Hi Friends: I will post my update then read backward to see whats up with folks, and perhaps respond to some posts.
I checked my fasting blood sugar twice this week, 5.2 both times. which is fine. (do I multiply by 17 or 19 to get American values? I forget)
however, the strips were variable by 10 %. I did three readings both times, ( the lancet device was good, but I kept bleeding and I thought it would be interesting, and the strips expire next week, so no need to hoard them.....)
and there was about a 10% variation. I know thats within acceptable limits, but can be confusing. Was my level 5.0, 5.2 or 5.8? I mean really?
If I were using insulin, wouldn't that affect my dose?
And in further news, the weight loss I was noting earlier last week, is gone, and I have gone up. I really cannot handle eating carbs. Thought I was doing reasonably well, and was controlling carb cravings reasonably well, but weight keeps going up.
SO I will go back to low carb this week. Except for wine. Wine will be my carb.
I am going away with DH for a week of winter resort and spa time.
I plan to cross country ski and relax and read all week. Also have some time away with my sister planned. Not planning to weigh in until Friday.
Also, don't think I will take my laptop.
So thats what is new with me for now, have a happy Sunday.

Mad, according to an online chart I found 5.0 = 90 and 6.1 = 110, so I consider that good blood sugar. I would say your level was an average of the three readings. I too have taken 2 reading from the same blood droplet and had different results! I would not be concerned with that slight difference. One time I tested with 2 different One Touch meters and the results were 20 points different! The strips were old, but not expired. I opened a fresh box of strips and the readings were the same.

I can eat carbs in very small portions. One or two pieces of potato, one slice of bread, but not both of them at the same meal. But I realize I am far better off to pass on them altogether and have a small amount on rare occasions.

Your trip sounds enjoyable and relaxing. Have a good time!

I will just chime in about knee issues:
I don't often wear shoes with heels, but I got a nice pair of sandals a couple of years ago. Very comfy, fit my orthotics too, velcro closures, but still nice looking, with just a bit of heel. I rarely wear them, they seem to just throw me off enough to start knee issues. I can wear them for an hour or two only, and then have problems, and feel it the next day.
I also recently had to replace the black shoes I often wear with work clothes, they started to fall apart. Of course they don't make that style any longer, and had to get something else. It has a bit of a heel. I seem ok for the most part, but my knees complain if I wear them longer than a work day. 8-10 hours, but not at home etc.
away tomorrow! ttfn

When I worked, I wore a lot of really high heels and my body was used to them. When I started my last job, heels were not appropriate, but I could not wear a totally flat shoe for any length of them. I guess my body was accustomed to my heel being elevated. If I tried to wear a totally flat shoe my feet would hurt terribly. I think it was plantar fasciatis. I never tried any orthotics. Now I can wear a flat shoe, but one with a slight heel is more comfortable for me. I gave away all of my really high heels so I wouldn't even try to wear them now. But it was my foot that bothered me, not my knee. I think it depends on what is wrong with your knee. I have never been able to wear an open sandal, like a flip-flop. It has to have some type of support on the sides or my foot will hurt really bad. There is a shoe I loved that fell apart, and I hate that they don't make that style anymore.

Continuing on with my day, I exercised for 1 hr and 15 min while watching my soaps. I feel good, and it really dropped my blood sugar nicely. I am going to watch my soaps from 12:30 - 2PM each day, and it makes more sense to be exercising than sitting in my recliner. I go downstairs with the intentions of doing at least 20 min of exercise, and sometimes I have to force myself to do that. Other days, like today, once I get going I start enjoying it. Watching TV makes the time go so much faster. I did the treadmill, elliptical and recumbent bike. I am up to 15 min on the bike without any knee pain. Yay! I had read somewhere that exercising the thigh muscle above the knee helps to stablize the knee. Over the weekend, we were riding in the car for a hour, and during that time I did some exercises to help work the muscles. For the next 2 days I had some pain, but I don't think it was an injury, just muscle pain from not using those muscles regularly. After exercising today I walked up the stairs normally instead of one step at a time! I normally get pain, and my right leg cannot support my weight. I think the bike is helping to strengthen the muscles around my knee. I would be very excited if I could get back walking up stairs normally all the time. I'm not going to rush it, but will continue to exercise these muscles.

My knee is finally improving. I wear orthotics, have chronic (7 years now) plantar fasciitis that did not respond to any therapies and heel spurs. I also am pretty sure I have Morton's neuroma in one foot. Yeah, it sucks to be Shannon's feet, LOL! Anyway, I only own a few shoes bc of the issues with my feet and the pair I wore the day the knee pain started were a Croc shoe that looks like a dansko clog. I won't be wearing them again. Since then even my dansko clogs have hurt my knee and I have never had issues with them before, been wearing them over 5 years. I have been sticking to my tennis shoes which I have my orthotics in.

