I am holding on and carrying forward this month .. work is requiring the majority of my focus so trying to just keep healthy eating and healthy activity/exercise levels on autopilot. That's not the way to make great strides forward but it should prevent any backsliding. One of my team members is retiring unexpected due to heart issues .. I literally just hired him in November, so it is a bit of a blow. It isnt a great time to replace this key position-- or to restart the interviewing process but mostly it has made me very aware of the need to take care of myself! Especially for the next few months while I will be doing both his job and mine.

So how can I put healthy eating on autopilot? I think the key is to keep good, healthy ingredients in the house. This isnt going to be a month of trying new recipes -- rather sticking to my faithful quick, easy and tasty recipes that use good-for me ingredients. I am going to lean into the vegetables and use shortcuts. I'll do some veggie bowls and eggs w veggies. For shortcuts, I want to try Wegmans new "ready to cook" cod and bok choy and I already know I like their turkey meatloaf. It isnt ideal but my hope is that it will help keep me on track through a hectic few months.

I am hoping the longer days are going to help keep my activities going too. I have been doing a number of in-home/in-place exercises with weights and without. Nothing I could call a "workout" but more spurts of 5-10 min focused effort. As the days get longer, I hope to get more outdoor walks in... and of course there is the treadmill to supplement but I think getting out of the house and getting fresh air is a valuable ... and yes, I am still doing the 1000 hr outdoors challenge but have failed miserably the week since I downloaded the tracker form. :( Gotta get a routine going.

Hope you all have a great week! What is going on in your worlds?

I also need a pair of 8 lb. dumbbells. I have 1-5 vinyl coated, then 10, 12, and 15. I'm working my way back up to the heavier weights.

I am feeling better, seemed to turn the corner after 48 hours. I walked on the treadmill yesterday and today, so at least some kind of activity. I have Pilates Wednesday and Friday this week. I could probably do the TRX and dumbbells tomorrow.

Still doing good on tracking. I got some frozen halibut for one of our meals this week. we also have some of the lasagna frozen, and maybe we can also make the red lentil pasta.

This week/month is also so busy for us. Just did a bunch of online grading while using the treadmill.

I have not weighed myself yet but will do it in the morning.

Sprinroz, that is sure a lot of work-- I am sure you are getting stronger and healthier in ways that aren't immediately visible!

Oh GScience, halibut sounds soooo good! Glad to hear you are recovering so well -- just be careful! I don't know what procedure you had done but your body will still be on the mend even when you are feeling better.

Funky - sounds like you have a good plan together. It is hard to be healthy when you are so busy. It takes time to cook right and exercise. I need to cook more in general. I rely on eating out and chipotle way too often. My favorite shortcut is prechopped onion/carrot/celery mix at the grocery store. It makes soups way easier. I'm not a great chopper.

I did pretty well last week, and then not so great over the weekend. Seems to be my norm, and probably why I am holding steady instead of losing :)

I did do well on the outside part - we have been having SUNSHINE. YAY! So, several walks and even a couple hours of pickleball yesterday. I hadn't played in awhile and I could tell I was out of shape.

I did manage no bagels or potato chips, but we got some good sourdough bread. Bread :) And I had a couple glasses of wine this weekend. 2 out of three's not bad I guess.

Weather looks good this week, so I'm hoping for more pickleball and walks. I really need to do some meal planning and cooking.

I read that if you could cut out added sugars, refined grains and seed oils, you really wouldn't have to worry about what you eat. I don't eat a lot of sugar, and really no grains except tortilla chips - which of course are also fried in seed oil. It pretty much takes all processed foods out of the picture. Which would be good, but hard to do for me. And maybe that's my issue. On the plus side, I did find some delicious dry roasted spicy pumpkin seeds in the bulk section of my health food store this week.

Gscience - glad you are feeling better! Springroz - that sounds like great exercise. I bet you are stronger than you think!

Long...of course. :) Yesterday I got hit with a bomb at the doctor's office for my six month checkup, full bloodwork, and an A1C. If you're not familiar, an AIC is a pin prick to the finger and it measures the last three months of your glucose level.

I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes around 2010. Lost weight and my blood sugar has been under control for years. I do take Metformin to keep it that way.

My A1C was 9. 0%. Normal AIC is 5.7. I hardly checked my blood sugar because I was doing good. My bad. My real real bad. lol

All the charts I've looked at only go up to 10. Anything higher it's the hospital asap.

I thought my doctor was going to have a heart attack because my levels have been good.

