November 1st 2012

It is November 1st. Back to blogging and recapping each day's FOOD INTAKE.

These blogs might start out kind of bland.

I will work on keeping the FOOD PHOTOS interesting and I will try to change up the plates and the background to give it a little color, but for now I will just focus on getting it done and recording my progress.

I think I will start out by listing what I ate...

Meal #1 (We are going to call this one BREAKFAST)

Homemade Muesli with Raspberries and a piece of Whole Wheat Toast with Peanut Butter on it.

I buy JIF Reduced Fat Peanut Butter, and the Wheat Bread is light (40 calories per slice)

BREAKFAST is generally around NOON (remember I work nights, so this is my morning)

I'm also drinking Water with every meal unless otherwise indicated.

Meal #2 (We will call this SNACK #1)

a 100 calorie bag of microwave Popcorn and a frozen GoGurt (low calorie yogurt - we got them at Costco so they will be showing up a lot)

This was around 3pm

Now I was meeting some friends out for dinner (my lunch) and I have realized that "Dining Out" can be a Big Problem for me. Overall I am eating out less then I use to, but we will see how my choices will be over the course of this blog.

We all met at 310 Lakeside. We had a coupon for a free appetizer and decided on the Cheese Platter.

This is a big weakness for me, I Love CHEESE! But the good thing here was that there were four of us. I did indulge in a few small pieces, but I am rather impressed with myself for using the restraint that I did. (The old me would have ordered this whole Cheese Plate for my appetizer alone!)

Meal #3 (LUNCH)

So I decided that this was going to be my big indulgence for the day. I just decided to order the menu item that sounded the best to me, which ended up being a Chicken Breast stuffed with Roasted Red Peppers, Spinach, Gorgonzola and covered in a Shallot Cream Sauce, served with Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Vegetables. 

Yes, I am aware that this is NOT a diabetic-friendly meal.

The Cream Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, and Gorgonzola are definite NO NO's, and who knows how much Butter or Oil were used in the preparation.

In order to (ever so slightly) assist in the health factor of this dish I scrapped most of the Sauce to the side (there was still enough to give me a nice flavor) and I just ate one bite of the Potatoes.

This still gave me all the satisfaction that I needed. I have found through experience that when I try to be "too health conscience" and I deprive myself of my Food Cravings that I only hurt myself worse in the end by either Cheating or Bingeing! 

Meal #4 (SNACK #2)

a small bowl of Beans and Rice.

I have gotten the hang of making Black Beans and seasoning them to perfection. I often eat them as my protein and use them in place of Meat. I also have switched to eating Brown Rice. 

This was around 11pm.

and then Meal #5 (From here on out we will call this one DINNER)

an all time favorite... Peanut Butter and Jelly on Whole Wheat Bread.

Not sure if this is the best thing to eat as my last meal but the morning Blood Sugars will soon tell.

This was at 2am.

I will check my fasting blood sugar and list it before i post this Blog Entry.

I think I'm going to start doing it that way, that way I get everything started the night before, and then post after my Blood Readings.

Other things that I feel I should mention are my medications.

I currently take the bulk of my pills in the morning with breakfast (Noon) ...

For Diabetes I take 

4mg Glimepiride (Amaryl) twice a day (one at noon, one at midnight)

and 4 (500 mg) tablets of Metformin (the maximum dosage)

I take a couple of pills for Cholesterol as well (seems to be under control)

and a couple of Fish Oil capsules, a low dose Aspirin, a B12 caplet and a Multivitamin daily

Also on this blog I should mention what exercise I am doing each day.

Today I did Push Ups, Bicycles, and Crunches (50 each) and I walked for about 10 minutes.

I have been struggling to get my fasting Blood Sugar below 120.

It seems to have been weeks now, usually falling somewhere in the 130's.

I was just hoping and praying that it would be below 120!!

Would the Peanut Butter and Jelly throw me off?

I was delighted to see the display after my morning test (November 2nd)

91

Yipee! I did it!

Let's try and keep this up!

New Attitude

I have had an interesting week.

Some of it has been very rough.

Some of it has been very good.

I have done a lot of internet research.

I have gone through my Hemoglobin A1C reports since I was first diagnosed and I have made a chart of my progress over the last several years - It was very revealing to me!

I found and have been re-reading my workbook and paperwork from the Diabetes Class that I took several years ago.

I was a little surprised to see that I took this class in May of 2007.

