Learnnig As We Go!!!

Okay, it is story time right off the bat!!

STORY TIME

When I was six years old, my mom tried to teach me to tie my shoes. She tried (kind of), but I just could not catch on the couple times I remember her trying to show me how to tie a bow. She would be come so frustrated, she just told me to get up on the couch and she would do it herself. Of course when you are six and knowing you displeased your mother, then I was unhappy too and it just made matters worse.

I started first grade and did not know how to tie my shoes. Just for the record, I never went to Kindergarten so I didn’t learn there either. But I had a wonderful first grade teacher, Mrs. Fagan. Of all my teachers, she still remains my favorite. I still remember the afternoon we were going out for recess and she told me I had to tie my shoes before I could go out and play. I bent down and pretended to tie them as best I could, enough to get by with a glance and off I went to play for recess. When it was time to go home, she called my name and asked me to stay after school for a few minutes to talk to me. “You need to tie your shoe before you can go home”. I looked down at the floor and quietly said, “I don’t know how”. I was so ashamed because I didn’t know how to tie my shoes, but more importantly I had disappointed someone I cared about.

She grabbed my little chin in her hands, and pulled upward to make me look at her. “It’s okay” she said, “I will teach you.” So for 15 minutes every night after school for two weeks, she patiently taught me the process of how to tie my shoes. On the night I was finally able to show my mom, we were getting ready to go to the bowling alley. “Get up on the couch so I can tie your shoes!” she yelled. I looked at her and grinned, “I already did” and then proudly showed her my nice neat bows on my shoes. “How did you learn how to do that?” “Mrs. Fagan taught me.” I don’t remember the rest of what happened with this conversation, only that I learned to tie my shoes thanks to my first grade teacher.

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So what has this got to do with No Sugar, No Soda you ask? Ha Ha I love reading your comments. Thank you, first of all for opening up and sharing your struggles and triumphs with us. I know often times that is not easy. Second of all I am learning (just as all of you are) we all don’t have the answers and we need to pull from one another for ideas and things that have worked for others.

Yesterday, I was frustrated because a stupid scale told me I was too fat to get on it. Why did I get upset over that? Someone else made a comment (maybe on Kathy’s Blog) that they thought if they gave up the sugar and soda we could have anything else we wanted. We can’t? (Ha Ha) But the point is, 

WE ALL HAVE TO KEEP TRYING!!

I think one of the things that really set me off with the whole scale thing (yes this is the rest of the story!) is that I discovered these wonderful New Sugar Free Strawberry Crèmes that are delicious!!! They are made by Russel Stover in case you are curious.  I was so confident in myself I bought some as a "treat".  Then when I got home and the scale wouldn't weigh me it set me off.  So my one little one I was going to have yesterday turned into a few little ones. I felt as though I failed so miserably TWICE yesterday.

I think it is odd for me, I can sit there and not get angry at someone who I felt was judging me (see earlier post about Challenging Day) yet I can get mad at a stupid scale.  Go Figure. Someone mentioned they would have laid into the lady, but the one thing I have learned to control my anger and temper because YES I DO HAVE ONE!  I have learned I have to stay somewhat calm and even keeled or watch out!  My whole life has been like an emotional roller coaster ride.  I was once told I was Jekyll/Hyde and they never knew which one of me was coming out that day. I have only recently learned how to control my anger (I think) anyway.  I learned that when ever I was in drama mode or turmoil that is when I would get frustrated, upset and then get just plain mad.  I saw in giving up sugar, that I did not have the emotional roller coaster in me that has lived for so long.  The moment I went back on sugar the ride started again. 

So why is it, I can handle people okay but not a stupid scale? I think I have decided it is not time for a scale yet, so I am going to take it back and let someone else enjoy it.  Tying this all into the beginning, this whole weight loss, dieting, life style change - what ever you call it is a journey. There is not wrong or right way to do something, just what works for you. We are all just learning as we go!!  My friend Shaleen reminded me when my mom passed away, "Laura, if you were never taught how to love or how to give--then how do you know how to do that?" She made me realize that everything is something we have learned some way.  So it is with this journey.  There are so many good ideas on how to help each of us, different options for different lifestyles, food likes etc that we can do this. I had a very patient first grade teacher who taught me to tie my shoe, just like all of us (including myself) need to be patient with ourselves as we try to learn what works for us.

With all that said, what is it that has surprised you the most that you have learned so far?  It can be anything!!!  Just think, tomorrow is January 14 and we will have been doing this for 14 Days!

Good Job Everyone!

How Do You Track Progress?

Yesterday on Kathy's blog One Bad Apple Dish she said something that has been on my mind. 