I eat sweets along with veggies and some meat. One Christmas I ate a ton of cinnamon rolls and my blood sugar was normal. I still...or did...eat the same amount of sweets, diet pop, water, and coffee. I don't guzzle the pop, I enjoy a glass with lunch.

I know all about the diabetic diet, but since I do love something sweet, I need to know if you can recommend a good sugar substitute so I can add it to blueberries and strawberries, in moderation of course.

He wants me to take Ozempic for the reason it was made, T2 diabetes, not weight loss, but I could use that too. Medicare pays all but $400 for 6 shots, which is a month and a half worth. Uh, NO. The doctor is going to find a compound which should be around $100. Not sure if it's the same as Ozempic but the blood sugar needs to come down asap.

Have you all thought about Ozempic? Looking on facebook I am shocked at all of the sudden skinny friends of mine, all ages.

I guess it's back to buying sugar free sweets and they're not too bad.

Any advice? I'm close to the danger point and all I've had since yesterday morning are a couple of boiled eggs, half a peanut butter sandwich, half a turkey sandwich, and a small handful of black grapes which helps with diabetes.

I do think I figured out what happened. I've had really bad fatigue for the past couple of years. Partly due to low Vitamin D levels, Covid, and now I have scalp psoriasis which can cause severe fatigue. Which means I don't move like I did before. I'd zip around the house and yard doing chores and now I walk kind of slow. Sometimes I feel drunk when walking. Sort of a tripple whammy. No exercise = high blood sugar.

I'm sorry you got such startling news Oakley, but good for you for going to the dr and getting the info. Now you can make some changes and decide what to do.

That is a really high A1C - that's an average blood glucose reading of 210 - which is really high. Do you have a way to check it throughout the day and see if that is accurate? How long had it been since you had your a1c checked? Did they test your fasting glucose with your bloodwork?

I don't know enough about ozempic to weigh in on that, but if you want to make some lifestyle changes there are lots of things you can tweak that would help. Whether they would be enough at this point would be up to you and your dr.

I have been wearing a CGM I paid for privately off and on for a couple years and have been shocked about certain things that raise my blood sugar. And this is a rant - but why type 2 diabetics can't get access to CGM through insurance is beyond me! They are such a game changer.

Anyway - just from your day you posted - Berries are good - do you need sugar on top? How about some cinnamon or dark chocolate instead? I eat mine for dessert with a couple walnuts and a small piece of dark chocolate. Would you consider a turkey rollup with real cheese and lettuce instead of bread? if not try to find a high fiber bread for your sandwiches. Fiber is really key for blood sugar control. It slows down the absorption of sugar or simple carbs and really can make a difference. Make sure your PB is no sugar added and perhaps have it on apple slices instead of bread.

They key to blood sugar control is that every meal or snack consist of protein, fat and fiber. Carbs are not inherently evil, but they will raise your blood sugar if you don't use them up. And it's super easy to eat more than we need with our mostly sedentary lives. Walking after eating is super helpful. If you don't want to go outside, march in place or walk up and down your stairs for 10-15 minutes,

You can deep dive as much as want, of course what you are willing to do/change and whether that is enough is up to you and your dr. Here is a good article if you want to learn more. Metabolic Health.

Also Glucose Goddess - this person has some "hacks" that help control blood sugar. These are widely known and supported, she just makes them a little friendlier to read. If you are on social media, she shares a lot there as well. I can attest that these do work for me. Especially the green starter and fiber ones.

Or if you like podcasts - this one is probably good - I didn't listen to this one, but I have heard what all these people have to say about the topic and I think you'll find it very informative. Dr Hyman

I agree that your A1C is way too high and you have to get that down. I would suggest working with an RD from your hospital system. Insurance should pay. Maybe your DH can go, too. But like legomom said, snacks should include protein, fiber, and fat. Walking after meals is good, too. See if you can get a CGM. Resistance training in addition to walking.

I have given up on Glucose Goddess because she is now shilling untested supplements. 🚩🚩🚩

Ozempic and Mounjaro work to get your A1C down, and the most important things from the clinical trials are that they reduce risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and inflammation. So, these are super important for people with diabetes or prediabetes. My SIL reduced her A1C and lost about 20 lbs with Ozempic. Your insurance should cover it especially since you have T2D. Ozempic/Wegovy are in short supply but Mounjaro has better availability. I would not recommend the compound route because you do not know what you are getting. There are no generics of these drugs available.

