Showing posts with label Update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Update. Show all posts
Monday, July 25, 2011
Weekly Update
My weight loss has slowed somewhat over the past two weeks. I have lost a total of 2.6 pounds in the past two weeks, including our vacation to Maine. So I am not disappointed with the loss, as we have been eating out way too much. I make good choices, the best available, but it is certainly easier to eat at home. Follow my weight loss progress with this chart. I have now lost 52.6 pounds in 23 weeks, for a weekly average loss of 2.29 pounds.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Belated Update; Major Milestone Achieved
For the past two weeks, I have been traveling on vacation (Utah, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota) and away from my scales. But sometime during the past two weeks, I crossed the fifty pound threshold. That's a fifty pound loss in 21 weeks, for a weekly average loss of 2.38 pounds per week. Follow my progress using this chart.
Tomorrow will mark five months of eating low carb. What a difference five months have made in my life! As I mentioned before, I read Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It by Gary Taubes on February 13 and 14, and began my low carb lifestyle the next day, on February 15, 2011. I have essentially followed the suggestions in the back of that book on what to eat, though as the months have gone by, I have learned so much more about what to eat.
Fifty pounds down, and fifty more to go.
Fifty pounds down, and fifty more to go.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Weekly Update, Part II
It's been two weeks since my last "weekly" update, because we were traveling around Europe with a group of business students and spending most nights in a different hotel. But as I hinted at yesterday, I still lost weight, but I wanted to wait to report it until Monday, my usual day. Since I am jet lagged and unable to sleep in, I am writing this post fairly early in the morning. In the two weeks since my last update, I have dropped 4.8 pounds. Follow my progress using this chart.
I am particularly pleased by this drop, as I have spent most of the last two weeks eating out three times per day. Since we were staying in hotels instead of our usual apartment in Antwerp, we could do no cooking and relied on the hotel restaurant, stores, and other restaurants to eat. But even in a challenging environment such as this, one can make good and wise choices about what to eat.
In related news, I also lost several inches off my waist during the trip to Europe. I took a pair of pants with a 48-inch waist and one with a 46-inch waist. But even the 46-inch waist pair of pants was too big after a couple of weeks and I had to wait for my daughter to arrive a few weeks later with another pair of jeans with a 44-inch waist. I wore those jeans the last two weeks, but by the end, they were becoming too big as well. Yesterday, I went through my closet and discovered that most of my 44-inch waist slacks and jeans were too big and that the 42-inch waist slacks and jeans, for the most part, fit better. That was a huge psychological booster. I had to go through all of my clothes to find something appropriate to wear to work today. That's a six-inch drop off my waist in a little over seven weeks.
And the best news of all: I lost this weight without being hungry and by eating lots of butter and cream, which truly adds flavor to my life. I honestly don't know how I suffered through the bland, tasteless, cardboard-like low fat diets all those years. Low carb is the way to go.
I am particularly pleased by this drop, as I have spent most of the last two weeks eating out three times per day. Since we were staying in hotels instead of our usual apartment in Antwerp, we could do no cooking and relied on the hotel restaurant, stores, and other restaurants to eat. But even in a challenging environment such as this, one can make good and wise choices about what to eat.
In related news, I also lost several inches off my waist during the trip to Europe. I took a pair of pants with a 48-inch waist and one with a 46-inch waist. But even the 46-inch waist pair of pants was too big after a couple of weeks and I had to wait for my daughter to arrive a few weeks later with another pair of jeans with a 44-inch waist. I wore those jeans the last two weeks, but by the end, they were becoming too big as well. Yesterday, I went through my closet and discovered that most of my 44-inch waist slacks and jeans were too big and that the 42-inch waist slacks and jeans, for the most part, fit better. That was a huge psychological booster. I had to go through all of my clothes to find something appropriate to wear to work today. That's a six-inch drop off my waist in a little over seven weeks.
