A Good Day

This morning, Abby treated me to a vanilla latte. I think it may have been meant for a peace offering, but there was no need for that. I was never mad at Abby. Frustrated at Abby... yes. Mad? No! Well, maybe a little at one point... Regardless, I welcomed the vanilla latte and learned that I CAN drink it with only one pump of syrup!

We headed on over to Starkville for our Friday yoga session with Lindsay. I wasn't feeling great; it's been a very emotional week for me. I was looking forward to something positive. Pattie mentioned, and I agreed, that it felt like she had never done yoga before. And trust me, Pattie is great at yoga. She looks like it to me, anyway! I completely forgot to even bring my yoga mat, because, you know, it was the first time I had been over there and all. Of course it wasn't. Just a reminder of my crappy week. There were only four of us there for Lindsay's class today, but the women who were there, I really like and enjoy being with, so it was almost a treat in a way.

Lindsay and Marion had another of their fabulous soirees last night and I cancelled at the last minute. Lucky for the four of us, there were leftovers!! So, after yoga, Pattie, Kym, Abby and I shared a delicious lunch at the homestead center. We had Salad with Pomegranate Lime Dressing (and it had little marigold leaves in it--REAL flowers!), a Baja Chipotle Winter Squash Soup that I would have sworn I wasn't going to like, but oh I was surprised! It was a bit too spicy for my taste, though. Great for making my nose and eyes run! ;) To finish it off, we had a Sweet Potato and Pineapple Dessert topped with Pine Nuts. It was SO good! I could have eaten a few more servings for sure! Oh, I didn't really eat mine as dessert... I ate it at the beginning of my meal!

After we got our tummies full, Abby and I headed out on the highway, looking for adventure. Yeah, we were born to be wild!

Craig Pond Check Station

First stop, Craig Pond Check Station for a little hike. Abby had never been here, so we stopped and checked out the info and map area first. The map was for Abby. I don't do maps. I usually have a pretty good sense of direction, but that wasn't my excuse. I just don't do maps. We found where the trail started. I made Abby go first. Yes, I'm a chicken--OR I'm really smart. She had to walk through all the cobwebs before me and she could scare away any critters that might be waiting to scare the beejeezus out of me.

I know it's weird, but I think a felled tree looks so cool from the "wrong side!"

Abby the Expert Map Reader

Ummm, Abby, this doesn't look like a trail....

Which way do we go??

Thank God for these signs!

We sure saw lots of these today!

After our little hike, which was quite fun, actually, we headed on to "The Spring" to get our fresh spring water. It was so cool! Literally.

Abby and I had a good day!

I'm in Trouble

I've pissed off my trainer. You can read all about it here... http://transformwithpaige.blogspot.com/2013/10/one-proud-moment-two-not-so-proud.html

One of the first things I learned from Abby is that there are no excuses, so I'm not going to try and offer any. I'll just simply share the thoughts buzzing around in my head right now.

No, it's not all been perfect. I have made strides towards becoming healthier but I have a LONG way to go! Yes, I've tried yoga and I really do enjoy it. I'm not good at it and there are times my feet cramp up so much I want to fall on the floor. I don't look the least bit graceful going into or coming out of some poses. I worry that a little air might escape from my behind (come on ladies, you know what I'm talking about and most of you have worried about it yourselves). But... Lindsay has been a great and patient teacher. And, Abby is right--if I can do it, anybody can do it!

Onto Abby's not so proud moments...

Not-So-Proud Moment #1
I understand Abby getting on her soap box, and I don't blame her. I would be frustrated with me, too, if I were her. I'm frustrated with my ownself in general. Monday night, I knew I needed to let Abby know that I wouldn't be at class. I had started cooking, and I was very focused and into it. Lynn came by on her way to SGPT and I remembered that I needed to talk to Abby, so I went to my phone to text her. My phone was dead. By the time my phone charged enough (and I remembered), it was way past class time, so she knew I wasn't going to be there. At lunch yesterday, Nickey asked me if I had ever gotten in touch with Abby. Gulp. No, I didn't. I totally accept dropping the contact ball. I am truly sorry that Abby feels taken advantage of. That's certainly not what I want.

