New to Dieting & Random with Exercising

pallypunch
pallypunch Posts: 28
in Introduce Yourself
Hi All,

This is a great a resource! In less than a week I feel at home and have a gotten A LOT of support. With that, I thought it was appropriate to introduce myself.

I am 30-year-old female who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland!) and I recently found out that I am in the prediabetes range. I have a family history of diabetes and certainly DO NOT want to have it. So, here I am. I reactivated my gym membership last week and am attempting (for really the first time ever) to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Never really tried this so, so I am going to need a lot of support.

Right now, my goal is to lose enough weight to be clear out of/totally away from this zone (for me that's about 50 pounds, but really one could say I should lose 80 or more pounds- at my doctor's visit I was at 235- but I am taking baby steps- and kinda like my curves).

I signed up for a diet delivery program (the food is good so far!) because I tend to eat a lot and don't tend to go the grocery store. Also, I really think that cooking takes way too much time and am really not that good at it. In addition, I opted for the plan because I think I need to take baby-steps. I am a true junk-food junky (since birth). I love sweets, meat, pizza, fast food, beer and cocktails (somewhat luckily, I guess, fast food restaurants are hard to come by in the Bay- folks here eat really healthy and like fresh items, Farmers' Markets & gourmet food trucks, so sometimes I just have to reach for that grass-fed burger on an awesome because McD's are few & far between. This has probably prevented me from gain even more weight. . .).

Oh, and I don't eat my veggies. But that now has to change.

I don't mind the gym, I just tend to get distracted and then eventually stop going. The plan is to just get in the permanent habit of going at least 3 mornings a week plus a weekend day (or 2). Not to over think it, just to go.

I do plan to take all of this very seriously though- I CANNOT have diabetes and know that it will probably take about a year to lose the 50 pounds. I am attending a prediabetes class tonight at Kaiser, just bought a scale and am happily eating the food from my plan. But I know that at some point I will plateau. Or get sick of the food from the plan. So, I am trying to be preemptive and am actively searching (stalking really) the boards, people's diaries (including my sister's- she tends to eat healthy and knows how to cook- well), joining groups and skimming through blog posts.

Could you guys recommend any groups that I should join (on MFP) and any blog posts I should be sure to check out? Also, is anyone else in the same boat?

Anyone prediabetic? I hope that there aren't a lot of us out there, but It would be nice to bound and support each other.

And is there anyone who is a (reformed) junk-food-junky? And if you are reformed, how did you do it?


Cheers,
Pallypunch

Replies

  • pallypunch
    pallypunch Posts: 28
    Oh, no responses yet. . .
  • merisendabills
    merisendabills Posts: 54
    I'm not diabetic but my mom is, and when I went to the doctor last year and she told me I was overweight and at risk if I didn't lose weight, it spurred my motivation to lose weight. Diabetes is expensive to have, and unhealthy, so I want to do as much as I can to prevent myself from getting it.

    I don't know so much about people in the prediabetic stage but I remember coming across a few of the boards with some diabetics.

    I think it's great you're doing this, and great to take baby steps! As for exercise, I would recommend finding active stuff you like to do. I go to the gym but sometimes I follow workout videos and play the wii fit. There's a lot of information and support out there for sure!

    I also have about 50 pounds to lose.

    Edit: Oh, I am also in the SF Bay. I live in San Jose.
  • merisendabills
    merisendabills Posts: 54
    I came across all these recipes on LiveStrong: http://www.livestrong.com/pre-diabetes-diet-plan/
  • pallypunch
    pallypunch Posts: 28
    Wow, thanks for all of the advice! The diabetes thing scares me so I appreciate any support and compassion. And it looks we are both "at risk" and from the Bay.
  • pallypunch
    pallypunch Posts: 28
    I came across all these recipes on LiveStrong: http://www.livestrong.com/pre-diabetes-diet-plan/

    I have bookmarked this page, it's clear and straightforward.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    Hi there
    I was warned. It went in one ear and out the other. So as of last month, I'm now a type 2 diabetic. It's bad enough dieting & watching calories but OMG everything good has carbs in it. Crap. Sigh. I'm a junk food addict/fast foodie and am so not into fruits or veggies and the thought of exercising gives me the willies.
    I've dropped #11 since being diagnosed, watching what I'm eating (no formal plan although I had lost many times before on WW), counting cals/carbs etc.
    Need to lose a bit more to get on my treadmill (got it used, hope to heck it works) and I've picked up a few Leslie Sansone dvds and am looking into getting a kettlebell. Way too hot to do much outside this time of year (27 days so far in the 100s), so need to find things I can do at home (I work from home, so sedentary lifestyle)
    There are really great folks on these boards and the recipes are to drool over :)
    Good luck on your journey.
  • pallypunch
    pallypunch Posts: 28
    Thanks for sharing your story! Type II is a intense, but it is awesome that you are trying to make this better. I, too, have to learn to just eat my veggies and am a little too close to the diabetes zone.

    And I hope your treadmill works too- it sounds really hot & somewhat miserable outside where you are from! What are the DVDs you are referring to. . .are they fun? And what type of workout are they?
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    My husband has type 1 diabetes, so no exersize will change it - but I would say good for you because avoiding diabetes is something I would do at any cost.

    I would say think about what you're going to DO at the gym? Have you decided to try any classes or something? I reccomend doing some classes because sitting on an eliptical or treadmill 5 days a week would make me want to blow my brains into the river. I love zumba, it's great because it is exersize in disguise and you burn mega calories. You can also adjust and modify to your fitness level. But you can find a variety of classes maybe spinning is your thing, check out what your gym has because if you can find something FUN soon you'll be exersizing not to avoid diabetes but because you just want to for (gasp...FUN :):) )

    I don't do at home DVD's, I'm not discliplined enough.

    Also see about doing something outside, it's summer :) Walk outside, run, bike, hike, swim - anything really get some fresh air - that's also inspirational to me.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    I'm from Tucson (well am orig from NYC)...they are Leslie Sansone, I'm thinking one is a 5 mile walk and I know one has a resistance band with the dvd (they are like the treadmill....ready & waiting for me to get a move on). Would love to give you a review on them but after having them for years, I finally just got the shrink wrap off them....yep, I'm a real gung ho exerciser (not!!).
    I do plan on giving them a go, as well as the kettlebell stuff I ordered and am waiting for.
  • pallypunch
    pallypunch Posts: 28
    @Justkeepswimmin: Thanks for the direction! Right now I am at a local circuit gym, but know at some point I may get bored with this. Walking is probably the next activity I will incorporate into my routine (I can use it to be nosey and explore new neighborhoods). But, I will look into classes (independent of a gym- or open to the public) and boot camps.

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