My weight is continuing to slowly creep downwards so that is great. If it takes me two or three years to lose 20 kg, well that is still better than not losing 20 kg! My scales have been less temperamental, too, since I started leaving them flat on the floor instead of leaning up on their edge. They only vary by a few hundred grams when I step off and on instead of up to a kg.
I'm feeling much better today and I think I have shaken off the cold germs. I've had a pretty good year, illness-wise, compared to the past. The last few years I've been sick a lot through autumn and winter but I think this year was much better.
I had my second (and probably last for me) diabetes/prediabetes seminar this morning. This one was all about healthy eating. It went into more detail about food than last week. Again it mainly covered things I was familiar with, but it gave me some concrete targets. As well as the general advice of less fat, more fibre, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables; I should aim for around 45 grams of carbohydrate at each meal and around 15 grams if I snack between meals. Low GI foods are preferred, and no sugary foods in isolation -- so I can't have a cup of tea with sugar by itself, only with food, otherwise I have to use artificial sweeteners or give up the sugar. Protein with each meal.
Another thing I learned is that peanut oil is good (ie monounsaturated) so I can use it for Asian cooking -- I don't have to always use olive oil.
Something I found really interesting was how resistant people are (and I include myself here) to hearing and/or accepting things that don't fit in with their current understanding or that they don't want to hear. One very obese lady said she had never been told to count carbohydrates before. I don't know how long she's had diabetes but it seemed unlikely as that has been used in diabetes management for a long time. She complained that she couldn't have yogurt anymore because it was full of sugar. The dietitian explained that actually that was mainly lactose from the milk and some fructose from the fruit and it was low GI and healthy. But it was clear the woman didn't believe her, and was going to continue to avoid yoghurt. One man (also morbidly obese -- so there may be a pattern there of the kind of person who doesn't take advice) seemed rather proud of the fact that he doesn't have breakfast in spite of all advice to the contrary. He also liked the idea of snacking all day rather than eating regular meals, and dismissed the dietitian's concern that that method could lead to overeating and calorie amnesia. No, no, that didn't apply to him. Um, sir? Your girth contradicts you.
In my own case, the thing about the sugar in my tea came up at the last session but I managed to dismiss it's importance. Such a little bit of sugar, I said to myself, it can't be that important. That rule somehow doesn't apply to me. But I have got it into my head now. The tiny splash of milk is not enough to bring down the high GI of the sugar, so I have to eat something low GI with my tea.
More Just Dance today, conquered two more songs. Twenty to go, so plenty more hours of exercise before I'm done. I don't just do the difficult ones, I took some time at the end of the session to do a couple of favourite songs and just enjoy them. The gardener arrived as I was finishing and was trimming some plants outside the lounge room window; he didn't look in but I felt a little embarrassed anyway. At least it made me put a little extra oomph in even though I was tired!
I saw an add for another fun run yesterday, a 5k this time around Lake Burley Griffin where I like to walk/run. My first thought was that I wanted to do it. But it is in a week and a half and I haven't even restarted my training, so I'm totally not ready. And it's on a hard surface, which hurts my shins. I could just walk a lot of it, of course. But the deal-breaker for me is that you have to wear a five piece Santa suit, including a beard, which they provide when you register. I may not have mentioned it much here, but I really really really hate being hot, especially when I exert myself at all. Even a brisk walk in jeans is unpleasant, and a sauna-like Santa suit would just be a nightmare. With a hat and a big beard? No way.
There will be other races.
photo of santa fun run by VarietyAU
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