Thing 2's 5th birthday was great! Lots of her friends' moms stayed for the party, so it was fun to get to know them a bit better. The birthday girl loved her party, although she got waaaaaay to tired at bedtime and had a major meltdown...fine after a good night's sleep, though. Mr. Handsome-and-Handy and I were pretty wiped out the next day. I even took a nap!
Progress last week
7-day blood glucose average: 98 (met goal of less than 120)
7-day fasting average: 98 (met goal of less than 120, 100% of days)
Weight goal: 0 lbs (met goal of maintain or lose)
Food goals:
- Consumed 5 meatless, low-fat meals and 2 fish meals. (met meatless & fish meal goals)
- Ate >=40 grams of fiber 3 out of 7 days last week, >=25 grams 7 days. (making progress toward the 50 grams/day...gradually.)
- Did well in eating more veggies and fewer nuts during the afternoons.
- Did not meet goal of scaling back coffee. We got some fat free half-and-half, so that should help.
Exercise goals: Got 3/5 cardio workouts last week, although only one combo spin class + 1.2 mile run on the treadmill. Strength trained Wednesday and Monday. (missed cardio goals, met strength training goals)
Misc. goals: Registered for the "See Jane Tri." Got adequate sleep all nights. Still struggling with post-dinner munchies.
Goals for this week
7-day blood glucose average goal and fasting numbers: below 120.
Weight goal: Maintain or lose.
Food goals:
- 4 or more meatless, low-fat meals and 2 or more fish meals.
- Scale back to 1 coffee/day, with 2T fat-free half-and-half and 1/4-1/2 cup almond milk. Switch to tea and plain water after that first cup.
- Track fiber; work up to consuming 50 grams fiber/day (25 grams insoluble, 25 grams soluble)
Exercise goals:
- 5x30 cardio (include 1 run and 1 spin)
- 2 strength training
Misc. goals:
- 7 or more hours sleep/night.
- Brush and floss teeth right after dinner!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Monday Mantras for 4/6/09
Today's mantra: "DON'T PANIC"
According to the Wikipedia article, "Arthur C. Clarke said Douglas Adams' use of 'don't panic' was perhaps the best advice that could be given to humanity."So, there's today's other mantra: "Alert Mind, Calm Body"
But I am panicking. Because HOLY BLEEPING BLANK, BATMAN, I REGISTERED FOR A SPRINT TRIATHLON!!!! Yes, the one I've been mentioning, the "See Jane Tri". They posted the registration form on their web site; I printed it, filled it out, wrote them a check, and put it in the mail this morning. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
*Ahem*. Okay, I'm fine now. Really. Now I've just got to put my mouth where my money went and train for the darn thing. Oh my....
I will be using this phrase a lot, alternating with "DON'T PANIC." This is the phrase used in the technique "Quieting Reflex." Our HR director sent this to us the other week (she learned it during her time as a flight attendant and has used it often since). It seemed like a good thing to try:
"The QR is a six second technique used to elicit a state of alert calmness....The technique attached was adapted from the book and is most effective when repeated regularly throughout the day."
I found a link to the text of it here: "HC Tip 437: Quieting Reflex"
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Weekly update, 3/31/09
It's a busy week (and month) ahead! My back is feeling tons better, so I'll be back at BodyPump on Wednesday! Yeay! And with wanting to do the ADA "Tour de Cure" ride in June, I need to make sure I get some biking or spinning on the training schedule. To do the ride, I'll need to first make sure I can do the 12 miles in a reasonable amount of time (on my April to-do list) , and second, see if I can raise at least half of the minimum ($150) fundraising requirement. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me.
We've got a lot to do this week at home, too, with Thing 2's 5th birthday! We've made good progress on getting things prepared over the weekend. But there's still a bit of prep work to do and house cleaning. Mr. Handsome-and-Handy and I will be busy. Not to mention all the Easter prep the following week--whew!
Progress last week
7-day blood glucose average: 100 (met goal of less than 120)
7-day fasting average: 103 (met goal of less than 120, 100% of days)
Weight goal: -2.2 lbs (met goal of maintain or lose)
Food goals:
- Consumed 5 meatless, low-fat meals and 2 fish meals. (met meatless & fish meal goals)
- Ate >=40 grams of fiber 4 out of 6 days last week. (making progress toward the 50 grams/day)
- Did not meet goal of scaling back coffee.
