I haven't really posted about this online, but a couple of months ago I went in to the doctor, regarding a number of minor health concerns. Having a physical done is something I've put off for a very long time, it just never seems to be a priority. But I'm not as active as I should be, tired most of the time, overweight, out of shape, ect. Nothing new, just all of those things that slowly creep up on you over time. But considering all of this, and upon discovering that I haven't really menstruated in about a year, my husband finally asked me to go in for a checkup.
So I went in, they poked and prodded me, and asked me every question under the sun. When the results came back, some were surprising, but most were kind of expected. I wasn't surprised that the doctor asked me to get some exercise, and thinks it's important that we get my weight down. I haven't had any other symptoms, but it was possible I could have gone through early menopause, but it was too soon to tell about that. My doctor thinks I may have sleep apnea, since I always felt tired, no matter how much sleep I'd gotten, but she wanted to wait on ordering a sleep study until my full physical.
Most of the surprises came after the blood work. The nice surprise was that my cholesterol is normal, which is good. The not-so-nice surprises were that my blood sugar and my blood pressure are both too high. We're monitoring my blood pressure, hoping it will come down as my activity goes up, and my weight comes down. But the biggest concern was that my blood sugar puts me in the low range for Type 2 Diabetes. My doctor decided to start me on medication for it, since that may also help jump start my weight loss, along with diet and exercise changes. But if things go well, hopefully I eventually won't need the medication for it.
Somehow, 30 minutes of walking outside every day is easier to stick to when your doctor prescribes it. Big difference between thinking, "I really should get some exercise and lose some weight, to get back into the cute clothes that I miss wearing," and thinking, "I really need to get some exercise so that I can live longer, and don't die too soon." I don't manage to do it every day, but I have been on most days, which is still a vast improvement from what I did (or rather, didn't do) before.
The dietary changes haven't been easy, but they have been easier than I thought they'd be. Mostly, I've been increasing the fresh produce that I eat, and avoiding foods that have a lot of sugars in them, including simple carbs. I'm working on controlling my portions, except for fresh veggies and high-fiber fruits, which I can pretty much have as much as I want of. But I'm also trying to pay attention to when I get full, and avoid snacking when I'm bored. Again, I'm not always very good about it, but certainly better than before, and I'm not dieting. I'm making changes that I can live with, because I plan for them to be permanent.
So, two months later, with diet changes, exercise, vitamin supplements (especially vitamin D) and metformin, things are definitely better! Usually, when I try to start a new fitness program, I fall off of it after about a month. So since I'm still at it after two months, I'm hopeful that I can keep going this time. I've lost eight pounds each month, so sixteen pounds down since I started, I'm now at 262 lbs. A long way to go, but heading in the right direction! With the increased activity, I seem to be sleeping better, and having less fatigue during the day, although I can still fall asleep at the drop of a hat sometimes. And last month I had an indication that I'm probably not going through menopause just yet. I continue with my metformin, and start a low-dose aspirin each night, to help with the blood pressure. Michael got me a fitbit device to help me keep track of how I'm doing on my activity level, and an electronic blood-pressure monitor so that I don't have to go into the Dr. office twice a week for that. Hopefully I can keep it going, and will continue to feel better as I go. :)
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