Since completing the challenge I am on a course to continue forward with the healthy lifestyle changes I've made during the 12 week challenge.  My goal is to stay focused, to not get discouraged when I have weak moments because they will happen, to continue increasing my activity level and to help spread the information I learned to as many people as I can.  I will not get obsessed with the scale but will continue to weigh in once a week because for me keeping that number fresh in my mind helps me stay on track.  I really like the new me, I have a lot more confidence, I feel so much better in my clothes, I look forward to doing my exercises and making the healthier food choices is easier, I sleep better at night, my overall moods are better and life is good!  

I haven't really been affected by the media coverage we received during the challenge.  One advantage to being on the Challenge was that I've been contacted by several organizations to speak on behalf of the Challenge and the benefits I gained from being a challenger.  I've had family and friends cheer me along the 12 week program giving me words of encouragement.  I had some faithful watchers that congratulated me on the weight I've lost because for the viewers at home that's really the only difference they saw.  They don't know or understand about the medications being decreased, the energy levels being increased, the need for oxygen being removed, the sugar levels falling drastically, etc.  They only know what they saw and that's okay too. 
 

I am very proud of not just myself but the other Challengers (and Evan) for completing the 12 challenge.  Everyone of us "lost" in important ways.  I wish the Challenge would go on for a year or more.  Knowing I had the weekly meeting to look forward to gave me a scheduled time to release my emotions, frustrations and to share my happy and proud moments with my friends and challengers who were facing the same issues I was facing without being judged.  I miss seeing everyone and the support we got at the meetings. I learned that when facing a challenge, as we did, the support you receive from others is priceless.  The words of encouragement we received helped get us over some bumps along the way. 
 

In the beginning I thought the blog would be a pain to keep but now that we're almost done the Challenge I really enjoy going back through and re-reading what I've written.  Sometimes it helps to reinforce issues that we've learned and sometimes there are reminders that need to be brought to mind again.  I've been told by several people that the blogs have really been helpful to them and I think others reading them will get the sense that they aren't alone.  The blogs helped me personally to deal with an issue that has followed me through life that I can now put behind me.  I don't have time to journal everyday but perhaps setting up a once a week journal would be helpful.  Sometimes putting your thoughts and feelings down on paper help release negative forces that can fester inside all of us.

When I do find myself feeling stressed, I stop and take a few deep breathes, then I deal with the situation.  Sometimes relaxing music helps and sometimes talking the situation over with someone helps release it from your body, thus lowering your feeling of stress.
 

This week is all about a topic that everyone can relate to - stress.  Stress occurs in everyone's life at some point or another but the way you deal with stress will help keep you on the healthy road we're all striving for.  On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd have to say that my stress level is usually very low.  My family life is very low stress.  I'd have to say my two dogs cause the most stress in our house.  Most people who have dogs will know what I'm talking about.  You're getting ready to walk out the door to go to work and all of a sudden your dog gets sick on your carpet or you get up in the middle of the night to let the dog out, they don't want to come back in and you just want to go to bed.  On the other hand, my dogs are very comforting, bring us lots of laughter and are so very happy to see us when we get home, which helps you deal with the stress they cause.  I am very fortunate to have a job that I truly enjoy and the people I work with are like another family.  We get to laugh a lot at work and when we are faced with stressful situations we deal with them and let them pass. 

I had a tough week in general with staying on track all around.  I found that I've been hungrier then normal this week (and no I'm not pregnant!) and portion control has been an issue.  I've also had a few additional appointments that have kept me out of the gym more then normal.  In the past I would have stressed about this but since being in the I Can Challenge I've learned that it's normal, it's okay and sometimes it's a needed break to fall of the wagon.  Instead of feeling defeated, I simply begin the next meal or morning (whichever comes first) practicing the good habits of my new lifestyle.  In the past I would have gotten depressed and given up more quickly but since I am practicing NOT being on a diet, I know that there is no beginning or end to this, it just is!
 

This past week we had a chance to go out on the internet and research different sites that contain health information ranging from comparing doctors offices to the many aspects of diabetes.  We were made aware of the vast number of sites that contain extremely useful information on different health conditions and the fact that we had a chance to go to them and look at them ourselves made me aware of how user friendly some of them are.  There is a lot of information on the web.  Make sure when doing research on a certain health topic that you are on a reprediable site. I've also learned that if you think you have something wrong with you, don't try to diagnose yourself from information you gained on the web, go to your doctor for a professional diagnoses.
 

