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Introduction Text Still here after ten years (some of us are real slow learners). It was time to revamp my profile as it kept getting "lost in the sauce" for unknown reasons. Weight loss is a scary process. Losing a limb or two to diabetes is even harder to contemplate. Choose your hard. What many soon realize, it's not about weight loss (surprise!). It's about what is preventing us from embracing success. Ultimately this is a journey of discovery, an inward discovery of the person that we are, and the one that we hope we will become. It's not a linear progression by any stretch of the imagination. It comes with bumps, weight loss, "plateaus", frustration. We did not get to the weight we are in one weekend of indiscretions, nor will we lose it overnight. It's a long tedious process. But I do believe when we explore those dark corners of our soul and cast a nourishing light there, the demons will scatter, and we will have a clearer understanding of ourselves, and what we really hope to get out of life. In any endeavor, to be credible, you have to be fit, not only for yourself, but to create a successful business. That's our next goal. One gets fit for oneself, not for any significant other, or for one's children. Once we realize that, we have taken the first significant step. It's never too late to take that first step forward. Meet you at the Maintenance Table. No rush to get there. It never closes. 10-19-15 Last week was crushing. At the doctor's office I was told in no uncertain terms that I am no longer pre-diabetic. I am full on diabetic. We can talk a blue streak, but now we really have to see what can be done. As my mother used to say, "Don't plan. Do." We'll reassess in three months. Be a great way to start the new year. I acquiesced and started Lipitor as required by my doctor. My cholesterol is not terribly high, but with the new diabetes diagnosis, it is "no longer acceptable", per my doctor. It is crushing, but the one saving grace about Type 2, there is a chance, with appropriate weight loss, it can be reversed. Stay tuned. 11-1-15: Time for an update. I am really enjoying calorie cycling, alternating every few days from the top of my permitted calorie range to the bottom. My body is so confused!! But it's not in "starvation mode" which is a good thing. Yesterday, while waiting interminably long at Staples for my order to be ready, I was offered Halloween candy. I actually paused before taking two small, bite-sized pieces (total calories spent: 95), and yes, I indulged. Did I enjoy it? Honestly? Not really. I kept thinking I was eating poison. Interesting how one's mindset can change dramatically in two-weeks' time. Hopefully, by the time I see my doctor in January, I will be close to Onederland. It's a mini-goal I am really looking forward to. 3-5-16 Update: Weight is trending downward. As it should be. Down 18.5 pounds since the September doctor's visit. I want to cross the 220 threshold and then reschedule a visit. I want to make sure the doctor sees that there is definitely weight loss so no reason to start me on diabetic medicine. Calorie range has been adhered to, with a few days that were "misses", but pretty close. Always remembering that it's progress not perfection. And I'm OK with that. Let's see what the MD has to say. 4-1-16 Update: I am about two pounds shy of my goal that I wanted to reach before scheduling the follow up with my MD. I have lost about 14 pounds since I saw her last in the fall. I will not say it was easy, but it's coming along, slow and steady, with good days and bad. But SP keeps it in check, and for that alone, I am grateful for this site. SP does make a difference. 5-26-16 Update: Was not at my mini-goal at the time of a necessary MD visit that was work related. Surprisingly, the A1C went DOWN two tenths of a point, getting me out of the range of diabetes once more. Did not expect that at all. Really need to redouble my efforts, and learn once and for all that eating that is stress related is just not acceptable. 7-24-16 Update: Work related severe stress had a lot of eating on the run (NOT acceptable!) for the last two months or so. Reading the story of the 653-pound woman who lost 214 pounds in one year by altering her bad habits one at a time, was truly humbling. Really applied myself this week, and created a new "Other Goals" category: Awarding myself a gold star for every day in calorie range. Plus I discovered the long-abandoned "Stay on Track" calendar that SP provides. Even without me checking onto the calendar feature for over a year, it was still faithfully tracking my calories and exercise and weight. It also has been awarding me my gold stars this week! Here's the link: http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/stay-on-track-calendar.asp A simple, worthwhile investment. In you! Here's another hidden link (why, SP, why???). This is to the "Appointment Reminder". When you set it, SP will send you an email reminding you of the event. Not just for anniversaries and birthdays, but whatever event you want to remember. I use it for "Weigh In" day. In the optional field, I put AIM: [and the pounds I would like to see by that week], and then ACTUAL: [what really was attained]. Then I set a new reminder. Using it individually works better than setting it for "indefinite", because then it keeps the text blank (you'll understand it when you see it. I already tested it both ways). Hope this helps! Here's the link for the appointment reminder: http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/planner.asp [Note: When I edit this link, it is correct. When SP posts it, it is in two lines not one. Remove an extra space between "plann" and "er" and then it should work. Sheesh! Now SP has flipped it again! Look, it's either going to say "pla+nner" or "plann+er". Just complete the word when you copy the URL. It will work then.] 8-26-16 Update: Summer's end. Lessons to take home for myself: Planning ahead is ALWAYS key. Life happens, and it threatens to disrupt the peaceful tranquility of a routine. I have to plan more for those events. If a week's worth of food planning is the key, it will allow for disruptions with only minor modifications. Yeah, I like that. This week, on Wednesday, August 24th to be exact, I set my cap for 36 pounds to lose by year's end. That's 36 in 18. Putting it out there now in the cyber universe will help make me accountable. Wish me luck! It is a doable goal. And I used the Spark calendar to ink in the date in December. Here's to hoping and a LOT of hard work! 9-13-16: UPDATE: This past Sunday's weigh-in was very interesting: Five-pound loss after a full week in calorie range without exception. Averaged 1450 calories daily. This just might be my "sweet spot" for maximum weight loss. Will aim for this number and see where it takes me. I have plenty of time to experiment as I have an awful lot to lose yet. That's OK. The Maintenance Table never closes. I'll get there yet. 11-18-16: UPDATE: Last doctor's visit was a yearly physical. The HbA1C is STILL trending downward. Even as a physician I cannot explain why that should be so. I hope the lab is accurate. It's now 6.1. Nothing to write home about, but I'll take every measure of good news any way I can. Ideally, I would love to see it in the 5.5 range. If the weight still trends down, that is a definite possibility! Here's to good news! 12-25-16: UPDATE: Happy Chanukah! Merry Christmas! On Monday, November 28, 2016 I reached out to a very committed woman, who lives far, far away and asked if she would be interested in being my accountability partner. Bad hours at work, and a mess of other stuff, found the weight trending upward, and at my age, it is not the easiest thing to lose. I was blessed that she agreed, and since then, 28 Accountability Days later, I have not had an upward bump on the scale. Except for the exceptions, we had been measuring about an 86% weekly success rate, and we are both infinitely satisfied with that. This past week, with two serious crises out of town, the best I could do was 57%. Yet, the Scale Gods smiled and I still lost almost two pounds this week. Hooray! I know for sure, knowing that I have an obligation to someone to check in nightly on my progress has forced me to make better choices. In the last four weeks (almost) I have lost 5.75 lbs. Now I hear folks saying, "Is that all???" It's still more than a pound a week, and not one gain over that period. For that I'm satisfied. I have found in this past month, having an accountability partner who has her own struggles, has made all the difference in the world for both of us. So, here's a shout out to mine: Deb, thanks ever so much for taking this challenge on with me. It's helped me tremendously. I hope in some small measure, I have helped you as well. January 13, 2017 UPDATE: In the interest of full disclosure, and a reminder for myself more than anything, the cardiology wake up call is driving me to be more determined. "Say what? You said you passed!!" Yes, I did pass the stress test and the ECHO (with a minor age-related issue that is not my fault). But at several doctors' offices in the last few weeks (which I brought to the cardiologist's attention) my heart rate has been climbing and so has my blood pressure. I have been this way before. I clearly remember what my internist said at the time: "Your body is starting to complain." My body responded well to the weight loss and the blood pressure trended down to a normal range. Now I have 14 weeks to prove I can lose the weight. Or, as I asked (bad when you're a physician and you can see into the same crystal ball) beta blockers? The cardiologist said yes, that was the plan. Taking meds twice a day is definitely NOT in my plan, and if I can prevent that by something that I can control, well, let's have at it. So, MINIMUM 14 pounds at one pound a week, or 28 pounds at two pounds a week. Set the calendar already for Thursday, April 20th. That's 14 weeks from yesterday. Gotta do it. May 14, 2017 UPDATE: Cardiology appointment on May 1st to recheck the pressure and (*gasp*) the dreaded weight. Lost a handful of pounds -- nothing to write home about, but what saved me from blood pressure medication, surprisingly, was the blood pressure dropped (and was rechecked by the doctor) to the 129 / 76 range. YIPPEE!! Dodged a real bullet there. Very glad. Except he and I are now divorced. No need to see a cardiologist, if all heart related events are in order and can be managed by the internist. Oh, but I will miss his cute face. Now the drill is to get back on track with the weight loss. Which under duress has been a runaway train. This is NOT acceptable. 