Do you know the muffin man?

In an attempt to use the plethora of blueberries we bought from a local farm, I have been making blueberry muffins this week. I tried two different recipes - well sort of. I am notorious for not following a recipe exactly if I don't have all the ingredients, or if I just think - that's odd.

The first batch was ok. The second batch was beautiful and yummy. But do you think I bookmark the recipe - or better yet, print it off and mark down my variations? Course not! So I'm doomed to forever dream of those blueberry muffins that I'll never recreate. Ahh well.

So on the diet front - the muffins may be bringing me down. They were low glycemic recipes - but with my variations and substitutions - not so sure. Otherwise, am doing well - working in the protein/fruitveg/grain variations well.

Have also been recording and watching old Biggest Loser episodes for motivation.

As for actually exercising - well, I'm still recovering from my overdoitweekend and subsequent gardening palooza that followed on Monday. My calves and hamstrings are still very sore. So big zero there. But I still have a few hours this evening - so there's still time to change that.

My goal is to do 3 mile walks at least 3 x per week. There was a very appealing walking plan in the Women's Day magazine that I received today, and HEY! it starts out with 3 mile walks. Coincidence? I think not! :)

Weigh In 1

On July 5th I started a food log, using WWs point system.

I realized that it was 4 years ago that I first went to WW and had great success losing 25 lbs over that first summer. Since then I've gone way off track, had a baby and as you see here in this blog have basically had some health issues ever since that birth. My body never really went back to usual, albeit an unhealthy "normal". My baby is now 18 months - and well after pregnancy, health issues, my surgery this past spring to deal with what seems to be PCOS symptoms...I've found those 25 lbs and then some - horrible.

After my Biggest Loser realization the other night, I've been supercharged. I've had good and bad days since July 5th. But yesterday really rocked. I did the whole 4-3-2-1 system and logged points. Then while the baby napped - I did 1-1/2 hrs of exercise !!- 1 hr of cardio and 1/2 hr of resistance and toning. It felt awesome.

So today I weighed in - I'm down 2 lbs! That's encouraging. I'm hoping that staying on this track day after day - and not sporadically like this month has been so far - I will see bigger results the next few weeks.

Hurray for me!

Reality Sets In

My hubby joined a Biggest Loser group at work. He's slightly overweight but is one of those people that has an incredible metabolism, or has anyway his first 37 years. So he can basically cut the grass one day and drop 5 lbs.

Anyway, he has been telling me these amazing stores - like the guy who walks 3 miles EVERY day and is down 42 lbs after 6 weeks. It seems he just gave up regular soda and eating after 8pm.

So I tell myself, for the 20th time at least, that if these people can so can I! I started watching past episodes of the biggest loser as well. Last night I watched a special edition where two restaurant families competed.

Ok, here is where reality sets in. I've never watched the show, but when I have, all these people have weighed like 250, 300, 400. On this particular episode watching the initial weigh ins, I realized. Some of these people weigh less than I do.

Suddenly all the comments they were making about how the weight was taking decades off their lives, the health risks....all of it hit me hard. Real hard.

I'm obese. My BMI is currently 38.6. The highest of my life. I am out of control. I need to lose 55 lbs to just inch into the overweight category.

I had to say it. I have to see it. It is why for the past 6 months, the health impacts have become apparent. My body is telling me it can't be this way. It is giving up.

So since the Biggest Loser has helped me to this realization, I've been doing a little research.

It's entire 4-3-2-1 approach is conducive to an insulin resistant diet. Here it is, simplified by moi, so that it is written on my brain:

4 servings fruits/vegetables - no white potatoes, limited squash, corn is a grain!
3 servings of proteins - beans, LF dairy, 95% lean cuts, fish, white meat
2 servings of whole grains - at least 2g fiber, less than 5g sugar
1 serving extras - 200 cal of salad dressings, oils, LF PB, mayo, avoc, nuts, seeds

There's no choice. This is life or death now. I'm thinking I'll chose life.

Doing time

So 20 - 30 minutes of exercise after a meal can help you burn excess glucose in the blood. That's a very good thing. That means that in an insulin resistant body, it doesn't get turned into fat, and gives your liver a break from taking in too much glucose, using excess glucose for energy needed when you exercise.