And the best news of all: I lost this weight without being hungry and by eating lots of butter and cream, which truly adds flavor to my life. I honestly don't know how I suffered through the bland, tasteless, cardboard-like low fat diets all those years. Low carb is the way to go.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Weekly Update, Part I
During the seven weeks I spent in Europe, I lost a total of 15.8 pounds. Not bad, considering the trip required eating out a lot. For example, on the last, 10-day-long trip (Belgium-Luxembourg-France-Switzerland-Italy-Austria-Germany-Luxembourg-Belgium), I basically had to eat out three times a day. Breakfast every morning in the hotel, then lunch and dinner somewhere else. So like in the Fathead movie, you can still eat out a lot and lose weight, if you make wise choices.
I must say, though, that I got awfully tired of eating ham and cheese. Almost all hotels served ham and cheese as part of the breakfast buffet, and that is what I would eat most mornings. Upon occasion, there was some plain yogurt made with whole milk and I would eat that when it was available. Sometimes, we even took some stuff from the breakfast buffet for lunch, so I had ham and cheese for lunch, too, on many occasions. I am really happy to get back to good home cooking for a while now.
The quality of food varied by country, with Belgium, France, and Italy being the easiest countries in which to follow a low carb lifestyle. The breakfast at the hotel in Salzburg, Austria was pretty good, but Switzerland, Germany, and Austria were tough countries to be in from a low carb perspective. But I survived.
Tomorrow, I will post the second part of this update, with my weekly loss (which I didn't do last week, either, since we were on the road). But let me just hint that my total loss is now above 45 pounds.
I must say, though, that I got awfully tired of eating ham and cheese. Almost all hotels served ham and cheese as part of the breakfast buffet, and that is what I would eat most mornings. Upon occasion, there was some plain yogurt made with whole milk and I would eat that when it was available. Sometimes, we even took some stuff from the breakfast buffet for lunch, so I had ham and cheese for lunch, too, on many occasions. I am really happy to get back to good home cooking for a while now.
The quality of food varied by country, with Belgium, France, and Italy being the easiest countries in which to follow a low carb lifestyle. The breakfast at the hotel in Salzburg, Austria was pretty good, but Switzerland, Germany, and Austria were tough countries to be in from a low carb perspective. But I survived.
Tomorrow, I will post the second part of this update, with my weekly loss (which I didn't do last week, either, since we were on the road). But let me just hint that my total loss is now above 45 pounds.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Weekly Update
This week, I dropped another 2.6 pounds, bringing my total weight loss to 41 pounds. You can follow my weekly progress by viewing this chart. Another milestone is that I have been in Europe for one month now and during that time, I have dropped at least 9.2 pounds (there may be a small measurement error that could increase my weight loss by another two pounds).
More importantly, there are several non-scale victories (NSVs) worth mentioning. First, I have gone down from a 50-inch waist on my pants when I started in February to a 44-inch waist, which I just started wearing when my daughter brought me over a pair of jeans when she arrived last week. And those pants are now too large! I can pull them off without unbuttoning or unzipping them. Thank goodness for a belt.
Second, I have been walking a lot more lately and can do so without hunger. I am fully keto-adapted and so exercising does not make me hungry, as it does for people on a high carb regime. We walked for miles and miles (approximately 25,000 steps per day, according to my pedometer) while in Paris for the last few days. I got thirsty, but not hungry.
Third, we have been eating out a lot, some times all three meals per day, and by staying low carb, I am continuing to lose weight, in spite of all the eating out. This is important since, beginning tomorrow, we will be on a nine-day bus tour of Europe and will be eating out for every meal.
Fourth, my blood glucose levels are still falling. One hour after eating, they are consistently in the 100-105 range, and frequently they are in the 90-100 range. They should be below 140 one hour after eating and below 120 two hours after eating. So my one hour readings are quite good. My low carb lifestyle is effectively controlling my type II diabetes.
Finally, I am not really craving carbs anymore. When I do eat carbs, such as the blueberries I ate yesterday, they taste really, really good. And sweet. My palate is no longer in sugar shock, so I can fully taste and appreciate the natural level of sweetness in the berries I have been eating.
Life is good.
