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My Story? Hmmm. Well, my real name is Stan, also known as Ziggy and my online persona is Axiel (pronounced Ah-shell, don’t drop the S ). Currently 50 years old, (6 ft) 255 ish lbs. (Down from 270 4 weeks ago). I’m a 30+ yr Type 1 diabetic that’s been reasonably well controlled with no major complications as yet, other than a slight neuropathy (numbness) in the feet and frozen shoulders (which until recently I didn’t know was a complication from diabetes). For all this time I’ve been following the standard dietary advice of my dietician and endo, and generally gained 2-3 lbs a year. The few times I’ve tried ‘dieting’, always ended disastrously as I found trying to balance insulin and high carb meals to be almost impossible. (Standard dietary recommendation for diabetics from both the American & Canadian Diabetes Association is along the lines of 60-70g carbs per meal plus 2-3 snacks, and avoid all fats – boy is that bad advice ) So, about 5 years ago, just after turning 45 I suffered a minor heart attack (MI), with no permanent damage, and a follow-up angiogram indicating two additional ‘future’ blockages currently at about 35%. At that point I was terrified to do anything exercise wise, and dieting was still difficult for me to break out of my established eating / insulin regimen. Shortly after turning 50 earlier this year, I was almost defeated, I would get up, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, eat supper, sit in front of the TV for the rest of the night, and repeat. Weekends weren’t much different, except I’d be in front of the TV more, and I finally had the simple realization that if I kept on the same path, I would be lucky to see my 55th birthday. Since I was never successful dieting, but I knew there had to be others that had been, lets just say my life changed with a simple google search ‘lose weight as a type 1 diabetic’. The search results from this exposed me to tons of research which I’ve devoured over the last few months, and has led me to adopt a low-carb diet. For anyone interested, an excellent starting point would be to lookup ‘Dr. Bernstien’s Diabetes Solution’. I won’t get into details here, but send me a note if you want. So adopting this style of eating (wasn’t too difficult for me as I was also diagnosed celiac 10yrs ago, so cutting the rest of the processed carbs out of my diet wasn’t a big deal), has already seen some weight loss over the last month, but more importantly, much better controlled blood sugars. For those curious my target is 4.6mmol/L or 83mg/dl (for the math nerds, that’s a conversion factor of 18). My plans as I see them now are to: 1. Reach and maintain a 30 day avg blood glucose of 4.6, 2. Bring my HgA1C down to under 5% 3. Reach an eventual target weight of ~180 lbs 4. Get my 1st degree black belt in Taekwon-do (long range, still waiting to meet with instructor about shoulder injuries) I’m quite introverted by nature, and really have to work to put myself out there, but I hope to bring a level of dedication to the community to be able to help and encourage others with their journeys. I'd love to follow along any other T1 or T2's journeys (well anyone's journey to be honest), so introduce yourself and we can journey together. I haven't found much in the way of discussion here regarding this lifestyle for diabetics, and I really hope we can change that, cause diabetics can do everything 'normal' people can. Now to see what I want to do for my first challenge and battle log. tldr; 50yrs old, 30yr Type 1 diabetic, time to get off my ass and do something about my health and life. Oh, and 25xp to anyone that can name the game where my online name came from.

Rebooting Again...Really? The shit really hit the fans this time. Holy cow has my life changed and required a lot of evaluation. If you check my character page or my blog you'll get all the gritty details. TL;DR Leg pain = doctor's visit = diagnosed as diabetic = still no answer on leg pain. But like always, I pick up the pieces and move on. I have decided to make my quest more epic and bigger. I now have larger goals that are truly big picture that will be broken down into easier to achieve chunks. I now identify as a druid, I've been told that I am quite laid back and at one with nature. I talk to plants, insects, animals, and rocks with equal enthusiasm and curiosity. "Oooh, what are you?" Diet: 2000 Calories a day. 240 g of carbs a day. Drink A gallon of water a day. Fitness: 10 minutes on the treadmill each day. Tai Chi four times a week. Effectively manage my pain. Level Up My Life: 15 minutes of quiet meditation each day. Read material for grad school (chemistry etc.) My epic quest is to get down to 225 lbs from 391. I am sitting at 300 as of 7/12/2016, so I am half way there. I have a couple of other things I'd like to achieve, and those are still in the development phase. Getting to the goal weight is not the end of the journey, but more the end of the tutorial level where I learn how to LIVE and take hold of my dreams.

So, some not so quick backstory: 28 years old Diagnosed as diabetic in March - Not currently on medication, doc likes my current progress. Gone from 385 in March to 339 as of 5/28. I have an unsteady work schedule, and a membership at my local 24hr gym. I chose a mixed class of Druid/Warrior because of my (albeit distant) Irish heritage, the need/want of focus and mindfulness. The warrior bit is a focus in strength and cardio (mainly for weight loss). I am reading Steve's book and have really learned a lot about setting goals and character/world building. The Problem: I have no idea what I'm doing in the gym. Due to my wife and I's conflicting work schedules - and difference in regimen - I have to go at it alone. I'm currently doing random exercises for an hour or two a day/night and that has attributed to my weight loss, along with cutting out everything I love about food out of my diet. I do try to be consistent with running on the elliptical for 30 to 60 minutes of my gym time. What I'm looking for: 1. A weight training/cardio routine that I can squeeze into about an hour, that's actually doing me some good. 2. A meditative yoga series/video for beginners that I can squeeze into about 30 - 40 minutes about every other day. As far as mindfulness goes, I'm learning to meditate using Headspace, I'm just trying to figure out the best time to do it... definitely not before bed like I thought, or right after I get up (I fall back asleep). Thanks in advance for any and all ideas...