I just started on Zepbound/Mounjario mid-January, and I have lost about 5 lbs. I had to go off last week for a GYN procedure where I had to have anesthesia, but I started my dose again on Sunday. I am paying $550 per month with the ”discount” coupon because my insurance excludes anything for weight loss though they would cover if I had T2D. If you have insurance Mounjaro could be covered or with a very low copay. Look into your plan and the discount card. I am just over all of this and sick of having weight related issues. Even my most recent GYN problem can be tied to excess weight. Fortunately everything went well and all biopsies were negative. I will not listen to any carp that I am ”taking the easy way out” because I am using meds. OTOH there are only a handful of people IRL who know I’ve started. It is not different than needing BP meds, meds for anxiety, depression, or ADHD. It is a correction of an imbalance in your body.

I too am sorry you received such startling news, Oak ... but the good thing is that there are plenty of things you can do to make immediate changes.

You have already received some great advice above so I'll try to stick to the more simple things-- but before that, do consider Lego's suggestion of a glucose monitor. Our bodies respond to foods in very specific ways-- and they can even vary by times of day. Getting immediate feedback on what is spiking your blood sugar levels will allow you to adapt-- also getting immediate feedback on what maintains your blood sugar levels lets you know what you are doing right and should continue.

Sandwiches

from what you've shared above and in the past, sandwiches are a regular part of your eating routine.Here are a few tips for sandwiches:

• Look for a high fiber bread -- As Lego shared, fiber helps to reduce the impact of carbs on your blood sugar levels. I have a few I like-- Dave's Killer Bread is one. Sourdough bread also has less of an impact than regular old white bread.
• SO uses a trick to "double the protein" so that there is a higher mix of protein to carb which should also reduce the impact of carbs.
• Make open face sandwiches-- this immediately cuts the total amount of carbs by 1/2.
• Replace some (or all) of your sandwiches with the same ingredients in a salad or platter -- roll up lunch meat with cheese (my favorite is good quality turkey with a little pesto) or add a scoop of tuna/chicken/egg salad to a platter with shredded lettuce, cucumber and tomato slices on a pretty plate would make a great lunch. Maybe do this every other day at first ... and who knows, you may find you prefer it!

Sweets

Sugar is not your friend-- you know this lol! But a few suggestions to help satisfy your cravings:

• Stop cold turkey! I know this is easy for someone else to say (especially someone who doesnt eat many sweets) but just stopping sugar for 2 weeks will help slow your cravings and you will find that you really taste the natural sweetness in things like fruits, nuts and whole grains.
• Learn to love berries without sugar! This goes with the above but even if you don't stop cold turkey, you CAN adapt to eating berries without sugar. It helps to buy them when ripe-- you can tell this by their smell. An unripe strawberry doesnt have much of that berry smell-- a ripe one smells delicious!
• Pair fruits with protein-- cheese and grapes, peanut butter and apple. Protein and fiber help slow the rate that sugar (even "good" sugars) are added to your blood stream.
• Embrace dark chocolate -- it too is slower to spike your blood sugar and has good antioxidants.
• While I don't wholly endorse leaning to the artificial sweeteners, i do use them sparingly. Others have told me they love the low sugar and sugar free fudgecicles (i dont like chocolate so never had them).
• Watch for what SF items cause you to want to snack or crave other sweets - I have learned that SF jello and Crystal Light both spark cravings for me. They make me feel hungry or snacky very soon after having them.

Drinks

• I struggle with sodas myself-- I drink diet which has its own issues but sugar sodas go right to your blood stream. Also, there are lots of chemicals in any soda sf or not that are not good for your body. Try to eliminate or reduce the number of sodas of all types.
• Juices seem like they are healthy-- but they too will immediately spike your blood sugar. That's why they give OJ when a person's blood sugar is very low... or when you donate blood. The one exception (I believe-- you should maybe confirm this if you like the idea) is tomato juice/V8 .. it also has some great nutrients and is good for your heart!
• SueB has many times touted tea in the evening to squash cravings for a sweet or a snack. It realy works! I have a few teas I love iced and hot that give the sense of sweetness without sugar .. they are both from the Republic of Tea: Blackberry Sage and Ginger Peach... but there are many herbal and black teas that are infused with flavors you may enjoy. My mom loves mint teas ,.. and I also enjoy the herbal chamomile teas.

OK this is long and i have a meeting in 5 min so I will stop here. Hopefully you find a few tips that will help you. :)

One last thought-- I personally choose not to take supplements or meds for weight loss. I don't take a lot of drugs OTC or prescription and I have carried this into my weight loss approach also. I know my demons and I know how to prepare healthy meals so that is where -I- focus.

That said, I acknowledge that if you aren't able to get your blood sugar under control that drugs are far preferable to the ill effects of diabetes and high blood sugar on your body-- most especially your heart!

I think drugs or not is a personal decision-- you do what is best for your health!

