(Or, "Back to lying about the weight on my driver's license")
Down 3 pounds this week! Yes!!! Girl hormones during last week kinda threw everything for a loop, including blood glucose levels; I've been reading that those can trend up or down in a "your mileage may vary" sort of way as the girl hormones rise and fall. Things were doing much better over the weekend, especially my fasting numbers; they're finally trending into the desired range. The doc will be happy on Thursday. Hurrah!
We're getting fall weather here on the San Mateo coast, which means (generally) sunny, mild days instead of the summer fog-fest. Colder, darker mornings, too; this morning, I had on 2 jackets and gloves and still felt cold during my warm-up. We spent a lot of time tidying up the yard and Mr. Handsome-AND-Handy* repainted and cleaned Thing 1 and Thing 2's swingset and repainted the trim on our house. Thing 1's big birthday party is next weekend, and it's one of our bi-annual excuses to be social instead of our usual reclusive selves. (*Side note--My husband's moniker is inspired by Red Green of The Red Green Show, who has the following tag line to the "Handyman's Corner" segment: "If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.")
I also spent a little time playing with the virtual model on Lands End. I'm pretty sure I saw this first on OneMoreBite ("Virtual Weight Loss"), which links to the makers of the Lands End virtual model. (That actually might be a better site to try, as my poor girl didn't have any pant or skirt options in the virtual model closet at her current weight; only a dress, which was a gahdawful sack of a garment.) I wanted to be able to visualize my before, current, mid-way, and goal, and this did a pretty good job, at least with the before and current. Sadly, I didn't see much of a difference between the computer-rendered before (265) and current (227), although the half-way (208) is very much different. I also didn't notice much difference between 160 (top of my desired weight range) and 143 (goal).
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Quotable Friday*!
*because, by the end of the week, I can't think of anything clever to say myself!
A common theme in blogs I'm stumbling across this week seems to be this: Don't wait until you've arrived at your health goals to enjoy life; do the things you like to do now. So true! Where are my plane tickets to Hawaii?!?!? Oh, er, right, the day job and back-to-school and all that....I've been really impressed by the other truths and humor in blogs I've been reading lately. I might ramble more on that later, but for now, the quotes:
"We are all worms. But I believe that I am a glow-worm." -Winston Churchill
"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely." -Rodin
"Life is tough, and if you have the ability to laugh at it, you have the ability to enjoy it." -Salma Hayek
"The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed." -Sebastine Chamfort
"When athink thing is funny, search it for a hidden truth." -George Bernard Shaw (<-The hidden truth? Do not fully trust your spell-checker.)
A common theme in blogs I'm stumbling across this week seems to be this: Don't wait until you've arrived at your health goals to enjoy life; do the things you like to do now. So true! Where are my plane tickets to Hawaii?!?!? Oh, er, right, the day job and back-to-school and all that....I've been really impressed by the other truths and humor in blogs I've been reading lately. I might ramble more on that later, but for now, the quotes:
"We are all worms. But I believe that I am a glow-worm." -Winston Churchill
"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely." -Rodin
"Life is tough, and if you have the ability to laugh at it, you have the ability to enjoy it." -Salma Hayek
"The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed." -Sebastine Chamfort
"When a
Thursday, August 28, 2008
True or False: Does most of the weight we lose come straight off our busts?
There I was, standing in front of the mirror after my shower, feeling a little sad at the state of the girls. "Wouldn't ya know it...I always lose it straight from the bust!" I growled. But looks can be deceiving, so I decided to put this weight loss myth to the test. (Yes, the show Mythbusters is huge in our house...Thing 1 wants to be Jamie or Adam.)
So, I got out my measuring tape. And I measured. Well, well, well!
"You're not really going to share your measurements, are you?"
Well...(*gulp*)...yes. In the name of Science!
"Are you nuts?"
(probably!)
Myth confirmed! I really DO lose it more from the bust than anywhere else. Poor girls! I'll have to cheer them up and get them a pretty new bra or something. But real science types would hardly call my results conclusive...any challengers to these findings?
So, I got out my measuring tape. And I measured. Well, well, well!
"You're not really going to share your measurements, are you?"
Well...(*gulp*)...yes. In the name of Science!
"Are you nuts?"
(probably!)
Myth confirmed! I really DO lose it more from the bust than anywhere else. Poor girls! I'll have to cheer them up and get them a pretty new bra or something. But real science types would hardly call my results conclusive...any challengers to these findings?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Weekly weigh in: -35!
Down one pound during the past week. At least it's still heading in a downward direction, but the rate of loss has gone down a bit. Well-oh. I think it's the dreaded "Decade Effect": the closer you get to going past a number that is a multiple of 10, the slower your rate of loss. At least I'm no longer lying about my driver's license weight anymore!
