17 Day Diet

I really needed to start this much sooner but that the way this crazy life goes sometimes.  Right after the Shamrock race, I started the 17 day diet. My wife had picked it up while we were out in Colorado and it looked like a great plan to help reduce blood sugars. Anyway, I was game to do whatever as it was really getting frustrating dealing with the insulin and still not losing any weight.  I had pretty exercising pretty regular but even that didn't help. It seemed that no what what I did (watching what I ate) or (running) I couldn't seem to drop any weight and keep the blood sugars down. I floated between 233 - 236 most of the time.

So after running the Shamrock, which I probably wasn't really ready to run but pushed myself anyways, I ran it in an average 16 min/mile. Not the greatest but at least I can say I did it right? I finished it and that is success, right? Come on....really? I am tired of coming up with false rewards. It is like your kids playing a sport and they get a trophy even if they loose all their games....we don't want them to be disappointed! I never got that as a kid....if you won first place, you got a trophy...anything less and you go home.  I got tired of it and knew that a faster pace was inside me...maybe not record breaking but at least something that was respectable.

So the diet began.  Let me first tell you that I wouldn't have done well on this if I didn't have the support of my wife.  And by support I mean she did it all for me....and I mean ALL. She read the plan, bought the groceries, cooked the food and even brought it to me.  The one thing she asked was that I not complain and whine about the diet because that wasn't very motivational for her. I agreed.  I just did it.  The weird thing about the diet is it starts off everyday with a hot cup of lemon water. I guess it purifies everything....Oh, let me tell you if you are reading this to get the details of how to do the diet...forget it.....I just know what I ate...not really why.....you will have to read the book.

I think with any diet or actually any goal you have to have a reason why you are doing it.  You have to see yourself accomplishing it and what (other than the goal itself) you are going to gain from this.  My reasons were pretty simple.  1) I was tired of the diabetes kicking my butt. It was winning and I knew that was unacceptable. 2) In order to live a long life, I needed to get the diabetes under control. Diet was the first step. 3) I wanted to run...being fat make that very hard. I have never been a big runner but I thought it would be fun joining races all over the place and running for health. 4) I was tired all the time. 5) I was fat and didn't like looking at my belly.  Those are some pretty good reasons.

Anyway, we started and I began eating the grass.  That was the only thing I would say...not complain...just say.  All I eat is grass.  Grass of different shapes and colors but it is still GRASS! Sometimes with grilled chicken on it sometimes with tuna on it. Cucumbers, peas, carrots, spinach, peppers, celery...still GRASS. That is fine, I can do that.  Don't always like it cause I feel a bit like a cow in the field...or maybe a bit like Nebecanezzar....read the Bible to figure that one out!

Fruit was limited but it was always fresh. I wasn't allowed to eat any after 2 PM in the afternoon. I stayed strictly to the plan. No cheating! Drink lots of water and tea with every meal. Staying busy during the day with work always kept my mind off of food. However evenings (which are my weakness) was more difficult. We didn't have any snacks in the house so I didn't have to worry about those temptations.

Here is the real kicker. I take 10 units of insulin in the morning and another 10 units in the evening wit dinner. The first evening after I went to bed.....my blood sugar dropped really low.  I had to get up and eat something. That has happen to me a few times recently but not consistent enough to really track.  I had to use my glucometer a lot to watch everything very close. I began cutting back my evening insulin and finally quit it all together (that was the first week of the diet). Before too long I was cutting back my morning insulin as well since my lunch time numbers were getting low also.

We got good at buying nice fish...something we never really did before.  Nice thick tuna steaks and salmon. Even eating out I was able to watch pretty close what I was doing. Tired of always cold salads, we went out for my wife's birthday and I had fajitas. No tortillas, little cheese, no sour cream....just eat the grilled meat and peppers and onion off the plate. It works.  Yep, no beer, no wine, no sodas, no this, no that.....just do it and make it work.

Today I have completed 4 weeks (28 days) and have reduced my blood sugar to being within the normal range most all the time. From 20 units of insulin a day to 5. I have dropped from 233 pounds to 217 pounds.  Pants are falling off of me but I am not buying any new ones until I drop another 15-20 pounds. I feel better about myself, I feel more energy and people are noticing that I am getting skinnier even in the face. The other day I ran on the treadmill.....remember the 16 min pace? I ran 3 miles at a 10:30 min pace! and even finish off the run with a quarter mile sprint at a 8 min pace.....I was beat, but again that was the reward....(by the way that was after the 3 week mark)

Hope this was some motivation for some of you.  I will try to post more about what I am doing and feeling....until then....Have a great day my friends!