[SwimGirl]

Hey Jen! Congrats on the good news! As for that bad news... I think everything has been said. You can change it, just give yourself some time!

As for sugar - ugh, truly my weakness! I've started adding in sweet fruits and veggies into my diet - I know they are "bad", but it's a lot better than having sugar! Corn - omg, eat it, seriously, it's like eating cake only not so bad for you! I have started having a snack of apple sauce with sliced strawberries, very yummy as well. Both feel really sweet and actually help my sugar cravings! Ask anyone in my life and they will roll their eyes and tell you how many times I "quit" sugar, and while I keep going back - I still am going days/weeks without sugar, but at least I am off it for a little while. So quit sugar, expect yourself to go back to it, and expect to quit it again! Just keep doing it. Phew - a little novel there!

-Aimee

[jtammy]

Yep Jen, Sugar is a weakness for me too. I thank God that the first "diet" I tried 2 and 1/2 years ago happened to be one that made me quit eating added sugars. I don't think I would have ever made it past the first month on one that allowed me to have little 100 calorie packs of sweets.

We're here for you!

[GirlyGirlSebas]

Hi Jen,

If this diagnosis gets you motivated to make some positive change for your health, then I say its very good news! I reversed my insulin resistance by losing just 30 pounds,eating healthier and walking. Although pre-diabetes and insulin resistance aren't the same thing, they do have similarities in that they can be reversed through healthy changes in your lifestyle.

One word of advice....Although I absolutely love the Southbeach plan, this plan is not a low carb plan...but, it is not necessary to follow a low carb diet to reverse pre-diabetes. The Southbeach recipes are delicious and, IMHO, its a very easy plan to incorporate into your everyday life. However, simply eating healthy whole foods and avoiding added sugars will work just as well. Also, if you're not walking or getting some form of consistent exercise, I recommend that you start a program. And, if you're a smoker...quit! Smoking is a horrible trigger for diabetes and high cholesterol...not to mention lung cancer.

I look forward to reading a future post from you letting us know that you no longer have pre-diabetes.

[Jen415]

Thanks y'all! Luckily for me, I am very healthy other than this sugar thing. I don't smoke, and I drink socially, so nothing there to change.

After a rough weekend where I went off the deep end, it's back to it! I'm watching my carbs and drinking a lot of water! My plan is to also get a minimum of 30 minutes of activity a day. I know I can make some big strides in getting my total health back!

[mezmerize]

Jen, sending you my support post post post!!! HUGZ

[pamatga]

....and that is how do we reverse or stop some of the negative aspects of our weight gain.

I will try to add something new here to already great comments, advice and support. There was so much!

I too have a very strong family history of diabetes, heart disease and cancer in both sides of my family. My mom is diabetic and it caused complications during some recent cancer surgery she had. She is rebounding but it was hard to watch her go through so much.

You are young. You have your whole life ahead of you. Think of this as an opportunity to start fresh. Instead of focusing on what you are giving up, think of what you will gain (and hopefully lose too---the weight I mean).

I have made the choice of my own free will to be as sugar-free as I can be since the beginning of this year. Yes, I have had slip ups but the longer I am sugar free the more I realize I can do this. I tell myself that if I don't do this, I could end up like my mom. Some of the things she went through were so unnecessary. She did watch her diet and worked with a dietician and lost 41 lbs before all of this but she ignored the cancer warning signs for 18 months.

Before her surgery she said, maybe, I should have.... I stopped her. I said, you can't change what you did in the past but you can change what you do from this day forward. Jen, today is a fresh clean slate. As is tomorrow and the next day and the next......

I admire your courage and honesty here in facing the facts and dealing with them head on. We are here for you. You can do it. I've read your other posts and you've got what it takes, kid. Go for it!

[Jen415]

Pamatga, thank you! Your words mean so much to me!