Anything he knows about that is… *insert evil cackle here* (Plus, mine’s got a birthday coming up in a month! So I get hit with this again all too soon!)

Men often neglect themselves when it comes to pampering, funky, erm… “beauty” products. But the chemicals and harshness to many men’s products out there is really bad for them. I think the health and beauty industry tries to take advantage of the fact that men are blissfully ignorant about these things, and ladies, it’s up to us women to take care of it!

Enter LUSH Cosmetics, and their amazing products geared toward both sexes, but especially men. If it can be done in a “natural” way, LUSH does it. If they can be any more eco-friendly, I don’t think anyone’s discovered how yet. They’re a fantastic company. No fancy packaging, no overused plastic, and some hella awesome products!

Check out my list of 21 Top LUSH Gifts for Fathers…

Buy now! Cosmetic Lad Moisturizer $21.95 With calming aloe vera gel, chamomile extract and lavender honey water, Cosmetic Lad will relieve your skin and help it on its path to recovery. It’s superb on sunburnt, wind-chapped and razor burnt faces; this is not just a cream for the boys. Girls love it too (especially those with sensitive skin). It hydrates and softens without weighing you down. If you’ve got the type of man who thinks putting on lotion will suddenly turn him into a girl, pick this up for yourself and then slather it all over him while he sleeps. Hopefully he’ll see the light and start putting it on himself.   Buy now! Wiccy Magic Muscles Massage Bar $9.95 When your muscles are annoyed at you for exposing them to some unaccustomed exercise, rub them down with this magical massage bar to appease them. Cinnamon will warm things up, peppermint will stimulate sore bits and the aduki beans will massage in like little finger tips to loosen knots. Once you get used to the minty tingling sensations, you’ll start signing up for marathon training just for the pleasure of using your Wiccy Magic Muscles daily.   Buy now! Ambrosia Shaving Cream $17.95 Ambrosia is said to be the food of Greek gods, but we call this shaving cream Ambrosia because it’s a nutritious nectar for your skin (also because one of our inventors names is Helen Ambrosen, which sounds a lot like Ambrosia).Our creams don’t lather because we don’t put soap in them; instead we use cocoa butter and jojoba oil to moisturize, and oat milk, chamomile and honey to soothe your skin so you’ll never have to suffer a rash after shaving again.   Buy now! Razorantium Shaving Cream $21.95 If you are often confused for a wire fox terrior, this shaving cream is best for you. We put in wonderful ingredients to soften rough and tough stubble including jojoba oil and cocoa and coconut butters so you can shave off your bristles without a battle. Smooth all over your chin (or legs) to soften up your stubble and your skin for a close shave. Use this to make cutting back the wires easier and to leave your skin soft and happy when you’re through shaving.   Buy now! Squeaky Green Solid Shampoo $9.95 One little green bar lasts between 60 ? 80 washes, contains no preservatives or packaging and is full of fantastic essential oils for the hair and scalp. Rosemary, nettle and peppermint go to work revitalizing and stimulating the scalp, while rose and vanilla balance out the fragrance. Using just one of these fresh green bars will last long enough to save the environment from producing, shipping and recycling three plastic bottles of liquid shampoo. It leaves your hair and the environment squeaky clean.   Buy now! Ice Blue Soap $5.95 We add sea salt to the top of this bar as it’s great for exfoliation and as an added bonus it makes the soap look like a freezing iceberg! When you bring it into your hot steamy shower, the peppermint oil will make your skin feel tingly cool, like it would if you were in the Antarctic. The fresh mint gives you that cool clean feeling while sweet wild orange and bergamot oils add a bit of sweetness to cool you mentally. This one is cool enough for boys too.   Buy now! Demon In The Dark Soap $7.95 This soap may appear to be rather quiet, but once you peel off the black wax exterior, peppermint and spearmint will leap out and possess your senses. The sharp minty smells are combined with clove and apple juice to make your skin feel tingly and polished. Perfect to wake you up or refresh you if you’re feeling a little sluggish. Lather up masses of green foamy bubbles all over and you’ll see why this soap can really enliven your spirits.   Buy now! Ocean Salt Cleanser $34.95 We make this best-selling scrub out of fine and course sea salt to give your skin a fresh glow like you’ve just spent a week at the beach. Brightening and cleansing grapefruit infusion and lime oil are balanced with nutritious and moisturizing fresh avocado butter and coconut fat. Cleanse with Ocean Salt and you’ll notice an immediate difference. We recommend those with flaky or dry skin use this once a week to exfoliate while those with oily skin cleanse daily with it (lucky you!).   Buy now! Sweetie Stack Gift $23.95 We all know someone who has a sweet tooth, so next time you’d like to show them a little appreciation, pick up a Sweetie Stack instead of another chocolate bar (their dentist will thank you!). We put in our irresistible honey-toffee soap, our vanilla candy scented soap and our creamy coconut soap to ensure their sweet cravings are satisfied daily.   Buy now! Seanik Solid Shampoo $9.95 Limp, lifeless hair could use a little inspiration from the sea. We make this ocean blue bar full of fine sea salt for volume and Nori seaweed to soften and nourish lame locks. We put in lemon oil too, to cleanse your hair and make it shine and topped it off with the glorious fragrance of mimosa and orange blossom absolutes. Thanks be to the inventors at LUSH and the deep blue sea!   