There are times, though, that Paige's best effort doesn't equal Abby's best expectation of Paige. And, possibly, vice-versa, I don't know. Monday night, I was in no place mentally to be at SGPT. My best effort was to simply make it through the night with some sort of calm around me. Getting hot, sweaty and frustrated with my body would have only made things worse for me, I think. No, I don't know for sure, because exercise is not a natural way for me to work through things just yet... it's another task, another item to do to mark off my to-do list. I haven't learned how it can therapeutic for me just yet.

Not-So-Proud Moment #2
I had no idea that I would be "missed". I really didn't. I just thought it was an extra opportunity for some of Abby's clients to get together for an extra workout. So, I failed. Yet again.

My Thoughts and Confessions
I'm in a funk. It could possibly be depression of sorts. One person has suggested an existential crisis, defined as "a moment at which an individual questions the very foundations of his or her life: whether his or her life has any meaning, purpose or value." But, this funk has turned from "a moment" into several days and even into weeks. I want to hibernate.

Abby has overwhelmed me. She has given me info on SGPT, weekly personal training sessions, TBP, 5 Weeks to 5K, 21 Days to Bliss, Marathon Training. I have so much information that I get overloaded and my brain just shuts it all down. I really do love the fact that I have so many options, but it's completely overwhelming to me. And just when I think I can do it, I fail myself. Then I want to take a hiatus because I'm such a screw up.

After my 3-month assessment, I was proud of myself for accomplishing what I had, but also disappointed that it wasn't more. Of course, I realize that if I had wanted to get more out of it, I would have had to put more into it. But, all in all, that much change after 43 years was a great start.

I wanted my family to be proud, too. 

My kids both gave me a "Good job, Mom", but they haven't been here to actually see me go through the changes so they may not really realize what I've done. I know when I was their ages, my parents' health was not of great concern to me. Ross and Hanna haven't kept up with my journey here.

My dad told me that my results were "pretty good", but I'm sure he didn't realize much of what I had been through either. He certainly has never read my blog or any blog for that matter. Diet and exercise really aren't part of his every day living.

Then, there's my mother. My mother, the insulin-dependent diabetic who had quadruple bypass surgery at the age of 47, angioplasty on three arteries the following year, a stroke the year I moved to Mississippi. Mother... the one I DON'T want to follow in the medical footsteps of.

Rather than tell her the results, I wanted her to actually READ them. I wanted her to make the effort and find out about how I've done. It took her several days to even make the attempt, at my insistence, of course. Then she claimed "it" wouldn't let her read it. She needed my password. Talk about excuses, Mother's got them. Finally, she said she had read my entire blog. And all she got out of it "was a bunch of stuff about you and Nickey." Wow. Three months' worth of nutrition, health, exercise and lifestyle changes and still, all she seemed to get out of reading was about Nickey and me. Mother doesn't like Nickey and makes no secret about it. To anyone. Especially to Nickey and me. She's rude and hateful to and about Nickey and me. She couldn't see the good results I had produced. She couldn't see that Nickey has been totally supportive. She, instead, saw what she considered to be negative. And it rubbed off on me. 

It's been completely disheartening, really. In the last couple of weeks, I've lost focus, motivation, will and desire. As I sat at my desk yesterday writing this post (that's continued until today), there was a piece of birthday cake on my desk and a Coke from lunch. And I felt miserable. Mentally and physically miserable.

Abby. This is going to be tough. Abby has been a Godsend. Literally. When my diabetes diagnosis came, she was right there, with a halo and wings reaching out to help me. My very own personal health angel. What a blessing! We've had bumps and stumbles, but it's mostly been due to my own stubbornness and/or weakness. These last couple weeks have been no exception.

