A beautiful day, a nice 2-mile walk in Norwood Park and along the Crescent Trail, the first pitcher of sun tea of the year.

Robins and sparrows and grackles, oh my!

And good news from a friend.

Did not know that Dan was dealing with diabetes. He's dealing with it very well with a good plan to which he's commited.

I went to see Dr. Sener yesterday afternoon to get the results of the blood test I had last Friday. Back in December, my A1c metabolic blood sugar had hit 6.6% (that's diabetes; no longer pre-diabetes). Well, after three months of cutting carbs, exercising like a fool with a trainer; walking everywhere; losing 10 pounds (my clothed weight was 176#) ... the A1c had dropped to 5.8%. Wow!
 

Stuck it! I am so happy I could burst at the seams (must be all the iron pumping I am doing). Also, total cholesterol is 126; triglycerides are 116 (were over 200 in December) and LDL (bad cholesterol) is at 65. My good cholesterol is at 38 (highest in a long time), should be > 39.
 

But hey, it is all good.

 

A success story!

 

To cut carbs, I did not "count" -- just consciously avoided unnecessary breads, pastas etc. Don't make a meal of "bread."

 

Bread is my bete noir too, white bread, french bread. It's so interesting how the really culturally established eating patterns that worked for...millenia? have been overridden by overavailability and overconsumption of carbs. Rice, pasta, noodles, bread, Asian, Italian, German, everybody... So increasing vegetables and fruits, appropriately portioned protein, and cutting the above carbs that tax the pancreas -- takes planning and effort.

I do like the healthy balanced energetic feeling I get from eating this new way.

Dan says:

 

Cutting carbs was the key (I think). I do not count calories and carbs and such -- just pay attention to what goes onto the plate and then into my mouth.

My sister put my brother-in-law on a low-carb diet when he faced needing insulin to control his diabetes -- he lost 65 pounds; same for my minister -- lost 40 pounds.

Eating "Lean Cuisine," etc., helps -- the carbs are located on the side panel and try to keep them under 30 per meal.

My day starts with a bowl of Cream of Wheat and coffee -- had to eliminate juice (way too many sugars) and Raisin Bran Crunch (my favorite -- but even more sugars). On Wednesdays, I hit the proteins for breakfast with a trip to Brookings Institution (across the street) for eggs and sausages (maybe too much fat but cholesterol is not my problem) and on Thursday an egg and cheese panini on wheat bread). http://www.brookings.edu/about/history

I began taking lunch at Brookings cafeteria -- their mission is good tasting nutrition and is titled "Mindful." A well-balanced plate of lean protein (chicken or fish), two veggie sides and a modest serving of healthy carbs -- between 500 -- 600 calories.

For dinner: a big salad and a frozen dinner to supplement the proteins.

Evening while reading and watching TV it is tea and a yogurt and an apple -- no more oranges (too sugary). I was never one to snack around the house anyway.

Also, I work out twice a week with a trainer at the YMCA; walk to work (three miles) and yoga on
Monday nights.Hey, I did not say it was easy. Do I miss anything -- my orange juice in the morning. Gawd, I loved that stuff.

Hooray! Hooray good health!

Hey, Shugah! https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=456286717777429&set=a.429769867095781.100913.429768337095934&type=1&theater

You're not going to overpower my pancreas.

Physical therapist John Jowers of the National Rehab Hospital clinic in Friendship Heights this week said one of the best things I could do is walk.

So I am trying to increase my walking. During the week, I think I'll walk the 3 blocks to the Ride-On bus stop on Wisconsin and Bradley, and then rather than taking the Ride-On, I'lll walk to Friendship Heights, another mile.

One of the challenges is making the time to walk, and do my PT exercises, and the hour morning and night with the splint sandal to push the 3rd toe down. And...practice tai chi moves. (Our teacher, Jeff, would like us to practice during the week, but he definitely is not heavy handed about it.)

This morning I overcame all resistance (after doing the hour on the sandal) and rousted myself to walk into Norwood Park, down the hill, along the path up to the Little Falls bridge, then back. 1.25 mile. Not bad.

This is not what it looked like. Today it is 33^oF, feels like 24^o, and "Locations nearby are reporting snow," says weather.com.

This is what it looked like a year ago (later in March) when my cousins Marilyn and Don Slusarski visited from Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

We had such a fun time!

I had a good time today just walking and not having to stop, and remembering Marilyn and Don.

Marilyn is a little older than I am and a curling whiz. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling. She's a good model!


PT John J. said my gait was better this week. I am happy about that!

Also I can tell my stamina is better.

On Inauguration Day with my friend Claudia, I had to ask her to stop every 4 blocks for a little rest.
Figured we walked 3 miles that day, but there was a lot of stopping.

Another thing John said to do was to try and keep up with my friends when walking. All of 'em. 




I've been asking all of them to slow down, or go their pace and wait for me up ahead.

Now here's a fast walker I'm gonna keep up with one of these days, Mary G.

No grass growing 'neath those feet!

Another good model!