Exercise goals: Walked (3x), ran (2x), or did elliptical (1x) at least 30 minutes/day 6x last week. Strength trained Friday and Monday. (met goals)
Misc. goals: Got adequate sleep all nights. Still struggling with post-dinner munchies. "See Jane Tri" registration on hold, due to technical difficulties; will try when they post the PDF form on their web site.
Monthly Measure
Well, this was weird, in a way. Month-to-month weight lost was -3.2 pounds, so I'm a little surprised at the significant drop in the hip measurement. I'm pretty sure I measured using the same bra as last month, but not 100% sure.
Bust: +.5 inch (-9.5 inches total)
Waist: Same (-8 inches total)
Hips: -1.25 inch (-8.5 inches total)
Thighs: +.25 inch (-2 inches total)
Goals for this week
7-day blood glucose average goal and fasting numbers: below 120.
Weight goal: Maintain or lose.
Food goals:
- 4 or more meatless, low-fat meals and 2 or more fish meals.
- Scale back to 1 coffee/day, with mostly almond milk; drink more tea and plain water
- Pack additional veggie snacks for afternoon instead of going for the nuts.
- Track fiber; work up to consuming 50 grams fiber/day (25 grams insoluble, 20 grams soluble)
Exercise goals:
- 5x30 cardio (include 2 runs and 2 bike/spin)
- 2 strength training
Misc. goals:
- 7 or more hours sleep/night.
- Brush and floss teeth right after dinner!
- Register for the "See Jane Tri" event in September!
We've got a lot to do this week at home, too, with Thing 2's 5th birthday! We've made good progress on getting things prepared over the weekend. But there's still a bit of prep work to do and house cleaning. Mr. Handsome-and-Handy and I will be busy. Not to mention all the Easter prep the following week--whew!
Progress last week
7-day blood glucose average: 100 (met goal of less than 120)
7-day fasting average: 103 (met goal of less than 120, 100% of days)
Weight goal: -2.2 lbs (met goal of maintain or lose)
Food goals:
- Consumed 5 meatless, low-fat meals and 2 fish meals. (met meatless & fish meal goals)
- Ate >=40 grams of fiber 4 out of 6 days last week. (making progress toward the 50 grams/day)
- Did not meet goal of scaling back coffee.
Exercise goals: Walked (3x), ran (2x), or did elliptical (1x) at least 30 minutes/day 6x last week. Strength trained Friday and Monday. (met goals)
Misc. goals: Got adequate sleep all nights. Still struggling with post-dinner munchies. "See Jane Tri" registration on hold, due to technical difficulties; will try when they post the PDF form on their web site.
Monthly Measure
Well, this was weird, in a way. Month-to-month weight lost was -3.2 pounds, so I'm a little surprised at the significant drop in the hip measurement. I'm pretty sure I measured using the same bra as last month, but not 100% sure.
Bust: +.5 inch (-9.5 inches total)
Waist: Same (-8 inches total)
Hips: -1.25 inch (-8.5 inches total)
Thighs: +.25 inch (-2 inches total)
Goals for this week
7-day blood glucose average goal and fasting numbers: below 120.
Weight goal: Maintain or lose.
Food goals:
- 4 or more meatless, low-fat meals and 2 or more fish meals.
- Scale back to 1 coffee/day, with mostly almond milk; drink more tea and plain water
- Pack additional veggie snacks for afternoon instead of going for the nuts.
- Track fiber; work up to consuming 50 grams fiber/day (25 grams insoluble, 20 grams soluble)
Exercise goals:
- 5x30 cardio (include 2 runs and 2 bike/spin)
- 2 strength training
Misc. goals:
- 7 or more hours sleep/night.
- Brush and floss teeth right after dinner!
- Register for the "See Jane Tri" event in September!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday Mantra for March 30
Hmmm...I'm having a hard time deciding this one.
"Fire and motion": From the article of the same name, on software blog "Joel on Software." Joel Spolsky states, "...the principle of Fire and Motion is how you get things done in life. You have to move forward a little bit, every day. It doesn't matter if your code is lame and buggy and nobody wants it. If you are moving forward, writing code and fixing bugs constantly, time is on your side." Highly applicable to many areas of my life right now.
OR
"Be present." That's pretty self-explanatory, from my last post. This past weekend was pretty good that way. I enjoyed playing with the kids, family dance party, Thing 2 helping me with yard work, letting Mr. Handsome-and-Handy get a good sleep-in day. We have a lot to do to get the house party-ready for Thing 2's birthday next Saturday, but hopefully we'll not get too caught up in the prep to miss being present for Thing 1 and 2 during the week.