Abby had told me she'd see me on Saturday (week before last) to start her Marathon Training Program. At one time, I mentioned to her that I might like to run a half-marathon sometime in my life. "Sometime" isn't here yet. I'd never run before I started with Abby. I attempted the 5 Weeks to 5K clinic, but didn't do my homework like I was supposed to. I had thought I would begin to enjoy running, but I didn't. I participated in the 5K that Abby was the ramrod of back the first weekend in September. I was scared and nervous because I wasn't prepared, remember?

I was supposed to start marathon training now. What?? Abby and I ran jogged at the Riverwalk a few weeks ago. Went farther/longer than I ever had or ever thought I could. And I apparently hurt my knee, so running didn't enter my mind again until the last time Abby and I met for my weekly one-on-one workout. I think that very minor injury caused me more mental setback than I realized. 

I was reminded about when I fell back in February and broke my wrist. I don't know why, but it was in my head and I began to have lots of thoughts of falling when I ran and injuring myself again. I'm not the most graceful of people to begin with and thinking about what I went through after surgery to put in a plate and 9 screws to repair my wrist... I have a real fear of falling now... so I don't want to do it.

Marathon training? If I thought I wasn't prepared for the 5K, I certainly wasn't prepared for the marathon training. Abby's information stated that you should have a 3-mile base with a pace of 8:30 to 13:00 minute miles. I didn't have it. Period. I dug in my heels and became very opposed to trying this. I'm sure it was out of fear. Mostly. We had to bring water with us. I can't run with water. Some people can't walk and chew gum. I can't run with water. There. I said it. I was seriously opposed to this marathon training thing. 

The night before the first training Saturday came and I text Abby to let her know that I wasn't feeling so well but was going to bed early so that hopefully the next morning I'd be ready. I got up, got dressed, got my water ready and headed out the door. Nickey was going to be taking me and dropping me off because she needed the car. Since Nickey was driving, I didn't bring my keys with me. I simply unlocked the car door from inside with my key fob so I could go ahead and get in. Nickey heard my keys jangling and assumed I got my keys, so she didn't get hers. We locked ourselves out of the house. No worries. I text Abby to let her know what had happened. This had happened before, so we had each learned how to break into our house. Took me less than 2 minutes when I did it before. I'd still make it. No worries. It took over 50 minutes to get back into our house to get the keys. By that time, I knew I had missed everyone and, frankly, I didn't want to hear a lecture. So, I went back to bed.

This past Thursday, Abby text me to see what time we were going to work out on Friday, our usual Paige/Abby day. I was out of town at a conference for work. She remembered that I had told her that a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure was taking place right outside my hotel. So, she informed me that I would be running in it. She had decided that for me. Excuse me? My church (where I am employed) paid for this conference, for me to be in class at 9 am that Saturday morning. I couldn't not be there. And, I KNEW that with over 38,000 people in this race, there was NO way I could make it to class if I did the 5K.

There was a small group of ladies from the conference who DID participate in the 5K, but they did it as part of a "Healthy Lifestyles" (elective) class. My class was a core (required) class that is rarely offered. As a matter of fact, one lady flew from Delray Beach, Florida to Little Rock just for that one class, because she had tried for three years to take it elsewhere and it hadn't been offered. I sure wasn't going to miss my chance to get the class!

When I woke up that morning, I could see very near the start of the race from my hotel window. I watched as the bridge filled with runners/walkers/joggers. I admit it, I wanted to be down there doing it. I really did. It was an amazing sight! I had to shower and get ready for class, so after I watched for a bit, I headed off to the bathroom. After I showered, shampooed, shaved my legs, rinsed, dried off and got my clothes on, I went back to the window... that bridge was STILL filled with people! I was shocked to see that many people still filing over; that's when the sheer volume of people began to sink in with me. The ladies from our group that participated were very near the beginning of the race but because of the huge number of bodies, it took them over 2 hours (if I remember correctly) to get back to the hotel. I definitely would have missed my very important class.

