DEBRA'S STORY

Hello everyone. Thank you for approving my "membership" here. My name is Debbie. I have been Type 2 since 2011. I weighed 236 and managed pretty well for a while. My A1C was a steady 6.5 so I was good. Eventually, I stopped checking my BS and thought I was eating okay. Fast forward to Jan 2014. I was feeling pretty bad one night and checked my BS. 469. I was scared. I called my doc the next day for an appointment. My A1C was 8.5 - the worst I've been. I immediately started a low-carb diet. As of May, I have lost down to 185. For the past 3 months I have been playing around with the same 5 pounds but I've been sick with sinus infections and summer colds all summer. In May, I had my lab work re-checked. My triglycerides which were 387 in Jan are down to 150. My good cholesterol is 60 - it was 20 in Jan - and my total cholesterol is 163. My A1C....is 5.5!! While I am struggling this summer, I know I am better able to control my cravings by not eating the harmful carbs associated with higher BS levels. I no longer view food as a crutch for emotions but rather a source of energy or sometimes, just something to make the hunger go away. I am healthier than I have been in a long time. I still have a goal to reach of 140lbs of which I will reassess when I get closer. I might find comfort at 150 - who knows. I hope my story can be an inspiration to others as I know others will inspire me to continue moving forward.

• , pray and find what works for you. I bought Atkins frozen dinners, meal bars and dark chocolate shakes. I spent a lot of money on those for the first 3 months. I ate eggs for bfast (sometimes using egg substitute for omelets) and bfast meats. I didn't worry about fat content at first. I was only focused on NOT eating the carbs. Initially, I ate 1800 cals a day with 20 carbs per day. I drank a butt load of water. I ate 1 frozen dinner for lunch and sometimes another meal bar for snack. I ate meat and veggies for dinner. I did this for 3 months until I felt I didn't have to use so many atkins products. I have returned to the shakes and bars since I am trying to refocus my efforts. I have decided to "go back to the basics". My short term goal is always the next level - I need to get under 180 - then I need to get to 175, then under 170 - etc. 5 lbs at a time. If you mess up, who cares? Dont beat yourself up, just start again with the next meal. This is a life journey. We don't really mess up, we simply test ourselves until we learn what works and what doesn't. We are all different so work with your body to learn what works best for you. You CAN do this if you WANT to do it. Blessings.

Debra is a member of the type 2 diabetes weight loss group