Hi,
Today I did my second full workout and I could see the improvement in form. It was now a little easier to walk in and set up the equipment and get going. It was kind of fun, actually. Since I had that first workout under my belt, I felt confident I could do the second. Success is such a motivator!! I did the exercises a little more quickly because I already had a list of what I had done the first day and simply repeated it on the chart I got from "The Fat Burning Furnace." I had taken their form and duplicated it on an Excel sheet so I could have something to print out when I needed a new one.
I could see a definite improvement in form, although it is still a little hard to remember all the details of form, such as breathing. I have a tendency to hold my breath as I exercise but Rob says that that will actually increase your blood pressure -- not something I need to do. So I consciously breathed, but had to be careful of breathing too slowly, which caused me to get out of breath very quickly. So "steady as she goes" is better for me in the breathing department. I have never been able to follow other peoples "breathing exercises" because it gets my rhythm off, somehow, so, I just breathe as naturally as I can. The only thing I need to monitor is that I am breathing and not holding my breath.
The second form issue is the speed. In order to give my muscles a real work out I need to slow things down and do them methodically with intention as Rob explains in his book. One place this made a real and demonstrable difference was in the crunches. I have a Joe Weider Ab working device that I lay on my bed to do crunches. It helps me to hold my head, neck and back in the right position. I have a herniated disk in my neck so I need to be careful. I learned that if I keep my elbows up close to the curved bar, there is no strain on my neck whatsoever and the only thing that gets "worked" is my abs and my back.
I have been doing them a long time, but really did not see much real improvement, except that when I do them my back pain does tend to decrease, often to the point that it disappears, if I am diligent (which I have not recently been doing -- until now). I have been doing these crunches occasionally for a long time, but the problem was my form. I would just rush through them as fast as I could, holding my breath and then moving on to the next one. I would do 10, 12, or 15, depending on how I felt that day. I only raise myself up a very few inches -- since my body is big and flabby, it is an almost imperceptible distance, like, maybe two inches. I place my feet, knees or hips in different positions to work a different area of the abs -- which I learned to do from reading the instructions from Joe Weider's device.
Starting out laying flat on my back with my hands on the curved bars, elbows up tight to the bars, I would do however many I was doing that day, then relax, breath a moment, and bend my knees moving my feet closer to my body and very quickly work up and down again using the same fast speed and form. Then I would raise my hips and tilt my pelvis up and do it again to reach the lowest ab muscles. Then for extra measure I would do isometric flexes using my lowest abdominal muscles with my hips still flexed up. Then I would follow that with side ab crunches by moving my knees first to the left and then to the right and repeating my number at the same speed. All together, if I did 10 each I was doing 60 crunches. But I noticed today, that I used the form that Rob teaches and slowed it down, and did it deliberately and I could feel the workout being so much more intense. I had sweat rolling off my face, and that made me happy.
After that I rested and did cervical traction, because I wanted to end up with my neck in the best possible position. It is quite easy to get the bones out of place while exercising which can be painful, so I simply made sure to re-align them as the last "exercise."
I also needed to get my body moving before I started the entire routine, so I did my usual shoulder rolls, and shoulder backs, and chin tucks, then did 5 min on the Aerofit and was ready to get moving on the FX resistance machine. I felt this workout was much better than the first one, because I already knew the positions and exercises and did not rest too long between for the aerobic effect that Rob teaches.
I have also now recognized when I need to eat the whole grains -- on exercise days. And I need to keep the quantities low. I am now putting less in the bowl and eating only a few bites, putting the remainder back in the fridge for the "after workout meal" that Rob says is very important.
I have run out of salad fixings like Romaine and any other fresh raw veggie to put in the bowl so I have to go shopping today. I had a salad with feta cheese and two hard boiled eggs this morning for breakfast. My body really likes that meal. It is the right ph balance and does not cause my tummy to burn. It fills me up and I feel completely satisfied, and it seems to last a long time, too. I am really beginning to like salad -- but I can see that I still get side tracked by the beans and meat and even the whole grains, if I am not careful. My old habit of reaching for something that is already prepared rather than to prepare a salad will not continue to support my goals, so I need to make sure I have plenty of fresh raw veggies and make myself the salads I love.
Last night I went to the Connect fellowship from my old church and hung out with my friends. I had been informed that they were serving spaghetti so I wanted to avoid the confrontation -- meaning me and the spaghetti -- so I arrived late. But, unfortunately, they had not started eating and I kept being offered a plate of spaghetti. My friend AR was there and he was refraining from eating (he is doing the Belly Fat cure) and did not want to add any carbs to his numbers so he was there, but simply announced he was not eating. I took courage from him, and did the same thing. I did have a few cups of water, but nothing else. I thought about having a salad, but simply chose to not eat at all. That was a 180 from what I had done at the last fellowship. I hope I can remember to do the same thing at Sweet next Friday.
I am being faithful with the calorie record and writing everything down -- but sometimes I go over my 1800 limit a little. I can see that my mind is getting adjusted to the calorie counting idea and I am no longer putting the EVOO on my salad, simply to cut down on the calories for later. I sprinkle salt, garlic pepper and Italian seasonings on my salad and that is more than enough to make it tasty. There really is no need for any liquid. The greens have been washed and have water on them, and that seems to be enough moisture to hold the seasonings in place -- which tastes very good to me.
I am also drinking more water -- I'm not sure it is still enough -- but it is more than I used to drink. I empty and fill my 16 oz bottles quite a few more times during the day than I was doing. I keep track of the water on my calorie page but sometimes I simply don't think to write it down. And sometimes I drink half a bottle and then forget it is there, so come by later and refill and refrigerate it. I like drinking cold water so much better than room temperature. I have a water filter, but it still does not make the water taste as good and clear as I remember water tasting from childhood. But that was in Ohio. This is Georgia and the water is not from an underground aquafer as it is up home. Here it is from the rivers running by and from Lake Lanier and the soil is different and the water is just not the same, crystal clear, ice blue flavor I desire. But I drink it anyway.
I know, I know. You could put something in it to flavor it, but that stuff usually involves chemicals and food color, and artificial sweeteners -- I just don't need all that bogus stuff in my body, so I drink the water. I could make tea, I suppose. AR told me he is really liking the green tea and it gives him a better "boost" than coffee used to. Perhaps I should try that again. At least once in a while, I could make some tea and cool it down and keep it in the fridge. I will have to try that again.
Well, I have to apply for a job and then go shopping, so I'll get a move on that, next.
Take care and be encouraged that you can make the changes to support your body. It all happens in the "now" moment -- and you don't have to be "perfect." Just step out, make corrections as you go, and keep going. Together, you and I, with the help of the Lord, can do this.
Be back soon,
--Marcia
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Day 39 First Full Resistance Workout
Wow! I missed a day somehow.
Oh, yes, I remember now. Yesterday I started off going to the dermatologist and getting a biopsy on a small red mark that suddenly changed on my left calf muscle. That was not really too bad. The doctor was super nice and handsome, too. He gave me a small shot and then sliced off the smallest bit of skin you can imagine. I have to call them next week for the results. If it is nothing, then OK. If it is skin cancer, it will be removed in his office. Please pray for it to be nothing. I trust the Lord either way.
Then I went up to Cumming, Georgia to visit with my cousins, Julianna, and her daughter Jessica. We had a good time at Golden Corral (where I was pretty good in the food choosing department, I must say). I was quite happy to be able to leave some salad on my plate and let it return to the Earth. (That was an amazing thing for me to observe and participate in.) We then went over to Julianna's place and played Uno and Apples to Apples. Everybody won at last one game and we had a good time. It was good to spend time with them. Then I drove the hour to get home, where I rested for one hour and then went to church. So... the blog just got left out.
There is something that happens to me when I don't have any starchy carbs for a while -- or maybe the right kind, or right amount -- I start getting wacky thoughts in my head and that happened this morning and during the early part of the day, so later I made sure to get an overabundance. I ate popcorn, had a piece of one layer carrot cake with my friend John at the Golden Corral, (every thing else was good choices) and then came home and fixed a pot of the wild rice, brown rice, and flax seed mixture and combined that with some navy bean with chicken soup that I had made. I believe this effect comes from a lack of "feel good" chemical in my brain that can get depleted by not eating enough starchy carbs (comfort food -- which is why it is called that -- they actually have a physical effect on the brain and emotions). I know of at least two natural ways to increase this chemical in the brain, one is starchy carbs, the other is exercise. I am hoping that soon the exercise will be my main source -- but I will be needing the starchy carbs (whole grains) for a while to support the exercise -- which is why I need to have at least one a day -- and today needed an over abundance to make up for the lack. At least, that is my thinking, and I believe this to be true.
Then I did my first real resistance workout with intensity. (I just checked my blood sugar after my work out and it was a flabbergastingly good 118!) As you know, I have been reading "The Fat Burning Furnace" by Rob Poulos and have finally gotten to the last page. I'm glad I did not actually start the workouts yet, (even though I was beginning to feel anxious about not having started) because the very last thing he talks about is weight training for those over 60 -- of which I am one! He says to not start with the beginner workout, but with the intermediate workout, because there are fewer exercises, and to do them with slower speeds with longer breaks in between. I am so glad to hear that, because I was not sure I would be able to do, or to at least, start out doing, what he was describing in the book for the younger and obviously more agile and fit person. I now know what modifications to make for my old age and low fitness level.
I was able to but my FX machine to work for the first time in many years. It had been gathering dust in my spare room -- for I don't even know how many years. I'm glad I did not get rid of it. I had offered it to at least three different people and nobody wanted it. It was too heavy for me to move around and get rid of it, so it just sat there like a giant upright cockroach which I only thought about on rare occasions. As I was reading Rob's book I began to think about that machine and be glad I still had it. With that and the free weight dumbbells that I have, I think I can manage most, if not all, of the resistance exercises on the program.
I was quite clumsy when getting on and off the workout bench but I just did what I needed to do. Nobody was watching, or commenting, or judging me, so I took pleasure in the doing. I also had to make some adjustments to the hydraulics but it all kind of came back to me. I was not able to get into the position needed to do the bench press but I have figured out a way to do that and my crunch's on my bed. I will continue to use my Gold's gym ab crunch aid, and when I do that I can bring my dumbbells with me and do the bench presses there, too. Ain't life grand!?
I really enjoyed doing the workout. I felt like I was going over hurdles and getting things done. I was pleased to see that near the end of the workout I was actually sweating. I very rarely sweat, but this time I had water dripping off of my face, which reminded me to drink some more water. My arms, especially, seem to be very tired, but I feel good. Thank God! Now I don't have to do another one for at least two days while my body recoups it strength. I may possibly be sore tomorrow, but it is worth it, to finally be doing the needed workouts.
I gotta tell ya, I was a little timid to get started, but once I simply lugged and fumbled my leg over the bench and sat down and did it -- things got a whole lot simpler, indeed. I'd like to say that I swung my leg over the bench, but that is not how my body operates at this point in time.
There is also another matter that I need to address. The other day I wrote about "inspiration" and I said that reading God's word and also reading the information about the diet and exercise were inspiring to me and kept me motivated. When I was writing that, I believed that to be completely true, but I must apologize, because somehow I got focused on the reading and off of where the inspiration really comes from. I had essentially thought that I was inspiring myself through doing the reading, but that is not true. The inspiration that I was feeling, really came from the Holy Spirit. God was moving in me, (people were praying for me) and when I wrote that glowing report of how my reading inspired me, and I intended to continue doing that, God pulled the rug out from under me and I fell flat on my face. Suddenly the inspiration left and the reading did not bring it back -- that was when I realized my error. Reading is a good support, and should not be left out -- but the living, breathing inspiration, can only come from the One True and Living God!! He is the wind beneath my wings and I beg His forgiveness for trying to steal His glory. May I never do that again.
John 3:8 KJV The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
I am so grateful for the goodness of God that leads me to repentance! Praise the Lord. It is He that gives us breath and life and all things. Yes, we have choices to make and directions to choose, but without Him, I am only an unconnected branch. You know what an unconnected branch is don't you? A dried up stick. He is the living vine, I am the branch, and The Father is the husbandman, or Caretaker who prunes us in order to produce more fruit. Let me not forget that. I am grateful that He reminded me, for when I am trusting in Him, He fights the battles, and I get to belong to Him.
I am grateful for His care. May you walk in His presence and feel His joy! God bless you!
Be back soon.
--Marcia
Oh, yes, I remember now. Yesterday I started off going to the dermatologist and getting a biopsy on a small red mark that suddenly changed on my left calf muscle. That was not really too bad. The doctor was super nice and handsome, too. He gave me a small shot and then sliced off the smallest bit of skin you can imagine. I have to call them next week for the results. If it is nothing, then OK. If it is skin cancer, it will be removed in his office. Please pray for it to be nothing. I trust the Lord either way.
Then I went up to Cumming, Georgia to visit with my cousins, Julianna, and her daughter Jessica. We had a good time at Golden Corral (where I was pretty good in the food choosing department, I must say). I was quite happy to be able to leave some salad on my plate and let it return to the Earth. (That was an amazing thing for me to observe and participate in.) We then went over to Julianna's place and played Uno and Apples to Apples. Everybody won at last one game and we had a good time. It was good to spend time with them. Then I drove the hour to get home, where I rested for one hour and then went to church. So... the blog just got left out.
There is something that happens to me when I don't have any starchy carbs for a while -- or maybe the right kind, or right amount -- I start getting wacky thoughts in my head and that happened this morning and during the early part of the day, so later I made sure to get an overabundance. I ate popcorn, had a piece of one layer carrot cake with my friend John at the Golden Corral, (every thing else was good choices) and then came home and fixed a pot of the wild rice, brown rice, and flax seed mixture and combined that with some navy bean with chicken soup that I had made. I believe this effect comes from a lack of "feel good" chemical in my brain that can get depleted by not eating enough starchy carbs (comfort food -- which is why it is called that -- they actually have a physical effect on the brain and emotions). I know of at least two natural ways to increase this chemical in the brain, one is starchy carbs, the other is exercise. I am hoping that soon the exercise will be my main source -- but I will be needing the starchy carbs (whole grains) for a while to support the exercise -- which is why I need to have at least one a day -- and today needed an over abundance to make up for the lack. At least, that is my thinking, and I believe this to be true.
Then I did my first real resistance workout with intensity. (I just checked my blood sugar after my work out and it was a flabbergastingly good 118!) As you know, I have been reading "The Fat Burning Furnace" by Rob Poulos and have finally gotten to the last page. I'm glad I did not actually start the workouts yet, (even though I was beginning to feel anxious about not having started) because the very last thing he talks about is weight training for those over 60 -- of which I am one! He says to not start with the beginner workout, but with the intermediate workout, because there are fewer exercises, and to do them with slower speeds with longer breaks in between. I am so glad to hear that, because I was not sure I would be able to do, or to at least, start out doing, what he was describing in the book for the younger and obviously more agile and fit person. I now know what modifications to make for my old age and low fitness level.
I was able to but my FX machine to work for the first time in many years. It had been gathering dust in my spare room -- for I don't even know how many years. I'm glad I did not get rid of it. I had offered it to at least three different people and nobody wanted it. It was too heavy for me to move around and get rid of it, so it just sat there like a giant upright cockroach which I only thought about on rare occasions. As I was reading Rob's book I began to think about that machine and be glad I still had it. With that and the free weight dumbbells that I have, I think I can manage most, if not all, of the resistance exercises on the program.
I was quite clumsy when getting on and off the workout bench but I just did what I needed to do. Nobody was watching, or commenting, or judging me, so I took pleasure in the doing. I also had to make some adjustments to the hydraulics but it all kind of came back to me. I was not able to get into the position needed to do the bench press but I have figured out a way to do that and my crunch's on my bed. I will continue to use my Gold's gym ab crunch aid, and when I do that I can bring my dumbbells with me and do the bench presses there, too. Ain't life grand!?
I really enjoyed doing the workout. I felt like I was going over hurdles and getting things done. I was pleased to see that near the end of the workout I was actually sweating. I very rarely sweat, but this time I had water dripping off of my face, which reminded me to drink some more water. My arms, especially, seem to be very tired, but I feel good. Thank God! Now I don't have to do another one for at least two days while my body recoups it strength. I may possibly be sore tomorrow, but it is worth it, to finally be doing the needed workouts.
I gotta tell ya, I was a little timid to get started, but once I simply lugged and fumbled my leg over the bench and sat down and did it -- things got a whole lot simpler, indeed. I'd like to say that I swung my leg over the bench, but that is not how my body operates at this point in time.
There is also another matter that I need to address. The other day I wrote about "inspiration" and I said that reading God's word and also reading the information about the diet and exercise were inspiring to me and kept me motivated. When I was writing that, I believed that to be completely true, but I must apologize, because somehow I got focused on the reading and off of where the inspiration really comes from. I had essentially thought that I was inspiring myself through doing the reading, but that is not true. The inspiration that I was feeling, really came from the Holy Spirit. God was moving in me, (people were praying for me) and when I wrote that glowing report of how my reading inspired me, and I intended to continue doing that, God pulled the rug out from under me and I fell flat on my face. Suddenly the inspiration left and the reading did not bring it back -- that was when I realized my error. Reading is a good support, and should not be left out -- but the living, breathing inspiration, can only come from the One True and Living God!! He is the wind beneath my wings and I beg His forgiveness for trying to steal His glory. May I never do that again.
John 3:8 KJV The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
I am so grateful for the goodness of God that leads me to repentance! Praise the Lord. It is He that gives us breath and life and all things. Yes, we have choices to make and directions to choose, but without Him, I am only an unconnected branch. You know what an unconnected branch is don't you? A dried up stick. He is the living vine, I am the branch, and The Father is the husbandman, or Caretaker who prunes us in order to produce more fruit. Let me not forget that. I am grateful that He reminded me, for when I am trusting in Him, He fights the battles, and I get to belong to Him.
I am grateful for His care. May you walk in His presence and feel His joy! God bless you!
Be back soon.
