![Be Kind to Yourself - Tiny Buddha.jpeg[12366].jpg](https://whitmore77.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/be-kind-to-yourself-tiny-buddha.jpeg12366.jpg?w=648)
We often talk to ourselves in a way we wouldn’t dream of talking to anyone else, even people we don’t particularly like. One of the problems is we know ourselves too well, we know our strengths and our weaknesses. Why do we so often focus on our weaknesses and things we can’t do? If we make a simple mindset switch, if we focus on our strengths we can change our self talk and raise our self belief. Life isn’t easy, be kind to yourself. Start showing yourself the same respect you show to others.
Lately I’ve had the feeling that I’ve been sleep walking through most of my life. Just going through the motions with no real purpose. Every job I had had no purpose other than to pay the bills and keep a roof over my head. Sure, those things are important. But is that all there is to life. Get up, go to work to pay the bills. Go to bed. Maybe the odd vacation to give you a bit of fun. Then rinse and repeat. None of those jobs gave me any sense of satisfaction. None of those jobs were rewarding or enabled me to make a difference in someone else’s life.
This has all changed now.
The last few years have been a journey. I’ve been through weight gain and weight loss. I’ve been blessed to have been able to reverse type 2 diabetes…Something I’d heard about for years but never truly believed I could do. I nearly went blind. Thank God cataract surgery is so simple now.
I went through all this for a reason. This is the moment I have woken up to my Purpose. I went through all this so I could show others what is possible. There are so many people out there who are hurting, physically and emotionally. This is why I share my journey so much. To give HOPE to those who need it.
I may never know who’s life I touch. Who may begin their own journey to better health. Because good health is more valuable than money. And if I AM making a difference to others, then everything I went through was worth it.
This is why I share my story so much.
This is my PURPOSE. ❤❤
I feel like I’m on a journey. Every year there seems to be something new. It started when I got interested in writing.
Then I developed a passion for classical music.
I gave up eating meat.
I became more spiritual.
I started my health and weight loss journey, losing 70 lbs in the process and getting off diabetes medication.
I became more interested in mindset and how it relates to health and happiness.
I started volunteering and have more of a service mindset now.
All this has happened in the last 9 or 10 years.
Recently, I have felt drawn to Paris, even though sadly I have never visited, even when I lived in England. I am now trying to learn French.
I feel my journey isn’t over yet.
I can’t wait to see what’s coming next!
I don’t know who I’m going to be at the end…but I really like who I have become!
Life is a journey. Enjoy the ride!
As you may or may not know, I had started a new 6 weeks weight loss plan back in mid March after being stalled and not losing for over a year. This is a real life very sensible plan that shows you how you can eat real food and feel great. It’s not a diet or pills but something you can carry on with. It shows you how to safely detox your body from sugar and excess carbs and get rid of those sugar cravings.
In fact, Dave did this with me in March. He lost in those 6 weeks 7.4 lbs and 7 inches. During that time, I lost 10 lbs and 17 inches. We both felt great and had more energy.
After those 6 weeks, I say we lived real life and followed along about 80%. We enjoyed eating guilt free on occasion and always had our ‘tools’ to get us back on track. I continued to lose a few more lbs. Of course, it goes without saying that exercise or walking is key too.
Two weeks ago, I re started again on the new challenge. I lost 2.4 lbs and a total of 9.5 inches! 😁
The old me from many years ago would have pouted that I ‘only lost 2.4 lbs’ in two weeks. I know better now. I know that the scale tells me just one piece of the puzzle. I know I lost inches. I know I bought a smaller size jeans yesterday. I know I feel great. I know I have a positive mindset now. That is the whole picture. ❤
Yes, I know it can be scary in your health journey, but with the right plan, tools and people around you, you will have the confidence to succeed. ❤❤
If you think you are too old to start again or why bother, I say ‘you are too young not to start again’.
After struggling with my weight since I was a teenager and trying everything – Slimfast, Weight Watchers, going to the gym, I was a human yo-yo. I would lose a little and then gain more.
In July 2015, after watching my husband Dave lose weight, taking up running, joining My Fitness Pal and getting off his diabetes meds, I decided to join him on our health journey.
I joined MFP, joined and went to the gym regularly and watched what I ate and took my Peak Performance Packs of vitamins and supplements. In one year, I lost 75 lbs and went down 5 pant sizes! I feel great and have more energy!
The point I am trying to make is that it’s never too late! I started my health journey at the age of 47.
