Making some changes...

So instead of whining (see last post ;) I have decided to implement some actual changes to my lifestyle that I hope will make a prompt difference in my D management as well as my state of mind. Basically, I am going to alter my diet in a consistent way, while shifting toward lower carb - higher fat eating (although not to an extreme). I have used low-carb meal planning before and found it to aid greatly in weight loss as well as making my bg more predictable (easier to dose for smaller amount of carbs, etc.) Basically, I am planning an adjusted  Bernstein/ Paleo - type diet (look up Bernstein if not familiar - I think he's got a really cool story). And I say "adjusted" because I very-well known that I will NOT be 100% cutting out ALL pastas, pizzas, breads, rices, etc. And I will not be eating as little as 30 carbs/day (probably more like 50-80 I'm thinking). I instead will change the proportions of these foods I eat relative to other things, incorporating greater amounts of veggies and also some fruit (funny thing with fruit - I can never bolus properly for a banana but I can have a berry/milk smoothie like a champ! damn bananas..) I will also not restrict protein/fat intake of any kind - I don't anyway (although I will not go over-board by eating salami sticks and cheese all day long either :) YDMV as they say, as do our dietary needs. But after much research recently (reading science articles, but also hearing about LCHF advantages from PWDs of many walks of life by word of mouth), I have decided that I would like to try to make these changes and see how it goes. And since I'm trying to drop a few pounds/tone up for our upcoming trip to Europe at the end of June, I think it will be good for that anyway, even if I decide that it might not be right for me in the end... You live you learn, as they say.

So - now I start. And I will need to have some accountability. That is not to say that I have to be "perfect" but I hope I   will find as much time as possible to blog here about my adventures trying new things with my diet - so hopefully lots of food pic and recipes, carb counting, insulin dosing, exercise adjustments, and a general run-down of what's working/not working/ how I feel, etc. (none of it medical advice, of course).

I plan to continue to exercise as I have been (1-2 hours of hiking hills with dogs at least 4 times a week :) And (at least until I figure out how the diet changes are affecting my BGs along with continuing exercise, and readjust my basal doses and I:Cs if needed), I am probably not going to be drinking any alcohol at all. I plan to experiment with wine/possibly beer in the future and see how this might incorporate into a life with (hopefully) better bg control, but first things first...

I have to admit I'm a little nervous posting this, because I'm not sure if I will be able to do it and I am really scared that I will feel defeated if I don't see a sudden improvement in my D control or that I just won't be able to stay consistent. But I have to! I feel like this is great preparation for a potential pregnancy, because I'm trying to be healthier in my diet/habits/  bg control in a more concerete long-term way, and having a solid plan of things that I will be doing/ not doing not just in my head but out here now! And I'm glad I have this blog to kind of make me more accountable. I'm excited to share how it's going - let's try every Friday (?) maybe...

So here is "baseline":

weight: 121-122 ish (I'm a shorty!)
7-day BG ave: 228 (cringe!)
estimated insulin usage/ day: 12 U Levemir (spolit to 2 6-U doses; + between 10-20 U Humalog - this varies greatly)
general state of mind: tired but cautiously optimistic