"I've been on Laura's no sugar - no soda diet. One of the benefits may be that I have more energy and don't need to sleep as much. I'll keep going to see if this continues. As far as the weight goes, I am going to have to count calories. Even though I'm not eating sugar and drinking soda, I am eating too much. I've been replacing the sugar with other carbohydrates instead of vegetables and fruits. I guess I have to keep track of everything I eat in order to lose weight."

By the way Kathy has done great with the No Sugar, No Soda, even with a hubby we all love who tempts her!!!  Way to go Kathy!!  And if you have never read her blog, you should take a peak at it!!  She does a great job and has been my inspiration and encouraged me to share my story.  Which I have benn able to do more and more thanks to her.

Anyway, when I moved from Utah to Texas I sold everything including my bathroom scale that I loved!!!  Sometimes it was so discouraging to get on the stupid thing and see the same 40 lbs lost over and over again.  So last year when the weight started to come off I could tell it in my clothes.  I could see it in the pictures.  Some of my pants actually fall off me now.  I knew by the way my clothes fit I easily lost in the neighborhood of 70 lbs and I was okay with that.  I wanted to make sure I was not just tooting my horn so I wanted a way to measure this progress.  So today I decided to take the plunge and use up a Christmas Gift card and buy another  scale. I got the scale home and got on it and wanted to CRY!!!  Wahhhh!!!  The scale did not go high enough to weigh me.  Sad but true.  I look in the mirror and saw my little cheeks begin to flush red. It was the same story again and again. I felt like a failure and yet I knew I wasn't.  So yeah my bubble busted today!

I have contemplated all day as to what I was going to do with the scales.  Take them back?  Or keep them and use as a goal to get to.  I know there are other things I could do to measure my progress but I really wanted some numbers in pounds. Kathy mentioned how she had been substituting her no sugar and no soda with other things and they were not fruits and veggies.  When she said that, I took a good look at what I Had been eating as well.  I see all the things I need to do, write down what I am eating, and exercise.  For writing things down, I don't have a phone app where I can just put it on my phone (I know a louse excuse).  My friend Lisa told me about My Fitness Pal, I glanced at it maybe I need to look a bit harder at it.  As for exercise it is hard when you can't walk very far. Yet I know there are chair exercises I can do and need to start doing them. 

So I am curious what do you all do to track your progress? Do you go by the scales?  Count calories? I would be interested to know.

Are Our Emotions Eating Us Alive?

Being overweight is a touchy subject.  People have told me bluntly, "If you know you are overweight, why can you just lose weight?"  One friend even told me, "You are only overweight because you want to be."  This weight issue has always frustrated me, because it was my excuse and scape goat for EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE that went wrong.

I have never known what it was like to be small.  For me I came into this world over weight at almost 13 lbs I was told.  It frustrates me.  A friend once said when she saw my chubby baby pictures, "I love chubby babies, they are so cute!"  Why is it acceptable to love chubby babies, but not chubby adults?  Why can't people just accept us as we are?  The truth is as adults we are not accepted into society, because the people who are quick to judge have most likely never been in these shoes.

Before, all this would overwhelm me to the point I would give up and learned to live within society's snickers and laughs.  I have asked myself since beginning to drop weight, what changed this time?  I wish I had an answer, I think I would be rich!!!  Ha Ha  I don't, but I have seen a few observations.

There were two things I had to come to grip with.  One I had to accept the fact I was "obese" and not just overweight, big boned, or fat.  I was obese.  That was a hard word for me to say.  After all if I was considered overweight at only 20 lbs above my ideal weight, then maybe being called obese at this size was just a society thing and I wasn't really obese. Right? I could still walk and take care of my self and obese people I had seen on the news could not even get out of bed.  Yeah, I was playing with my mind.  So first of all I finally had to accept and tell myself I was obese.  According to reference.com, a person is considered obese if their BMI is 30 or above.  Between 25-29.9 is overweight.

I thought admitting I was obese was hard to do, but it was not as hard as the second thing. The second thing is not just one big thing, it is a million little things all together. But it all ties back to one thing, emotions.
I have a friend who has watched my weight loss journey unfold.  She talked to me about her daughter and her struggles with weight loss.  She made me stop and take a look back at life--again!!  Have you ever felt:

• Angry? 
• Hopeless? 
• Out of control?  
• Unappreciated?  
• Bored?  

If you have (and I am betting all of us have) what do you do?  I was all of the above.  The one thing that got me going was the "out of control" trigger.  Giving up sugar and soda was the only thing I could do to begin to have some control over my life.

