H&G's Type 2 weight loss/remission blog

Honor&Glory

Honor&Glory

Colerain Booster
I am not really doing this for anybody other than myself. I have twice tried to lose weight since being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and have twice hit a wall after 15 to 20 lbs and gained most of it back.

I currently weigh around 280 (I'll get an official weight tonight when I go to the gym for my first work out). I honestly believe that if I get my weight down to 200 or less, that I can rid myself of the medications I am currently on and either control my sugar with diet and excercise OR send it into remission. I'm not sure about remission, but I keep reading studies about obese people whose Type 2 goes into remission after having the gastrobypass surgery. Of course, the reason for that is likely the change to their diet (low carb, high protien) and the fact that their portion sizes shrink significantly. :shrug: I'm guessing that's the likely cause...so that is what I am going to attempt to do...again.

The problem I seem to run into is that I am on Metformin. The drug has really helped to regulate my glucose levels. However, it does this by keeping the liver from producing extra gluclose and releasing into my blood stream. I believe this may be the cause for me hitting the wall at 15 to 20 lbs lost. I am not a doctor but I would think if the liver is not going to metabalize fat to burn for energy (i.e, creating glucose for the blood) how will I be able to burn fat?? My doctor tried a thyroid medicine in conjunction with the other meds I'm on (statin for cholestorol, blood pressure, metforimin) and honestly, it made me feel old and useless to be 38 years old, a father of two and realatively active to be on that many damn drugs...

So, I am going to push as far as I can get and then I plan on stopping my Metformin. Of course, I will monitor my sugar closely and often to make sure my pre and post meal numbers are stying under the mandated 140...if so, then I may be on to something...if not, then I may need to talk about this again with my doctor. Either way, I want to have lost 40lbs by the end of June and another 40 by the end of the year. Here's how I plan on doing it:

1500 to 1900 calorie, low fat diet.
excercise three to four days a week.

that's it. Eat less and excercise. I do plan on using some weight training, but mostly just low cardio to (about 120 beats) to keep my body in the optimal 'fat burn' zone for about 30 to 40 minutes per work out. I'm sure people who read this who take training more seriously than me will have plenty to say about this...and I do welcome all comments via PM...but, please, keep in mind that I work 40 to 50 hourse a week and I have two grade school children who have tons of activities and a house to tend to. So my 'free' time is limited and I have to squeeze in what I can when I can.

So, day one has been good so far. Ate some weight control instant oatmeal (extra cinnamon-great insulin inhibitor that has been proven to help lower cholestorol) and my glucose pre and post eating was 142. Not bad considering I have been HORRIBLE during the holidays as I headed into this program. I don't feel hungry and I am as confident that this will work as I've ever been...I think keeping this blog will help me.
 
 
Well, Day 1 is in the books.

In addition to keeping this blog I am also keeping a more detailed 'diet journal' to monitor my glucose levels. My post dinner (chicken, green beans) number was 131. A little higher than I want it after such a small meal that consisted of virtually no carbs. :dang:

oh, well. It was to be expected given how I had treated myself over the last two and half weeks of the holidays.

Got in the crappiest workout of my life last night. I got home and ate South Beach Diet meal replacement bar, changed clothes and went to the YMCA to work out. Couldn't find a place to park because everybody started their 'New Years Resolution' yesterday and then, couldn't find an open elyptical or treadmil to get on. I had to wait like 10 minutes for one to come open and just as I was getting on it, my head exploded with pain. I tried to excercise through the pain but after 25 minutes, I called it quits. I figured my blood sugar had gotten really low so the first thing I did was check it in the locker room...115. Are you kidding me??? 115 is a normal number. What that tells me is that my body had gotten used to and/or adapted to running at a much higher number over the last few week. I went home, ate dinner, took some advil and gave myself another headache by watching the OSU game. :dang:

the 'official' starting weight is 279.
the goal is 271 or lower by the end of this month.
 
Well, another day has come and gone and I am absolutely bummed. Actually, I'm a little bit pissed and a little bit confused.