Buy now! Flying Fox Shower Gel $26.95 Mark Constantine made this shower gel for women; he thinks we’re more likely to be moody and stroppy. He wanted to make a shower gel that helped with PMS so he put in loads of honey and sensual jasmine to give you a sense of well being and sumptuous skin too. And as it turns out, men like it just as much as women so if you’ve got a beau, he’ll probably end up sharing this one with you. If you feel frantic and frazzled, have a shower with this gel; after that you won’t give a flying fox!   Buy now! After 8:30 Massage Bar $9.95 It’s after 8:30, your chocolate craving is kicking in. Time for a sinfully sweet white and minty dark chocolate after dinner treat, with none of the calories. This decadent treat is perfect for stimulating and reviving tired skin before bed. It appeals to both your sense of touch and your sense of smell and taste if you so desire – but we warn you it smells better than it tastes; After 8:30 should be melted in your hands, not in your mouth.   Buy now! Freeze Shower Gel $26.95 Freeze gets your skin tingling, as it’s packed with peppermint oil. When you’re cold peppermint makes you feel warm and when you’re hot it cools you down. Mostly we’re hot so Freeze feels delightfully cool and tingly. It’s lovely to wash hair with too. Freeze isn’t just made with peppermint; you can also detect reviving orange, uplifting bergamot, soothing aloe and refreshing sea salt. Use it after a hot session at the gym or a sticky journey home on transit for body and mind refreshment.   Buy now! The Olive Branch Shower Gel $26.95 The warmth of the Mediterranean comes to you with a comforting mandarin and bergamot fragrance. We say this creamy shower gel is a peace offering to the skin because it’s loaded with Organic olive oil to moisturize and soften your body while lemons gently cleanse. The Olive Branch is no ordinary shower gel; it’s delightfully uplifting and reassuring. If you’ve not tried it yet, do so now.   Buy now! Shave the Planet Gift $29.95 Many women have been buying this for their husbands so they can seem generous, but really they just want to try out all these products themselves. It contains Bamboo soap (a Retro product only available online), our newest shaving cream, Shave the Planet (made with softening shea butter) which women find works just as well on their legs as men find it does on their faces, Cosmetic Lad facial moisturizer and our new Business Time massage bar. Make sure you at least give him a back massage so he can think he’s getting the most out of the gift.   Buy now! Shave the Planet Shaving Cream $22.95 This shaving cream has super stubble-stopping strength yet leaves skin silky-soft. Soothing bamboo infusion and anti-oxidant a?ai juice fight aging while vitamin-rich pumpkin seed and rosehip oils calm skin. Non-aerosol and packaged in a 100% post consumer recycled plastic pot, Shave the Planet and get the girl.   Buy now! Dr. Peppermint Solid Shampoo Bar $9.95 You can tell when the Dr. Peppermints have been unwrapped in a Lush shop because the scent of peppermint wafts all through the place and off down the street, drawing people in by their noses. This is a bar for baldies, those who have noticed a certain upward advancement in the forehead department. It is made with essential oils to stimulate the scalp including peppermint, which is also used as a remedy for shock and fainting (both of which can occur when men notice they’re going bald). Relaxing neroli oil is there to stop them caring whether they have hair or not.   Buy now! Mud Flats Soap $6.95 People who would benefit from our powerfully herbal, lemon scented, Rhassoul mud soap from their toes to their tops are: a) People who never dare wear backless dresses or take off their t-shirts because of their spotty backs. b) People who daren’t take their socks off for fear of poisoning the atmosphere. You might be surprised to know that rosemary, salt, tea tree, sage and cleansing Moroccan clay can make such a difference, but it does. Buy a slab and get ready to expose yourself, so to speak.   Buy now! Sonic Death Monkey Shower Gel $26.95 Our rocking coffee, chocolate and lime juice shower gel is back to tempt you into the shower and kick-start your day. If you’re wondering about the name, it’s from High Fidelity; Jack Black’s character is in a band call Sonic Death Monkey. This seriously intense shower gel will get you smiling before your first cup of coffee; it’ll take you right to the edge, over the edge in fact!   Buy now! Coalface Cleanser $11.95 If you love the feeling of squeaky clean skin, this is the bar for you. We put in powdered charcoal because it’s such an amazing exfoliator and absorber of excess oils. We add in rosewood and sandalwood as a balance to soothe and calm, and softening licorice root decoction. We recommend this lathering, sparkly cleansing bar for oiler skin because it’s so great at absorbing excess oils and leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean. Don’t use regular body soap to wash your face please; use this instead.   Buy now! Daddyo Shampoo $27.95 Lather up your hair in mounds of purple violet scented bubbles to dispel dullness and add sumptuous shine. Lemon infusion and lime juice cleanse and brighten and seaweed infusion adds softness. Daddy O was invented by Mark Constantine for people like him who were turning gray as well as blondes who want to banish brassiness (but brunettes love it too because it makes our hair so soft and shiny). Works wonders to help clean out the chlorine from swimming, leaving your hair healthy and not damaged.