I am now 50 and feel and look better than I did at 30 and 40.
The journey never ends. Since I have been stuck at the same weight for a year, two weeks ago I started a 6 week plan to re start my metabolism and drastically reduce carbs and sugar. I can’t wait to weigh and measure myself tomorrow morning. I am feeling fabulous now!
***Edited on Friday, March 30th to add that in the last two weeks on my new weight loss plan, I lost a total of 4.2 lbs and a total of 8 1/4 inches! Yes, feeling like I am on fire! 
Never quit. Whatever you have started, keep pushing forward.
If you stumble, catch your footing and keep going.
If you fall, pick yourself up and keep going.
If you have to crawl, keep going. Any progress, no matter how minimal, is better than just giving up.
You started this because you cared enough about yourself to get on this road. Now care enough about yourself to carry on the journey. No matter how arduous it becomes.
One day you will be so grateful to yourself that you didn’t stop.
Until you reach that day… Keep. Going.
I am living proof of this. I have been off the diabetes drug, Metformin, for almost 3 years now. All because I made simple lifestyle changes through a healthier diet and becoming more active.
So many common illnesses are connected to our modern lifestyle. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes etc. Our bodies are designed to move.
With Big Pharma being so prolific on our televisions these days, it’s easy to think “I’ll just take a pill and everything will be ok.” But most medications are not meant to be taken over a long period of time and can end up doing more harm than good. Also, most medications are designed simply to treat the symptoms, not the cause. I’m not saying Big Pharma is never the answer. Some illnesses that are genetic can only be treated with drugs.
There are so many instances where living a healthier lifestyle can drastically improve and even reverse diseases.
I. Am. Living. Proof. Of. This.
I started my health and weight loss journey three years ago this month. Right around the beginning of March. I was a type 2 diabetic and after a check up with the doctor in December 2014, my A1C was 7.2 The doctor wanted to put me on a second medication for my diabetes. I’d been on Metformin since August 2008. I don’t remember what this second medication was, but when we did our research we found it was strongly linked with causing liver problems, even outright liver failure.
Enough was enough.
I didn’t even want to be on any medication never mind another potentially health threatening drug. That winter was brutally cold, but around the beginning of March 2015 the weather turned milder and I went out every day walking. At first two miles, increasing to three. Then I started running, just very short distances at first using a personalized version of Couch To 5k. I hadn’t even heard of C25K at that time. At the time I started running I also joined a calorie counting app called MyFitnessPal and started tracking my calories. As I started getting serious about running my weight started to fall off. My fasting sugar numbers also started coming down. At the start of all this my fasting averaged 120. By early April it was dropping into the 60’s. I cut my Metformin dosage in half. My FS was still in the 60’s so on April 21st 2015 I stopped taking Metformn all together, but kept monitoring my daily fasting sugar, which stabilized into the low 70’s to low 80’s.
In about 12 months or so I lost 50 lbs, a total of 60 lbs from my heaviest. All through running and counting calories. No special diet. Especially no gimmicky fad diet. And I didn’t have to give up any of the food I enjoyed. It was all about calories and portion control.
These days people seem to be looking for some magic formula, or a magic pill to help them lose weight without putting in any effort. But it doesn’t work like that. Not if you want to maintain your weight loss. I’ve been maintaining for two years now and I am not going back to who I used to be. Not ever.
I created this group to share my story and to encourage and hopefully inspire anyone else who is looking to do the same and who is not afraid to put in some effort. Losing weight is a simple enough process, though I wouldn’t say it’s easy. It starts and ends with the mind. As the old saying goes…
“If you think you can, you’re right.
If you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Your mindset will determine your success. Once you get your mind set right and develop a “no-matter-what” attitude, the sky will be the limit. Let me help you get off to the best possible start.
To join my group The Weight-Loss Mindset on Google+, click here: The Weight-Loss Mindset
To join my group The Weight-Loss Mindset on Facebook, click here: The Weight-Loss Mindset
For more information about our coaching services for groups, 1:1 and 2:2, click here: Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life Program
There is a myth that diets don’t work. The truth is diets do work. But only while you’re on them. It’s what you do when you come off your diet that measures whether you will maintain your weight loss, or see that weight creep back up.
Most people go on a diet after looking in the mirror and seeing they have gained weight, or when their clothes become too tight. Then they decide to lose weight by going on a diet. Which is just another word for Denial. I can’t eat this, it has too much sugar. I can’t eat that because it has too many carbs. I can’t eat that because it has too much fat.