My blood glucose levels continue to do better in general--I even got one of my fasting numbers within range last week--but today? Ugh. Hard to pinpoint the cause: my post-dinner numbers were great last night, but my fasting was 143 and my post-breakfast, post-exercise was 152! (Which isn't too bad, but I'd been seeing some nice post-meal numbers in the 130s and was feeling smug.) I'm sorry, but 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and a little cream in my coffee shouldn't do that sort of thing. I did get a twinge in my calf when jogging this morning, so that might have affected things...I looked at some bread at WholePaycheck Foods this morning and even picked up a pack of brioche buns (and--no worries--set it down)...I took a big, long loving whiff of the breakfast bar and its insidious chorizo hash...Please-o-please tell me it wasn't the cup of Good Earth tea I just drank!
And tomorrow, True or False: Does most of the weight we lose come straight off our busts? Stay tuned!
My blood glucose levels continue to do better in general--I even got one of my fasting numbers within range last week--but today? Ugh. Hard to pinpoint the cause: my post-dinner numbers were great last night, but my fasting was 143 and my post-breakfast, post-exercise was 152! (Which isn't too bad, but I'd been seeing some nice post-meal numbers in the 130s and was feeling smug.) I'm sorry, but 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and a little cream in my coffee shouldn't do that sort of thing. I did get a twinge in my calf when jogging this morning, so that might have affected things...I looked at some bread at Whole
And tomorrow, True or False: Does most of the weight we lose come straight off our busts? Stay tuned!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Quote Day!
I love collecting quotations. Here are a couple of favorites from Mae West:
"You're never too old to become younger."
and
"I only have 'yes' men around. Who needs 'no' men?"
Happy Friday!
"You're never too old to become younger."
and
"I only have 'yes' men around. Who needs 'no' men?"
Happy Friday!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Near Occasion of Pistachios
It used to be sugar that drove me wild with desire, but now...
...they're in my desk drawer...
...naked...
...salty...
...green...
...pistachios!
A 16 oz. bag of them...well, 14 oz now, I've ate a couple of ounces so far (not in one sitting, thank goodness!). Shelled, roasted, salted...no, I did NOT have the good sense to get the ones in the shell, so I'd have to remove them one-by-one.
I got a really bad craving for them yesterday. What to do? I'd already had some with lunch, and I knew I needed to choose my usual yogurt/flax+wheat germ/fruit snack. I thought, "Try the scent-tasting trick." So I dug out the bag and inhaled deeply three times. Mmmm, salty goodness! Then I got myself a cup of tea. So far it seems to have worked, but there are still 14 beguiling ounces in there....
In other news, I found it really difficult to drag myself out running today. "Thing 1" had a rough night last night and woke us up after having a bad dream. ("Thing 1" refers to our 6-year-old son; "Thing 2" is our 4-year-old daughter; both affectionately dubbed from The Cat in the Hat's mischief-makers.) I think he's anxious about starting school next week. It's been thickly foggy all week long in the morning, and it was like jogging through an Impressionist painting, except I'm sure Monet's garden didn't have drought-stricken lawns and gopher mounds. I did stick with it and did my 2 miles (in 40 minutes...I'm going to get so lapped by the 5K walkers at the Pumpkin Run, but my goal is to simply finish before they pack up everything and leave). I'm not sure whether the inside or outside of my jacket was more wet. (Ew, too much info, I know!) But I felt very good afterward.
Moving my Metformin dose to the morning seems to be making a difference in my fasting blood glucose. Today it was 134, which is the lowest it's been since I started tracking (about 10-15 less than usual). Unfortunately, I got more of a spike from my workout (145) than breakfast (131). I wonder if any studies have been done to figure out how much weight loss affects blood glucose numbers. The current thinking is that losing 5-10% of your body weight (if overweight) and 30 minutes of exercise daily can make a difference for preventing diabetes among those with a predisposition for it (58% less likely, per the Diabetes Prevention Program study), but I was unable to find numbers for how much your blood glucose would go down as you reduce your BMI. Maybe it's not something that's possible to track, especially among newly diagnosed people who are doing everything at once: exercise, sensible eating, and (in some cases) medication.
...they're in my desk drawer...
...naked...
...salty...
...green...
...pistachios!
A 16 oz. bag of them...well, 14 oz now, I've ate a couple of ounces so far (not in one sitting, thank goodness!). Shelled, roasted, salted...no, I did NOT have the good sense to get the ones in the shell, so I'd have to remove them one-by-one.I got a really bad craving for them yesterday. What to do? I'd already had some with lunch, and I knew I needed to choose my usual yogurt/flax+wheat germ/fruit snack. I thought, "Try the scent-tasting trick." So I dug out the bag and inhaled deeply three times. Mmmm, salty goodness! Then I got myself a cup of tea. So far it seems to have worked, but there are still 14 beguiling ounces in there....
In other news, I found it really difficult to drag myself out running today. "Thing 1" had a rough night last night and woke us up after having a bad dream. ("Thing 1" refers to our 6-year-old son; "Thing 2" is our 4-year-old daughter; both affectionately dubbed from The Cat in the Hat's mischief-makers.) I think he's anxious about starting school next week. It's been thickly foggy all week long in the morning, and it was like jogging through an Impressionist painting, except I'm sure Monet's garden didn't have drought-stricken lawns and gopher mounds. I did stick with it and did my 2 miles (in 40 minutes...I'm going to get so lapped by the 5K walkers at the Pumpkin Run, but my goal is to simply finish before they pack up everything and leave). I'm not sure whether the inside or outside of my jacket was more wet. (Ew, too much info, I know!) But I felt very good afterward.