--Marcia
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Day 37 -- Recap for Dr Ripich and Jim Healthy
Marcia McCance – 7-27-2010
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Dear Dr. Ripich, and Jim Healthy,
I would like to quantify and share the results I have noticed, from having done “The 30 Day Diabetes Cure” on my own, per your request:
Starting statistics: June 21, 2010
BP 168/99
Blood glucose after a handful of nuts, but no breakfast: 115
Weight: 352
A1C: 5.7 (measured in February)
Age: 60 years
Time 11:40 am
Current statistics: July 27, 2010
BP 148/84
Blood glucose after having salad for breakfast: 122
Weight: 344.25
A1C: 5.3 (measured after 15 days on the program)
Age: 60 years
Time 1:51 P.M.
The thing that I am most pleased with from having done “The 30 Day Diabetes Cure” is the reduction in my blood pressure numbers. I have had readings even higher than my starting numbers (up to 175/133, 182/108, 191/115) within the previous 6 months. I still have high BP but it is now considered “moderately high” instead of “extremely high” and eye popping. My upper number dropped 20 points and my lower number dropped 15 points and I am getting similar readings pretty consistently. My personal doctor is also pleased with this result, especially since nearly every additional BP medication that she has prescribed, I have had either an allergic reaction to (asthma with one, itching with another), or the side effects were too much for me to bear (swelling, depression, anxiety). I am still taking the maximum dosage of Losartan and continue with Triamterene, too.
The very first thing that happened after starting the program was that within about three or four days, I started noticing that the skin on my hands was no longer flakey looking and dry to the touch. They suddenly became smooth and soft again, like when I was young. I had not increased my water intake, I had eliminated my sugar intake. The speed with which this happened was very surprising to me and it has not gone away. They are still smooth and soft and I do not use lotion, only soap, water, and waterless hand sanitizer.
Another thing I am very pleased about is that the swelling in my ankles has disappeared, for the most part. I am still taking the diuretic, but I was having a lot of problems with swelling due to another HBP medication, but have noticed that since I have both stopped the other medication and also cleaned up my diet, I am having “normal feel” most of the time where I can see the bones on the top of them. (They are no longer “puffy.” )
The thing I am most disappointed with is that I really did not have a major reduction in weight. I have actually fluctuated down and up in the neighborhood of about 10 pounds. I still hover around the weight I started with. Since at any time that I weigh myself I could weigh anywhere between 342 and 352, I consider that to be my normal weight range. It is unfortunate that my doctor saw me on a heavy day and is not pleased with this. She has put me on an 1800 calorie a day diet after electronically measuring how many calories my body burns at rest which on the day she measured was 2242kcal. I am struggling with keeping me at that calorie intake level. I know that for some people that would be a really major amount of calories but, because of my current weight, I am able to process more than most normal sized people.
The program does not say that it is a “weight loss” program, but does promise this will happen as a side effect. For many people that is true, but not so much for me, as yet. My guess about what is happening there is that, I am still learning how to do the resistance training and have not gotten my body up to speed on that, so I am not burning as many calories as I might be. I believe that when I get that really going, I may see a reduction in weight, or at least a reshaping of my body for the better, and an increase in strength.
The thing I really liked about the program was the step by step, day by day, approach where one day I deducted one or two things from my life, and the next day I would add a different thing. Not all of the additions and subtractions were easy, but they were all necessary. One change I did not make immediately was jumping on the “organic” band wagon. Even though the information in the book was quite compelling that I needed to drop out pesticides and poisons from what I was eating, being out of work at the moment makes it hard to start buying more expensive food. So I did drop out all “processed” foods, and increased my fresh vegetable intake, I continued until after the 30 days to eat regular produce. I have now switched to about eighty percent organic, though, because it just seemed like the right thing to do and how could I expect to see the promised results if I did not take the corresponding action?
The thing that has made the biggest difference in my personal attitude was the journaling (blogging) and now the calorie counting. By doing these two things, I now have a record that I cannot refute with selective memory. The book and the journaling were a real source of encouragement for me. Dr Ripich’s way of teaching and Jim Healthy’s way of writing combined with the day by day approach made a powerful support system for me to stay on track. The blogging made me aware that I had made a commitment and was sharing with the world that I had done so. I had to be responsible if I wanted to succeed. Writing, for me, has a positive influence on my point of view, so as I wrote, even about my failures, I was able to take the more positive and healthy approach and had breakthroughs that I was not expecting. The most major one was finally ending the promise that I had made when I was in a high chair to “eat everything in sight, to keep mommy from being mad at me” which I was able to replace with “Let it go uneaten and return to the Earth.”
As to measuring my blood sugar, for a few days, especially during the whole grain incident, I measured every few hours, but for the most part I did it only enough to find out that beans do not raise it, but whole grains and fruit, do. If I know I am eating right, there is no need to obsess about it. I believe it should be checked from time to time, though, to make sure I am still on track. So I decided to revert to the phase one eating style with occasional visits with whole grains or fruit, but I cannot do them every day or my blood sugar starts to sky rocket.
When I begin to feel frustrated about the lack of weight loss, I have to remind myself that my A1C went down .4 so I am actually reversing my diabetes. There are not so many sugar molecules stuck to my red blood cells as there once was, and if I continue eating in what I call “phase one plus” (meaning no sugar, no processed foods, plenty of veggies, beans, and protein, with limited amounts of whole grains and fruit – no more than one per day) I shall continue to see success with the A1C numbers.
I think I was expecting more to happen in 30 days time based on the promises from the book, but if I look at the results realistically, I have made good progress. I am headed in the right direction. Diabetes no longer threatens to get worse in my life. I started off a pre-diabetic and I am still one, but the degree of nearness to Type 2 diabetes has been reduced. I think that is amazing and it feels like a relief that I no longer have to worry that I might someday become a full blown type 2 diabetic (Lord willing). I know that if I stay on the program, eat right, get the exercise down pat, and continue to focus on staying healthy, I should see only improvements in all the numbers, which is a satisfying feeling. Thank God!
As to “improvements to the program”… I recall when I was first starting to shop, I wished I had a list of the kinds of things I should be looking for. Most of the information is given in paragraph style and it would be nice to have a “recap” or list of the changes that are to be made for each day at the end of the writing for that day. Eliminating re-digging through the paragraphs for the information, and perhaps missing something important, would be a blessing. On some days it could be a short bulleted summary of the topic points; on other days it would be a list of items (and alternatives) that could be purchased for the day -- and on some days, both. (It also needs to be proofread – there are a few errors and a couple of places where sentences do not get completed – but not many.)
I even thought it would be nice to have a “shopping list” with encouraging sayings on the top and lines to fill in what I need to purchase – but that is not actually necessary. The sayings would be reminders to eliminate sugar, and to eat food in the state that God gave it to us.
I recall the statement being made that I should “carefully” reintroduce whole grains, but “carefully” was not really explained and I remember wondering and worrying about that. Being a carbohydrate addict, I took that as “what ever I wanted within reason.” But my want and my reason were not, I think, a good way to reintroduce them into my life, again. It was kind of like offering a reasonable drink to an alcoholic. There really is no such thing. I had trouble controlling it. I am glad I was concerned enough to start checking my blood sugar because I discovered that it shot way up (to the 160 range) – very much higher than I was used to having it go. I did actually end up not being able to eat them (per my doctor’s orders) so there may be a few others out there who also cannot eat them. I’m sure a few more guidelines (or even research in relation to diabetes) about the whole grains and fruit would be useful, especially to others who, like me, maybe should not take them in yet. I can only assume that I might be able to eat them someday, but don’t believe that should be today, or anytime real soon, although I do have some on occasion. I am very grateful for the beans -- they have made a nice addition. (See Dr Richard K. Bernstein , for more information, if interested -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_K._Bernstein.)
One thing I really liked about the program was the relaxed approach. It is an easier way to begin taking responsibility for your own health. I did feel a little like a rebel when I was measuring my blood sugar, but still think that it was necessary for me to keep track of where I really was and also where I was headed. So, I don’t really think people should be told not to do that. Perhaps guidance on the reasons for doing it would be good, and guidance on when – but, I think, to totally eliminate it, only invites mistakes and misconceptions.
I also felt a little left behind when it came to the introduction of the exercise phase. I needed more direction. I have found the direction I need from another internet program called “The Fat Burning Furnace” – http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/ -- I do not care for the advertising approach they are using to sell it, but have found the program information to be well presented and accurate. I am only now beginning to incorporate the instructions, so cannot give, “final” results for that program, but, at this point in time, I think it is good and would recommend it to others. The writer seems to know what he is talking about and has helped many others to get and stay fit in only 15 minutes per day, 2 or 3 times per week. So, perhaps a little more advice on where to go for the exercise routine would be good.
The yoga section was a complete wash out for me. I cannot stand on one foot or get down on the floor. I had a bad attitude about it and only gave it half a chance. I did look but did not find one position that I was willing to try. There was nothing for the really unfit and I am a truly obese, very stiff, and truly sedentary unfit individual who has trouble getting up from a chair and yoga at that level was more than I was willing to even attempt – but is probably very good for those who are able to do it.
The guidelines for the aerobic exercise were a little ambiguous too – in one section I was relieved to be told I only need to do it three times a week and later felt bad when the rules now said that I should do it every day as if that were the guidelines from the beginning.
I noticed there is one recipe that has sugar as one of the ingredients… don’t recall which one, but wondered about that.
All in all, I think it is a good program, well presented, and well written. Most of all, it is effective and I am glad the Lord lead me to find it. If there is anything I can do to support others or you, please feel free to ask. I am grateful for your ongoing support, too. It makes me feel real good to know that you are there for me, if I need help or advice, including your comments concerning the results and opinions in this article.
God bless your work.
Sincerely,
Marcia
P.S. This is going to be my blog post for today.
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Dear Dr. Ripich, and Jim Healthy,
I would like to quantify and share the results I have noticed, from having done “The 30 Day Diabetes Cure” on my own, per your request:
Starting statistics: June 21, 2010
BP 168/99
Blood glucose after a handful of nuts, but no breakfast: 115
Weight: 352
A1C: 5.7 (measured in February)
Age: 60 years
Time 11:40 am
Current statistics: July 27, 2010
BP 148/84
Blood glucose after having salad for breakfast: 122
Weight: 344.25
A1C: 5.3 (measured after 15 days on the program)
Age: 60 years
Time 1:51 P.M.
The thing that I am most pleased with from having done “The 30 Day Diabetes Cure” is the reduction in my blood pressure numbers. I have had readings even higher than my starting numbers (up to 175/133, 182/108, 191/115) within the previous 6 months. I still have high BP but it is now considered “moderately high” instead of “extremely high” and eye popping. My upper number dropped 20 points and my lower number dropped 15 points and I am getting similar readings pretty consistently. My personal doctor is also pleased with this result, especially since nearly every additional BP medication that she has prescribed, I have had either an allergic reaction to (asthma with one, itching with another), or the side effects were too much for me to bear (swelling, depression, anxiety). I am still taking the maximum dosage of Losartan and continue with Triamterene, too.
The very first thing that happened after starting the program was that within about three or four days, I started noticing that the skin on my hands was no longer flakey looking and dry to the touch. They suddenly became smooth and soft again, like when I was young. I had not increased my water intake, I had eliminated my sugar intake. The speed with which this happened was very surprising to me and it has not gone away. They are still smooth and soft and I do not use lotion, only soap, water, and waterless hand sanitizer.
Another thing I am very pleased about is that the swelling in my ankles has disappeared, for the most part. I am still taking the diuretic, but I was having a lot of problems with swelling due to another HBP medication, but have noticed that since I have both stopped the other medication and also cleaned up my diet, I am having “normal feel” most of the time where I can see the bones on the top of them. (They are no longer “puffy.” )
The thing I am most disappointed with is that I really did not have a major reduction in weight. I have actually fluctuated down and up in the neighborhood of about 10 pounds. I still hover around the weight I started with. Since at any time that I weigh myself I could weigh anywhere between 342 and 352, I consider that to be my normal weight range. It is unfortunate that my doctor saw me on a heavy day and is not pleased with this. She has put me on an 1800 calorie a day diet after electronically measuring how many calories my body burns at rest which on the day she measured was 2242kcal. I am struggling with keeping me at that calorie intake level. I know that for some people that would be a really major amount of calories but, because of my current weight, I am able to process more than most normal sized people.
The program does not say that it is a “weight loss” program, but does promise this will happen as a side effect. For many people that is true, but not so much for me, as yet. My guess about what is happening there is that, I am still learning how to do the resistance training and have not gotten my body up to speed on that, so I am not burning as many calories as I might be. I believe that when I get that really going, I may see a reduction in weight, or at least a reshaping of my body for the better, and an increase in strength.
The thing I really liked about the program was the step by step, day by day, approach where one day I deducted one or two things from my life, and the next day I would add a different thing. Not all of the additions and subtractions were easy, but they were all necessary. One change I did not make immediately was jumping on the “organic” band wagon. Even though the information in the book was quite compelling that I needed to drop out pesticides and poisons from what I was eating, being out of work at the moment makes it hard to start buying more expensive food. So I did drop out all “processed” foods, and increased my fresh vegetable intake, I continued until after the 30 days to eat regular produce. I have now switched to about eighty percent organic, though, because it just seemed like the right thing to do and how could I expect to see the promised results if I did not take the corresponding action?
The thing that has made the biggest difference in my personal attitude was the journaling (blogging) and now the calorie counting. By doing these two things, I now have a record that I cannot refute with selective memory. The book and the journaling were a real source of encouragement for me. Dr Ripich’s way of teaching and Jim Healthy’s way of writing combined with the day by day approach made a powerful support system for me to stay on track. The blogging made me aware that I had made a commitment and was sharing with the world that I had done so. I had to be responsible if I wanted to succeed. Writing, for me, has a positive influence on my point of view, so as I wrote, even about my failures, I was able to take the more positive and healthy approach and had breakthroughs that I was not expecting. The most major one was finally ending the promise that I had made when I was in a high chair to “eat everything in sight, to keep mommy from being mad at me” which I was able to replace with “Let it go uneaten and return to the Earth.”
As to measuring my blood sugar, for a few days, especially during the whole grain incident, I measured every few hours, but for the most part I did it only enough to find out that beans do not raise it, but whole grains and fruit, do. If I know I am eating right, there is no need to obsess about it. I believe it should be checked from time to time, though, to make sure I am still on track. So I decided to revert to the phase one eating style with occasional visits with whole grains or fruit, but I cannot do them every day or my blood sugar starts to sky rocket.
When I begin to feel frustrated about the lack of weight loss, I have to remind myself that my A1C went down .4 so I am actually reversing my diabetes. There are not so many sugar molecules stuck to my red blood cells as there once was, and if I continue eating in what I call “phase one plus” (meaning no sugar, no processed foods, plenty of veggies, beans, and protein, with limited amounts of whole grains and fruit – no more than one per day) I shall continue to see success with the A1C numbers.
I think I was expecting more to happen in 30 days time based on the promises from the book, but if I look at the results realistically, I have made good progress. I am headed in the right direction. Diabetes no longer threatens to get worse in my life. I started off a pre-diabetic and I am still one, but the degree of nearness to Type 2 diabetes has been reduced. I think that is amazing and it feels like a relief that I no longer have to worry that I might someday become a full blown type 2 diabetic (Lord willing). I know that if I stay on the program, eat right, get the exercise down pat, and continue to focus on staying healthy, I should see only improvements in all the numbers, which is a satisfying feeling. Thank God!
As to “improvements to the program”… I recall when I was first starting to shop, I wished I had a list of the kinds of things I should be looking for. Most of the information is given in paragraph style and it would be nice to have a “recap” or list of the changes that are to be made for each day at the end of the writing for that day. Eliminating re-digging through the paragraphs for the information, and perhaps missing something important, would be a blessing. On some days it could be a short bulleted summary of the topic points; on other days it would be a list of items (and alternatives) that could be purchased for the day -- and on some days, both. (It also needs to be proofread – there are a few errors and a couple of places where sentences do not get completed – but not many.)
I even thought it would be nice to have a “shopping list” with encouraging sayings on the top and lines to fill in what I need to purchase – but that is not actually necessary. The sayings would be reminders to eliminate sugar, and to eat food in the state that God gave it to us.
I recall the statement being made that I should “carefully” reintroduce whole grains, but “carefully” was not really explained and I remember wondering and worrying about that. Being a carbohydrate addict, I took that as “what ever I wanted within reason.” But my want and my reason were not, I think, a good way to reintroduce them into my life, again. It was kind of like offering a reasonable drink to an alcoholic. There really is no such thing. I had trouble controlling it. I am glad I was concerned enough to start checking my blood sugar because I discovered that it shot way up (to the 160 range) – very much higher than I was used to having it go. I did actually end up not being able to eat them (per my doctor’s orders) so there may be a few others out there who also cannot eat them. I’m sure a few more guidelines (or even research in relation to diabetes) about the whole grains and fruit would be useful, especially to others who, like me, maybe should not take them in yet. I can only assume that I might be able to eat them someday, but don’t believe that should be today, or anytime real soon, although I do have some on occasion. I am very grateful for the beans -- they have made a nice addition. (See Dr Richard K. Bernstein , for more information, if interested -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_K._Bernstein.)
One thing I really liked about the program was the relaxed approach. It is an easier way to begin taking responsibility for your own health. I did feel a little like a rebel when I was measuring my blood sugar, but still think that it was necessary for me to keep track of where I really was and also where I was headed. So, I don’t really think people should be told not to do that. Perhaps guidance on the reasons for doing it would be good, and guidance on when – but, I think, to totally eliminate it, only invites mistakes and misconceptions.
I also felt a little left behind when it came to the introduction of the exercise phase. I needed more direction. I have found the direction I need from another internet program called “The Fat Burning Furnace” – http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/ -- I do not care for the advertising approach they are using to sell it, but have found the program information to be well presented and accurate. I am only now beginning to incorporate the instructions, so cannot give, “final” results for that program, but, at this point in time, I think it is good and would recommend it to others. The writer seems to know what he is talking about and has helped many others to get and stay fit in only 15 minutes per day, 2 or 3 times per week. So, perhaps a little more advice on where to go for the exercise routine would be good.