Now I can go back on my life and see other areas I need to get a grip on and work on those as well.  My anger has pretty much dissolved by leaving the sugar alone it seems.  The hopelessness, with no job for almost two years (it gets hairy at times) but somehow little miracles show up and I am okay for another month.  I probably have the hardest time with unappreciated, I know I am appreciated and loved but I have a very hard time telling myself this.  A couple of weeks ago a friend at church called me on the carpet for it, "Go ahead say it!!  Say it!"  I just teared up,  "Say you love yourself Laura" I couldn't.  I am trying, and it is very hard for me.

I try to tell every person that will listen to me, this journey is not all about the food and exercise you do or do not do. Everyone has the perfect diet for me to try,  I remember I am on a journey and this is a life style change not a quick fix. It is only one piece of the puzzle.  We need to remember there are many pieces, and we have to continue to find those pieces we are missing and those pieces we have found where they go in our lives. 

This was me at 18.  Do I look like I am an animal?  Or that I need to lose 100lbs?  That's what I was often called and told.  At this size, I was referred to, as a cow, horse, ox and bull in a china closet.  I was about 190 at the time, so I thought everyone was suppose to weigh 100 lbs.  So as my life progressed, my weight was always an issue.  I was never good enough for anyone or anything.  Do you now see how emotions play such an affect on the whole weight loss cycle?

For those that have been losing weight Congrats!!!  For those who are struggling and not losing what they think they should, don't give up.  Take a look at these five emotions.  For me, I think that I need to tape them to my fridge as a reminder to me of why I am eating.  Remember this is a work in progress.  If sugar and soda overwhelm you, go with one.  Then the next step, is maybe to eliminate another.

I just want you all to know,  I know this is not an easy journey but the rewards at the end will be so worth it.  I was telling a friend today, one of my next steps is to get my hair cut and go back to wearing make up etc. She looked at me as though she wanted to ask "Why not now?"  and I said, "Because I am not there yet."  This is your journey!!  Don't let anyone else tell you how you are going to do it.  All I ask is that you not give up.  And if you get to the point you want to--remember to give back!  Find a way to serve.  I promise it will boost those emotions and put you back on track!!!

Don't forget to take before pictures to refer back to on this journey.

Thank you again everyone for reading the blog!!

The Good, Bad, and Evil of Sugar

You didn't know sugar had three sides to it did you?

The Good -- I saw the good last night of what sugar can do for a person that needs it.  I hear every Sunday about being prepared, having knowledge, having faith, and believing in miracles.  Last night, I saw all of them come together in a matter of minutes when my friend went into diabetic shock.

The Bad --Everything has sugar.  There are good and bad sugars and we need to educate ourselves on them, how they affect us, and what to do for others when they are in trouble.

The Evil -- Addiction.  Sugar gets the bad rap because it is an addictive legal drug.  I know, you are not addicted to sugar right? If you can pass up that piece of cake or candy you really want for a week then I can probably side with you. But if all you are thinking about right now is the piece of cake you want, then I would be re-evaluating the whole sugar addiction thing.

What happened?

For those who know me or have been reading my blog, you probably know I love Family History.  It's just part of who I am.  I was looking forward to last night because I would get to see my friend from the FHC (Family History Center).  Last Thursday we got into a discussion about soda and her blood sugar levels, and part of me felt a bit guilty.  I knew she was a big girl and I decided it was not my "right" to come down on her.  That changed last night. As her friend, I am glad I called her out on when I saw a change in her last week.

As we were sitting in our FHC meeting last night, I noticed she tilted her head back.  She then moved it back down, and a few seconds later she tilted it back again.  The first thought that came to me, was "something is not right."  I had seen her before sitting at a computer before and tilting her head back to read the monitor, but this was a large screen.  The third time she tilted back, her friend next to her leaned over to talk to her.  Her friend gave me the "something is wrong" look and I looked over to my other friend Karen.  Let' me just say I am so grateful these two ladies were there last night.  To make a long story short, our friend went into a Diabetic Shock.  I had no idea what to do!!

I knew about the Glucose tablets and we gave her one, but it was not working.  We learned later, we needed to put it under her tongue. So I am curious, if you were in my situation last night, would you have known what to do?  Have you ever been there before?

A few things we learned:
We learned how to give a glucose tablet. Just putting in the mouth does not work you need to get it UNDER the tongue.

Call 911

Luckily our church building was packed with people and in the midst of all these people were a doctor and a nurse.  A miracle they were there!  My friend's bishop (like a pastor) had her information for the paramedics and EMT's. He knew how to contact her husband. I saw some incredible and knowledgeable people at work last night.

