Life falls apart at 41.... Time to fix this problem

DRVENOM

Good Day

I am amazed at how things have turned out. I am sure many of you are in the same boat or have at least traveled on this waterway. How does and educated person ( I have B.S in Health and Physical Education) get to a point in their life where stagnat lifestyle has caused more health issues than you can believe? I have recently been diagnosed with Type II diabetes and for someone that is constantly active, yet over weight, this was just the beginning.

I am going to put this out here in the hopes that someone may be able to relate to my situation or there are others out here that are borderline to becoming the next statistic like me. I woke up one morning and my feet were numb! I dealt with it for a week thinking that it was due to me being on my feet all day with work. I am an exterminator and work long hours and crawl houses and do some amazing things with my job. So, I finally went to the doctor about my foot and they told me that I was now diabetic Type II, my blood pressure was borderline and my cholesterol was high. Grant it my eating habits are poor due to the 14 hour work days and being on the road all the time, but I was NOT ready for this!!! I am a big man from birth, I was born 200 lbs lol, but I played sports all thru school, college and semi-pro. How could I let this happen? What causes us to become sedentary and stagnate with our adult lives?

So my co-worker (Hi Amy) told me about this site. Let me tell you that with the health issue i am having and the doctors diagnosing you with diabetes, they just give you a tester and a pamphlet and shoo you out the door to figure all this out on your own. This is very frustrating. So with the help of this site and my co-workers and employees, my hopes are to control the diabetes, eat healthier and I have joined a gym. Only problem with joining a gym is going. So if anyone needs a partner here in Fayetteville (HealthPlex) let me know. I could use the motivation. It is funny that I can motivate others, just not myself. Wish me luck and feel free to give me pointers, advice, encouragement or come work out with me.

Good luck to you all and lets hope I can get this back undercontrol!

Dr. Venom

PoshTaush

I believe that you can not only "control" the diabetes, but can BEAT IT!! I have had several people I know get serious enough about their health after learning about their Type II that they lose the weight, exercise and healthy eating, and completely reverse the cycle. Diabetes gone!

I have faith in you! You can do this!

I also have my BS in Health and Phys Ed. , played sports my entire school life, and now am an obese stay at home mom at the age of 29 TODAY! Happy b-day to me! haha....

I totally understand how you feel. I was recently told I am pre-diabetic, and that If I don't increase exercise and lower carb intake, that my fate will be as yours!

Trust me, I know how you are feeling!

Many hugs and support your way!

Tausha

mom23kids

LIfe does kind of sneak up on you. You're trudging along, thinking that because you do so much with work and life in general, running here and there, doing this and that, you're doing fine. This site is a true eye opener. Logging in each day what you eat and what you do for exercise really lets you see that its too much (eating) and too little(exercise). You're type II diabetes can be handle with exercise and diet, once you get going. Take the meds that the doctor tells you until you get in a routine of diet and exercise. Then as you monitor your blood sugar and it starts getting under better control you can talk to your doctor about weaning you off the drugs.
You can do this and there are a lot of people here to help keep you motivated and be supportive. Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like, and good luck on this new adventure in your life!

Debtappe

You have totally come to the right place. The tools and the site are awesome. And the people are the best in the world. I too have heard that you can reverse the diabetes so go for it. The only thing I might suggest is that you check with your county health department (or ask your doc. for a referral) to a registered dietitian who can customize the general plan here to the specifics of your body and lifestyle. I went to one and found out that: 1) I hadn't been eating enough to lose weight and 2) I needed more protein that the recommendations here at mfp. So I use the overall calorie amount requirement but have more protein.

I think that somewhere in the growing up to adulthood process we stop making ourselves and our health a priority - everything else gets in the way somehow.

Best wishes to you.

itsbella

Hi Jason,

This Monday, the 24 will be the 12th year that I've been living motherless due to diabetes and most of all my mother didn't have the information that is out now about diet. Eating the South Beach Diet is a good way to get started. Getting a Heart rate monitor to calculate the calories you're burning is another great tool.

Jason, you can get rid of this...You can and You will....as long as you show up and do the work here and at the gym!! Good Luck to you!!

