My Labotomy

Hi everyone, As you all may or may not remember, I have been diagnosed as having diabetes. We caught it early and have made severe changes to my diet so that I can avoid medication if at all possible. I found out today, that I have lost 2 pounds in two weeks. I know that it is not much but it is 2 pounds down. I am starting to do a little more physical activity and have been referred for PT for back issues and specifically pool exercises. A few of you in that past have suggested that to me and I wanted to let you know that these are the steps I am taking now and where I am at. 

I appreciate all of your support and kind words and I know this is not easy and I struggle often. I may check in for more advice or a kick in the pants from Mary, but, I want you all to know that although I do not post often, I am thankful for you all! 

Hi Jennifer, sorry you had that wake up call of type 2 diabetes - pretty scary but good you caught it early and just need to change your diet. Great bonus - 2 pounds is wonderful in two weeks - a nice healthy way to lose.

When I was doing reseach on how to best eat for the rest of my life I came across a lot of impressive, peer-reviewed research showing how effective a healthy diet can be for treating diabetes. When I was young I had an elderly aunt who was Dx with diabetes and was successfully treated with diet alone - of course back in those days they didn't have all the options they have today so her choice was diet or insulin - she lost a lot of weight and looked so much healthier.

Come and join us daily and share with us your victories, advice and struggles - we can all take turns kicking you if you need it but I do hear that Mary has the best kick. LOL

Skylar

Thank you Skylar, Mary has the best kick and she is a great hugger too. Victories, I do not have many but I am trying (like everyone else). Advice, would be to younger people, do not let things get out of control like I did. Struggles, I could write a book. I am fortunate to work for a Naturopathic Physician, and she is awesome! She is the one who found my diabetes early and is tracking what I am eating and my blood sugar levels. She is encouraging and honest and keeps it real for me every day. I am not on everyday but everyday I make it on, I will check in, we can call it "Jen watch 2009" lol.   I find I do so much better when I am held accountable.

Thank you for your kind words and goood luck to you as well.

HI Jennifer!  Long time no see. Glad to hear you are on a path to deal with your health. 1# a week is fantastic, especially if the diet changes are do-able. You will find a rhythym - and probably feel better when you eat right.  I know i do!

Your exercise is going to help stress and certainly aid your efforts toward managing diabetes. I just feel better with exercise and long ago released the notion that it made much contribution to weight loss.

PS I swear to God when i read your post title, i thought you were getting a labial lift or some other plastic surgery procedure! But I guess you mean lab work results???

Hi Jennifer,

I am dealin with the same issues.  I started having trouble after my last pregnancy.  Now I am praying that as my weight goes down so will my blood sugar.  It's early so I have hope.  We are all in this journey with you.

We can do this!  2 pounds is great!!  Keep up the good work!

Hi! Yes, we can do this and when I forget that, I try and remind myself that I HAVE to do this. Who is it that said "failure is not an option". You can do this too and I am glad they caught it early, I think that makes a huge difference and it is easier to control the earlier they catch it.

Good luck and yes we can! 

My mother's parents both had diabetes (Type 2), and they were supposed to change their diet, but my grandmother probably already had Alteimers and refused to change her cooking.  They both took pills, and my grandfather died at 76 and my grandmother at 84.  Both ended up in nursing homes.

My mother and aunt (her sister) both ended up with diabetes, as well, but they've controlled it through diet alone.  So far, even though I'm much heavier than my mother ever was, I don't have it, and I get tested every year at my physical for it.  I remember one year when my blood sugar went from 84 to 112, and I got scared, so I changed what I ate (alot less sugar), and it went down again the next year.

I believe I haven't gotten it (yet) because my father and his side of our family never had it.  I have his genes, too as well as my mother.  My mother has edema (like her mother), and high blood pressure (she takes medication for the hbp), but I have neither of these things.  I feel fortunate that my father and his side of our family were healthier than my mother's. 

I used to have knee problems when I walked up and down stairs, but now they've disappeared, and much sooner than I expected.  I weigh around 259 pounds, and they're gone now.  I thought I'd have to lose alot more weight for that to happen, but I enjoy being surprised, in this case!

Good luck to you!

Denise Phares/kitties4

Hey Denise, I'm so glad to hear that your knees are feeling so much better these days.  After losing my first fifty pounds, my heel spurs never hurt again.

Isn't it great what a little weight loss can do for our joints and make them go, "Ahhhhh".   

Mary 

Jenn!     Hey girlee, I'm so proud to hear that you lost TWO POUNDS!  For someone who is having to deal with alla the issues that you are having to deal with, any loss at all is a major accomplishment, so don't you dare be saying that two pounds in the right direction is not much!  Keep this up and by the end of the year you will have learned a new way of eating AND kicked diabetes butt out the door.  Remember, it doesn't take that much weight loss to get this under control.  It takes keeping your blood sugar level ALL OF THE TIME.  You are going to have to make it very clear to "Mr. Jennifer" that having high glycemic foods in the house is unacceptable and totally not fair to you at this time in your life when you are trying to get a food related disease under control before it takes control of you.  Tell him if he doesn't comply...Mary is coming to give him a swift kick in the pants...from the front.  *evil grin* 

It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on how to deal with such dreaded news and I pray that in the process of managing your diabetes, that you learn a lot about yourself and how you got into this situation in the first place.  You need to start putting some faith in YOU and what you are capable of accomplishing when you put your heart and mind into it.  Yes it takes a certain level of intelligence to form a weight loss plan and stick to it, but weight loss is a state of mind and is mostly played out in your head and your emotions.  Take some time to figure out what triggers you to eat things off plan and then work on how you are going to handle the stress of not eating these things before you get to the point of putting sumpn' in ya mouth.  For me, I bake all of the family cakes.  It was hard when I decided I was no longer going to eat cake.  I know some people say eat all things but just a little bit.  That doesn work for ME!  If I start eating cake, I'm eating CAAAAKE.  So I started looking at cake for what it truly is and not how it makes me feel.  Cake has NO nutritional value, it does nothing to nourish the body.  It is full of SIMPLE carbs that spike my insulin levels and alla that insulin turns to FAT.  Eating SIMPLE carbs makes you crave more simple carbs.  It took a while to master it, but now if I don't have cake it ain't no big whoop.  I said all of that to say this...know your triggers and figure out a way for you to have power over them.  Only you can be the "Boss Lady" over what goes in ya mouth!!!

Let us know how goes your journey,

 Mary