The yoga section was a complete wash out for me. I cannot stand on one foot or get down on the floor. I had a bad attitude about it and only gave it half a chance. I did look but did not find one position that I was willing to try. There was nothing for the really unfit and I am a truly obese, very stiff, and truly sedentary unfit individual who has trouble getting up from a chair and yoga at that level was more than I was willing to even attempt – but is probably very good for those who are able to do it.
The guidelines for the aerobic exercise were a little ambiguous too – in one section I was relieved to be told I only need to do it three times a week and later felt bad when the rules now said that I should do it every day as if that were the guidelines from the beginning.
I noticed there is one recipe that has sugar as one of the ingredients… don’t recall which one, but wondered about that.
All in all, I think it is a good program, well presented, and well written. Most of all, it is effective and I am glad the Lord lead me to find it. If there is anything I can do to support others or you, please feel free to ask. I am grateful for your ongoing support, too. It makes me feel real good to know that you are there for me, if I need help or advice, including your comments concerning the results and opinions in this article.
God bless your work.
Sincerely,
Marcia
P.S. This is going to be my blog post for today.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Day 36 -- inspiration
Hi,
I can really feel the difference that the prayers of my Christian friends are making. My mind is opening up to the fact that I really do need to continue clinging to the Lord and to gather inspiration from His word, every day -- for my self -- to continue to be inspired. It says in the bible:
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
My mind had interpreted this concept as reading the Bible in the morning and in the night. The Holy Spirit has been reminding me of this for a couple of weeks now -- ever since I heard one of the preachers at church talking about that. It just seemed to glue itself to my consciousness and He has been reminding me each day. Allowing the word of the Lord to infiltrate my very cells and my personal being with delight on a daily basis is a true pleasure.
I can also see that thinking, or meditating, on His word can and should happen through out the day and the night. I am beginning to really see that if I take this to heart, and meditate on (keep His word fresh in my mind and in my self) then I am better equipped and much more willing to "Observe to do according to all that is written therein." It makes me more able to make the changes I want to make. And what a wonderful promise: "for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." WOW!!
God is so good!! He is showing me the way to follow Him. And in doing so I am also learning how to follow the principles that I have been learning for my body. Which brings to mind:
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
This is, of course, saying that "godliness" is the most profitable thing. because it touches all things in our lives, and carries the promise of life today and in heaven to come. What a wonderful promise. What a principle to live by. And it also says that "bodily exercise profiteth little" -- meaning not as much as "godlliness" -- but it does profit, also. I am taking that as confirmation that to exercise my new found principles over my eating and also my exercise habits will profit me too. And since godliness affects all things in our lives, it will affect that too. All things means all things.
I can really see how the step by daily step approach of "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" and the journaling that I have done in this blog has really kept me focused in the right direction and doing the right things, including picking myself up and dusting me off and starting again, when I have fallen. That is not what happened in the past. I see the daily reading now working in the same way in me with the exercise book.
In the past, I actually did notice that while I was reading the information in a book or taking a class, I would be inspired but as soon as the book or class "ended" and I was again left to my own habitual thinking, I would, at some point, just walk away from the good things I had learned and go back to my old ways. So, if I am going to continue to keep me on the right path, I must meditate, (think about, consider, recall, and remind me) daily -- that I need to cultivate the daily habit of seeking the Lord first (without Him, I can do nothing), reading His word morning and evening -- and also the words about curing diabetes and exercising to be inspired to continue doing the right things every day -- to stay on track with my own life. That is what really keeps me going. Daily Inspiration. Daily guidance. Seeking the Lord daily. This is what "abiding" means.
John 8:31-32 ¶ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
That is precisely what is taught by Jesus -- that abiding in His word makes us disciples. After you are a disciple (a learner and follower of Jesus) then you know the truth. You cannot "know" the truth without living the truth. You can see it in your own life, and it is no longer "theory." And then you are made free -- because you can see the truth coming to fruition in your own life.
Praise the Lord!! Now I see why Dr Ripich speaks so much about gathering with friends doing like minded things to keep your self inspired and delighted, too. That seems to be an integral part of the pie, too. (Ahhh. Food metaphors!!) My church family is very important to me. Their support and love and prayers for me mean a great deal to me. And so do mine for them. Intercessory prayer really does make a difference.
Through reading through and editing and checking the blog, this has also come to mind: gluttony is a sin.
Deuteronomy 21:20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Both gluttony (over eating to the point of over indulgence and beyond) and drunkenness are the habits of the stubborn and rebellious, making them come to poverty and rags. That would be the opposite of success!!
It is important to govern the physical things of our lives, too. And now this scripture has come to mind:
Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
This is what God said to Cain when he wanted to know why God did not accept his offering. Cain was rebellious and stubborn. If we are rebellious against God and stubborn to do things our own way, we are following in the footsteps of the first murderer. Sin lieth at our doors. Sin desires us. The only way out is for us to rule over sin. To rule over gluttony and drunkenness. And the daily clinging to the Lord, and meditating on His word is the way out.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Praise the Lord!! Thank you Jesus! I now see the way of escape -- cling to the Lord, be inspired by thinking about and reading His word every day. Thank you Lord!
I am truly inspired today!! May you also be inspired by the Lord's goodness towards you!!
Be back soon
--Marcia
I can really feel the difference that the prayers of my Christian friends are making. My mind is opening up to the fact that I really do need to continue clinging to the Lord and to gather inspiration from His word, every day -- for my self -- to continue to be inspired. It says in the bible:
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
My mind had interpreted this concept as reading the Bible in the morning and in the night. The Holy Spirit has been reminding me of this for a couple of weeks now -- ever since I heard one of the preachers at church talking about that. It just seemed to glue itself to my consciousness and He has been reminding me each day. Allowing the word of the Lord to infiltrate my very cells and my personal being with delight on a daily basis is a true pleasure.
I can also see that thinking, or meditating, on His word can and should happen through out the day and the night. I am beginning to really see that if I take this to heart, and meditate on (keep His word fresh in my mind and in my self) then I am better equipped and much more willing to "Observe to do according to all that is written therein." It makes me more able to make the changes I want to make. And what a wonderful promise: "for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." WOW!!
God is so good!! He is showing me the way to follow Him. And in doing so I am also learning how to follow the principles that I have been learning for my body. Which brings to mind:
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
This is, of course, saying that "godliness" is the most profitable thing. because it touches all things in our lives, and carries the promise of life today and in heaven to come. What a wonderful promise. What a principle to live by. And it also says that "bodily exercise profiteth little" -- meaning not as much as "godlliness" -- but it does profit, also. I am taking that as confirmation that to exercise my new found principles over my eating and also my exercise habits will profit me too. And since godliness affects all things in our lives, it will affect that too. All things means all things.
I can really see how the step by daily step approach of "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" and the journaling that I have done in this blog has really kept me focused in the right direction and doing the right things, including picking myself up and dusting me off and starting again, when I have fallen. That is not what happened in the past. I see the daily reading now working in the same way in me with the exercise book.
In the past, I actually did notice that while I was reading the information in a book or taking a class, I would be inspired but as soon as the book or class "ended" and I was again left to my own habitual thinking, I would, at some point, just walk away from the good things I had learned and go back to my old ways. So, if I am going to continue to keep me on the right path, I must meditate, (think about, consider, recall, and remind me) daily -- that I need to cultivate the daily habit of seeking the Lord first (without Him, I can do nothing), reading His word morning and evening -- and also the words about curing diabetes and exercising to be inspired to continue doing the right things every day -- to stay on track with my own life. That is what really keeps me going. Daily Inspiration. Daily guidance. Seeking the Lord daily. This is what "abiding" means.
John 8:31-32 ¶ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
That is precisely what is taught by Jesus -- that abiding in His word makes us disciples. After you are a disciple (a learner and follower of Jesus) then you know the truth. You cannot "know" the truth without living the truth. You can see it in your own life, and it is no longer "theory." And then you are made free -- because you can see the truth coming to fruition in your own life.
Praise the Lord!! Now I see why Dr Ripich speaks so much about gathering with friends doing like minded things to keep your self inspired and delighted, too. That seems to be an integral part of the pie, too. (Ahhh. Food metaphors!!) My church family is very important to me. Their support and love and prayers for me mean a great deal to me. And so do mine for them. Intercessory prayer really does make a difference.
Through reading through and editing and checking the blog, this has also come to mind: gluttony is a sin.
Deuteronomy 21:20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Both gluttony (over eating to the point of over indulgence and beyond) and drunkenness are the habits of the stubborn and rebellious, making them come to poverty and rags. That would be the opposite of success!!
It is important to govern the physical things of our lives, too. And now this scripture has come to mind:
Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
This is what God said to Cain when he wanted to know why God did not accept his offering. Cain was rebellious and stubborn. If we are rebellious against God and stubborn to do things our own way, we are following in the footsteps of the first murderer. Sin lieth at our doors. Sin desires us. The only way out is for us to rule over sin. To rule over gluttony and drunkenness. And the daily clinging to the Lord, and meditating on His word is the way out.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Praise the Lord!! Thank you Jesus! I now see the way of escape -- cling to the Lord, be inspired by thinking about and reading His word every day. Thank you Lord!
I am truly inspired today!! May you also be inspired by the Lord's goodness towards you!!
Be back soon
--Marcia
"In my estimation, a bag with wheels is meant
for a hotel room, but a luggage cart is meant
for the whole world."
Check out the luggage carts at:
http://www.bestluggagecarts.com/folding_utility_carts.html
Once you are there, click on: LUGGAGE CARTS on the left to browse the whole catalog
Day 35
Hi,
It is Sunday evening. I have been pretty good with the diet, all day, and was excited as I drove home from church that I still had about 600 calories to eat today and I was looking forward to finding a recipe and making some split pea soup. When I walked in the door, I noticed I was famished and needed something to eat right this minute -- if I waited, I knew I would eat everything in the refrigerator. So I snacked on a slice of cheese spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter. And then decided that I needed to simply eat something that was good for me now, and make the pea soup tomorrow.
I pulled out a can of black beans, a can of tuna, and some picante sauce. I mixed them all together and ate it. Surprisingly it was rather good. Then I wanted some carb so I made a 1/4C batch of popcorn, which makes a level 2 quarts and ate the whole thing with some butter and salt and drank a bottle of water. After that I drank another bottle of water, watched a movie, and sat down at the computer to unwind before going to bed.
I exercised yesterday with the stretchy cords but I used the new form that I learned in the book rather than simply pulling the cords and counting. This time I stepped back a little to put more resistance on the cords, and watched carefully as I slowly pulled, flexed, and relaxed with control. I could feel the workout making my muscles work and liked the feeling, since I knew I was not going to harm myself by doing that. I knew that what I was doing was building muscles. Today was the off day. With weight training you have to rest in between to let the muscles repair themselves.
I still have a little over half of the weight training book to read and am interested in the food section, too. I have the idea that it will be similar to what Dr. Ripich recommends in "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure." My friend AR gave me his copy of the book "The Belly Fat Cure" which he has been doing for about a month and a half and he has lost 10 pounds. He is the one who has made the comments that the blog has received and I am grateful for his support. He and his wife are good people and I like them a lot. I noticed that this book is set up nicely with lots of pictures and "belly bad" and "belly good" recipes. I noticed there were a lot of pancake recipes and since I don't eat pancakes more than once a year, if that often, I did not see myself actually making the recipes -- at least not yet. I think that once I get to a point where I can eat them, I will incorporate them, and will be glad for the healthier recipes, but need to continue with what I shall call "Phase One Plus" -- meaning I am following phase one, plus from time to time I eat a whole grain (popcorn) or fruit (blue berries) with plain low fat yogurt -- no more than once per day -- and not every day.
I feel as though I am still testing and juggling things and have not got the basic routine down yet. This is because of the calorie counting and the new weight training. I asked the church to pray for me to be delivered from obesity and several people specifically said they would pray for me. I am grateful. One thing I noticed on Saturday is that I need to ask the Lord to help me, more than I had in the past. I think I was trying to do it on my own, but I have never conquered this on my own before and finally realize that I need God's help. So I am beginning to cling to Him. I believe He wants me to conquer this and that He will deliver me from obesity. I shall continue working toward that goal and asking for His help to keep my commitments.
I am still struggling with the calorie counting but I am in a better emotional state now that I realize that the Lord is helping me. Now if I can just plan a little better for the end of the day. I think I had too big of a breakfast today. I had three eggs and two is plenty. I steamed some cauliflower and had some left over. If I make the breakfast a bit smaller, I'll be able to have more calories left for later in the day.
Well -- it's late -- be back soon
--Marcia
SAVE TIME! SAVE ENERGY! SAVE YOUR BACK!
Need an efficient way to move heavy objects around the house -- or even out of the house?
Try one of the luggage carts at:
http://www.bestluggagecarts.com/folding_utility_carts.html
EXPERIENCE the DIFFERENCE for yourself!
It is Sunday evening. I have been pretty good with the diet, all day, and was excited as I drove home from church that I still had about 600 calories to eat today and I was looking forward to finding a recipe and making some split pea soup. When I walked in the door, I noticed I was famished and needed something to eat right this minute -- if I waited, I knew I would eat everything in the refrigerator. So I snacked on a slice of cheese spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter. And then decided that I needed to simply eat something that was good for me now, and make the pea soup tomorrow.
I pulled out a can of black beans, a can of tuna, and some picante sauce. I mixed them all together and ate it. Surprisingly it was rather good. Then I wanted some carb so I made a 1/4C batch of popcorn, which makes a level 2 quarts and ate the whole thing with some butter and salt and drank a bottle of water. After that I drank another bottle of water, watched a movie, and sat down at the computer to unwind before going to bed.
I exercised yesterday with the stretchy cords but I used the new form that I learned in the book rather than simply pulling the cords and counting. This time I stepped back a little to put more resistance on the cords, and watched carefully as I slowly pulled, flexed, and relaxed with control. I could feel the workout making my muscles work and liked the feeling, since I knew I was not going to harm myself by doing that. I knew that what I was doing was building muscles. Today was the off day. With weight training you have to rest in between to let the muscles repair themselves.
I still have a little over half of the weight training book to read and am interested in the food section, too. I have the idea that it will be similar to what Dr. Ripich recommends in "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure." My friend AR gave me his copy of the book "The Belly Fat Cure" which he has been doing for about a month and a half and he has lost 10 pounds. He is the one who has made the comments that the blog has received and I am grateful for his support. He and his wife are good people and I like them a lot. I noticed that this book is set up nicely with lots of pictures and "belly bad" and "belly good" recipes. I noticed there were a lot of pancake recipes and since I don't eat pancakes more than once a year, if that often, I did not see myself actually making the recipes -- at least not yet. I think that once I get to a point where I can eat them, I will incorporate them, and will be glad for the healthier recipes, but need to continue with what I shall call "Phase One Plus" -- meaning I am following phase one, plus from time to time I eat a whole grain (popcorn) or fruit (blue berries) with plain low fat yogurt -- no more than once per day -- and not every day.
I feel as though I am still testing and juggling things and have not got the basic routine down yet. This is because of the calorie counting and the new weight training. I asked the church to pray for me to be delivered from obesity and several people specifically said they would pray for me. I am grateful. One thing I noticed on Saturday is that I need to ask the Lord to help me, more than I had in the past. I think I was trying to do it on my own, but I have never conquered this on my own before and finally realize that I need God's help. So I am beginning to cling to Him. I believe He wants me to conquer this and that He will deliver me from obesity. I shall continue working toward that goal and asking for His help to keep my commitments.
I am still struggling with the calorie counting but I am in a better emotional state now that I realize that the Lord is helping me. Now if I can just plan a little better for the end of the day. I think I had too big of a breakfast today. I had three eggs and two is plenty. I steamed some cauliflower and had some left over. If I make the breakfast a bit smaller, I'll be able to have more calories left for later in the day.
Well -- it's late -- be back soon
--Marcia
SAVE TIME! SAVE ENERGY! SAVE YOUR BACK!
Need an efficient way to move heavy objects around the house -- or even out of the house?
Try one of the luggage carts at:
http://www.bestluggagecarts.com/folding_utility_carts.html
EXPERIENCE the DIFFERENCE for yourself!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Day 34
Hello,
I have been thinking about and considering what I did last night. I was like a drunk who had fallen off the wagon and found their way into a saloon at happy hour. In the past that would have been the end of the diet, and I would have just given up, beat up on me for a long time and felt inferior and inadequate for the rest of my life. But I am not going to do that, think that way, or let my fall on this one occasion hold me back from moving on and improving my life. I asked the ladies to pray for me that I might be delivered from obesity.
I thought about how many calories I must have eaten and thought about the journal or record of the calories that I am using to get a clearer picture of my eating habits and figured I should not just blow this off, so I sat down with my pen and paper and calorie counting book and tried to remember all that I ate and write down how many calories I actually consumed. Working off of memory and making estimates for things that I could not find in the book, I estimated that I must have eaten about 970 calories over the 1800 I am supposed to eat. That was half again more than I should have consumed in one day if I desire to lose weight. In some ways, I was glad that it was not worse. And it was kind of a relief to see that if I had imagined my calorie intake I would have guessed it was much higher than what it really was. Granted it was not good, but at least now I have a more accurate picture, and there is something to be said for that, at least. And now I can let go of it and move on.
Today I am continuing to read about how to do the strength training and have gotten down the book for my weight machine which has been sitting in the spare bedroom gathering dust. I kind of diddled with it when I first got it, but did not have any clear direction and soon just let it sit. I have direction now from the book called "The Fat Burning Furnace" written by Rob Poulos (http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/). I waded through the video presentation and decided that it was, at the very least, a way to get a program going. I have found the book to be much better than the advertising presentation would have me believe. After reading Rob's history and the information he provides, I now have a concept for weight training that I had not been introduced to before and that I think will work for me. So the next phase is getting used to practicing the form and using the equipment I already have and I think that soon, I will be on my way. The main thing I like about his method is that you work very hard for 15 minutes, two or three days per week, and rest and recuperate in between. He also says you don't need to do aerobics to lose weight and is very convincing that it is not necessary. I think I may still do my 15 minutes, simply because I am beginning to like it and have been a little proud of getting myself up to that point. I don't think it will hurt anything.
