[Beholden]

As some of you know who have followed some of my threads/posts, I started a great nutrition class 12 weeks ago. It was to teach us how to get healthy/healthier and prevent our pre-diabetes turning into diabetes, or from developing heart disease.

I'm still going strong. I really like to "move". It helps so much with all aspects of my health. It doesn't matter what I do, as long as I do something active every day.

This coming Monday, the 17th is my last nutrition class. I'll be sad when it ends, the social support has been great. However, I did hear the nurse who is one of the leaders say they are working on us having a long term - maybe once a month support group for all of us to have finished this course. My medical center does have more of these classes scheduled for others who want to become healthier. I guess there is a long waiting list! Not surprising to me from what I've gotten out of it. We are all military spouses/dependants, retired military or active military members.

I hope so. I know a support group is very helpful to a lot of us - I'm sure one of them. I now understand why my friend loves her AA meetings. They work. It keeps you feeling like you belong

It has been 12 weeks of intense food journaling, exercise journaling, and learning all about counting fat grams first and then calories. Portion sizes! OMG learning to guess portion sizes without weighing or measuring them when I eat out has been the best tool.

Eatting out is the hardest thing of all to do, but not impossible. I try to go to places that have nutrition guides.

Like Subway; a sandwich with under 6 fat grams! And I can get "fresh' apple slices there too. For me, most food prepared in a restaurant or prepackaged/deli type is loaded with way too much sodium. Too many restaurants have sooooo much hidden fat!

Last June I weighed 20 pounds more than I do today. And I don't feel deprived at all.

Hey that's 80 sticks of butter, melted off my body.

My old jeans really slide right off of me now! I bought 2 new pair of straight leg jeans that really fit me last week.

Plus, restaurant food has all that salt! I am on a salt restrition - just 2 grams a day. That is the weight of 2 paper clips, just to put it into perspective Even the Subway sub has 1400mg of salt in the thing. But when i eat oatmeal for breakfast and make sure I fix something else with less salt for supper, it all works out to 2000mg total. Three months of doing this has really helped make it a habit. And after all, it is 'bad' habits that made me too heavy in the first place.

I'm down to my last 10 pounds to lose. Then I'll be right smack dap in the middle of the standard BMI chart weight. Then I go looking for a new swimming suit.

Next week I think I'll start going into the indoor pool at the gym to add variety to my other activities. Walking, gardening, heavy duty house cleaning, and working with the weight machines at the gym are my routine. I'm up to walking close to 10,000 steps a day most days. That's about 4-5 miles, depending on how long your stride is! My dog is loving all the walks she is getting. I enjoy it the most when I walk alone, which isn't often. I feel guilty if I leave her at the house. She loves her 'people' and being with us soooo very much. Even if all she does is sleep.

I'm loving doing it, that's the bonus. No the bonus is feeling great about the few new blouses - not baggy old T-shirts - I recently bought! One is a clingy knit top with a lace yoke in the back! For an old fart, I look and feel hot! Ok, maybe not hot. But at least good.

Now I want to go dig in the dirt outside for a few hours before the hubster gets home and we have to go see what's wrong with my cell phone.

[lynn P.]

(((Hot Babe Beholden)))- congratulations on being pro-active and enthusiastic about your own health. You sound excited and I hope you continue to do well -with your love of cooking, you probably will. You definitely can halt the pre-diabetes in its tracks with proper diet and exercise. There's this doctor on PBS who had a special during pledge week and he has a book to -I wish I could remember the name. You're right about portions - with a steak or chicken - it shouldn't be bigger than the palm of your hand and veggies should take up the most room, then a smaller portion of starch then meat. Keep up the awesome work and I'm happy you feel pleased with yourself.

[Beholden]

Thank you so much lynn p. Now, time for my nice inviting bed! I worked in the yard today and my back is saying I bent over too much today. Tomorow is kayaking with the club. Moving moving moving, (rawhide! remember that theme song?)

[Sabrina]

What a lovely post Beholden. Thank you for sharing your achievements. Indeed you should be very proud of yourself.

[splitimage]

Way to go Beholden, That's great. Sounds like you've made some really good lifestyle changes. It's very motivating for me, as I'm just starting out on an exercise, diet program.

Keep up the good work, and I hope the center offers the monthly support group, that sounds like it would be really good.

--splitimage

Well done, Beholden.

Glad to hear it Beholden!!! Keep up the good work!!--theo

[Beholden]

Thank you all so much. It helps to keep me motivated just reading your comments.

But I must say, I am proud of myself. I feel sooo different from last summer. What a difference a year makes. I can push myself now, where, last year and the year before was really hard.

I still have a lot of work to keep doing, but wow is it worth it. I have my blood tests in late May for my June 1st followup appt with my primary care to see how my A1c is (the test for my diabetic numbers over the past 3 months for those who aren't having to worry about that one!), my cholesteral numbers and thyroid and my blood pressure to see how my meds are working. I'm hoping to get the dose reduced - but will be happy just to not get any new ones! or have the old ones increased.

Then I have my 6 month check on my eyes to see how my glacoma (eye pressure) is doing. I had the laser surgery as treatment last year and so far, it is working. I love not having to put drops in my eyes every day since the surgery!

Well, tomorrow is my last day to see all the new people I've met at this class. Hoping it won't be the last time I see them.

And in the morning, I'm going to try on my old swim suit to see if I dare go to the pool tomorrow. I am going to the gym for sure to work out, but I might get brave and try walking in the pool or just some easy 'not sinking' type of swimming.

Thanks again friends for being so helpful to me.

May you continue to make progress.

[Pashu]

Niceeeee

[Skully]

Great glad things are working for you!

[Beholden]

I slipped up on Monday. I went and ate a slice of pizza and had 2 real chocolate chip cookies. Enjoyed every last crumb too. IT was way over my calories and fat grams, but now I just need to get back to the stuff I like just as much and walk a lot more tomorrow. It will be nicer outside tomorrow, no rain in the forecast anyway! I did walk 2.5 miles inside the mall tonight before dinner.

Thanks again.