Men, you know you love him too – just more of an envious kind of love, eh? ;)

LL Cool J recently released a new program called Platinum 360 which involves an eating plan and workout schedule. He claims that it’s helped him get in shape while working on NCIS: Los Angeles. (I’ve been on sets before… Craft Services tables are a total nightmare for dieters!)

So last week, he was on one of my favorite shows, The Doctors. He was there to talk about his new diet and exercise plan, LL Cool J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle: A Full-Circle Guide to Developing Your Mind, Body, and Soul .

Sounds to me like it actually takes the whole “common sense” stuff and breaks it down in a way that’s easier to “digest”. Ha. I kid.

Carbohydrates, Fat & Protein

CARBOHYDRATES
Bad Carbs = Simple Sugars (soda, candy, white rice, white bread).
Good Carbs = Whole grains, natural (fruit) sugars in moderation, veggies.

Seriously, kids. I mean, we all know that we need carbohydrates for fuel. We all know that we should be eating real oatmeal and not “Sugar Crunchies” for breakfast (or donuts, for that matter).

Eat a whole grain bagel with some peanut butter. Better still? Shmear some Laughing Cow Cheese on that baby. I SWEAR it’s just like cream cheese! I’m partial to the French Onion flavored wedges. One per bagel half and I’m in total breakfast heaven.

FATS

Women especially need fat in their diet, to facilitate hormone production. But everyone needs fat (a total fat-free diet WILL make you sick). Many vitamins and minerals are fat-soluble only, meaning they’ll only be absorbed into the body when broken down by the fat we eat.

Think of traffic lights. Red, yellow, and green.

Red = Saturated fats like deep fried foods, lard, some oils, full-fat dressings and sauces.

Yellow = Use caution, these are fine in moderation. We’re talking eggs, milk, cheese, stuff like that.

Green = Unsaturated fats. Think salmon, almonds, avocado. Yum!