So you become more fixated on what you can’t eat. You eat like a rabbit for as long as you can stand or until you reach your goal. Then you come off your diet and go back to your old eating habits. Which…
…is why you gained weight in the first place. And what do you think is going to happen? This is the very essence of yo-yo dieting. It becomes a self perpetuating vicious circle until something changes.
The other problem with the standard method of dieting is when you focus on what you can’t eat, you set up cravings. Have you ever noticed how when you go on a diet most of the television commercials seem to focus on food? And usually high calorie foods. They’ve always been there but you didn’t notice because you’ve always been able to freely have them when you want. Then you go on a diet, or a Denial, and suddenly you notice these ads every time they’re shown. Because you are craving those foods and you’re telling yourself you can’t have them because…diet. The worst thing is once you come off your diet suddenly you can satisfy all those cravings so you’re most likely to eat these foods over the next week or two because you can. You could easily regain 5 or 10 pounds in the first week or two just satisfying all those cravings.
Giving up foods because they are high in sugar or carbs is not the ideal way to keep weight off. It does work, but it has to be sustainable long term. Portion control and tracking calories is the best and most effective way to not only lose weight, but keep it off. I’ve been with a calorie tracking app, MyFitnessPal, for three years now. I’ve successfully lost the weight I wanted to lose and I’m maintaining very well. Simply because I know how many calories I should be eating daily and how many calories I am eating daily. I haven’t had to give up a single food item I enjoy. I also exercise almost daily. I run, I walk, I work out at the gym. I’m 100% focused on keeping my healthy lifestyle. Because that’s the secret of maintaining weight loss. By making it a lifestyle. If I go over calorie once in a while it’s ok. I don’t panic. I am not going to derail all my efforts because I eat unhealthy once in a while. And we have to live. You have celebrations, parties, birthdays, the holiday season. You have to be able to enjoy life. And I do. I eat under calorie probably at least 80% of the time. And the funny thing is once you’ve been at this healthy lifestyle for a while your binging habits change. Overeating for me now looks very different to how I used to eat when I was being bad. You find you don’t want to eat crazy after a while. You don’t enjoy it and it’s not worth the uncomfortable bloated feeling you get the next day.
There will be people who will say there has to be more to losing weight than eating less and moving more. They are right, of course. It’s a psychological battle most of all. The most critical ingredient is a healthy mindset. It’s a process and you have to commit to it. Yes, you can have crazy days if you want, as long as the rest of the time you make a serious effort to stay under calorie. But you have to be determined and keep your eyes on the goal. There will be frustration. There will be times it doesn’t seem to be working. The scale doesn’t move. Or worse, the scale ticks up. That’s when you will be sorely tempted to just give up. That’s when you need to have other weapons in your fight to lose weight. Measure yourself once a month. Measure your waist, your hips. Compare the numbers each month. Take photos before you start your journey so you can make comparisons. Pay attention to how your clothes are fitting. Nothing boosts your confidence more than dropping a pant size. All these things will keep you motivated and show you the process is working even when the scale isn’t co-operating.
Be aware there will be temptations along the way. Someone brings donuts in to work almost daily, or a friend keeps inviting you out to eat at high calorie places all too regularly. You have to learn to pick your battles and know it’s okay to give in sometimes. It’s a lifestyle, after all, and you you have to be able to enjoy your life.
Today, we have a guest blogger, Poppy Wortman. She is from New Zealand but now lives in India, and studies yoga and ayurveda.
Ask a studio of yogis – be they first class, a year in or long term Sun Saluters – what was their pull to first go to yoga, and the answers will be manifold.
“My doctor recommended it for my tight shoulders”; “I needed some ME time”; “I wanted to get more flexible”; “I had Lululemon tights and wanted to wear them somewhere other than out for coffee.”
My call to the mat and doing a downward dog?
Quiet – and at times, not so quiet – desperation.
From the age of eight-years-old, disordered eating thoughts, patterns and ways of being started creeping up on my psyche, progressively consuming me. By the time I turned 19, my entire being was swamped and entrenched in an eating disorder. This is not the time nor space to delve deeper into that aspect – I sometimes enlighten on my personal blog, www.popyarns.com, should you maybe feel the pull to read into it a bit more.
