Feeling good, down -2 pounds this week. Blood glucose levels are great post-meal but still drifting up above 120 sometimes. That seems to happen more when I eat dinner later in the evening, even when my post-meal numbers are fantastic. Might just be one of those things I can't control, but perhaps next time I have a late dinner I'll try to make it lighter and see if that impacts things.
Yesterday's visit with the diabetes educator nurse and the nutritionist went pretty well. They felt I'm doing very well with my progress. It had been a couple of months, so I don't think they were expecting to see that much less of me. ;-) They had a copy of my lab results and were a bit concerned that the HDL/LDL numbers weren't looking quite as good as the rest of my cholesterol panel. So we discussed cutting saturated fats. I felt a little daunted, frankly. While I've been doing fine with balancing my carbs and eating better ones, I have been lax on the fats. We do eat a lot of red meat, and I loooooove crispy chicken skin or the charred fatty bits on the meat. Don't get me started on bacon, it's my passion. I held a mild grudge for years against my brother-in-law for burning the gourmet bacon we brought to his house one time. So...*sigh*...I wouldn't say I replaced sugar and refined carbs with fats--I already was eating plenty of fats, too, right along with the sugar and refined carbs--but the fats aren't my special focus from a reducing blood glucose levels standpoint. When I go a little over my fat portions, I haven't been stressing about it. So, while it hasn't noticeably impacted the weight loss so far, it is impacting future health. It's time to start gradually removing that prop. (*heavy sigh*)
My nutritional challenge for the week, then, is to have at least 3 meals with no meat/cheese/eggs/animal-based fats and at least 2 meals with fish. I was pretty close yesterday at lunch: black beans and salad and fajita-style veggies...with a small sprinkle of cheese (probably about 1 Tbsp). Yesterday's breakfast was one: fat free cottage cheese and a slice of flax toast with sugar-free jam. (I'm not counting my snack, since that's not a meal with protein or fat servings and I've been going fat-free with my Greek-style yogurt all along.) I bought some firm tofu and some tofu-based sausage, so we'll see how those go.
I've also made the fitness goal of running a 5K race quarterly. (Although I'm eyeing a couple of runs in November that look promising...) So it was back to running this morning, 35 minutes in swirling mist, I kept having to wipe off my glasses.
Showing posts with label weight loss success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss success. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Weekly weigh-in: -51!
Down 2 pounds this week. Woo hoo! I passed the 50-pound mark. I still have a long way to go until I reach my goal, but it feels really, really great to be closer.
I'm also happy to have progressed in my arm strength training. I moved on to two 7.5 pound weights (my original 5-pound hand weights plus my husband's 2.5 lb ankle weights)...my arms still feel wobbly today.
5K in less than a week! AAAAIIIEEEEE!!! I haven't done the full distance in awhile, so I'm hoping I'm ready for it. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll do a trial run again.
The 50-pound Retrospective
Okay, here's the really weird part of all these physical changes: dealing with the fact that people (0ther than my nearest and dearest) now notice that I've dropped the weight equivalent of a small child. I guess I'd expected to quietly do my thing and not have anyone notice or comment at work. It started subtly, with comments about my hair looking nice...and I hadn't had a haircut in weeks. I just assumed that "Your hair looks nice" was the new, polite way of saying, "Daaaaaaaang, you have lost a TON of weight!"
Now it is pretty much the latter observation. (But said in a kind, positive way...I'm very fortunate to have nice coworkers.) I generally respond with a grin and a "thanks," but sometimes it gets a little weird...like when coworkers say I'm "inspiring" and proceed to tell me how hard or impossible it is for them to eat properly, exercise, and lose weight. I'm still working on these areas--or at least the first two, with the latter being a nice by-product of improving health. But after the first month or so, it hasn't been as hard for me as I thought it would be when I was the one thinking that eating sensibly would be hard and booooooring and--chuh!--forget about squeezing exercise (painful, unpleasant business, that) into my busy schedule. I listen, and do mention that I felt the same way, and tell them how I'm doing it if they ask. But I don't feel exceptional, I mean, if *I* can do it....