More importantly, there are several non-scale victories (NSVs) worth mentioning. First, I have gone down from a 50-inch waist on my pants when I started in February to a 44-inch waist, which I just started wearing when my daughter brought me over a pair of jeans when she arrived last week. And those pants are now too large! I can pull them off without unbuttoning or unzipping them. Thank goodness for a belt.
Second, I have been walking a lot more lately and can do so without hunger. I am fully keto-adapted and so exercising does not make me hungry, as it does for people on a high carb regime. We walked for miles and miles (approximately 25,000 steps per day, according to my pedometer) while in Paris for the last few days. I got thirsty, but not hungry.
Third, we have been eating out a lot, some times all three meals per day, and by staying low carb, I am continuing to lose weight, in spite of all the eating out. This is important since, beginning tomorrow, we will be on a nine-day bus tour of Europe and will be eating out for every meal.
Fourth, my blood glucose levels are still falling. One hour after eating, they are consistently in the 100-105 range, and frequently they are in the 90-100 range. They should be below 140 one hour after eating and below 120 two hours after eating. So my one hour readings are quite good. My low carb lifestyle is effectively controlling my type II diabetes.
Finally, I am not really craving carbs anymore. When I do eat carbs, such as the blueberries I ate yesterday, they taste really, really good. And sweet. My palate is no longer in sugar shock, so I can fully taste and appreciate the natural level of sweetness in the berries I have been eating.
Life is good.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Weight Loss Update
This week, I dropped 2.6 pounds, for a total weight loss of 38.4 pounds. Follow my progress with this chart. That means, among other things, that I have lost 6.6 pounds in the three weeks I have been to Europe. How many people can come to the continent of celestial cuisine and lose weight? I know that some of the students who have come with us have put on weight. At least, they have been lamenting about putting on weight, but have decided they will deal with it after their experience is over.
I ate a fair amount of grass fed Scottish beef last week, and continue to cook with and eat butter and cream (which, as I have mentioned before, do not increase heart disease risk). I am really not missing carbs at all, and markers of health, my blood pressure and blood glucose levels, are all quite good. And, most amazing of all, since this is not a semi-starvation diet, I am not hungry between meals on my low carb lifestyle.
I ate a fair amount of grass fed Scottish beef last week, and continue to cook with and eat butter and cream (which, as I have mentioned before, do not increase heart disease risk). I am really not missing carbs at all, and markers of health, my blood pressure and blood glucose levels, are all quite good. And, most amazing of all, since this is not a semi-starvation diet, I am not hungry between meals on my low carb lifestyle.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Weekly Update
I lost 0.6 pounds this week, for a cumulative total of 35.8 pounds. Follow my progress with this chart. While that is not a great deal of weight, I have been weighing around the same weight for about a week now, which means I am due for another whoosh experience, where I will drop three to four pounds over night. Except for the first two weeks, my monthly totals have been quite consistent, around eight pounds per month. Just about what I expect to lose long term.
More importantly, other indicators are also positive. I have notched up my belt another notch and I continue to have lots of energy. I am sleeping better, my blood pressure is down, my blood glucose levels are still falling, and I am not hungry while following a low carb diet. All thanks to the low carb lifestyle I have discovered.
More importantly, other indicators are also positive. I have notched up my belt another notch and I continue to have lots of energy. I am sleeping better, my blood pressure is down, my blood glucose levels are still falling, and I am not hungry while following a low carb diet. All thanks to the low carb lifestyle I have discovered.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Health Update
The good health news just keeps rolling in.
Diabetes: My blood sugars are mostly normal, except for high morning readings. Low carb diets actually tend to raise morning readings, so I am not too concerned about it. I am still taking Metformin, but after I lose another 40 or so pounds, I will start to wean myself off of that drug as well.
High Blood Pressure: My blood pressure is normal now, and has been for quite a while.
Sleeping: My sleep habits have greatly improved, as I mentioned in a recent post.
Fasting: Fasting is a joy, and I am often on the road, which means I sometimes have to miss a meal. No problem on a low carb diet. This has greatly added to my spiritual life and I feel great when I fast.
