I HAVE WHAT???!!!

I HAVE WHAT?!!!

I wasn't sure the black and white numbers on the page in front of me where correct. I mean... I've been very healthy all my life in spite of being overweight. In fact, just last week I was boasting to my co-workers how I needed to find “motivation” to loose weight because I felt I looked good and I'm healthy...so why loose it?... why fix it if it isn't broken? Right?! WRONG?!!!! It is broken. I was sitting there blankly staring at my lab results and vaguely hearing my doctor's words... “You have diabetes” (New Ways/Loss of Good Health Status), she said. At first I thought, “she can't possibly be referring to me... I'm healthy, aside from a mild stress-induced heart attack back in 2006... I've always been healthy and all my doctors have always told me so; 'you're the picture of good health' is what I'm used to hearing (Shock/Disbelief/Disorientation). Anyway, 'she must be wrong', was my next thought (Denial/Dismissal/Disconnect). Because I work in the health industry and surrounded by doctors all day long I took it upon myself to seek the expert opinion of three other doctors in whom I had complete trust; they would tell me the truth...that I do not have Diabetes and I'm healthy. Well... that was short lived when all three of them agreed with my doctor's Diabetes diagnosis. Now what?!!! I did what came naturally to me...cried like a baby... I was angry, fearful and stressed out about this new ENEMY I had to face (Anger/Fear/Anxiety). Needless to say that weekend was a rough one for me. I was very sad and a bit down; on top of it all I was feeling sorry for myself so I sat on the coach most of that weekend watching TV and letting my mind wonder about the adverse consequences of un-controlled Diabetes all while eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches accompanied by a nice glass of milk (Sadness/Depression/Passiveness). I searched the web and read everything I could about Diabetes, but nothing could get me out my funk especially since, as a Health Coach to many diabetic patients, I already knew what I had to do in order to change my now Diabetic status. So...let the games begin; my next step was to try and reason within myself why my food choices where more than adequate and how I was exercising enough (Jockeying/Bargaining/Scrambling). Yes... you already know, I came up short on that one too so, of course, there was nothing left to do but accept the fact that my lifestyle needed much adjusting if I was going to reverse this diagnosis and live a healthy life. Then and only then, was I able to see clearly that I needed to make much better food choices and greatly increase the amount of exercise I submit my body to in order to see a significant change (Hope/Acceptance/Commitment). Walking all day at work alone was not going to do the trick, not this time. So without another thought I signed up at the gym, cleaned out my pantry and went to the store armed and dangerous. I was on a mission to win my battle against Type 2 Diabetes and I was determined to do so. Since then I've been consistently going to the gym 3 to 4 times a week for a one hour workout and swimming on days when I don't go to the gym. My eating habits have changed and I now read nutrition labels as I'm shopping for food more consistently than before, making sure to include healthier foods in my daily diet. The results you ask? Well... I can humbly, yet proudly say that I've lost 12 pounds and my little daily triumphant moments are the fuel that keeps my engine moving forward in my personal fight against Diabetes.

The roller coaster of emotions I experienced during this transitional time in my life is called by psychologist the “Change/Acceptance Cycle” and is one we all experience at different times in our lives. I'm sure you have or at some point will experience these stages also. But fear not, like with so many things in life, healthy living is a journey and not a destination. Enjoy the journey and find non-food related ways to celebrate your success while not allowing your failures to keep you down. Do I always eat properly now? I'd be lying if I said yes. Like everyone else, I have good days, better days, bad days and down right absolutely wrong days. The difference is I've learned to make my good and better days outnumber my bad and down right absolutely wrong days. So join me in this journey of ours as we win the fight against Type 2 Diabetes. Celebrate every success! Enjoy the journey!