As we begin winding down the last couple weeks of the I Can Challenge I am finding myself experiencing many mixed feelings. There is a part of me that is happy to complete the challenge and to have my Tuesday evenings back but there is large part of me that is feeling sad and excited at the same time.  I am so proud of the progress I've made along with my fellow challengers.  We have become a family, in some ways we're closer then a family.  We are able to share with each other aspects of our health condition that aren'teasy to talk to others about.  We have experienced ups and downs together, we have cheered and shed tears for each other and we have walked this journey together.  The friendships, the lessons learned and the new confidence we've gained is invaluable.  As we go forward I am so happy that each one of us have expressed an interest in keeping our group together.  We are going to continue having meetings (location to be discussed) and hopefully we can reach out to others who would like to join with us.  We want to spread the word that a healthier, happier person can begin with one buddy! 
 

I believe that quality health care is a joint effort between myself and my doctor.  I don't think it's wrong to shop around for a doctor that you feel a connection with.  Someone that you feel comfortable enough to share any issues that may arise concerning your health.  I've found that over the years with having both male and female doctors I feel more comfortable with a female doctor, my husband would rather have a male doctor so we go to different offices.   I feel that I am receiving quality health care from my family doctor because she felt it was in my best interest to recommend a diabetes educator and nutritionist to help with my diabetes needs.  She also takes time to talk to me when our visit begins.  She checks over her notes from my last visit while we're talking before beginning my exam and makes sure I stay up to date on my blood work, yearly "womenly" exams.  We always go over my medications and discuss changes that should be made or reasons why we keep the medication that same.  You have to be willing to do your part with taking your meds, going for your bloodwork and following advice given by your doctor to improve your health.
 

I feel I have a much better understanding of diabetes because as I stated in an earlier blog, my family doctor suggested that I see a diabetes educator and nutritionist, which I see regularly.  I know the knowledge and support I've gained from taking diabetes education classes and nutrition classes has helped me get on the track to a healthier, happier life.  I am a different person now then I was before understanding my condition, which runs in my family.  I have been able to pass the knowledge on to other family members and friends in order to help them make healthier food choices.  Knowledge is power!
 

The fact that there are over 20.8 million people in the United States who have diabetes shocked me.  There are over 6.2 million people in the United States who are unaware that they have diabetes.  Some of the causes of diabetes can be from heredity, being over weight, stress from illnesses, viruses, injury or surgery to the pancreas, during pregnancy, being African American, Hispanic or Native American.  Type 1 diabetes usually occurs before the age of 20 and Type 2 diabetes usually occurs after the age of 35 but in both cases they can occur earlier or later in life.
 

The one thing I would like to learn more about regarding diabetes is if you can ever get rid of it.  If you follow everything your doctors tell you, and you are able to significantly drop your weight into a normal weight range and you are successful getting all your blood work into normal ranges will diabetes ever go away?  Can you ever completely be cured of diabetes and can you ever be taken off the medicine for good?

 

The best benefit to me since increasing my activity level is the amount of energy I have.  I don't feel sluggish during the afternoon, I sleep much more sound at nighttime and my moods seem to be better.  The biggest change for me now is the way my clothes fit.  Everything is getting baggy and I love it.  I can't afford a new wardrobe but I can afford a belt!  There are NO negatives to increasing your physical activity and incorporating healthier food choices.  There aren't any drawbacks or reasons not to want to live this way!  I'm happier with myself, I find I'm craving fruits and veggies more then sweets and snack foods and it takes a lot less food to fill me up.  I'm finally beginning to see the new and improved me and I like her!

There are so many ways to exercise that I don't think there is an excuse for someone not to do some sort of exercise unless it's health related.  Besides the normal thoughts of exercising like running, walking, swimming and biking there are activities that we do without classifying them as exercises like cleaning your house, washing your dog, shampooing your carpet, painting your house or shoveling your sidewalks, these are all exercises.   A good one I think most of us in the class now do is parking our cars at the far end of a parking lot and walk to the doors rather you are at a shopping mall, grocery store or doctors office, if there is a parking lot you can practice this.  Dancing and bowling are also great forms of exercise as well as playing your favorite sports or flying a kite.  Make it fun, make it interesting and mix it up.  Your body will thank you.