One Year Later

Today marks my one year anniversary of getting fit. One year ago today I sat in my doctors office and listened as he told me that my A1C levels were at 6.4 and that I am now considered pre-diabetic. And in all actuality if I was .1 more at 6.5 I would be diagnosed with diabetes. And once you are diagnosed with diabetes you will forever have it even if you get your numbers down. This would not only effect my health but my health insurance and various other things.

My doctor gave me three months to get my numbers down and the moment I walked out of his office I was determined to do anything I had to do to not become diabetic. So when I got home from work that evening I walk/jog for an hour at the park across the street from my place. The next day I got up early and did another walk/jog for an hour before work. I did this every single day without taking a break for 3 months. I also changed my eating habits and tried to eat less out food and more healthy foods.

At the end of the three months I had lost 25 lbs and was feeling pretty good. I went back to my doctors and found that my A1C was now down to 6.0, I was still considered pre-diabetic but my numbers were heading in the right direction.

Two weeks later I joined NerdStrong Gym, my workouts went from 3 days a week to 6 days a week in a matter of a few months.

At my six month mark I was down another five pounds for a total of 30 pounds lost. I had gone down two pant sizes and one shirt size. My A1C was now at 5.7, which is .1 away from being normal at 5.6 and below.

So in six months I went from being .1 away from being diabetic to being .1 away from being normal.

Now today it's my one year mark and things are moving along. I have to make an appointment with my doctor to have my A1C levels checked once again. If the trend holds I should be a few points below my last numbers which would make me "normal" and no longer threaten with diabetes.

To be honest I should have made the appointment by now but part of me is scared of the results. The first six months was great and I worked hard to get fit, but these last six months have been tough. I still work hard during my workouts and my body has be changing for the better but my eating habits have been like a yoyo and I'm worried about my A1C. I would be crushed to find out that my A1C went up again but I'm gonna have to suck it up and find out.. it's better to know for sure then to worry for no reason.

Side note here.. I've been going to a place called Fit Fax for the past eight months where they measure your body composition. In those eight months I have lost 4.2 lbs of fat but gained 5.1 lbs of lean body mass as well as 1.4 lbs of Dry Lean Mass. My Metabolic rate has gone from 1592 to 1654 an increase of 49.

My weight this past year started at 219 (the highest it's ever been) but I went down to 189 at my 6 month mark but at my year mark I'm back up to 194 (but it's all muscle mass). I'm still trying to get my weight down to 175 but it's tough and with my yoyo eating habits it's making it that much harder. But I'm determined to do it and I know in time I'll get there.. just have to be patient.

One year down... and I'm very happy with my progress. I know things aren't going to change over night but I've come a long way in a year. Thanks to all who have shown me such love and support this past year... couldn't have done it without you all.