Hi everyone: I will post this evening then go back and read about everyone. I was at my conference last week, and knew I overate a bit and wasn't active enough, but I weighed myself when I got back home and I was 172.9!
I was so upset with myself, I just pouted. I also got back on track with eating, and over the weekend got back down to 169. Now its just not possible to eat and lose that much weight that fast. Then I remembered that at one point last week, I ate at a chinese buffet. Now I ate carefully, didn't overeat, and tracked my points too. But now I realize that I need to practice what I preach and not stress about the salt monster. Clearly that is what was causing the big gain. PHEW.
Well, back on track and staying there. DId a lot of activity on the weekend working on landscape projects and gardening, and went to yoga today. Ate within points too.
Hope everyone is doing ok.

Okay< I am back and reading over the posts. How I enjoy touching base with everyone.
Questions about fasting blood sugars. Technically, and time after sleeping and before eating is a fasting sugar. However, when we get up and get moving, it is normal for our bodies to "mobilize" some glucose to help us get going. So the longer we take to do our fbs, the less accurate it will be. That said, when we get up and go to the lab, that action will up it a bit too. It shouldn't be a significant problem overall. I personally get up, and take it while sitting on the toilet! Then promptly get on the scale. I don't do it every day, but 4 times a week or so. Today I had a lab sugar drawn at work, then had my breakfast.
The last time I did it, the glucometer was high and the lab sugar low. (glucometer over 6 and lab below 4) Today glucometer was over 6 again, and then I realized I was using the venous blood and that may have an efffect. But did I remember to do a finger prick? NO. Silly me.
Will have my student do another draw another day. Today was her first time trying and she did very well. Made her do three tubes to get practice switching them out. No problem and no bruising. I wish I lived closer to Ruth.
Ruth: I loved that you took time out for a ME day. We all need it once in a while.
Rie: hope the knee gets better, I am thrilled to see your weight coming down: what are you doing with your diet that is working slowly but surely?

Someone was asking if I do ww and the answer is yes. I was doing Atkins, and it helped with my blood sugars, but I was stalled with my weight loss. I am doing ww, but keeping overall carbs lower (below 100 g/day) and low on grains, and only whole grains. I have been losing ever so slowly, but as a menopausal woman, it is difficult to lose weight period, and at least I am losing this weight, not in a permanent stall. I am using the atkins principles and tracking calories. I only go to meetings a couple of times a month. My small town only has one per week, and sometimes I can't get there. There are others available in other towns, but the scales are different, so I haven't bothered. I LOVE the online tracker. I just couldn't get into using dailyplate or spark etc. this is much easier. Yes it costs $, but so do many plans, and gym memberships etc. I am also saving a LOT of $ doing this plan. I eat out much less often, and not overeating and having fewer convenience foods means that I am spending less on crappy foods. Overall, I feel my bank balance has benefitted from doing ww, and my waistline sure has, so its worth every penny. I will keep on for at least the year (started in January) and have no plans to quit then unless its not helping me any more.
Take care everyone, talk with you all tomorrow

Hey everyone Today is well with me Hope all is doing well I jest finished doing a 1 1/2 hours of walk it out loved it I feel so much better...Can't wait till toorrow and I get to do it all over again...

I have been really busy this week. Getting things done before my trip, finishing up some work for a couple clients ("What, you're leaving this Saturday? Oh! I need you to just do these 12 things for me before you go...") But I've been working out every day and I think the consistent level of exercise has improved my fbg slightly. I've been in the 130s more consistently.

I'm trying to get back to induction level carbs. I do really well until after my early dinner. Since my boys tend to eat later than I do, I drift into the kitchen to see what's going on. Last night, two slices of vegetarian pan pizza! I haven't had that much bread in months! This is why I think the daily hard workouts are helping, because I would have been in the 160s otherwise.

In general, I feel really great right now. Off meds is where I feel the best. I'm better able to control diet, I can exercise hard every day, I sleep well, I have energy and vitality. I feel joyful. I'm glad to have made the decision to go off meds. I know that my blood sugars are higher and I really don't like where they are. I wish they were at least below 120 in the mornings, but my highs are starting to come down when I live my life how I really want to, and they will continue to do so as I lose more weight. During the day, I test well below 120. I don't know what the perfect diet/exercise routine is to achieve my goal except to lose weight. So that's my concentration for now.

