Baby Steps... Reflecting on My Journey

It's been over a year since I started this blog in attempts to help control my Type 1 diabetes and get some support from other people who could relate with my daily struggles. I'm so thankful for all the amazing people who've encouraged me on this ride.

Over the last year or so I got my A1c back in range to the 6.0-7.0 marks. I began using a Continuous Glucose Monitor to help keep my sugar levels in check. I began an intense exercise program that helped me go from 145 lbs. down to my current 115 lbs. and I began making better food choices. Last week I decided to become a distributor for what I think is a KICK BUTT health product that can benefit ANYONE but especially diabetics. (I started a blog about those endeavors, but I'm not really gonna focus on it here... if you are interested in learning more, just ask and I got ya covered)

It dawned on me today as I was talking to a few of my girlfriend's about giving up on artificial sweeteners and diet soda that I have NEVER FELT MORE HEALTHY OR IN CONTROL OF MY DIABETES as I do today. Then I got a little emotional.... I haven't been able to feel this way, ever!! Don't get me wrong, I still have days where my sugars fly off the handle, I eat pizza and it kicks my butt, or my pump infusion set malfunctions, or I wake up with a sweaty low in the middle of the night... but those times are getting fewer and farther in between.

I realized today that by giving up diet soda I was really getting committed in my discipline for wanting to really optimize the way I feel and the way I live day to day. OK, let me clarify... because I don't want it to sound like those of you who drink diet coke all day long are immature, undedicated diabetics. What I'm trying to say is that I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE Diet Soda. My Mom and I have argued for years about how it's not good for you, etc. I know this, you know this. But my view was always, "Well... dang it. I have this stupid disease and I can't drink juice unless my sugars are low, I can't drink regular sodas or fancy coffee drinks, so that leaves water, milk, and diet stuff! So leave me alone! Let me have my variety!" And I SOOOOOO GET that attitude! The reason I'm kinda freaking out is because this is the first time in my life that *I* have actually WANTED to give up the artificial stuff in attempts to really continue to grow towards healthiness (is that a word?).

So this is me kinda tootin my horn. I'm proud of it, because for me... this is big. And HARD.

But I'm excited. And I want to keep this journey going so I can continue to tell diabetes to go *insert word of choice here* itself and I can live the rockin life God intended me to have! Much love to all my D-friends (and my non-D friends at that) and keep kickin it till we find a cure!

My New Addiction... The Spaghetti Squash

Hello. My name is Windy and I'm a squash-a-holic. I've been "Tweeting" and "Face Book Status-ing" about my love for eating spaghetti squash and lots of people have been asking me how I make it, so I thought I'd write up a recipe! It's very simple, DELICIOUS, and low carb... and you can change it as you like. HERE is a link for the carb count from plain squash (not including toppings)

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Take the squash and cut it in half long ways.

3. Scoop out all the pulp and all the seeds.

4. Take some EVOO and rub it all over the inside of both squash, then you add some salt and pepper

5. Take the squash and place them on a cookie sheet rind side up and bake for about 30-45 min depending on how big and
thick the squash is. Just keep your eye on it and when it starts to get a little brown on the bottom and it's sizzleing and
tender, it's done.

6. Flip it over and take a fork and start to move it back and forth, it will start to shread up the inside so it looks like spaghetti
noodles!

You can eat it just like this. Or you can add spaghetti meat, or cheese, or parmasean or whatever to the top!

ENJOY!

Yesterday I went grocery shopping at Publix (of course) and I brought home 4 boxes of one of the most horrible, God-forsaken processed foods on the planet. Pop-tarts. I like to call them "Coma-in-a-Box." And they were the frosted kind with sprinkles on top to make it worse. My husband loves these things and when I bring them home along with my wheat germ, flax seeds, and spaghetti squash... he is nicer to me. And well, they were free after coupons. (of course)

So this morning my bouncing 4 year old finds the shiny box and brings them to me.

Gabe: I want this!!!!!!!!! Pleeeeeeeese!!!

Me: You don't want that. Those are your Dad's. It's garbage, Gabe

Gabe: I WANT TO EAT GARBAGE LIKE DAD!!!!

Me: *rolls eyes and lets Justin handle the rest*

Chili's NEW Guiltless Grill

Hey Diabetes O.C.!!

I am a member of Buzz Agent which means sometimes I get to sample some REALLY cool products. I was recently sent some coupons from Chili's to try their new Guiltless Grill entrees so we grabbed a couple friends and scored some DELICIOUS food.... that was HEALTHY to boot! I picked the Honey Mustard Salmon with steamed veggies and folks... it was gooooooooooood. It was extremely low carb and totally DELICIOUS! My hubby picked the steak. I tried a bite and it was good too... nothing to flip over, but it was tasty. (Keepin it real for my diabetic peeps) Anyways... I've always been a fan of Chili's and their addicting as heck Chips and Queso, so it is nice to see some great items on their menu that will appeal to the diabetic crowd and won't send my blood sugars to the moon. I absolutely hate sacrificing taste for health, and I truly feel that with these menu items on the Guiltless Grill, I don't have to! Thanks Chili's!!!

HOW TO SAVE BIG AT PUBLIX

OK, I've been getting more and more requests to share how I save so much money at CVS and Publix, so I thought I'd start with the easier of the two. This post will hopefully give you several simple steps to begin saving money at Publix. Keep in mind that I've been at this for over a year now (and I'm still learning) so make little goals and don't get overwhelmed. Do what you can and enjoy the little savings at first, then watch it grow as you get better! Money Saving Mom noted in one of her podcasts to make it a goal to add another $5 of savings each week. Our family budget is $110 for all grocery and household items per week. (including diapers and all toiletries) It is like a game to me now. =) I can usually get it around $90 most weeks.