Ok, so I am having ZERO success with getting back on plan so I am going to investigate another low carb type option that I had looked into last year but bypassed for just going generically Low Carb without any counting and with increasing fats. It's called Trim Healthy Mama. Lotsofkids does it I think. The jist of it is more in how you pair carb, fat and protein but it is supposed to be good for BS and weight loss. I'm entering the investigative stage, lol....stay tuned.

We had a busy fun day....playdate with friends from our old town, out to lunch and to see the Paddington Bear movie and then to dance class.

Shannon, I hope your feet feel better with just the tennis shoes for a while. They usually have more cushioning and more room in the toe box to give your feet a needed rest. Feet can be a real problem.

I have heard of Trim Healthy Mama but don't remember the details. Good luck with that. Sometimes we have to switch around until we find our nitch with this.

Ahhh, my people! This is 100% how I pass up all the other carbs, in my brain I just keep thinking - save it for the wine.

I am trying so hard to keep up with everyone but I miss a few days and the thread just gets away from me!

I don't have much change to report here. I have my next appointment in almost a month and I've reached (and passed) my (very modest) weight loss goal so I'm hoping to build on that. I got very few steps in this weekend, despite being very busy and I'm hoping to improve on that this week.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend and a great week coming up!

I'm glad to hear you have surpassed your weight loss goal Secondhalf. I think it's best to have modest goals. They are easier to reach and give you incentive to keep going. Good for you!

My weight and blood sugar were up this morning. I'm hoping the weight is water weight due to the sauerkraut I had last nite. It has a lot of salt in it. I could rinse it, but that takes away all the flavor. I can just keep on trying.

Not much going on here. FBS has been 108 for a few days and weight is up a bit, but I'm sure it is from the sodium in the frozen chipped beef we had yesterday. I probably didn't drink enough water to flush it out. Also have been drinking half decaf coffee and I think I really need the caffeine in the morning. It also helps with fluid retention.

Been reading the Magic Foods book and have learned quite a bit. I took the test in the book and I have already made a lot of the changes. It suggests eating some meals beans in place of protein and shares some of the grains like quinoa and barley which are high protein grains. Doesn't forbid anything but stresses that you do better to make the higher GL foods an occasional thing. It is very doable and it is obviously the way I need to eat to lower fbs however, I may have to work on portion control.

I thought of you Carol Sue because it says that the more fruits and veggies we eat the better the bs control. In fact, they say that fruit is not the bad guy for diabetics as long as we eat the skin on those we can because we need the fiber of them. I'm not brave enough to eat more than the 2 servings that my doctor said I can have, but it does make it easier to have a it and portion control is the key to fruit. I can see why WW would would work if it is done right. I may have to switch to the WW plan until I get the portions right.

Have a good day.

I have never been one to eat much fruit. I think it has to do with my not liking sweets much. I eat apples with the skin, and pears too, some oranges. I like bananas but hardly every buy them. I prefer vegetables so much more.

I have eaten all my meals already and I am trying to not eat the rest of the evening. I will go to bed by 9 PM because there's a show I want to watch that DH will not watch. I will watch it in bed, and probably fall asleep while watching! LOL

Hoping to see my weight go back down tomorrow.

hello friends: suffering from a bit of insomnia, so thought I would say hello. I brought the laptop because I have been writing a bit, but there is free wi-fi at this resort so here I am.
On Monday we drove up to see friends near a town called Bancroft and had a nice overnight visit. The next morning I went on their snowshoe trail for about 45 minutes to get the juices going. After lunch we left for our little resort stay.
Its about an hour away from them. Right on the edge of Algonquin park. Its a couples resort, so no families. I got in a nice ski that afternoon for about an hour, and then came back to the room where DH had unpacked for us, and got into the jacuzzi. We had a nap then went to supper. Very fancy, the men must wear ties and the ladies must wear "cocktail attire". Fun to dress up. Our 30th anniversary is next month and this is our "trip" to celebrate, even though its just a 2 night stay. We couldn't afford more than this two night stay this year.
After breakfast this morning, we had a hot tub, and when it got a bit warmer (went to -28 degrees Celsius overnight) to -15, I went skiing. I took some water and a granola bar and another protein bar. I ate them at the warming hut, more because I wanted to energy, but wasn't really hungry.
Another lovely supper started at 7.
An odd thing though, I haven't been "hungry" since we arrived. The food is spectacular and delicious, and I have enjoyed it all. But I was not "ravenous" for supper either night. Maybe the extra exercise is reducing my appetite or something. However, I am sure I am taking in more calories than I am skiing off. Tomorrow I will have another nice ski before we head home.
DH has a hernia this year and is just walking about on some packed trails in the forest.
Shannon, I really hope the knee pain gets better soon for you. does your doctor or physiotherapist know whats up with that?
30 years ago, I tore the ligaments in my left knee and fractured the tibia, the physio Idid then and keep up to some degree, involved keeping the thigh muscle strong. I did "quad sets" and lifts, both in the straight and slightly tilted position, and a few others. I still have well defined leg muscles and rarely suffer knee pain except with this one pair of shoes. I feel quite fortunate.
Now that the joint pain is better when I stay off the nightshade vegetables, I am pretty much back to normal for how I am feeling.
Chat soon everyone.

