Totally Random

The 2nd week of school has come and gone---homework was finished in a timely manner and without fussing, thankyouverymuch.  Sunshine's weekly behavior chart was all 3s (our school district uses a numerical system--3 being the highest and  means that standards have been met/exceeded,  2 meaning "needs help/progressing toward meeting the standard" and 1=Do not pass go, do not collect $200), an AR test has been taken and passed.  And I've decided to recommit to being proactive about my health.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes five years ago.  I had Gestational Diabetes while I was pregnant with Sunshine and  knew it could come back later in life.  For me, "later in life" meant when my daughter turned 3.

I changed my diet drastically--cutting out things like pasta, chips, most breads.  Things that I love.  And really, really miss.  Occasionally I will allow myself a little taste of them, but it's a really small, tiny, itsy bitsy portion.  I also began exercising more than just a little jaunt with our super schnauzer Libby and a wee Sunshine.  Within a few months,  I found myself 30 lbs lighter and wearing a pants size that I hadn't worn since 1989.

Five years down the road, I found myself not exercising as much as I should, not avoiding all the foods I should but somehow still in the same size pants.  That's got to count for something, right?

I went to see my diabetic nurse last week and was pleasantly surprised to discover that I was 13 lbs lighter than I was last year.  This with little exercise and not so stringent eating habits.  Hmmm, maybe there IS something to that whole giving up Diet Coke thing.

Did I mention that I've given up my daily Diet Coke?  I did.  When we were on vacation, Hunter would go out for coffee in the morning or we'd have whatever coffee was being served in whichever home we were staying.  When we were making the drive from my brother's house in Delaware to the ILS in VA, we stopped at Sheetz for drinks/snacks.  I had what was quite possibly the worst tasting Diet Coke ever.   The carbonation was off and it was just horrible.  I wound up dumping it and getting water instead.   The same thing happened a couple days later when we were driving from VA to home.  Wonky tasting Diet Coke.  Ick.

So, this -13 lbs thing.  Totally motivated me to get back on my obsessive track.  I've walked 6 out of 8 days this week  --there's a park near Sunshine's school that has a beautiful walking trail around the lake.  The trail is 2 miles and while it doesn't offer a real lot in the way of hills and such, it's a decent trail.  I've managed to manage to do it in 24 minutes on the days that I'm walking alone, 29 minutes the days I've walked with Hunter  (Monday) and Sunshine (Sunday the 19th, Saturday & today ).  The best part about walking with Sunshine is that she wants to race me.  I don't believe in letting her win just because---it's not how I was raised.  Well, sort of--my Mom would let me win.  Dad wouldn't.  So, if we race, I sprint.

I've found myself repeating silly mantras such as "this is a marathon, not a sprint" in regards to my diabetes. And "that Ritter Sport bar won't taste as good as losing weight will!"  And I may or may not have told myself "RUN! Run that butt off!" while sprinting across the foot bridge the other day.

Okay, so I did.