Oakley, I'm sorry about your A1C. In addition to the above suggestions, I recommend keeping a strict food diary for a few weeks. It may point to some patterns that you can adapt/alter based on suggestions above. I would not rely on sugar-free sweets, most of which are ultra-processed. Incorporate more movement into your day. You'll feel better just making that change.

I hope everyone else continues to make improvements. Even the small ones can add up. Don't give up, and don't be too hard on yourselves. The fact that you're thinking about your health each day is amazing!

Now that our sidewalks are clear, I'm in the routine of walking to the gym 3-4 days/wk for strength training, and walking and yoga on the other days. This is a good, sustainable combination for me. Of course, our winter ain't over yet!

Regarding diet, I'm still trying to incorporate more protein, without adding more meat, such as quinoa, edamame, tempeh, beans, etc. I just have to be careful about serving sizes. I always eat at least 5 different vegetables a day. I grocery shop carefully--if I don't have it in the house, I won't eat it.

I have been hesitant to mention this before, but I've been taking creatine monohydrate as a supplement each day. I did a lot of research on it, dosage, type, etc., and between it and collagen supplements, I feel good in terms of exercise and recovery. I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder, which is the reputation that creatine has. Rather, I just want to maintain muscle and my functionality as I get older.

I’ve been reading a lot about creatine and considering adding it, but haven’t yet. I’m just not a good vitamin/supplement taker in general, so I try to keep it focused. It’s touted a lot as the most studied supplement around with decades long safety record. I did get some collagen I’m trying to incorporate, but haven’t been successful yet.

I've started and stopped this comment for months. Last spring, my goal was to lose 10 lbs. Just that extra, I-feel-chunky weight. I had a hard time changing my eating/drinking habits. But then my mom had an awful acccident in late July. My appetite vanished. I also stopped drinking in October to support a family member with alcohol issues and a couple of months ago, dh and I switched to a mostly low salt vegan diet for health reasons (more his). Since August, I have lost almost 25 lbs. (I'm 5'5 and weigh about 125 now). Peoplle have commented on the weight loss. I know I shouldn't lose more. I'm skinny at this point and all my old clothes fit. But I have a hard time not seeing weight loss as an accomplishment. Even now. We have been trained that way by society and the media. And if my weight goes up a few lbs, then I think I've failed. It doesn't take Freud to know that this is all about control, ie, felt helpless about Mom, so my I found something I could control. I just don't have much of an appetite. I think in the beginning I did, but I ignored it and now I just don't feel hunger much. I do have an appt with my dr in early April, but tbh, this is the healthiest I have felt in years. And yes, I know I shouldn't weigh myself daily. I'm going to try to break that habit.

So those of you who have achieved ideal weight, how did you stop losing more weight?

And also, don't be surprised if I delete this--it's pretty personal, even for me.

Many dieticians teach the 3 meals with 3 snacks way of diabetes control. This is very carb heavy totaling close to 200 carbs per day. That will do your BS no favors. I have been doing low carb for the past year and have had great success with this losing weight and dropping BP meds and my metformin. My last A1c was 5.8, down from 7.1 a year ago. I was reluctant to eliminate carbs initially but I see what it has done for me and how I feel. YMMV.

A CGM is roughly $75 /month thru Good Rx. A script is needed from your MD.

I hear you on Glucose Goddess. He hacks often enable you to continue eating in an unhealthy way also. "Want that piece of cake? Drink some apple cider vinegar first".

I don't have any experience with what you're going through jojoco, but quitting drinking and switching to a different diet can both be healthy ways to lose weight, and could have resulted in a lot of your weight loss. I can't speak to it crossing over into unhealthy territory, but I really hear you on feeling good about looking better even when you didn't lose weight in the healthiest of ways. Weight loss and appearance are certainly ingrained into us through societal norms. I always hear people saying food is the hardest thing to have a healthy relationship with, because you NEED it. Alcohol you can give up completely, but you have to eat. So finding the right balance is that much more difficult because you're always faced with a decision on what to eat.

I hope that you can find your new diet and lifestyle nourishing and that you stay healthy. I'm not sure on staying the ideal weight. My DH tends to be thin and easily loses weight. He can usually tell by his pants and will start concentrating on eating more for awhile. Food just isn't important to him and his build has always been thin. It's an effort for him to eat healthy and not lose too much weight.

RNmom, the 3 meals/3 snacks was also touted as a way to keep the "metabolism up" to lose weight. It never worked for me. It made me crazy hungry all day long.

