Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,386
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Trish, your son speaks the truth! I think the reason why older people become unable to get around is because they become inactive. My uncle lived to be 92 and he was still driving and getting around fine. He told me he walked every day. It's very important to our mobility.
I am also proud of you that you rode your bike even though you were tired and your body is probably glad you did. You go girl!!!
We went to the Goodwill store and I bought the book The Flat Belly Diet for $2. I don't usually read books about a specific diet because they usually don't work for me, but this one is interesting. There is a 4 day jumpstart plan. That is so much better than the 2 week induction on Atkins. This section tells you specifically what to eat and drink for 4 days. After that, you eat 3 meals a day of 400 cal each, 4 hours apart. The only thing that's a must is MUFA, or monosaturated fat. That is supposed to aim for belly fat and must be included in your meals. You also get to make a 400 cal "snack pak" of things you can snack on throughout the day based on a list of snack items and their cal count. It's not junk food, but healthy foods to snack on.
There is also this Sassy Water than you make. You make a jug of it every day to drink. It contains, ginger, cucumbers, lemons, and spearmint leaves. I'll bet you could add ACV to it, too! LOL
Once I get through this blood sugar issue, I might try this. There's no weird foods to buy, and most of the foods are things that I like. That's a big thing for me, to be able to eat things I like. I read a review online about it and it said that although there is no guarantee that everyone will lose on this diet, it is healthy, and aimed at reducing bloat and fat around the middle. That's where I need help. Do you believe my waist measurement is the same as my hip measurement? That happened after my two abdominal surgeries and they destroyed my abdominal muscles, but there is fat there, too. I always say I'm shaped like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. LOL
Rennie, so you wanted to be on insulin. I guess once you get used to using it, it's OK, but it scary to me. One young woman at work developed gestational diabetes and has been on an insulin pump ever since.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,386
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
I just got the results of my bloodwork. My A1c is 9.7!!! Yikes! I knew it was going to be bad, judging by the readings I've had. He wants to see me in the office on Friday to discuss it, which is what I wanted. I'm hoping he will not put me on an expensive med. I also need to tell him that the dose of metformin he has me on is too high. If I take the third dose of the day I get nausea and vomiting during the night, so I've only been taking 2 per day. I have been eating very low carb yesterday and today and I feel better. The brain-fog is lifting, but I'm also hungry.
Carol Sue I have that book, but I didn't think I could eat all those carbs. I've thought about looking at it again after I read the book about reversing diabetes. Now that I'm doing the fiber way of eating, I need to look at it and see if I get some ideas from it. There used to be a thread for the Flat Belly Diet here on 3fc. I don't know if they still have it or not. I remember that drink and I made it without the mint and it was really good. I might could use it for the fiber and eat a little less calories with it. I think you were supposed to eat a certain amount of calories and divide them fairly evenly over 3 meals and maybe a snacks. I really can't remember that part. Good luck. You will get your blood sugar down. I think mine was up to 9.? or close at one time and it was a wake up call for me because I do not want go on insulin. You will do it.
I wanted to share a thread that I saw on the fiber thread I'm on. It is about rocking in a rocking chair for exercise. Quite interesting. I may have to get me a rocker.
I ended up doing the 45 minutes/5 miles on the bike. So I've reached my goal. My knees did very well. I use a recumbent bike because it is supposed to be easier on the knees. I was tired after and actually took a nap, but it felt so good to do it. I won't ride tomorrow and I will do it again Thursday and maybe Saturday. My son actually taught me to apply Absorbine Jr. (Bengay, Icy Hot or something like that would work as well) before riding and I remembered to do that today and it worked. I will never do an hour on it. In fact, I won't go more than the 45 minutes because, I goofed when I first got the bike. I was talking to my Daddy while riding it back then and didn't watch the time. I rode it for 1 hr and hurt my knee and could barely walk for about a week or so. I know my limit. The real surprise that I had today is that my hip stopped hurting after riding. So this is going to be really good for my joints. We plan to go to see DH son and family in IN go to TX and see my family sometime in July. His son's family is always active and we are always going somewhere to walk around and I hope to be in really good shape to do it this time. An d I hope to be lighter. I wish I could be below 200 by then, but not sure I can be.
My calories are staying under MFP 1670 calories. Today I had 1553 calories, my fiber was 41 g and sodium was under 2000g. My fbs was 133 this morning. I really believe the exercising is bringing it down even more than the diet. I am very excited and finally motivated to keep this up.
Rennie Hang in there and don't give up. My weight was up 2 lbs this morning, but I actually believe it was because I didn't potty really good before I weighed like it usually is. So remember there are things going on you don't really know are happening. If you're eating like you know you need to for you, the weight will finally come down.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,386
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
I'm getting ready to leave for the cardiologist, but I just wanted to say that I have been eating low carb for the past 4 days and this morning I am down 4 lbs.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,386
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
All the cardiologist did was schedule an echocardiogram for over the summer. He did not request labs, so I will have my PCP do them when I see him on Friday. I don't want both of them doing them, but I want them done. It's been over a year.