What's really weird is that sometimes I feel like an imposter. I know that you can't fake the results; I have focused and taken action to get where I am now. I don't fake likes and dislikes...for example, I don't pretend to hate chocolate or to love vegetables. (I do love 'em...except lima beans.)...and while I do feel good after a run, often as not I don't feel like running first thing in the morning. But I haven't divulged to most people that I have type 2 diabetes and that keeping it managed is driving me to make these seemingly "impossible" changes. Confession time: I feel ashamed of having gotten it, although I believe (in my mind at least) that it wasn't just sustained bad habits that got me here, genetics and possibly other factors contributed. For me, doing everything I can to manage it makes me feel less ashamed. Fear of what would happen if I didn't do anything about it also motivates me. Would I have had the "stick-to-it-iveness" without those really big sticks waving around behind me? Moot question at this point, although not sure what would have been the catalyst after 14 years of being overweight...not sure "feeling tired of being fat and out of shape" would have been enough, but then, it has been for others and may have been for me, too.
Anyone out there going through similar? How have you dealt with it?
I'm also happy to have progressed in my arm strength training. I moved on to two 7.5 pound weights (my original 5-pound hand weights plus my husband's 2.5 lb ankle weights)...my arms still feel wobbly today.
5K in less than a week! AAAAIIIEEEEE!!! I haven't done the full distance in awhile, so I'm hoping I'm ready for it. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll do a trial run again.
The 50-pound Retrospective
Okay, here's the really weird part of all these physical changes: dealing with the fact that people (0ther than my nearest and dearest) now notice that I've dropped the weight equivalent of a small child. I guess I'd expected to quietly do my thing and not have anyone notice or comment at work. It started subtly, with comments about my hair looking nice...and I hadn't had a haircut in weeks. I just assumed that "Your hair looks nice" was the new, polite way of saying, "Daaaaaaaang, you have lost a TON of weight!"
Now it is pretty much the latter observation. (But said in a kind, positive way...I'm very fortunate to have nice coworkers.) I generally respond with a grin and a "thanks," but sometimes it gets a little weird...like when coworkers say I'm "inspiring" and proceed to tell me how hard or impossible it is for them to eat properly, exercise, and lose weight. I'm still working on these areas--or at least the first two, with the latter being a nice by-product of improving health. But after the first month or so, it hasn't been as hard for me as I thought it would be when I was the one thinking that eating sensibly would be hard and booooooring and--chuh!--forget about squeezing exercise (painful, unpleasant business, that) into my busy schedule. I listen, and do mention that I felt the same way, and tell them how I'm doing it if they ask. But I don't feel exceptional, I mean, if *I* can do it....
What's really weird is that sometimes I feel like an imposter. I know that you can't fake the results; I have focused and taken action to get where I am now. I don't fake likes and dislikes...for example, I don't pretend to hate chocolate or to love vegetables. (I do love 'em...except lima beans.)...and while I do feel good after a run, often as not I don't feel like running first thing in the morning. But I haven't divulged to most people that I have type 2 diabetes and that keeping it managed is driving me to make these seemingly "impossible" changes. Confession time: I feel ashamed of having gotten it, although I believe (in my mind at least) that it wasn't just sustained bad habits that got me here, genetics and possibly other factors contributed. For me, doing everything I can to manage it makes me feel less ashamed. Fear of what would happen if I didn't do anything about it also motivates me. Would I have had the "stick-to-it-iveness" without those really big sticks waving around behind me? Moot question at this point, although not sure what would have been the catalyst after 14 years of being overweight...not sure "feeling tired of being fat and out of shape" would have been enough, but then, it has been for others and may have been for me, too.
Anyone out there going through similar? How have you dealt with it?
Friday, October 10, 2008
Quotable Friday!
I felt a little under-the-weather last night, so I decided to try my rainy-day alternate workout. I popped in a walking workout DVD. "Wow," I thought to myself. "This seems kind of easy. I guess I have developed some endurance." I did break a sweat, and I enjoyed going for a full 60 minutes and felt a little fatigue on the strength training portion. But overall, it seemed pretty easily done. That was a really good feeling.
So today's theme? Endurance. Seems rather timely in a general way, too.
"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory."
- William Barclay
"Endurance is patience concentrated."
- Thomas Carlyle
"Life is an error-making and an error-correcting process, and nature in marking man's papers will grade him for wisdom as measured both by survival and by the quality of life of those who survive."
- Jonas Salk
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."
- Booker T. Washington
Wishing everyone great success as we endure the coming week!
"Hot for the Holidays" challenge update: I lost another pound between Tuesday and today, so down 3 for the HFH challenge. I'm hoping it will be "Halfway for the Holidays" for me, since I'm 11 pounds away from my halfway-to-goal point. And in another 25 pounds, I will shed the "obese" BMI label! Yippee!
So today's theme? Endurance. Seems rather timely in a general way, too.