Suggestions: Life begins at 41

ebert5150

You can definitely do it! Im a year older than you and in late July I got on the scale and saw that I had managed to get myself to 278 lbs. That was it for me. I started eating right and exercising. 2 weeks later my wife found this site. Since the beginning I have lost 41lbs. I went from being an utter couch potato to working out 6 days a week. The trick is....there is no trick. Eat what your body needs and exercise. This community is excellent and will support you with encouragement and great advice. Feel free to add me as a friend and we can help each other.

Welcome to MFP!!!

raven5131

The same thing happened to me but at 50! I was shocked. I am so healthy but know my bad habits finally caught up with me. I never ate enough, my dad says I eat like a bird. What I did was so the wrong thing. My favorites were potatoes and bread. Quick, easy, tasty and deadly. I had to get over the idea that a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was a death sentence. You are right they kick you out the door with your diagnosis in your hand and say, "good luck, see you when the side effects of diabetes start to kick in". I had ro kick into action. I got myself educated. I combed the internet and signed up for education classes. I kinda took much of the training with a grain of salt because again it seemed like they wanted to focus on the worse case. I got my diagnosis by accident. I was always tired and had lost some weight and having other health issues. I thought it might be menopause and a friend recommended a doctor that specializes in menopause. Imagine my surprise when she said no you are not menopausal you are diabetic. What? I immediately started crying. She was so cool. Her question was why are you crying? This is not a death sentence you can do something about it". I wasn't convinced but she recommended I go on a low carb diet. Thank goodness. I lost 35 pounds and got my levels in line, Then I went on vacation and everything I worked for was derailed. I gained about half of the weight back over about 9 months. Then it occurred to me. I don't know exactly when, that although diabetes is not a death sentence it is something I will need to live with. The question then became what kind of life do I want to live? I don't want walk into old age with the symptoms of not dealing with this. The foot problem, and everything else. I want to be vibrant and active and I am the only one that can make that happen. I had to make a choice. But I was determined to make a choice that added to my life not took it away. I vowed to find exercise that I enjoyed and food that I love that is within the guidelines of my diet. In total I have lost about 50 pounds and have about 50 to go. It's a struggle but not one without its rewards. I am on a life-long journey and I learn something every day! My life has been enriched by the choices I have made and I am confident it will pay off. Good Luck, and try to see your diagnosis as a gift. You have been given the opportunity to have some control of what your future will look like. Take the wrapping off your gift and run with it!

Blushing_prin_cess

Hi.
Well all I can say is you were told yo have diabetes not that your dying. Yes Im sure is sounds somewhat harsh but its the truth I have heard it myself. I cried for a while and didnt listen to what they said and went about the denial process. I had low blood sugar in my late teens. When I turn 21 I got pregnant and I ended up at the other end of the spectrum by the age of 22. High blood sugar, very high. Enough that while I was pregnant I did 4 shots a day along with the poke and draw monitor. I gained 50lbs. After the blood levels dropped some enough to say I didnt have to take the insulin but I started the pills. At 23 I was prego again by that time I had put on another 30 lbs. Insulin again my counts were just out of control. I kept all that weight on plus more for 17 years total. Including another child 6 years added into that mix with insulin also. I am not going to take this from my body or me any more. No I dont have a degree in anything but I allowed my self to do this to me. I am now down 68 pounds total since January. Finally got into the gym habit and like it. I mostly treadmill it there. Its 24 hours so I can go as late as I need to. I am not on any more meds. I have improved my eating habits, still pigging out every so often(about once a month). I take my lunch to volunteer at school with me and if I go to vist with friends i do the same I found I liked what I packed. Its hard! Especially at first because a drive through line is sooooo much easier. But you start to find ways to make time to make a lunch and get to the gym. I even think your going to find you like it once you work it into your busy schedual. I will be 40 come July and I want to believe life starts in my 40's. This has been my hardest year of life I believe I have had to make alot of life changes. Spring cleaning has begun in and on me. Out with old in with the new is the only way to go I guess. I have faith you can do this too. Wont be easy at first but youll get to where you want to be. The diabetes didnt come on over night and it wont go off over night either. But with lifestyle changes and technically a little more time for you to concintrate on you I believe you can overcome also!!!
Feel free to add me if you like,
Lisa Marie

championnfl

This negative will turn into a positive! ...Suggestion....learn & read all you can on diabetes! More knowledge you have & understanding how this silent killer works will benefit! Follow some of the suggestions down below by other members,will be glad you did!!!
I always thought that it was the BEST thing to ever happen to me....Taught me about a healthy lifestyle,exercise,advantages & disadvantages made me aware what I was putting in my mouth!
Seek out a nutricianist for advice on portions,carbs,protiens, & fats....BE amazed what you learn....Stat of the week 1 in 3 will be diabetic by 2050 if we don't take control & awareness of what we eat!
Yes...I am diabetic and controling it,[it doesn't control me]....will beat this....losing weight & healthy lifestyle rest of my life!!!