Anyway... that is where I am today. Tomorrow is Sunday so I am looking forward to going to church in my new dress.
Be back soon,
--Marcia
I have been thinking about and considering what I did last night. I was like a drunk who had fallen off the wagon and found their way into a saloon at happy hour. In the past that would have been the end of the diet, and I would have just given up, beat up on me for a long time and felt inferior and inadequate for the rest of my life. But I am not going to do that, think that way, or let my fall on this one occasion hold me back from moving on and improving my life. I asked the ladies to pray for me that I might be delivered from obesity.
I thought about how many calories I must have eaten and thought about the journal or record of the calories that I am using to get a clearer picture of my eating habits and figured I should not just blow this off, so I sat down with my pen and paper and calorie counting book and tried to remember all that I ate and write down how many calories I actually consumed. Working off of memory and making estimates for things that I could not find in the book, I estimated that I must have eaten about 970 calories over the 1800 I am supposed to eat. That was half again more than I should have consumed in one day if I desire to lose weight. In some ways, I was glad that it was not worse. And it was kind of a relief to see that if I had imagined my calorie intake I would have guessed it was much higher than what it really was. Granted it was not good, but at least now I have a more accurate picture, and there is something to be said for that, at least. And now I can let go of it and move on.
Today I am continuing to read about how to do the strength training and have gotten down the book for my weight machine which has been sitting in the spare bedroom gathering dust. I kind of diddled with it when I first got it, but did not have any clear direction and soon just let it sit. I have direction now from the book called "The Fat Burning Furnace" written by Rob Poulos (http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/). I waded through the video presentation and decided that it was, at the very least, a way to get a program going. I have found the book to be much better than the advertising presentation would have me believe. After reading Rob's history and the information he provides, I now have a concept for weight training that I had not been introduced to before and that I think will work for me. So the next phase is getting used to practicing the form and using the equipment I already have and I think that soon, I will be on my way. The main thing I like about his method is that you work very hard for 15 minutes, two or three days per week, and rest and recuperate in between. He also says you don't need to do aerobics to lose weight and is very convincing that it is not necessary. I think I may still do my 15 minutes, simply because I am beginning to like it and have been a little proud of getting myself up to that point. I don't think it will hurt anything.
Anyway... that is where I am today. Tomorrow is Sunday so I am looking forward to going to church in my new dress.
Be back soon,
--Marcia
Friday, July 23, 2010
Day 33
I have done that before when I was counting calories. I am good and faithful until I hit this wall (or spot, or I don't know what to call it -- maybe "point") at which I suddenly break out in an eating binge. It is like I have thrown the chains off and am finally able to do what I want -- she said selfishly.
I know I cannot let that throw me off track tomorrow. I asked the ladies to pray for me to be delivered from obesity -- if they saw what I was doing they did not say a thing about it.
I started reading the exercise book but had to put it down to go to the fellowship, so am picking it up again tonight or in the morning.
I am grateful for repentance and the goodness of God that leads me to it.
Picking myself up and Moving On, one step at a time.
God bless
--Marcia
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Day 32
Hi,
Well this is the latest I have started working on the blog, yet. I have been resisting because I am again feeling the "I hate dieting" mentality kind of weaseling its way around inside me. I am glad I read yesterday's post which began to put it into perspective again. I need to get it into perspective every single day. My calorie count at 9:34 p.m. is a little over 1700 so if I eat anything more before I go to bed at 1 or 2 in the morning, I will need to keep it to veggies. Which is not too bad. I kind of went a little overboard on a fresh pot of chili with beans that I made. It tasted so good, I had my lunch, and then had some for a snack and had some more for dinner. I guess that is not really bad, now that I said that. I somehow had it in my head that I was doing something wrong by eating in response to my hunger. THAT is why I hate dieting!! It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong when I put anything in my mouth because I am hungry. Arrrgh!!
Makes me wonder. I remember dieting when I was a teenager, especially. And I hated dieting then, too. Flashes of that time period went through my head as I recalled feeling that same way then. I often felt like there was something wrong with me because I was fat, and "everybody else" was slender -- my brothers, my sister, most of the kids at school that were in the cliques I did not belong to. My dad was overweight, but I even surpassed him after a while. And my two best friends were over weight, although not as big as I was. I used to try to make jokes about me being fat, before others did, I was very entertaining. Some of the high school boys, the ones I did not know, would make fat comments every time I passed them, or they would reach out and pinch me, as I walked by. I became steely and hard from it, and would face them down one by one without a word. It did not take much. I would simply stop, turn and look them in the eye. They would usually slink off without saying anything. Sometimes I simply ignored them and continued on my way. But inside I was soft and hurting. Hmmm. I learned to bring out the hard shell whenever I needed to protect myself -- but was really feeling isolated and alone and depressed.
Had not recalled that for a long time. I know what healed all that for me: Jesus. Hearing Him say that I am loved and I am worthwhile. Finding Jesus really healed the hole in my heart and I am grateful to Him for that. Funny how counting calories was bringing all that bad stuff back into my feeling memory again. But I don't have to worry about that. I am forgiven in Christ. I am loved in Christ. I am worthwhile in Christ. He has made a place for me! Praise the Lord!! And doing what I am doing today -- counting calories -- is only a technique to be able to evaluate what I am doing, and keep me on track. I may have to remind myself every day, but I shall do it, because it is so much more freeing to realize the good purpose. And to recall that there is nothing wrong with me as a human being. Fat is simply one of the states of being for us humans. We come in all shapes and sizes and states, and God made us all from one blood to worship Him!! Praise the Lord.
I had not recognized any of that until I blogged. Grateful for the blog.
I found a way to get me moving in the right direction with the weight training, too. At least I hope so. I found a website and purchased and downloaded the book they were selling called "Fat Burning Furnace, How to Get Lean, Strong & Healthy For Life With... The 15 Minute Miracle!" They say they cover exercise and nutrition and I was sold on it, because it is part of my next step. If I can exercise and build up muscle and really begin to lose weight in only 15 minutes of weight training per session, and I am using proper form, and doing what my body needs, I may get to a point where I won't need to count the calories anymore. I don't know. I will do as I did with "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" which is to try it out, blog to keep me motivated and see where I end up.
Looking back at where I ended up with "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" -- I think I did alright. I am not eating sugar and sweets. I am eating lots more salads and raw veggies, and have now bought 85% organic, too. I am eating cage free eggs (although I was already doing that). I eat cheese and tuna and salmon, and have some organic yogurt which I am trying out as salad dressing. I'll be making some split pea soup if I can find a recipe that does not have ham in it and also tastes good. I'll be eating chicken, too. I'm just eating small portions of meats (animal protein) and had not really even noticed I was doing that.
I am drinking 1.5 to 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily. I am eating beans for bulk and to fill me up. I am counting calories! My blood pressure is on its way to normal. And my A1C came down from 5.7 to 5.3. I think it will probably be lower than that when I check it the next time, because that was only 15 days after I made the changes. I am not eating the whole grains and fruit, but may incorporate them at the appropriate time. I will also have some from time to time before that, but do not intend to eat them every day -- unless I get feedback from Dr Ripich telling me different and why. I sent him an e-mail letting him know about the blog and asked him for feedback on that problem if he has any. I have not heard from him, yet.
I think my body needs the whole grains and fruit a little, but not every day, not just yet. I am not sure I stabilized my blood sugars, but did have a reading or two that was lower than I had ever had before. So that was something. All in all. I think I am headed in the right direction. Can't wait to see what happens with the weight training.
God bless!! Grateful to be in Christ! Thank you, Jesus, for all that You have done for me!!
Leave a note in the comment box if you need encouragement -- or have some to give. Doing this with a friend is always a bit easier. (Thanks AR!)
--Marcia
Well this is the latest I have started working on the blog, yet. I have been resisting because I am again feeling the "I hate dieting" mentality kind of weaseling its way around inside me. I am glad I read yesterday's post which began to put it into perspective again. I need to get it into perspective every single day. My calorie count at 9:34 p.m. is a little over 1700 so if I eat anything more before I go to bed at 1 or 2 in the morning, I will need to keep it to veggies. Which is not too bad. I kind of went a little overboard on a fresh pot of chili with beans that I made. It tasted so good, I had my lunch, and then had some for a snack and had some more for dinner. I guess that is not really bad, now that I said that. I somehow had it in my head that I was doing something wrong by eating in response to my hunger. THAT is why I hate dieting!! It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong when I put anything in my mouth because I am hungry. Arrrgh!!
Makes me wonder. I remember dieting when I was a teenager, especially. And I hated dieting then, too. Flashes of that time period went through my head as I recalled feeling that same way then. I often felt like there was something wrong with me because I was fat, and "everybody else" was slender -- my brothers, my sister, most of the kids at school that were in the cliques I did not belong to. My dad was overweight, but I even surpassed him after a while. And my two best friends were over weight, although not as big as I was. I used to try to make jokes about me being fat, before others did, I was very entertaining. Some of the high school boys, the ones I did not know, would make fat comments every time I passed them, or they would reach out and pinch me, as I walked by. I became steely and hard from it, and would face them down one by one without a word. It did not take much. I would simply stop, turn and look them in the eye. They would usually slink off without saying anything. Sometimes I simply ignored them and continued on my way. But inside I was soft and hurting. Hmmm. I learned to bring out the hard shell whenever I needed to protect myself -- but was really feeling isolated and alone and depressed.
Had not recalled that for a long time. I know what healed all that for me: Jesus. Hearing Him say that I am loved and I am worthwhile. Finding Jesus really healed the hole in my heart and I am grateful to Him for that. Funny how counting calories was bringing all that bad stuff back into my feeling memory again. But I don't have to worry about that. I am forgiven in Christ. I am loved in Christ. I am worthwhile in Christ. He has made a place for me! Praise the Lord!! And doing what I am doing today -- counting calories -- is only a technique to be able to evaluate what I am doing, and keep me on track. I may have to remind myself every day, but I shall do it, because it is so much more freeing to realize the good purpose. And to recall that there is nothing wrong with me as a human being. Fat is simply one of the states of being for us humans. We come in all shapes and sizes and states, and God made us all from one blood to worship Him!! Praise the Lord.
I had not recognized any of that until I blogged. Grateful for the blog.
I found a way to get me moving in the right direction with the weight training, too. At least I hope so. I found a website and purchased and downloaded the book they were selling called "Fat Burning Furnace, How to Get Lean, Strong & Healthy For Life With... The 15 Minute Miracle!" They say they cover exercise and nutrition and I was sold on it, because it is part of my next step. If I can exercise and build up muscle and really begin to lose weight in only 15 minutes of weight training per session, and I am using proper form, and doing what my body needs, I may get to a point where I won't need to count the calories anymore. I don't know. I will do as I did with "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" which is to try it out, blog to keep me motivated and see where I end up.
Looking back at where I ended up with "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" -- I think I did alright. I am not eating sugar and sweets. I am eating lots more salads and raw veggies, and have now bought 85% organic, too. I am eating cage free eggs (although I was already doing that). I eat cheese and tuna and salmon, and have some organic yogurt which I am trying out as salad dressing. I'll be making some split pea soup if I can find a recipe that does not have ham in it and also tastes good. I'll be eating chicken, too. I'm just eating small portions of meats (animal protein) and had not really even noticed I was doing that.
I am drinking 1.5 to 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily. I am eating beans for bulk and to fill me up. I am counting calories! My blood pressure is on its way to normal. And my A1C came down from 5.7 to 5.3. I think it will probably be lower than that when I check it the next time, because that was only 15 days after I made the changes. I am not eating the whole grains and fruit, but may incorporate them at the appropriate time. I will also have some from time to time before that, but do not intend to eat them every day -- unless I get feedback from Dr Ripich telling me different and why. I sent him an e-mail letting him know about the blog and asked him for feedback on that problem if he has any. I have not heard from him, yet.
I think my body needs the whole grains and fruit a little, but not every day, not just yet. I am not sure I stabilized my blood sugars, but did have a reading or two that was lower than I had ever had before. So that was something. All in all. I think I am headed in the right direction. Can't wait to see what happens with the weight training.
God bless!! Grateful to be in Christ! Thank you, Jesus, for all that You have done for me!!
Leave a note in the comment box if you need encouragement -- or have some to give. Doing this with a friend is always a bit easier. (Thanks AR!)
--Marcia
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Day 31 -- starting to count calories
Hi,
Today is the day. As I stated yesterday, my doctor wants me to start a food journal in which I count calories and the goal for me is 1800 calories per day.
I have got to say that I woke up this morning feeling trapped and depressed. Counting calories is about the last thing I want to do. But if I don't do this where will I end up? I think it would be in the same place I am now. I felt like I was taking a step backwards, but that is not really the case, that is simply how I felt. As I reluctantly got out the pad of paper and wrote down that I ate some peanuts, I realized all I had to do was look on the can and see the serving size and the numbers for the calories. 1/4 C equals 160 calories. OK. 1 slice of cheese is 70 calories. OK. But then there is the idea that I am now restricted by the container again, and I was just beginning to feel that I was free of that. If I wrote down 1/4 C I have to eat 1/4 C.
What if I don't really want 1/4C of peanuts? What if I want something less than that? OK, I can divide and estimate. Oh, yeah, now I remember, the book says that a medium sized apple is a certain number of calories and how do I know if my apple is medium sized or not? Well, I suppose I could measure it. So now I not only need a measuring cup but a tape measure. What if my apple is a different variety and I am eating more calories than I think I am? Eye-yi-yi -- get over it, Marcia, it is an estimate, not a science. And I am not trapped. I am still the one picking out what to eat. I am simply writing it down so I can keep track of what I am really eating. The purpose is to get a picture of what I am actually doing, so that I can begin to see where I can make adjustments. It is only a technique, not a torture chamber, and I will live through this. I hate dieting.
Usually the diet books that say they are not a diet, use some sort of mental gymnastics to prove that what they are doing is not a diet. Well, I can do that too. Except, I don't want to try to fool myself, I just want to encourage myself. I prefer honesty. So next would be to simply keep the purpose in mind. If you keep your eye on the destination, the journey has a purpose. So the destination for this is to lose weight. But, I know me, if that is my destination, as soon as I lose a couple of pounds, I have lost weight and the game is over. So I need a more specific destination that will keep me not only motivated but inspired to get there.
On the Body Composition Analyzer print out from yesterday I noticed something interesting and perhaps relevant to this topic. It said that the TARGET BF% is 30%. And if I were to reach that goal, I would weigh 215.2 pounds which would be a total of 135 pounds for me to lose. Well I certainly cannot do that in a day. But if I write down my calories and keep them at 1800 per day, I might at least be headed in that direction. And what if I don't think of it as "weight" but as "fat" -- well, I am not sure that concept is particularly motivating for me either. I would not mind weighing 215.2 pounds -- I have not seen that weight in a long long time. Heck I would be happy to get to 315.2 pounds from where I am sitting right now.
What is coming to mind is my cousin Julianna who has lost nearly 60 pounds (I think) on Weight Watchers and she is exercising her self into a whole new body size and wardrobe. But the plateaus, have been tough for her. She is a real list keeper and very goal oriented, which I have always admired about her and she is just keeping on keeping on. Go Julianna!! Great Job!!
What I admire about her is that she just does it. She sets a time, and makes the appointment. She makes a list, and marks it off as she finishes each item. If she says she is staying on WW, then that is precisely what she does. No ifs, ands, or buts. She just does it. That determination is what I need.
So, do I believe that writing down what I eat and keeping track of the calories will help me to reach my goal of weighing 215 pounds? What would be the advantage of weighing 215 pounds? Wow. I might be able to shop in a store for my clothes. It might be much easier for me to stand up from a sitting position. My skin might sag and look like a white baggy suit. It already does. Perhaps the exercise will help to change that picture into something more attractive. I would not mind being a little lighter on my feet, and more agile when I move. That would be a real weight off of me. (Ha). So what shall I look to as the goal? And what is the answer to the first question? The best I can say is that I have been told that writing down the calories in a journal will support me. So, if I am simply obedient, then I will find out if that is true or not. That I can live with. Ok. So the goal is simply to write down the calories every day, and leave the future to itself. That is an action that I can do each day. I do not want to make me crazy with some made up goal weight. My goal shall be, simply to write down the calories and keep them at 1800 every day, if I can. Now, somehow, I do not feel trapped anymore.
Today is the day. As I stated yesterday, my doctor wants me to start a food journal in which I count calories and the goal for me is 1800 calories per day.
I have got to say that I woke up this morning feeling trapped and depressed. Counting calories is about the last thing I want to do. But if I don't do this where will I end up? I think it would be in the same place I am now. I felt like I was taking a step backwards, but that is not really the case, that is simply how I felt. As I reluctantly got out the pad of paper and wrote down that I ate some peanuts, I realized all I had to do was look on the can and see the serving size and the numbers for the calories. 1/4 C equals 160 calories. OK. 1 slice of cheese is 70 calories. OK. But then there is the idea that I am now restricted by the container again, and I was just beginning to feel that I was free of that. If I wrote down 1/4 C I have to eat 1/4 C.
What if I don't really want 1/4C of peanuts? What if I want something less than that? OK, I can divide and estimate. Oh, yeah, now I remember, the book says that a medium sized apple is a certain number of calories and how do I know if my apple is medium sized or not? Well, I suppose I could measure it. So now I not only need a measuring cup but a tape measure. What if my apple is a different variety and I am eating more calories than I think I am? Eye-yi-yi -- get over it, Marcia, it is an estimate, not a science. And I am not trapped. I am still the one picking out what to eat. I am simply writing it down so I can keep track of what I am really eating. The purpose is to get a picture of what I am actually doing, so that I can begin to see where I can make adjustments. It is only a technique, not a torture chamber, and I will live through this. I hate dieting.