It's been Five and a half years now!

I have re-grouped and am feeling positive.

I'm super-excited about working with the Endocrinologist.

I have also decided to get this blog back to what it use to be!

I will start photographing everything that I eat again, and submit a blog post every day with my food that I have eaten, my exercise, and my fasting Blood Sugars.

I will start on November 1st and log in everything for at least a whole month.

Since I will have a new Doctor on my team this will be a way for him to track the kinds of foods and quantities that I have been eating, and hopefully he can give me some pointers.

I'm also hoping to meet with a dietician at some point!

Thanks for reading.

All New Diabetes Can Be Delicious!

So as I read over my past few blog posts I realize that this Blog has changed.
There are no longer beautiful pictures of the food that I am eating.
It's mostly just me complaining about my health issues.
How can I get it back to being a positive and encouraging blog?

Well, this week when I went to my Doctor I got some bad news...
My Hemoglobin A1C increased yet again.
Last time it was 7.7, and I needed to get it under 7
I was horrified when she told me that it had risen to 8.2.
Not good.

She wants me to go and see an Endocrinologist, in hopes that they can do a more specific job of regulating my sugars.
The first appointment that is available is in the beginning of December.
I have about six weeks.

So, I have been thinking long and hard about it for the past few days.
I must eat better! (Although no matter how good I am I will always be able to say that I need to eat better)

I will search the internet for healthier recipes, as well as creating my own.

My New Mission:
To prepare DELICIOUS foods that are more diabetic friendly, but that do not sacrifice flavor!
To take beautiful photographs of my food and post them on this blog.
To post recipes to share with others in hopes of inspiring them.
To once again realize for myself that Diabetes Can Be Delicious!

Ultimate Goal:
To have a lower H A1C, to start enjoying food again, to exercise more, to be healthy

Emily Ellyn

It has been a little while since I have posted.

Things are good.

I did my bloodwork for my next Dr's appointment today, so next week after my visit I will post again with the updates.

Eating well is a struggle every day, however I am finding that when I cook at home more, and eat five small meals rather then a couple large meals that I have more consistent blood sugars.

Over the last few months they have kind of been all over the place.

I'm also finding that no matter how well I eat the rest of the day that if I have PASTA at all during the day that my sugars are high.

I wonder if Whole Wheat Pasta would be better?

Anyway I have not put weight back on (other then the day to day fluctuation of a couple of lbs.)

and I just got a new cookbook with some awesome recipes in it so I plan to cook some new things in the very near future - blogs to follow. 

and I just saw a write up from my friend Emily Ellyn with a video and a few great recipes.

please check it out at here

also check out her website here

Follow up will be posted next week!

Delighted!

So randomly I stepped on the scale today!

Much to my delight and excitement I was at 175.6!

The last time I recall it being 179.something....

Hooray! I am down four pounds!

Not only have I just about stopped eating out (still allowing myself once a week to indulge) but I have been a little better at exercising, and a little better at eating several small meals a day and not so much at night!

My blood sugars have been perfect for the last 10 days as well!

I wonder what will happen when I take a couple more pounds off?????

I have also been preparing most of my own food like this salad I had yesterday with Romaine, Roasted Beets, Roasted Butternut Squash, Bleu Cheese, Walnuts and Balsamic Glaze.

It felt decadent and was definitely delicious!

The day before that I had Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro, Mint and Honey Roasted Peanuts. Also delicious, quite filling, and way cheaper then going out to eat!

I will continue to keep this behavior up for the most part, with only an occasional indulgence, and I will keep you informed of my progress!

Latest Blood Work

Doctor's appointment today

A1C is 7.7

Ideally it should be under 7

For now I am going to work harder at having small portions of food and not eating out as much.

I will also kick up the Exercise a notch or two.

I have to get it down before my next Doctor's visit in October!

Potato Chips

It is things like this... My favorite flavor of Lay's Potato Chips... Garden Tomato and Basil (normally $4.29 a bag) here on sale 2 for $5 that makes me a little angry about being Diabetic!

They taste so good!

However had I purchased the 2 bags that I was craving I would probably have consumed at least 1/2 a bag by now.

I resisted temptation, and for this I am pleased.

I have a Doctor's appointment tomorrow.

At the last appointment I needed to improve.

Please God, give me slightly better results then last time, and if not please help me have the strength to do better with my diet and exercise.

Update to follow.