Jojo, I'm glad you're feeling better about your weight, but am sorry it's largely because of the stress with your mother (although cutting alcohol and a vegan diet seem good changes). I weigh myself nearly every day so that I can identify foods/habits that trigger inflammation, and also to check my hydration levels. Overall, it's a good habit for me, but not for everyone for sure. Are you incorporating strength training? With fat loss comes muscle loss. I'm hoping your doctor advises a bone density test.

Speaking of the scale, Lego, if you do start taking creatine, be mindful that it may cause a few lbs of weight increase right away. This is largely due to muscles retaining water. I've increased my water intake, and it has leveled out. (I've cycled on and off for about a year. Each time I've started up again, there is a 1-2 lb weight gain.) I take a powdered creatine monohydrate that I mix into water. It has no taste.

Collagen, on the other hand... I choke down pills. I also have collagen powder, but I can only tolerate the taste if it's mixed in with a protein shake, which I only drink 1-2/week. I prefer the pills, only because I feel much better when taking it at all, and the pills are the lesser evil.

Jojoco, thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I know you have been through it this last year dealing with the stress of your mom's fall and recover and supporting both your parents. It is a lot to deal with -- I too lose my appetite when dealing with major life issues and just regular old stress. On top of the stress, you made some major changes to your lifestyle and diet ... kudos for the healthy changes but even a healthy change can cause some stress to your body as you adjust. I think it is great that you are balancing changes in eating that are out of your control with intentional changes that are IN your control! I bet that feels good!

As for how you/we look at weight loss ... maintaining or returning to a "healthy" weight has been a life long battle for me-- I have only once lost "too much weight" (story for another day) and I am actively working to lose weight now so I don't feel well equipped to provide much insight.

The thing that stood out to me in your post is that you say that you feel healthier than you have in years. That's wonderful and has to be a great feeling! I would recommend trying to focus on how you feel-- are you energized, do you feel strong and flexible. Weight is just a number and as long as it doesn't dip or rise quickly, I don't see a reason to worry the completely normal ups and downs of a few lbs. You have enough to worry about these days -- don't allow a lb or 2 to add to it! I get it feels like something you can control -- but it's only one of many things that reflect your overall health.

I DO have a tendency to get a bit obsessive about the scale and daily weights and I have been trying to recognize when it slips into "obsessive" and to pull back. I think knowing when I am being obsessive is right up there with knowing I have gained 3 lb. Neither does great things for my confidence, self image or motivation. Good health means not only good body health but good mental health too. That said, as I am working to lose weight, I do need to weigh regularly-- when I am in a good place, I weight daily. When not, i drop back to weekly (or even biweekly).

I wish you and your family all the best dear Jojoco! ❤️ I know you are so giving and focused on everyone else-- but be good to yourself! You will have so much more to give to your children, grandchildren, parents and DH!

Funky,

Thank you so much for your sweet and helpful response. It was exactly what I needed to hear today.❤️

😘 glad it helped .. I reread my post just now and realized my post was unorganized and all over the place.

Keep posting when you can/are inspired ... we'd love to hear how you are doing!

RN, that's what I always did when first diagnosed. I know what foods to eat but I've been lax on it.

I do believe I found out what's going on and it's not good. Keep reading and I'm not proofing. :) Between readings I've forced myself to move and drink lots of water.

Also, yesterday morning I discovered when he had me take the full dose of Metformin after breakfast, the bottle had extended release on it. The other wasn't. Yesterday was my first dose of the new med. Two hours later after having half a peanut butter sandwich and black grapes, it went down to 239. The fatigue is really bad but I forced my self to vacuum and do laundry, and drank a lot of water.

By dinner I was so weak and starved to death (I hadn't discovered the little sugar free cups of jello and vanilla pudding in the back of the fridge.lol ) We haven't gone to the store yet so my dinner choice was limited with zero energy. I said to heck with it, I had a tuna salad sandwich on white bread...I know....guacomole, handful of tostidos. And a cupcake. Normally that wouldn't hurt my glucose level so I was actually testing to see if it would lower or raise my level.

This morning the fasting level was 240, it went up a point.

I was such a bad girl today but what I ate shouldn't have done this. I didn't snack at all and drank more water. Around 6:30 pm today I fixed another tuna sandwich, guacomole, chips, and I had two cupcakes. The rest are in the trash. I moved a lot today then gradually got to where I could hardly walk. That's when I splurged on the second cupcake.

Two hours after eating which was two hours ago, it was 298.

I googled a 300 for blood sugar and the few websites I read said to check it again later and if it's still high to contact the doctor. Which I'll do in a bit and will report back.

