My health journey in 2023 and beyond

Last year in March I took my health fair results to my doctor. I figured things would have to change in my life based on my numbers. I was right.

Numbers for liver, heart, cholesterol and A1C were all high, not surprising to me. We discussed all but the A1C first and came to the conclusion I could address all with diet and exercise. The A1C was 6.6, diabetic range. Her tone was serious so I knew it was nothing to mess around with. She asked if I wanted to deal with it through medicine or exercise and diet. The decision was clear. If I was handling everything else with diet and exercise then I could do this too.

So a plan was in place and I was to check back in six months with new blood work and see how I was doing.

Well in September all my elevated numbers were down, including my A1C (4.9). My weight was also down, from its peak in 2022 to September 2023 I had dropped 65 pounds, most of which came after March. I am down another 10 pounds with a goal of 25 more pounds per my discussion with my doctor.

My blood pressure has also been the best since I have kept track of it.

We are shooting for a healthy but realistic weight that someone at age 55 can reasonably be expected to maintain.

So what happened in those six months and is still happening? It was a change in mindset.

If you look back about five years ago I wrote that turning 50 I wanted to get healthier physically and spiritually. That didn't happen. It sounded good. But I was doing it for the wrong reasons. I was going to try because I thought I should, because I thought I needed to if I was turning 50. In the past I have lost weight but not kept it off because I didn't really have a change in mindset and because I was doing it for the wrong reasons.

None of it was for me. This time, in 2023, and beyond, I'm doing this for me. Not because of my blood work (OK that is part of it because I would like to be around for a little while longer on this earth), but because I want to do it for me. I want to do it to feel better, for my knees to feel better, to be more active for me.

It sounds selfish, but it really isn't. Anytime you want to make a change in your life it is not going to work unless you are doing it for yourself. I believe that. I am living that.

My husband was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2019. He has been talking to me about my diet and what I eat since then, but I wasn't ready, after all I didn't have diabetes. My thought was life was short to not do things you enjoy and I enjoy eating so I did.

But something inside me in late 2022 was telling me it was time to get healthy. I can't really explain it. The doctor told me to get some blood work done, told me what tests to get. I did not have to do it. I could have ignored her instructions, not gotten the blood test done and not gone back to see her.

I did, because for me I knew that bloodwork would be the "kick in the pants" I needed to get healthy.

So how again, how did I get where I am at now? Well I listened to Alan but I also knew from his diabetic journey that what worked for him was not necessarily going to work for me.

The first thing I needed to do was start exercising so I started walking, every day, even with one bad knee that yelled at me a lot. The dogs enjoyed it and I started enjoying it as well.

I was up to two miles a day when I messed up my good knee. A trip to see the orthopedic surgeon and an MRI showed a partial cartilage tear and osteoarthritis. I was told walking would be the worst form of exercise for my knees. Well shoot.

Swimming and bicycling would be good so we got a used stationary bicycle and I had to start all over on exercising but

I am up to 2.5 miles every day. Some days more – depending on time availability.

But it is not just exercise. I basically eliminated all sugary sweets and trust me I used to eat a lot of them, M&Ms, Mr. Goodbars, and well anything chocolate pretty much, Mexican cinnamon bites from Taco John's, mini cinnamon rolls from Cenex One Stop, apple strudel bites from Blair's, Skittles, Nerds. Well you get the picture.

I have added some zero sugar chocolate back into my diet. The zero sugar Reese's peanut butter cups are yummy, but too many messes up my calorie count and well then you don't lose as much weight.

I started eating healthier. I try and eat a salad at least once a day, sometimes twice. And not iceberg lettuce. I try and get spring mix or 50-50 as they have the healthier greens and I like it. I add carrots on occasion, or nuts, but again, I have to watch the number of calories. Cucumbers are good too. No, no tomatoes, only if they are on a restaurant salad, but never on purpose.

And, while Alan eats broccoli and cauliflower, I still cannot eat those, so salad it is and it seems to be working.

I try and shoot for 500 calories or less a meal for 1,500 calories a day. I do not catalog everything but after time you know how many calories are in certain foods.

I end up eating a lot of the same food, but it is healthier and I am feeling better.

I have eliminated a lot of carbohydrates as well including potatoes, pasta, chips. (I miss chips but NutThins crackers are pretty good.)

I will occasionally have pasta (smaller than regular serving though). I have potatoes on occasion, potato ole's in my Wednesday breakfast burrito.

I have had hash browns on a rare occasion and the first time I measured out an actual serving I was shocked ... and disappointed.

I have had some French fries but small portions.

I will have bread on occasion. Bun on a hamburger, if we have Subway I usually tear off top part of the bread – saves calories and carbs because most 6-inches are 500 calories or more.

And i have found a new love of Cheerios. Just the regular, no sugar Cheerios. I have them nearly every day. I was extremely excited when I got my A1C numbers, and at 4.9 I knew I could continue to have my Cheerios.

My method is not for everyone but it is working for me. Just as Alan's diet plan is not for me. Everyone when they try and get healthy, whether diabetic or not, needs to find what works for them, what foods work for you.

Cheerios spike Alan's blood sugar but don't seem to affect mine. I love red meat and it does not seem to hurt my numbers (although since March 2023 I have added more chicken and fish in my diet).

Back to the mindset. I had to come to the realization that it was not a diet. That I would lose weight and then things could go back to normal. This is normal now for me.

I tell people it is not a diet, it is a lifestyle because I cannot go back and eat the way I was or my levels and my weight will go back to the way they were and that's just not healthy.

The other thing I had to do for me was not weigh myself very often. I knew if I did and I did not see the progress I thought I should I would get discouraged and possibly give up so I waited a few months and I could tell by the way my clothes were fitting.

I am able to wear shirts I have had in my closet for a while and have not been able to wear. I am down at least 2 sizes in pants and I still am not weighing myself very often.

I'll be checking A1C and other blood work every six months to ensure that what I am doing is still working and if additional changes need to be made.

I think the initial 50 pounds came off rather easy with the lifestyle changes I made and these last 25 are going to be a little more stubborn and take a little more work but I will get there.

I am on a mission now. A mission for myself.