It sounds like you're really having a nice trip, Mad. Relaxing. Even if the skiing isn't burning off all the calories you're taking in, the calorie burn continues well after the exercise is finished, so I think you're in good shape.

I lost 2 of the 4 lbs I had gained, so I guess it was 50/50 water weight. I will get the other 2 off, too.

I am getting some of the pain back in my hands, but nothing near what I had originally. It was completely gone for a while. I'm thinking it has something to do with the cold weather being back. It was really good all summer. Most of it is in my thumb. When I was still working I called it "space bar thumb." Maybe I'm spending too much time online. Ya think?! LOL

Mad What a nice early anniversary celebration. Great that the extra exercise is keeping your appetite curbed. You are doing great with all the exercise you are doing. Sounds great.

I haven't done the bike until today this week. Strange y'all talking about knee pain. One night this week I never was sure if really woke up with my left knee hurting or if it was a dream. It was in the middle of the night and I'm pretty sure I woke up with it feeling like it was trying to lock up on me and I got up and walked to walk it out. I remember thinking I didn't want to wake DH. I also remembered that if I would ride the bike that it would go away away. I stopped taking the minerals for the joints when I ran out last month because I didn't think I needed it any more. When I first started riding the bike today, I felt a little knee pain, but only for a few moments. I really do need to make riding the recumbent bike a 3 or 4 day habit because the more I rode caused the pain to go away. I am so thankful for that.

Shannon I have had knee problems that the bike did not help. In fact, when I first got it I had been riding one when I was a member of the YMCA so I decided to up my time and rode for 1 hr and boy did I pay for that. I couldn't ride it for quite a while until it healed. I hurt it the first time vacuuming the upstairs before the kids came to visit. I felt it when I twisted the knee. It was an old upright vacuum that wasn't self-propelled when I turned it didn't. I have to say that I was blessed both times before DH DD was here both times and she worked for years for orthopedic doctors and she took care of me. Took a while maybe a few weeks or more. So take it easy on it.

Carol Sue Congrats on losing that 2 lbs. I had gained 2 this week and one of them is gone today and hopefully the other one will be gone tomorrow. We ate out yesterday and I was actually surprised that one of the 2 was even back.

My good news is that the way I am eating is really working for me. My fbs was 103 today. I am hoping that by the time I go back to the doctor in February that my A1c will be normal and hopefully my weight loss will be good. I look forward to seeing my blood work results if he does them. I'm not sure why he didn't order them before the appt unless he forgot because that was when we were talking so much about me doing IF.

Have a nice evening.

Cold and raining here today so staying in. Supposed to be colder tomorrow and raining so not sure I'll get out after just getting over the bug I had for almost a month. Haven't decided that one yet.

Glad to say I lost that other lb and my fbs was 111. Not unusual for it to bounce back a little before it goes down some more. I'm happy with my new way of eating. Hope everybody stays warm and safe.

Have a good day.

Pc problems!

DH got the PC working around midnight, but for some reason, the posts I posted this morning are not here. Oh well.

Carol Sue Glad your PC is working. Sorry you lost your messages.

Everything here is about the same. Weight bouncing but staying in the 214 range which I consider good. FBS stable at 111 for 2 days now. It seems to work that way, but I'm sure it will all continue to come down some more as I work the program. Slow is better they say and I've always been one who wants it quick, but I have to face it... that hasn't worked out to good for me in the past.

We are at the end close to payday so when we get paid I will go get some veggies and fruit and be able to do better on this plan. I am so glad that I got this book as it is helping me to see what to eat and why. It is such a blessing. It also explains why some foods are good for you and why some are not and what to eat to replace it. For example, I think barley is my replacement for rice. So full of healthy stuff in it. Some grains are high in protein as well as vitamins and minerals etc. I used to like beans and rice but I tried it with barley instead and it was really good.

After reading this book, I've also learned why The New Atkins Diet Plan allowed some of the veggies that was not on the original. It has to do with the Glycemic Load. They have learned the Glycemic Load is a better guide than the Glycemic Index they used to use. Quite interesting. They learned by using GL that those foods did not cause an insulin spike, but slowed the insulin release down. In fact, this book teaches you how to eat some of the higher GL foods by including certain low GL foods with it to balance it out so you don't get a spike from the meal.

Well, I got to run. Going to beauty shop a little later today. Need to dress and leave DH a note where I am. He thought I wasn't going when he went to bed so he will wonder where I am when he gets up and I'm not here.

Have a nice weekend. Those of you in all that bad weather stay warm and safe.

Hey ladies,

It's rainy and gloomy here. We are anxiously awaiting the afternoon when Snow White (Olivia's favorite Disney princess) will be at the library for a special storytime!

