I get an annual physical every year before my birthday. I am diabetic and was over weight. My labs were horrible as my internal health was in chaos. 2021 was not as bad as 2020 where my blood pressure was alarming, and my A1c was at 12, I left that appointment, with a follow up for May. Well then Covid lockdowns happened, I was overweight, diabetic, with high blood pressure. These were listed as all high risk factors, so I cancelled that appointment, and never followed up. I adjusted my eating, (barely) and my exercise went down significantly with the lockdowns. I always take a one a day vitamin, turmeric, and Apple Cider Vinegar gummies Daily.
I don’t have a good record of my weight from that time frame I was roughly between 210 to 215lbs. I have records starting at the end of Oct beginning of Nov, when I switched to iPhone. With the iPhone I consolidated my health through Apple health, in Nov I was 211 lbs, my average steps a day were 1310. For me I use a scale that I got from Amazon for 19.99 that connects to my phone and provides more details than just my weight through electric pulses, and keeps a record of all the measurements.
Forward to Feb 4 2021, I had my annual Check up my A1c was 10.3. As some of you know the A1c is an average of the last 3 months of your glucose level. My blood pressure was still high, and now my cholesterol was out of balance enough that he wanted me to start Crestor another medication, this was not good in my mind.
So the next day I started a detox diet. I stopped drinking coffee with the splenda and coffeemate. I started drinking detox tea each morning for the next twelve days. My family not knowing all the details rallied around me. My sister for my birthday gave me one of the best gifts I never asked for. She sponsored me on the Optavia Diet. This was a game changer. I took this opportunity and fully embraced it. I read up on it got ready for it, and when the package arrived and I talked to the couch Monday Feb 22 I started. I do things my way not necessarily the way others do. With that said, I followed the eating and water intake strictly according to the program no gray areas. I also did not do the condiments. I had no expectation that I was going to be healthy over night, but the program has a first week as your body adjusts you have the largest week lost in weeks one and two, then you settle into a steady drop. I kept a spreadsheet of my daily progress. I do not get upset if the weight fluctuates or if I plateau. I realized the body is getting clean and back in order. The diet teaches you how to eat cleaner what to cut out and how to maintain your healthy weight.
Ted talk about reversing Diabetes versus Medicating your way to health. I watched a you tube video of a TED talk about reversing diabetes by a physician in Texas. She was very informative and I took notes and as I am off the diet now maintaining my weight I am also controlling blood sugar spikes by removing items from my diet.
Three months after starting the diet, I was 40 Lbs down, and my A1c went from 10.3 to 6.1 My blood pressure was so low that the it was worrisome to the Doctor and I was immediately removed from that medication, and my cholesterol was back at a healthy balance. My medication was dropped to half on both the diabetic medicine and cholesterol. with a three month follow up and if the labs stay steady I will be able to stop all the medication.
The other thing that I did was I increased my walking and exercise significantly. During the diet exercise is not encouraged because the diet does a scientific process of balancing your macronutrients based on your burn. I increased my walking to the average American walking distance of between 4000 and 6000 a day. After I transitioned off the diet my steps are averaging between 15000 and 20000 a day. I reached my goal zone of 165, to 160 and have twice gone below and above that zone over the last month and a half. I feel great.
If you are interested in doing the Optavia diet contact me I am becoming a coach for the product.