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Introduction Text 1/2/2018 - I gave myself freedom over the holiday thinking I might gain back 5 of the 31 I had lost. Turns out to be 8!!! ACK! So, I am back on my plan and tracking everything I eat. I love smaller clothes and fewer medications. My goal is to get rid of all my meds. As much as I enjoyed the food, I will enjoy better health even more. On my way back to 31 lost and then to lose 13 mre with the ultimate goal of 130. I WILL be in the "healthy" weight range of the BMI chart before Spring Break! 11/24/17 - Three months of consistency and I've dropped 25 pounds, wear smaller sized clothes, and have more energy. When it's all said and done, I dropped to the lowest weight of my adult life, moved from "obese" to "overweight" on the BMI chart, and reduced my cholesterol to normal levels, and hit the "normal" category for A1C blood sugar since my 2012 Diabetes diagnosis. My doctor sent me a message saying "Wow! Your diabetes control is excellent. You can stop taking Januvia. We will discuss more at your appointment." 1 med down, 2 to go. I look forward to the day my doc tells me I can eliminate all of my pills. For now, I will keep sparking daily. 10/7/17 - Been back to sparking since 8/23/17 and have not missed 1 day of tracking nutrition. It is eye-opening to analyze every calorie consumed. I hope for a significant drop in my A1C blood sugar by Thanksgiving. My ultimate goal is to manage my diabetes with healthy eating and get rid of oral medications. BONUS: from 174 to 158.8 and dropped a size in 6 weeks! I feel a little better and more confident in how I look. This works and it's up to me to maintain my habits. :-) 8/24/17 - My best friend is facing some health challenges and he offered to work together on our health journeys. We face similar issues with motivation, self-confidence, and food issues. I am way overdue to start tracking nutrition and restart my activities. I revisited my goals and altered them to my current situation. Nutrition tracking started as of yesterday. Quitting is only the end if you never start again. July 10, 2014 - To paraphrase a saying posted at my gym, it doesn't matter how slowly I move, as long as I move. In my case, moving forward should be about exercise, but it also includes steady progress toward better health in general. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Diabetes and high cholesterol. For those familiar with the numbers, my A1C Hemoglobin was 11.1 (normal is 4 - 6) and my cholesterol was 352. My doctor implied that I should have imploded long before living with those numbers. In the past 2 years, I have brought my A1C down to 7.1 and my cholesterol to 144. The changes include dietary habits, some exercise (need much more), and oral medications (no insulin involved). I hope to be off the minimal dose of cholesterol medication after my next check-up. The doc says he wants the A1C under 7 to start reducing oral medications. So, my goal for the rest of the summer is to find a way to increase activity and adjust my food habits to reach those goals. Once again, back to SP to track my nutrition because that is the best tool I have found. It's not "starting again" but it is recommitting and making some adjustments. Here's to moving forward, slowly but surely! :) Oct. 8, 2012 - According to the BMI, I have crossed the line from "obese" to "overweight." Now, that might not sound like something to celebrate too much, but I have been heavy since high school. I binge eat (okay, ate, not now) and I have an apple-shaped body type. 20+ years of being in the obese category on the BMI + some unlucky genetics have brought me to diabetes and high cholesterol. Now I have 2 options; die early or live healthy. I have made my choice. I have been on a steep learning curve the past 6 weeks. I am cutting carbs and adding protein. My carbs are in fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. I am extremely limiting animal-based foods and wheat. I am also taking a few supplements and tracking my nutrition to make sure I limit my calories and get enough vitamins and minerals. While I have done this in the past, I have never gone to these extremes with changing my lifestyle. I try to be active every day, either walking or going to the gym. The less wheat and refined sugar products I eat, the less I want. This is actually getting easier by the day. :-) Sept 21, 2012 - I am right on the line between "obese" and "overweight" and I am thrilled! I have been obese for over 20 years. It's not even believable to me that I will drop into the "overweight" category in the next day or two. It's almost as great as the day the sales clerk told me I could not shop in the "women's plus size" department any more because I was too small for those clothes. That was likely the best day of my life! ----------------------------------------- Well, now I know. I dreaded getting my blood work done because my dad has high cholesterol and diabetes. I did not want to face my genetic risk factors, so I waited. Apparently, a little too long. I should have taken care of this a few years ago. Last Tuesday, August 28, 2012, my doctor diagnosed me as diabetic with extremely high cholesterol. That is my nightmare come true. Thank goodness I have Spark People to help me track nutrition and exercise. This is a tool that will be priceless to me in the days, weeks, months to come as I fight for control over my own health and body. So, here I am, ready to become a new and improved me. :)

150 lbs/Size 8 - Purge closet of larger sizes! DONE!!! 130 - One week vacation! 125 - Whole new wardrobe! 120 and/or no longer diabetic - A pair of shoes made to fit by "Shoes of Prey"!!!

~ 2 L of H2O Daily. ~ Get less that 50% of calories from carbs. ~ Keep sugar intake under 30g a day/not more than 12g at one time. ~Track nutrition daily.



Main objectives: 1. Control my diabetes and cholesterol without medication. 2. Look and feel healthier. 3. Be more comfortable in my own skin.

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