My best friend made me do it ...

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verlouria
verlouria Posts: 21
in Introduce Yourself
Hello!

My name is Vanessa. I'm a 36 year old female American citizen who has been living in Sweden for a year. I was diagnosed "officially" diabetic in December of 2009, and then in January of 2011 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. In the 6 months following my diagnosis of being diabetic I lost 50 pounds, and within this 6 months since Christmas I've gained 15 of it back. I also quit smoking a year ago. I've been doing physical therapy for the past 4 months, so that's basically strength training and some cardio. Also living in Sweden means we walk A LOT! I finally got tired of walking this past Spring and asked my fiance to pull out his bicycle, so I could ride the bike like every other Swede around here. Despite my 2-3 times of exercise I have not lost a pound. The reason ... I am addicted to sugar and carbs. So, I have periods where I will binge on sweets or bread. I also use food as a way to "punish" my fiance, but we all know I am only hurting myself. My best friend has been telling me to journal my food for awhile now, and I never did it. I finally got fed up this past week with all this hard work I do exercising and not losing a pound. So, my friend forced me to join, so she could see what I am eating. I'm really glad I did what she told me, because in the past 5 days I have made some great changes. It helps actually seeing where my calories are coming from, so I can make better choices. Also I have exercised for 4 days in a row, which makes me feel even better. I already "feel" fantastic, and my skin looks different too. This probably has a lot to do with me drinking more water. I was only drinking sugar free drinks like the Swedish version of Crystal Lite, and no water. Now I cannot really drink that stuff without feeling like I am drinking thick syrup.

Anyway, my ultimate goals are to eat better, get in shape (and stay that way), and lose weight. I have been told that my diabetes and blood pressure would vanish if I lost the weight. I am sort of borderline on both, and take minimum medication to keep it in normal levels.

Feel free to add me, I could use all the support I can get.

Replies

  • deb_rn
    deb_rn Posts: 144 Member
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    My best friend and I are both using MFP and I have also made lots of new friends here! It is a great website!
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
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    Welcome add good luck with your goals.
  • readytodrop60
    readytodrop60 Posts: 51
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    That's a good friend you've got there. Good luck to you in your journey, you have come to the right place!
  • Ilovedrinkingtea
    Ilovedrinkingtea Posts: 597 Member
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    Bless, I think I'm a comfort eater too, pizzas - I can't seem to stay away from them! Best of luck on your journey. Add me if you like xx
  • kimtpa1417
    kimtpa1417 Posts: 461 Member
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    welcome and good luck,.. You will reach your goals in no time.
  • pebbles72
    pebbles72 Posts: 89 Member
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    Welcome and good luck on your journey :happy:
  • tpot74
    tpot74 Posts: 80 Member
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    This tracking thing is a great tool for accountability. I love it! Good luck and happy tracking!:wink:
  • mattbryan
    mattbryan Posts: 147
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    Knowledge of what you're doing is half the battle in making change. The fact that you are recognizing what you've been eating has already helped you think differently about eating in the future. We all have to start somewhere, and your friend helped you make a good choice! Congrats on your revelations, and good luck moving forward!
  • verlouria
    verlouria Posts: 21
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    Wow! Thanks for all the messages! This is exciting! Wishing lots of happiness and positive energy on our journey together!

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