General Health: I have a lot more energy during the day. I am not as tired as I used to be and I feel great. My patriarchal blessing promised me I would live to an old age, but I thought I short circuited that blessing by getting diabetes. Now I feel so good I will probably outlive my wife and live to see the promise given in my blessing.
Thank you, Gary Taubes, for introducing me to the low carb lifestyle.
Diabetes: My blood sugars are mostly normal, except for high morning readings. Low carb diets actually tend to raise morning readings, so I am not too concerned about it. I am still taking Metformin, but after I lose another 40 or so pounds, I will start to wean myself off of that drug as well.
High Blood Pressure: My blood pressure is normal now, and has been for quite a while.
Sleeping: My sleep habits have greatly improved, as I mentioned in a recent post.
Fasting: Fasting is a joy, and I am often on the road, which means I sometimes have to miss a meal. No problem on a low carb diet. This has greatly added to my spiritual life and I feel great when I fast.
General Health: I have a lot more energy during the day. I am not as tired as I used to be and I feel great. My patriarchal blessing promised me I would live to an old age, but I thought I short circuited that blessing by getting diabetes. Now I feel so good I will probably outlive my wife and live to see the promise given in my blessing.
Thank you, Gary Taubes, for introducing me to the low carb lifestyle.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Weekly Update
After an unexpected gain last week (that may be entirely due to using a different set of scales), I dropped 3.8 pounds this week. It was another WHOOSH experience: I stayed the same weight for six or seven days, then whoosh, overnight I drop most of the weight. It amazes me how this happens, but it does.
I am down 35.2 pounds since February 14, for a weekly average loss of 2.51 pounds. Follow my weight loss journey by viewing this chart.
I am down 35.2 pounds since February 14, for a weekly average loss of 2.51 pounds. Follow my weight loss journey by viewing this chart.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Weekly Update
I don't really know how much I lost this week. We are now in Europe with a student group and I am using a different set of scales. Both my wife and I have noticed it weighs us two pounds heavier than the set in the states, even though it is the same make and model. So, according to the scales I am using over here, I have gained 0.4 pounds. But if we subtracted 2 pounds from that, that would make a 1.6 pound loss...
So I guess we go with the new scales. If it really is two pounds heavier than the usual scales, I will recoup that loss when I return. You can follow my weight loss progress on this chart. Whatever the result, I have noticed that on a low carb diet, I tend to stay the same weight most of the time, then whoosh, I drop several pounds from one day to the next. Oh, well.
So I guess we go with the new scales. If it really is two pounds heavier than the usual scales, I will recoup that loss when I return. You can follow my weight loss progress on this chart. Whatever the result, I have noticed that on a low carb diet, I tend to stay the same weight most of the time, then whoosh, I drop several pounds from one day to the next. Oh, well.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Weekly Update
Another week, another weight loss. I am down 1.8 pounds this week, for a total of 31.8 pounds in 12 weeks, or an average of 2.65 pounds per week. My blood sugar levels are near normal (my fasting blood sugar this morning was 100!) and my blood pressure is in the normal range as well. I am still amazed at the health benefits of following a low carb diet. You can follow my weight loss progress by referring to this chart.
Monday, May 2, 2011
10% Goal Reached
I dropped 3.4 pounds this past week, bringing my total weight loss to 30 pounds in 11 weeks, for an average of 2.73 pounds per week. Follow my weight loss progress online with this chart.
This weight loss also marks a fairly significant milestone for me. As of today, I have dropped 10% of my body weight. When I was following Weight Watchers, that was a big deal. And it is a milestone, a road mark on my way to better health. But the health benefits WW claimed would be mine by losing 10% of my body fat started appearing long ago, almost immediately after starting the low carb regime. My blood sugars stabilized after only three or four days and have been rapidly declining since. I got off of injectable insulin after only a couple of weeks and my blood pressure went down quite rapidly as well. Better yet, my energy level has increased, constant hunger has disappeared, and I have been sleeping much better. So while dropping 10% is significant, the health benefits of following a low carb diet happened almost immediately.
I am very grateful that Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit.com linked to an article about weight loss by Gary Taubes, which led me to pick up his book, Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It. That book has very literally saved my life.