My BP was up, but I convinced him it was white coat hypertension, so no change in my meds.
I was so happy to see that 4 lb whoosh this morning I put my ticker back up. I am finally sticking to low carb for more than one day.
Trish, I read more of the Flat Belly book last night and you're right...to many carbs. I did like the idea of the Sassy Water, something different, and I liked the idea of three 400 calorie meals and 400 cals of snacks to use throughout the day. They DID give menus you were to follow for each meal and I don't like that. I like to pick my own foods. They recommended a lot of oatmeal which I already decided was only for once in a while for me. I think I will stick with what I've been doing the past few days, because it's working. I have cut out most starchy carbs. I had 1 spoonful of ramen noodles when DH was eating them, and 1 slice off a baked potato at dinner yesterday. Otherwise, it has been protein and veggies. I am getting a slight headache from the carb withdrawal, but I know that will go away. I have been exercising while watching my soaps, and also walking on the treadmill for 15 min after dinner. I feel great. I am optimistic about this. The tide has turned!
Carol Sue I got the book out and looked at it too. It had a some good ideas, but I don't think I could do it. I don't know if I did something wrong or what but I gained on that diet instead of losing.
I thought about doing the Atkins Induction, but didn't because everything is going good right now. I always keep in mind that I can always do Atkins if I need to later. I'm glad things are working for you and CONGRATULATIONS on the 4 lb loss.
We went to eat at Long John Silvers today. I ate only 1 fillet, 3 shrimp, 1/2 the cole slaw, 1 1/2 hushpuppies, and 1/4 the fries and a little of the tarter sauce. I think it was too greasy although it didn't taste like it at the time. I've been sick with indigestion all afternoon and evening. I keep tasting the fries coming back on me. It seems like I've got to where every time I go out to eat that I get sick. Doesn't make eating out any fun any more.
I did manage to get my fiber in for today though. I'll write more tomorrow. Not feeling too well right now.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,386
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Trish, I hope you're feeling better. We don't eat Long John Silvers very often, but when we do I usually get the chicken. I eat that and cole slaw. My husband gets the fish with corn. Then he eats my french fries and give me his cole slaw because he doesn't like it. I eat one hushpuppy and throw the rest away.
I think you should just stick with what you're doing. It seems to be working well for you. I think your fiber count is a good thing, and you wouldn't get that on Atkins. You can always cut back a little on your carbs if you stall. I am not following any actual plan. I am eating what I like, except for sugar and starchy carbs, and my weight is dropping just like it does during induction. I am down 2 more lbs this morning. I am not so foolish to think that I'm not going to stall after this initial whoosh, but seeing that number drop on the scale is keeping me motivated.
I see that you use a recumbent bike. I have had 2 regular bikes and had to get rid of both of them because they bothered my back. I think a recumbent bike would work for me, but DH doesn't want me to get one unless I get rid of another piece of equipment, and right now, I like and use all my equipment. I have this one thing called a Body Glide that he makes fun of, but I like it. It strengthens my thighs. It resembles a bike. You sit on it with your feet on the pedals and hands on the handlebars. When you push with your feet, your arms come toward you. It uses your body weight, which I have plenty of. It's from back in the 80's. I don't think they even make them anymore. I can really feel it in my thighs when I use it.
Rennie, I have not made the Oopsie Bread yet, but I bought the cream cheese for it. I saw a recipe yesterday that looked really good to me. It was little muffins you make for breakfast using eggs, milk, cheese, veggies and whole grain bread cubes. I want to substitute the Oopsie Bread and try it out.
Also, in her cookbook, Dana Carpender has some recipes for low carb bread made in a bread machine. I have a bread machine sitting here collecting dust. I might try some of these recipes. But this will all be after I've seen the doctor and improved my blood sugar. Right now this low carb is working so well for me I don't want to screw it up.
Last edited by Wannabehealthy; 03-27-2014 at 09:05 AM.
Ruthie I think of you and Madeliene and all this snow etc up there and I know you must really be ready for it to get out of there. We didn't get any more snow, but it has really been cold here and of course many places north of us still have had the white stuff. It is as if Mr. Winter didn't get the memo that he is supposed to be out of here and spring is supposed to be going on. I told DH that I didn't want to fuss too much because I know that we will be wishing for cooler weather when the hot summer hits. Always glad to see you check in.
Carol Sue I made big pitcher of Sassy water yesterday, but I think the cucumber gave me indigestion. I did put the ACV in it and used my liquid Stevia because I read that it is beneficial for diabetics. I made it today without the cucumber. I know ginger root is supposed to be good for digestion so taking the cuke out should make it really good for getting my system straightened out.
