Dave G.'s Testimonial to Nutrition Link Services image

Dave G.’s Testimonial to Nutrition Link Services

10/31/19:

After many false starts here is my continuing history. I cannot swear that today is the day I will finish this. It is the day I am going to establish a bridgehead and start the inexorable push to get it done. I have been dilatory on this since 10/15. Onward!

I wrote a previous testimonial in late July. It detailed how under the tutelage of Annette O’Neill of Nutrition Links Services, I a 5’4″ 158 lbs sedentary lover of ice cream (you try being active with a pint of ice cream in your stomach) lost 20 lbs, normalized high cholesterol and took major strides to reverse my Type 2 Diabetes. My fasting glucose became normal and my 3-month average improved to pre-diabetic.

Measuring-Waist-with-Tape-Measure

10/31/19:

All Hallows Eve. I’ve been eating today and intend to eat more. Guilt free as one has to live one’s best life. I’ll cut toward the end of my account (I have become “unstuck in time”, same as Billy Pilgrim. Thank you for that reference Mr. Vonnegut). At our last meeting Annette told me to eat more, up to 3000 calories a day. That counsel came with macronutrient targets. Suffice to say I will not meet those today with candy, bagels and whatever else will occur.

At the end of July, I was on maintenance mode on the weight. Targeting 1950 calories or so. Not too concerned about cholesterol or fat so long as I didn’t overdo it, particularly the trans and saturated fats but still high amounts of protein, and lower than the daily recommended amount of carbs. This was because we wanted to improve my HbA1c if possible. My cholesterol was less of a concern as it had been normalized. I was also to remain active with walking and weights. From June on I generally had one moderate strength session a week and one light session. As per the walking, some days I go a mile or 2, some days up to 11. Off days were rare. Maintenance is important but isn’t riveting to write about. I think that is why I had the starts and stops before I got going on this.

11/4/19:

I next met with Annette on 8/14. I had pretty much met my calorie and macronutrient goal in the intervening time. But I had far more days where I didn’t have complete data. The overwhelming likelihood is on days where I don’t have complete data I am consuming more calories than on other days. Hard to determine precisely what’s in food when you eat out.

Now I raised a vain concern, my belly. It sometimes seemed to overhang my waist when I am looking down at it but not when seen in a mirror. Apparently, it is hard to view oneself objectively. Annette said more ab work & cut down on sugar. She then pointed out I get most of my sugar from fruit and as fruit is healthy it wouldn’t be worth it to cut back. The best of my recollection we left everything as was- calories, macronutrients & physical activity levels.

On 8/26 we met again. She wasn’t thrilled with me. I had mulled it over after the last session and decided If can cut down on fruit and add more vegetables. I can increase protein and cut calories to under 1800 and see what that does to the belly. I didn’t inform Annette I was doing this. I had lost 2 lbs and then told Annette of my regimen. She rebuked me. I apologized and promised not to do anything like that again. And I won’t. It was irresponsible. 135 lbs and chastised, we went back to Annette’s prescription, not mine.

11/12/19:

My next session was 9/16 and I was up a pound. The only suggested modification was to cut back on physical activity. That if I was trying to burn only 200 calories a day that would suffice. We played around with Eatlove.pro a little. EatLove.pro is likely a great resource but due to my culinary ineptitude, I never made use of it other than the interest I took in its take on what my macronutrients should be. But any reasonably competent person, I don’t claim that mantle for myself, should be able to make use of the recipes and meal plans. Next appt 10/15. Blood test on 10/7.

I sent Annette a plaintive email on 9/25 that it was now Fall and none of my pants fit. They were too loose, incidentally.

11/17/19:

10/7 test and results: Cholesterol good on all metrics. Fasting glucose down to 93. That constitutes an improvement on a number that wasn’t a problem. My HbA1c had a slight tick up to 6.1., but that might be a statistical anomaly as my doctor’s office had switched labs. Fasting weight 131.6. lbs. The last two were slightly disappointing. I was still prediabetic per HbA1c, but again, and this is a positive, not a candidate for medication. It does seem though that I legitimately have a predisposition toward high sugar that is not entirely controlled by weight and diet. That isn’t to say my diet can’t be tweaked more.

I was unpleasantly surprised at how light I was. This time I hadn’t cut calories. Though I was burning in excess of 200 calories per day. I emailed Annette I was going up to 2100 calories until the 15th. At least this time I was smart enough to inform the professional of my intentions, rather than presenting a Fait Accompli. On 10/15 Annette, as previously mentioned, upped my calories to 3000 calories per day.  She also indicated a link between smoking and diabetes. There are a host of reasons why cigarettes are inadvisable.

By the 2nd Week of October my schedule had had a drastic change & it had been harder to be as active as I wanted to be.  For now I am trying to eat relatively well, get my 150 minutes of physical activity a week, and put on a few lbs. Winter, traditionally has a way of assisting with the latter. I want to avoid reverting to a bad habit. I do not plan on more years of sloth and gluttony, however, were I to slip up, Annette has given me the tools to right the ship. Further, I look to Annette and Nutrition Links Services to a be lighthouse in the future. She’ll alert me where the rocks are.

Only I can navigate them safety.