We were asked, do you have sugar packets? Do you have any Orange Juice? We had none.  They gave her an IV of sugar and water.  This saved my friend. 

Here are things I now KNOW from last night:

1. Orange Juice – A Diabetic's friend.  Make sure you have a small can on hand (with a straw). It acts fast into the blood stream. If you are diabetic, do you carry one in your purse or in the car with you?  If you are in an office, do you have a can or two on hand for emergency purposes?
2. Stress-- Stress can cause blood sugars to rise and nose dive.  Rep. Giffords who was shot in Tuscon over the weekend, is my friend's cousin. I am sure part of the reason for her diabetic shock was her worry for her cousin.
3. Behavior Change – Are they agitated? Have a glazed look? Unresponsive or short answers such as “yeahh” “ noooo”. Something could be wrong. Keep asking questions to keep them alert and get as much information as you can. Remember it is always better to be safe than sorry.
4. Prepare – Ask your diabetic friends what you need to do in order to help them should the time arise. Do they wear a glucose pump? Do you have emergency contact numbers? Do you know how to give them a glucose tablet? Do they carry tablets with them?

If you think this is not your problem, you are wrong.  We need to be there for each other, even when some of us think we can do it on our own.  I have many friends who are diabetic, and I never really thought of any of this before. I need to know how to be there for them if this happens and I am there. Ask your friends what you need to know and do, if this should happen to them. If they tell you not to worry, make them humor you!!! Be persistence!! Not mean, but persistence and then share this story!!!  My friend wears a pump, I have no clue how to work the pump, but tomorrow we are getting together so I can learn how.  Last night it was the EMT's who knew to turn it off.

Sugar is a big part of our lives, both for the good and the bad. We need to be educated on it and what are the affects it has on us. Not only what the signs are for us, but what they are for someone going into shock and what can we do till they get their sugar level back up.  As much as I think sugar is not my friend, last night I realized it was.

I know we all need some kind of sugar for our bodies.  There are different kinds we can get and my whole purpose of this blog is to just help us do the best we can with the sugar and soda in our lives.  There is alot of natural sugar in fruits.  I often see where bananas are not a "dieter's friend" due to the high level of carbs and sugars.  But at the same time, it is a better alternative for me than sitting down with a bag of M&M's (and yes I can eat the whole bag!) We all need to educate ourselves on our limits, and what sugar and soda do for us.  I saw the good of sugar last night, and maybe there is some good in soda as well.

In the beginning stages of my blog Bev shared her story as a mother of diabetic children.  I feel it needs to be shared again.  This is her story of being a Mom with diabetic children.

Bev's Story

Again, thank you Bev for shsaring your story!  By the way, I am looking for Guest Bloggers!!!  If anyone has ideas and would like to be a Guest Blogger please email me. I know you all have some great ideas!!!

Break Time....

Just taking a break from blogging today!!!  Sounds like everyone is doing good though.  Congrats on one week down!!! Look for some exciting blogs this coming week!!!

Laura

Week 2--Seeing Any Changes Yet?

This week my friend and I were talking about the affects that sugar play on us.  She is diabetic and all of a sudden I could tell a huge difference in her temperament and how she was handling small things.  I asked her if she had checked her sugar level?  She glared at me and scowled a bit and then checked her blood sugar.  A few months ago I had begun to notice a change and when she checked her blood sugar she found it to be low.  I suggested she bring a snack with her to keep her blood sugar up.  So today when she checked it, she came and said, "you think you are so smart don't you?"  and grinned.  Her sugar was low again.  She turned to me with a very confused look and said, "How did you know?"  I said, "Because I saw your temperament go from calm and sweet to very agitated."  This was not my sweet friend I loved, I knew something was out of sync.  And so it is with all of us.

 I know we all think we know ourselves better than anyone else, and for the most part we do.  But there are  times that we change and do not recognize it, but others do.  We all do this!!!  I suspect one of the biggest culprits of our yo yo of emotions is our sugar levels.  When I was off sugar I was pretty even keeled, not getting agitated, stressed or impatient.  I realized a couple of days into back on my sugar I was on a emotional roller coaster ride again.  I had been off it for so long, I forgot what it was like to be on it!!!  It is not a fun ride. I had more nights of tears than I care to ever remember.  I was so ready for January 1st to start to go back off the sugar and soda, I could hardly wait.  But I didn't realize how bad the sugar affected me until I was talking to my friend.

I have been asked if I have more energy by going off the sugar and soda.  Some days I do, other days I don't notice it as much. The thing I see more change than anything is my temperance. I know this sounds crazy, but let me tell you a little story.