Well, it's wake up call time I guess. I went to edit my signature with my current weight and wow, I'm about to go backwards to the point that I cannot claim to be at my second goal of a 10% loss. That is really sad! I have checked my FBS the past two mornings after a really long hiatus and I was 122 yesterday and 127 today. I have been eating so much sugar and carbs, I'm shocked it's not worse but that is bad enough. I have been researching the Trim Healthy Mama plan for several days now. It is very similar to any low carb diet but it does allow some carbs I have previously not allowed when on plan such as sweet potatoes, rolled oats, more fruit options, brown rice, quinoa and the packaged low carb tortillas and bread (like Joseph's). I am not all too sure about this plan bc when I have cut those things out and then allowed them I started binge eating again but I'm really burnt out and just not able to get back to strict LCHF again so I'm willing to try something new to see if maybe it is more manageable for long term use. I have not ordered the book yet and the library doesn't carry it so it may be a couple more weeks before I can order and receive the book but there is so much out there on the internet about it I think I can probably half start without the book anyway. One of the more successful bloggers out there who has followed the plan for several years has tons of info and recipes on her site and even she recommends just starting with making one meal a day fit the plan for the first week so that's doable. At any rate something has to change, right???!!!!

I am still convinced though that a key for me, personally, is making ahead and freezing meals. One of the reasons this plan is catching my eye again is because Once A Month Meals (a website that puts together menus for cooking and freezing ahead) has been dabbling in posting meals for this plan and just announced they will do a full menu in March. Since getting back to freezing ahead is important to me that was appealing. Last night I cooked and froze meat to go with my homemade spaghetti sauces that I froze last week and froze precooked taco seasoned meat. Last week I also froze vegetables for a crockpot curry meal I found online for this plan. I still need to buy chicken breasts that go with it but those are ready to go.

I've been really enjoying the bible study I started back before Christmas (Bible Study Fellowship) especially since our church search is going slow as molasses. Their children's program is really great too and I am so glad I can bring Olivia. I really regret not rejoining the program when I first started staying at home.

Trish, we have talked about so many books here I had to look back to see which book you're talking about...it's the Magic Foods book. It seems to be working so well for you, and you're also doing IF, right? Is your DH following the same plan? I agree that your new A1c will probably be in the normal range. You sound like me, waiting for payday. We get our SS on Wednesday and I already went through the store ads and made a list for shopping on Wednesday.

I had to go to the library today to pick up a fiction novel they were holding for me, and I also got a newer book The Diabetes Reset written by George King MD of the Joslin Diabetes Center. It was written in 2014. I picked it up to see if it had any new ideas since it was a newer book. I skimmed through it and I'm not really impressed. It's nothing we've never heard before. Since it's from Joslin, it doesn't recomment low carb, but low fat and high fiber. It had a section explaining why you should not do high fat. It is called the Rural Asian Diet. Never heard of it before. Otherwise, the strategies are exercise, reduce stress, reduce inflammation, get enough sleep....things we already know. There's also an interesting section about increasing brown fat. It says to stay in a lower temperature. Brrrr That might be why DH never has a weight problem. He wears a thin summer jacket all the time, never a hat, scarf or gloves, even when he's out cleaning the snow. For days that it's really freezing cold he will get out another jacket that has a lining, but it's still not a warm coat for our cold PA winters. His son has always dressed like that, too, and never had a weight problem.

Shannon, I think if you give the THM plan a try and do it for only one meal, it's a start. Sometimes it's too shocking to the system to jump in right away. Look at it this way, it can't be worse than you're doing now. I know what you mean about starting a binge, though. I have that issue with bread all the time. Even today, I made some mac and cheese for DH and he didn't eat it all. Guess who ate it? I wasn't doing that for such a long time, and now I'm slipping back. I need to clean up my act, too.

My weight is staying good but not my blood sugar. It seems that any carbs at all spikes me now.

well, I have not been as low carb as I would like, choices were a bit limited on today's menu, but have continued with skiing a lot. I am on a girls weekend with my sister.
Yesterday's ski included a ridiculously high and steep climb up an escarpment. I took an extra "loop" on the ski trail, which until then had been beginner level, thinking I was just adding a couple of kilometres to the trail, and found a nice up hill, then turned a corner and realized I was going up and up and up. DOn't ask me where I got the gumption to make that climb, was the biggest climb I have ever done since starting cross country skiing. I go to the top and was so proud of myself, I called DH to tell him. Big boost to self-esteem. Even though I am not a racer or fast, I am good!
Today, I took it easier, but still skied at a good clip and for a good distance. Tomorrow, look out!
Happy to hear from everyone, enjoying reading everyone's posts.

So exciting Mad! You are doing good! I tried skiing once, and that was enough. I didn't have proper clothes and I was freezing. And a girls-only weekend sounds fun, too. Great holiday for you.

I am supposed to get labs done on March 1 but I think I am going to postpone it for a while. They would not be good at all. I am like Shannon...I did so well before the doctor was patting me on the back. I don't know what happened!