Usually the diet books that say they are not a diet, use some sort of mental gymnastics to prove that what they are doing is not a diet. Well, I can do that too. Except, I don't want to try to fool myself, I just want to encourage myself. I prefer honesty. So next would be to simply keep the purpose in mind. If you keep your eye on the destination, the journey has a purpose. So the destination for this is to lose weight. But, I know me, if that is my destination, as soon as I lose a couple of pounds, I have lost weight and the game is over. So I need a more specific destination that will keep me not only motivated but inspired to get there.
On the Body Composition Analyzer print out from yesterday I noticed something interesting and perhaps relevant to this topic. It said that the TARGET BF% is 30%. And if I were to reach that goal, I would weigh 215.2 pounds which would be a total of 135 pounds for me to lose. Well I certainly cannot do that in a day. But if I write down my calories and keep them at 1800 per day, I might at least be headed in that direction. And what if I don't think of it as "weight" but as "fat" -- well, I am not sure that concept is particularly motivating for me either. I would not mind weighing 215.2 pounds -- I have not seen that weight in a long long time. Heck I would be happy to get to 315.2 pounds from where I am sitting right now.
What is coming to mind is my cousin Julianna who has lost nearly 60 pounds (I think) on Weight Watchers and she is exercising her self into a whole new body size and wardrobe. But the plateaus, have been tough for her. She is a real list keeper and very goal oriented, which I have always admired about her and she is just keeping on keeping on. Go Julianna!! Great Job!!
What I admire about her is that she just does it. She sets a time, and makes the appointment. She makes a list, and marks it off as she finishes each item. If she says she is staying on WW, then that is precisely what she does. No ifs, ands, or buts. She just does it. That determination is what I need.
So, do I believe that writing down what I eat and keeping track of the calories will help me to reach my goal of weighing 215 pounds? What would be the advantage of weighing 215 pounds? Wow. I might be able to shop in a store for my clothes. It might be much easier for me to stand up from a sitting position. My skin might sag and look like a white baggy suit. It already does. Perhaps the exercise will help to change that picture into something more attractive. I would not mind being a little lighter on my feet, and more agile when I move. That would be a real weight off of me. (Ha). So what shall I look to as the goal? And what is the answer to the first question? The best I can say is that I have been told that writing down the calories in a journal will support me. So, if I am simply obedient, then I will find out if that is true or not. That I can live with. Ok. So the goal is simply to write down the calories every day, and leave the future to itself. That is an action that I can do each day. I do not want to make me crazy with some made up goal weight. My goal shall be, simply to write down the calories and keep them at 1800 every day, if I can. Now, somehow, I do not feel trapped anymore.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Day 30
Howdy and welcome to the final day of "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure."
I have been sitting here looking at my test results from my doctor. It is a 5-page chart of all the blood tests that were done on 4-21-2010 listed next to the results of the tests taken on 7-7-2010. Among other things I found out that my blood type is A+ and my doctor said that people with this blood type usually do very well on vegetables. I think I am doing pretty well on vegetables, but I also believe I need to have protein to help keep the blood sugar low. I've been looking at the webMD site to see if I can understand what some of the tests mean. They have a section just for lab test results, but it does not really explain the tests, it just says why your doctor may have ordered it and what they might be checking for. This was helpful, but still leaves me on the low end of understanding, and still curious.
My A1C has gone down from 5.7 to 5.3 and my doctor was extremely pleased with this improvement. It had been slowly creeping up, and now it is going back down. This is evidence that my pre-diabetic state is reversing down in the right direction -- just as the book promised. So, if that alone were the single criteria then this program really did reverse my prediabetic state in 30 days -- actually in 15 days because the tests were taken two weeks ago. She was happy with everything, except that I did not really lose any weight and since her scale always weighs me 10 pounds more than mine, she thought I actually gained weight. Now I have to start keeping a food journal and counting my calories every day. So that is the next project.
Also: my doctor was pleased to see that my blood pressure numbers are actually coming down even though I did not take the BP medicine that she gave me to test out, because of major side effects after taking only 2 pills. I was glad that she was able to see the difference that I had been seeing in my home BP tests. The BP reduction can only be attributed to "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" program that changes what you eat, and increases your activity levels through exercise. She said that the bottom number especially was very good and she seemed excited about that. (I'm sorry, I did not write it down, so I don't remember it.) I was pleased with her comments. She also gave me an EKG today and popped her head in the room to say that my heart is in excellent shape and she was very pleased with that. Me too! Yippee!!
Two things that did not get reversed was the amount of inflammation in my blood, and also the amount of insulin in my blood on the day I was tested. My insulin number was at 30 and the normal range is 3-28, so that was still high.Of course, again, that was two weeks ago, so I don't really know what it is today. My doctor wants to see me again in 6 weeks, so I am on my own now, and I want to be able to show good results when I go back, so I will start on the food journal tonight or in the morning. It all seems quite tedious to me, but maybe it won't be, once I actually do it. I won't know until I do it. I'm not going to worry about how I have done with food journals in the past, I shall look to see what I can do to make it work for me right now.
I need to keep track of the calories. My doctor put me on a machine that resembled an electronic scale called a "Body Composition Analyzer." I had to take my shoes and socks off and place them on these two metal foot pads and after it displayed some numbers I had to pick up these two handles and hold them until the attendant told me to replace them, and a little ticker tape came out telling me my BMI on different parts of my body. The thing my doctor wanted to know was what was my resting metabolic rate, or, in other words, how many calories do I burn when I'm doing nothing. The machine said I was burning 2242kcal, so she said that in order for me to lose weight I had to consume about 1800 calories on a low glycemic diet.
That is why I need to start keeping a food journal -- to see how many calories I am consuming, and notice where I can tweak and make adjustments to reduce that number to at or below 1800 where ever possible every day. I am not looking forward to this. But I suppose if I am going to ever lose weight I will have to do something like this. Nothing else has worked. Maybe this will. (I think this was one of the changes that we were supposed to make in the book, too, but I did not do it, neither did I ever make meal plans. I simply bought only food that was healthy and ate it in the fashion that I am used to, which is to go to the fridge and decide what I am about to eat and fix it for the current meal. All that other stuff was just way to tedious for me. I consider this blog to be my journal, so, in that sense, I did do it.)
I am afraid that counting calories will make me too hungry, like I have been in the past... but that is the past. I don't want to get stuck in that kind of thinking and possibly sabotage myself before I even get started. I think fresh raw veggies will still be almost unlimited, so maybe that will help. I must remind myself that it does not matter what happened in the past, that is not the marker for what can be done in the present. In fact, it actually has nothing whatsoever to do with what I can do today. And if I take care of today, the future will take care of itself.
The low glycemic part should be fairly easy since that is what I am already doing. I guess this means I'll have to get out my calorie counting book and maybe find a site online that will help with that and get started. I have a notebook so, that is taken care of.
I noticed when I exercised for 15 minutes this morning, that I am really beginning to like it more and more. My body is responding in a good way, to it. It makes me feel good to get on my Aerofit and start pumping my legs and arms as I listen to my favorite CD playing in the next room. If I get to a point where my back and legs no longer hurt at 15 minutes I will start increasing the number until I can do 30 minutes per day. And, will, of course, be learning and doing the strength training three times per week, too. The increase in muscle mass should help me to burn more calories and lose weight. At least I hope so. I guess I will only find that out after I do it, too.
On to day 30 in the book: Celebrate!! Day 30 is about celebrating that you have actually reversed your diabetes. Since the normal range for A1C is 4.6 to 6.1 and mine measured 5.3 fifteen days ago, (a reduction from 5.7 last measured on 4/28/2010) I think I made it and the program does work. I started out 30 days ago to do the program to see if it worked. I think it did work, but I had to make some adjustments for my own body. As Dr Ripich says today, this is only the beginning. I can see that making the changes has made a difference in my health. I really think the 30-day approach is one of the true pluses of the program. I needed the one-day-at-a-time hand holding that it offers, and maybe others do too.
I am really happy that I went to see my personal doctor today, because she encouraged me. I had been feeling frustrated and depressed because I did not lose weight until she started to point out the areas where I have made actual measurable progress. That was refreshing. I needed the support to see my success and I see that the "Celebrate" chapter in the book has further encouraged me.
When I started the program, I had been in a state of resistance and denial for a very long time. I now know that I can make changes, and see good results from those changes. So maybe the mountain did not move, but a foothill has changed shape. Doing it today is the key for me. No longer putting it off until tomorrow or some other time really moved me along the path. I have to admit, or confess, as the case may be, that I have not switched over to totally organic food. I have switched over to eating many more fresh raw vegetables than I was eating before. I dropped out the chicken nuggets that I had been practically living on, and exchanged them mostly for hard boiled cage free eggs, which I put in nearly every salad I made. I dropped out processed meats, except for canned tuna and I eat processed cheese but I made sure to read the ingredients and did not see anything that I thought was dangerous.
I now read labels more than I did, although maybe not so well as is recommended. I did not follow the program to a "T", so to speak, but I followed it, at the level I did. My goal, now is to go through the book one more time, and reinforce what I have learned and take it to the next level. I am going to start doing the organic veggies and look for grass fed beef. I have only eaten beef once in the last 30 days and it was "organic" but not grass fed. It was all I could find in my grocery store -- it turned out pretty bad, so I still have two frozen organic beef patties in the freezer and maybe I'll add them to a pot of beans sometimes soon.
I am grateful to have discovered that the lowly bean is a good diabetic superfood. They are very cheap and good for you, and I have liked them since I was a kid, but had dropped them out because I thought they were sugar producers. I am very glad to have found out that just the reverse is true, so I have filled my pantry with plenty of them. I am glad to be able to eat something that is very filling and also good for me. I dropped out the products made with polyunsaturated oils (my mayonnaise that I used on nearly every item I ate) and replaced it with garlic pepper, herbs and a drizzle of EVOO -- which I ended up liking even better. I have even considered making some mayo myself out of eggs and EVOO, but since I will be starting to count calories to lose weight, maybe I should just leave that alone.
I thought I followed the program pretty well, if not perfectly, and am disappointed that I did not lose any weight, except for the weight I lost the first week. After that I made no more progress in the weight loss area and even put some of it back on. But, to be true, the book does not promise you will lose weight, it only promises to reverse diabetes, which has happened. Now if I maintain the eating program that I have started and tweak it in better directions, as is planned, perhaps I shall even lose weight.
I really enjoyed the Ezekial bread, but that was when I noticed all my strides were taken back, so had to wrestle that out of my life again. I have learned that I crave salads now. That is a new one. Me, craving salad! Who would have thought? But I really do. A salad is satisfying in ways that I did not remember. They may not be "stick to the ribs" but they are filling and the beans are "stick to the ribs." I am so very glad to have the eating machine turned off, and to have had the breakthrough about "the clean plate club." Just today, I left some salad over from lunch and had it for diner. I am going to count that as progress.
So, I do have lots to celebrate. I recommend you read the last chapter and see the ways that Dr Ripich celebrates and encourages us to recognize our success and feel good about it. He even gives a couple of celebration recipes that you may like to use. My personal doctor today was also pleased with the improvements she could see and she guided me to ways to make more improvements for myself. So... here it is, Day 30, and my diabetes has been reversed. That is amazing. It was quite a journey, and I have reached one destination. But there is so much more to see in the world and I plan to continue making changes and improving my health. There are more destinations to reach. Happy for this one, and on to the next one. Above all, I thank God for bringing this book to my attention, and for giving me the courage to step out and try it. Without Him, I can do nothing. Praise the Lord!
God bless you,
--Marcia
I have been sitting here looking at my test results from my doctor. It is a 5-page chart of all the blood tests that were done on 4-21-2010 listed next to the results of the tests taken on 7-7-2010. Among other things I found out that my blood type is A+ and my doctor said that people with this blood type usually do very well on vegetables. I think I am doing pretty well on vegetables, but I also believe I need to have protein to help keep the blood sugar low. I've been looking at the webMD site to see if I can understand what some of the tests mean. They have a section just for lab test results, but it does not really explain the tests, it just says why your doctor may have ordered it and what they might be checking for. This was helpful, but still leaves me on the low end of understanding, and still curious.
My A1C has gone down from 5.7 to 5.3 and my doctor was extremely pleased with this improvement. It had been slowly creeping up, and now it is going back down. This is evidence that my pre-diabetic state is reversing down in the right direction -- just as the book promised. So, if that alone were the single criteria then this program really did reverse my prediabetic state in 30 days -- actually in 15 days because the tests were taken two weeks ago. She was happy with everything, except that I did not really lose any weight and since her scale always weighs me 10 pounds more than mine, she thought I actually gained weight. Now I have to start keeping a food journal and counting my calories every day. So that is the next project.
Also: my doctor was pleased to see that my blood pressure numbers are actually coming down even though I did not take the BP medicine that she gave me to test out, because of major side effects after taking only 2 pills. I was glad that she was able to see the difference that I had been seeing in my home BP tests. The BP reduction can only be attributed to "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" program that changes what you eat, and increases your activity levels through exercise. She said that the bottom number especially was very good and she seemed excited about that. (I'm sorry, I did not write it down, so I don't remember it.) I was pleased with her comments. She also gave me an EKG today and popped her head in the room to say that my heart is in excellent shape and she was very pleased with that. Me too! Yippee!!
Two things that did not get reversed was the amount of inflammation in my blood, and also the amount of insulin in my blood on the day I was tested. My insulin number was at 30 and the normal range is 3-28, so that was still high.Of course, again, that was two weeks ago, so I don't really know what it is today. My doctor wants to see me again in 6 weeks, so I am on my own now, and I want to be able to show good results when I go back, so I will start on the food journal tonight or in the morning. It all seems quite tedious to me, but maybe it won't be, once I actually do it. I won't know until I do it. I'm not going to worry about how I have done with food journals in the past, I shall look to see what I can do to make it work for me right now.
I need to keep track of the calories. My doctor put me on a machine that resembled an electronic scale called a "Body Composition Analyzer." I had to take my shoes and socks off and place them on these two metal foot pads and after it displayed some numbers I had to pick up these two handles and hold them until the attendant told me to replace them, and a little ticker tape came out telling me my BMI on different parts of my body. The thing my doctor wanted to know was what was my resting metabolic rate, or, in other words, how many calories do I burn when I'm doing nothing. The machine said I was burning 2242kcal, so she said that in order for me to lose weight I had to consume about 1800 calories on a low glycemic diet.
That is why I need to start keeping a food journal -- to see how many calories I am consuming, and notice where I can tweak and make adjustments to reduce that number to at or below 1800 where ever possible every day. I am not looking forward to this. But I suppose if I am going to ever lose weight I will have to do something like this. Nothing else has worked. Maybe this will. (I think this was one of the changes that we were supposed to make in the book, too, but I did not do it, neither did I ever make meal plans. I simply bought only food that was healthy and ate it in the fashion that I am used to, which is to go to the fridge and decide what I am about to eat and fix it for the current meal. All that other stuff was just way to tedious for me. I consider this blog to be my journal, so, in that sense, I did do it.)
I am afraid that counting calories will make me too hungry, like I have been in the past... but that is the past. I don't want to get stuck in that kind of thinking and possibly sabotage myself before I even get started. I think fresh raw veggies will still be almost unlimited, so maybe that will help. I must remind myself that it does not matter what happened in the past, that is not the marker for what can be done in the present. In fact, it actually has nothing whatsoever to do with what I can do today. And if I take care of today, the future will take care of itself.
The low glycemic part should be fairly easy since that is what I am already doing. I guess this means I'll have to get out my calorie counting book and maybe find a site online that will help with that and get started. I have a notebook so, that is taken care of.
I noticed when I exercised for 15 minutes this morning, that I am really beginning to like it more and more. My body is responding in a good way, to it. It makes me feel good to get on my Aerofit and start pumping my legs and arms as I listen to my favorite CD playing in the next room. If I get to a point where my back and legs no longer hurt at 15 minutes I will start increasing the number until I can do 30 minutes per day. And, will, of course, be learning and doing the strength training three times per week, too. The increase in muscle mass should help me to burn more calories and lose weight. At least I hope so. I guess I will only find that out after I do it, too.
On to day 30 in the book: Celebrate!! Day 30 is about celebrating that you have actually reversed your diabetes. Since the normal range for A1C is 4.6 to 6.1 and mine measured 5.3 fifteen days ago, (a reduction from 5.7 last measured on 4/28/2010) I think I made it and the program does work. I started out 30 days ago to do the program to see if it worked. I think it did work, but I had to make some adjustments for my own body. As Dr Ripich says today, this is only the beginning. I can see that making the changes has made a difference in my health. I really think the 30-day approach is one of the true pluses of the program. I needed the one-day-at-a-time hand holding that it offers, and maybe others do too.
I am really happy that I went to see my personal doctor today, because she encouraged me. I had been feeling frustrated and depressed because I did not lose weight until she started to point out the areas where I have made actual measurable progress. That was refreshing. I needed the support to see my success and I see that the "Celebrate" chapter in the book has further encouraged me.
When I started the program, I had been in a state of resistance and denial for a very long time. I now know that I can make changes, and see good results from those changes. So maybe the mountain did not move, but a foothill has changed shape. Doing it today is the key for me. No longer putting it off until tomorrow or some other time really moved me along the path. I have to admit, or confess, as the case may be, that I have not switched over to totally organic food. I have switched over to eating many more fresh raw vegetables than I was eating before. I dropped out the chicken nuggets that I had been practically living on, and exchanged them mostly for hard boiled cage free eggs, which I put in nearly every salad I made. I dropped out processed meats, except for canned tuna and I eat processed cheese but I made sure to read the ingredients and did not see anything that I thought was dangerous.