I think I'll pick "be present" for this week and save "fire and motion" for next week...I'll need some "fire and motion" for cleaning up after the party, that's for sure!
"Fire and motion": From the article of the same name, on software blog "Joel on Software." Joel Spolsky states, "...the principle of Fire and Motion is how you get things done in life. You have to move forward a little bit, every day. It doesn't matter if your code is lame and buggy and nobody wants it. If you are moving forward, writing code and fixing bugs constantly, time is on your side." Highly applicable to many areas of my life right now.
OR
"Be present." That's pretty self-explanatory, from my last post. This past weekend was pretty good that way. I enjoyed playing with the kids, family dance party, Thing 2 helping me with yard work, letting Mr. Handsome-and-Handy get a good sleep-in day. We have a lot to do to get the house party-ready for Thing 2's birthday next Saturday, but hopefully we'll not get too caught up in the prep to miss being present for Thing 1 and 2 during the week.
I think I'll pick "be present" for this week and save "fire and motion" for next week...I'll need some "fire and motion" for cleaning up after the party, that's for sure!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thought for the Day
Over on MizFit today, there's a guest post by Aishchai and a discussion about meditation. Lots of good stuff, but what really grabbed and shook me today was a comment #42 by Kel:
Food: Obvious! Packing my own lunch, taking the time to make a nutritious breakfast, not eating too fast, taking the time to fuel myself with a good choice rather than grabbing a worse one, to think before I eat...all better than the consequences, especially when you've got type 2 diabetes.
Exercise: Well, there's the obvious part, taking time to exercise trumps the consequences of being sedentary. Taking time to set my workout clothes out or pack for the gym the night before makes it easier to accomplish my workout goals. But there's also the taking time to build up to activity, which isn't so obvious. It took time for me to safely work up to running from walking. And I definitely should have taken the time to work more gradually to a heavier weight in BodyPump class! (Back is still a little tight and gets sore when I sit for too long, but otherwise good. I'll be taking the time to walk around at the office when it gets tight, and I'll be taking more time to stretch after working out, too, since I read that back problems can result from insufficient stretching.)
Work: Good, accurate writing takes time. It takes time to learn new tools effectively. 'Nuff said.
Family life: This one is my biggest struggle. How many times do I walk through my front door, eat my dinner, and then just want to go and spend some quiet time reading? Thing 1 and Thing 2 get squirrely when they don't get enough Mom-time, which makes me want to pull away even more. It's really a struggle sometimes to be present and to fully give them time on brief week nights (there are bedtime stories, but sometimes there's only time for that!). And on the weekends, after a LOT of kiddo-time, why do I still feel like it wasn't enough??? (Ugh, that darn Cat Stevens song!!!) I wish I had a good answer for this in general. I think I'll be pondering the mindfulness/meditation tips Aishchai mentioned in his guest post and figuring out a way to apply them here. Same, of course, goes for taking time for Mr. Handsome-and-Handy, and helping ensure that he gets time to recharge his batteries, too.
"When I don't take the time, the consequences are worse than taking the time.""Whoa!" I thought to myself. "How true is that, on so many levels! And what a struggle, too!"
Food: Obvious! Packing my own lunch, taking the time to make a nutritious breakfast, not eating too fast, taking the time to fuel myself with a good choice rather than grabbing a worse one, to think before I eat...all better than the consequences, especially when you've got type 2 diabetes.
Exercise: Well, there's the obvious part, taking time to exercise trumps the consequences of being sedentary. Taking time to set my workout clothes out or pack for the gym the night before makes it easier to accomplish my workout goals. But there's also the taking time to build up to activity, which isn't so obvious. It took time for me to safely work up to running from walking. And I definitely should have taken the time to work more gradually to a heavier weight in BodyPump class! (Back is still a little tight and gets sore when I sit for too long, but otherwise good. I'll be taking the time to walk around at the office when it gets tight, and I'll be taking more time to stretch after working out, too, since I read that back problems can result from insufficient stretching.)
Work: Good, accurate writing takes time. It takes time to learn new tools effectively. 'Nuff said.
