Just a quick update: my morning blood sugar reading this morning was 129. That’s a big win in my book, considering that it was 200 just five days ago.
It’s helped me a lot using my diabetes management journal. I sell them, by the way, if you’re interested – HERE.
Here’s what I wanted to tell you, though. I wasn’t “perfect” last night. By “perfect,” I mean totally on program – very low carbs, no bread/wheat/grains (the dreaded “whites”), no chips, etc. I allow myself a small square of dark chocolate twice a day, but otherwise, it’s eggs, a bit of fruit, chicken/beef/turkey, a bit of cheese, some nuts and seeds, and veggies. That’s pretty much it. There’s actually quite a bit you can do with that limited menu – and I don’t go hungry – but still, it isn’t something that I find super pleasurable … like chocolate cake with ice cream or other similar treats and comfort foods.
So, last night, I was making dinner. I steamed a veggie mix with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots (frozen, from Aldi’s – easy & convenient for when I run out of fresh). I sautéed some chicken breast that I’d baked a couple days ago and kept in the fridge (also for convenience) with some onions – and added some Penzey’s Fajita seasoning. I put the veggies in the bowl, then topped them with the chicken/onion mix.
Now, I could have just eaten it like that, but I got the thought that it would be better with some cheese and sour cream. Once I added that, I was obviously going to need some chips and salsa. LOL So, I had a bowl of chips with some salsa with dinner. I figured it was just a little bit off program after a whole lot of being fully on program. And the thought occurred to me (I don’t know if this is true) that maybe being too strict was keeping my sugar higher because my body was dumping sugar while it had the chance. Maybe? I don’t know. I just know I was super happy to get below 130. That’s the first time that’s happened in months.
I got right back on program this morning. I had peppermint tea, not hot chocolate. I didn’t add toast or anything to my onion and cheese omelet, that I ate with a small clementine. I feel satisfied. I really don’t need the bread – I suppose it’s more habit than anything else. And with the way that bread prices have been soaring, it’s kind of beneficial not to have that extra cost too. It’s a win/win!
Of course, there will come a day when I’ll really be craving a bagel and hot chocolate … and as long as my blood sugar has been staying at fairly good levels, I will indulge. I’m super grateful for the diabetes management program that I have available to me. It’s based on Dr. Mark Hyman’s book and I described it in this post and this post and throughout my blog. I know that when I get off track, I can get back on track by just returning to the things I know are helpful for me.
Interestingly, these past few days, I haven’t exercised other than doing some stairs and short walks with our dog – because I broke my toe a couple of weeks ago (walked hard into an ottoman leg while barefoot – ouch!) and it’s still too sore to bounce on my rebounder, which is what is most available to me and I would like to be doing. When I can, I will. Still, with just being mindful of what I eat (not perfect) – it’s coming back under control. I just really need to make the choice to keep doing this most of the time.
Two final things I want to note for today: 1) Convenience is everything. If I didn’t have easy and convenient preferable options (cleaned and chopped up veggies, frozen veggies, cooked chicken breasts, turkey slices, etc.), it would be much more challenging to stay on track. I get too hungry by the time I take a break to eat – and if I didn’t have convenient good choices, I would totally grab the less blood sugar friendly choices. And, 2) Diabetes management isn’t a race or a one-shot deal. It’s an ongoing dance. For real. It’s not all-or-nothing. I truly benefit from grace and patience with myself. I am fully on my side! I want to feel good and control my blood sugar … and I want to have fun and pleasure with food too. I need to be able to eat “normally” at times – and I suppose I’m fortunate that I am able to do that on occasion without too many repercussions. It’s what I usually do that matters. And the dance goes on ….
Disclaimer: Please be advised that I am not a medical professional nor a dietician. This site is not in any way, shape, or form providing any sort of diagnosis, advice, cures, or recommendations for medical or dietary treatments. I am simply sharing my own journey and experiences. Nothing I say is intended to replace proper medical care.
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My Dance With Diabetes 