Times Flies

It is amazing how time flies. It sees like it was only a few days ago, my daughter was just a little on running around the house, and then a few days later she was playing softball, basketball etc and now she is 18 and setting out to conquer the world. Yesterday we had a little get together at our house for friends and family to stop by and help us celebrate her birthday and high school graduation. Thanks to all those that could attend. The house was packed at times with all her new friends from the Chesapeake Church of Christ. What an awesome show of support!

You know we often look back in our lives (once we become ole' coots) and remember the times we had when we were younger and reminisces of days long forgotten. Sometimes the teenage years are nice and sometimes they can be painful. Everyone's situation is different. I guess I choose to remember my days at high school as fun times. I don't really wish I could, "go back" to those days. Nearly 30 years out of high school I am happy in the position I am in.

I am sure my daughter will do the same thing. Choose the best things to be positive about and remember each of those times. But look toward the future and embrace what it has to offer you. That can be an exciting adventure for a young person....starting out life anew with nothing but upward to soar. She is the youngest of four kids and the only girl. All of our kids, we feel have been very successful thus far in their goals, dreams and pursuits. Each one different, each one heading in their own direction. As a parent that is exciting to see them take their first steps, (and every one of them after that) as they begin living their lives.

Congratulations my sweet girl to you achievements and may there many more successes and happiness for your future.

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!

Shamrock Race 2011

Pre-race picture while waiting for it all to start

Yes, Again I know...late posting.  This should catch me up now.  My wife and I ran the 8K portion of the Shamrock race a few weeks ago. She was very much prepared as she has been running near the distance or more.  ME? not close to being prepared but wasn't going to back out. I really needed something to get me running again.

I started off pretty well with huge crowd that takes off every time.

I had used my iPhone last time with an app to help track my time and pace. It had told me every half mile what my pace was.  I thought that was a little spaced out too far so I (thought) adjusted it to tell me every quarter mile. Well once I start across the start line and hit the button, it ran through the time, my pace, how far off my pace I was...and then immediately said it again....and again....again....and again.  The music wasn't going to be able to come on due to the constant chatter.  So I turned it off.  I will have to fix that next time before the race!

Well I was pretty wiped out. There were a few times I had to do some brief walking but for the most part I ran. It was fun like always and of course, we love to run...sort of. We hope to take vacations and run wherever we visit. A fun healthy habit for a change. We have plans for several Disney runs coming up.

Rocky Mountain High

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted anything.  It just has been so crazy around here with all the "stuff" that has to be done.  You know the routine. Anyway, my last post was about the airport adventure on our way out to Colorado to visit our son and daughter-in-law. You can read about it here. http://etsthisibelieve.blogspot.com/2012/03/colorado-journey.html

This is all about the visit. It was actually quite relaxing. The kids still had to work during the day so we got to spend time just chillin during the day and then spent time visiting in the evenings. I had finally arrived late Saturday night in Denver and everyone picked me up at the airport.  My wife had caught the earliest flight so our son was able to pick her up and drive back to Colorado Springs. 12 hours later they drove back to Denver to pick me up. I was glad to finally be on the ground.

Sunday was a busy day.  We went to church and met all their friends.  It was a very friendly group as usually it always is, but a nice lesson was presented as well. Fun for a change of pace for us. After church we went to a Mexican restaurant....cannot remember the name but it was good.  A bit of time to chat with the kids and the in-laws....are they called in-laws if it is my daughter-in-laws family? I don't know....but it is family.  They too are recently baptised and became members of the church.  That is exciting in itself.

After food, we went home and changed and headed out to the "Garden of the Gods" to go for a walk.  The walk turned into a climb as the little kid came out in me and I had to crawl all over the red rocks. It was pretty fun....pretty treacherous.....pretty tiring too! Oh yeah, a little bit of exercise for an old out of shape man and throw in the Rocky Mountain High altitude and I was DONE pretty quick. But that was okay, we found a spot to rest and enjoy the views.

Later that week we went and visited their friends for dinner and games at their house. They were an older couple that certainly didn't act old! Very fun. We had a huge subway sandwich and played Phase 10.  A crazy game that was completely new to us but lots of fun and silliness.  Just what the doctor ordered. Later, we read some poetry...yes you heard right. "The Cremation of Sam McGee". All in all a great evening.

Later in the week, we headed out to what my daughter referred to as the Hippie Boardwalk.  Manitou Springs.  A fun area where we grabbed a bite to eat and bought some souvenirs to remember the trip.  My wife got surprised when I got her some cool ear rings and a bag to match. We also bought a couple of blankets and my daughter got a giant woven bag that resembles a hacky sack.  She loved.  I spoil my girls.

The trip home was uneventful as we all caught the first flight home.  Tired but thoroughly happy to see the kids after almost 18 months.  We look forward to the next visit.