I now read labels more than I did, although maybe not so well as is recommended. I did not follow the program to a "T", so to speak, but I followed it, at the level I did. My goal, now is to go through the book one more time, and reinforce what I have learned and take it to the next level. I am going to start doing the organic veggies and look for grass fed beef. I have only eaten beef once in the last 30 days and it was "organic" but not grass fed. It was all I could find in my grocery store -- it turned out pretty bad, so I still have two frozen organic beef patties in the freezer and maybe I'll add them to a pot of beans sometimes soon.
I am grateful to have discovered that the lowly bean is a good diabetic superfood. They are very cheap and good for you, and I have liked them since I was a kid, but had dropped them out because I thought they were sugar producers. I am very glad to have found out that just the reverse is true, so I have filled my pantry with plenty of them. I am glad to be able to eat something that is very filling and also good for me. I dropped out the products made with polyunsaturated oils (my mayonnaise that I used on nearly every item I ate) and replaced it with garlic pepper, herbs and a drizzle of EVOO -- which I ended up liking even better. I have even considered making some mayo myself out of eggs and EVOO, but since I will be starting to count calories to lose weight, maybe I should just leave that alone.
I thought I followed the program pretty well, if not perfectly, and am disappointed that I did not lose any weight, except for the weight I lost the first week. After that I made no more progress in the weight loss area and even put some of it back on. But, to be true, the book does not promise you will lose weight, it only promises to reverse diabetes, which has happened. Now if I maintain the eating program that I have started and tweak it in better directions, as is planned, perhaps I shall even lose weight.
I really enjoyed the Ezekial bread, but that was when I noticed all my strides were taken back, so had to wrestle that out of my life again. I have learned that I crave salads now. That is a new one. Me, craving salad! Who would have thought? But I really do. A salad is satisfying in ways that I did not remember. They may not be "stick to the ribs" but they are filling and the beans are "stick to the ribs." I am so very glad to have the eating machine turned off, and to have had the breakthrough about "the clean plate club." Just today, I left some salad over from lunch and had it for diner. I am going to count that as progress.
So, I do have lots to celebrate. I recommend you read the last chapter and see the ways that Dr Ripich celebrates and encourages us to recognize our success and feel good about it. He even gives a couple of celebration recipes that you may like to use. My personal doctor today was also pleased with the improvements she could see and she guided me to ways to make more improvements for myself. So... here it is, Day 30, and my diabetes has been reversed. That is amazing. It was quite a journey, and I have reached one destination. But there is so much more to see in the world and I plan to continue making changes and improving my health. There are more destinations to reach. Happy for this one, and on to the next one. Above all, I thank God for bringing this book to my attention, and for giving me the courage to step out and try it. Without Him, I can do nothing. Praise the Lord!
God bless you,
--Marcia
Monday, July 19, 2010
Day 29
Hi,
Only one more day to go. Yesterday afternoon I noticed the pre-sore throat sensations of a cold coming on and today I have the cold. Had a bit of a night last night but finally got to sleep this morning. I used the time to add a piece of cloth to the bottom of the dress I made the other day. It needed to be lengthened a little to suit my tastes better, and since I did not have any more of the skirt material, I pieced together a strip that had been taken from the left over t-shirt material and sewed it to the bottom. Now there is a horizontal stripe at the bottom that matches the top of the dress. I think it looks pretty good. I'm happy that I am able to wear it more comfortably.
Had a salad for breakfast, the usual stuff, with two cage free hard boiled eggs for protein. I must say that I am a little disappointed at my reversing diabetes results. As I consider it, the goal for me was to do the program and see how it goes. Now that I am near the end of the 30 days I need to consider what results I was expecting and what results I got. I guess I was expecting to really reverse the diabetes, but I will need my personal doctor's evaluation to really see where I am. Perhaps, for today, I should look on the bright side and be happy for the minimal results that I did get: meaning the blood pressure lowering some, and the loss of a few pounds.
I am going to continue eating this way, because I believe it to be of good benefit. I go tomorrow to the doctor to see the results of the tests she took two weeks ago. I hope to hear good news. I had not realized that "Day 30" and the appointment coincided, but that seems quite appropriate. I shall wait until I get back with the test results to publish the final installment related to following the steps of the book. After that, I am going to go back through the book tweaking and improving things and continue on with numbering the days as a way to keep me on track. (Primary elections for governor in Georgia are being held tomorrow, too, so I intend to get out and vote, too.)
Another good result is that my plumbing is working better. I recall that it worked the best for the few days that I was eating the whole grains, so, that is evidence to me that what they say about the whole grain fiber is true. But since I did not like what the whole grains did to my blood sugar (neither did my personal doctor) and have since eliminated them again, the plumbing is a bit slower, but I am not constipated as I used to be. The fresh raw veggies and the beans seem to keep things going pretty well. I recall from the past that eating a lot of cooked veggies not only slows me down in that area, but raises the blood sugar, too, so while I do not completely avoid them, I keep them to a minimum.
I think the best result has been the ending of "the clean plate promise" -- I am really enjoying saying, "Let it go uneaten and return to the earth." It really makes me feel free to no longer be stuck to the food or the size of the plate or bowl. I am still grazing in the evenings sometimes rather than cooking a specific meal so that may have to be one of the things I tweak.
On to day 29: Eliminating boredom. I try to avoid reading articles with titles that include the words bored, boring, and boredom -- but am glad I read this one. Dr Ripich gives some very good guidance for letting go of past hurts, through forgiveness, and moving beyond just being the victim of other people's thoughtlessness. It is time to pick up the reigns of your life and start doing something that you have always wanted to do. He balances his advice between getting rid of the junk in the garage and attic with beginning to step out and serve others through volunteering, even if it is only once a month. Take up a hobby you've always been interested in or write those letters to those relatives who don't live on the computer. An actual letter. You know, with a stamp and a return address? He gives lots of good advice on perking yourself up and participating with the life around you. He even talks about getting the focus off of your BP numbers, your diabetes, your self, and getting it onto finding out who needs a little help or encouragement that you can easily give, and then giving it. Read the chapter to get all the specific life changing suggestions that he recommends. Some of them look pretty good to me.
Be back soon
--Marcia
Only one more day to go. Yesterday afternoon I noticed the pre-sore throat sensations of a cold coming on and today I have the cold. Had a bit of a night last night but finally got to sleep this morning. I used the time to add a piece of cloth to the bottom of the dress I made the other day. It needed to be lengthened a little to suit my tastes better, and since I did not have any more of the skirt material, I pieced together a strip that had been taken from the left over t-shirt material and sewed it to the bottom. Now there is a horizontal stripe at the bottom that matches the top of the dress. I think it looks pretty good. I'm happy that I am able to wear it more comfortably.
Had a salad for breakfast, the usual stuff, with two cage free hard boiled eggs for protein. I must say that I am a little disappointed at my reversing diabetes results. As I consider it, the goal for me was to do the program and see how it goes. Now that I am near the end of the 30 days I need to consider what results I was expecting and what results I got. I guess I was expecting to really reverse the diabetes, but I will need my personal doctor's evaluation to really see where I am. Perhaps, for today, I should look on the bright side and be happy for the minimal results that I did get: meaning the blood pressure lowering some, and the loss of a few pounds.
I am going to continue eating this way, because I believe it to be of good benefit. I go tomorrow to the doctor to see the results of the tests she took two weeks ago. I hope to hear good news. I had not realized that "Day 30" and the appointment coincided, but that seems quite appropriate. I shall wait until I get back with the test results to publish the final installment related to following the steps of the book. After that, I am going to go back through the book tweaking and improving things and continue on with numbering the days as a way to keep me on track. (Primary elections for governor in Georgia are being held tomorrow, too, so I intend to get out and vote, too.)
Another good result is that my plumbing is working better. I recall that it worked the best for the few days that I was eating the whole grains, so, that is evidence to me that what they say about the whole grain fiber is true. But since I did not like what the whole grains did to my blood sugar (neither did my personal doctor) and have since eliminated them again, the plumbing is a bit slower, but I am not constipated as I used to be. The fresh raw veggies and the beans seem to keep things going pretty well. I recall from the past that eating a lot of cooked veggies not only slows me down in that area, but raises the blood sugar, too, so while I do not completely avoid them, I keep them to a minimum.
I think the best result has been the ending of "the clean plate promise" -- I am really enjoying saying, "Let it go uneaten and return to the earth." It really makes me feel free to no longer be stuck to the food or the size of the plate or bowl. I am still grazing in the evenings sometimes rather than cooking a specific meal so that may have to be one of the things I tweak.
On to day 29: Eliminating boredom. I try to avoid reading articles with titles that include the words bored, boring, and boredom -- but am glad I read this one. Dr Ripich gives some very good guidance for letting go of past hurts, through forgiveness, and moving beyond just being the victim of other people's thoughtlessness. It is time to pick up the reigns of your life and start doing something that you have always wanted to do. He balances his advice between getting rid of the junk in the garage and attic with beginning to step out and serve others through volunteering, even if it is only once a month. Take up a hobby you've always been interested in or write those letters to those relatives who don't live on the computer. An actual letter. You know, with a stamp and a return address? He gives lots of good advice on perking yourself up and participating with the life around you. He even talks about getting the focus off of your BP numbers, your diabetes, your self, and getting it onto finding out who needs a little help or encouragement that you can easily give, and then giving it. Read the chapter to get all the specific life changing suggestions that he recommends. Some of them look pretty good to me.
Be back soon
--Marcia
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Day 28 Getting close to the end.
Hello, again,
Day 28 and my blood pressure is 149/89. This time when I measured three times in quick succession, the numbers did change, but not so significantly as they did yesterday, right after I had drunk my pomegranate juice. I have wondered if perhaps the P-juice was the BP lowering influence that was causing the decrease. Either way, while today's numbers are still high they are still not as high as when I first started out on the program.
Here are the statistics:
Today BP: 149/89
Blood glucose: 136 after eating 2 hard boiled eggs, and a couple of handfuls of nuts
Weight: 343.24
Before Day 1 blood pressure was 168/99
My blood glucose was 115 after a handful of nuts, but no breakfast
Weight: 352
So my blood pressure has come down out of the extremely high range into the moderately high range and it seems to be staying there for the most part, going back up only occasionally. The daily blood glucose changes so quickly based on what has been consumed and what time of day it is, that I do not see consistent improvement there. The only time I saw a vast "deprovement" was when I added in the whole grains and fruit, which I later wrestled out of the picture, again. One thing I have noticed in the blood glucose area is some lower numbers on occasion that I had not been getting before. My weight loss has been sustained at 8.75 pounds, although I had reported slightly more previously, so there has been a great deal of fluctuation up and down in the 1 to 2 pound range.
To be fair the program does say that it is a diabetes healing program, and not a weight loss program. It does imply though, that weight loss will be part of curing diabetes, and in the statistical boxes found at the end of most chapters which report on an individual patient's progress, weight loss is one of the statistics that is reported. I assume these particular patient numbers were chosen because of the improved numbers in all areas, including weight loss.
I have to say that I am feeling a little overwhelmed today, with the addition of the strength training, and the green drinks, and at today's title which is adding supplements. My budget is one that cannot start increasing purchases of green drinks and supplements right now.
So. I guess the best idea for me is to do what I can do, and add the rest when I can. I have also not been purchasing organic veggies (they are so expensive), although I have been not only purchasing but eating more veggies. So I am thinking that perhaps my participation has been flawed by that, and perhaps I would have seen more improvement had I done that. I have made small changes, though, and more fresh raw veggie consumption is a major one. Doing more aerobic exercise has been another, although I am not really up to 30 minutes per day on that one. I stop when my back and legs start to really pain me, and find that, so far, my maximum is 15 minutes per day. By adding the 15 minutes aerobic to the 15 minutes of stretchy cord, I've often done nearly 30 minutes of exercise per day. That is certainly an improvement over no minutes per day and I expect that to improve if I stick to the program long enough.
I am feeling discouraged today. I am thinking I need to start counting my blessings: The blood pressure has improved, without a new medication. I have lost a few pounds. I am eating better. I have blogged, honestly about my experience and held nothing back that I thought was important. I have also received a few comments from readers of the blog, so it has been noticed.
I think part of my discouragement today is that I stayed up last night until 4 a.m. working on a new dress that I was determined to finish for church today. I paid absolutely no attention to the time and was flabbergasted when I finished the dress and checked the time. I really thought that it was about 1 a.m. and not 4 a.m. Staying up so late was counter productive, since I could not get myself to go to church this morning. I guess I shall wear it tonight when I go. When I joined the church I now belong to last December, I knew that it was an old fashioned church, which was its real main attraction to me. But that means always wearing a skirt in the sanctuary and I have only 3 summer dresses which I rotated from meeting to meeting. So adding one new dress was important to me. I made it from materials that I already had in the house so it did not cost anything but the time to make it.
I also design my dresses myself, because the price of patterns in my size is so prohibitive. Did you know that they can cost as much as $35 per? I am not a super sewer so I do the simplest things I can think of to do. My basic pattern is to take a 2XX T-shirt and cut off the bottom below the arms and sew on a skirt, with an additional applique or collar treatment to make them differ individually from one another near the neck and face. I also don't need button holes or zippers because everything slips easily over my head, although I may occasionally use decorative buttons as an accent item. What differs the most is the pattern or print of the skirt material and the colors.
How I use it, depends on how long I have made the skirt. If it is short, I wear it with pants, if it is long, then I can wear it as a long dress. So, while I may not be quite fashionable, at over 340 pounds, I am still neat, tidy, covered, and color coordinated. But sewing, like exercise, is one of those things that I usually procrastinate on, until I get a burst of energy and make something new. Sometimes making one, gives me enough momentum to make another one. Sometimes not. I think I'd like to have another one, so we shall see what happens.
I got out the dumbbells and used the one-pound weights to do some arm, shoulder and back exercises that I had seen, then did my 15 minutes on the Aerofit, plus crunches and cervical traction and feel like I've accomplished something. I broke out in a sweat, but I think that was due to the heat and humidity we are having today. Am looking forward to my shower, but wanted to complete the blog.
On to day 28: Adding some Diabetic Specific supplements. Some of these I had heard of, and am taking, some of them I had not heard of, but all of them have some property or ingredient that has been tested (he quotes the result from many test studies) and proved to either lower blood sugar, help insulin process better, or reverse the numbness of the feet. All of them sound really impressive. He also strongly and repeatedly recommends that we consult our doctors before incorporating them because when combined with prescription medications they have a strong effect.
I have an appointment with my doctor in about 2 days and last time she took a bunch of blood samples for testing. I hope I tested well, and am wondering about the Thyroid workup. I will have to let her know I am not taking the latest BP med and my reasons (see earlier blog for details) -- in short, I was having to deal with way too many side effects (itching face, thick mucus in the throat, swelling, depression, and anxiety attacks) so I am off of that one too. But am hoping that this time my BP will remain lower as proof that what I am doing is making a difference.
Read "Day 28: Add Supplements" which starts on page 344 to get all the details about which herbs and supplements you can take to aid in your own recovery from diabetes.
Be back soon
--Marcia
Day 28 and my blood pressure is 149/89. This time when I measured three times in quick succession, the numbers did change, but not so significantly as they did yesterday, right after I had drunk my pomegranate juice. I have wondered if perhaps the P-juice was the BP lowering influence that was causing the decrease. Either way, while today's numbers are still high they are still not as high as when I first started out on the program.
Here are the statistics:
Today BP: 149/89
Blood glucose: 136 after eating 2 hard boiled eggs, and a couple of handfuls of nuts
Weight: 343.24
Before Day 1 blood pressure was 168/99
My blood glucose was 115 after a handful of nuts, but no breakfast
Weight: 352
So my blood pressure has come down out of the extremely high range into the moderately high range and it seems to be staying there for the most part, going back up only occasionally. The daily blood glucose changes so quickly based on what has been consumed and what time of day it is, that I do not see consistent improvement there. The only time I saw a vast "deprovement" was when I added in the whole grains and fruit, which I later wrestled out of the picture, again. One thing I have noticed in the blood glucose area is some lower numbers on occasion that I had not been getting before. My weight loss has been sustained at 8.75 pounds, although I had reported slightly more previously, so there has been a great deal of fluctuation up and down in the 1 to 2 pound range.
To be fair the program does say that it is a diabetes healing program, and not a weight loss program. It does imply though, that weight loss will be part of curing diabetes, and in the statistical boxes found at the end of most chapters which report on an individual patient's progress, weight loss is one of the statistics that is reported. I assume these particular patient numbers were chosen because of the improved numbers in all areas, including weight loss.
I have to say that I am feeling a little overwhelmed today, with the addition of the strength training, and the green drinks, and at today's title which is adding supplements. My budget is one that cannot start increasing purchases of green drinks and supplements right now.
So. I guess the best idea for me is to do what I can do, and add the rest when I can. I have also not been purchasing organic veggies (they are so expensive), although I have been not only purchasing but eating more veggies. So I am thinking that perhaps my participation has been flawed by that, and perhaps I would have seen more improvement had I done that. I have made small changes, though, and more fresh raw veggie consumption is a major one. Doing more aerobic exercise has been another, although I am not really up to 30 minutes per day on that one. I stop when my back and legs start to really pain me, and find that, so far, my maximum is 15 minutes per day. By adding the 15 minutes aerobic to the 15 minutes of stretchy cord, I've often done nearly 30 minutes of exercise per day. That is certainly an improvement over no minutes per day and I expect that to improve if I stick to the program long enough.
I am feeling discouraged today. I am thinking I need to start counting my blessings: The blood pressure has improved, without a new medication. I have lost a few pounds. I am eating better. I have blogged, honestly about my experience and held nothing back that I thought was important. I have also received a few comments from readers of the blog, so it has been noticed.
I think part of my discouragement today is that I stayed up last night until 4 a.m. working on a new dress that I was determined to finish for church today. I paid absolutely no attention to the time and was flabbergasted when I finished the dress and checked the time. I really thought that it was about 1 a.m. and not 4 a.m. Staying up so late was counter productive, since I could not get myself to go to church this morning. I guess I shall wear it tonight when I go. When I joined the church I now belong to last December, I knew that it was an old fashioned church, which was its real main attraction to me. But that means always wearing a skirt in the sanctuary and I have only 3 summer dresses which I rotated from meeting to meeting. So adding one new dress was important to me. I made it from materials that I already had in the house so it did not cost anything but the time to make it.