Moving my Metformin dose to the morning seems to be making a difference in my fasting blood glucose. Today it was 134, which is the lowest it's been since I started tracking (about 10-15 less than usual). Unfortunately, I got more of a spike from my workout (145) than breakfast (131). I wonder if any studies have been done to figure out how much weight loss affects blood glucose numbers. The current thinking is that losing 5-10% of your body weight (if overweight) and 30 minutes of exercise daily can make a difference for preventing diabetes among those with a predisposition for it (58% less likely, per the Diabetes Prevention Program study), but I was unable to find numbers for how much your blood glucose would go down as you reduce your BMI. Maybe it's not something that's possible to track, especially among newly diagnosed people who are doing everything at once: exercise, sensible eating, and (in some cases) medication.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Visit with my diabetes educator
Had a pleasant visit with my certified diabetes educator (CDE) at Mills Peninsula. The overall blood glucose numbers are looking good and are dropping.
last 60 days: 149 average
last 30 days: 145 average
last 14 days: 142 average
last 7 days: 141 average
Considering that my a1c was 9.5 when diagnosed (which means around 255 average), this is a great trend. She said that the trend should continue and that it's looking really good; I have high hopes for getting those morning fasting numbers knocked down. She did say to try not to get too frustrated with the blood glucose monitor; like the scale and the measuring tape, it's a tool, not something to get obsessed with. We're moving my metformin to p.m. instead of a.m. My CDE said that insulin resistance can increase at night while our bodies are sedentary. Exercise, exercise, exercise!
On the other hand, when I told her that my numbers had gone up after a particularly intense workout, she noted that harder isn't always better when you've got diabetes. Longer is good, as is exercising frequently (5 days/week minimum), but higher intensity can increase stress, which can increase the blood glucose immediately after. However, the activity generally makes for better numbers during the day.
Regarding weight loss, she was impressed with my progress. (Here's what the nutritionist showed me last time I visited, after I got off her scale. Revolting, no? I'll have to get a photo of me with it next time I'm there!) She asked a good question: "This might not happen, but are you prepared for how you'll feel if you don't see a loss?" Gulp. I was getting a little anxious about not seeing as much of a loss as I would have liked, never mind no loss or (gulp again) a gain. I'll have to think about that one.
We discussed the shortage of certified diabetes educators in general, and my dismay that there are so many people on the online discussion boards who are newly diagnosed yet are not given much information on how to take care of themselves or referrals to diabetes educators or nutritionists. I did find a really good online resource on the Diabetes Mine blog: a link to free online education hosted by University of California San Francisco called "Diabetes Education Online". The diet information follows the ADA diabetic exchanges program; and it explains diabetic exchanges and food planning very well and offers sample information, such as how many exchanges/day for given numbers of calories. It's general sensible eating but not low carb, so one's mileage may vary on the nutrition info if one is taking the low carb route.
last 60 days: 149 average
last 30 days: 145 average
last 14 days: 142 average
last 7 days: 141 average
Considering that my a1c was 9.5 when diagnosed (which means around 255 average), this is a great trend. She said that the trend should continue and that it's looking really good; I have high hopes for getting those morning fasting numbers knocked down. She did say to try not to get too frustrated with the blood glucose monitor; like the scale and the measuring tape, it's a tool, not something to get obsessed with. We're moving my metformin to p.m. instead of a.m. My CDE said that insulin resistance can increase at night while our bodies are sedentary. Exercise, exercise, exercise!
On the other hand, when I told her that my numbers had gone up after a particularly intense workout, she noted that harder isn't always better when you've got diabetes. Longer is good, as is exercising frequently (5 days/week minimum), but higher intensity can increase stress, which can increase the blood glucose immediately after. However, the activity generally makes for better numbers during the day.
Regarding weight loss, she was impressed with my progress. (Here's what the nutritionist showed me last time I visited, after I got off her scale. Revolting, no? I'll have to get a photo of me with it next time I'm there!) She asked a good question: "This might not happen, but are you prepared for how you'll feel if you don't see a loss?" Gulp. I was getting a little anxious about not seeing as much of a loss as I would have liked, never mind no loss or (gulp again) a gain. I'll have to think about that one.
We discussed the shortage of certified diabetes educators in general, and my dismay that there are so many people on the online discussion boards who are newly diagnosed yet are not given much information on how to take care of themselves or referrals to diabetes educators or nutritionists. I did find a really good online resource on the Diabetes Mine blog: a link to free online education hosted by University of California San Francisco called "Diabetes Education Online". The diet information follows the ADA diabetic exchanges program; and it explains diabetic exchanges and food planning very well and offers sample information, such as how many exchanges/day for given numbers of calories. It's general sensible eating but not low carb, so one's mileage may vary on the nutrition info if one is taking the low carb route.
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