My most recent check-up with the doctor surprised me. I didn't think that I had made the decision to finally accept my diagnosis and really take care of myself for a long enough period of time to affect this particular check-up. As a matter of fact, I was expecting a bad report and a scolding from my doctor.
So, imagine my surprise when I was told that I had lost 9 pounds since my last check-up (6 months earlier) and that my A1c is stable at 6.6. The doctor said he'd like to see it a little lower but that it isn't terrible, and he was satisfied that it was stable. My kidney function is normal and my triglycerides level is still high but it has dropped by 157. He told me to keep doing what I'm doing, and I thought, "No, I will be doing much better than what I've been doing." I really don't know how these numbers were so good, but I know that I can't keep eating whatever I want and keep having things go this well. I also believe that the changes I made in the two weeks before this check-up had some affect on the number, but not that much on my weight. However, from here on out, I was going to do better, and I can't wait to see what happens at my next 6-month check-up after spending six full months being intentional about taking proper care of myself.
So, what does being intentional look like? Well, first of all, I have never been a fan of physical exercise, and I hate to run, but I love to walk and I enjoy dancing to music in my own home. I have some exercise videos, but they aren't my favorite way to exercise either, and to find time to do those is not something I make a priority. Time has always been an issue when it comes to finding time for deliberate exercise as well. I figured all of the running around I do, running my kids here and there, and going up and down stairs several times a day, especially on laundry days, was enough -- apparently not.
In the fall, my husband and I found a nearby park that has a great walking trail -- no steep hills, but not completely flat and easy either. We walked there in the evenings, often taking our youngest dog with us, as the older dog couldn't handle that much walking anymore. I really enjoyed that. Then this winter hit with snow after snow after snow and sub-zero temperatures for quite a few days in a row, and there went the walking. I may enjoy walking but not enough to continue to walk in this kind of weather. I do hope to get back to this in the spring.
So, in this winter weather, what can I do without having to plan it and set aside a chunk of time to exercise. Well, I found that when I am cooking and/or baking in the kitchen, I enjoy listening to music, AND when I listen to music with a good beat, I enjoy dancing. So, I decided to combine the two -- when I work in the kitchen now, I put my ipod earphones in, play my favorite dance tunes and dance in the kitchen while working. Not only is it good exercise, but it's also fun, and it adds something to my kitchen work.
What about eating? Well, I have two great cookbooks for Diabetics: Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic and Fix-It and Enjoy-It Diabetic. I have begun to rely on these two cookbooks, not only because they have healthy, diabetic-friendly recipes that are easy to make and use easy-to-find ingredients, but also because with two of the boys working and me being their transportation, I am often driving one or both of them home at our normal dinner time, so planning to make recipes from Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic is not only healthy and diabetic-friendly, it is also convenient. I put the stuff in the crockpot and let it cook all day, and when we arrive home after I have picked the boy(s) up from work, we can simply sit down and eat. It's a win/win for everyone. If what I am making requires something additional, I will plan so that I have time to prepare that ahead of time as well and then we just have to heat that up in the microwave.
Recipes from Fix-It and Enjoy-It Diabetic are good for evenings when using the crockpot isn't necessary, and the recipes in this book are just as healthy and diabetic-friendly and easy to prepare. Oh, and the recipes we have tried so far from these two cookbooks are pretty tasty.
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