"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory."
- William Barclay
"Endurance is patience concentrated."
- Thomas Carlyle
"Life is an error-making and an error-correcting process, and nature in marking man's papers will grade him for wisdom as measured both by survival and by the quality of life of those who survive."
- Jonas Salk
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."
- Booker T. Washington
Wishing everyone great success as we endure the coming week!
"Hot for the Holidays" challenge update: I lost another pound between Tuesday and today, so down 3 for the HFH challenge. I'm hoping it will be "Halfway for the Holidays" for me, since I'm 11 pounds away from my halfway-to-goal point. And in another 25 pounds, I will shed the "obese" BMI label! Yippee!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Weekly weigh-in: -49!
Down 2 pounds this week; yeay! Blood glucose levels mostly good, although I had a few mornings last week when I went over 120; boo!
Things are screamingly busy for me right now, but I just wanted to thank everyone who's been tuning in for your comments, even though I haven't had a chance to respond personally yet. They encourage me tremendously. (And no, not just to post more silly stuff on my blog. ;-) Getting healthy used to be such a solitary quest, but with the great blogs and fun comments and communities, not so much anymore! Best of luck to everyone this week!
Things are screamingly busy for me right now, but I just wanted to thank everyone who's been tuning in for your comments, even though I haven't had a chance to respond personally yet. They encourage me tremendously. (And no, not just to post more silly stuff on my blog. ;-) Getting healthy used to be such a solitary quest, but with the great blogs and fun comments and communities, not so much anymore! Best of luck to everyone this week!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Weekly weigh-in: -47!
Down 4 pounds this week; yippee!!! I'm down into the next decade (2teens vs. 220s!) I didn't change much on the food front, but I did more exercise and made sure I got the proper amount of fluids. (I also did my arm strength training an extra day.)
Fasting blood glucose has been running a little higher, though; boo! I've had a few days where it was over 120. I suspect it's from eating dinner later in the evening. I really need to plan better around late work nights.
I also did my official "monthly measure" today. Actually, I did it late last week when the scale hadn't budged much. Both times it was really encouraging. Since beginning back in May, I've lost 5 inches from bust, waist and hips!
All that said, I still have a long way to go: 14 pounds until I'm at my halfway point; 28 pounds until my BMI is merely in the "overweight" (instead of the "obese") range. And who knows when until the fasting blood glucose levels get where I need them to be. But it was nice to enjoy seeing some progress this week.
Wishing success to everyone else in the process of getting healthy!
Fasting blood glucose has been running a little higher, though; boo! I've had a few days where it was over 120. I suspect it's from eating dinner later in the evening. I really need to plan better around late work nights.
I also did my official "monthly measure" today. Actually, I did it late last week when the scale hadn't budged much. Both times it was really encouraging. Since beginning back in May, I've lost 5 inches from bust, waist and hips!
All that said, I still have a long way to go: 14 pounds until I'm at my halfway point; 28 pounds until my BMI is merely in the "overweight" (instead of the "obese") range. And who knows when until the fasting blood glucose levels get where I need them to be. But it was nice to enjoy seeing some progress this week.
Wishing success to everyone else in the process of getting healthy!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Weekly Weigh-in: - 34 pounds!
Yippee! Down another 3 pounds this week.
"Hello, my name is Pubsgal, and I'm a scale addict..."
How often to weigh is a topic of much debate among those pursuing weight loss. From my Weight Watchers days, I remember their strict admonition to weigh only once a week, so as to avoid angst over the daily ups and downs. However, I've also read that daily weighing can be helpful for some people ("Does the Scale Promote Weight Loss?").
I weigh daily each morning, but I track on a weekly basis and measure monthly. I find that a daily check, and watching the number over the week helps me calibrate things. This week, for example, I was a little worried about whether there'd be a loss, as the scale didn't seem to be budging much. So I made some lower-fat choices and stuck to my food plan a bit more closely. I probably would have been really discouraged if there'd been no progress, and I've gotten spoiled by the quick progress. Tune in a couple of months from now to see the hand-wringing and hair-pulling!
In some ways, blood glucose monitoring is even more crazy. I've seen a downward trend in general, but I thought there'd be a more dramatic impact from the medication as well as following my food & exercise plan. We'll see what the diabetes educator has to say about it after my appointment today; she'll probably chuckle when she sees how many times I checked my blood glucose after starting metformin: "Oh my gahd!!!! I'm going hypo!!!! I just know it!!!!...Oh. 124. (90-130 being a normal pre-meal or fasting range.) Okay, so things aren't exactly plummeting, here." (Disclaimer: it's always a good thing to test when you think hypoglycemia is happening, not to make light of my reaction; however, my blood sugars have been so high for so long that "normal" feels like a low to me.)
"Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables." -Spanish proverb
"Hello, my name is Pubsgal, and I'm a scale addict..."
How often to weigh is a topic of much debate among those pursuing weight loss. From my Weight Watchers days, I remember their strict admonition to weigh only once a week, so as to avoid angst over the daily ups and downs. However, I've also read that daily weighing can be helpful for some people ("Does the Scale Promote Weight Loss?").
I weigh daily each morning, but I track on a weekly basis and measure monthly. I find that a daily check, and watching the number over the week helps me calibrate things. This week, for example, I was a little worried about whether there'd be a loss, as the scale didn't seem to be budging much. So I made some lower-fat choices and stuck to my food plan a bit more closely. I probably would have been really discouraged if there'd been no progress, and I've gotten spoiled by the quick progress. Tune in a couple of months from now to see the hand-wringing and hair-pulling!
In some ways, blood glucose monitoring is even more crazy. I've seen a downward trend in general, but I thought there'd be a more dramatic impact from the medication as well as following my food & exercise plan. We'll see what the diabetes educator has to say about it after my appointment today; she'll probably chuckle when she sees how many times I checked my blood glucose after starting metformin: "Oh my gahd!!!! I'm going hypo!!!! I just know it!!!!...Oh. 124. (90-130 being a normal pre-meal or fasting range.) Okay, so things aren't exactly plummeting, here." (Disclaimer: it's always a good thing to test when you think hypoglycemia is happening, not to make light of my reaction; however, my blood sugars have been so high for so long that "normal" feels like a low to me.)
"Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables." -Spanish proverb
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Weekly Weigh-in: -31 pounds!
Wow, this is getting good! I'm a little over 25% of my way to my goal weight of 143. I still have 91 pounds to go, though, so it's going to be a long haul. On the other hand, I guess it's a milestone in some ways, because I now have less than 100 pounds to lose!
Good stuff I've noticed so far:
So yes, last Thursday my doctor prescribed metformin, 500 mg. in the morning for starters. I had a headache over the weekend, but it's hard to say that was whether I was stressed about starting it or something else. I did not have the unfortunate gastrointestinal symptoms people tend to have, but on the other hand, we're starting with a low dose. I don't think it's the extended release type. I've also felt a bit more tired than I had been feeling, getting out there and exercising has been a little more challenging, but I know those are other side effects, so I'm just pushing through it.
Good stuff I've noticed so far:
- My largest size pants (26W) are really, really baggy.
- Pants I haven't worn since I started working again fit nicely, and are even a little baggy in the thighs. How weird, though, how differently clothes are sized!
- No more worries about blouse buttons popping!
- Feeling really good on all levels! Physically, I'm feeling terrific and have much more energy than I used to. Mentally, I feel really positive. Sticking with exercise especially makes me feel happy, even when it's not progressing quickly and when I experience setbacks (tweaking a muscle, going on vacation), because it's a miracle to me that I'm doing it at all.
- Compliments from friends and family.
So yes, last Thursday my doctor prescribed metformin, 500 mg. in the morning for starters. I had a headache over the weekend, but it's hard to say that was whether I was stressed about starting it or something else. I did not have the unfortunate gastrointestinal symptoms people tend to have, but on the other hand, we're starting with a low dose. I don't think it's the extended release type. I've also felt a bit more tired than I had been feeling, getting out there and exercising has been a little more challenging, but I know those are other side effects, so I'm just pushing through it.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Weekly Weigh-in: -28 pounds!
Yeay!!! I've lost over 10% of my starting weight!!!
And, hurrah! I survived the family Michigan trip! I lost 3 pounds and I had as good of control as possible over the numbers. I didn't keep up with my exercise routine, but I was generally active. I didn't eat to plan, but I did skip the obvious offenders and kept my choices low-carb in general. I probably ought to have had more veggies. My splurges: lots of sugar-free popsicles, one double White Castle with middle bun removed, half of a Villa Bakery pizza roll. My only regret is not having stopped in at Uncle Ray's in Fenton for a memorial scoop: the founder, Uncle Ray himself, passed away last month. Especially since I was good and did not drink what I really wanted: a margarita. I stuck to one and a half servings of wine. I felt a little bitter about that (grumble, grumble, how come everyone ELSE gets to drink and eat what they damn well please, grumble grumble), but my sister-in-law's mom was there, and she's diabetic, and she was a poignant reminder of the trouble I'll have if I don't do my best now to get things under control.