STORY TIME

At one point in my life I was taking a different approach on weight loss and started attending a diet clinic.  Every week you were weighed and your blood pressure taken.  Interesting enough each week my blood pressure was "different". One week it would be really low, and the next week sky high, then low again and then sky high.  After three or four weeks of this, they had me see one of the "boss's" of the clinic.  She looked at my file and looked at me and said, "You are 46?"  I said "Yes". Then came the list of questions. How much did you weigh when you were born?  Are you tired all the time?  Do you feel like an emotional roller coaster?  The one I remember when I saw the light bulb come on was when she asked me if I had ever had blood work done?

To give you a bit of background on this, at one time I worked for Vanderbilt University in the OBGYN department of the medical school.  I had the best and most knowledgeable doctors there.  I had blood work taken THREE times because they were shocked with my results.  I was told my blood work was perfect and people would pay me good money for my results.  After all blood work doesn't lie does it?

In another time in trying to take off the weight and discussing this with a dietitian she said, "Oh no someone did something wrong."  They were having a cholesterol screening at her clinic and challenged me to get  free testing done.  I tried to explain they would not find anything but she insisted that I be tested, which I was --- THREE TIMES!!!  Why?  Because they could not get a reading out of me.  And they too told me there was nothing wrong with me except basically I was very obese and had to find a way to take the weight off.

So back at the clinic where I was being asked if I had ever had blood work done, I related the scenarios above. "Ahhhhhh, let's go chat."  I got scared, because I knew for the first time in my life someone was going to be able to tell me what was wrong with me and it was just not all in my head.  I had been told all my life if I just ate less and excerised more I could lose the weight.  No wonder I beat myself up over weight loss!

She explained I had what was called Estrogen Dominance.  Most women will have a 50-50 balance and I had a very elevated level, more like a 90% instead of a 50%.  Due to the high level of Estrogen she thought it masked my blood work.  So it may be I have diabetes or high cholesterol and once I began to lose weight it would more than likely show up.  When I asked her how I could lose the weight, she told me by leaving the sugar, soda and carbs alone like the pasta, potatoes, bread etc.  I sat there in amazement!!!  Because when I had done that and everyone told me how wrong it was.  "For you" she said, "It was the best thing you could have done."

So you are asking yourself, well duh Laura if you know this why are you not doing it?  Because it is so hard to give it up! I also forgot how much better I felt.  As I said earlier, I realized really today how much better I was feeling being off the sugar.  So I am just wondering if any of you are seeing changes yet?  Now that we are starting week 2, how does everyone else feel and do you see any changes?  I know Wendy S has lost 10 lbs!!!  For me I can sure feel a difference.  Mainly the roller coaster and emotions have stopped!!!  Yeaa Me!!

I know seeing less pounds helps us know that we are doing something right, but sometimes the biggest changes are not in the pounds but in emotions or clothes?  Anyone seen a change?  Please share!!!

Is It Really Day 7?

It seems hard that we have been doing this No Sugar No Soda for an entire week now!!! Congrats to all!!! Other than the one small challenge on Tuesday I have not really been tempted at all by all the other stuff because I am finally beginning to see the changes I made before are coming back very easily to me now.

So here is my question for you today? Looking back on your week, what were your challenges? How did you overcome them? I really believe that no matter who you are and how you feel you did, others can relate to you. Whether it be you had to have a soda this week, or that one piece of sugar, or you were perfect to a T. I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts of how your first week went.

On Kathy's blog someone had asked if Diet Soda was okay. Again I am not the Sugar Police, but I can tell you, part of the reason we are all so addicted to Sugar and Soda is because of the ingredients used to make us addicted. As I have said before, we often think of addiction as drugs, or tobacco, or alcohol. WRONG!!! So many things whether good or bad can be addictive. Is that a bad thing? What are you thoughts?

Going back to the no sugar and no soda thing for me, once again I am doing what works for me. I will have a future blog that discusses the affects of sweeteners and carbonation on us. I like to think that when the various sodas were made, they were made with the intent of satisfying a soul on a hot Midwestern summer day. There was nothing like getting a Big G

ulp full of ice and your favorite soda and playing the rest of the day. I feel very fortunate I got stuck with the 7-UP's and Root Beers growing up. Maybe that is why me getting off the soda is a bit easier for me, because I never had the headache withdrawals that others have spoken of.

So today I really want to hear from you! What were your challenges? Your most triumphant moment? Have you been able to inspire someone else this week? And before I forget, make sure you take a BEFORE picture so you can compare it to yourself on Valentine's Day!!!

Open Floor....let's hear it!!!