As The Temp Rises

The blood sugar falls. That seems to be the trend with me in the heat. Whether I am sitting outside in the sun or in the pool I must make sure to adjust my insulin. Over the past few days my blood sugar has been pretty good, but there have been some really annoying moments. Like last night.

As the holiday weekend came to a close it was great being able to spend it poolside and BBQ'ing with the family in the evening. 

Usually I stick to a cheeseburger, but I was really feeling a hot dog as well. I do not make them a usual simply because it is well, a hot dog. I tried not to beat myself up about it. I had been working really hard in the gym, see here and also I had been getting some extra exercise with swimming.

After dinner I controlled my desire for ice cream and treated myself to my version of "dessert." A ThinkThin Chocolate Brownie Crunch Bar and a cup of coffee. (Who needs ice cream or brownies when you can be just as satisfied with a protein bar?) Before dessert I was 190, a little high, but figured I had just eaten dinner. So I covered for my bar and figured I'd be good to go. Not the case.

This was a picture recap from bar time to bed time. 

Had some juice... 15 mins later..

More juice...

Relief! Had a cracker to stabilize. Was extremely erked that I had to eat again after I HAD JUST Eaten, but off to bed I went. 

20 mins later... 

                       REALLY?!?! 

*** I just want to sleep!! *** 

More juice...

What better way to pass the time than to tweet your frustrations. 

Ok... Waited another 10mins. I didn't want to over do it and thought maybe everything that I had just eaten would catch up. Wishful thinking.

Not the case...

Really, this has GOT to be a joke. 

One more cracker. 

10 mins later I tried going to sleep again as I had come up to 95. Now I feared waking up at 300 and something. However I was pleasantly surprised to wake up at a lovely 130. Go figure. 

This is just one example of the detours involved in T1D. Annoying and frustrating when they happen for what you feel like is no reason. Even more annoying being forced to eat what feels like a whole meal when you do not want to right before going to sleep. I tried to be good and pass on the ice cream and look where it got me. Can't win sometimes. 

#type1diabeticproblems. 

Sayonara Sausage

This holiday weekend always calls for a lot of BBQ food. Hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, etc. Although I LOVE everything on the above list and then some, I have been making sure to step it up in the gym. Here is a recap of my workouts to help me say Sayonara to all of that BBQ.

Thursday (July 4th): Usually I take two classes on Thursdays as mentioned here, but I decided to just do the first class as I felt like I had no energy after it. This class is called Step Interval and using the step on one set of risers we do a non-stop hour of cardio. Step, kick-boxing and weights...my favorite are the plyometric jumps! (Thank you skating). I like this class not only because of the instructor, but because it sends your heart rate up, down and all around. Perfect for blasting away calories.

After class I did about 10 minutes of core work followed by some stretching.

Friday (July 5th): With all of the fun mentioned in my July 4th post I know I needed to get to the gym on Friday. I did a 30 minute treadmill interval workout followed by a circuit drill I found off of pinterest. 

*Note- I only ran through this circuit once. 

I do not use pinterest a lot, but there are some great workouts on there! I love resorting to them when I am getting a little bored with my usual workouts. I could tell it was working because I was DRIPPING. So much that there was a puddle around me (oops). Don't worry I cleaned it up! :D  I am naturally a sweater, but I can tell the difference when I mix up my workouts.

After, I went to yoga. Every Friday I try to make it to the Yoga class offered at my gym. I like this particular class because of the stretching and it is more of a fitness style yoga rather than a spiritual one. I just can't take myself seriously in the "I'm floating on a cloud" style yoga.

Saturday (July 6th): Time for some Spinning!! My gym rearranged some of the classes for the holiday weekend, so there was only 1 spin class to attend. Such a bummer. However, the instructor Joanne did a great "Super Spin" and made it an hour class instead of 45mins. Great music and a challenging ride! There was even a hill to MJ's "The Way You Make Me Feel." Reminded me of Erin's class from last Monday!