Back to Abby, though. I really didn't appreciate her "bossing" me, telling me what I WAS going to do. Ninety-three percent of the time, that method would probably work with me (but only with this working out thing, not in general real-life as my friend Lezli pointed out to me). But, right now, I'm in that seven percent range. I don't want to be bossed. I want to be the boss. I don't want someone else telling me what I can or can't do. I want to make the decisions, however wrong they are. At my very core, I am stubborn, strong-willed, and defiant. I want to do it MY way. And, since I'm in this funk, I want to be able to control SOMETHING in my life. I don't want an ultimatum... however "right" I know that ultimatum may be, I will dig in my heels and kick and scream. It's a control issue. It's a trait I can't outgrow or get away from, no matter if I tried or not.

One other frustration I've been fighting is my buddy. Abby assigned us all a Trainer in Your Back Pocket buddy; to help motivate us and give us some accountability. I love my buddy. When I first met her, she was an inspiration to me because I had heard her story and seen her progress. However, she had suffered an injury just before we got to be buddies. I tried to reach out to her, but she wasn't ready for exercise yet. Luckily, she's on the mend, but she has had a very positive change in her life that's taking priority it seems like. I'm very happy for her, but I wish I had a TBP buddy who was a little more involved than mine is right now.

I really am trying to work through this. I KNOW Abby knows better than me. That's not even a question. But I don't connect with the way she's trying to pull me through this. I'm a firm believer in discipline, but right now, I'm feeling a little more tender inside so I don't need a bully. I just need some help and extra encouragement through this rough patch.

Once I rise from the ashes, I'll have to shop for new workout clothes. My capris are falling down all the time now, and I need more long-sleeved britches and tops since it's getting colder. Maybe a new workout outfit and running shoes will boost my spirits. Retail therapy is always good, right? Then I can settle into a lovely fall routine and get back to where I need to be....

Speaking of fall, I'm going to have a really hard time not eating a bunch of yummy, cold-weather comfort foods I've grown to love over the years.... Maybe I'll just have to exercise more.

The Lard Renderer

Just call me a Lard Renderer. Not a Horse Whisperer.

A few weeks ago, I was attempting to cook greens. Collards, turnips, but no mustard. They were bitter. Not yummy. I asked my friend Marion what I should do to make them more palatable. She suggested lard or tallow. I asked her how I'd go about finding those things. She said she'd make me some lard, and she did. And my greens are now fabulous. 

And, of course, I wanted to know how to make lard. Marion gave me some great information. Ali at Beaverdam Fresh Farms gave me some more information. And, the last time Beaverdam delivered to Columbus (and Abby picked up my order for me), I received 9.07 pounds of pork fat. That was weird. It just sounded wrong. And LOOKED even WRONG-er!

9.07 pounds of pork fat

This is 4 pounds LESS than I've lost!

Seriously, I've just purchased pork fat. And I'm trying to lose weight and be healthy. What's wrong with this picture? Nothing. From my understanding at this point in my journey, lard is one of the healthier fats. I'm not going to pretend to be smart here and explain all that myself. Do your own research. Form your own opinions. I trust the people I talk to. I didn't say "Eat Lard. It's Healthy." I said, lard is a health-ier fat. In the last week or so, I've learned more about pig fat than I've ever known... there is back fat, belly fat, leaf fat. Don't know why it's called "leaf" fat... pigs don't have leaves. But, supposedly, that's the healthiest of all pig fats. 

So, I've bought pig fat. Now, to render lard. I've researched a variety of ways to do this--Crock Pot, Oven, Stovetop. I chose the Stovetop method for my rendering. I have an awesome Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven that I love. 