Years of on-and-off counselling, psychiatry and even an attempt at hypno-therapy proved minimal, if any, recovery. I look back and have no idea how I got through those years; perhaps the perfectionist, high achieving tendencies that often come in partnership with bulimia-cum-anorexia-cum-obsessive-orthorexia got me through (I somehow managed to be awarded dux all three years, which absolutely astounds me when I recall my mind frame). But with assignments and exams and early-20-year-old worries on top of constant calorie counting and obsessive exercising, my mind was a very busy – and never winding down – place.
Upon graduation I moved to Australia to blow off steam. Living in Brisbane with a group of gal-pals, there was a lot of drinking, late night (well, early morning) stumbling back to our flat and irregular eating. Although my consumption remained very limited to a handful of edible options, the alcoholic ingestion and its subsequent binge out on “no-no” foods had me put on a few kilos.
I was in absolute despair.
I moved home to New Zealand – a new boyfriend in tow – and we decided to go travel around South East Asia. The whole trip I would get up at 6am to go running for a few hours and spend the days obsessing over what I was eating, determined to shed back to my “ideal” size. A big divide started to chasm out between us, and after a few months back at home after our trip, we decided to separate. (I think the moment was decided when he asked, “Would you rather be skinny, or be with me?” and I hesitated).
My inner reaction on us parting ways? Good. I can lose more weight without him in my life.
I was irritable and angry all the time. I was starving my body, then ramming it full of food when the cravings took control. Though my outside life was seemingly “perfect” (what even is that?), my head was in disarray. I was deciding whether I should move up to the city and take a journalism job, when one night I had this intense impulse that I wanted – no, I needed – to go to India.
Once the idea was in my mind, I didn’t waver once (well, at the airport as I was leaving I must admit I did have a moment where I considered going back home again). I started researching my forthcoming solo sojourn, looking at the standard touristy places to go and making a list: Varanasi, The Taj, a week on the beach in Goa. Then the idea came to me to maybe spend a few days engaging in a yoga retreat; It’ll be good for clearing my head, I thought.
I looked into a few options, and saw the price for a fortnight of “blissful restoration and rejuvenation” equalled that of a month-long teacher training course. As someone who is somewhat infatuated with the idea of adding more qualifications after her name (again, that high achiever-ness), I decided it was the way for me. I booked one that “felt right”, and come the end of July 2015, I was in the colourful chaos of Rishikesh, Northern India, with my bright pink Nike tights and a what-the-hell-am-I-doing-here panic.
Having only ever participated in two yoga classes in my life (I grew up always playing more combat sports like netball, basketball, athletics and water-skiing) I had no clue what I was up to. The other females in my course had been practicing the ancient science for a fair few years, already familiar with the Sanskrit terminology and what-angle-your-foot-goes-at-in-trikonasana. I wasn’t in tune with myself in any way whatsoever; when told to keep hips square or catch my left foot, I was so out of whack with where I even was. After a few initial days of anxiety and considering leaving, I somehow found my zone. By the time four weeks was up, I was utterly transformed.
To say yoga saved me sounds so proclamational and nonsensical. But I believe it truly did. By the end of my 30 days, I had somehow learnt to love my limbs, recognising them for so much more than just their size. I had learnt to applaud my body when it did me proud, looking at it with affection and not hatred. And when it did let me down (nailing a headstand took a fair few attempts), I learnt to give it care, not criticism.
That’s not to say I was “cured” – not by any means. But my head found some clarity as I contorted and meditated and chanted, and upon return home (after a flit up the Everest Base Camp, another transformational experience) I signed up for clinical rehab and only semi reluctantly received treatment. I was able to timidly admit that I was sick, rather than vigorously assert I was as I was as a result of veganism and a swift metabolism.
And here we are two years later, me back in India having redone my 200-hour Hatha Yoga teacher training (at Rishikesh Yog Dham, the school I came across in my first trip that I vowed I would return to) and currently in the midst of my 300-hour Vinyasa teacher training. At 10kg heavier, my body is far stronger and capable of achieving postures I once would never have been able to try.
I still have those awful eating-disordered thoughts each and every day, but I’m recovering, one moment at a time. And I firmly give that credit to yoga; it gave me the motivation and tools my mental state required to willingly save my life.
Yoga also puts me in my place. I physically cannot be the best; my left knee turns out, meaning any balance is fleeting. I have slight scoliosis, so my back has a little hunch that only semi straightens. But rather than frustrate me as it did in the beginning, I have come to accept these ailments and just look forward to the backbends.
