|
|
Despite munching on giant farm-sized breakfasts, lunching on gargantuan sandwiches and feasting on family-sized steaks and butter-laden baked potatoes for dinner, the weight was peeling off. Side effects included wild thirst, frequent bathroom trips in the middle of night (4 to 5 times) calf cramping and total exhaustion. But negative side effects excluded, Kay was revealing in her unexpected weight loss.
"I adored eating without worrying," she said.
No matter how many doughnuts, candy bars, steaks and chips Kay ate, the numbers on the scale were retreating.
"I wasn't just losing a couple of pounds here and there," she said, "I had lost 15 pounds and I was eating like a horse."
Had Kay found the Holy Grail, the ultimate Hershey's diet?
The minute Kay walked into her doctor's office he said, "Looks like you've lost weight?"
"Yes," she said as proudly as if she had just completed the Boston marathon.
He ran some simple blood tests required for the back surgery she was going to have to repair a herniated disc. The phone rang the next morning. It was her physician.
"You have Type II diabetes. Do you have any questions?"
Any questions? Kay's mind buzzed.
"Why was this happening to me? I didn't have a family history of diabetes?"
True, Kay weighed 30 pounds more than she should. But, her diet was better than it was 10 years ago. Diabetes was for old, sick people, right?
Kay had a rush of emotions, denial, anger, frustration, yet was unable to verbalize any of the questions circulating in her mind. She just stared blindly at the glass of soda she had just poured. Finally, she mustered up the courage to blurt out, "What do I do?"
"Start taking the medication I called in for you," her doctor said. "Your blood sugar is 370."
As she hung up the phone, Kay mumbled, "Damn, And I finally just lost 15 pounds."
Drop your old baggage for luggage.
Upon being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, Kay's personal crusade was to educate herself about the disease. Her personal story serves as the foundation for her new book, "The Complete Diabetes Lifestyle" that she co-authored with Maribeth Stephens.
Kay had to somehow find room in her life for diabetes. She could've crammed her diabetes diagnosis into the "baggage" she already carried. Some of that baggage included years of living life in the fast lane. Or she could open her mind like a suitcase and toss out some of her old ways to make room for a new way of living. Kay chose the latter. She opened her mind.
"If your approach to your revised lifestyle is positive, then the outcome will be positive," Kay writes in "The Complete Diabetes Lifestyle." Her book, which is hilarious at times, urges readers that, "Practice Makes Perfect." She offers the following techniques to try in order to help you develop a more positive outlook in managing your diabetes.
1. Positive mental energy
Kay recommends you spend a minimum of five minutes a day visualizing yourself as the perfect diabetes manager.
"See yourself exercising and selecting healthy choices for lunch," she said.
Once you've set the intention in your mind, you can hold the feeling of success in your body. This way your mind, emotions, intention and muscles will be working together in synch to meet your goal.
"Chances are your diabetes didn't just develop overnight," Kay said. "Don't feel like you have to make all these mountainous changes at once."
Little changes performed on a regular basis multiply. Kay managed to lose 40 pounds by making tolerable changes.
"Don't underestimate the power of small steps made overtime; they add up," Kay said.
2. Eat what you like
Kay didn't make a complete overhaul in her eating, instead she chose to continue to eat the foods she loved, just less of them. One of her favorites is to whip up a quick salad dressing to enjoy over mixed greens or vegetables.
"This super easy healthy salad dressing is a favorite of mine," Kay said.
All you do: Whisk together equal parts olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste.
"This is a low calorie way to add zing to your vegetables," she said.
3. Don't Try. Just Do.
One of Kay's favorite movie scenes comes from the blockbuster movie, The Empire Strikes Back. In this scene, Jedi master, Yoda is teaching young Luke Skywalker how to use his powers to move heavy objects. Poor Luke can only manage to lift a measly rock or two. Yoda challenges Luke to lift his sunken fighter out of the swamp, a seemingly impossible task.
"Judge me by my size do you?" Yoda says. No one wants to be labeled because of their size not even a vertically challenged alien. Luke fails and complains that the task is too big. Yoda fires back, "You must unlearn what you have learned...Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."
Initially, shifting your old ingrained attitudes about eating and exercise may at first seem like moving an x-wing fighter out of the murky depths. But when it comes to managing your diabetes, there is no try. There is only do.
4. Goal setting/ Book signing
Kay has a five-point fail-proof plan to help you reach your health goals. Come hear her reveal her plan when she visits Burlington in the near future. Kay lives and works out of the Greater Kansas City area. She writes, speaks, and is a lifestyle coach for people who want to live a healthier life with diabetes.
Donna Kay will be here on March 20th during the monthly Dietitian Magician program. "Green Eggs and Ham Plus a Diabetes Plan" at 2 pm. She will have autographed copies of her book for sale. Get your own copy of Kay's book, "The Complete Diabetes Lifestyle" now for sale, Hy-Vee Angular.
Being diagnosed with diabetes was a wake-up call for Donna Kay. "I am definitely healthier now and I weigh less," she says with a smile.
Don't delay. Prevent damage today
Diabetes Alert Day is coming up Tuesday, March 25. Visit your local Hy-Vee store to get your blood sugar tested for a nominal fee.
Peanut Butter with 75 percent less fat
No, you're not dreaming. My old binge food is now a low calorie option. Woo hoo.PB-2 peanut butter is here. Mix a tsbp. of the this dry peanut power with 2 tbsp water. Presto chango it turns into low calorie version of your favorite. I topped ice cream with some the other night. Delicious! This peanut butter only has 50 calories per serving. Team it up with apples, celery or crackers for a healthy, low calorie snack.
For more information go to Donna Kay
Diabetes Lifestyle Coach
Author & Public Speaker
www.completediabeteslifestyle.com