Need any info,support, add me as a friend!
PS. ALSO BLESSED TO HAVE A PHARMACIST AS A WIFE!!:happy:

iamanne

Sometimes a wake up call is all we need to change your life. My husband and had become completely sedentary (when did that happen??) and obese (hate that word!) This past summer we realized that we had to make a change. I found this site and it has been really great. No gimmics, no crazy eating, just counting calories. Less in + more out = less me In the goals section you can adjust the carb goal to fit what you need as a diabetic to help you track that as well as your calories. Excercise is also key. The more you workout the more you can eat! We joined a gym and now work out 5-6 days per week. I can now run 2-3 miles and not feel like I am going to die..LOL I actually enjoy the gym now and miss it when I don't go.

So now you have had your wake up call and are ready to change your life and that is AWESOME! You can totally do it! I'll add you as a friend and you can add me too. Making friends here is a pretty great way to stay motivated. Everyone here is super supportive. I wish you the best of luck in your health journey!

lkm111

Welcome to MFP!

I will be 41 in January, so I am right there with you about life falling apart. For me it has to do with family life. I have not had any of the health issues you described hit me yet (don't know how, though), but my Dad is Type II so I knew where I was headed.

I have heard a few colleagues who have become Type II diabetics talk about a class specifically for diabetics that they take with a dietician. It might even be covered on your insurance. I would check with your doctor or the nurses who took care of you that day. They should be able to refer you easily. If not, I would consider finding a different doctor.

That being said, this is a great site to help keep track and the support is wonderful. Hopefully you have a smartphone and can use the phone app. to keep track during the day when you are working so much. It is really quick and easy! If you don't have one, it might be worth the investment.

I wish you all the best on this journey - you've already been a success today by taking this step!

lfondots

Hi, Like others said it isn't a death sentence. It is a wake up call. I have had type 2 since my youngest was born (15 yrs ago) and was in denial most of the time. I finally decided about 1 month ago to loose the weight. It takes you wanting to do it for you. This site is great. A friend recommended it to me about 1 week ago and I love it. I tend to plan what I eat the day before so I can pack things if going out. I even work in if I have a get together what I would like to eat so I stay on track. Going to the gym can be tough. But like others said once you do start going it is a little addicting. I know I like seeing that I can do a little more each time and you feel your body changing. Also it is an endorphine high when you are done working out. You can do this! You have taken the first step which is the hardest. I'm a little older but in the same boat. We can all do this together.

DRVENOM

Isnt it amazing with all our education and background with nutrition and health that we end up where we thought we never would. Thanks for the post and add me asa friend if you like, maybe you can push me and i you. Have a great day and do one thing today that you would normall not do. I did

MzBug

Welcome aboard! As you can see the support here is fantastic! The simplicity of the site, the knowledge of the people who come to the site, and the attitudes of the people make it great. No one charging you an arm and a leg to help you lose, no one getting paid to listlessly tell you that you are fat and are eatting wrong, no one yelling at you to move your butt (unless you ask them to). No gimicks here. Just a bunch of people that know how you feel and have (or are) there with you. It can be done!

Good Luck!

DRVENOM

This afternoon I went and joined a gym, bought some exercies clothes, new work out shoes and an MP3 player. I actually came home and changed then whent back and walked 2 miles and lifted some weights. I shot some hoops as well but did not want to over due it and feel bad tomorrow, hence the starting of "why am i doing this" lol... Yes the support is amazing on here and thanks to you all I have worked out today, eaten less than 1700 calories, way under my fat goal, calorie and sugar goal...And yes I was even under the carbohydrate goal....So I will be back at the gym tomorrow at 11:00 then come home and watch my Skins play Chicago!!!!

itsbella

Dr. Venom, Check this out!


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions


and this


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again