Been Sick

Last Tuesday I got the stomach flu. That can be vary dangerous when you are diabetic. But I was able to maintain phenomenal blood glucose levels for several reasons:
1. I went into it with a healthy lifestyle of eating right, exercising, and having stable blood glucose levels.
2. After getting sick, I would drink about 1/3 of a can of full sugar soda.
3. I tested, tested, and tested some more to make sure my levels were staying where they needed to be.

Even though the worst of it was over in about 24 hours, I was lethargic and lacked an appetite until late in the day on Sunday. I was only eating around 400 calories a day, and yet, my blood glucose levels stayed between 90 and 120 without even trying. Most of the time they were between 100 and 110! 100 is sort of the ideal target, so that was like winning the lottery.

So then what happened?

Well, there have been a few other things going on in my life that I won't bore you with that have been causing me to lose some focus here. I haven't exercised since last Tuesday (I worked out before getting sick), I've been eating higher carb comfort foods, haven't been sleeping as well as I should, and my stress levels are up.

At this point my body is starting to lose control. Sort of like a waterfall, where the water is all smooth and together, but after 20 or 30 feet it can't hold it together anymore and it blows apart into a state of chaotic free fall. THAT inflection point is where I am right now.

So what will I choose to do?

On one hand I say to myself, "well, I'm dealing with a lot right now. I need to get caught back up with my work. I need to make sure I feel strong enough to exercise. Blah blah blah."

On the other, I look at my wife and daughter and say, "I need to be committed to my own health, so that I live longer, live stronger, and set a good example for my daughter."

Its the whole, "the hardest part of the journey is the first step" thing. Or maybe its, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." Or it could be, "a journey of a thousand miles is easier to fly than it is to walk."

In any event, it is difficult to budge. In a week and 2 days I've become sedentary. I need to get moving. I need to say to myself, "Jeff, YOU are a Liveabetic, which means that you have a commitment to life, and right now you are failing yourself and those who love you."

The truth hurts a little, but it is the truth. I'm going to work out tomorrow, Thursday, April 22. If you are reading my blog, and you work out too, let me know by posting a "I did my workout" comment to this post! That will motivate me to know that my struggle has helped at least one other person.