Trish, I ordered the Magic Foods book, used. I'm still waiting for a confirmation from the seller. That and another book I ordered from them each said "one copy left" which could be an error, and they might not have them. If so, I will order from someone else. There were a few good prices out there.

EDIT: Just checked...both of my books shipped. Very fast service! Coming from Ohio, so that's a hop, skip and a jump from me. I'm excited. The other book is a cookbook I want to add to my collection.

Well, HA1C is up to .073 so I need to get back onto the lower carb wagon and back to regularly taking my meds. (I'm inclined to skip the evening ones and sometimes "forget" my Victoza shot.) Aside from that, I'm busy as usual and getting very little exercise because of my sore feet. I need to start acting like a responsible adult before it's too late. I'm still trying to lose the December ten pounds. Ticker is not lying today for a change.

Ruthie It is great to hear from you. Sorry about the sore feet. Hope that gets better. Always good to hear from you.

Fatmad I would think that having to eat more carbs than you like to will not cause a big jump in weight since you are getting all that exercise. Being able to go up that hill was quite an accomplishment. You deserved to be excited about it. I think that means you are evidently in better shape than you thought. Glad you are enjoying the trip.

Carol Sue I think you will enjoy the book and will learn a lot. It has become my favorite book on nutrition for diabetes. I learned that acid like ACV or lemon helps slow down insulin spikes in a whole meal. I've always wondered why my weight etc worked so good when we go out to eat even though I usually eat more carbs. Now I know that it is because I always drink lemon water with it. I've switched to mustard on most sandwiches and no mayo and I always eat the dill pickle if it has it which I've learned also helps the insulin to spike more slowly.

I remember in the old WW plan years ago that we were allowed the carbs which we didn't have much knowledge about grains and lower carbs back then. However, we were allowed one starch exchange, but were required to eat greens at least once a day and all the raw veggies we wanted. Weight loss was slow but it did come off. Of course, I didn't have diabetes and no idea I ever would then. My point is that I can understand from reading this why it was such a good diet plan. I really think the plan they have now is probably similar, but when I was doing WW online and got on some threads it seemed like all they wanted to use their points for was anything but veggies and whole grains. I finally stopped going on them because I felt they were only looking for a way to have their diet cakes, cookies etc.

I'm sorry I don't share as much as you probably would from the book, but I have difficulty remembering everything to share.

Any way, I learned today about how good cabbage and others in that family like broccoli and brussel sprouts are for lower blood sugar and lowers our risk of several cancers including breast cancer by 43%. Carrots which are now included helps protect our eyes as we get older and prevent macular degeneration and cataracs.

Shannon I used to attend BSF when it was closer to me and really enjoyed it. I loved the fellowship and the scripture discussions. They finally started one here again, but it is in the evening and I just don't drive much at night any more. I have heard that their children's program is awesome so I know Olivia will enjoy it.

Catch y'all tomorrow.

Hi Guys! Again, I just can not keep up!

I don't know HOW I'm doing. Ok, I guess? I like to test a lot and keep track but the past few days have been crazy busy and it just got away from me. I'm eating the same, I think? I am terrible about not getting enough sleep. Maybe I could make that a priority this week.

I'm hitting my 5k step goal pretty much every day so I guess that means it's time to stop just parking further away and taking the stairs...I'm going to have to start REAL EXERCISE! Gasp!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!!!

Secondhalf, it sounds like the 5K steps is becoming a regular part of your life, not intentional exercise. That's good. Since I stay home most of the time I only go over 5K if I am out somewhere.

I used to fall asleep and stay asleep until my alarm went off, but now I wake up every couple hours. I am getting better at falling back to sleep recently, but when I worked, there were times that I got by on 2-3 hours of sleep. Maybe knowing I don't have to go anywhere helps me fall back to sleep. I occasionally take a Benadryl to help me, but I prefer not to take anything for sleep because I will become dependent on it.

Trish, there are things I like and dislike about WW. It's hard to figure out the points for foods that you prepare at home, but I like that you can eat anything as long as you include the points in your daily allowance. That way there are no foods off-limits. It just doesn't work for me. I eat all the healthy foods, I just eat too much of it. I keep thinking back to when I was in the hospital and they brought me my heart healthy, carb control meals. The portions were right-size and there was nothing in between meals. I did that once I got home for several months and that's how I lost my first 20 lbs, but I have drifted away from that and can't get it back. My doctor would say "You CAN do it, you just don't WANT to." LOL

I also wanted to get the book mentioned in the sticky about the Glycemic Load for Diabetics, but I will try just googling Glycemic Load and getting my info from there. I don't want to start buying tons of books again.

Ruth, I like your comment that you have to start behaving like a responsible adult. That's what I have to do, too! If I got my A1c checked right now it would not be good. I am scheduled to get it checked Mar 1 but I am going to postpone it at least until Apr 1, and I need to walk the straight and narrow until then.