There are many draws to the mat; health, the trend, a bid for self-love or even purely as a form of exercise. But regardless of what made you pick up the pencil and sketch that first stroke, yoga can be extremely beneficial – and sometimes even life changing – to all.
I shudder to think where I would be if I hadn’t found my freedom.
That’s the big picture of what drew me into being a yoga teacher. And what continues to keep me picking up the crayon of taking classes. If someone asks me what got me into it, of course I don’t share this extremely personal spiel; my usual response is something like, “I just decided to try it one day”.
There’s that whole “Keep Calm and Do Yoga” mantra that you often see emblazoned across social media. But I always think it should be flipped about; “Do Yoga and Keep Calm”. And balanced. And at peace. And able to find your inner strength. And your physical. Plus your shortcomings, your ailments and your abilities. Find yourself in general, really.
I know I did, And continue to do so every time I get on my mat.
Namaste.
Yoga Teacher Training In India
![Poppy Guest 1[1072]](https://whitmore77.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/poppy-guest-11072.jpg?w=648)
Diets only work when you are on them. There’s a reason diet is a four letter word. When you go on a diet you are more focused on the foods you “can’t” have.
You “can’t” have carbs.
You “can’t” have sugar.
You “can’t” have fats.
So you eat salads for as long as you can until you’ve reached your goal weight or, more likely, you just can’t take it any more. Then you go back to your old eating habits.
Which…. Is the reason you gained weight in the first place. This is the essence of yo-yo dieting. Going back and forth between going on a diet and your old eating habits.
Anyone can lose weight. It’s keeping the weight off that’s the real trick. An easier way around the problem is to make a simple lifestyle change. Portion control or counting calories through an app like @MyFitnesspal can make a huge help.
Many people think counting calories is obsessive, unhealthy or too hard. The truth is a repeated cycle of weight gain and dieting is much more unhealthy and harder.
Through MyFitnesspal, I can eat what ever I want. It’s all about portion control and exercise. Because of this I have maintained my weightloss for two years with no sign of going back.
But exercise isn’t just about being able to eat more food. Exercise gives you a healthier, fitter body.
Remember: you lose lbs in the kitchen and you lose inches in the gym or on the road depending on what exercise you choose to do.
What ever your exercise of choice is, make it something you enjoy. Now you’ll never have to “go on a diet” again!
The scale lies! When you step on a scale it throws out a number and says you weigh this much. But that doesn’t tell the full story. If you ate something high in sodium the night before, or if you worked out the day before your body could be retaining extra water weight. There’s nothing more demoralizing than stepping on the scale and seeing you’ve gained anything from a pound to fi’ve pounds. Especially when you know you did everything right.
To avoid burn out look for those non-scales victories. The extra energy you’re feeling. The way your clothes fit better. Dropping a pant size gives you a huge boost. If you’re just starting out take lots of photos. Those “before” pics can give you a clear idea of how far you’re coming. Especially for those times when the scale refuses to budge. And take measurements. Waist. Chest, arm, leg measurements. Check them at the beginning of every month to truly see how far you have come.
If there is one thing that is holding you back from taking action to make your dreams a reality, what is it? Sometimes, it helps to write it down and then turn the negative tone of ‘I can’t do this’, (insert the word what you can’t do), into ‘I can do this and I will do it’, (again insert the word what you will do).
Watch the mind take over and boost your confidence and positive feelings. You will start to believe that you can and will do it. Then, the next step is to turn the word, ‘I will’, into ‘I am’ doing the thing that I thought I couldn’t do.
It is important to acknowledge the struggle by writing it down and talking out loud. It is also equally important to write down and talk outloud the ‘I am’ aspect of it too.
It really is all in the mind. Once you realize the importance and power your mind has, you can start to believe anything is possible and you can take action towards making your dream a reality. ❤
Everything starts with your mind. Anything that has ever been invented was visualized first. The inventor had to think of his creation first, had to believe it was possible before it could be made reality.
In the same way, you create your reality by the way you think, the way you see yourself. If you’re not happy where you are, you have the power to change whatever it is. Whether it’s fitness / weight related, or finance or career.
The first thing you have to do is decide what you want to change. Then commit to making it happen. Then focus all your energy and thoughts on making what you want happen.
I wasn’t happy about my weight. I was also diabetic and on medication. This went on for several years. I wasn’t happy with who I was. But until I became motivated enough to do something about it, nothing changed. Then one day I’d had enough. I started walking daily. Walking led to running. I also joined a site called myfitnesspal.com and started counting calories. I lost 60 lbs and now I’m the fittest I have ever been. Oh, and I’ve been off the diabetes drug, Metformin, for over two years. All this happened because I changed my mindset.
