Wow, what a manic Monday it’s been!
Yesterday, I didn’t leave Charleston until 6pm, soaking up every moment of sunshine during a short shakeout run, a long walk on the beach, another game of Bocce, and lunch on the front porch with the other stragglers.
Due to my late flight and the taxi line at LaGuardia, I didn’t get home until 9pm, thoroughly exhausted from the wonderful weekend and ready for bed!
This morning, after a quick four miler on the treadmill, I was able to wear my first Fall outfit thanks to this morning’s cool weather.
Blazer: Hive and Honey Charlotte Cardigan Blazer in Mustard Yellow (Only $69 on Piperlime)
Necklace: 80% off on Kate Spade sample sale last week
Shoes: Cole Haan Stephanie Air Oxford Pump
Pants: Express Editor Black Pant in Tall
T-Shirt: Gap Favorite Long Sleeve T-Shirt
My work day was longer than I expected but my meals kept me going all day long.
Tonight’s dinner was eaten late as I didn’t walk through the door until 9:30. Bo is still at the office and therefore the meal’s only requirements were healthy and easy. I opened up a can of Progresso Low Fat Clam Chowder and added a 1/2 cup of vegetables to it before microwaving. The result was a warm, filling, and comforting bowl of soup.
Last but not least, I need to enlist your help. Unfortunately, there are some things in life about which you never want to be right. For years, I’ve been telling my father that he needed to watch his weight and start exercising more. Over the past fifteen years, he has started carrying all of his weight in his abdomen area, which is infamous for causing many problems in both women and men. While he has supported my mom’s healthy habits over the past year by converting my brother’s old bedroom into an amazing workout room complete with flat screen television, treadmill, elliptical, and recumbent bike! Unfortunately, this change didn’t really affect his habits.
My father was just diagnosed with prediabetes. The American Diabetes Association describes this on their website as follows:
Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "prediabetes"—blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. There are 79 million people in the United States who have prediabetes. Recent research has shown that some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during prediabetes.
Unfortunately, my dad also found out from his doctor today that there is blood in his liver. Therefore, his risk has now reached a higher level and he really needs to spend the next few weeks staying active through both his full time job and exercise, evaluating his food choices, and cutting out alcohol. I’m happy that I’ll be home this weekend on vacation and able to help him and provide some motivation. But, right now, this is totally new for he and my mom and they are looking for any healthy food recommendations, substitutions, or diabetic suggestions. So far, he has discovered frozen grapes as a great dessert and snack substitute in place of sugary treats.
If you have any recommended books, websites, or recipes please leave a comment! I know this is a common diagnosis and I’m dedicated to helping him get healthy!
Sorry to hear about your dad 🙁
The ADA has some basic (read: simple and easy to interpret) info on diabetes here: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6818
Maybe he could see an RD too?
Kath: Thanks for the advice. I have sent him a few recipes for his sweet tooth to begin with and have also recommended he see an RD in Savannah. Any recommendations? 🙂
Hey there, family nurse practitioner here who has many patients like your dad. You must must must look into Dr. McDougall, Jeff Novick, & Rip Esselstyn — they have helped so many patients reverse diabetes (and other chronic diet related diseases). The good news is your dad is still in the pre-diabetic stage so he can most definitely cure himself (yes, cure) with lifestyle changes. Good luck sweetie! keep us posted 🙂
My thoughts are with your poppa! My mom was just diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes- it’s a pretty scary thing!
I recently went to the Diabetes Co-Stars Cookoff at the NYC Food and Wine Festival and Paul and Mira Sorvino discussed how vital it is to have the support of one’s family when making the lifestyle changes that diabetes- related complicates require! Bravo to you for stepping up to the plate!
There are so many wonderful resources on the web, especially for diabetes-friendly cooking!
http://www.diabeticlifestyle.com/
http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/
http://howtodiabetic.blogspot.com/
I can ask my dad more (he has diabetes…as we’ve discussed before…as well as my frustrations with him and his diet), and I don’t know if the same is true for pre-diabetes, but I know with diabetes, fruit is still not that great for you. Better than processed sugar, for sure, but still causes spikes in blood sugar. Same with any kind of white flour. I’ll find out more from my dad for you about what sorts of food are serious no-nos. (And then make sure he’s staying away from them, too.)
I am sorry to hear about your dad’s diagnosis, but it is wonderful that his attitude is already changed.
Everyone has their own “thing” with food and their own way of eating a healthier diet, but I thought I’d share my father’s story. My dad had to lose weight when he found out he had stones in his gallbladder. He is an all or nothing kind of man. For example, when he decided to quit smoking twenty years ago, he went from smoking a pack a day to none in one week. He hasn’t smoked since.
For his diet, he knew he had to make a drastic change and isolated a critical bad habit: snacking on cheese before dinner. He does not have a sweet tooth and he already ate relatively balanced and healthy meals that my mother prepares (every night!). They have a garden, my mother makes bread regularly, they get eggs from my neighboring uncle’s chickens, and they are critical about their meat sources. He shakes his finger at junk food. But he can definitely go to town on a wheel of parmesan and a leg of prosciutto.
The problem is that my father can always eat, but he was motivated. You can’t underestimate what the right attitude can do. He became much more mindful. He cut out his major snack, he rarely ate read meat, only ate until he was no longer hungry, and ate a piece of fruit if he needed to eat something between meals. He went from 215 pounds to 195 pounds in about 5 weeks. It was kind of incredible!
He gained some of it back once he had surgery to remove the stones and did not have as much motivation to be leaner. If I would give him a tip, it is ultimately to have a plan and remain motivated.
#1. Love the cardigan!
#2. So sorry bout your dad. My mom has diabetes and finally had to go see a nutritionist to get it under control (she was having trouble trying to do it herself). She ended up losing 100+ lbs in the process and learned what worked best for her. Is there someone he can see for help?
So sorry to here about your dad! The ADA has several books called “A Month Of Meals”. They are spiral bound and very easy to use to cook books. I bought one years ago just for eating healthier. Just found it on Amazon. I’d bet Barnes and Noble and the other book stores have them, too.
Your outfit is gorgeous and I would love to steal that necklace from you. 🙂
I’m sorry to hear about your dad. Pre-diabetes is scary but he’ll turn it around in no time! Maybe get him some shows on dvd to watch while he’s on the elliptical. That always helps the time go by faster…
Sorry to hear about your Dad! Have him check out greensmoothiegirl.com
Hi Ashley, I’ve been a long time reader and this post especially grabbed my attention. I can’t speak for pre-diabetes but I’ve been diabetic, Type 1, since I was 3 1/2 (22 years). As any diagnosis, everyone’s experience is different but if you have an questions I’d be happy to share any info I have.
Aside from well balanced meals and exercise, one thing thing that stands out is carbohydrates. Carb counting isn’t for everyone but it’s definitely something all diabetics need to be aware of, carbs break down to sugar and the effects of carbs are different (ex: 1 slice of bread vs. 1 small apple , both 15 carbs) – so all those things labeled “sugar free” aren’t necessarily up for grabs.
I finally found an endocrinologist that I love in NYC, I know that wont help your Dad but maybe if you wanted to talk to her ? – I’d be happy to share her info (I’ve gone through my share of bad ones!).
Best of luck to you & your dad!
So sorry to hear this Ash! He’s really lucky to have you for a resource 🙂 I’ll be thinking of you guys and hoping that with some positive changes it will be reversed soon!