1000 excuses, No More!

[ASDBigMomma]

Hi everyone,

 

    I'm Christine, I'm about to be 38, I'm 5' 11'', and 280 lbs (i think - don't own a scale). I have Type II diabetes, am on insulin. I was reared on diets, not religion. I know it doesn't work. I need to change the way I think about health, and just be healthy.

 

  I've got 1000 excuses. I've got a 10 year old with severe autism, a 2 year old who is in to everything. I'm a sugar addict and I deal with stress by eating sugar so I don't become a screaming lunatic at my kids. Autism is incredible stressful - my son has gone through a major regression and won't go to school. I spend my days driving back and forth to different therapists for my son, fighting with the school district, filling out insurance forms, trying to write (my freelance job) and running after my toddler.

 

Sugar is not a good way to cope with stress.

 

I found NF while writing an article for a health website. I had to compare a bunch of fitness blogs for women, and I fell in love with NErd Fitness. I've been search for a community and a philosophy that I might be able to stick with, and I'd been looking into Paleo/Primal for a while. NF feels like a home for my nerd girl heart (I've got a bachelors in bioengineering and an MS in pharmaceutical chemistry, even if I now work as an author and health writer).

 

My husband (who is also diabetic, though not as overweight) and I have committed to primal eating or a week now, and I've been trying to exercise every day. The beginner body weight routine is kicking my butt, but i feel awesome. I've got my fitbit running to keep me motivated to move as much as possible. My blood sugars are down in the morning to 104, 105 after months at 160, 165, and this after dropping my insulin from 40 units to 30! I am so excited.

 

I'm having fun with cooking primal, i fell in love with pureed cauliflower, and zuchini noodles with bolognese.

 

 

I'm eager to give and get support and inspiration from all of you here.

 

My pie-in-the-sky beginner mistake goals -

 

Live long enough to see my toddler graduate college.

Don't yell at my kids when stressed in the late afternoon when sugar deprived.

Try to move my butt more.

Jiggle less.

 

My real goals:

 

Get my HBA1c down to 6.5 or lower (it's at 9.6 now!! ack!!), my fasting bs less than 90.

Exercise, drink tea or meditate to lower stress so as not to lash out or eat crap.

Do strength training 4 times a week, move at least 30 minutes every day, at least 8000 steps.

Go from a size 24 to a size 18 within 6 months.

Eat clean.

 

 

To everyone out there with a lot on their plate - make sure most of it is vegetables!

 

Christine aka ASDBigMomma

 

 

 

[KGB]

Welcome, ASD!  You do have a lot on your plate!  I'm really proud of your blood sugar numbers.  That's a big deal! 

 

I totally understand the sugar addiction...I'm trying to kick that one myself.  Discount Easter candy (70% off!) was my downfall this weekend. 

 

Keep up the good work!

[ASDBigMomma]

Thanks KGB - boy do I hate going to CVS - that discount candy is like crack. That's the problem with sugar addiction - there are dealers everywhere. They even come to your door as children (I do love Girl Scouts, but their cookies are evil)!

 

Here's hoping we can stay on the wagon together!

[Allen Titan]

Wow, you do have a lot, I am trying to get healthy now when I'm young (22) Because most of my older friends always say that's what they regret, and honestly I already have health regrets, wish I got into sports in school, whish I was able to stay in the military, mall things like that and I'm trying not to make more. Though my weaknesses are Soda and Procrastination, everything is more important than what I am currently doing, eaven cleaning my room is more interesting when I should be studdying and that 2 liter needs to be drank before it goes flat. It's really good to hear you got excited about it, that's always the key. I'm honestly trying to treat everything like a game since games motivate me, and it works, to each their own and I look foward to supporting you and getting supported. Welcome.

[ASDBigMomma]

Thanks Allen Titan! Good luck with your goals as well. Life is better without soda - I gave it up years ago.

[oolong]

Hi Christine!

 

Wow... you certainly have quite a lot to handle!  I used to babysit a 10 year old with autism a few times a week, and was she ever a handful!  

 

I'm happy that you and your husband are on the road to good health together.  I'm trying to get my husband (who is outrageously unhealthy) on board with a healthy lifestyle, and it's a struggle.  With each other's support, though, I'm sure you guys can succeed!  

 

Best of luck to you, and I look forward to seeing you progress!  

 

~oolong

[ASDBigMomma]

Thanks Oolong! Yeah, my son is a lot to handle, but underneath it he's a sweetheart. He's doing better everyday and coming back from his regression. We're starting a few hours of school for him next Monday.

 

And it's not easy to be a babysitter for a kid with autism, we've never been able to find one. We use family or tagteam for everything - so kudos for you for being so understanding. Good luc convincing your husband to make the change to trying to live more healthy! I look forward to hearing about your progress. What exercise are you planning on doing? That's the hardest for me to wedge into the day, and I love to hear what other people do.

[oolong]

The little girl I babysat was so sweet.  I had a great time with her, even when it got kinda stressful.  I'm glad your son is doing better these days!  

 

As far as exercise goes, I'm doing a program called DDP Yoga.  There's a thread about it on the yoga board.  I like it because it's presented in a fun way, gives you a great workout, and is extremely low impact.  Because of a knee injury, I've been blacklisted from anything that puts stress on my knees (walking, running, squatting, plyometric exercises, etc.)  So this program is great for me.  I'm hoping to get my husband involved, too, as it's great exercise for overweight people as well.