That is my goal. To get in the 20-30 minutes of exercise recommended 3 x's per week. It's not a lot, I know...but tell my body that. I've been using my sorely neglected treadmill, doing the trainer 20-30 minute programs and wow.

The first time my knee told me how upset it has been carrying all this extra weight. It sure did protest. Then I had a tift with endurance. But I've been holding out. The burn feels good. And yes it takes some major effort to move this momma.

Ever have that moment when you catch a glimpse of yourself unexpectedly and realize that momma hasn't been taking care of herself like she should. Yes. Momma needs to make momma a priority which is tough sometimes.

Like tonight. My kids are use to me taking center stage in the bedtime routine. But it got a bit late, and if I was going to work in my nightly walk, daddy was going to have to take over the bedtime duties alone tonight. The kiddos protested. But it was important - long term kind of important.

So bonus points for me for getting 2 of the 3 done this week. Next week - ramping up to 4/5 days - cause I have lots of work to do to stop the resistance!

oh good ...it was just some bad beef

My Dr prescribed metformin which is a medicine which is used to help bring down insulin levels and help keep blood sugar normal. It makes your body more sensitive to insulin, so it doesn’t have to make as much. That's a good thing for me - while I work on taking care of my weight issue which is a big negative factor.

I first took it with dinner the other evening, and not more than 4-5 hours later I began to feel nauseous, have stomach pains, gurgling, abdomen pain and yes, the big D.


So of course I check the possible side effects for this stuff and there it all is, all possible side effects. Really??? I distinctly remembering him saying that this was a very low dose and it was very unlikely that I would be affected that way.


What am I a sponge?

It was an awful night,and I was useless the next day - exhausted, still feeling bad, and very much wanting to stay within 5 feet of a bathroom.

So to my relief, and this is almost mean, my hubby came home with all the same symptoms. It seems he had some leftover burgers for lunch. They were from the same batch I had for dinner that night!! What a relief.

After some extensive reading -I've found that most of the symptoms I've been experiencing and that have basically kicked my butt the last 6-8 months, are completely due to this insulin resistance. We've spent the last 5 months dealing with the symptoms and not the source.

So I SOOO want to deal with the source, and while I def don't want the medication to be my long term solution, if it can give me a head start and keep some of the symptoms from ...kicking my BUTT, then I figure I'll have a chance to get myself up, dust myself off and get a hold of these things.

And in other news.. I did my walking today, took my supplements ...and did my food journal. And while it wasn't GREAT, it was a lot better than what I know has been going on - despite my previous denial.

As time progresses I plan on sharing new recipes, menus, exercise, and weight DECREASES - now that's a statement of faith!

Stop the Resistance

Insulin Resistance

It's a term I've heard most of my adult life. Something that I thought was synonomous with pre-diabetes or prone to diabetes, and although it's very much related and even a part of, can completely wreak havoc to someone's life before any of that diabetic stuff technically takes off.

In the last 6 months I have been fatigued, depressed, had hair loss, unusual menstrations - related surgery, nausea, have dealt with daily anxiety - well let's just say my mind and body has been protesting and I've strugged to function daily.

I few months back the doctors found that my iron stores were extremely low and I've been on a supplement now. But after three months, I still was strugging with the same symptoms. So this week I saw the endocrinologist, not a stranger to me since I've had to see one during each pregnancy dealing with gestational diabetes. But this time we talked about treating my insulin resistance.

???

That was new to me. I mean they always mentioned it during my pregnancy, but I didn't think it was something that could be treated. I just always assumed it was just this telltale thing that was warning me that one day I would have to deal with diabetes - type 2.

Could this be the source of my problems? So I've been researching, reading, learning - and was surprised to find forums of people telling their stories that were SO similar to my experience, if not exact.

So what is this blog? It's my story. It's my journal to vent, to document everything I'm learning, to keep me accountable - to measure progress.

'Cause I have to take this by the horns and get through this, to be better than this. If you're reading this, have gone through this, or just curious - you are so welcome to follow me on this journey.