Trish, I have tried all the things they recommend, lemon water, vinegar water, cinnamon, fiber (beans) and none of them ever made a significant difference in my blood sugar. When I was reading The End of Diabetes and DR Furman recommended eating all the vegetables, that didn't help my blood sugar, but it did improve other things. I lost my cravings for sweets, my nails have gotten so much stronger, the pain in my back and hip went away and that loose tooth I had tightened up. I cannot prove that these things happened because of the vegetables, but I think they did. I made no other changes. Dr Furman said that even though carrots are considered a high carb veggie, the nutrient value far outweighs the carbs you get from them. I eat them and lots of cruciferous veggies at least 4 times a week, but there is no improvement in blood sugar. Of course, he recommends little or no carbs and little or no meat, and I have not eliminated those foods from my diet. So I have seen improvements in my health, but not blood sugar. The only thing that really impacts my blood sugar is exercise.

Carol Sue I have read that some medications can cause diabetes. Could you be taking a that is causing your blood sugar to be higher? I can't remember which one, but I know one of DH medicines can cause diabetes. I remember when I read it that my first thought was that he didn't have diabetes until he took that medication. I need to look that up and see if the doctor could change it.

There are a lot of things I liked about WW and back when it was Flex and Core plan, I combined the two like some others did and I did great. However, I also have the problem of some of the foods I cooked I didn't know how to count the points. However at this point, I just don't want to count anything if I don't have to. As long as I can keep improving the way I'm eating now, I see no reason to count calories, pts or anything else. It is really nice not to have to think about food all the time.

I just realized today that you asked me if DH eats like I do. Not too much. I do try to make some of the foods I'm reading about to help him. He really needs to keep his cholesterol coming down especially the triglycerides. So I figure if I can make us one good healthy meal that we eat together that it has to help.

You also asked if I was still doing IF. Most of the time yes, but there are some days like Saturday and Sunday when I don't because I like to eat breakfast before I leave the house. All the other days I am able to wait until 10 or later to eat. I am eating 3 meals a day most of the time. One problem that I'm having sticking to the 8 hr window that I usually do is that if I strictly stay with the 8 hr window is that I have to eat that third meal when I'm not hungry. I also like to follow IE principles too of not eating until I get hungry which makes it difficult to stay within 8 hrs. Back when I was researching IF, I did read that women can get by with eating within a 9 hr window so on those days that I don't get hungry until after the 8 hr window I've decided it is better to wait until I'm hungry which usually puts within a 9 hr window. I feel safe about doing that since I eat a combination of IF/IE. It seems to be working ok with lowering the fbs so as long as it stays or keeps getting lower I will continue eating that way.

My fbs was 108 today. Lately it seems to either be 104 or 108. I did that for a week or so when I was in one teens just before it went below 110. I'm hoping it is getting ready to go below 100 soon.

DH and I go back to the doc in March. I've got over a month to make this a habit and hopefully get my numbers better. I hope I can help DH have improved numbers too. Even where I am now, I think he is going to be surprised at how much my bs has improved.



I started exercising again. I've decided to make a habit of exercising 20 minutes 6 days a week which will be 120 minutes a week taking Sunday off. After it was shared that the DM book recommended 30 min 3 or 4 days a week which equals 80 to 120 minutes a week, I will still get the 120 minutes. Riding the recumbent bike every other day isn't working for me because I am finding a reason to wait another day and then that other day never comes when I'm thinking do 30 min 3 days a week. I need to do it in a way that it will become a habit for me. I know if I do it as a habit that in time my body will actually look forward to it. I think it all comes down to doing what fits my personality. I've got the eating down now I've got to get the exercise down pat. I'm sure when I get that going that the fbs will improve even more. That may be all it will take to get my fbs under that 100 mark.

Just popping by to say hello. I am still deep in researching this new plan I want to start, collecting recipes, etc. I went grocery shopping today and bought brown rice, quinoa and sweet potatoes. I have not bought those items in almost a year....felt weird!

I can't believe how huge my belly has gotten. 6 months ago it looked vastly improved. Now I think it may actually look worse than it did before I started anything....amazing! I am looking forward to turning that around. I hate how full and heavy I feel lately.

Shannon, hating how you feel is a good motivator. When you start this new plan and start to feel better you will want to keep it up so you continue to feel good. I think adding those 3 items will change DH's attitude too, adding a bit of substance to the meals. I love all 3 of those things, but DH won't eat them. I have started using brown rice instead of white when I make stuffed cabbage and stuffed peppers and he doesn't mind that because it's mixed in with the meat, but if I make other things like rice pilaf he wants white rice.

Trish, eating low carb will drop triglycerides like a rock, but I know your DH does not want to eat low carb all the time. Try to get him to cut back as much as you can with the meals you prepare.

I agree that if a longer eating window sometimes is working for you, then it's all good. There's no hard and fast rule....just what works.