Said sister-in-law lent me a fleece jacket (Eddie Bauer, XXL) that she said she doesn't fit anymore (it's too big) and that she also said she had lent to her pregnant sister (who isn't exactly petite either). I like the jacket, but it was a little discouraging to think that I was receiving someone else's "too big" hand-me-downs. It reminded me of how far I have to go, and it seemed to lessen how far I've come already. I know that totally was not her intention, though; she just wanted a good home to a favorite jacket. On the other hand, I know the cost of her struggle with weight & health issues, so I'd better live up to my intention and do the opposite: I now hereby choose to look at it as an inspiration: "she did it; so can I!"
And, hurrah! I survived the family Michigan trip! I lost 3 pounds and I had as good of control as possible over the numbers. I didn't keep up with my exercise routine, but I was generally active. I didn't eat to plan, but I did skip the obvious offenders and kept my choices low-carb in general. I probably ought to have had more veggies. My splurges: lots of sugar-free popsicles, one double White Castle with middle bun removed, half of a Villa Bakery pizza roll. My only regret is not having stopped in at Uncle Ray's in Fenton for a memorial scoop: the founder, Uncle Ray himself, passed away last month. Especially since I was good and did not drink what I really wanted: a margarita. I stuck to one and a half servings of wine. I felt a little bitter about that (grumble, grumble, how come everyone ELSE gets to drink and eat what they damn well please, grumble grumble), but my sister-in-law's mom was there, and she's diabetic, and she was a poignant reminder of the trouble I'll have if I don't do my best now to get things under control.
Said sister-in-law lent me a fleece jacket (Eddie Bauer, XXL) that she said she doesn't fit anymore (it's too big) and that she also said she had lent to her pregnant sister (who isn't exactly petite either). I like the jacket, but it was a little discouraging to think that I was receiving someone else's "too big" hand-me-downs. It reminded me of how far I have to go, and it seemed to lessen how far I've come already. I know that totally was not her intention, though; she just wanted a good home to a favorite jacket. On the other hand, I know the cost of her struggle with weight & health issues, so I'd better live up to my intention and do the opposite: I now hereby choose to look at it as an inspiration: "she did it; so can I!"
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Weekly weigh-in: -25 pounds!
Hurrah! I'm down to 240, only 5 pounds more than when I went back to being a desk jockey 3 years ago. I wish I'd taken measurements at the beginning, but I'm down about an inch all over in the past month. Average weight loss has been 2.8 pounds/week.
My long term goal? 143 pounds.
My medium-term goals? Break 200 by end of the year, be "overweight" instead of "obese" by 2/2/2009 (my 41st birthday).
My short-term goal? Survive our family trip without going crazy!!!
I'm a little worried about our Michigan trip. I know everyone will be supportive, there is always plenty to eat, but I'm worried more about (1) keeping up with my exercising and (2) getting quality food and (3) being without my food scale. (Heh, I guess I'm just worried about everything! ;-)
Here's the game plan:
My long term goal? 143 pounds.
My medium-term goals? Break 200 by end of the year, be "overweight" instead of "obese" by 2/2/2009 (my 41st birthday).
My short-term goal? Survive our family trip without going crazy!!!
I'm a little worried about our Michigan trip. I know everyone will be supportive, there is always plenty to eat, but I'm worried more about (1) keeping up with my exercising and (2) getting quality food and (3) being without my food scale. (Heh, I guess I'm just worried about everything! ;-)
Here's the game plan:
- Be okay with maintaining rather than obsessed with losing. As long as I haven't gained, I'm ahead of all our other Michigan trips by at least 5 pounds.
- Pack and use the exercise tapes if it's too hot to exercise outdoors. Try to exercise before shower time. OK to skip Wednesday and Saturday, do not skip Monday if our flight leaves in the afternoon.
- Keep as active as possible. If there's a choice between sitting or standing, take standing, and add fidgeting.
- Insist on going to the grocery store for stocking up on food I need. Cottage cheese for breakfast will be fine, need "veggie tray" veggies at minimum (broccoli, carrots, celery), apples, and Triskets for when I need a whole grain alternative for starch.
- Pack the flax!
- Portion-wise, err on the side of smaller, except regarding veggies. I'm sure Mom P has some measuring cups.
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