Sunday (July 7th): I was thinking about taking off, but I was feeling too motivated and after celebrating my brothers birthday the night before I knew it was the right thing. I had a glass of wine AND dessert. So unlike me.

My goal of the workout was weight training. Beforehand I did 25 minutes of intervals on the treadmill. 5 min warm up jog, 2mins of walking on an incline of 14 and 3.8mph, 2mins of sprinting at 8.5. Cool down was walking for about 3mins.

I worked abs, legs then arms.
Abs: I am so random with abs. Let's just say I do a lot of different forms of crunches and moves to target all parts of the core.

Legs: 15 squats (15lb weights in each hand)
          15 Lunges (each leg- 15lb weights in each hand overhead)
          20 Sumo Squats (holding 15lb weight at chest)
          Repeat 3x.

Arms: 12 forward arm extension (knuckles facing out) 10lbs each hand
           12 side extensions - 10lbs each hand
           12 bicep curls - 10lbs each hand
           Repeat 3x.
Ended with a good stretch and I called it a day.

4th of July Fun!

                                                        Fun it was! Lets get to it...


Started the day off right at the gym. I usually do 2 classes on Thursdays, but I really pushed it in the first one which was a cardio kickbox/step/weight class. I made sure to dress accordingly.

Every year since I can remember I have been lucky enough to attend the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks thanks to the MOST AWESOME DAD'S position with the company. It was a beautiful and fun filled evening shared with great people! Unfortunately, my brother Mike could not attend to do work. :(




Look at them VIP's!

It has been at this location on the Hudson River for the past 3 years. It is a carnival like atmosphere with giveaways, music and more importantly... food and drinks! The food truck in our area offered sausages with potato chips and the most awesome ice cream pops! I asked if the sausages were gluten free and luckily they were. I had to have without the bun, but I didn't mind. Luckily Tanya was able to share this foodie pic with me that she took. (I ate mine too quick to snap).

Seriously loved those ice cream pops. I had 2 1/2.



For the first time I was able to take advantage of the complimentary drink ticket that I received when we arrived. A choice of beer or wine so I went with the wine (gluten free). I only had about half before I let my mom finish the rest. Like I said before..I'll choose food over alcohol ANY day.




I was careful with insulin since I was walking around, it was warm out and alcohol can lower blood sugar. I was a little high before eating (220) so I wound up covering for the food with 4 units. I didn't give insulin for a correction factor. I figured I could always give more and did not want a low blood sugar to ruin my time at the event.

Worked out perfectly I must say! Two hours later I was a perfect 100 and stayed right around there the entire night.

 

 

Here are some other pics from the night...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Police Commissioner Kelly!

 

 

Mayor Mike! (I was really hoping he would speak Spanish..it is my favorite part of his news conferences).





Best seats in the house!



I hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th! Don't forget to remember the troops who help to keep our country safe.

Happy Birthday America!

Spinning with MJ

Yesterday was one of the best spin classes ever. Not only was it a butt kicking, sweat pouring workout, but it was an ENTIRE class of Michael Jackson music! Say what you want about him, but I love him lol. When I was ice skating I even did a showcase program to Billie Jean. 

The profile played some if his greatest hits and included 4 intense hills. As a future spinning instructor, this really helped me to see the importance of music. I felt myself pushing myself harder and sweating even more than I usually do (hard to believe I know). Now I'm sure not everyone is as big a fan of MJ as I am, but it is important to play a variety of music and switch it up every class. (Although I was perfectly fine with 45 minutes of the King). Throwing in themed rides (MJ for example) and all genres of music is what makes spinning fun! A bunch of people seemed to enjoy the MJ profile! 

My two favorite hills were to Billie Jean and The Way You Make Me Feel. There was just something about the beat to those songs that made it perfect for a climb. 

You have heard me mention the instructor Erin before in other posts. I always feel challenged by her rides which is important because one never wants to feel bored in a workout. 

