Healthy Choice
And this time I am serious.
I thought I would try something I never have before. I have cut out as many of the "starchy" carbs as I can stand out of my diet. No potatoes or chips have crossed my lip, save for a few nacho chips for a taco salad, but they are whole grain. I have cut out all bread except for whole grain as well, and even that I am attempting to limit. Also, fried food is out as much as I possibly can do without. Meats are lean and limited, fats are limited as well, even my beloved Duke's mayonnaise. Anything sweet is now a fruit and I am loading on veggies as much as possible.
Doing that, and not increasing my activity level at all, I have lost over 10 pounds in right at 2 weeks and my fasting glucose levels are normal now. I have not cut my meds at all yet, but once I get an exercise regime started, I will have to re-think that, as well as my eating schedule. The sensible thing would be to stop at the gym after work to get in a workout. However, this would entail planning a pre-workout snack as my glucose is already down at the end of the day and could drop dangerously during exercise, so that I will have to plan carefully for. It sucks, but such is a life with diabetes.
Also, I am finding my appetite is diminishing. I may feel really hungry and make a huge plate of food, but wind up throwing some out every time. Tonight I had a salad full of healthy raw stuff with a bit of left-over taco meat and the said nachos. I threw a third of it out as I was stuffed. Now, I did a couple of hours later have a snack of popcorn, but even then I did a huge bowl and ate half. That I did put in a ziplock bag to save for the weekend though. I will likely sleep well tonight...
My motivation? It is a little different this time. I am in the midst of changing my life what with setting myself toward a career change including graduate school. I turn 48 next month, so 50 looms. I just do not want to look into a mirror at 50 and see an old fat man looking back. My grandfather will be 99 next month and still tends a small garden at home, albeit while perched on a tall stool, and my dad at 74 is one of the healthiest men I know of any age. I know if I do not do something NOW, I will be in much worse shape in my 70s when I will likely wind up retiring and not have much hope of living far past that.
I also, have decided I want to eliminate my belly from among the reasons someone will look me over as to being dating material. I know it is superficial, but I also am well aware that very often guys have told me, "You are really nice, but..." and it was the belly that was in the way. I know I am not going to ever have a body-by-God like, say, theoctothorpe , but I would like to be able to look down and see my feet and feel comfortable in my clothes without them having to be baggy cargo shorts and a t-shirt. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Other results? I feel better. I feel more energetic (for the most part). My glucose levels being more normalized also results in a better mood for me. If my numbers are high, I can feel depressed, which brings on more of the feelings of self-loathing I will fall into. As it is, I notice that minor irritations are just not bothering me as much. I do not scream out "What the FUCK!" so often on my commute, but I am still doling out plenty of withering glares in traffic.
Now if I could figure out how to get my financial house in a bit better order...
I thought I would try something I never have before. I have cut out as many of the "starchy" carbs as I can stand out of my diet. No potatoes or chips have crossed my lip, save for a few nacho chips for a taco salad, but they are whole grain. I have cut out all bread except for whole grain as well, and even that I am attempting to limit. Also, fried food is out as much as I possibly can do without. Meats are lean and limited, fats are limited as well, even my beloved Duke's mayonnaise. Anything sweet is now a fruit and I am loading on veggies as much as possible.
Doing that, and not increasing my activity level at all, I have lost over 10 pounds in right at 2 weeks and my fasting glucose levels are normal now. I have not cut my meds at all yet, but once I get an exercise regime started, I will have to re-think that, as well as my eating schedule. The sensible thing would be to stop at the gym after work to get in a workout. However, this would entail planning a pre-workout snack as my glucose is already down at the end of the day and could drop dangerously during exercise, so that I will have to plan carefully for. It sucks, but such is a life with diabetes.
Also, I am finding my appetite is diminishing. I may feel really hungry and make a huge plate of food, but wind up throwing some out every time. Tonight I had a salad full of healthy raw stuff with a bit of left-over taco meat and the said nachos. I threw a third of it out as I was stuffed. Now, I did a couple of hours later have a snack of popcorn, but even then I did a huge bowl and ate half. That I did put in a ziplock bag to save for the weekend though. I will likely sleep well tonight...
My motivation? It is a little different this time. I am in the midst of changing my life what with setting myself toward a career change including graduate school. I turn 48 next month, so 50 looms. I just do not want to look into a mirror at 50 and see an old fat man looking back. My grandfather will be 99 next month and still tends a small garden at home, albeit while perched on a tall stool, and my dad at 74 is one of the healthiest men I know of any age. I know if I do not do something NOW, I will be in much worse shape in my 70s when I will likely wind up retiring and not have much hope of living far past that.
I also, have decided I want to eliminate my belly from among the reasons someone will look me over as to being dating material. I know it is superficial, but I also am well aware that very often guys have told me, "You are really nice, but..." and it was the belly that was in the way. I know I am not going to ever have a body-by-God like, say, theoctothorpe , but I would like to be able to look down and see my feet and feel comfortable in my clothes without them having to be baggy cargo shorts and a t-shirt. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Other results? I feel better. I feel more energetic (for the most part). My glucose levels being more normalized also results in a better mood for me. If my numbers are high, I can feel depressed, which brings on more of the feelings of self-loathing I will fall into. As it is, I notice that minor irritations are just not bothering me as much. I do not scream out "What the FUCK!" so often on my commute, but I am still doling out plenty of withering glares in traffic.
Now if I could figure out how to get my financial house in a bit better order...