OT Type 2 Diabetes (2 Viewers)

[andalusian]

Missed that thread somehow, but very happy for you @THE HCP at getting a handle on things even if it was forced on you.

MY experience with shedding some weight as I got older might not apply for diabetes, but might work for some.

First, learn to love the process, don't look at the details and measurements often. In the last 2 years I have lost almost 30 lbs and I am now about 15 lbs over what I was as a very young man running long distance - so probably 5-7 lbs over my perfect weight. I never went for a specific goal, just tried to enjoy the process. I am now around 195lbs for 6'1'', not great, but decent.

We have moved to a pescaterian and vegetarian diet, almost no sugar for me (was never a soda guy).

Small things really helped me - a cup of water with apple cider vinegar before dinner, I do interval runs with a weight jacket to optimize the time I move my body, I do that 5 days a week, the weekends are for rest or fun exercise (biking, hiking). With time I now do about an hour exercise a day, 30 minutes walk/run, 30 minutes resistance and balance exercises. I am in the best shape I have been since my long distance running days.

Sleep is super important, and probably the best thing for me, intermittent fasting. I try to have at least a 8-16 hour schedule, 8 hour eating window, 16 of just water, black coffee or tea. In my world that means no breakfast, lunch around 12 and finish with dinner by 8pm. Try to take a quick walk after a meal, really helpful for metabolism.

I also try to do a longer fast once a week, so Tuesdays I don't eat until dinner. The body apparently needs about 12 hours without food to start burning accumulated fat, which is why the intermittent fasting works.

THis works for me, might not for others, but anyone that struggles with consistent weight loss can probably research it and see if it works for them.

The most important thing is to just move your body consistently and learn to enjoy the process. The results will take care of themselves.

Good luck @THE HCP, hope to hear of your continued success and looking forward to your bikini competition some years in the future.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

There is NO advice on sleep anyone can give that I haven't heard already.

I don't see how you can 100% know that.

Now it might be extremely unlikely anyone on a forum would give you helpful advice as sounds like you've likely considered many if not all standard options.

But there is no way you know all sleep protocols of the 8 billion people on earth.

Might also require a mix of multiple solutions.

Also might be something you HAVE heard: but never effectively tested.

 

[crandc]

I don't see how you can 100% know that.

Now it might be extremely unlikely anyone on a forum would give you helpful advice as sounds like you've likely considered many if not all standard options.

But there is no way you know all sleep protocols of the 8 billion people on earth.

Might also require a mix of multiple solutions.

Also might be something you HAVE heard: but never effectively tested.

Please, do you know how condescending that sounds?

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Please, do you know how condescending that sounds?

How is it condescending?

I stated multiple times that I'm sorry for your situation and that I empathize it would be beyond frustrating to have tried many solutions with little to no success.

I'm saying while you might likely get zero helpful advice from this forum including from me - the statement that there is "NO advice" in the whole world you haven't heard is obviously a factually incorrect statement.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Personally if I had sleep issues I'd try diligently doing something such as all 10 of these types of things Bryan Johnson does and see if it helps. I've done a number of these practices and currently have the best sleep of my life.

If it still didn't work try diligently tracking data and get doctors to review. But as I said in another post, also avoid working on this too much as stress about sleep can be a major problem with sleep. So I'd probably set aside just 1 day a week to review and change routines then other days keep it out of my mind.



Happy to hear anyone elses idea on how to get great sleep. Its been one of the biggest improvements in my health and has allowed me the mental clarity/willpower to easily stick to many other healthy lifestyle habits.

 

[crandc]

How is it condescending?

I stated multiple times that I'm sorry for your situation and that I empathize it would be beyond frustrating to have tried many solutions with little to no success.

I'm saying while you might likely get zero helpful advice from this forum including from me - the statement that there is "NO advice" in the whole world you haven't heard is obviously a factually incorrect statement.

I didn't actually say there is no advice from the entire world.

It is condescending in that you presumed I was not effectively testing something. That I am just doing it wrong. Like you could know better than I do. It might have been kindly meant but sounded condescending.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I didn't actually say there is no advice from the entire world.

It is condescending in that you presumed I was not effectively testing something. That I am just doing it wrong. Like you could know better than I do. It might have been kindly meant but sounded condescending.

Fair enough.

I highly doubt I know more about sleep for your situation than you do nor could do I do better.