10-19-17 UPDATE: My body is really starting to complain. Some is beyond what I can do, and the rest I have to dig deep. Partners to help us with these challenges are nice, but in the end, it's not something we can depend on. The work is hard, and is really something that only we can do for ourselves. We just have to decide if we're serious enough about this endeavor. I hope that I am. 11-2-17: UPDATE: Lab results are in. Hello, Diabetes! According to the American Diabetes Association guidelines of 2009 (last when I learned about it), a hemoglobin A1C of 6.5 is now used not only to track the disease, but it can be used as an independent measure to diagnose diabetes. Lab results reported to me yesterday show that I have a HgA1C of 7.1. That's enough to start medication. I know the consequences of diabetes. I now have to redouble my efforts. Exercise HAS to become incorporated into the routine. The glass half full good news: I have maintained a 22-pound weight loss for seven years. Now for the rest. 12-10-17 UPDATE: The scale has been moving along very nicely. Sometimes, as an SP buddy told me this week, it just "clicks". I have clear memories of a very non-compliant young patient, who was in total denial as to his condition. Even facing a leg amputation due to his diabetes, he was still ordering junk food to be delivered to his hospital room. He refused to give consent to an above the knee amputation, rationalizing that he would need the knee for a prosthesis to be most effective. The surgeons were forced to comply, encountering, as they suspected, a gangrenous limb. He only consented to surgeries, literally by inches. There is not one type of chocolate (which I adore) nor cake that I love, that is more important to me than my eyes, my heart, my limbs, or my kidneys. 'Nuff said. 02-05-18 UPDATE: My doctor wrote this morning that my HgA1C dropped to 6.5.that's a drop of 0.6 points in three months' time. She further wrote that if my healthy lifestyle improvements continue their current trend, I can get off the diabetes medication. What greater joy is there to read concerning one's health? 10-26-19: UPDATE: What a surprise to open my mailbox and find a note from SP that they decided to make me a motivator. Wow!! I have been on this website for over 11 years now (yes, ELEVEN. That's not a typo.) and one thing I do know is weight loss is not a linear process. You have to keep working at it, and find your touchstone to keep you on track. My touchstone is SP. No, I'm not paid to say that. It's just something I truly believe: The site and checking in keeps me in check and honest. And recording the food intake for ALL days, not just the good ones. I have not missed doing that in eleven years. Weight loss is not "magical". The diets are similar. What makes SP stand out is the community. Who would have thought that a community of total strangers could be more supportive than our own people? But it's true. I cannot afford to give up. Nor can I afford to leave the site. My latest HgA1C is 6.5, in spite of going off the rails. I have to put more effort into attacking this dreadful disease. Just for me. And somehow I need to find the time and the way to get back to the gym. I leave for work often before 6:30 AM. But I will figure it out. If for no other reason than I have to. Thanks, SP, for your continued support and for still making this the very best site on the net. ************************************** SW: 255 lbs. Pre-SP: 255 lbs. (beginning weight) 250 lbs. - done 245 lbs. - done 240 lbs. - done SP: 240 lbs. (beginning SP) 235 lbs. - done (10-18-15) 230 lbs. - done (11-1-15) 225 lbs. - done (2-14-16) 220 lbs. - done (this go-round 01-07-18) 215 lbs. - done (02-04-18) 210 lbs. 205 lbs. 200 lbs. 195 lbs. (Onederland!) 190 lbs. 185 lbs. 180 lbs. 175 lbs. 170 lbs. 165 lbs. 160 lbs. 155 lbs. 150 lbs. 145 lbs. 140 lbs. 135 lbs. 130 lbs. 125 lbs. 120 lbs. 115 lbs. (not seen since 1982) 110 lbs. (GOAL!) ************************************** ¼ lost: 218.75 lbs. – DONE! (01-21-18) ½ lost: 182.50 lbs. – ¾ lost: 146.25 lbs. – Goal: 110.00 lbs. -

A major lifestyle change: Body, mind and soul.

Taking on good habits one at a time, so as not to be too overwhelmed. It seems to be working. Logging all intake is key. Good days, bad days, all are logged days.

NY Woman Learning to believe in me. How? One step at a time. One pound at a time. One goal at a time. Each day. Every day. I will not quit. I will falter, but I will not fail. I will achieve. And now is the time.



Add a Link Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do. ~ Goethe Dare to dream. ~ Me
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