It is 10:47 PM and I have been home from the colerain girls basketball game for an hour. I took my sugar when I got home since it had been nearly 3 hours since I had eaten. (lean ham sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread and fat free cheese and a few baked chips and a few tsps of salsa)...my sugar was a whooping 151!! Ok, so that's not dangerously high, but still high for what I had gotten used to before the holidays...especially for such a small meal (not even 400 calories total). So I wait an hour and I'll be damned if it didn't GO UP! It was 159!!!! :mad: :wallbang: :mad: :wallbang:

Look, if I had gone out and eaten a whole bunch of bad things, and a LOT of sugar/carbs, I'd understand...but I didn't and I haven't. Now, I suppose that it is possible that my sugar is high BECAUSE I haven't eaten a ton and my liver, while re-adjusting to regular doses of Metformin, has taken to metabolizing some fat to keep my sugar UP. It is also possible that in a few weeks, my liver will not do this at the same rate and my sugar is liable to teeter on the low, hyperglycimic side...who knows? all I know is that i'm depressed about it.
:(
 
The first full work week is in the books. It is so much easier for me to stay regimented during the work week than on the weekends so this will be a big test for me.

so far so good. Glucose levels have been hanging around 140 (not great, but not horrible) and I have registered some pre-meal readings below 115, so I know I am moving in the right direction on that front.

Haven't had a bad day in terms of dieting so far and I'm happy about that. Every day has ended with my calorie total below 1600, fat total below 65g and my fiber total hanging around 25g. So, I went and did something completely stupid today and stepped on the scale to see if I had lost anything...

gained two pounds. :wallbang: :eek: :mad: :wallbang:

really have to make it a point to get to the YMCA next week. I only had one workout because of fatigue (getting adjusted to lower blood sugar levels and less food) and family stuff. Still, to have eaten so well and so light, I have to admit that I was pretty un-happy to see a freakin GAIN!!!! :mad:

Oh, well..

wanted to share a website with you: www.calorieking.com

excellent site for nutritional information on just about every food under the sun, including restaurants. I'm sure most of you healthy people knew about it, but I just found out and I think it's pretty damn cool...or depressing depending on what you find. :angel:
 
Well, I cheated this weekend...


but not the all out bender that you may be thinking. I did not overload on junk food, fast food or sweets. Instead, I hate more lean ham sandwiches on whole grain bread, more protien and, yes, some complex carbs.

I did this as a 'message' to my system to say, 'it's ok to burn fat and not store everything I eat'. The result was that I lost 1.5 of the 2lbs that I had gained. Overall, I'm still .5 up for the first week, which is a bummer, but there is a lot of excercise to be had this week and I feel really good compared to this time last week. My sugar levels are steady around 130 (it usually takes about two to three weeks before metformin really kicks in to slow the production of glucose by the liver) and I can feel the benefits of that, too. I am not as tired and I do have more energy.

I want to thank everybody who has read this blog and PM'd me with encouragment and advice. I certainly appreciate that and I hope those PM's keep coming. Not to sound like Opra or some other fat broad crying on TV, but, honestly, little things like that really help. :D

I feel a 2-3 lbs loss coming this week! :cool:
 
Week 2 is off to a good start!

Took just three sugar readings yesterday and the numbers were 138 (morning fasting), 108 (after lunch) and 120 (before bed). I'll take those numbers every day if I can get them.
Put in a solid 30 minuts on the elliptical at the Y last night. Got in just over 2 miles and was headache free. I am hopeful that whatever 'shock' I put my body and system through last week is over and that they will start acting 'normally' this week and that I'll be able to actually drop a few pounds to have something to show for it. I did weigh in at the Y since that is the scale I am using for my official weigh and it, too, confirmed the .5 weight gain from last week. But I wasn't upset by that in the least. I think I am on the right path and that it was necessarry to get through last week to set my system up for whats ahead.

Again, I really want to thank all of those who have PM'd me to wish me well or offer advice. It means a lot to me that you'd take the time to do that.

goal for this week....lose 2.5 lbs and check in at 277 next Tuesday morning!
 