More I just found the idea of that type of situation was interesting. If there was someone who had massive sleep struggles for years or decades what would they need to do to improve that? Don't mean for that to be insulting or condensing. I have researched sleep a lot but hadn't thought of that case before. My thoughts are just initial reactions I've blurted out on the internet and I have very little knowledge of your exact situation. I'm also sure I'm overconfident in my sleep expertise as just reading/listening/watching a bunch of sleep experts and sleep tactics has probably made me cocky in my knowledge of the subject.

 

[crandc]

OK my absolute last comment. Something did happen to trigger insomnia. Menopause, boys. I had extreme insomnia for a year. Countless nights huddled in a corner of the couch with my cat as hours ticked by without sleeping. Remember Lunesta? Heavily advertised and prescribed. It wasn't until I stopped taking it because it lost effectiveness that I realized my debilitating panic attacks were a side effect; in fact, it's rarely prescribed any more because for so many people the cure was worse than the disease, thousands of us thinking we had gone totally off our onion when it was the drug. Things more settled now. But after consulting with three specialists and my primary the upshot is I will probably never be a good sleeper again. Just the way it is

Apologies, @THE HCP for digression and wish you all success.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

OK my absolute last comment. Something did happen to trigger insomnia. Menopause, boys. I had extreme insomnia for a year. Countless nights huddled in a corner of the couch with my cat as hours ticked by without sleeping. Remember Lunesta? Heavily advertised and prescribed. It wasn't until I stopped taking it because it lost effectiveness that I realized my debilitating panic attacks were a side effect; in fact, it's rarely prescribed any more because for so many people the cure was worse than the disease, thousands of us thinking we had gone totally off our onion when it was the drug. Things more settled now. But after consulting with three specialists and my primary the upshot is I will probably never be a good sleeper again. Just the way it is

Apologies, @THE HCP for digression and wish you all success.

Thanks for sharing.

I'll give you some advice on menopause once I finish my tampon reviews.

 

[bigbailes]

Thanks for the info. Just trying to attack it the right way. In all honesty, still haven’t really attacked the diet side of things other than not drinking soda or any fast food. Just smaller portions so far. The dietitian said when we meet again next month it will be 2 months into this journey and she will start working on a plan with me. Thanks all you guys for sharing your process. Would love to keep this going so we can all do this together.

Love that you shared all this as it's something a lot of us deal with. I've always been a big guy, big shoulders and chest, carry my weight all through my body not just my gut, so I've always weighed more than it looked like. A few years a go my XL shirts stopped fitting but figured it wasn't a big deal because I'd always gone back and forth between them and XXL. A couple years ago my XXL shirts weren't fitting and I knew there were issues, even if I didn't 'feel' any different. Like you I hadn't been to see a doctor since my senior year of HS for my physical to play sports. Stepped on the scale and it read 309 and knew things needed to change! Doc pretty much told me what I expected, I needed to lose weight and had higher than normal BP but that it should work itself out with proper diet and exercise. Finally started using the Apple Watch my wife had bought for me and making sure to close out all three rings everyday has been a game changer. Trying to burn 1,000 calories, get 40 minutes of exercise and 12 stand hours everyday isn't always easy but I've done it since April of 2023. I've dropped 40 pounds but have definitely hit a plateu in the weight loss. I try to keep to the same diet everyday, hard boiled egg and string cheese each with one slice of thin ham around it plus an apple or banana for breakfast, a couple oranges to snack on in the morning, then rice/chicken/veggies for lunch. What kills me is the long hours I work, teach from 8 to 4:30 and then at the TV station from 4:30 to 11 and some nights that means no dinner, so I get home late and want to snack (horrible) and don't get enough sleep (bad). At 45 years old I know the metabolism has slowed way down and would love to lose another 40 pounds but gotta make more changes to get there! Keep at it (now NOT so) Big John and know you're not alone in this journey!

 

[crandc]

Ah yes, the incredible shrinking clothes!

My personal schedule was totally out of order over Thanksgiving prep and cleanup days. Got back on schedule Monday, doing daily 5 mile walk and 45 minutes workout. Three days a week weight training, three days legs and abs. Work on balance exercises, this has been a lifelong problem, possible result of serious measles early childhood before vaccine.

My metabolism probably slowed during Thanksgiving but is picking up steam. A good thing except that I have to pee about every ten minutes!