I also design my dresses myself, because the price of patterns in my size is so prohibitive. Did you know that they can cost as much as $35 per? I am not a super sewer so I do the simplest things I can think of to do. My basic pattern is to take a 2XX T-shirt and cut off the bottom below the arms and sew on a skirt, with an additional applique or collar treatment to make them differ individually from one another near the neck and face. I also don't need button holes or zippers because everything slips easily over my head, although I may occasionally use decorative buttons as an accent item. What differs the most is the pattern or print of the skirt material and the colors.
How I use it, depends on how long I have made the skirt. If it is short, I wear it with pants, if it is long, then I can wear it as a long dress. So, while I may not be quite fashionable, at over 340 pounds, I am still neat, tidy, covered, and color coordinated. But sewing, like exercise, is one of those things that I usually procrastinate on, until I get a burst of energy and make something new. Sometimes making one, gives me enough momentum to make another one. Sometimes not. I think I'd like to have another one, so we shall see what happens.
I got out the dumbbells and used the one-pound weights to do some arm, shoulder and back exercises that I had seen, then did my 15 minutes on the Aerofit, plus crunches and cervical traction and feel like I've accomplished something. I broke out in a sweat, but I think that was due to the heat and humidity we are having today. Am looking forward to my shower, but wanted to complete the blog.
On to day 28: Adding some Diabetic Specific supplements. Some of these I had heard of, and am taking, some of them I had not heard of, but all of them have some property or ingredient that has been tested (he quotes the result from many test studies) and proved to either lower blood sugar, help insulin process better, or reverse the numbness of the feet. All of them sound really impressive. He also strongly and repeatedly recommends that we consult our doctors before incorporating them because when combined with prescription medications they have a strong effect.
I have an appointment with my doctor in about 2 days and last time she took a bunch of blood samples for testing. I hope I tested well, and am wondering about the Thyroid workup. I will have to let her know I am not taking the latest BP med and my reasons (see earlier blog for details) -- in short, I was having to deal with way too many side effects (itching face, thick mucus in the throat, swelling, depression, and anxiety attacks) so I am off of that one too. But am hoping that this time my BP will remain lower as proof that what I am doing is making a difference.
Read "Day 28: Add Supplements" which starts on page 344 to get all the details about which herbs and supplements you can take to aid in your own recovery from diabetes.
Be back soon
--Marcia
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Day 27
Hi
Blood Pressure for today: I measured 3 times in quick succession and each time I measured it was lower than the one before. The final reading was: 146/86. I am not sure what this means, but I do know, that in the past, even if I measured 3 times in a row like I did today -- it did not come down -- so I think that is an improvement for me. At least that is how I shall interpret it, unless I find out something that would change that interpretation. I have not seen numbers as low as these previous to doing "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" -- even with blood pressure medication (I am still taking two of them -- Losartan and Triamterene). So I consider that a success -- or at least heading in the right direction. I have it in mind that if I don't see real further success with the program, I would like to try "time released L-arginine", too, because of the natural blood pressure lowering effects that I have read about. What had been keeping me from it, is the expense. If the program continues to work, I may not need it, anyway.
My blood sugar is high: 147 -- after a 2C bowl of beans flavored with picante sauce and parmeson cheese which was my breakfast. I also had a bottle and a half of water (glass bottle, 12 oz.) -- one of which had about 2 ounces of pomegranate juice in it. I believe the juice is what raised my blood sugar -- because in my other tests the beans did not raise my blood sugar in the same way. In the book Dr Ripich highly recommends the watered down pomegranate juice because it does so many wonderful things for the body.
I have copied and pasted the following 2 paragraphs from:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/63812-health-effects-pomegranate-juice/
"Heart Health -- Pomegranate juice contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other fruit juices. According to a research review in "Nutrition Reviews," pomegranate juice contains potent antioxidants that reduce hypertension and inhibit the buildup of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Reducing cholesterol is a major step in protecting yourself against heart attack and stroke.
"Diabetes -- People with diabetes mellitus have higher levels of glucose in their blood. This increases free radical damage, which can lead to cardiovascular diseases. A study in the Oct. 15, 2009 issue of the "Journal of Endocrinological Investigation" concluded that the antioxidants in pomegranate extract can reverse free radical damage and protect patients with type 2 diabetes from heart disease." (Written by: Janet Contursi)
One thing that happened with the pomegranate juice was that a few days ago I drank it and became quite dizzy with nausea. I commented on it in the blog but I did not share what I later discovered. I think now is a good time to do so. I had been buying my P-juice in large 48 oz bottles to save on the per ounce price. Then, since I am not always careful to take my 1.5 to 2 ozs every single day, I had had my bottle for quite a long time (I was drinking it before I started the 30 Day program) without realizing that it had started to go bad. I still don't really care for the flavor of the juice, (the fresh juice is not actually unpalatable, it just tastes unfamiliar and odd to me... still) so I did not recognize that the flavor had changed and gotten a little worse.
Since the big bottle, which I had been storing in the fridge, was getting very low, I had bought 3 smaller bottles equaling the same 48 ounces to replenish the larder. (The 3 smaller bottles were on sale, so the per ounce price was lower.) After the nausea I began to suspect that the juice in the older bottle might have started to change and decided to check it. I opened one of the new bottles and sniffed to compare it with the older one. In doing that, I could tell that the older bottle had, actually gone bad without smelling really bad, and that is what was making me dizzy and sick feeling. I had been drinking bad juice. It had no further bad effect on me than to cause the nausea right after drinking, which passed quickly when I ate something on top of it.
So let me warn you, it does not get a terrible bad odor when it gets old, (like milk, which you cannot "miss") the flavor just begins to change a very little at a time. To me, it still tasted just like itself, only more so -- if that makes any sense. So what I did was to put two of the small bottles that I had bought in the freezer to preserve them for later worry free use. In the future if I buy another large bottle I shall pour out some and freeze it until I need it. I know that was not such a good story, but I need to remember it, and thought that others may need to be aware of it, too.
Concerning the weight training: I started looking around on the internet for guidance on the correct form that Dr Ripich talks about when using dumbbells. At the web site he recommended I did not find the article/video he talked about so I just started branching out. I did find this website:
http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/exercises/shoulders/index.html
-- which I will use as a guide to begin my strength training with the weights I have. I don't have a barbell, only a nice set of dumbbells that I can use to assist me. I think I have discovered that the necessary form is to keep the body aligned while doing any weight lifting exercise, and not rock the body, or swing the weights to assist in lifting them. If you have to swing the weights, you are using the wrong weights and need to use something lighter until you have built up your muscles more. The movements need to be smooth and steady, and the same speed should be maintained on both the flex and the relax part of the movement. And they should only be done 3 times a week to let the body rest and rebuild in between. So I think I can begin trying out the weights now. I just have to figure out which areas I want to begin working on. I shall continue with my stretchy cords until I feel the need to do something else, too.
On to day 27: Adding Green Drinks to our diet. I had often wondered what Spirulina was about and Dr Rip also recommends chlorella and barley grass. He goes into great and convincing detail about why we should be including green drinks and calls them true Super Foods. I knew they were some kind of sea weed or algae or something but did not have any idea why people were so excited by them. Well now I know, and you will too, if you starting reading at page 337. He says they reduce inflammation and are loaded with necessary minerals in a natural form that the body absorbs easily and are even recommended for folks with rheumatoid arthritis. He gives a lot of very specific information about these items and I recommend you read about it. I shall see which one I can afford and begin taking it to help reverse my metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes).
Be back soon, as the Lord wills,
--Marcia
Blood Pressure for today: I measured 3 times in quick succession and each time I measured it was lower than the one before. The final reading was: 146/86. I am not sure what this means, but I do know, that in the past, even if I measured 3 times in a row like I did today -- it did not come down -- so I think that is an improvement for me. At least that is how I shall interpret it, unless I find out something that would change that interpretation. I have not seen numbers as low as these previous to doing "The 30 Day Diabetes Cure" -- even with blood pressure medication (I am still taking two of them -- Losartan and Triamterene). So I consider that a success -- or at least heading in the right direction. I have it in mind that if I don't see real further success with the program, I would like to try "time released L-arginine", too, because of the natural blood pressure lowering effects that I have read about. What had been keeping me from it, is the expense. If the program continues to work, I may not need it, anyway.
My blood sugar is high: 147 -- after a 2C bowl of beans flavored with picante sauce and parmeson cheese which was my breakfast. I also had a bottle and a half of water (glass bottle, 12 oz.) -- one of which had about 2 ounces of pomegranate juice in it. I believe the juice is what raised my blood sugar -- because in my other tests the beans did not raise my blood sugar in the same way. In the book Dr Ripich highly recommends the watered down pomegranate juice because it does so many wonderful things for the body.
I have copied and pasted the following 2 paragraphs from:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/63812-health-effects-pomegranate-juice/
"Heart Health -- Pomegranate juice contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other fruit juices. According to a research review in "Nutrition Reviews," pomegranate juice contains potent antioxidants that reduce hypertension and inhibit the buildup of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Reducing cholesterol is a major step in protecting yourself against heart attack and stroke.
"Diabetes -- People with diabetes mellitus have higher levels of glucose in their blood. This increases free radical damage, which can lead to cardiovascular diseases. A study in the Oct. 15, 2009 issue of the "Journal of Endocrinological Investigation" concluded that the antioxidants in pomegranate extract can reverse free radical damage and protect patients with type 2 diabetes from heart disease." (Written by: Janet Contursi)
One thing that happened with the pomegranate juice was that a few days ago I drank it and became quite dizzy with nausea. I commented on it in the blog but I did not share what I later discovered. I think now is a good time to do so. I had been buying my P-juice in large 48 oz bottles to save on the per ounce price. Then, since I am not always careful to take my 1.5 to 2 ozs every single day, I had had my bottle for quite a long time (I was drinking it before I started the 30 Day program) without realizing that it had started to go bad. I still don't really care for the flavor of the juice, (the fresh juice is not actually unpalatable, it just tastes unfamiliar and odd to me... still) so I did not recognize that the flavor had changed and gotten a little worse.
Since the big bottle, which I had been storing in the fridge, was getting very low, I had bought 3 smaller bottles equaling the same 48 ounces to replenish the larder. (The 3 smaller bottles were on sale, so the per ounce price was lower.) After the nausea I began to suspect that the juice in the older bottle might have started to change and decided to check it. I opened one of the new bottles and sniffed to compare it with the older one. In doing that, I could tell that the older bottle had, actually gone bad without smelling really bad, and that is what was making me dizzy and sick feeling. I had been drinking bad juice. It had no further bad effect on me than to cause the nausea right after drinking, which passed quickly when I ate something on top of it.
So let me warn you, it does not get a terrible bad odor when it gets old, (like milk, which you cannot "miss") the flavor just begins to change a very little at a time. To me, it still tasted just like itself, only more so -- if that makes any sense. So what I did was to put two of the small bottles that I had bought in the freezer to preserve them for later worry free use. In the future if I buy another large bottle I shall pour out some and freeze it until I need it. I know that was not such a good story, but I need to remember it, and thought that others may need to be aware of it, too.
Concerning the weight training: I started looking around on the internet for guidance on the correct form that Dr Ripich talks about when using dumbbells. At the web site he recommended I did not find the article/video he talked about so I just started branching out. I did find this website:
http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/exercises/shoulders/index.html
-- which I will use as a guide to begin my strength training with the weights I have. I don't have a barbell, only a nice set of dumbbells that I can use to assist me. I think I have discovered that the necessary form is to keep the body aligned while doing any weight lifting exercise, and not rock the body, or swing the weights to assist in lifting them. If you have to swing the weights, you are using the wrong weights and need to use something lighter until you have built up your muscles more. The movements need to be smooth and steady, and the same speed should be maintained on both the flex and the relax part of the movement. And they should only be done 3 times a week to let the body rest and rebuild in between. So I think I can begin trying out the weights now. I just have to figure out which areas I want to begin working on. I shall continue with my stretchy cords until I feel the need to do something else, too.
On to day 27: Adding Green Drinks to our diet. I had often wondered what Spirulina was about and Dr Rip also recommends chlorella and barley grass. He goes into great and convincing detail about why we should be including green drinks and calls them true Super Foods. I knew they were some kind of sea weed or algae or something but did not have any idea why people were so excited by them. Well now I know, and you will too, if you starting reading at page 337. He says they reduce inflammation and are loaded with necessary minerals in a natural form that the body absorbs easily and are even recommended for folks with rheumatoid arthritis. He gives a lot of very specific information about these items and I recommend you read about it. I shall see which one I can afford and begin taking it to help reverse my metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes).
Be back soon, as the Lord wills,
--Marcia
Friday, July 16, 2010
Day 26
Hi,
I was so amazed last night. At VBS they served nachos for the meal and I went through the line and got lettuce, tomato, meat and bean chili, cheese sauce, black olives, and salsa. Had to ask the ladies (twice) to not give me any chips or white rice. When I sat down with my cup of water to eat with some people that I was just meeting I began to partake of the food on my plate and had no trouble, whatsoever, stopping way before the plate was clean! In fact, this blows me away, I only ate one fourth of it. When my stomach's full bell went off, I paused in dismay, but recognized what it was, looked at the plate, and inside myself, and said, "Let it go uneaten and return to the Earth." I put the fork down and never desired another bite. The desire was gone! I am thrilled and praising God for this miracle!!
It was easy, there was no battle inside me, no more decisions to make and then remake -- I was just finished -- and I threw the rest of it out so it could return to the earth. Thank You Lord!!
I just don't even have anything more to say about that, except to share that I had a nice big salad for breakfast, ate a few nuts afterward, and moved on. I have done my 15 minutes on the Aerofit, done the upper body exercises with the stretchy cord and then rested a little. I read a couple of chapters in The Book of Acts, prayed for those people the Lord put on my mind and am ready to move on to day 26. Will do a job search when I am done here and tonight will attend the last session of VBS. God is so GOOD!!
On to Day 26: Adding Strength Training. Whoo-hooo!! I am actually excited to find out that the exercises that I have been already doing with my stretchy cords are considered strength training. It appears to me, after reading this chapter (starting on pg 330) that strength training may be even more important than the food changes that heal diabetes. I am completely enthralled to find out that strength training is what will change my metabolism and start to process sugars better in my body. Increasing muscle size will aid in healing the insulin resistance, too, because it will burn off the excess sugar in the muscles. Even muscles at rest burn more calories than fat -- so bring on the muscles.
Although I have known about exercise before, (just like everyone) this specific information about how it helps to heal diabetes is new and exciting to me. I was also glad to read about keeping lifting weights to two or three times a week and letting the muscles rest in between. The cardio can be done every day, but the strength training needs to be done slowly and deliberately to allow the muscles to rebuild in between and to grow at their own rate of speed. Dr Rip gives complete details on the benefits and how to go about incorporating strength training into your own program in the book.
I already have a good set of free weights (I got them out) that I bought in 2007 and have left to gather dust after a few trys to follow the videos that came with it. Again, the video workouts were simply too much for me -- I could not get past the instruction part, let alone onto the full sessions. But now, I get to start here in this little place and begin to do the little that I can do, and let the growth happen as it happens. I don't have to be perfect and fit today, I just have to follow through with the daily stuff I know I can do today, and let tomorrow have its own results. I am excited about it. I am going to look online for the video they recommend in order to get the form right for the free weights.
Dr Ripich talks about strength being the thing that keeps seniors healthier and able to take care of themselves. It is frailty that makes it necessary for the elderly to have someone to look after them. So the longer you do strength training, the longer you remain able to live your life on your own. (Of course, illness and disease can bring anyone down, but there is no reason to let something like diabetes bring you down, when you don't have to let that happen.)
I have been greatly encouraged by this chapter and also by the small successes I have under my belt. The stretchy cords are a perfect way to begin for someone like me who has been a super obese couch potato for long enough. I have been one of the truly unfit -- but that is changing. I am on my way to becoming one of the fit some day. I don't know where this will end up -- and I don't care how long it takes -- it has got to be better than where it would have been, had I not made these changes. Let go of the past, do what you need to do today, and tomorrow will take care of itself.
I assume I'll lose some weight, but I am not worried about that. I am looking forward to feeling good. Making the right daily choices, following the daily routine that I know will work, eating what I need to eat, listening for the "full bell" and letting excess go back to the Earth. Doing my exercises today, will make my tomorrow better. I look forward to folks at church starting to say, "You look different." "Are you losing weight?" But that is not the goal -- that is just a marker that I am moving down the right path. The one to my own success.
Hope you are coming along with me. A journey is always better with a friend.
Be back soon, if the Lord is Willing!!
--Marcia
I was so amazed last night. At VBS they served nachos for the meal and I went through the line and got lettuce, tomato, meat and bean chili, cheese sauce, black olives, and salsa. Had to ask the ladies (twice) to not give me any chips or white rice. When I sat down with my cup of water to eat with some people that I was just meeting I began to partake of the food on my plate and had no trouble, whatsoever, stopping way before the plate was clean! In fact, this blows me away, I only ate one fourth of it. When my stomach's full bell went off, I paused in dismay, but recognized what it was, looked at the plate, and inside myself, and said, "Let it go uneaten and return to the Earth." I put the fork down and never desired another bite. The desire was gone! I am thrilled and praising God for this miracle!!
It was easy, there was no battle inside me, no more decisions to make and then remake -- I was just finished -- and I threw the rest of it out so it could return to the earth. Thank You Lord!!
I just don't even have anything more to say about that, except to share that I had a nice big salad for breakfast, ate a few nuts afterward, and moved on. I have done my 15 minutes on the Aerofit, done the upper body exercises with the stretchy cord and then rested a little. I read a couple of chapters in The Book of Acts, prayed for those people the Lord put on my mind and am ready to move on to day 26. Will do a job search when I am done here and tonight will attend the last session of VBS. God is so GOOD!!
