In 127 days my blood sugar average has
dropped from 234 to 109, my A1C level has dropped from 9.6 to 6.2, and I am
completely off one of my diabetic medications.
At this point, I have had several low blood sugar incidents (usually at
night) so over the next four days I am seeing where my blood sugar is without
the second medication.
People
have asked me how I am “doing it” and in many ways it has been easier than I
expected and harder. At the time I began
this there were no munchies in the house.
I had not recently made brownies, cookies, or muffins. I moved my boxed mixes to the top shelf of my
pantry- I would have to make an effort to get them down. Then I started giving them away- thus
removing more of the temptation. I
stopped buying the “junk” – no more puddings, cookies, cupcakes, sweet breads,
snack crackers etc… I began shopping for
fresh (or frozen) fruits and vegetables, carefully measuring my portions, and
learned to enjoy proteins as a way of helping me to feel full. A daily protein drink has helped with this a
lot! I have long been an adventurous
cook so cooking things like artichokes, leeks, faro, quinoa, and other grains
and produce were not unusual. Also my
family has been 100% supportive. Sarah
has been measuring her foods along with me.
Michael has been watching his portions and not whining about missing the
many goodies I used to bake.
On the harder side- I miss baking. I have often enjoyed cooking as a creative
outlet and have long been willing to try new techniques and foods. Baking was always especially gratifying. I think this is because in my family baking/food
was how you showed love. I can say
without bragging that I am a very good cook – Michael often proudly shows off
his tummy as proof. So giving up baking
has been a challenge. Every now and then
I think of our favorite snacks and want to make them. The only baking I have done in 127 days has
been cupcakes for a friend (they weren’t in the house to tempt me) and a
Coconut Cream Cake for Michael’s birthday.
I did the calorie calculation on that and I only had one very small
sliver of it once. That was enough, I
kept saying that until the cake was gone. Whenever I feel like cheating, I check my
blood sugar meter for my last week, 2 weeks, and month of averages. That truly helps keep me on my goals.
We were afraid
this would prove to be more costly for us.
It hasn’t been – doing more portion control enables the foods I buy to
go further even if initially they are pricier.
I have discovered Kroger’s bruised fruit sales and those have helped as
well. When Meijer has the 10 for $10 sale I no longer stock up on cake mixes and
puddings- I buy fresh peppers, avocados, mushrooms and spinach. I am getting quite good at home freezing
fruits (bananas and mangoes especially) and have even used my food dehydrator
(mangoes!) to prevent waste. I have
learned to shop the outside aisles of a grocery store (produce, meats, dairy,
and frozen) and spend less time in the baking and prepared foods aisles. For the first time in my adult life there is
no brown sugar in the house- and I am not in a panic. Now if it were garlic…well that is different.
Both of my parents
have passed away. Dad was only 6
years older than I am now when he died of complications from congestive heart
failure and Mom lived longer but was very sedentary and unable to walk up
a single step for about five years before she died. That is one reason when we built our home;
Michael and I wanted a two-story – so we have steps we have to walk up every
day. I know that I want my later years
to be active and full and only by taking better care of myself can that happen.
So now you have the how and why.
