OT Type 2 Diabetes

[SharpesTriumph]

Had my one month checkup last week. Doc said she was “ecstatic” about my progress which made me very happy to say the least. Said my blood pressure numbers and blood sugar number have gone down a lot in just one month. I told her I haven’t had the chance to exercise much, and she said in the first month of all the changes, that was fine. But slowly start stepping up my activity.
Said at my next appointment they will check what my “AC1” levels are to see if I’m getting better. Been a struggle, but this is exciting.
No soda or fast food now in about 5 weeks….. proud of that. Also been cutting down on the late night meals on the plane. When I do have an appetite, I am only able to eat about half of what I normally do. Half of what’s on the plate.
Not really counting sugar/carbs/fats and all that, just cutting back big time. Looking forward to some time at home to be able to get some exercise in after next week. Hope you all had a fantastic thanksgiving with loved ones and FAMS!

Great progress! Proud of you.

Couple ideas I'll throw out;

Glucose patch - aim to have lesser spikes by eating enough protein/fat/fiber at meals and avoid high glycemic index foods (white bread/pasta is one I didn't fully realize). Walk after meal can help too. The patch will give you that feedback right on an app. Then don't feel like you have to drastically limit how much you eat (difficult to maintain long term) but more just change the mix of what you eat.

Strength training - helps retain/build muscle which will raise metabolism as well as provide a spot for that glucose to go (absorbed into muscle) instead of spiking blood sugar.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Straight from open reservoirs that birds shit in and transients piss in. Not to mention the dioxins and other pollutants that fall from the sky and into those reservoirs (with no further treatment provided before it spews from your faucet). And the City of Portland wells are toxic soup, pulled from the aquifers along the Columbia River, where all kinds of industries, past and present were located, their toxic byproducts leaching into the soil and then into the aquifer. You're damned right when you say you can tell when you're drinking off the wells......so.......................still wanna argue who has the best H2O???

Well... The Willamette isn't exactly known for being pristine...

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Congrats on making a lifestyle change. With your travel schedule, I can see how it could be challenging to stay healthy. My highest weight has been 190 and my ideal is 160. Still, it is usually the middle. It is easy to fall into weight traps and can share a few things that you might find useful.

I am definitely biased since my wife is a PCP, but yearly checkups are not just for those with chronic illness. It is a whole lot easier for a doctor to diagnose someone with years of data than it is after an emergency room visit. Finding a doctor also becomes a non-issue since you already have one. Some years we do not find anything new but that is not a bad thing. No co-pay on my physical since the insurance companies know the value of them.

As we age, our tastes and cravings change. Foods that we once thought were gross, now taste great. Some that we loved, for me soda, now are unbearable. Try foods that you once thought unbearable. Question those that have always been staples, like soda and chips. I was not a huge vegetable person till I turned 50. We will keep various cut bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, and fruit in the fridge. Whenever we eat, we set those with our meals. Makes for smaller portions of whatever we are eating. Also would get huge cravings at night for sugar. If unchecked, I could keep eating nonstop. Had to take mental note of how unhealthy these binges were and start drinking Metamucil in the morning. It keeps me full, or at least not filling completely empty, which helps with binging. Also helps with regularity.

Sleep can also be a huge contributor to weight control. Make sure you are getting enough healthy sleep. It is easy for sleep apnea to go undiagnosed.

Travel may help with getting to the gym since most have something. It is easy to not be motivated to go to the gym if it is not physically close. I bought a Stairmaster off Craigslist that was identical to the one I love when going to the gym. Much easier to go to my bonus room than across town. With a few home workouts a week, it is easier to find the motivation to get into the gym.

Good luck!