Family life: This one is my biggest struggle. How many times do I walk through my front door, eat my dinner, and then just want to go and spend some quiet time reading? Thing 1 and Thing 2 get squirrely when they don't get enough Mom-time, which makes me want to pull away even more. It's really a struggle sometimes to be present and to fully give them time on brief week nights (there are bedtime stories, but sometimes there's only time for that!). And on the weekends, after a LOT of kiddo-time, why do I still feel like it wasn't enough??? (Ugh, that darn Cat Stevens song!!!) I wish I had a good answer for this in general. I think I'll be pondering the mindfulness/meditation tips Aishchai mentioned in his guest post and figuring out a way to apply them here. Same, of course, goes for taking time for Mr. Handsome-and-Handy, and helping ensure that he gets time to recharge his batteries, too.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
American Diabetes Alert Day
Today is the 21st annual ADA "American Diabetes Alert Day". I'm a *leeeetle* bit skeptical about people wanting to excavate head from sand regarding their risk for diabetes...but that's based solely on my own experience. For the longest time, and with all of the risk factors staring me in the face, I.did.not.want.to.know. Oh, I knew it was going to be "someday." I suspect that was part of the problem: because I felt it was inevitable, I went the "eat, drink, and be slothful, for tomorrow we shall have diabetes" route. Oy. [shaking head in self-reproach] Why are smart people so dumb sometimes?
I have to admit, though, facing up to my diagnosis was the catalyst for quite a lot of good changes in my life. I feel so much better now and way more energetic. I don't know what the future will bring with me and this disease, but my priority right now is best quality of life for as long as possible. Maybe, just maybe, putting some of the good stuff I've learned into play much earlier could have made "someday" a little later. While challenging at times, being healthy is not as onerous as I had previously suspected.
Anyhoo, I thought I'd share some items I've stumbled across....
Gold's Gym (Hey! That's MY gym!!!) has a new initiative for Diabetes Alert Day, including a free (and nicely done) guide to starting an exercise program. You can download it from their "Fighting Diabetes with Fitness" web page (http://www.goldsgym.com/healthy/diabetes.php). I like that they advised new exercisers to set goals, work up to their goals (rather than going gung-ho in the first session, getting sore and tired, and abandoning it), and to combine strength training and cardio. (In a way, it's kind of ironic, because I always associated this gym with the serious fitness nuts. But after I got over feeling intimidated--with much encouragement from my blog buddies--I've found it to be a really positive place.)
Excellent article on Diabetes Mine, highlighting various Alert Day goings-on. I like that Amy highlighted LifeScan's list of resources for those with little or no health insurance.
http://www.diabetesmine.com/2009/03/dismissed-on-diabetes-alert-day.html
And, if you did take the risk assessment, or have been recently diagnosed, there are some really great references available in these places:
Blood Sugar 101; especially Jenny Ruhl's "Lower Your Blood Sugar" flyer
UCSF Online Diabetes Education (Promotes higher carb intake than the lower-carb sites like Blood Sugar 101, but who says you can't do it in phases? This site has a lot of information you'd get from a diabetes educator, and if you're without one, it may help getting one closer to better blood glucose management.)
Hmmm...I also discovered today that the ADA "Tour de Cure 2009" has an event in Palo Alto, California...and it's on June 14. Mr. Handsome-and-Handy's and my 15th wedding anniversary and my diagnosis day. All together now with the eerie coincidence sound effect: wooooooWEEEEEEEwoooooooo! Oh, and they have a 25K (11.47 mile) ride. How doable! (I've gotta get me one of those hot, "Red Rider" jerseys!!!)
I have to admit, though, facing up to my diagnosis was the catalyst for quite a lot of good changes in my life. I feel so much better now and way more energetic. I don't know what the future will bring with me and this disease, but my priority right now is best quality of life for as long as possible. Maybe, just maybe, putting some of the good stuff I've learned into play much earlier could have made "someday" a little later. While challenging at times, being healthy is not as onerous as I had previously suspected.
Anyhoo, I thought I'd share some items I've stumbled across....
Gold's Gym (Hey! That's MY gym!!!) has a new initiative for Diabetes Alert Day, including a free (and nicely done) guide to starting an exercise program. You can download it from their "Fighting Diabetes with Fitness" web page (http://www.goldsgym.com/healthy/diabetes.php). I like that they advised new exercisers to set goals, work up to their goals (rather than going gung-ho in the first session, getting sore and tired, and abandoning it), and to combine strength training and cardio. (In a way, it's kind of ironic, because I always associated this gym with the serious fitness nuts. But after I got over feeling intimidated--with much encouragement from my blog buddies--I've found it to be a really positive place.)