OK, first and most popular question: "Where do I find coupons for Publix?"

First you need to begin getting the Sunday paper EVERY week and collecting coupons. Here you will find
Smart Source insert
Red Plum insert
and sometimes a Proctor and Gamble insert or special Publix inserts.

I pull them out of the paper and write the date on the front then I file them in a small vertical file box by month so coupons are easy to find and I don't waste time flipping through endless unorganized inserts. This is the system that works for me. I don't clip coupons, because I plan everything that I am going to buy before I go to the store. Sometimes I get multiple Sunday papers if I see the coupons are going to be extra valuable that week.

Many of the coupons I use are internet printable coupons that are linked from the "Bargain Blogs" that I will share with you later in this post.

Publix has rounders at the front of their stores with advertised sales and coupons in these. I grab several of these to keep on hand. Publix allows you to stack a "Publix coupon" with a "Manufacturers Coupon". This adds up to super savings.

Many Publix's also accept competitor's coupons such as Target or Food Lion. Today I got a save $3 on a $10 purchase at Save A Lot coupon in the mail... I took it to my Publix and they accepted it! They will not accept coupons for stores like CVS or Walgreens, but have always taken my major grocery store competitor coupons.

Finally, I am in all of the Publix loyalty programs that you can sign up for in store or online at publix.com Including the Greenwise magazine club (organic coupons in every issue) and the Baby Club (NOTE: if you don't have a baby it would be unethical to lie and say you have one, thankfully I do. =) ) And also the "Pre School Pals Club" There is also a Family magazine you can sign up for and a Wine magazine. All of these magazines and clubs send you coupons in the mail monthly or quarterly.


So... that's that. Step one. Now once you start your collection you're well on your way! Now... there are two SUPER blogs that do LOTS OF THE WORK for you! My online friend, Sarah, has a blog called FiddleDeeDee where she notes the sales and gives you the coupon match ups each week. For example: this week Progresso soup is $1.50 per can. There is a printable coupon HERE for $1.10 off one can. Thus making the soup cost .40 cents! An 84% savings! Sarah maps all this out for you each week in her Publix posts. Sarah also seems to eat pretty healthy and I find her "Organic Friday" posts helpful in buying more organic or natural foods at a lower price. Today I had coupons for hummus, organic pita chips, and Greenwise organic milk. I also had a coupon for $1 off produce (Publix baby club)$1 off any deli item and $1 off any dairy item to stack on it. making my one gallon of organic milk cost only $2.99!

Another site I check often is Southern Savers. (Look for the Publix tab near the top ) She also blogs other store deals like CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger.

Both of these sites are VITAL to my planning each week and I am GRATEFUL to these ladies for their hard work.

Please note also that you should check with the Publix you will be shopping at as to their specific coupon policies BEFORE you start using any crazy competitor coupons because they seem to vary from store to store. Both the Publix's in my city have been very good about accepting my coupons as long as they are not expired and are for the correct products. They also accept two coupons on Buy One Get One Free Deals... one for the one you pay for AND one for the free one, which I LOVE.

I know this may seem like a lot of work, but I only spend about one hour planning my shopping trips each week. Today I saved $60 so I think that's a pretty decent return. =) Once you get rolling and get a system in place that works for you, it becomes very easy. Please feel free to comment with any questions and I will do my best to answer it!

PUBLIX SHOPPING TRIP 1/25/08

This one was so good I had to blog it.

All this food.....
$68.84 retail price before sales and coupons

Total out of pocket after sales and coupons $28.04!!!!!!!!

How did I do it? I mostly shopped the buy one get one free things, and stacked manufacturer's coupons on top of these sales. Publix is great because they will accept one coupon for the one you pay for AND for the one that is free! That adds up to some killer savings. If you shop at Publix I really recommend checking out the weekly coupon match up posts on Sarah's Blog, FiddleDeeDee and on Southern Savers Many of the coupons are printable so you don't even have to save the coupon inserts from the Sunday papers for most savings. (But you save even more if you do!) These ladies make it their full time job to help us save BIG BUCKS on our weekly shopping trips!!


I'm going back for a few more things that I didn't have coupons for with me later this week, but wanted to be stocked on essentials because Gabe isn't feeling well and worse case scenario I don't want to be stuck with no toilet paper if I can't leave the house! HA!

NOTE: The toilet paper was actually on sale at Walgreens and was about $5.

Off The Wagon...

I've been catching bits and pieces of Oprah's "Best Life" week. Yesterday they talked about "falling off the fitness wagon" she had one of the past winner's of The Biggest Looser on and he had gained back around 100 lbs. My husband and I actually watched this season and I was so sad to see him look so embarrassed and discouraged, but I related SO MUCH with what he had to say. He talked about his addiction to food and depression and how maintenance is a constant battle and almost harder than just loosing the weight in the first place.

I've actually lost all my "baby weight" and thanks to P90x, I lost a total of 20 lbs and got my metabolism kicked back into gear! However, since I stopped working out my sugars have just been wacked. I realized yesterday I have officially fallen off the "diabetes wagon". I haven't been logging, I've been checking my blood sugars really sporadically, I haven't ordered any new Dexcom sensors out of sheer lazy and busyness. So I am on it. One of my new D-friends, Joanie, sent me some great Excel log sheets and I went through my meter and logged all my sugars since January 1 of this year. I need to fax over 60 days worth to Dexcom (so some of those might possibly be made up numbers but whatever gets me coverage) and I am going to shoot for getting in 3 cardio workouts per week. I'd like to do another cycle of P90x, but I'm sane enough to know that my current schedule will NOT allow that dedication, but that doesn't mean I should do NOTHING.