Change your mindset, change your life.
The beautiful thing about fitness is how good you feel about yourself on your journey. It’s not just about the better health you gain along the way. It’s the things you learn about yourself. Like you realize you are stronger than you ever imagined you could be. I just ran five miles. That’s something I could never have imagined doing two years ago. For some it might be just a short run. But for me it’s a reminder of how far I have come and that I can never go back to who I used to be. And nor will I ever want to.
Success is dependent on only one thing. The decision to start. Whatever you have in mind, whether it’s weight loss, fitness, looking for a new job, or starting your own business, you have to make a decision, a commitment that you’re just going to do it. And then you need to cultivate a no-matter-what mindset.
You are going to do this.
No. Matter. What.
It’s all in your mindset. Your mind is your most powerful tool. Any thing that has ever been invented was visualized first. It was created in the mind before it was created in reality.
On the other hand your mind can be your greatest obstacle. Your mind can make you fly, or it can hold you back, keep you on the ground.
As the old saying goes, “if you think you can, you’re right. If you think you can’t, you’re right”.
It’s all in your mind.
Literally.
Whatever is in your heart, make a decision today to go for it. Just think where you could be a year from now!
We are often our own worst critics. We talk to ourselves sometimes in a way we wouldn’t dream of talking to anyone else. We are often far harsher on ourselves than anyone else would want to be. We beat ourselves mentally when we mess up. When we slip up on our diet we just give up, tell ourselves it’s too hard. Sometimes we let what other people say to and about us become our own personal reality. If someone puts us down we mentally agree.
It’s time to stop that.
Life is hard sometimes. We try our best, but sometimes we fall short. We make mistakes. We miss goals. It’s called being human.
Just know you are worthy. You deserve the best in life. Stop putting yourself down. If you make a mistake one day, you can get it right the next day. Or the day after that. Be kinder to yourself. Start treating yourself as you would treat a friend. If you wouldn’t put your friend down then why put yourself down?
Just over two years ago I was overweight, diabetic and downright unhealthy. I used to put myself down. A lot. I think I kind of hated myself for letting myself get where I was. But little by little I made changes. I joined @MyFitnessPal and started running.
Running taught me a lot about myself. I learned I’m stronger than I ever thought I was. When your legs are burning and your body is screaming at you to stop but you keep going until you are done, that’s some serious mental strength. I’m more determined, more driven than I’ve ever been about anything. I turned my life, and my health, around. The weight is off and my sugar numbers are much better now. I’ve been off diabetes medication for over two years now.
You can change your life, too. Start by changing your inner dialogue. It won’t happen overnight. You’ll still find yourself coming up with the same negative reaction. But when you catch yourself, stop. Say “No! I’m better than this. I DESERVE better than this.”
You deserve respect. You deserve SELF respect . You are capable of far more than you can imagine. You only need the will to try.
I wrote this because I am often my own worst critic. I get down on myself about a lot of things. It’s something I’ve had to work on. I still find myself slipping into old habits. But when I catch myself, I make a note of it and resolve to do better. No harsh self-criticism. Well, not nearly as much. Hey, I’m still not perfect. But I don’t expect to be. I’m human, too. But if I can do this, so can you.
We know that it isn’t easy to start something or if you start something to actually stick with it. Believe us, we know. We have been there, tried it and failed. Yes. Failed. So many times we would say, “oh, one day I will try again.” But, you know what? Don’t just try. Just start. Just do it. Grab a partner or friend and do this together. Stick with it. This isn’t lose 50 lbs in a month quickly. This is a health journey and it is for life. It doesn’t matter when you start, it matters that you do. Remember, the years will be passing by. The question is: will you be healthier in five years or at the same weight and fitness level that you are now, (or worse)? We are continuing on our health journey and would love to take you with us!
So after a 5 mile run I came home to great news. I got my bloodwork back before my latest doctor visit tomorrow. My A1C was 5.2. December 2014 my A1C was 7.2 and my doctor wanted to put me on a second medication, one that’s strongly linked with causing liver problems.
No, thank you!
I had already been taking Metformin since August 2008. Well, that was the kick up the butt I needed. I joined @MyFitnesspal and started running and by April 21st (my birthday) I was able to stop taking Metformin altogether. I have been drug free since then. I lost a total of 35 lbs since I started that health journey. I have had no problem maintaining my weight loss.