PROTEIN

You must remember this from 7th grade health class, right? We need protein because it’s the building block for all your body’s cells, but especially muscle. Yes, your HEART is a muscle. Think about that. We’re not talking about you eating a whole chicken every day so you can bulk up and look like LL Cool J. This is basic body function type muscle strength.

Protein also helps prevent sugar spikes in your blood. Hello!!! Diabetics! Pay attention! Eat up the white meat turkey and chicken (skinless, please) and add in some tuna, nonfat Greek yogurt, low-fat cheeses. Stay away from the Atkins ill-advised bacon and fatty steak, okay?

Check this out: If your body doesn’t get protein in food, it’s going to steal it from your body’s muscle. Do YOU want to be sitting there 10 years from now with pain and weakness in your body? I don’t!

LL’s Number One Tip

Mix up your food based on your workouts. Shock your body. Confuse it, eat carbs then don’t. Eat fat, then don’t.

This isn’t a new revelation, people. Back when I was on Weight Watchers, with their POINTS system, there was a member-derived plan based on one woman’s success with it called the Wendie Plan. The POINTS system basically told you that you had a certain number of POINTS you could eat each day. POINTS basically were an easy way to count calories. Once you met your POINTS, you were done. Well, the Wendie Plan said that instead of eating say, 30 POINTS a day, you’d take the 210 POINTS you got each week and mixed it up. Have ONE cheat day a week.

Example:

Sunday – 25 (Low)
Monday – 30 (Normal)
Tuesday – 22 (Low)
Wednesday – 41 (Cheat Day – Super High)
Thursday – 27 (Low)
Friday – 35 (High)
Saturday – 30 (Normal)

You can do this with daily caloric intake just the same. LL adds in that you should vary up the actual types of food you eat, based on carbs, fat, or protein. So say on your cheat day, you’d have that double cheeseburger or the 2 pieces of fried chicken. But you need to workout extra on that day. On your light days, where you stick mainly to fruit and veggies or something, you’d take it a little easier on the workout.

I simply love this idea. Shocking your body keeps it alert and not knowing what’s happening next. The Wendie Plan works like a charm (when I did it, I consistently lost 2-3 pounds per week). I can’t see why this idea wouldn’t work too!

The Bottom Line

It boils down to common sense and portion control. I’m sick of hearing people whine about not being able to lose weight. It’s basic, people. Eat right, move your body, and damnit, walk tall!

Yes, this makes the assumption that you’re not on medicine or have a health issue that prevents you from losing weight. If that’s the case, talk to your doctor and a nutritionist. But if you’re a reasonably average human being, with lots of desire and no medical reason behind your excessive weight, then laziness (which yes, I’m quite subject to myself) is your only cause.

You know how. It’s just a matter of doing it.

If you remember from the last Diabetes Update, my blood sugar level was 194, and I’d lost 7 pounds. The doctor had put me on Januvia, and told me that he needed me to lose more weight, faster.

Well, May 27th and my FBS (fasting blood sugar) had dropped 24 points to 170! I was so excited about that, though the doc said it was good, but that had I lost more weight it would’ve been a better number. Yep. The weight thing.

I’m not struggling with the food, I promise you. I’ve been doing very well, not completely excluding anything, but rather focusing on adding the good stuff to replace most (seriously, 99%) of the bad stuff. It’s really, honestly, with head hung in shame… the exercise.

So I bought Core Rhythms. Yes I did. I’ve been ridiculously busy and haven’t had time to try it for more than 15 mins since it arrived, but I can already tell I’m going to love it. Likely much more than the treadmill, that’s for sure. I feel like a gerbil on that thing.

So anyway, while the weight is steadily at 245 (yes, actually a 4 lb. gain from my lowest since starting this trek) I’m hoping that by continuing the good eating and incorporating the workout DVDs, I should finally start to see some serious weight droppage.

I’m madder than hell at the producers of The Biggest Loser… let me just share that with you. Bitter? You bet your big fat butt I am.