Another good day brewing...

I just took my pre-meal glucose reading any it was 90! That's where I want to be. My after breakfast reading was just 110! So I know the medicine, diet and excercise is really having a positive impact there. I am really looking forward to my weigh in on Monday...for the first time since I started this I am really excited and I am seeing good results.

I have a workout at the Y planned for tonight and I am hopeful the snow stays away so I can get it in.

Last week I shared the website 'Calorieking.com' with you.
This week I would like to share with you one of my dieting/eating tips that I use.

I am not a big fan of light bread or whole grain breads. I find them to be dry and tasteless. A few years ago I found something at Kroger that I have since used exclusively since I found out I was a type 2 sugar hoarder...tortillias.

but not just any....there is a brand out there called 'Mission Carb Balance Tortilias' and I'd put them up against ANY 'healthy' bread any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

I just ate a ham wrap for lunch. If I had used two slices of 100% whole wheat bread it would have been 150 calories 3 grams of fiber 1.5 grams of fat and 18 carbs. One taco sized tortillia (about the size of the small tortillia at Chipotle) has 110 calories, 1.5 grams of fat 11 grams of fiber and about 15 net carbs and tastes WAAAAAAY better than the bread. So, I save 40 calories, boost my fiber intake (which is essential to any healthy diet and a must for a type 2) and the taste rocks!

Just my opinion, of course. So, if your thinking about eating a little more healthy, try replacing your sandwich bread from time to time with these and let me know what you think.


Edit:

post lunch sugar level (2 hours after begining the meal) was 115! I'm pretty happy with that. ;)
Meal consisted of

1 tortillia
1 serving lean ham
1 slice of fat free american cheese
1 serving mustard
1 serving reduced fat string cheese
3 servings (an entire bag) of Green Giant 'Asian Mix' Veggies (Veggie Steamers)
 
Last edited:
interesting glucose reading last night. Got home late from work and ate before I went to the Y.
Kids wanted tacos last night so we browned and seasoned the beef and got out the tomatoes, etc...
I had one soft taco (Mission tortillia) with a little light sour cream and light fat free cheese. that's it. barely one serving of meat.

I went to the Y and had a great workout...good calories burned, good distance, good heart rate.
I come home, change clothes and settle in. At 8:30 it is now time for my 'after meal' glucose reading.
177.
:eek: :eek: :wallbang: WTF????

My sugar readings are always higher after a workout and I've never, ever have been able to get an explanation or a gauge on why this is.

But, I remained as positive as I could be. my earlier numbers were outstanding, my morning number today is 135 (still higher than I want, but good) and I know I ate less than 1800 calories yesterday. Oh, well...nobody said this would be easy. :)
 
I quit.

:mad: This is absolute bullsh*t. :wallbang: :mad: :wallbang:


almost two weeks of diet, excercise and self control and I have failed to lose even a f'n ounce! :wallbang:
not ONE!

as if life hasn't kicked me in the balls enough, my morning blood sugar was the highest its been in two years: 190.
I ate all of 350 calories for dinner last night and had a snack of less then 300 calories and less than 40 carbs three hours before bed. Total calories yesterday were 1600...haven't had over 2,000 calories in 12 days...I can't possibly eat any less or excercise, with my schedule, any more.

so, f'k it. might as well stop depriving myself and just get busy dying with a smile on my face...I'm am so f'n pissed/depressed/angry/dumbfounded right now that I could physically take it out on someone or myself. :mad: :mad: :wallbang:
 
Ok...

I didn't 'quit' but I do need to go see my doctor. My glucose numbers are excellent...usually in the 120 to 140 range after meals and in the 90 to 110 range before them...

however, I have gained 3lbs despite my diet and excercise...I am really at a loss for an answer on this one. I drink plenty of fluids, avoid sweets, eat lean protiens, eat plenty of veggies and am in a regular routine. There is no good reason for me to have gained weight during this time frame other than it has to have something to do with my condition and the Metformin. :shrug:

I'll keep you posted.
 
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