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Love that you shared all this as it's something a lot of us deal with. I've always been a big guy, big shoulders and chest, carry my weight all through my body not just my gut, so I've always weighed more than it looked like. A few years a go my XL shirts stopped fitting but figured it wasn't a big deal because I'd always gone back and forth between them and XXL. A couple years ago my XXL shirts weren't fitting and I knew there were issues, even if I didn't 'feel' any different. Like you I hadn't been to see a doctor since my senior year of HS for my physical to play sports. Stepped on the scale and it read 309 and knew things needed to change! Doc pretty much told me what I expected, I needed to lose weight and had higher than normal BP but that it should work itself out with proper diet and exercise. Finally started using the Apple Watch my wife had bought for me and making sure to close out all three rings everyday has been a game changer. Trying to burn 1,000 calories, get 40 minutes of exercise and 12 stand hours everyday isn't always easy but I've done it since April of 2023. I've dropped 40 pounds but have definitely hit a plateu in the weight loss. I try to keep to the same diet everyday, hard boiled egg and string cheese each with one slice of thin ham around it plus an apple or banana for breakfast, a couple oranges to snack on in the morning, then rice/chicken/veggies for lunch. What kills me is the long hours I work, teach from 8 to 4:30 and then at the TV station from 4:30 to 11 and some nights that means no dinner, so I get home late and want to snack (horrible) and don't get enough sleep (bad). At 45 years old I know the metabolism has slowed way down and would love to lose another 40 pounds but gotta make more changes to get there! Keep at it (now NOT so) Big John and know you're not alone in this journey!

I can't imagine having a good sleep schedule if you have to work from 8am-11pm. That seems mathematically impossible.

We put the kids to bed before 7:30pm every night, I have calm "me" time for about an hour (no screens, just reading/podcast/music). Then in bed before 9pm. I'm up about 5am to eat and workout.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Ah yes, the incredible shrinking clothes!

My personal schedule was totally out of order over Thanksgiving prep and cleanup days. Got back on schedule Monday, doing daily 5 mile walk and 45 minutes workout. Three days a week weight training, three days legs and abs. Work on balance exercises, this has been a lifelong problem, possible result of serious measles early childhood before vaccine.

My metabolism probably slowed during Thanksgiving but is picking up steam. A good thing except that I have to pee about every ten minutes!

Props on the weight training. More people would benefit greatly from doing that. I wish my mom had done that, but she and many have this block where she saw a 30lb dumbbell and said "I'd never ever be able to lift something like that" but she'd lift a 30lb toddler. Then she'd only use 3lb weights. Cancer got her eventually and I wonder if very little muscle mass was a contributing factor.

 

[bigbailes]

I can't imagine having a good sleep schedule if you have to work from 8am-11pm. That seems mathematically impossible.

We put the kids to bed before 7:30pm every night, I have calm "me" time for about an hour (no screens, just reading/podcast/music). Then in bed before 9pm. I'm up about 5am to eat and workout.

Yea my sleep schedule sucks, by the time I get home and unwind a little, it's already 12ish (sometimes later) and the wifes alarm goes off at 5:30 most mornings, I'll stay in bed until 7ish, so a GOOD night is 7 hours. I know it's not good but trade off for getting the chance to still do something I love, that's cover sports on TV, while the teaching pays the bills.

 

[Strenuus]

Yea my sleep schedule sucks, by the time I get home and unwind a little, it's already 12ish (sometimes later) and the wifes alarm goes off at 5:30 most mornings, I'll stay in bed until 7ish, so a GOOD night is 7 hours. I know it's not good but trade off for getting the chance to still do something I love, that's cover sports on TV, while the teaching pays the bills.

Im intrigued, in what way do you cover sports from 4-11 at a TV station? Front of camera, behind? Dunno how much you can share, but im curious!

 

[bigbailes]

Im intrigued, in what way do you cover sports from 4-11 at a TV station? Front of camera, behind? Dunno how much you can share, but im curious!

For the last 15 years I've worked at KGNS, the NBC station down on the border in Laredo, TX with the vast majority of that time as the Sports Director, coming out on air in our 6pm and 10pm newscasts. We of course do a TON of local coverage, mainly high school and some low level 'pro' sports like a number of baseball, soccer, basketball and hockey teams that we've had roll through here. I've also done some coverage of NBA playoff runs with the Spurs, been to Cowboys camp and covered quite a few of their games and Texans, been on the field for UT and AM games for coverage. It's a really fun job but the pay is shit, sadly even teaching HS students pays more. When I started working at a school about 7 years ago, I stayed on at the station just to get them through football season and have just stuck around ever since. In fact I just got promoted there to not only doing the sports but also being our main 10pm anchor, so I must be doing something right!