This weight loss also marks a fairly significant milestone for me. As of today, I have dropped 10% of my body weight. When I was following Weight Watchers, that was a big deal. And it is a milestone, a road mark on my way to better health. But the health benefits WW claimed would be mine by losing 10% of my body fat started appearing long ago, almost immediately after starting the low carb regime. My blood sugars stabilized after only three or four days and have been rapidly declining since. I got off of injectable insulin after only a couple of weeks and my blood pressure went down quite rapidly as well. Better yet, my energy level has increased, constant hunger has disappeared, and I have been sleeping much better. So while dropping 10% is significant, the health benefits of following a low carb diet happened almost immediately.
I am very grateful that Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit.com linked to an article about weight loss by Gary Taubes, which led me to pick up his book, Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It. That book has very literally saved my life.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Weekly Update
Another week, another weight loss. I dropped 1.6 pounds this past week, for a total of 26.6 pounds in 10 weeks. That's an average of 2.66 pounds. Follow my weight loss progress online.
In other updates, my blood pressure has stabilized at a normal level and my blood glucose levels continue to fall. They are well under the levels of my physician and well below the healthy levels set at the Blood Sugar 101 web site., which is well below the levels set by my physician. One hour after eating, they should be below 140 and two hours after eating, they should be below 120. My blood glucose levels are almost always below 120 one hour after eating and often below 100 two hours after eating. I am not quite at the normal levels of a non-diabetic, since my fasting blood sugar is still to high (it was 112 this morning; it should be in the 85 to 90 range), but it is going down.
In other updates, my blood pressure has stabilized at a normal level and my blood glucose levels continue to fall. They are well under the levels of my physician and well below the healthy levels set at the Blood Sugar 101 web site., which is well below the levels set by my physician. One hour after eating, they should be below 140 and two hours after eating, they should be below 120. My blood glucose levels are almost always below 120 one hour after eating and often below 100 two hours after eating. I am not quite at the normal levels of a non-diabetic, since my fasting blood sugar is still to high (it was 112 this morning; it should be in the 85 to 90 range), but it is going down.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Weekly Update
I lost 0.8 pounds this week, for a total loss of 25 pounds since I started. Follow my weight loss progress with this chart.
Even more importantly, my blood sugars have been stabilizing at much lower levels. My fasting blood sugar is going down (it was 106 this morning; 85 would be normal for a non-diabetic), and blood sugars two hours after a meal have been falling dramatically, and some times they are in the 90s (120 or under two hours after a meal is the standard for non-diabetics). I experimented with a small dose of injectable insulin for the past week, but have stopped doing that. Insulin interferes with weight loss and I think that is the reason my weight loss is not that large this week. Under any event, I wasn't seeing any noticeable difference when using such a small dose.
Yesterday, I called my physician and changed my medication from Janumet to Metformin Extended Release. Janumet, after insurance, cost me $65 for a one month supply. The Metformin ER cost less than $14 for a 90 day supply.
So this is good news for me. Stopping the injectable insulin saves me $70 per month and changing from Janumet to Metformin ER saves me another $60 per month. That's a lot of money.
Even more importantly, my blood sugars have been stabilizing at much lower levels. My fasting blood sugar is going down (it was 106 this morning; 85 would be normal for a non-diabetic), and blood sugars two hours after a meal have been falling dramatically, and some times they are in the 90s (120 or under two hours after a meal is the standard for non-diabetics). I experimented with a small dose of injectable insulin for the past week, but have stopped doing that. Insulin interferes with weight loss and I think that is the reason my weight loss is not that large this week. Under any event, I wasn't seeing any noticeable difference when using such a small dose.
Yesterday, I called my physician and changed my medication from Janumet to Metformin Extended Release. Janumet, after insurance, cost me $65 for a one month supply. The Metformin ER cost less than $14 for a 90 day supply.
So this is good news for me. Stopping the injectable insulin saves me $70 per month and changing from Janumet to Metformin ER saves me another $60 per month. That's a lot of money.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Weekly Update
Wow, I lost 3.6 pounds this past week, for a new total loss of 24.2 pounds in eight weeks, or about three pounds per week on average. Follow my complete weight loss by viewing this chart.