Excellent article on Diabetes Mine, highlighting various Alert Day goings-on. I like that Amy highlighted LifeScan's list of resources for those with little or no health insurance.
http://www.diabetesmine.com/2009/03/dismissed-on-diabetes-alert-day.html
And, if you did take the risk assessment, or have been recently diagnosed, there are some really great references available in these places:
Blood Sugar 101; especially Jenny Ruhl's "Lower Your Blood Sugar" flyer
UCSF Online Diabetes Education (Promotes higher carb intake than the lower-carb sites like Blood Sugar 101, but who says you can't do it in phases? This site has a lot of information you'd get from a diabetes educator, and if you're without one, it may help getting one closer to better blood glucose management.)
Hmmm...I also discovered today that the ADA "Tour de Cure 2009" has an event in Palo Alto, California...and it's on June 14. Mr. Handsome-and-Handy's and my 15th wedding anniversary and my diagnosis day. All together now with the eerie coincidence sound effect: wooooooWEEEEEEEwoooooooo! Oh, and they have a 25K (11.47 mile) ride. How doable! (I've gotta get me one of those hot, "Red Rider" jerseys!!!)
Weekly update, 3/24/09
Progress last week
7-day blood glucose average: 99 (met goal of less than 120)
7-day fasting average: 101 (met goal of less than 120, 100% of days)
Weight goal: +2.8 lbs (ACK! Nope, NOT due to any particular times of the month. Simply overdid, especially over the weekend; it caught up with me due to scaled-back workouts.)
Food goals: Consumed 4 meatless, low-fat meals and 2 fish meals. (met meatless & fish meal goals)
Exercise goals: Did great until Wednesday, when I upped my weights in BodyPump class and hurt my back. I got in one run and one class (plus 20 minutes on recumbent bike) before; walked at least 20 minutes/day after (4 days).
Misc. goals: Got adequate sleep all nights. Researched dietary fiber recommendations for improving LDL. "See Jane Tri" registration on hold, due to technical difficulties; will try when they post the PDF form on their web site.
Goals for this week
7-day blood glucose average goal and fasting numbers: below 120.
Weight goal: Maintain or lose.
Food goals:
- 4 or more meatless, low-fat meals and 2 or more fish meals.
- Scale back to 1 coffee/day, with mostly almond milk; drink more tea and plain water
- Pack additional veggie snacks for afternoon instead of going for the nuts.
- Track fiber; work up to consuming 50 grams fiber/day (25 grams insoluble, 20 grams soluble)
Exercise goals:
- At least 30 minutes/day of something my back will tolerate.
- Find some strength exercises my back will tolerate.
Misc. goals:
- 7 or more hours sleep/night.
- Brush and floss teeth right after dinner!
- Register for the "See Jane Tri" event in September!
7-day blood glucose average: 99 (met goal of less than 120)
7-day fasting average: 101 (met goal of less than 120, 100% of days)
Weight goal: +2.8 lbs (ACK! Nope, NOT due to any particular times of the month. Simply overdid, especially over the weekend; it caught up with me due to scaled-back workouts.)
Food goals: Consumed 4 meatless, low-fat meals and 2 fish meals. (met meatless & fish meal goals)
Exercise goals: Did great until Wednesday, when I upped my weights in BodyPump class and hurt my back. I got in one run and one class (plus 20 minutes on recumbent bike) before; walked at least 20 minutes/day after (4 days).
Misc. goals: Got adequate sleep all nights. Researched dietary fiber recommendations for improving LDL. "See Jane Tri" registration on hold, due to technical difficulties; will try when they post the PDF form on their web site.
Goals for this week
7-day blood glucose average goal and fasting numbers: below 120.
Weight goal: Maintain or lose.
Food goals:
- 4 or more meatless, low-fat meals and 2 or more fish meals.
- Scale back to 1 coffee/day, with mostly almond milk; drink more tea and plain water
- Pack additional veggie snacks for afternoon instead of going for the nuts.
- Track fiber; work up to consuming 50 grams fiber/day (25 grams insoluble, 20 grams soluble)
Exercise goals:
- At least 30 minutes/day of something my back will tolerate.
- Find some strength exercises my back will tolerate.
Misc. goals:
- 7 or more hours sleep/night.
- Brush and floss teeth right after dinner!
- Register for the "See Jane Tri" event in September!
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