 

[Strenuus]

For the last 15 years I've worked at KGNS, the NBC station down on the border in Laredo, TX with the vast majority of that time as the Sports Director, coming out on air in our 6pm and 10pm newscasts. We of course do a TON of local coverage, mainly high school and some low level 'pro' sports like a number of baseball, soccer, basketball and hockey teams that we've had roll through here. I've also done some coverage of NBA playoff runs with the Spurs, been to Cowboys camp and covered quite a few of their games and Texans, been on the field for UT and AM games for coverage. It's a really fun job but the pay is shit, sadly even teaching HS students pays more. When I started working at a school about 7 years ago, I stayed on at the station just to get them through football season and have just stuck around ever since. In fact I just got promoted there to not only doing the sports but also being our main 10pm anchor, so I must be doing something right!

Thats amazing! Thanks for sharing. Would live to see your work!

 

[THE HCP]

Missed that thread somehow, but very happy for you @THE HCP at getting a handle on things even if it was forced on you.

MY experience with shedding some weight as I got older might not apply for diabetes, but might work for some.

First, learn to love the process, don't look at the details and measurements often. In the last 2 years I have lost almost 30 lbs and I am now about 15 lbs over what I was as a very young man running long distance - so probably 5-7 lbs over my perfect weight. I never went for a specific goal, just tried to enjoy the process. I am now around 195lbs for 6'1'', not great, but decent.

We have moved to a pescaterian and vegetarian diet, almost no sugar for me (was never a soda guy).

Small things really helped me - a cup of water with apple cider vinegar before dinner, I do interval runs with a weight jacket to optimize the time I move my body, I do that 5 days a week, the weekends are for rest or fun exercise (biking, hiking). With time I now do about an hour exercise a day, 30 minutes walk/run, 30 minutes resistance and balance exercises. I am in the best shape I have been since my long distance running days.

Sleep is super important, and probably the best thing for me, intermittent fasting. I try to have at least a 8-16 hour schedule, 8 hour eating window, 16 of just water, black coffee or tea. In my world that means no breakfast, lunch around 12 and finish with dinner by 8pm. Try to take a quick walk after a meal, really helpful for metabolism.

I also try to do a longer fast once a week, so Tuesdays I don't eat until dinner. The body apparently needs about 12 hours without food to start burning accumulated fat, which is why the intermittent fasting works.

THis works for me, might not for others, but anyone that struggles with consistent weight loss can probably research it and see if it works for them.

The most important thing is to just move your body consistently and learn to enjoy the process. The results will take care of themselves.

Good luck @THE HCP, hope to hear of your continued success and looking forward to your bikini competition some years in the future.

Wow! Very impressed with your schedule and discipline. I hope to one day be at that level. Shit with me pretty much being on the road for the past 7 weeks…..I’m just trying to get good sleep

 

[THE HCP]

Love that you shared all this as it's something a lot of us deal with. I've always been a big guy, big shoulders and chest, carry my weight all through my body not just my gut, so I've always weighed more than it looked like. A few years a go my XL shirts stopped fitting but figured it wasn't a big deal because I'd always gone back and forth between them and XXL. A couple years ago my XXL shirts weren't fitting and I knew there were issues, even if I didn't 'feel' any different. Like you I hadn't been to see a doctor since my senior year of HS for my physical to play sports. Stepped on the scale and it read 309 and knew things needed to change! Doc pretty much told me what I expected, I needed to lose weight and had higher than normal BP but that it should work itself out with proper diet and exercise. Finally started using the Apple Watch my wife had bought for me and making sure to close out all three rings everyday has been a game changer. Trying to burn 1,000 calories, get 40 minutes of exercise and 12 stand hours everyday isn't always easy but I've done it since April of 2023. I've dropped 40 pounds but have definitely hit a plateu in the weight loss. I try to keep to the same diet everyday, hard boiled egg and string cheese each with one slice of thin ham around it plus an apple or banana for breakfast, a couple oranges to snack on in the morning, then rice/chicken/veggies for lunch. What kills me is the long hours I work, teach from 8 to 4:30 and then at the TV station from 4:30 to 11 and some nights that means no dinner, so I get home late and want to snack (horrible) and don't get enough sleep (bad). At 45 years old I know the metabolism has slowed way down and would love to lose another 40 pounds but gotta make more changes to get there! Keep at it (now NOT so) Big John and know you're not alone in this journey!