Hi, this is my first time on the boards and I'm excited to meet like minded, motivating and positive new peeps. I started my fitness quest after I realized that if I didn't change my ways, my parents were going to have to bury me. I was an uncontrolled diabetic [A1c = 9.2], on insulin and about 3 other meds, using a c-pap at night because my weight was crushing me and cutting off my breathing. I would be so winded after 1 salsa dance that my legs would give out. I was 5'6" and ~252 lbs [114.3 kg]. I am currently going to a supervised diet plan that encompasses not just weight loss but they have behaviorist, exercise physiologist, as well as medical doctors to help you adjust your plan. I've also changed my diet to paleo and am loving it. I never realized that I was allergic to SOY and legumes. As soon as I cut them out of my diet - my skin cleared up and I lost ~7 inches off my abdomen. I reached my weight goal of 165 lbs [74.8 kg]. my A1c = 5, which means I'm totally off all of my insulin and only on 1 tablet of medication [my vitamins now out number my medications] But now I feel the "hard part" begins -- meal planning, budgeting, and coming to terms with my new body. Sometimes I feel like a baby giraffe -- gawky and awkward. My goal is to be able to dance all night. I love to dance salsa and am learning West Coast Swing. There are many workshops were you take classes all day and then open dancing from 9 pm to 4 am. I'd like to be able to do that. So, I think endurance strength training (with bodyweight) and vinyansa yoga intrigues me. I'm also considering taking a kinesiology class(es) about movement in general and nutrition to bulk up my mental muscles too. I'd also like to participate in the next challenge but not sure what guild to choose, any suggestions? Thanks for listening/reading.

As a type 1 diabetic, hearing, "yes! ALL the keytones!!" is a bit disconcerting. I mean, isn't that what almost killed me 12 years ago? However, after a little digging I saw a blog saying that it wouldn't effect you in the same way as keytoacidosis because you font have extra sugar in the body. Honestly, I'd love some exinations or hints from anyone who might understand it. Thanks!

Hi guys, I've been battling my weight since childhood. I'm now 30, 320ish lbs with a prescription list as long as my arm. I have zero mobility/flexibility and the worst postural issues you've seen. I took up powerlifting style training a couple of months ago and am really looking for a place for a little additional support really.

As part of my 2014 goals, I've decided to start a thread here called "Recipe a Week" or RAWT. Week 1: Mock Ramen Noodles For those of us who love ramen noodles and pasta-y junk foods of all kinds! Ingredients: shirataki noodles (also called miracle noodles)cooking oil (butter, coconut oil, olive oil)seasonings (Mrs. Dash, Chinese 5 Spices, chicken, beef, or seafood bullion or broth)Optional Ingredients: Srachi or Rooster SauceOyster SauceSoy SauceRaw HoneyPeanut ButterCream CheeseCheddar CheeseHeavy CreamFrozen VeggiesBasic Recipe: Drain and rinse noodles according to package directions. Tip: Cut package in half if you want your noodles to be a more managble length, lol. Heat a skillet. I use a stainless steel non-stick skillet, but a wok or cast iron skillet will work as well. Put your oil of choice in it, let it get warm, medium-high heat. Place noodles over the oil. Stir. Season with your seasoning of choice. Fry for a few more minutes, stirring well. Remove from heat and eat.Variations: Sweet and Hot. Add a 1-2 tablespoons of Rooster Sauce and 1/2-1 tablespoon of raw honey to the noodles after you add the seasonings. Stir the noodles extra well to coat.Cheesy Noodles. Once you have cooked the noodles through, add 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of whipping cream, and a generous handful or more of cheddar cheese. Stir well. VERY well. Until all of it is coated in fatty cheesy goodness.Veggie Soup. Cook the noodles through. In a microwave, heat some broth and steam some mixed veggies, peas and carrots, or other veggies of choice. Add the veggies to the noodles and cook over low heat for about a minute. Remove noodles and veggies from heat and place in bowl. Pour broth over noodles. Eat.Peanut Noodles. Add 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter to your cooking oil. Watch and stir the peanut butter with the oil until it thins out. (I suggest low-medium heat for this.) Add your noodles, warm and stir very well to coat. These will take a little longer to cook than other variety. Scorched peanut butter is not good eats. Drizzle honey over the warm noodles prior to serving. Or add a pinch of cinnamon. Tasty-time!!! These noodles make an excellent side dish, a nice base, a good replacement for rice or rice noodles in Asian dishes, or a tasty snack. Depending on brand, a serving will have 4-8 carbs.