Rendering the fat

Most things I read said that the butcher would process/grind the fat for you if you asked him to. Mine didn't come from a butcher, per se, so I opted to cut the fat myself, preferably into 1/2" cubes as most resources said. Cutting pig fat is not rocket science, but dang, did my hand hurt afterward! I actually did two batches of rendering simply because my hand got so sore; I swear, I rubbed a blister.

Add a half a cup water to the Dutch Oven, toss in the cubed fat, and away we go. For hours. Stirring every 15-20 minutes. For hours. Lots of hours. I was so afraid the fat would burn. I had no idea what I was doing. Dang, it stunk. But, I was rendering lard. I was sort of homesteading. Doing things like my great-grandmother, Mama Ross, used to do. Oh, to be like her. She was a true pioneer. I wish I would have been able to know her more.

I remember being a kid and Mother would take me to the grocery store. I actually remember her buying lard. It came in a waxed cardboard box with green blocks on the outside. I'd throw some of that in a skillet and it would make the tastiest fried egg whites! Extra salt, please. Yes, I always used too much and more or less deep fried my egg whites, but wow did they taste awesome!

As the lard rendered, I started to scoop the liquid out of the Dutch Oven and into the jars. I had a pint size jar topped with my strainer that had cheesecloth covering it over a wide-mouth funnel. I'd scoop the rendered lard into the cheescloth and watch it drain. I was so proud! I actually felt very accomplished!

Now, it was simply time to let it cool. What a beautiful snow white color it turned:

From that 9.07 pounds of pork fat, I now have 6+ pints of perfectly rendered lard and about 3 cups of cracklings. The cracklings are tasty, but I'm afraid I'll break a tooth. For now, I'm very content to use the lard to flavor my greens. 

Who knew lard could be so fun and entertaining??

State Fair

I went to the Mississippi State Fair today. I asked Nickey on the way there what was her favorite State Fair food. She had never been to a state fair, so she really couldn't answer that. However, she's heard of fair food and she's been to similar events, so we discussed several things about fair food on our ride.

1. Corn Dogs. They have to have just the right proportion of batter to a good meaty dog. Often times, they are mostly batter and unfortunately, held down in old grease too long to be tasty. We didn't take our chances today.

2. Anything on a stick. We did try this. Nickey chose Alligator on a Stick (is that REALLY what it is? I don't think so). It was tasty, though. I had a pork chop on a stick. Tough, dry and not near flavorful enough for me. Disappointment and it went in the trash after the first several bites. Waste of money. I wanted to go the "Lost" booth... it claimed to find anything lost: children, purses, etc.... What about my money??

3. Cotton Candy. I admit, I ate two bites of this sugary confection. My friend Meg's mom bought her some and I snatched a couple bites of the pink. Meg went straight to the blue. She's 9 years old, what do you expect? It was good. I knew better not to eat any more. As a kid, my friend Kim and I ate so much cotton candy we made ourselves violently ill and had to leave Memphis early from a shopping trip... my Mimi was SO upset with us! I digress...

4. Deep Fried Anything. OK, I didn't make the BEST food choices today, but it was a State Fair, for crying out loud. I HAD to have something deep fried. I chose Onion Chips and Mushrooms from Penn's. The batter on them was great, and they were originally vegetables anyway. But, I didn't finish either of them. Just wanted the taste of them.

5. Walking Tacos. Every good Girl Scout knows what these are. Maybe. Just in case--I've always known of them to be a snack size bag of Fritos, opened, with some seasoned taco meat thrown in, along with any extra fixin's such as shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, etc. I had seen a sign for these earlier in the day. Nickey had never had one, or knew what they were. After a second pass through the food vendors, I was determined to find the Walking Tacos. Of course, she insisted it was simply a figment of my imagination. I was hell-bent to prove her wrong. Those of you who know me know I REALLY like to be right! Thank God, I finally found that vendor! And, of course, Nickey was obligated at that point. What a disappointment! Some great big toenail looking Fritos in a cardboard boat topped with a small spoonful of chili with tons of wilted lettuce and some nasty sauce poured on top. Yuk. Yes, I know it was yuk because I tried a bite.