On to Day 26: Adding Strength Training. Whoo-hooo!! I am actually excited to find out that the exercises that I have been already doing with my stretchy cords are considered strength training. It appears to me, after reading this chapter (starting on pg 330) that strength training may be even more important than the food changes that heal diabetes. I am completely enthralled to find out that strength training is what will change my metabolism and start to process sugars better in my body. Increasing muscle size will aid in healing the insulin resistance, too, because it will burn off the excess sugar in the muscles. Even muscles at rest burn more calories than fat -- so bring on the muscles.
Although I have known about exercise before, (just like everyone) this specific information about how it helps to heal diabetes is new and exciting to me. I was also glad to read about keeping lifting weights to two or three times a week and letting the muscles rest in between. The cardio can be done every day, but the strength training needs to be done slowly and deliberately to allow the muscles to rebuild in between and to grow at their own rate of speed. Dr Rip gives complete details on the benefits and how to go about incorporating strength training into your own program in the book.
I already have a good set of free weights (I got them out) that I bought in 2007 and have left to gather dust after a few trys to follow the videos that came with it. Again, the video workouts were simply too much for me -- I could not get past the instruction part, let alone onto the full sessions. But now, I get to start here in this little place and begin to do the little that I can do, and let the growth happen as it happens. I don't have to be perfect and fit today, I just have to follow through with the daily stuff I know I can do today, and let tomorrow have its own results. I am excited about it. I am going to look online for the video they recommend in order to get the form right for the free weights.
Dr Ripich talks about strength being the thing that keeps seniors healthier and able to take care of themselves. It is frailty that makes it necessary for the elderly to have someone to look after them. So the longer you do strength training, the longer you remain able to live your life on your own. (Of course, illness and disease can bring anyone down, but there is no reason to let something like diabetes bring you down, when you don't have to let that happen.)
I have been greatly encouraged by this chapter and also by the small successes I have under my belt. The stretchy cords are a perfect way to begin for someone like me who has been a super obese couch potato for long enough. I have been one of the truly unfit -- but that is changing. I am on my way to becoming one of the fit some day. I don't know where this will end up -- and I don't care how long it takes -- it has got to be better than where it would have been, had I not made these changes. Let go of the past, do what you need to do today, and tomorrow will take care of itself.
I assume I'll lose some weight, but I am not worried about that. I am looking forward to feeling good. Making the right daily choices, following the daily routine that I know will work, eating what I need to eat, listening for the "full bell" and letting excess go back to the Earth. Doing my exercises today, will make my tomorrow better. I look forward to folks at church starting to say, "You look different." "Are you losing weight?" But that is not the goal -- that is just a marker that I am moving down the right path. The one to my own success.
Hope you are coming along with me. A journey is always better with a friend.
Be back soon, if the Lord is Willing!!
--Marcia
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Day 25
My apologies for sending this twice -- the first time was a mistake on my part. I hit the print key short cut which, instead, published it in this software. Here is the completed posting:
Hello,
The days are counting down quickly now. This morning my breakfast was a huge salad with romaine, tomato, green pepper, raw broccoli, baby carrots, a couple of hard boiled eggs, a couple of slices of cut up cheese, and walnuts. I sprinkled it with a little salt, some garlic pepper and my favorite Italian herbs, then drizzled some EVOO and sat down to eat. It was almost too large so it really filled me up as I ate the whole thing.
You know, I do seem to belong to the "clean plate" club, although I do not remember my parents EVER having to coax me to eat. I recall one day when I was about 12 or 13 that my father chuckled and laughed to himself as he ate, remarking that, at least I was a good eater. It may have been the only compliment I ever received for eating, and even though I thought it was a little odd, I realized that he was looking on the bright side and I accepted it for what it was: my dad, finding something good in me. That felt real nice.
Well, I have to take back the "clean plate" statement. I have immediately remembered a time when I was a tiny kid in a high chair eating breakfast. My mother had given me a bowl of oat meal to eat and she was washing the dishes as I fed myself. I remember having eaten all I wanted. Having no desire to eat anything more, I did the logical thing, which was to stop eating. Since there was nothing else you can do in a high chair, I started to play in the rest of the oat meal that was still in front of me. What I was playing at was pretending to do what I saw my mother doing. As she swished the dishes in a circular motion, I swished my spoon in the oat meal bowl. Then my mother turned and saw what I was doing and became quite angry. My mother was not a yeller, she did not raise her voice, but she was very determined.
She came and sat down beside me and started forcing the food into my mouth and she was not as gentle or patient as she usually was. She was not cruel, just determined to get me fed. I remember being very startled and a little frightened, and recall having my face gently scraped with the spoon as she shoved the food that was splooshing out, back into my mouth. She did not miss a drop as she vigilantly made me eat, and my face was feeling sore from the metal spoon scraping so often on my chin and cheeks. I remember very clearly thinking that if I wanted to avoid this in the future, and keep Mommy happy, I needed to eat all the food no matter what. I thought she was acting the way she was acting, because I had been a bad girl. So I promised myself that I would be a good girl and clean my plate every time to avoid future similar episodes. Of course I did not have those words -- but I had the clear intention.
As I look back on that time period, I believe she was pregnant with another child and her patience was simply running thin. She was probably tired and hurting and wanted to finish up the dishes and move on to another task but my playing in my food had hindered her. I now realize that I was not the cause of her acting that way. I understand and hold no grudge, that must have been hard on her. That was, I think, the beginning of my over eating.
I was the only child among six that was chubby and then later fat. All of my brothers and my sister were slender as children, some even to the point of being skinny, but not me. And I was the brunt of cruel jokes and tom foolery from my older brothers because of it. Even sometimes from my younger brother. I don't recall my sister ever saying anything about me being fat, but she was the one whose position had been usurped by my being born, so she actually hated me for another reason and often seemed disgusted with me. (We've talked about it as adults and she shared that was how she felt back then -- we are good friends now, though.) I must now acknowledge that I was not responsible for how they acted. Sadly I really was not the center of the universe. Ha, that one sounds odd, but that certainly is the child's point of view. Gladly, I no longer have to bear the burden of their behavior, good or bad.
So that was the beginning. Now, I ask myself, how do I put an end to that decision I made so long ago? I know that I have recalled this story before. I also know that simply trying to just leave a bit or bite or two in the bowl is very difficult for me. It may have started as a solution and a reason to be obedient and avoid a problem for me, but I need to find the way out of this one. When the last few bites are on the plate, no matter if I am full or not, I feel a compulsion and also a desire to finish every bite. "Let nothing go uneaten!" seems to be my motto. As I eat I sometimes feel the "full" signal but continue until the plate is clean. I am compelled. Well, now that I know where that compulsion has come from, I will pray and ask God to show me the way out of this, because I have not found the way out on my own, before.
I prayed and as I prayed the Lord showed me that I was a very little child when I made that first decision and I have lived my life out of that decision. I was closer even to being a baby, than a child, at the time. But I am no longer a little child and can make a new decision based on my adult perspective. I am, in fact, an old woman now, and no longer need to be bound by that promise. Odd that I would call it a "promise." I must have made a promise to myself. I think I promised that I would never do that again. Lord, help me. I now pronounce that promise fully filled. I kept that promise and I did not break it. It is now complete and ended. I have succeeded. I have finished a winner. Now it is time to move on to the next game. Thank you, Lord.
Here is the new game and the new promise: The new game is to pay attention to my body's needs in a new way. If I am hungry, I eat. If I am full, I abide by my body's signals. My body is the judge now. I do not have to eat beyond what my body says to me is enough. And I have the ability to stop when stopping is the right thing to do. I do not have to obey the bowl, I now obey the signals that God incorporated into my living being. When I am full, I am full and do not want or need another bite because I am satisfied. The promise is that, if I quit when my body lets me know I am full, I will be happier. I will be completely satisfied. I won't need to worry that I put too much on my plate. The plate is not important. I am. I promise to follow the Lord's promptings in my own body and mind.
I shall lend my strength to keeping me healthy. It is not healthy to eat beyond capacity. It is not healthy to finish every bite, if I am no longer hungry. It is healthy to eat enough good nourishing food and it is not healthy to eat more than enough. Enough is enough, and that is where I put the fork down, and cover the plate with my napkin. It is not a sin to throw food away, or to store it for a later snack, or even a meal. It is not wasteful to throw away a few bites of uneaten food -- what good are they? I cannot send them to the starving poor in other countries (it was China when I was growing up) they would be inedible by the time they got there. No one else would eat them, why should I? If I throw them away, they can then become compost to feed other healthy and life giving plants. They will feed the worms and the little insects that keep the soil fresh and fertile. Throwing away uneaten food is a good thing. It continues the cycle of regeneration that God created. Praise the Lord! "Let it go uneaten and return to the Earth!" shall be my new motto!
Lunch was a bowl of beans and chicken. Very filling. Thank God!
Well. I had no idea that is where we were going today. But, I am glad we did.
On to day 25: Eliminating Toxins. Dr Ripich states that there are so many, and from so many sources that we will not be able to eliminate them entirely. But there are some things we can do to either greatly reduce them from coming into our bodies or move them through our bodies better with less damage.
Read the book. Really. He gives a lot of specific information about where the toxins are hidden, how they work, and how to combat as many as we can on a personal level. Some of them, I have already incorporated in my life. I have been drinking filtered water for years. I got rid of the plastic cooking containers and never did use Teflon very much. I could see that it flaked off into the food and decided that was not for me, a long time ago. But there is more that cooking in Teflon does. For example at certain temperatures it actually releases different gases into the kitchen and people breath them in. Have asthma? Get rid of the teflon, and replace it with cast iron or stainless steel cooking pots. Don't use those plastic cooking spoons either -- you won't need them without the teflon, anyway. The wooden and metal spatulas and spoons that grandma used to use are much safer for your body and the environment of your house.
He also recommends some herbs that can be used to help the liver clear out the toxins in our body (which is its job) -- turmeric for example, which I had begun to use a few months ago. He lists others that you will want to read about and try for yourself.
Here is the quotation from the front of the chapter (and wow, does it make sense): "Food, one assumes, provides nourishment: but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction." -- John Cage.
Thank God that going on this program is already a way to "detox" the body and Dr Ripich also says that diabetics do not need to do any of the popular "detox" products or programs because they upset the metabolism. Since diabetes is a metabolism disorder, we don't need to push it farther off kilter.
All in all: The fewer poisons we eat, wash with, and breathe in, the fewer problems we have, or create for our neighbors, too. Get the full story starting on page 315.
Be back soon
--Marcia
Hello,
The days are counting down quickly now. This morning my breakfast was a huge salad with romaine, tomato, green pepper, raw broccoli, baby carrots, a couple of hard boiled eggs, a couple of slices of cut up cheese, and walnuts. I sprinkled it with a little salt, some garlic pepper and my favorite Italian herbs, then drizzled some EVOO and sat down to eat. It was almost too large so it really filled me up as I ate the whole thing.
You know, I do seem to belong to the "clean plate" club, although I do not remember my parents EVER having to coax me to eat. I recall one day when I was about 12 or 13 that my father chuckled and laughed to himself as he ate, remarking that, at least I was a good eater. It may have been the only compliment I ever received for eating, and even though I thought it was a little odd, I realized that he was looking on the bright side and I accepted it for what it was: my dad, finding something good in me. That felt real nice.
Well, I have to take back the "clean plate" statement. I have immediately remembered a time when I was a tiny kid in a high chair eating breakfast. My mother had given me a bowl of oat meal to eat and she was washing the dishes as I fed myself. I remember having eaten all I wanted. Having no desire to eat anything more, I did the logical thing, which was to stop eating. Since there was nothing else you can do in a high chair, I started to play in the rest of the oat meal that was still in front of me. What I was playing at was pretending to do what I saw my mother doing. As she swished the dishes in a circular motion, I swished my spoon in the oat meal bowl. Then my mother turned and saw what I was doing and became quite angry. My mother was not a yeller, she did not raise her voice, but she was very determined.
She came and sat down beside me and started forcing the food into my mouth and she was not as gentle or patient as she usually was. She was not cruel, just determined to get me fed. I remember being very startled and a little frightened, and recall having my face gently scraped with the spoon as she shoved the food that was splooshing out, back into my mouth. She did not miss a drop as she vigilantly made me eat, and my face was feeling sore from the metal spoon scraping so often on my chin and cheeks. I remember very clearly thinking that if I wanted to avoid this in the future, and keep Mommy happy, I needed to eat all the food no matter what. I thought she was acting the way she was acting, because I had been a bad girl. So I promised myself that I would be a good girl and clean my plate every time to avoid future similar episodes. Of course I did not have those words -- but I had the clear intention.
As I look back on that time period, I believe she was pregnant with another child and her patience was simply running thin. She was probably tired and hurting and wanted to finish up the dishes and move on to another task but my playing in my food had hindered her. I now realize that I was not the cause of her acting that way. I understand and hold no grudge, that must have been hard on her. That was, I think, the beginning of my over eating.
I was the only child among six that was chubby and then later fat. All of my brothers and my sister were slender as children, some even to the point of being skinny, but not me. And I was the brunt of cruel jokes and tom foolery from my older brothers because of it. Even sometimes from my younger brother. I don't recall my sister ever saying anything about me being fat, but she was the one whose position had been usurped by my being born, so she actually hated me for another reason and often seemed disgusted with me. (We've talked about it as adults and she shared that was how she felt back then -- we are good friends now, though.) I must now acknowledge that I was not responsible for how they acted. Sadly I really was not the center of the universe. Ha, that one sounds odd, but that certainly is the child's point of view. Gladly, I no longer have to bear the burden of their behavior, good or bad.
So that was the beginning. Now, I ask myself, how do I put an end to that decision I made so long ago? I know that I have recalled this story before. I also know that simply trying to just leave a bit or bite or two in the bowl is very difficult for me. It may have started as a solution and a reason to be obedient and avoid a problem for me, but I need to find the way out of this one. When the last few bites are on the plate, no matter if I am full or not, I feel a compulsion and also a desire to finish every bite. "Let nothing go uneaten!" seems to be my motto. As I eat I sometimes feel the "full" signal but continue until the plate is clean. I am compelled. Well, now that I know where that compulsion has come from, I will pray and ask God to show me the way out of this, because I have not found the way out on my own, before.
I prayed and as I prayed the Lord showed me that I was a very little child when I made that first decision and I have lived my life out of that decision. I was closer even to being a baby, than a child, at the time. But I am no longer a little child and can make a new decision based on my adult perspective. I am, in fact, an old woman now, and no longer need to be bound by that promise. Odd that I would call it a "promise." I must have made a promise to myself. I think I promised that I would never do that again. Lord, help me. I now pronounce that promise fully filled. I kept that promise and I did not break it. It is now complete and ended. I have succeeded. I have finished a winner. Now it is time to move on to the next game. Thank you, Lord.
Here is the new game and the new promise: The new game is to pay attention to my body's needs in a new way. If I am hungry, I eat. If I am full, I abide by my body's signals. My body is the judge now. I do not have to eat beyond what my body says to me is enough. And I have the ability to stop when stopping is the right thing to do. I do not have to obey the bowl, I now obey the signals that God incorporated into my living being. When I am full, I am full and do not want or need another bite because I am satisfied. The promise is that, if I quit when my body lets me know I am full, I will be happier. I will be completely satisfied. I won't need to worry that I put too much on my plate. The plate is not important. I am. I promise to follow the Lord's promptings in my own body and mind.
I shall lend my strength to keeping me healthy. It is not healthy to eat beyond capacity. It is not healthy to finish every bite, if I am no longer hungry. It is healthy to eat enough good nourishing food and it is not healthy to eat more than enough. Enough is enough, and that is where I put the fork down, and cover the plate with my napkin. It is not a sin to throw food away, or to store it for a later snack, or even a meal. It is not wasteful to throw away a few bites of uneaten food -- what good are they? I cannot send them to the starving poor in other countries (it was China when I was growing up) they would be inedible by the time they got there. No one else would eat them, why should I? If I throw them away, they can then become compost to feed other healthy and life giving plants. They will feed the worms and the little insects that keep the soil fresh and fertile. Throwing away uneaten food is a good thing. It continues the cycle of regeneration that God created. Praise the Lord! "Let it go uneaten and return to the Earth!" shall be my new motto!
Lunch was a bowl of beans and chicken. Very filling. Thank God!
Well. I had no idea that is where we were going today. But, I am glad we did.
On to day 25: Eliminating Toxins. Dr Ripich states that there are so many, and from so many sources that we will not be able to eliminate them entirely. But there are some things we can do to either greatly reduce them from coming into our bodies or move them through our bodies better with less damage.
Read the book. Really. He gives a lot of specific information about where the toxins are hidden, how they work, and how to combat as many as we can on a personal level. Some of them, I have already incorporated in my life. I have been drinking filtered water for years. I got rid of the plastic cooking containers and never did use Teflon very much. I could see that it flaked off into the food and decided that was not for me, a long time ago. But there is more that cooking in Teflon does. For example at certain temperatures it actually releases different gases into the kitchen and people breath them in. Have asthma? Get rid of the teflon, and replace it with cast iron or stainless steel cooking pots. Don't use those plastic cooking spoons either -- you won't need them without the teflon, anyway. The wooden and metal spatulas and spoons that grandma used to use are much safer for your body and the environment of your house.
He also recommends some herbs that can be used to help the liver clear out the toxins in our body (which is its job) -- turmeric for example, which I had begun to use a few months ago. He lists others that you will want to read about and try for yourself.
Here is the quotation from the front of the chapter (and wow, does it make sense): "Food, one assumes, provides nourishment: but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction." -- John Cage.
Thank God that going on this program is already a way to "detox" the body and Dr Ripich also says that diabetics do not need to do any of the popular "detox" products or programs because they upset the metabolism. Since diabetes is a metabolism disorder, we don't need to push it farther off kilter.
All in all: The fewer poisons we eat, wash with, and breathe in, the fewer problems we have, or create for our neighbors, too. Get the full story starting on page 315.
Be back soon
--Marcia
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