I do make my own soup when I have it, exactly as you describe. It's pretty bland but it's edible. And yes, I swim 5 mornings a week at 5:30am. But I'm a lazy bastard at heart, probably should get out and walk twice a day too. It's too easy to sit & listen to music with a cat on my lap (shown at left).
Last edited by rcarlberg; 03-15-2018 at 10:35 AM.
^^^
We have three cats and they will only stay on our laps whining while you pin the little furry f**ckers down with due force...
I was diagnosed with DMII about a year ago. I'm on Metformin and Onglyza. But I cut pasta, potatoes, and rice from my diet, which really sucks because I love mashed potatoes. I also limit Mexican food (corn & flour tortillas are very high in carbs). I still eat a little rice now and then, usually about 1/3 of a cup as part of a recipe, but I haven't had any pasta in a year and have had a single serving of red skinned potatoes about three or four times in the past year.
I don't really complain because I brought this on myself. I've been addicted to sugar since I was 3. My ex used to marvel at how much sugar I consumed in a week and yet never gained weight. At least until I got to middle age. So, even though diabetes runs in my family (at 60, my brother died of organ failure after he went on dialysis because of diabetes) I'm sure I caused my own insulin resistance.
But I've been trying to take better care of myself for a while, now. About 10 years ago I cut out ice cream and lost some weight. A year or two later I cut out soda. I switched to sports drinks and then when Gatorade came out with G2, I switched to that (it has half the sugar of regular Gatorade; a 12 oz bottle of G2 only has 8g of sugar, which is half a serving of carbs). I also cut cookies from my diet about the same time as ice cream (I am the original cookie monster, seriously; I would eat a whole sleeve of Chips Ahoy cookies in one sitting; that's almost 120g of sugar!!!). And now I only have one glass of milk a day (milk has a lot of sugar in it, too). The other day, I went out to lunch with my coworkers. I drank a glass of water with my meal. First time I ever did that. And, yes, it sucked, but what are you gonna do? (I should have taken a bottle of water with me, because our tap water sucks).
For a snack at work: peanuts. No candy bars or crackers. For $2 I can get a 12oz can of peanuts. A 2.5oz package of peanuts in a vending machine runs from 85¢ to $1. I'm ¼ Scottish. I'm frugal. lol
I still eat bread but only in a sandwich. A slice of bread is 1 serving of carbs and I'm allowed 3-4 per meal.
I still have some Little Debbie snacks at night and I still smoke, but about 5-6 months ago my A1C dropped to less than 7% and has been steadily dropping since. Based on my morning blood sugar readings for the past 90 days, which is 141 mg/dL, my current A1C should be 6.5%. I'm thrilled with that.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
I lost by just cutting down on portion size, eating healthier entrees, and cutting down on the snacking and desserts. I've got a sweet tooth and a chocolate addiction. Cutting out beer is simply out of the question. I'm no Duncan but I have taken steps to exercise more and get my metabolism going. Almost thirty pounds down now since last August when I had my physical.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
I've never had a sweet tooth and I still got type 2 about 15 years ago. Only recently I've started taking metformin. For years I've controlled by glucose through exercise and avoiding sweets. Occasionally I'll crave a glazed donut because by body is screaming for something sweet. I do miss rice, pasta, and potatoes but I can live without them. I don't eat legumes regularly either, but I'll make a pot of lentils once in a while. I really don't miss bread but lately I've been craving a good old fashioned hotdog with mustard.
When I was a gym-rat (11 years ago to about 5 years ago) they always used to say:
"Your 'guns' are made in the gym, but your '6-pack' is made in the kitchen."
I agree that diet becomes far more important as you age ... but not necessarily more important.
2 recent surveys were published about this. here's one of them:
How exercise in old age prevents the immune system from declining
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-43308729
In the other one (I'll find it soon...) they found that a 70-year-old who exercised constantly and ate sensibly was able to maintain the metabolism of someone in their 20s.
Regards,
Duncan
"You may not live forever... but it'll SEEM like forever!"
I found that my appetite diminished with age, but I still can eat an average size meal. I haven't eaten meat for 10 years now, but that's just a moral decision...depending on what you consider to be rigorous...exercise is more essential as you age. I walk everyday, a minimum of 30 mins and cycle as often as weather permits. I really do not have to worry about diet.
Dave Sr.
I prefer Nature to Human Nature
I hate you all.
I've been exercising daily for twenty years, watching my diet for ten, being really strict with it for two -- and haven't lost a fucking ounce. I FEEL healthier -- no more heart palpitations, good wind, good cholesterol & BP -- but I'm still 40 lbs overweight.
That is key.
In a perfect world, we'd all be a few (okay, several ) pounds lighter, and we should continue to strive for that.
But the benefits highlighted above are the first-and-foremost reason for keeping a good diet and exercise regimen.
** They will contribute to a longer life.
** If you get sick / injured, a healthy metabolism will aid the healing process. A have a friend who had bladder cancer, and had to have his bladder removed in September. He's already back to 100% fitness and at 3 years older than me (i.e. ancient!) he's already fitter than I am. The doctors said that his recovery has been at the pace of a 20-year-old, because he was supremely fit at the time.
** Whether you live longer or not, you'll feel better day-to-day.
** Chicks will dig you!
Okay, I made that last one up, in a moment of futile optimism )
Regards,
Duncan
Well, what I mean is it's not necessary to lift weights 4-6 times a week at age 60. I excersize every day but I mostly do pushups and take walks. I stopped going to the gym because my lower back was hurting from using the stairmaster and doing deadlifts. The only thing I miss is breaking a good sweat. I'm sure I'll join the gym again at some point. But yes, I'm aware that exercise is important for senior citizens. It also wards off dementia. I also read recently that eating leafy greens wards off dementia as well. I eat fresh spinach and lettuce every day.
When I was at my peak weight last September I still managed to run for 20 minutes on the treadmill 3 times a week. I haven't exercised since! My plan is the start running again now that spring is approaching. I love running and get a runner's high. I just let is slip off my radar. I've run two marathons but 20 years ago (lol)!
Vic. could you get on a bike? There shouldn't be any lower back pain, it's a zero-impact exercise, and you'd have no problem breaking a sweat..?
Greg, great to see you getting into good shape again, old friend! I remember this was in our discussions some years ago.
Today, 40 lbs. Tomorrow, marathon #3
Regards,
Duncan
Correct! Cardio is better for you than weight training. Get your heart and lungs working hard for 20 minutes every day. I often see overweight people doing deadlifts -- yeah, it makes you stronger (bigger) but unless your heart & lungs are involved, you'll die with big arms
I've owned bicycles over the years. It's not something I enjoy. I'd swim a few times a week if I could find a decent public pool.Vic. could you get on a bike? There shouldn't be any lower back pain, it's a zero-impact exercise, and you'd have no problem breaking a sweat..?
Swimming is good exercise. Works a lot of muscles, easy on the joints, and you don’t get all hot & sweaty.
PLUS.... quite often in the pool there is eye candy.
Absolutely wrong!!! Weight training is far more beneficial than cardio. Increased muscle mass, faster metabolism, improved range of motion. And, you can easily equate or surpass a cardio heart rate by doing circuit training.I am not against cardio, but given a choice of either one OR the other, weight training is the FAR superior choice.
A Comfort Zone is not a Life Sentence
Bookmarks