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jsmestflowers
jsmestflowers Posts: 52 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Like a lot of folks, I have been here before and now I am coming back.
What changed for me was a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, can't say it was unexpected but nevertheless I was unprepared for it.
This was a real game changer for me, something about having to jam a needle into yourself everyday really serves as a wakeup call.

That was about 2 months ago now. Since then, I have inadvertently shed 10-15 pounds as well as gotten my blood sugar into the "normal" range consistently without the use of insulin. I am however, still taking 2 metformin a day, I think that in another few weeks they will no longer be needed. So, progress, but the journey continues.

*I say inadvertently because (despite the fact that I know good and well I need to lose weight, weigh loss was never my goal (goal was and remains to get off and stay off insulin) If weight loss helps forward that goal, and it does, then ok whatever.

What I have done so far is:
Try hard to reduce my carbs to zero (not possible, I know, but it's a target that helps)
Intermittent fasting (OMAD) with portion control (once again extremely low carbs)
Get moving (at least 45 minutes a day (treadmill and rowing mostly)
It's working.

How do I stay motivated (and this probably won't work for most, but it works for me)
I accepted that I am not going to like it.
I don't like it when I do it.
I don't feel "great" when I finish doing it.
I don't look for results, I don't think about how good it is going to be in the future.
I do it because I have to.
My motivation is simply that I have to do it.

The thing is that at one time I tried to do all the others (like it, look forward to it, think about the benefits, visualize long term success) BUT for me, I would look at that plate and it would be disappointing, I would look at the treadmill and know it was going to be unpleasant, and immediately the motivation would go away (I am NOT going to like this, so reality conflicted with expectation. Motivation lost. The gains that I made did not happen fast enough and sometimes there were setbacks again motivation gone. BUT the simplicity and brutal truth of "Have to do it" doesn't change. I don't need to be excited, enthusiastic or anything else, I just have to do it. I have to do it every day, and I don't like it every day. What I would like, well, that earned me a needle every day, can't have that if I can help it.

There may come a day when I look forward to exercise and proper diet, but that day is so far off that it doesn't matter in the least to me now.

Anyway, thought I would share that in case anyone else could use a touch of rather dark motivation, really accepting the suck was my ticket to consistency, if it helps someone else then that is great. Everyone is motivated differently, sunshine and positive motivation just really doesn't do it for me, but it does for a LOT of people, so whatever works for you is the best motivation for you.

Replies

  • PeachHibiscus
    PeachHibiscus Posts: 163 Member
    I hear you. I got my T2D diagnosis in March and also came back here then. It wasn't a shock, as I had pre-diabetic test results last year and didn't make any changes. I think I'm one of those people who really needs a kick to do something. T2D is the kick. I've seen in my family what can happen when you don't take it seriously.

    I wish you the best!
  • BringIt2023
    BringIt2023 Posts: 72 Member
    Totally agree with you - my motivation is also a medical diagnosis (NASH). I do not love every meal that I eat, and I truly do miss a lot of foods that I realistically can no longer eat; but I also want to be around on this earth a lot longer and not be a burden on my kids. That motivates me every single day. The only thing I can do to change my diagnosis is eat healthy and exercise, so that's what I am doing. There are no cheat meals, no cheat days, no "just this once" foods. Whatever it takes!

    Good Luck to you both!
  • Simp4Haato
    Simp4Haato Posts: 4 Member
    I feel you brother. I keep getting told that due to my constant drinking of sugary sodas and junk food, I’m on my way to receive that diabetes diagnosis eventually. I’m getting close to age 35 and so far I’ve had a blood test done and it says I’ve got high cholesterol levels but no diabetes yet.

    I’ve started changing my diet as of 6th June and signs are slowly improving even though I’m not getting enough exercise in. I would do 30 min exercise bike then some light weight reps for one day then spend the next 2 days just skipping breakfast and lunch and compensating with Optislim Rapid Formula as meal replacements.

    I’ve also got a budget rowing machine coming in soon and a portable walking pad/treadmill (up to 6km/hr speeds) so I’m happy that you are just using those 2 machines to stay off the needles.