Based on some things I read over the weekend, I am also changing how I am treating my diabetes. While I still hope to eventually normalize my blood sugars with diet and exercise alone, I have also started using a low dose of basal insulin again, to keep my fasting blood sugar reading down. I had purchased quite a bit of the insulin, before I gave it up a few weeks ago, but now I will at least use some of it. But instead of the 26 units a day I had been injecting, I am now doing 3 to 5 units. And it is working. My fasting blood sugars have come down quite a bit. Though since the insulin pens have 300 units and I will barely be using half of that before they expire, I will be throwing about half of the insulin away each month (once you start using it, you have to use it all or throw it away within 28 days).
And as soon as I am finished with the Janumet I am taking, I will contact my physician and switch to Metformin RX, an extended release version of Metformin. According to what I learned, Janumet is a combination of Januvia and Metformin, but the Januvia portion has some unpleasant side effects. Plus, Metformin RX will cost about $4 per month, whereas Janumet costs about $5 per pill, if you don't have insurance. Even with insurance, it is about $65 for 60 pills. Moral of the story: don't just pop pills your doctor prescribes, do some research.
I also noticed that fasting yesterday had a quite positive affect on my blood sugar readings.
Based on some things I read over the weekend, I am also changing how I am treating my diabetes. While I still hope to eventually normalize my blood sugars with diet and exercise alone, I have also started using a low dose of basal insulin again, to keep my fasting blood sugar reading down. I had purchased quite a bit of the insulin, before I gave it up a few weeks ago, but now I will at least use some of it. But instead of the 26 units a day I had been injecting, I am now doing 3 to 5 units. And it is working. My fasting blood sugars have come down quite a bit. Though since the insulin pens have 300 units and I will barely be using half of that before they expire, I will be throwing about half of the insulin away each month (once you start using it, you have to use it all or throw it away within 28 days).
And as soon as I am finished with the Janumet I am taking, I will contact my physician and switch to Metformin RX, an extended release version of Metformin. According to what I learned, Janumet is a combination of Januvia and Metformin, but the Januvia portion has some unpleasant side effects. Plus, Metformin RX will cost about $4 per month, whereas Janumet costs about $5 per pill, if you don't have insurance. Even with insurance, it is about $65 for 60 pills. Moral of the story: don't just pop pills your doctor prescribes, do some research.
I also noticed that fasting yesterday had a quite positive affect on my blood sugar readings.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Weekly Update
Another week, another weight loss. Smaller this week than I would have thought, but last week's weigh in was on Tuesday, not Monday, due to business travel to Europe. I dropped 1.4 pounds, for a seven week total of almost 21 pounds (20.6, according to my scales). There was a slight jet lag effect from last week, as the greater than expected drop last week rebounded a bit, as I suspected it would. Follow my progress online.
My blood sugars are continuing to do well, except for the fasting blood sugar, which is still a bit high (around 130). I have decided I need to find a new doctor, one who knows about diabetes and who can help me manage it with a low carb diet. If such a creature exists where I live. Sigh.
My blood sugars are continuing to do well, except for the fasting blood sugar, which is still a bit high (around 130). I have decided I need to find a new doctor, one who knows about diabetes and who can help me manage it with a low carb diet. If such a creature exists where I live. Sigh.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Weekly Update
I am reporting in on Tuesday, instead of Monday, since I was traveling home from Europe yesterday. This past week, I lost 3.2 pounds. Part of that loss might be due to fluctuations due to jet lag; it's happened before on Weight Watchers. However, since my experience on the LCD is different from Weight Watchers, I cannot say for sure that jet lag is affecting things. On WW, the day after I got home, I would show a large loss, then a gain the next day, recuperating some of the lost weight. We will see if that happens tomorrow.