I heard that statins can cause diabetes and I take a statin, but when I looked it up, mine is not one that causes diabetes. I take a very old one. I am supposed to take 80mg but I cut back to 40mg when my lab work was so good. Dr doesn't know that, but I think the pharmacy has to know because I don't get the RX filled as often as I should. Numbers don't lie, and if my labs are within normal range, I don't think I need as much as they prescribed. I saw a cardiologist on The Doctor's show who said that statins do more for the heart than just lower cholesterol and he takes that into consideration when he prescribes them.

I also think Beta Blockers raise blood sugar, too, but I need them to help regulate my heart beat. Sometimes I get to the point where I just want to quit taking all my meds and let nature take it's course. Some doctors will take a patient off all meds and when they have all left the body, they start adding meds back to see what they really need. I'm starting to feel like one of those old people I used to feel sorry for when I worked at the pharmacy.

I also read recently that coffee (caffiene) raises blood sugar. I guess I have to quit everything!

I get very excited if my blood sugar gets to 110 or below.

Carol Sue i have two more days of my statin left and then I am done. I have just read a lot about women not needing them. I want to get on plan and see how my lab results do with diet and no meds. I will reassess after a year of monitoring. If I can get on and stay on a lower carb plan, get my BS under control and the labs are still bad I will start taking the statin again but I'd like to try a year without.

BS was up a little to 114 this morning, but weight was down back in the 214 range. I think the bs being up is because I didn't do the little tricks I've learned to do to keep it low. I ate a little more protein than I should have yesterday. I read once that women don't need so much protein. I also hadn't had my oatmeal in a few days and had no cinnamon. That breakfast with cinnamon first thing in the morning really makes a difference for me. Also forgot to use the ACV before meals. I try to drink a little ACV before a meal if I'm not eating a salad. Also ate breakfast earlier for three days and I do better if I wait at least until 10:30 or 11 am before eating breakfast. Also I forgot to drink plenty of water yesterday. Water plays a big part too especial when eating fiber. I believe I see where I must tweak what I'm doing so I get all the benefits. For example, I don't think I need to eat more than 2 or 3 fruits a day. May not be able to eat more than 2 servings.

Shannon I suspect that eating a little bit of fiber foods would even make foods taste better to your DH. That should relieve some of the stress you feel too. Although I eat the higher carb fiber foods, I do believe I do better if I not only watch the portions, but also the number of servings that I allow myself. I'm looking forward to hearing how she includes them in your new plan.

Carol Sue You are right about the statin. I thought that was the med but couldn't remember. DH refused to take them once before, but I am not sure he can stop it. I thoroughly believe from reading about how these foods affect our blood sugar etc that if we ate right we wouldn't have to take some of the meds and supplements we take. DH gets tired of taking all those pills and all I've been doing so far is when he says something I stress the fact that he wouldn't have to take some of them if he ate right. He eats too much saturated fats, and he dosn't eat enough cholesterol, trigylceride lowering foods. And when he does eat some of them, he wants them cooked for so long that they lose their nutrients. I'm hoping if I can get my numbers right and he sees that it works that he will decide to change a few things. It wouldn't really take a lot for him to eat healthier.

I read this morning that 1 or 2 tsp of flaxseed can be put in foods that I could sneak them into a few days a week that would help lower his bs as well as some other benefits. I could use it when I make a meat loaf, spaghetti etc. I just have to find a foods I can add things to it where he won't know the difference. Some things I have to be careful or or not use too much because he is on a blood thinner.

Oh while I'm thinking about it. I read this morning that Jerusalem Artichokes can be cooked like potatoes. They said it is a little milder taste than potatoes but good low blood sugar friendly. I have never even noticed them in the store, but I'm going to look for them and try them, because even though I like cauliflower, it has never replaced potatoes for me.

Guess I better stop. I'm getting kind of wordy. Today is DH and my 12th anniversary, but we are not going to wait until tomorrow to celebrate. We get paid tomorrow and the stores are on that side of town where all the eating places are. DH son gave us 2 $15 gift cards for Christmas to Olive Garden and we saved them for our anniversary. Since I've learned so much about balancing the meal for bs, I am actually looking forward to it as it is one of my favorite places to eat. I could make a meal just on their salad.

Have good day.

Shannon, my DH was put on a statin in 1993 when he had a heart attack at 50. After a week or so, he quit taking them and never went back to it. He refuses to get bloodwork done. He said he is 72 years old and does not want to take a lot of meds. When he had shingles, he refused the antiviral meds, and only took a couple of the pain pills, even though he was in pain. I think it's a personal choice. Meds have side effects that can't be ignored. He only takes his blood pressure meds because he saw his uncle after having a stroke and doesn't want that. I take the meds that are prescribed to me, but I sometimes wonder if I really need all of them.

There is a doctor locally on the radio who says that it's better to work on the cause of the problem than to cover up the symptoms with meds that might be causing side effects you don't want.

Hello Friends:

First to Trish and DH, Happy anniversary! :joker:
Have a lovely celebration.