    I’ve also found that getting a moderately expensive weight bench is useless the more other equipment I’ve been purchasing as of late. I substituted paying for more weights by buying a core sand bag to act as the replacement so I can try out more weight exercises without breaking the bank!

    I’m happy to learn from your experience. Please update again when you are in a more favourable situation. Cheers!
  • jsmestflowers
    jsmestflowers Posts: 52 Member
    Simp4Haato wrote: »
    I feel you brother. I keep getting told that due to my constant drinking of sugary sodas and junk food, I’m on my way to receive that diabetes diagnosis eventually. I’m getting close to age 35 and so far I’ve had a blood test done and it says I’ve got high cholesterol levels but no diabetes yet.

    I’ve started changing my diet as of 6th June and signs are slowly improving even though I’m not getting enough exercise in. I would do 30 min exercise bike then some lightweight reps for one day then spend the next 2 days just skipping breakfast and lunch and compensating with Optislim Rapid Formula as meal replacements.

    I’ve also got a budget rowing machine coming in soon and a portable walking pad/treadmill (up to 6km/hr speeds) so I’m happy that you are just using those 2 machines to stay off the needles.

    I’ve also found that getting a moderately expensive weight bench is useless the more other equipment I’ve been purchasing as of late. I substituted paying for more weights by buying a core sandbag to act as the replacement so I can try out more weight exercises without breaking the bank!

    I’m happy to learn from your experience. Please update again when you are in a more favorable situation. Cheers!
    Man, when it comes to exercise, which I do every day and despise every day :)), I have a deal I made with myself, I am ok being just a little bit sore, no more than a little bit. I have "gone hard' more than a few times and NEVER managed to produce any results simply because I get so sore I don't do it again, so it is important to me to not self-sabotage my efforts. Consistency is more important than anything else.

    Here is my routine (it's not hardcore or anything, but it does allow for consistency)
    I work from home (so I can do this) Every 2 hours I do 5 minutes of rowing) I just jump on the machine and tell Siri to give me a minute countdown and get to it. (usually, get in 4 of these quick sessions)
    BTW my rowing machine is just a Yosuda (I also went for a cheap one, figure if I use it for a year I might upgrade but I wasn't going to pay over 1k for a "good" one. The way I look at it that's an extra 20 minutes or so a day.

    In the afternoon (after dinner) I do 1 mile on the treadmill (I do this at a pace that is a tiny bit faster than I would like) (I don't look at the time, just a distance goal (that allows me to do it quicker, I'm getting better at this and starting to add an incline)

    Also, I like to go shopping (for whatever) keep in mind that the steps you get tooting around in a store are also steps (I walk a touch faster than normal when I do this (not so fast that I am powerwalking or anything just a little bit).

    One thing I know is that 1 pound is like 3500 calories, not going to burn it off with exercise (for me I exercise because it lowers my blood sugar) Diet and exercise (mostly diet) applied consistently over time is what it is all about.

    My best wishes for your success, diabetes sucks.
  • jsmestflowers
    jsmestflowers Posts: 52 Member
    PeachHibiscus wrote: »
    I hear you. I got my T2D diagnosis in March and also came back here then. It wasn't a shock, as I had pre-diabetic test results last year and didn't make any changes. I think I'm one of those people who really needs a kick to do something. T2D is the kick. I've seen in my family what can happen when you don't take it seriously.

    I wish you the best!

    Thank you, yeah T2D is one hell of a wake up call. Glad you made it back here, and I wish you the best as well.
  • StarryNight37
    StarryNight37 Posts: 26 Member
    It's a kick for sure isn't it.
    Same story really, T2 diagnosis the last week of Oct 2022. By February 2023, bloods back down to pre-diabetic range, another 2 months and bloods perfectly normal.
    I haven't given up all my favourite foods or tortured myself, because I've done that in the past and that's how I failed, each and every time.
    This time I forgot all the useless info I'd picked up along the years of dieting, cut out most sugars, and logged everything I ate because I was a master of of lying to myself..
    I keep my carbs at less than 100gr a day and stick to my calorie goals. On the weekend if I want a treat, I find a way to work it into the calories..if that means plain salad for breakfast and lunch then so be it :)
    I'm down 76 pounds in 8 months!
    I have faith you can do this!

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