In June 2015 my A1C was 5.8. Last August it was 5.3 and now it’s down to 5.2. For those that don’t know, the A1C is a blood test that gives a three month snapshot of how your body’s blood glucose level is. There seem to be some slight disagreement on the exact numbers but generally if your A1C is 6.5 or higher you are considered diabetic.
To anyone who is type 2 diabetic: You CAN beat it. You CAN get off medication. You CAN live a healthy life. But it isn’t easy. It requires a serious lifestyle change. It requires hard work. It requires dedication. The only question is…are you willing to do what it takes to turn your health around? I did. I’m living proof that you can do anything you set your mind to.
This is a big moment for me. This is how proud I am of myself. Yesterday, I bought a new bathing suit. I haven’t bought one in about 10 years and the last time I wore one was about 5 years ago. I would never like showing a photo of myself in one. Of course, it would be a one piece with the ‘skirt like’ bottom.
Yesterday, I bought a two piece. Ok, it isn’t a bikini and it has the ‘skirt like’ bottom. But, today, I am baring my soul because I took a photo, (actually to show my mom on Sunday), and compared it to the old me. I know I still have more to lose, but I am proud of myself that I did lose 75 lbs and went down 5 pant sizes. I am proud of me.
My first piece of advice:
Breathe. Don’t panic. Don’t freak out. Don’t shut down.
Yes, it’s a scary diagnosis to be given. Yes, it’s a life-changing moment. Gone are the days when you could eat whatever you wanted without giving it a second thought. Now you’re going to begin a system of trial and error. Finding out what sends your sugar into orbit and what doesn’t. The bad news is there’s no one size fits all. A food item that spikes one diabetic’s sugar might not really affect you much. The only way to find out is to keep testing after every meal. You need to know the worst foods to avoid. I can tell you common problem foods are pizza, white bread, potatoes and white rice. And of course cookies, chocolate, cakes, pasta…and the list goes on.
Depending on the severity of your diabetes, there are a range of treatment options your doctor may choose. You may be put on an oral drug, like Metformin. That’s the one I was prescribed. There are a range of other pills your doctor may choose. Or you may be put on insulin.
This is important. Your doctor is going to give you a ton of advice. Listen to it. The absolute worst thing you can do is bury your head in the sand and just ignore your diabetes. It’s a serious problem and it isn’t going to just go away. With the right attitude it can be managed, and in some cases it can even be reversed, I know this because I reversed mine.
There are two main causes of type 2 diabetes. Genetic and lifestyle. If your diabetes is genetic then there are fewer options, but it can still be managed. My diabetes was caused by my lifestyle. This is the one that can most likely be reversed. By changing your lifestyle.
Basically I gained a lot of weight and was very inactive. I didn’t really bother with any kind of exercise. I was diagnosed in August 2008. For several years I battled my disease. At one point it got out of control and my fasting sugar was averaging 170. That’s another thing. The best way to see how you’re doing with your diabetes is to test your sugar in the morning before you eat or drink anything. This is when you’ll have the most consistency. Because your sugar is affected by not only WHAT you eat but also by HOW MUCH you eat. That first thing in the morning test will give you the greatest consistency.
In December 2014 I went for a check up. My A1C was 7.2. The A1C measures your blood glucose over a 2 to 3 month period. Non diabetics should have a number less than 6.0. The higher the number the worse your diabetes is affecting you. If you’re managing your diabetes you need to aim to keep that number as low as you can. Mine was high enough the doctor wanted to put me on a second medication. When we investigated this drug we found it’s strongly linked with causing liver issues.
No thanks!
This was the kick up the butt I needed. I resolved to lose weight and get active. In many cases simply losing weight and getting fit can be all you need to do to reverse your diabetes. I joined an app called MyFitnessPal. It’s a calorie counting app that lets you track the calories you’re burning. It also helps you track the amount of nutrients; carbs, sugar, fiber, protein etc you’re eating. A lot of people dislike the idea of calorie counting but I found it very effective and so simple to do. The great thing about it is it makes it incredibly easy to maintain your weight loss. Much better than the usual method of “going on a diet” by denying yourself certain foods until you lose the weight and then going back to your old eating habits…which is what caused you to gain weight in the first place.