Carol Sue and Trish: I too have been struggling about taking meds.
I decided long ago that I plan to stay on metformin, probably for life. The side effects for me are manageable, and the long term benefits (having all my toes in my 70's, having my kidneys work etc) are big.
However, after several years on SSRI antidepressants, I went off them last may. I did not find I was getting many benefits and the side effects while not major, didn't seem worth it. Before, when I tried to go off, I started having problems with anger management and anxiety, prepared for that this time, I had regular discussions about it with family and co-workers, and did lots of exercise etc. Also went off while on holidays so that helped. Recently, I read an article linking a different class of anti-depressants with Alzheimer's. Who knows about the long term effects of some meds. I am all for taking things that are doing us good, but we have to balance things off, with the help of a good caregiver.
At a certain age, there are different choices. My father's friend, in his 90's decided not to have any treatment for his cancer, because he wasn't counting the days ahead, and wanted to enjoy remembering his last days. He went peacefully recently.

So enough about that.
I am working on planning my schedule for the next few months ahead. After years of trying to fit in meditation into my day, I am realizing that doing it first thing in the morning is a good fit. Better than trying to exercise then.
The next few months should be relatively "regular" for me, as no holidays are booked until June. I have a couple of conferences, and on the first Monday of the month there will be an early morning meeting, but otherwise, I can see this working. I start back to work tomorrow evening, and will work on sticking to my WOE for the month of February and see where I am after that.
Hope everyone has a good Wednesday.

Ok ladies I am back with my tail between my legs. I am up about 20 lbs. holidays started it and it just keeps climbing.
Today I started back tracking every bite. Also reading devotions for dieters.
Hubby got his labs back and he went from a 6.6 in July to 7.6 now and has protein in his urine.
I won't be getting labs until sept. So I have time. All my numbers are still in the normal range. The dr now is ? If I'm really prediabetic or if it was caused by extremely low potassium levels. Going to keep watching my numbers. I know for a fact if I eat sweets my numbers are higher. I will continue to check it 3-4 times a wk.

This morning my fasting blood sugar was 150. Not good, but it's been far worse than that. It was not high enough to take meds so I didn't. I didn't eat breakfast, because I wasn't hungry. I just had coffee. Right before lunch DH got out a can of crescent rolls he was going to make, so I used 2 of them and made some pigs in a blanket for myself with some little smokies. Because the crescent rolls are carbs, I took my meds with them. I made some hot sausage and coleslaw for dinner and I ate my sausage without a bun. Didn't check BS and didn't take meds. Right now I was sitting here starting to feel shaky so I checked my blood sugar and it was 88. I know that's not low, but I think I got shaky because my body is not accustomed to being below 100. On another diabetes board I read, they told me not to worry about feeling shaky as long as my blood sugar is good because that is just my body adjusting. Over time I will not get shaky at 88. But I really hate that feeling and it scares me. It makes me want to check every 15 minutes to be sure I'm not going lower. I have to fight the urge to eat something sweet to counteract it. I really hate diabetes. When I was younger I never thought I would go through something like this. It was just for other people.

dgramie, I am sorry to hear that you have gained. I can only say that it happens to all of us from time to time and you have done the right thing by coming back to the forum! It's possible that you are not really prediabetic, but it's still best if you watch your sugar intake just in case. I know if I go for my labs on March 1 like I'm supposed to they will not be good. I'm postponing it at least another month.

Carol sue: I have been shaky with high blood sugars, when they were dropping quickly. What med are you on?
Dgramie: I also had trouble over the holidays, good for you for starting back tracking etc.
No big stories today, just saying hi.
Started back on call this evening. all quiet so far.

Yesterday was a flop. Will try again today

Mad I am on Metformin and Glimiperide 1mg. I take the Metformin regularly, but I don't take the Glimiperide if my blood sugar is below 170 unless I will be eating carbs. I did that once, and actually only took 1/2 pill and my blood sugar dropped to 44. Taking the Glimiperide, I probably should be eating carbs at every meal to keep my blood sugar steady, but I don't usually eat carbs at breakfast or lunch. It's the carbs at dinner and in the evening that get me in trouble. My intention is to get off the Glimiperide altogether. To do that, I will need to control my carbs better in the evening.

My book arrived today - yay! Just in time, I have now crossed back into the 190s on the scale. I haven't been there since last May. Depressing!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was kind of weird. I have had a headache ALL day long, which was awful. I don't get headaches often, so when I do I am always surprised by just how miserable it is. Ugh. Feeling better now.

Anyway, I don't even know if I ate breakfasted and I braised some endive for lunch (this might be my favorite favorite food). THEN...someone gave me an Olive Garden GC for my bday. I'm not a huge Olive Garden fan in general but I love that salad. My husband is out of town so my daughter and I decided to get take out from OG. While I have not eaten a lot or gone insane, I have picked at some very carby stuff I usually avoid. None of it is really SO AMAZING but something about noodles, man. I didn't go bananas, but I definitely COULD.

I'm going to go stick them in the fridge so I forget about them.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Take care!