My ailments right now are Scalp Psoriasis which began a few months ago and it's not that bad and the itching is gone, but still flaking. I have a few red patches along the top of the hairline on the face which is normal. There are a few patches on my arms and legs and they're only noticeable to me. That's skin psoriasis, a different ballgame.

I did a topic on this two years ago when I came down for the first time with Nasal Vestibulitis which is a bacteria infection in the front part of nasal passage. At the beginning of NY weekend a boil aka furuncle...where do they come up with these names? That's when it became a staph infection. On the following Monday I called my dr and told him what I had and he gave me the strong antibiotic and a tube of Mupirocin ointment which is also antibiotic. Took two months to go away.

I don't have Uncle Fur because I immediately began using the ointment.

It's still a bacterial infection and those infections can make glucose levels rise.

Here's where I'm kind of screwed and I'll be contacting my doctor tomorrow. He'll probably put me on antibiotics

Instead of explaing this, just read the first paragraph about blood sugar and psoriasis.

Just took a reading and it was 178! It's been seven hours since I ate so I think I'll celebrate with some sf jello and go to bed. :)

Oakley - I'll be a little too blunt here, but probably no one but high school athletes could eat like that and not have high BS readings. Bread, cupcakes, Tostitos all in the same day. The only food you had that was good for stable blood sugar readings was the guacamole, but the chips probably did you in with that. Fasting is good for BS readings, but not if it makes you feel poorly. You might need to work up to that. But that is absolutely a strategy.

Almost every post menopausal woman is insulin resistant. We just don't have the muscles or hormones to use up that kind of carb input.

The number one thing I got from eating a blood sugar stable diet was energy and a better mood. When you eat better you will feel better. High numbers like you have do cause fatigue and lethargy. Those are symptoms of high BS.

Infections will absolutely raise your numbers, they are a a stress to your system, but being a diabetic is causing a lot of stress to your system and a number of health risks for sure.

I hope you'll consider trying a lower carb diet with vegetables and nuts and seeds and protein and see if you can get the results you want. I think you'll feel enough better to keep at it and your body will surely thank you. Feed your body nutrients and real food and it will pay you back. Diabetes is a real health risk for all sorts of reasons. You are doing great tracking and being aware, now just switch it up and see how much you improve when you change your food choices.

Just as an example - yesterday was a REALLY bad day diet wise for me. I was running errands so I was bad and stopped at chick fil a - I got an egg white grille - so English muffin, egg, cheese, chicken. I even let my dog have 1/3 of it. I had to walk for 45 minutes to control the BS spike from the carbs and whatever other junk they put in there. For lunch I had a huge salad with lettuce, veggies, beans, pumpkin seeds, blue cheese and balsamic vinegar and 1 piece of everything pizza. Then I did my lower body weight routine - so 25 minutes of squats, deadlifts, planks, Pilates rollups, leg machines and I still spiked over 41 points. I'm going from 92 to 133, but it still shows the effect of bread on BS- even with a workout after. I just can't eat bread and expect to have stable numbers. And I was starving for dinner because the my numbers plummeted again and made me hungry. Looking at it, I had protein, veggies, beans, nuts, walked for 45 minutes, did a strength workout and I STILL had spikes and a bad day BS wise. I'm not diabetic and my numbers are OK even with a spike, I'm just giving that example to show that it's hard for me to process carbs as a 53 year somewhat active woman, and I'm probably not the exception. It's hard to eat better, I have some bad habits that lead me to fast food and I am trying to do better. I get that challenge for sure. I wish you all the luck!

I actually paid some $$ and did an online program and support group to get my bs under control.

The gal stressed two things. Check your bs before eating and then 90-120 after eating. Your blood sugar should not go up more than 30 points. If it does, look at what you ate and eliminate that food. The next one is that we want to be fat burners and not depend on our bodies for energy. Every time you eat that cup of sf jello or piece or candy or carrot, our bodies release insulin instead of burning fat. Being a fat burner imporives insulin resistance and your bs.

Lego, our liver stores blood sugar which helps. I guess I could get a copy of my glucose levels when this began. BTW, as RN said, my sweets were eaten after I ate protein. That's a must.

My past A1C trends beginning 10/17 when I had to get a new doctor because my other one passed away, until Monday, averaged at 5.9/6. High normal and definitely doctor approved.

July 2023, the A1C before this one, was 5.9. The arrow after that a1c started going straight up until Monday, when it was a 9. It wasn't my eating, something happened to my body.

It was last night I stared googling what could cause the high numbers and smh, it definately is the psoriasis, as explained in the link above. It's an auto-immune disease and incurable.