I hope you're all doing well. I'll check back in while traveling. I need to be accountable to you all so I can stay off the scones and puddings in the UK!

Hey Ladies Good Evening.. Doing good here did a 1 hr walk it out and then went out side and planted Flowers all over the flower eds out front I hope they turn out good..

Having trouble lately - weight is headed the wrong way again despite the diuretic. Of course Chinese yesterday did NOT help that! This morning's BGL was an astonishing 8.6. I suspect I did not take my meds last night. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Hi friends: staying close to daily points today, we up yesterday. Had to go to work during the night, then saw my doc first thing in the am. I stopped for breakfast on the way. I decided to go to a diner instead of getting an egg mcmuffin at mcdonalds, thinking a proper breakfast would be better, but when I added up the points later, it was 15 points! (I had a ham and egg and cheese sandwich, but it turned out to be "grilled" and high in fat. )
Docs was good news. All meds renewed, and plan to stay on same regimen, and waist has shrunk from a high of 100cm in Aug 2011, to 93 yesterday, and that was feeling bloated after that big breakfast. a1c was 5.8 and we talked about how that may be falsely low due to some hypoglycemic episodes. I am to cut down on breads and grains. My doc isn't very sympathetic about that, she has celiac disease and can't have most grains at all. Otherwise, she is supportive of the way I am doing ww and very happy with my progress.
She is happy for me to stay on the metformin to prevent diabetes. I said I had no plans to go off it, as the side effects now are minimal and the benefits big. So even if I lose more weight will probably be on it for life, unless something better comes along.
However, the rest of the day was a write-off. I was too tired to work, but couldn't sleep. Rested and watched tv. Was really full from breakfast until about 4 pm, then overate ravenously for a while. So points we quite high yesterday, and will exercise and eat carefully for the next few days.
hello to all friends

Good Evening... I have been doing good here did a hour of walk it out today and I have been doing good on the food Butttttt I have to get back on plan 100 percent I have been doing good but not having a veggies during lunch or dinner but I need them both I have been getting a hungry feeling when its time to eat..I will get their I am going slowly...

Weight still up although dropped a pound overnight. FBGL is now back in my normal range - I have no idea why it spiked.

Striving for very clean eating today with lots of water.

Enjoy your holiday weekend, American chicks.

Hi all: I echo Ruth in wishing the US chicks a lovely long weekend. Its blustery but warm and humid here, maybe a thunderstorm later.
More allergy stuff, have been exposed to a bit of latex at some smaller hospitals, the gloves were opened in the rooms our clients were in, before I arrived, and were gone when I was there, but the air exposure left me with reactions. What a pain. As if I don't take enough allergy meds. Will have to check on the carb counts of some of these meds. Was unable to assist with a delivery in the night after latex gloves were opened before my arrival. The larger hospitals have caught on and don't even have them available, but its a cost thing for the smaller places. I may have to stop going to those places altogether.

Rie: yes I am not officially diagnosed as diabetic at this point. I am glucose intolerant, or prediabetic. These things are rather arbitrary, as rising blood sugars are a continuum. And there is fairly good evidence that by keeping blood sugars stable, the metformin prevents people from having sugars rising into diabetic ranges, but more importantly it prevents the damage to blood vessels and organs that diabetes can bring.
Given my genetic history, I will become diabetic eventually, even if I lose weight and exercise regularly, and do everything "right". So preventing the negative effects and delaying the loss of blood sugar control is my best bet for a longer healthier life, IMHO. This evidence isn't agreed 100% by all specialists, but there doesn't appear to be a downside if the side effects of metformin are tolerable.
off to work

A quick flyby to check in. I'm doing very well just busy. A busy weekend planned. DD and kids were out of school Friday and everyone is home Monday. Planning to BBQ Monday. They finally got their Income tax return and gave us some money. It doesn't come near to what it cost for them to be here, but that doesn't matter to me. I know they could have used it, but they gave something and that tells me a lot. I really believe they would do more if they could.

Y'all have a great Memorial Day weekend.