Dieting and Dieting and Don't Lose Weight

Jo called yesterday, haven't talked to her much lately.  She thinks I "fuss" toooo much about what she eats.
Last month I bought her another copy of the American Diabetes Associations  Food Exchange Lists for diabetics.  Very small, will fit in your purse so you can take it with you if you are new at having diabetes and trying to diet. 

Don't really think she pays much attention to the exchange book, the diet the doctor gave her or anything else related to her diabetes treatment other than getting those pills and Insulin shots.  Know for a fact that she doesn't take any of them on a schedule, just when she feels she needs them.

The problem is with diabetes, other than obvious things like always being thirsty and running to the bathroom all the time, maybe having a sore or fungus infection that you can't get rid of, or being overwhelmed with the urge to sleep if you over eat, there aren't many other Visible signs of diabetes until later......when it is almost to late.

I don't know what her criterior for Needing her medication is.  Don't know what yardstick she uses to  measure her  Need for Insulin or Metformin or glucophage.

Said she has started to lose weight, now down under 170 pounds.  Asked if she had been dieting and just got silence.....This time last year she weighed less than she does now, so the long term picture doesn't show improvement.

Guess just wait and see.  If you don't diet, you can't lose weight and if you continually eat the wrong diet you gain.  Simple.

Joella is Changing What She Eats

Joella called today and reported she now has her fasting blood sugar down to 238.  I didn't even ask what it was before.  She was so excited to "get it down".

Since she lives in Florida and I live in Tennessee it is hard to get a handle on what she is really eating and doing as far as controlling her diabetes.  The newest thing is that PUP (a Florida program tied to Medicare) is going to pay for her to go to a class about Food.  It will be taught by Nurses and a Nutritionist.

I wonder what she is going to think when she finds out it is mainly the things that I have talked to her about for the last three years.   Scheduled meal and snack times, take your insulin and/or oral medication 30 minutes before eating, stay within your calorie allowance when planning and eating meals, and most important  get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.

She recently moved, no longer has access to a pool but likes to walk and has an exercycle that she rides so doesn't seem to have a problem with the exercise part.

With the diet part of her program she has a problem.  Since she likes to stay up almost all night, she really doesn't have a good eating schedule.  Including fresh raw vegetables...even celery or lettuce is also a big problem. She tends to buy Plums, Bananas, Cherries and a few Apples.  Occasionally Cabbage or a Cucumber will make it home, but forget Broccoli, Greens, Fresh Green Beans (she buys canned) Green Peppers etc.

This link is to a site that has a lot of good information on Diabetes and Blood Sugar Control.  Just Click and go and enjoy.    It features healthy snacks, just plain healthy eating and exercise routines.  To come back here just click the back arrow.