A brief word about carbs. You’re going to hear a lot about carbs. Too many carbs will spike your sugar. But your body needs a certain amount of carbs as they give your body energy. Complex carbs are best. There are plenty of sites out there that go into simple and complex carbs as this blog is going to be long enough already! Switching to wholewheat bread and wholewheat pasta is a better option if you simply can’t give up those foods.
The other thing I did was start walking daily. Walking led to running. I followed a system called Couch To 5K. Google it. It’s a great way to start running if you think that would be a good way to go. It’s a great calorie burner and the weight just seemed to fall off me once I started running. Within a couple of months of this my fasting sugar was dropping into the 60’s! I halved my daily dose of Metformin and my fasting was still in the 60’s. I came off Metformin in April 2015 and I have been off it ever since. I can’t guarantee you will have the same results I have but there is every chance you can get control of your disease and maybe you can also get off medication. Good luck and I’d love to hear how you’re getting on.
Hello everyone! As you can see, this is a blog from me, Christine, Dave’s wife. I know you have been reading about Dave’s journey into his health, fitness and taking up running. I promise, he will be getting back to writing.
It’s been about a year since I wrote about my journey. I have struggled with my weight since my teenage years. I have tried everything. Some worked but as soon as you stop having a focus, guess what, the weight slowly starts creeping up again. Sure, people always saw me as ‘the life of the party’ as I was always an extrovert. But, deep down inside I knew what I really looked like. I mean, I would hate to look at myself in the mirror. I would wear baggy clothes. Heck, when you are a size 26-28, I think all clothes are made baggy.
My inspiration, always first to God, is my wonderful loving husband, Dave. You know his story. He took up running, watched what he ate and was able to lose a lot of weight, get fit and be off his diabetes medication!
I saw how focus and determined he was. And he kept sticking to it. I first joined My Fitness Pal in June 2015 and started logging everything I ate and drank and the exercise I did. Hey, walking counts! I realized, it is about portion control. You can eat almost what you like, as long as you don’t go over the calories they say you should have daily. (You would think that because I have been a vegetarian for 25 years that I would weigh 100 lbs! No, that isn’t the case!) Then, in mid July 2015, we joined Planet Fitness. Guess what? I fell ‘in love’ with the weight strengthening machines. At that Planet Fitness, I worked out on 16 machines. We joined a new PF where we moved to and I do 18 machines. I started with being able to do 20-25 lbs on the machines and now, I average 150 lbs!! I also have a love/hate relationship with the darn Elliptical machine.
I do try to walk whenever I can. In the winter, when it is too cold to go out, you will find me jogging in place watching a TV show or dancing around. I hope no one is watching me through the windows!
It has been a struggle during the last 1 1/2 years. Sure, frustration kicks in when you are staying at the same weight, or you might fluctuate between 2-3 lbs like a yo-yo. Then, Dave took my photo last week, (the one on the right), and I actually really liked how I looked! I realized the frustrations are all well worth it!
Sometimes, I still look at myself in the mirror and I guess I might see a glimpse of who I was. I remind myself, that the only thing that changed is me on the outside. I am still the nice and extroverted person on the inside.
The photo on the left is from Oct 2005. The one on the right was from last week. That’s 75 lbs lost, numerous inches, and a total of 5 -6 pant sizes down!! And I lost 60 lbs and 4 pant sizes just in the last 1 1/2 years. It took a lot of determination, sweat, patience and my husband Dave, who was my inspiration!
It doesn’t matter how old you are to finally do something and stick to it! (Can you believe I just turned 49! I feel like I am 29 years old.) I am still on my journey. I want to inspire others, especially women who struggle with their weight. Lets do this and get healthy!
You find inspiration in the strangest places, sometimes.
Like tonight. I was on the treadmill. I’d already run two miles and I was just starting my third. My legs were burning but I kept going. And then Dory popped into my head. You know Dory. The fish from Finding Nemo. The flaky fish that tends to sing things over and over out loud. There she was swimming back and forth in my mind. And singing!
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
And I did.
Somehow that third mile felt easier with Dory cheerleading me on. I didn’t look at the digital display for a while. When I did I was already a quarter of a mile into my third mile.
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
And I did.
Next time I looked at the display I’d run a half mile. This was going well.
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
And I did.
The mile passed fairly easily. So I kept going.
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
And I did.
For another half mile. Somehow Dory’s encouraging singing gave me the will to plow on with my run and even made it a little easier. Now I know what to do when I’m on the treadmill next time.
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
“Just keep running.”
Thanks, Dory!
4 Paths To Wellness 