I deduced it began around last summer when I had bad dry skin which I only got in the winter. My eyebrows looked like I had dandruff but those flakes were bigger and I did think it was dandruff so I added more lotion.

I didn't discover my scalp psoriasis because I have light hair and wasn't looking for flakes until a few months ago when I had an itch on the top side of my scalp. When I scratched it I felt crust. Took a look and it looked like cradle cap. Scratched it all off which we're not supposed to do. lol

I took a close look at my scalp and sure enough, it was light silver and gently flaking. Scalp Psoriasis.

I mostly have it under control due to various shampoos, and today I start my prescription shampoo. I've had this for months and never knew it. My fatigue went into over drive in November & had to leave TG dinner so I could go home. A friend told me she knows someone who has the same type of fatigue with her scalp P.

It's not my eating, I keep track of my A1C and I was doing fantastic.

A diabetic can't eat before they do their morning fast test.

This morning it was 222. It went up 44 points since the one I took 2 hours after yesterdays dinner, and didn't eat., Something was going on.

Because I'm making do on the food we have here and haven't had time to restock for all the foods I need right now, for breakfast I heated a can of Ranch Style Beans with cheddar on top. Good for lowering numbers. Two hours later it was down to 192.

I'm thinking this new ER metformin and being back on mostly strict diet will help, and if it does I'm not taking Ozempic.

Oakley, diabetes is a progressive disease so it may not be all the Psoriasis. The diet you described did not sound very compliant for someone with diabetes. Did you carb count or how did you manage your diet? If you carb counted, your dinner last night was easily 8 carbs, well over the 2-3 suggested by the ADA.

When you have not eaten for a period of time your body releases cortisol which then tells your liver to release glucose. This is how our FBS is higher than the previous evenings bs. This also accounts for how your bs rises several hours after you have eaten. The sugar is released from stored supplies.

I'm not trying to be mean but an A1c of 9 is serious and needs some big changes. Would you go to an endocrinologist? If you read all of the article you linked to it suggests GLP1s to help control psoriasis as well as the diabetes.

I agree, you need to follow up on this and make dietary changes. You should be able to get a consult with acertified dietitian (RDN) in your state. Insurance would pay likely because you have T2D, but I would recommend a virtual consultation or in person even if insurance does not. But you need to follow up with someone. If I'm not mistaken, your DH has T2D too, so he would also benefit from this.

The weight management clinic (doctor and RDN) gives me targeted ranges of carbohydrates and protein which i then track in the LoseIt app. Really, any app works. A lot of people use LoseIt or MyFitnessPal or others.

The GLP1 drugs have been incredible for people with T2D to really help get their A1C under control. They also reduce overall inflammation.

Due to colds/flu in a couple of my family member's households, almost all of my weekend plans have been postponed. I am not going to lie, I am somewhat relieved-- I was excited to see them all and celebrate birthdays, but I am actually relieved to have some time to get things done! Work is kicking my butt and I have plenty of both office work and chores to do.

The upside is, I am going to get some good cooking done this weekend. I already planned a pot of soup but will definitely cook at least one other meal (thinking fish!).

Also looking forward to some walks and time outdoors!

Hope you all have more exciting plans for your weekend! lol

Funky, I am sorry to hear that but I totally get it! Oh yeah, I have about 80 things to grade this week, so I will need to catch up on the weekend.

I had a nice walk outside today. It wasn’t cold, but our community group was doing a walkability assessment around a local school to see how students who walk to school can get there more safely. Had a good Pilates workout today, small group class.

Yes, it is a bummer-- but it IS cold/flu season. I am making soup to send to one of the houses and I ordered some bread and sumo mandarin oranges (never tried them but I hear they are good!) to send with the soup.

Also ordered scallops for my dinner!

Sounds like a nice weekend Funky, and you care package sounds perfect.

I've been doing well with the outside challenge, The weather helped me out this week and I was able to play pickleball a couple times which added up. It's been nice for my mood to have this weather in the middle of February. And I've been forcing myself to walk outside even if it's not great. It's supposed to be helping my sleep, but so far that's not happening. I think that's due more to my 85 pound lab that has to be right beside me all night. I need a dog bassinet or something for him. His dog bed on the floor is too far away:) It used to not be an issue, but now he's older and doesn't sleep as well. He shakes a lot and it wakes me up. I'm not sure if he's too old to train to sleep on the floor beside me or not. Sleep is just so important, but it makes me sad to think he'd be sad sleeping somewhere else. So, that's a predicament right now. And of course he can't cuddle up next to DH, has to be right on top of me!

