A month and half ago, I get the best news I have had in a LONG time. I am finally making strides in lowering my A1C, my cholesterol and triglycerides (if I spelled those right the first time, I would be amazed) are in normal levels. Granted, my A1C was still high, but I had dropped it about 4 points - that is tremendous.
So what do I do? I celebrate a little too much for the past month and half. Only to compound the problem more, this past month was my birthday. My motto - everyone deserves some cake on their birthday and I had my share. I fell off the wagon. It happened. Well, I tried to be better, but my will at times was the very worst.
So there - I have beaten myself up for it. As in the movie, Elizabethtown, I am only going to allow myself about 5 minutes to wallow in self-abuse. Did it and now, I am going to move on with life.
I am slowly going back to my new, healthy eating ways. I try to cook as much as I possibly can. Why? Well, I know exactly what is in the food I am going to eat. I know how much salt, sugar, and other ingredients I have used. This information is SO important for me to make sure I regulate my sugar intake. I realize that for me a sweet potato has better nutritional value than a regular potato. I thank my mother every day for providing the opportunity to eat foods that most won't, such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and etc. Even today, I try to open myself up to trying new vegetables and fruit. Since my mother's passing, I found that I really like squash - not just zucchini and yellow squash, but butter nut and spaghetti.
My most serious downfall is going out to eat with friends. There are some places where I can get a really healthy meal. Most of the time, that is either a steak or seafood restaurant. The other day, I was invited to a party at BJ's Brewery. There was free food, but it was tortilla chips with salsas and cheese dips. No go there. Breaded chicken tenders - no go. Potato skins - another no go. Finally, mini pizza with thick crust - definite NO.
I sat with some friends and drank unsweet iced tea. I was good with that because I would go home and fix something to eat. One friend was dear enough to get me a slice of the veggie pizza, but I turned it down. I did not go for the pizza in the first place because I did not want to tear off the toppings just to eat them. Also, pizza is not pizza without the crust. Had it been thin crust pizza, that would have been no issue. I figured for me trying to get back on the road of healthy eating, it was better not to tempt fate. I knew I would eat the crust otherwise.
Last night, when I went to eat with a friend, we went over to "Whole Paycheck" to see about some baby heirloom tomatoes. None were to be had, but I ended up getting some mango, kiwi, regular heirloom tomatoes, nectarines, and some guacamole (my cryptonite). My friend has type 2 diabetes, but she never went to the nutritional classes (as far as I know, she refused to go because she could get the info by reading books). I heard a lot of "this is good for us" or "why pick that?" Most of what I bought is pretty fiberous, so course, those foods are good for "us."
My biggest problem with this friend is that her diabetes is not anywhere out of control as mine and she is in the process of renovating the inside of her house. So, she wants to go out to eat a lot. I am trying to curtail that sort of thing because when I cook, I know what I am putting into the food. Also, I am trying to save to get a house. Limiting my eating out actually saves me money. My job is to learn to say "no" a little more often to her.
I am back and working hard to do the right thing. Sometimes, it is easy, but other times, it is hard. I am just trying to take one day at a time.
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