6. Funnel Cakes. I didn't have one. Not because they weren't available. The best funnel cakes I've ever eaten came out of the Theta Rho booth at the Delta Fair in Kennett. And they were even better when I suggested that we start using a powdered sugar glaze on them. I miss those good ole sorority days!

7. Caramel Apples. We didn't eat those either. But, we talked about them. For some reason unbeknownst to her, Nickey pronounces "caramel" CARE-uh-muhl except for when she's talking about apples. Then, it becomes CAR-muhl. I understand.

All in all, I think we didn't do too bad on our fair food choices. Seriously, it could have been MUCH worse! I walked past that chocolate chip cookie dough booth several times!

A New Low

So, you know I weigh every morning that I'm home, right? First thing, right after I've pottied. And I'm naked. There's something to be said for consistency. This morning, my very lowest weight so far... an even 167 pounds. As of today, I've lost a total of 14 pounds on my journey. Yay me!

Not Everything

Not EVERYTHING I eat is bad for me. Take, for example, the dinner I made last night.

Asian Salmon and Steamed Broccoli

This is Asian Salmon and Steamed Broccoli. The salmon is a recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and probably my favorite Food TV personality now that Paula's off the air. Don't even get me started on that whole fiasco, though. I just love Ina. So simple, yet so sophisticated and elegant. She always makes everything look oh so easy and delicious. Stuff I'd never even think about wanting to try, she's able to tempt me with.

Leslie Peel gave me this recipe for salmon. Her husband, Hollis, is diabetic. When Leslie heard about my diagnosis, she shared a few of her recipes with me. I showed all the recipes to Abby and she tweaked them a bit for me. For instance, instead of soy sauce as the recipe calls for, I use Bragg's Amino Acids (which sounds far less healthy than just plain ole soy sauce to me), but Abby says Amino Acids, so I buy and use Amino Acids. To the best of my remembery (my very own favorite made-up word), I think that's the whole change Abby made to the recipe. 

Nickey made this the first time several weeks and she overcooked the salmon a bit. This time, I think I undercooked it a bit. It tasted better overcooked, I'll just say. Hopefully, the third time's a charm and the next time we make it, it will be perfect. I'm just not so adept at cooking fresh fish. My salmon (pronounced "SAL-men") has always been from a can and fried as patties, served with mashed potatoes and corn. Now, my salmon (pronounced "sammen" is fresh and is served with steamed broccoli.

The broccoli was really good and so easy. Just cut up the florets, toss them in the Pampered Chef Large Micro Cooker (which is a very handy kitchen product and if you don't have one, you need one... I happen to be a consultant, so contact me to order yours). Steam 3-4 minutes in the microwave, drain off any excess liquid and season with freshly grated lemon zest, a little butter and Crazy Jane's Mixed-Up Seasoning Salt or Cavender's Greek Seasoning. Yum.

So, see... it's not all crazy terrible food choices for this girl!

I May... Or May Not Have Had This...

...last weekend when I was in Nashville with my daughter...

A Meatball

A Platter of Yummy Goodness

Three Month Checkup

Abby and I have survived three months together. 

There have been ups, downs, highs, lows and everything in between. Some days I have felt great, other days I've wondered why in the Hell I agreed to this. Successes have been great; setbacks have been tough. I've learned a lot and changed even more. I've done well, but, in my opinion, not good enough... and I have a ways to go. 

So, let's talk numbers and facts in this post. Check out this picture below; it tells a pretty good story, I think.

Abby took some pictures of me the day we started the journey. At the time, I knew I didn't look great. However, looking back now at the 3-month mark, I can certainly see a difference in my body in these newer pictures, especially from my neck to my waist. 