Here is Erin with a big smile after kicking all of our butts! 

Don't let her small size fool you, she is a BEAST!! 

Thanks Erin for another GREAT class! See you next Monday. :) 

Just Keep Spinning

Yes spinning, not SWIMMING.

 

Yesterday was a big day for me. My Spin Instructor Orientation! What a LONG day mentally and physically. The day ran from 8am-6pm and included 2 rides and classroom lectures where we went over different parts of the official Spinning manual. 

Taught by Master Trainer, MaryJo all twenty of us learned a lot of great tips for teaching a spinning class and MaryJo also had a great sense of humor to keep us all laughing throughout the day!

My main concern was of course making it through the day without any blood sugar problems. I have gotten through many spin classes without any issues, but when you are thrown into a different setting and different time of the day when a workout takes place, these things can all factor in and become a big hassle. I am happy to say I had no issues! Actually, my blood sugars were just where I wanted them to be the whole day. Not too high or too low and I made it through both rides.

The day started off on the low side with a reading of 68. Since I didn't know when exactly the rides would be taking place I had my usual eggs and toast breakfast without covering. I figured I can always take some insulin if I saw I was shooting up too high and would not be able to remove insulin once injected. This decision worked out perfectly! The first ride wasn't until 12pm and lasted until a little after 1pm. Beforehand I was 183 and knew since I had no short acting insulin in me I would make it through the ride. Thank God because OF COURSE just as we were about to begin, my sensor wasn't calibrating. :( I told myself "Just keep spinning."

By the time lunch rolled around I was STARVING!! We were given about 45mins break so I went right to the locker room, tested (165), recalibrated my sensor and had lunch. I usually like my apple with pb after a workout, but it was just not happening in a gym locker room so I stuck with my other staple... turkey and cheese on wrap. I loved opening up my lunch bag to find this note from Mom:

 

This is where I met Leah. She had noticed my sensor and asked if it was something for Diabetes. At first I am always a little hesitant because many misunderstand type 1 for type 2, but Leah knew about type 1. A coworker of her has a daughter with type 1 and also on the Dexcom sensor. We chatted for a little and it was really comforting speaking to someone who could understand my concerns of the day. She even said she added my blog to her reading list! (Hi Leah!!) :)

After lunch it was back to class from 2-5 to learn all about hear rate training, creating spin profiles and music. A lot of information!

**Note: No bar time which was extremely difficult, but I made up for it later. We will get to that**

Then it was time for the second ride, the last part of the day and definitely the hardest. Before I tested and was 183 so I decided to have an Extend Protein Bar. These are really good for maintaining blood sugars during strenuous workouts. So glad I had one because I would not have made it through without. This ride was about 35-40 mins and it was a sample of all of the different types of rides we learned about. Endurance, Strength, Interval and Race Day. MaryJo was a great instructor and so motivating! I was sweating like no other. After the first loop the class decided to go for another round (I had mixed feeling towards this lol), but I told myself this is it, I can do it, after I am done! It is really important to have mental toughness. Just keep spinning ... just keep spinning...

When we finished it was the greatest feeling. We all cheered and it was a great feeling not only as a group effort, but for me personally. Receiving my certificate of completion reminded me that I can accomplish what I put my mind to. It may take more planning and worry, but it CAN be done. A year ago I would have never pushed myself out of my comfort zone like I have been doing, but each time I get through another obstacle I am that much more motivated. 

Before driving home I made sure to test and I was 114. PERFECTTTT :) When I got in the car I literally cried because of all of the adrenaline, emotion and feeling of accomplishment. (And because I was STARVING yet again..plus no bar time). That was soon fixed after getting home and having a great BBQ dinner! Steak, ribs, salads..not the healthiest, but it was Saturday after all and my eating all day was pretty limited. I helped mom finish her steak too. :)

The day ended with a trip to Starbucks for my iced coffee and my bar for dessert. :) It was a perfect ending to a rewarding day. Bar time and also one of my favorite movies, New Year's Eve was on.