My BS numbers have been a little high for me, so I'm trying some strategies to get those back down. Drinking more water and a 24 hour fast a couple times a week. Some of the trends don't really make sense for me and my past numbers. It's nice to have a health coach though. Someone who can see all your data and make suggestions, and kind of hold me accountable. It's been a very good thing overall.

I bought a chili spice mix at the farmers market last week, so I think I'll make that today. It's rainy and it sounds good.

This morning it was in the 50’s (!) so I did step aerobics outside. It was so nice to not feel cold! I even was able to take my fleece vest off and just be out there in my half zip and leggings.

The halibut the other day turned out so good!

We ordered pizza and wings last night. We get pizza maybe once a month. I only have one piece.

In the past my doctor was reluctant to prescribe a CGM, but maybe I need to just look at a general fasting meter.

Oakley, I hope you are seeing an endocrinologist and will enroll in a diabetes management program through your health insurance. It sounds like you need guidance, and that you could be shortchanging yourself by substituting the internet for sound, ongoing medical advice.

Jojoco, you’re still well within the healthy BMI range and clearly don’t ”need” to lose weight, but I understand how good it can feel to have control over something like that in your life— especially when you’ve lost control of other things. I do weigh every day and as long as I stay within a five pound range I no longer worry about my weight. Just eating in a restaurant can cause a two lb increase on my scale from additional sodium alone. I have—almost— eliminated alcohol from my diet as was recommended for my autoimmune issues, and that caused a noticeable but not ongoing drop in weight 18 months ago. I track my food intake assiduously, more now to note how I feel and how much energy I have after eating certain foods. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to track and weigh as long as they don’t become ends unto themselves.

Kswl.. thank you for noting you track food as much for noting how you feel and how your body responds to certain foods as monitoring calories. Ive known I should start tracking foods again but I have been stalling. This is the nudge I needed. I have had ongoing stomach issues that I am certain are tied to foods I no longer process well-- but I haven't nailed down the new ones causing me issues. (I previously learned that green peppers no longer work for me).

I hate tracking food ... it, too, can make me obsessive and I have the tendency to just stop eating when i see the actual calories or grams of fat, carbs, etc. You'd think that not eating would be beneficial to someone trying to lose weight but it just mucks with my already carpy metabolism. Still, I think I need to do this for my overall health. Something is messing me up. I HOPE it isnt gluten ... but if it is, I need to know.

I had a rental empty out. The downstairs family room is huge. 32'x12'...covered in 3 years of cat pee. That's how long those renters stayed. I got cold symptoms for 3 days. Shampooed the carpet, no luck, still stunk. Tore out the carpet, put in new. Then ripped my knee, the PCL. Was on crutches for 3 days. Whole time we reverted to eating Tina's Burritos every day. Super easy, quick, don't have to leave the job. Frozen pizza for dinner...but we were working 12 hour days. It was brutal! The new renters moved in yesterday. Today I'm sitting in a snow storm. 8" so far. WIll hand shovel snow....because the gear box for the snow blower is on back order. I'm burning ALL the extra calories. I'll grill fish for dinner, home made bread, veggies....back to eating normally. My knee feels pretty good. I'll go get on the treadmill....and walk very slowly....then hand weights.

I despise food tracking...PTSD from WW, I think. I signed up to LoseIt, and they want ME to enter the macros for 1/4 cup of cashews!! Geez....Is that what they charge $40 per year for?

They think I can survive on 1300 calories per day. My Garmin always tells me that after my day is up, I still have 2900 or so left. (Without food entries...)

I was so very depressed most of yesterday and 1/2 of today. DH went to pay for lunch with the debit card, and it was declined. (I do not keep track of this account) Ugh. Turned out, it was just a Bank of America snafu. The money was back by this afternoon. I was thinking I was going to have to cancel Pilates.

There are many, many choices for cashews in Lose It! Springroz. You don’t have to hoose the first entry on the list. If you’re using the phone or ipad app you can just scan the barcode on the food container to enter the exact information.

Kswl.....I got ZERO choices. It would not let me continue without entering nutritional information on my own. I will try again. Horses and dogs are WAY easier to train than tech.

Can you use the barcode scanner? This is feature only on the pay programs. But the brand should be in the database.

What's cool is I can share meals with DH. Then I uploaded my banana bread recipe from All Recipes.

This is just the first screen of several in the list of choices that come up when i typed in the word cashews

I’m sorry the program isn’t working for you, especially if you paid for the premium version. When I have been somewhere with a very weak phone signal and thave no internet access no choices come up for me, but that is rare. Maybe you could connect to a wifi signal and see if that makes a difference.

I find the iPhone version works best over iPad or web based.