My wardrobe has gotten smaller, also. When I've put on something (usually "bottoms" like pants and capris) that is now too big for me to wear, I've not returned it to my closet, so I've been cleaning out my closet kind of frequently. It's a great thing, really, except that my choices are now very limited (except tshirts!). 

Last week, Abby and I met for my three month assessment. She took all my measurements like she had three months ago and I had some physical fitness tests as well. For the most part, I was very happy with the results.

June 29, 2013 (The Beginning, Day 1 of "The Journey"

Weight: 181

BMI: 31.1 (Obese)

Neck: 15.5

Shoulders: 40.5

Chest: 43.5

Upper Waist: 40

Lower Waist: 44.75

Hips: 45.5

Right Thigh: 22

Right Calf: 14.5

Right Arm: 13.75

1 Mile Walk Test: 24.17 ml/kg/min (Poor)

Pushups: 7

Wall Sit: 42 seconds

Plank: 23 seconds

October 4, 2013 (Three Month Assessment)

Weight: 168

BMI: 28.8 (Overweight)

Neck: 15.25

Shoulders: 40

Chest: 41.5

Upper Waist: 38

Lower Waist: 42.5

Hips: 43.75

Right Thigh: 21.25

Right Calf: 14.5

Right Arm: 14.25

1 Mile Walk Test: 27.82 ml/kg/min (Fair)

Pushups: 18 

Wall Sit: 54 seconds

Plank: 1 minute 6 seconds

Total Results After Three Months with Abby

Weight: Lost 13 pounds--Improvement!

BMI: From Obese to Overweight--Improvement!

Neck: Lost .25 inch--Improvement!

Shoulders: Lost .5 inch--Improvement!

Chest: Lost 2 inches--Improvement!

Upper Waist: Lost 2 inches--Improvement!

Lower Waist: Lost 2.5 inches--Improvement!

Hips: Lost 1.75 inches--Improvement!

Right Thigh: Lost .75 inch--Improvement!

Right Calf: Stayed exactly the same

Right Arm: Gained .5 inch--apparently an Improvement! if we consider that I've actually built that muscle

1 Mile Walk Test: From Poor to Fair--Improvement!

Pushups: Improvement! And, my form is MUCH better now!

Wall Sit: Improvement!

Plank: Improvement!

Total Inches: Lost a total of 9.25 inches in circumference all over my body--Improvement!

1 Mile Walk Test: Improvement!

Abby also keeps track of my Energy Level, Stress Level and Sleep Quality, which fluctuate quite a bit due to various things. These results were all really good immediately after my cleanse but my Stress Level and Sleep Quality have decreased a bit the last few weeks, but I think that's been mostly due to things, circumstances and people, which are totally out of my control.

This week, I had my lab work redone to see how the last three months have gone as far as my diabetes is concerned. The results from Abby were great, but THIS was a true measurement for me. Remember, these results have been attained without the use of medication, although my primary care physician recommended strongly that I begin taking to control the diabetes.

June 2013

A1C: 8.1 (High)

Glucose: 192 (High)

Total Cholesterol: 204 (High)

Triglycerides: 157 (High)

Hdl ("Good Cholesterol"): 31 (Low)

Ldl ("Bad Cholesterol"): 142 (High)

October 2013

A1C: 6.0 (High)

Glucose: 122 (High)

Total Cholesterol: 202 (High)

Triglycerides: 136 (Normal)

Hdl ("Good Cholesterol"): 31 (Low)

Ldl ("Bad Cholesterol"): 144 (High)

Results

A1C: Reference range is 4.8-5.6. A diabetes diagnosis will be made at 6.4 or above. My A1C has dropped and now puts me in the "increased risk for diabetes" range.  Improvement!

Glucose: Although my glucose is still high, it's come down considerably. Normal glucose range is 65-99 now, although just a few years ago, it was 80 to 120. Improvement!