 

If you haven't seen I HIGHLY recommend, no matter what time of the year it is.

 

 

My message for all of you is to step out of your comfort zone! I am so glad I chose to do this. I have always wanted to do something fitness related so I thought it was the perfect opportunity. I hope I make a good spin instructor and can motivate people the way I have been motivated by my own spin instructors.

Gym Fools & Sweetener in my Starbucks

Well it is more than half way through this Friday and it has NOT been good. I am beginning to see more and more that COMMON SENSE JUST AIN'T THAT COMMON!

This morning while I was at the gym I ran into a guy who I used to see there all the time. About a year ago he moved upstate and now I only see him occasionally when he is in town visiting family and uses the gym here. Each time I run into him he always makes a comment on my appearance. He used to tell me that I look too thin and sickly. Today he asked me if I had put on some weight since the last time he saw me. Like REALLY?! First off you are a 50+ year old man, leave me alone. Second, haven't you ever heard of the old saying "If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all?" I don't think he meant any cruelty by it, I almost wish he did because at least then I can just write it off as the guy is a mean person... but this guy is just plain old fashioned STUPID. I think I can deal with mean people better than I can with stupid people.

This kind of goes back to my message in my post about the pizza. People really need to think before they speak.

I don't know of any person, but females in particular who want to hear that they have looked like they "gained weight." Now I have lost a significant amount of weight in the past two years,

but I know that since my lowest, the number on the scale has gone up due to muscle (hopefully). I personally hate getting on the scale and avoid at all costs. Seeing your weight can make you go from feeling great to beating yourself up. I almost get into fights with the nurses at doctors offices when they need to check my height and weight every visit. The number on a scale can definitely mess up a persons head, I will be the first to tell you. Many doctors and health professionals always say to go by how your clothes fit, but then the first thing they want you to do when they step in your office is step on the scale... really?! It just does not make sense to me.

Like a lot of people, I have struggled (and still do) with self image. Nothing too severe, but your typical female insecurities. Especially when I am forced to eat when I do not want to because of a low blood sugar. I feel like it is necessary to "un-do" that "damage" and will not feel better until I work out.

What if I did struggle more with these issues than I do? The idiot gym guy's comment could have taken a much deeper cut. What if I was recovering from an eating disorder? Would that be something I really have wanted to hear? Not going to lie, I was definitely upset at first and shed a few tears before yoga... no one ever wants to hear that they look like they have gained weight. However I highly doubt that he thought of these possibilities before making that comment.

I really wish I could have said something to him, but I was just standing there asking myself "did that really just come out of his mouth?" Hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to say something to him and hopefully he will start to think before he makes comments on a female's appearance.

Then to add to my annoyance.. after my daily Starbucks run I return home to discover that they put sweetener in my iced coffee when I specifically say everyday "no room and no sweetener." Luckily mom saved the day by bringing it back and correcting it. I would have, but I had taken my insulin for my bar and feared waiting to long could result in a low blood sugar which would not have been good while driving. Everyone makes mistakes, ill give them that, but I wish they would have made their mistake on a different day. LOL :) 

So everyone hopefully this is just another reminder to think before you speak! I feel silly having to say this, but apparently people do make these comments. 

Lighting Round

Favorite TV Show: The Hills (when it was on MTV). Don't watch anything too religiously anymore.

 

Hidden Talent: Saying the alphabet backwards.

Go to Comfort Food: Cheese or chocolate chip cookies.

Favorite Artist: Michael Jackson.

                                               

Celebrity Crush(es):
   
      
  
 
  

Favorite Princess:
 

Favorite Place: Aruba
 

Dream: A Cure...

    

Long Term Goal: To go Skydiving in Aruba wearing a YOLO t-shirt:
    

Someday....



Gym Pet Peeve: Grunting

 

Seriously, if you need to moan and groan obnoxiously...you may want to try a lighter weight. Just sayin :)