Thank you for sharing your situation FAMS! It’s great hearing what others are dealing with and we aren’t alone in this.
I hear you about those long hours. It’s impossible to find any type of consistency schedule wise. To plan out things. Shit just on this I’ve got 6 protein shakes jammed inside my shoes so I can throw them in my hotel room fridge just to get something in me before work. Luckily they also give us fruit and water when we check in, so I try to stock up on those. Keep us updated on your journey bro!!!

 

[THE HCP]

Yea my sleep schedule sucks, by the time I get home and unwind a little, it's already 12ish (sometimes later) and the wifes alarm goes off at 5:30 most mornings, I'll stay in bed until 7ish, so a GOOD night is 7 hours. I know it's not good but trade off for getting the chance to still do something I love, that's cover sports on TV, while the teaching pays the bills.

How do you cover sports, but know so LITTLE about the NBA? #BAM

 

[THE HCP]

Door Dashed a salad and Bubly Water, instead of the normal Pizza and a Pepsi or huge plate of Tacos and Enchiladas.
I’m sure somebody would say, oh don’t eat the stuff in that salad, but it’s absolutely better than what I HAVE been eating on the road for the past 25 years. No doubt about it.

 

[andalusian]

Wow! Very impressed with your schedule and discipline. I hope to one day be at that level. Shit with me pretty much being on the road for the past 7 weeks…..I’m just trying to get good sleep

Yeah, travel is tough. I travel a fair bit as well, not as much as you and usually I am stationary for a week or two when I do - which helps, I just do what I can one these days

 

[bigbailes]

How do you cover sports, but know so LITTLE about the NBA? #BAM

Pretty sure I've forgotten more about the NBA and hoops than you'll ever know!

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Thank you for sharing your situation FAMS! It’s great hearing what others are dealing with and we aren’t alone in this.
I hear you about those long hours. It’s impossible to find any type of consistency schedule wise. To plan out things. Shit just on this I’ve got 6 protein shakes jammed inside my shoes so I can throw them in my hotel room fridge just to get something in me before work. Luckily they also give us fruit and water when we check in, so I try to stock up on those. Keep us updated on your journey bro!!!

Yeah some of your work schedules are nuts.

Not sure if most of your work is afternoons/evenings to where you can just change to a later schedule where you sleep into 10am or something every day? Get good blackout shades. We got some on Amazon for traveling too. Get family to support the schedule.

Having a 15 hour window a day of working just doesn't sound like something I'd want long term. Maybe for a few months or even a year but I'd be trying to think of how I could eventually long term get to a better schedule.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Door Dashed a salad and Bubly Water, instead of the normal Pizza and a Pepsi or huge plate of Tacos and Enchiladas.
I’m sure somebody would say, oh don’t eat the stuff in that salad, but it’s absolutely better than what I HAVE been eating on the road for the past 25 years. No doubt about it.View attachment 78096

Yeah it's hard traveling. Your doing great overall, sometimes good, but not great, diet choices are better than stressing over perfection.

 

[THE HCP]

Pretty sure I've forgotten more about the NBA and hoops than you'll ever know!

Wow

 

[THE HCP]

Pretty sure I've forgotten more about the NBA and hoops than you'll ever know!

Can’t believe you got one of these tools to actually LIKE this FAMS!

 

[THE HCP]

Today was a challenge. Detroit’s media room is the “best” in the league. Basically everything you could want if your a college student
Even the salad bar looked gross to me though.
Took the breading off some chicken strips and had some soup. Feeling like crap now though. Gotta get thru this game.

 

[riverman]

Can’t believe you got one of these tools to actually LIKE this FAMS!

For at least the next few months I'm blaming all your snarky comments on sugar withdrawal. (Unless you cave in and relapse after a week or so) We're hopin' you make it though, Skinny John!

 

[THE HCP]

For at least the next few months I'm blaming all your snarky comments on sugar withdrawal. (Unless you cave in and relapse after a week or so) We're hopin' you make it though, Skinny John!

Didn’t help that at our hotel here in Detroit, my wall of my room is right up next to the gym. I could hear/feal free weights being tossed around starting at 6am. I am BEAT right now.