Total Cholesterol:  Dropped two points, so now I'm just 3 points above what is considered to be normal. Improvement!

Triglycerides: I'm now in the normal range! Improvement!

Bottom line--with three months of improving my diet and exercise, (and without medication, I am no longer considered to be diabetic! 

This doesn't mean I'm finished. I'm not through. I'm not out of the woods. Any of the above numbers can change any and every day. This is not about a quick fix. It's about lifestyle changes and becoming healthier. And I am doing it! I am proud of myself.

Mimi's Cooking

All my life, I have thought that my Mimi was the best cook and baker in the world. If you've ever eaten her cooking or baking, you probably agree. And if you don't, well, you should.

I grew up watching Mimi cook and bake; it was just one way she showed her love for her family. As a kid, if I were to ever take treats to school, Mimi made them. I didn't take store-bought stuff, I didn't take bakery stuff, I took Mimi stuff. Even if I called just the night before needing something for the next day. And she always came through, without fail. Keep in mind she worked full-time and always brought work home from the court house to finish at home. She went to bed LATE and got up EARLY. But she always found time to cook and bake for us. She was known then (and now) especially for her cookies. Whether they were Strawberry or Chocolate Thumbprints, Nut Butter Balls, Angel Cookies or simple Peanut Butter (my Grandpa's favorite) or Chocolate Chip Cookies, they were delicious. And each one was always perfect. They always looked so pretty in the boxes, inside the plastic bags to keep them fresher. Each one the same size, shape and color as the one next to it. Her Truly Different Cupcakes were among my friends' favorites. To this day, there are still some of my Girl Scout friends from decades ago who talk about them! Texas Cake, Strawberry Cake, Hummingbird Cake... all fabulous! Her pies... Fudge, Coconut, Coconut Chess... oh my gosh--and the homemade pie crust, always perfect, of course! And... the pièce de résistance... Chocolate Rolls. Remember that fried chocolate butter from the fair? Mimi's chocolate rolls are only 100 times better!

Enough about the baking, I'm craving sweet right now, can you tell??

Mimi's food was and is comfort food. She can make damn near anything and it's always good. As she's gotten older, it's gotten a bit saltier, but it's still delicious. When I was in Kennett this last time, Mimi cooked Sunday lunch before I left. She forgot to tell anyone she was cooking, so we almost missed out on filling our tummies at Mimi's table. Luckily, she remembered and made the necessary phone calls (as if I'd ever leave town without going to see my Mimi anyway!).

On Mimi's table this particular meal were fried chicken tenders (she started doing tenders a few years ago, probably about the time my kids were starting to eat table food; before, it had always been chicken pieces and legs were my favorite), mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and squash casserole. The chicken was juicy and tender (sometimes very hard to do when frying chicken tenderloins at home). The corn was some that she had put in the freezer last summer. Mimi has always put up fruit and veggies in the freezer so we can have our favorites all year long. Grandpa had a garden every year except the last couple before he died... she'd put up peaches, strawberries, purple hull peas, okra, green beans, corn, squash. Thank goodness I learned how, too, so I can take advantage of the Farmer's Market since I don't garden myself. The squash casserole is one of my favorite things to make and to eat. It has so many flavors in it... yellow squash, onion, sour cream, shredded carrots, Stove Top stuffing mix, Cream of Chicken soup, pimientos. I used to think that particular dish was "healthy" because of the vegetables in it. Now, I look at it so much differently now! It's STILL delicious, though! :)  

Mimi is 87 years old. I know how blessed and fortunate I am to just still have her in my life. But to still be able to sit down at her table and eat... well, that's gravy, so to speak.

In an earlier blog, I talked about how mashed potatoes have always been my very favorite food, Mimi's especially. And I hate to say it, but I think they are no longer my favorite... and I could just about do without them. I think I'm beginning to... gasp... LIKE clean, healthy food!