190 and recent Back Issues

As November comes to a close I stand at 190 pounds...down 18, 10 to go. The BP as in Blood Pressure is stable at 130 or so over 70 or less, with a resting heart rate of 60-63.

Last Monday, I bent over as I was looking for something in the closet, and felt the pull of bone and muscle....bam! Just like that I had some pretty good back pain. I was concerned about the stenosis at the time, but here it is one week later, and things are "back" to normal.

Sure, I can't bend over worth a damn, but have still managed to get up and down the basketball courts, and things this Monday don't seem to bad.

Back Later>>>>

November 3, 2009

I stood at 193 when we headed for our annual fishing trip to the Au Sable River/Lake Huron of northeast Michigan. I figured with Drambuie, Beer{albeit Miller Lite}, and plenty of food on the 3 or 4 day trip, I would be challenged to keep my weight down and my BP in check. This morning home for a full day, I stand at 194...not bad, a pound either way can strictly be a blip on the radar...my blood pressure was fine this morning, standing at 125/70 with a resting pulse of 65.

So, despite the challenges, I continue to make slow{at least on the weight front, quicker on the BP scene} steady progress. Hopefully I will stay off the Diabetes 2 meds, and maybe, by the time I reschedule my appointment with Doc Bergman, I can ditch the BP medication as well.

Will report back when changes are noted.....

back later>>>>photo-me standing with dour expression at the foot of the Au Sable River on Sunday, November 1, 2009, near Oscoda, Michigan.

Continuing Progress

196 pounds this morning with a rolling blood pressure at 118/69 on my home monitor{might be time to go off the BP meds?}...pulse in the 63 range....back has been good and bad, right now it feels pretty good despite a football double header in the cold and rain last night...same for tonight, with 3 games over the upcoming weekend. That should give my back and legs a test.

Back with more progress later....

Below 200 Pounds

The weight came off quickly, almost too quick in reality....I dropped below 200 at 199 last Thursday, it's now leveled out and I'm holding steady for the past week...this morning at 200.5. Like all things, especially diets, you start out quick, then things slow down....and that's the way it seems to be.

The BP is good, still in the 130/65 to 70 range and the back was acting up last night and this morning, but seems better now....

20 pounds to go....and keep the blood pressue steady before my next Diabetes Check in late October...

back later>>>>

12 Days 7 1/2 pounds

On the 12th day of the Diabetes 2 Diet, I have now lost 14 pounds overall(since the diognosis on August 21st), and 7 1/2 pounds down to 200.5 since September 3rd. My Blood Pressure is also falling a pretty rapid pace, and this morning it was 133/70 with a heart rate of 64. Neck and shoulders are better over the past few weeks...seems the effects of the House Painting Project are diminished. I did feel a tweaking in my right calf muscle yesterday and was taking it easy as possible when officiating the local High School JV Football game...it seem better this morning, will know more after my morning walk.

back later>>>

5 DAYS IN

Went to St Marys last Thursday and worked with a dietitian on my plan for the diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes, that Doc Bergman says I have acquired.

So far in the first 5 days of this moderate carb, lower saturated fat, 2000 calorie a day diet, I have dropped a few pounds, and my Blood Pressure has moved into a better range...this morning it was 138/70 with my resting heart rate of just 64. This even though I partook a few cigars over the weekend and drank a few MGD Lite Beers....

As far as the back? It is doing fine, but the muscles in my shoulder/lower neck area have been acting up since I started on the house painting project in early July...sore in the morning, better in the afternoon seems to be the routine.

back later>>>

Diabetes Type 2

Now that my back problems{at least major} have been alleviated for a year or more...it's time to move on to something else.

In addition to my somewhat HIGH Blood Pressure...I now have the beginnings of Type 2 Diabetes...beautiful, just freaking beautiful!

Anyway the first thing I have been assigned to do....go on a Dietitian planned Diet...I will get that next Thursday September 3rd at the Out Patient Clinic at the St. Marys Hospital...in the meantime I will begin to reduce things on my own...6 weeks after starting the Diet, I will check back in with a blood sugar report:

For now, I will use this blog as my daily diet and workout diary....Stay Tuned!