I made split pea soup. Someone on another thread mentioned it and then I saw it in the Flat Belly Diet book. So cooked it and added a lot of veggies, even a red potato with skin for fiber and it was good. I took part of the soup and blended it in the MagicBullet and then put it back in for thickness. Oh, I read in the Prevention diabetic cookbook that diabetics can have potatoes if they leave the skin on it. I even make my mashed potatoes with the skin on it and it is really tasty.
My scales are bouncing again up a lb and I hope that means I'm going to see 225 soon. I have to remember that my body does that. I was disappointed at first, but then my fbs was 127 this morning. So that was encouraging. We have to go to pick up a prescription for DH when they call and tell us it is ready and then go to Walmart. I've never tried quinoa, but I hear it is better for us than rice and someone said Balsamic vinegar is really tasty so I just may get some to try. I'm looking forward to spring and the local farmer's market having fresh fruit and veggies.
Oh, I need to tell y'all about something DH and I are doing. I read on FB and then looked up something about making okra water and drinking it 1st thing in the morning before you eat anything. You take a glass of water and cut the ends off of 2 okra pods and slit it from the bottom half way up and place them in the water and let it set over night. Then in the morning at least 30 minutes before you eat breakfast, throw the pods away and drink the water. It can take up to 3 months I think it was but they say many people are getting their fbs back to normal doing it. I really think that is what has kept us from seeing the fbs reading of 200s any more. It has worked slowly and we had a few times that we ran our and I forgot to get the okra when at the store and those days I have seen the numbers up a little, but at least I am seeing the lower #s again. You might want to research and read about it before you try it. I wasn't going to tell our doc, but our numbers were so much better this last time that DH told him. He said, "Well, it obviously works. So keep it up."
I am no doing 45 min/ 5 miles on my recumbent bike. Carol Sue I do the hand weights while I ride. Got the idea from Walk Away the Pounds where she had us walk and use weights. Sure makes my upper back sore though.
Hi! I'm new here. I still do not have an 'official' diagnosis bc it just seems like on the days (every 4 months) I have my blood drawn my fasting is in that gray area but my A1c levels and post prandials all point to diabetes. At my Dec appt I told my dr I felt like I was waiting for a shoe to drop and she suggested that I need to just act like I have the official diagnosis already bc it really is already happening in my body. Since then I've been grappling with what to do, how to change. Obviously losing weight is good.....but that has alluded me for a long time so I've been struggling with trying again. I know I have a sugar addiction (and binge eating disorder) so going low carb is my goal but it's a struggle to really do it. I keep dancing around with it. Anyway, all this to say hello!
Hi Shannon. It is true that losing weight is the best thing for controlling diabetes. However, it isn't easy to do. We seem to have a tendency to go through a period of denial before we get to the place to where we can finally realize that it is true and then we seem to settle down and start working at it. It takes time to work it out in our minds that we have to do something and do it.
We all have learned that One Diet doesn't fit all. What one diabetic can eat doesn't mean that every diabetic can eat it. Do you test your fasting blood sugar in the mornings to see how that runs? Most of us at one time or another have have used our meters to learn how foods affect our blood sugars. That is how we have learned that there are some foods that we cannot eat and others that we can.
Ask questions as that is how you learn. We are hear to help you. Good luck on your journey.
Last edited by pattygirl63; 03-28-2014 at 07:07 PM.
We went to eat at Arby's and I had about 3/4 of a fish sandwich. I had a lot of fiber for breakfast and by the time we got to Arby's, my stomach was not feeling good. Eating the sandwich helped the nausea, but then indigestion set in. I had to shop at Walmart while DH got his medications. I started feeling really bad and had to sit for a few minutes before continuing to shop.
I've decided that the high fiber is doing a real number on my stomach so I'm going to stop eating so much of it. I know I have to be careful eating too much raw veggies, but obviously I can't eat a lot of fiber grains either. I don't think some will hurt once I get my stomach straightened out, but it be as much as I have been eating. I will decide by Monday exactly what I'm going to do.
Trish, thanks you are the sweetest. ... oh thanks for the coffee
Carol Sue glad low carb is working for you
Ruth I'll be glad when the ice melts for you and Madeleine
Shannon, I am a hop, skip and a jump from Raleigh but I'm learning that it's a huge city (we've been here almost 2 years) Glad to have you here
I am doing good. I saw an all time low (for this go around) fbs 109 ... I have run out of strips and they won't arrive until 4/2 -3 so I'll have to be good until I get them. My weight has also been great I saw a new low of 163.6. I told my daughter I haven't been that weight since I was pregnant with her in 92-93 and that is only because I went from 128 to 199.5. Yeah I gained a ton of weight with her. I really believed I was eating for two
Well my goal is to get to 160 by my 48th bday on 4/14 and I am so hoping to see that present
It is true that losing weight is the best thing for controlling diabetes. However, it isn't easy to do. We seem to have a tendency to go through a period of denial before we get to the place to where we can finally realize that it is true and then we seem to settle down and start working at it. It takes time to work it out in our minds that we have to do something and do it. 
