You may be at risk for diabetes if...

Anyone else here bristle when you are presented with these statements?

I mean, no $4!†, Sherlock. I have diabetes. I am no longer at risk for the condition, it exists in me.

So why does my lab's A1c, if it exceeds 5.8, say "You are at risk for diabetes" rather than "You are within guidelines for someone with diabetes"? Did my diabetes suddenly go away just because I don't need to take pills or shots to control it?

Now, I know I'd be really peeved if I didn't have diabetes and a 5.8 A1c read, "You have excellent control of your diabetes" -- but come on, some contextual information, please -- or better yet, placing 5.8 in the "higher than reference normal" category and letting my doctor do the talking.

  (READ MORE)

I can't remember a time in my life when I felt good about the way I looked. OK, wait. I take that back. I lost weight when I was pregnant with No. 1 and felt OK then. Again, lost weight when I was pregnant with No. 2 and felt pretty darn good about myself when my pre-pregnancy clothes were too big after she was born. And then after being diagnosed with diabetes and getting pregnant with No. 3 and losing 50 lb. I felt really good about the way I looked.

But if I had kept off all that weight I lost (nearly 100 lb. collectively) I'd look much different than I do now. I have always struggled with my weight. In fact, I remember going on my first diet when I was in sixth grade. Yep, that's when I was about 11 or 12 years old.

  (READ MORE)

The Mr. took No. 1 to his last well-child doctor's visit. I should have gone. I'm such an information junkie that I ask so many questions of The Mr. after things like this that it would have just made more sense for me to have gone.

I was shocked to learn that No. 1 is in the 91st percentile for weight. Dr. N, who I absolutely love, sent a note home about increasing the amount of fruits and veggies No. 1 eats and decreasing the amount of fats and sugars he eats.

  (READ MORE)

As an engineer by training, I find quantitative analysis -- numbers -- an expression of control. Self control, exercise, body function, health and illness... So while I'm fortunate enough not to have to be "Bionic Betty" with a peripheral pancreas, I still refer regularly to six separate instruments, plus additional Web-based resources, to manage my food intake, exercise output, and biometric information.

Weight. Some folk say weighing once a week is enough, but I find that if I don't weigh in every morning, my weight can go off on very health-unfriendly curves. I log my weight both in The Daily Plate and in my personal Excel workbook.

  (READ MORE)

I went shopping last night for just one new outfit and for the first time in a very long time I tried not to be so hard on myself about the way I look.
 

I’ve been heavy for a long time. I remember my mom helping me try to lose weight when I was in sixth grade. I think I lost 13 lb. and was beside myself with excitement.
 

I can’t ever remember a time when I was happy with the way my body looks. Though when I look back now at pictures of myself in college I realize that I wasn’t as heavy as I thought I was, didn’t look as undesirable as I thought I was.
  (READ MORE)

This morning in the shower I tried to plan out what I would wear today. Brown capri pants, for sure, I thought. They are comfy and roomy. The shirt I wanted to wear, though, was waded up on a shelf. Seriously, I'm not in high school anymore, why don't I put my clean clothes away?

Anyway. The brown capris felt a little loose and looked pretty baggy as I looked myself over in the mirror. Hmph, I thought. Maybe the black capris would be better; I'm just not feeling this brown thing today.

Same deal with the black capris, but I was running out of time -- and clothing options -- so I went with the black ones. Whatever, I'm a desk jockey so I can live with it.

But the more I moved around the more I realized that my pants were actually too big! Not just a little loose, but like a size or two too big.

  (READ MORE)