I’ve changed the
title of the Challenge from “2-month, 20-pound” to “10-Week, 30-Pound.” The
primary reason is that it became clear I was going to over achieve my goal.
This is the new mid-point report.
The second
reason is that I have a doctor’s appointment coming up in Week 11, and I wanted
to capture the best A1c and weight loss improvements possible. The challenges
will be that, for a large part of the final 2½ weeks, the unique circumstances
that gave rise to my beginning this gambit will change: 1) I will not be alone
and preparing all my own meals, and 2) I will at times be “on the road” and
eating most meals in restaurants.
That being said,
the necessary adjustments will be good for me. They will allow me to transition
to “real life” while at the same time being under the gun to preserve
continue the gains. (See how easy it is to undercut one’s confidence and
resolve?) Reference: for the Challenge, see #368,
for the 1st week’s Progress Report, see #370,
and for the 2nd week’s, see #371.
Now, back to the 5th Week (new
mid-point) Progress Report here:
Week 3:
Having gained 1 pound in Week 2 (after losing 11 in Week 1), I was confident
the “progress…was not really lost,” and “it [the progress] will show up on the
scale this coming week.” Well, I lost
4 pounds in Week 3.
Better yet, my Fasting Blood Glucose (FGB) average
also dropped again, from 88mg/dl (3.8mmol/L) to 86 (3.7). The actual
readings were 81, 104, 90, 78, 84, 83 & 79. The 104 was a surprise. It came
after a supper of veal kidneys cooked in onions and mushrooms with Marsala wine
and a salad of Romaine lettuce, mushrooms, hazel nuts, shredded cheese and my
homemade vinaigrette made with white wine vinegar. Go figure! Tonight I’m
having the 2nd half of that kidney preparation, with the same salad,
so we’ll see what happens.
Changes in Week
3: Going forward I’m going to cut my morning coffee from a 16oz mug to a 12oz
mug. That should reduce the heavy cream from 2oz to 1½oz. I found that I had
swallowed all my supplements with only half a cup and the 2nd half
was an indulgence. The idea came to me after reading a blogger who was looking
for people to join him in a 30-day coffee fast. I like coffee, but I am not
addicted to it, and I don’t want to be.
Week 4: Well, it wasn’t the
veal kidney and salad supper that gave me that anomalous 104mg/dl FBG
(5.8mmol/L) last week. The same supper the 2nd time produced a FBG
of 74mg/dl (4.1mmol/L) this morning. Conclusion: anomalies happen. Now, once
again, the big news this week: My FBG average
plummeted again, from 86mg/dl (4.8mmol/L) to 77 (4.3). I haven’t seen FBGs like this ever!
True, on my own initiative, but with the concurrence of my doctor,
about a year ago I increased my dose of Metformin from 500mg/day to 1,500. I
had read somewhere that 1,500mg was considered a “therapeutic” dose. The
inference I drew from that was that a dose of less than 1,500 was not
therapeutic. And since I have been a diagnosed type 2 for 30 years, and on a
reduced dose of 500mg for the last 15 since beginning VLC, it seemed
appropriate to me that my medication should
be therapeutic. But I think
my doctor never suggested an increase because he thinks my diabetes is already
“in good control.” I’m not blaming him. That’s the guidance he gets from the
ADA, Medicare, etc. By the way, in Week 4 I lost 2 more pounds, bringing me
to 16 total in the first 4 weeks.
Week 5: I’m settling into a
groove. My weight dropped by another 2 pounds, bringing the 4 week total to
18. The big surprise this week is that my FBG continues to drop. This week
I had 3 readings in the low 60s, and my FGB average this week dropped
to 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/L). Recapping my FBG averages: 119 the week before
starting, then 100, 88, 86, 77 and now 70. I hope they level off now. If not, I’ll cut my Metformin. My goal,
though, is to lower my A1c, so I am willing to have some “low” readings so long
as I feel I am in no danger of hypoglycemia. My sense is that my glucose levels
are stable. I have some concern about the ones in the 60s, but I feel fine and
am unaware of the “lows.” I have tested a few days in the late afternoon, when
historically I have been lowest, and my readings have all been in the mid 70s.
If my FBGs persist in the 60s, particularly after fasting days, I’ll test at
bedtime, and if low, again during the
night when my bladder calls.
Conclusion: I can’t believe
that I have been so blind in my diabetes self-management for these last 15
years!
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