Progress Takes Time
October 27th, 2023
It has been a great week! My blood sugar is staying steady, and I am down about one-half of a pound. After my big loss last week, I’m totally ok with even a small loss and am celebrating it. I’ve had some non-scale victories this week as well. I put on a pair of size 16 pants this week that FIT! I can’t remember the last time I could wear anything smaller than a size 18 or 20. It felt so good to see the change in my body. However, I feel a change in my attitude as well. No pizza this week! I stuck to my diet and even made healthy choices while going out to eat. Progress!
So far, this blog has been emotional and today I wanted to step away from my feelings a bit to let you know what I have been doing to make this change. The first thing I had to do was admit that I had a problem, after that it was easier to ask for help from my medical providers, friends, family, and colleagues. This was a huge step for me as being vulnerable has never been easy. Making the decision to be open was tough, but the truth is knowing that all those folks and you, dear readers, are there gives me strength, hope, and tenacity that I didn’t know was possible. Thank you all.
The next step for me was making the appointments that I’ve dreaded and then following through by actually going to them. Every time I visit one of our ARH providers, I’m just blown away by their care, compassion, knowledge, and professionalism. Each and every one of them has made me feel safe, heard, and cared for. It that has been amazing.
Next, is my diet. I love food, as you all well know. However, what I really didn’t know and understand was that I had no clue regarding portion sizes. None. What I thought was a healthy portion was more like two or three servings. So, I signed up for a preprepared weekly meal delivery service. GAME CHANGER. The first time I opened one of those meals, I was thought, “Umm looks good, but is this it?” Yep, after reading the nutritional information, that was in fact all the food I needed. It was certainly an adjustment, but as of today, I’m very much acclimated to the smaller meals. Not only are the meals more appropriately sized, but they are also more nutritious and do not cause me to have a blood sugar spike.
Prior to this I used to use a delivery service for local restaurants a lot. If I’m being honest, I used it daily. I don’t cook anymore and loved the convenience of having food delivered to me. It was so bad, that if I didn’t order for a day or two, I’d start getting emails and alerts from the service. Honestly, I was afraid they might send someone out for a wellness check! Kidding of course.
So, this was a bad habit that was hard to break. It might have been just as hard for my dogs, Bub and Squeak, because I had gotten in the habit of ordering breakfast for them. I’m sure I’m justifying, but they too are grieving for Michael who they adored, and I may have been spoiling them a bit. They would get up in the morning and look at the door with tails wagging waiting for their bacon. They pouted at me a bit but are learning to live with food for dogs instead of bacon each morning, just as I am learning to do without that special coffee with lots of goodies in it and my favorite breakfast sandwich. My taking them for a drive with the top down might have made them feel better too!
This morning, I made my own coffee with sugar free creamer and ate peanut butter crepes with strawberry compote and turkey sausage. I have to admit it was pretty good. Not as good as my old meal was, but learning to eat to live instead of living to eat is a process. The meal was filling and healthy. Bub and Squeak even think it smells good, but to their dismay I am not sharing.
Another big change for me is actually taking my medication as they are prescribed. In the past, I’ve been horrible about forgetting to take my meds and just going a couple of days without them. Now I know this was just another symptom of my not prioritizing my health. I was always on top of Michael about his meds, but when it came to me not so much. I know now that I just didn’t see myself as important enough in my daily list of activities to take appropriate care of myself. I was not a priority for myself. Today, I have alarms set on my phone to remind me to take my meds, and I don’t miss a dose. It has most definitely made a difference.
Last but not least, there is that whole exercise thing. I hate it. I’m pretty sure I will always hate it. However, from my one visit to the gym, walking more regularly, and doing a few exercises at home, I do see the difference it makes in my mood, stamina, and blood sugar levels. Maybe one day I will find an exercise I love. I hope so! If you have an exercise you love, will you please let me know? I’d really love to hear from you about your own experiences with exercise and what works for you. Maybe it will give me ideas! Or better yet please invite me to exercise with you. I may say no, and please don’t be offended if I do as some days, I still feel a need to play hermit. The fact that you cared enough to include me will mean so much. Afterall, we are in this together.
Speaking of being in this together, do you have questions for me? Suggestions? Ideas? I would really love to hear from you at livingwell@arh.org. Thanks for following. Until next week, I hope you stay safe, happy and HEALTHY!
Note: Every health journey is unique. I am sharing my personal health journey and the specific recommendations I am receiving on my quest to better health. I encourage you to consult with your provider to learn how you can become healthier too. This website, blog, and article does not provide medical advice and is for informational purposes only. No material on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.