#FatChick is On the Road to a Healthy LIfestyle

I'm happy to report I've gone back to my old stomping grounds on Sparkpeople.com to help me on my journey to regain my health. For those of you who don't know about it, Sparkpeople.com is a FREE site that offers all you need in order to find a healthier you. There are trackers for your weight, food, exercise, water intake and so much more. You can join groups for support and you can be as active in them as you wish, or stay on lurker status. It's all up to you. They have free videos you can watch to help with your exercise program, inspiration, recipes...and so much more.

All for free.

I found the site in 2008 after joining BiggestLoser.com. I had to pay for that one but found everything I needed and more on Sparkpeople for free. I could use their meal plans or simply enter my own food as I went. I didn't have to purchase any special equipment or join a gym. Everything I need to workout is already in my home. Of course I did get some new videos, body bands and weights to change things up a bit, but it was a small investment and I have everything with me now.

It's been five years since I was on Sparkpeople full time and I really missed it. I was worried that I would have issue with my crazy schedule getting everything I did and ate during the day into my trackers before I went to bed. Lucky for me, they have a free app for my phone. I can enter everything I do throughout the day and keep up with my progress.

I'm happy to report after two weeks I'm down 16 pounds. While that seems like a lot for two weeks, most of it came off because I cut down the snacking and junk food and cut out soda/pop for the first week. I did have one small bottle of coke yesterday but it took me several hours to drink it. LOL! Only a month ago I would have downed four of those small bottles in the same time period.

I had a flareup of gout arthritis in my big toe so I hadn't been able to jump right into the cardio workouts I picked out, but this week I'm gearing up to start again. I love the Walk Away the Pounds work outs and the free videos on the website. I have so many things to choose from that I know I'll be able to change things up and not get bored.

I've learned that if I go to fast and furious with the workouts in the beginning, I burn out on them later when I need them the most. I'm determined to make this lifestyle change a permanent part of my routine. I'm not stupid. I know there will be bumps in the road again, but with my husband's help, I'll get through those and keep on the right path. We have so much we want to do together and I for one can't wait to get rolling!

See you all around next time,

~The Fat Chick

#Diabetes Rears It's Ugly Head In The World of the #FatChick

Welcome back to Memoirs of a Forty Something Fat Chick. Last week I touched upon my health issues with my obesity and high blood pressure taking center stage. The day after that post, I got another call from my doctor with the rest of the blood test results.

I'm diabetic. Type II diabetic to be precise.  It's the most common form of diabetes and also called non-insulin dependent or adult onset diabetes. It's really not a club I'd hoped to be joining any time soon, but as I said last week, I did this to myself and now it's time to pay the piper.

When I shared my diagnosis with family and friends in private and on Facebook, I got several comments that struck me as odd.  

"Oh, how can this happen?"  

"So sorry to hear. That's just horrible."

"No more sugar for you."

LOL! You know what I thought when I saw the results online? "Damn. Well, I have something else to motivate me now."  Yep. It was almost a relief to get the numbers. I am 148 mg/dl.  The high end of normal for this lab is 122.  It's not horrendous, but it is high enough to warrant testing my blood sugar daily.  Good Goddess! I hate needles!  So far it's only going to be those little lancets and no insulin.

With my obesity, it was only a matter of time before I flipped from being pre-diabetic into the diabetic state. I have to own that, accept I DID THIS TO MYSELF and let it go. Now I can use it as a goal for my plan to get healthy. I'm not going to wallow in the poor me stuff. I've had enough of that!

Just over the last week alone, I've lost six pounds. I've cut out coke and other soft drinks completely. I've increased the amount of fruit and veggies in my diet and continue to drink the water like a fiend. The water is great for me anyway but it's the blood pressure medication that's added to the increased thirst—also the weight loss as it's a diuretic! BONUS!  LOL

Through my doctor, I've signed up for a Diabetes management class. There they'll go over the lifestyle changes that go along with the diagnosis, food choices, exercise programs and of course testing my blood daily with my new One Touch Ultra 2. 

I just started using the machine yesterday and still getting used to stabbing my fingers.  It was a bit messy the first time, but today my technique improved. You would think a veterinarian would be more graceful with this machine, but noooooo. Not this chica! LOL

So for those of you reading about my diagnosis and feel sorry for me? Don't. Like I've said numerous times, I DID THIS TO MYSELF. I've got no one else to blame. Yes the amount of stress in my life contributed to it, but my uncontrolled overeating made me morbidly obese and put me at risk for so much more than high blood pressure and type II diabetes. I thank the Goddess I've got myself back on track and hopefully will have all these conditions under control in no time.

Until next week my friends,

~Tammy