On the blood pressure side of things, I was 110/78 last night when my nurse wife took my blood pressure. Perfectly normal. And my blood sugars continue to do very well. With one exception (last night, which might be due to jet lag messing things up), my readings have always been less than 140 one hour after a meal and less than 120, two hours after a meal. The only abnormal reading continues to be my fasting blood sugars in the morning, which are a bit high (120-135). However, I have recently learned that if you are heavy and losing weight, the burning of fat during the night will contribute to a higher reading in the morning.
So by and large, I am pleased. I am down 19.2 pounds in six weeks, for an average of 3.2 pounds per week. Follow my weekly progress on this chart. More importantly, my blood sugar readings and blood pressure are almost in the normal range and I am cutting back on my oral medicine (after discontinuing the insulin injections).
On the blood pressure side of things, I was 110/78 last night when my nurse wife took my blood pressure. Perfectly normal. And my blood sugars continue to do very well. With one exception (last night, which might be due to jet lag messing things up), my readings have always been less than 140 one hour after a meal and less than 120, two hours after a meal. The only abnormal reading continues to be my fasting blood sugars in the morning, which are a bit high (120-135). However, I have recently learned that if you are heavy and losing weight, the burning of fat during the night will contribute to a higher reading in the morning.
So by and large, I am pleased. I am down 19.2 pounds in six weeks, for an average of 3.2 pounds per week. Follow my weekly progress on this chart. More importantly, my blood sugar readings and blood pressure are almost in the normal range and I am cutting back on my oral medicine (after discontinuing the insulin injections).
Monday, March 21, 2011
Weight Loss, Insulin Update
I am not sure what happened last week, but I have lost another 3.6 pounds this week, for a five week total of 16 pounds, or 3.2 pounds per week on average. Here is a chart of my weight loss progress.
Also, I stopped taking insulin a while back, and my blood sugars are very good, with the slight exception of the fasting blood sugar first thing in the morning. Recently, that has been in the 120-125 range, and it should be below 110 for a diabetic and about 90 for a non-diabetic. I am not sure why that is high, as I am hardly eating any carbs at all, usually fewer than 20 grams of carbs per day, and most of those in the form of green or leafy vegetables. My blood sugars one hour after a meal are almost always lower than 120 and two hours after are usually between 100 and 110. They should be below 140 one hour after and below 120 two hours after a meal, so I am in good shape here.
I will be reducing my dosage of Janumet this week, from two pills a day (morning and evening) to one pill per day (just in the morning) and I will see what happens.
Also, I stopped taking insulin a while back, and my blood sugars are very good, with the slight exception of the fasting blood sugar first thing in the morning. Recently, that has been in the 120-125 range, and it should be below 110 for a diabetic and about 90 for a non-diabetic. I am not sure why that is high, as I am hardly eating any carbs at all, usually fewer than 20 grams of carbs per day, and most of those in the form of green or leafy vegetables. My blood sugars one hour after a meal are almost always lower than 120 and two hours after are usually between 100 and 110. They should be below 140 one hour after and below 120 two hours after a meal, so I am in good shape here.
I will be reducing my dosage of Janumet this week, from two pills a day (morning and evening) to one pill per day (just in the morning) and I will see what happens.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Vital Statistics, Monday, March 7, 2011
Weight: 288.0 (weekly loss of 2.4 pounds) Follow my weekly weight loss progress.
Blood pressure: 116/80
Average Fasting Blood Glucose: 114
Great progress all the way around. My blood pressure has fallen from an alarming 140/98 the first time my wife checked it to the reading yesterday of 116/80 and I have dropped 13.6 pounds, all in three weeks. For a "normal" person, a fasting blood glucose level should be somewhere between 75 and 90, so I still have a ways to go. But not too bad, given that I have reduced, then stopped altogether, my insulin injections.
Blood pressure: 116/80
Average Fasting Blood Glucose: 114
Great progress all the way around. My blood pressure has fallen from an alarming 140/98 the first time my wife checked it to the reading yesterday of 116/80 and I have dropped 13.6 pounds, all in three weeks. For a "normal" person, a fasting blood glucose level should be somewhere between 75 and 90, so I still have a ways to go. But not too bad, given that I have reduced, then stopped altogether, my insulin injections.
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