Okay, so my next appointment is mid-July, on the 14th, right before the three-month mark that I’ve been on the Januvia. So that means I’ve got another 6 weeks to do some serious damage control. I know what you’re thinking: “But Lara, more than 1-2 pounds per week isn’t healthy.”

Guess what? The contestants on TBL weigh in every week and a half (10 days, not 7 as the show would make you think), and if they are being medically supervised (as I am) to lose that enormous amount of weight that they do, I think I can handle 3-4 lbs per week without fear. My goal for July 14th is 20 lbs. which would put me at 225. I’ve done it before without even trying, and now I’m going to do it again. I think once I do that, I’ll have a good jump start behind me and I will be able to continue this without giving up.

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• “It tastes so… blah. I need more flavor!”
• “It takes too long to make.”
• “I don’t eat breakfast as it is, and you want me to eat that?”
• “Instant oatmeal is easier/more flavorful/faster/etc.”
• “I can’t ever get the consistency right. It comes out like glue/soup.”

Guess what, kiddies? I’ve used each and every one of those excuses myself, my entire life. Until I got my Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis, I pretty much refused to give it another chance. Granted, while oatmeal is proven to lower cholesterol my cholesterol levels are fine, and there’s no clear and present danger to my heart, the bottom line is that I need to lose weight and I need to do it right. Oatmeal is going to help, and I’m here to tell you: Cooked oatmeal really isn’t all THAT bad.

Why Oatmeal Will Help You Lose Weight

Old-fashioned oatmeal (sorry kids, not the instant kind) is absolutely packed with dietary fiber, which is the stuff that makes your world go ’round if you’re on a diet. The more dietary fiber you consume, the less fat you absorb and the more you flush out your *ahem* system.

Clearly, the better your digestive tract is working, the less time you’ve got food and toxins building up in your body. The less time for fat to absorb into your bloodstream. No, oatmeal isn’t going to make you crap your pants like Alli or Olestra, but it will keep things moving the way they should be. Know how your grandmother had faith in bran muffins? Yeah, that.

I could also get into the whole Glycemic Load stuff – if you’re interested, the oatmeal itself has a GL of 13. As comparison, brown rice has a GL of 17. The lower the GL, the longer it takes to digest the food which means a longer stability of metabolism and blood sugar levels. Also, the longer you stay full, the less you eat, the more weight you lose. :)

So anyway, how does one actually cook old-fashioned oatmeal quickly, and make it taste good?

Here’s what I do:

1. 1 cup old-fashioned oats (yep, out of that big round cardboard box) into a bowl.
2. 2 packets of Splenda
3. dash of salt (maybe a little more than a dash)
4. LOTS of ground cinnamon (I’ll explain this later)
5. 1/2 tbsp light butter (sometimes I will omit this)
6. 3/4 – 1 cup 2% milk (depending on the day, how chewy I want it to be; chewy uses less)
7. stir it up and pop it into the microwave for 2 minutes
8. add fruit or flavorings, stir up again, and enjoy!

I kid you not, I’ve got the process down to less than 4 minutes. I’ve even seen so-called “nutritionist blogs” out there saying that it can take 10 minutes to cook this kind of oatmeal, to which I call “Horseshit!”

Oh, and about the whole cooking it in the milk thing… One of my friends claims he prefers to cook his oatmeal stovetop, in just enough salted water for it to absorb into the oats, and then add a splash of milk to it after it’s done. I’ve never tried it that way, as I said, I like my oatmeal chewy, not soggy or soupy, and that’s the only thing I can imagine would happen using water.

Here are some of my favorite things to add to my oatmeal in step 7:

• 2 tbsp canned pumpkin puree
• sliced banana
• blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or any combo of them all
• 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• a dozen semi-sweet chocolate chips

I’m not a fan of raisins, but I do like craisins (dried cranberries). Problem is they have so much sugar in such a concentrated form. I rarely do the chocolate chip thing because of that too. But for a treat, a change of pace, it can’t hurt once in a while.

I seriously eat oatmeal almost every morning for breakfast. If I’m not eating that, I’m eating some kind of Egg Beaters omelette or something, but the oatmeal actually takes the least amount of time and is quite versatile.

The cinnamon thing…

Ground cinnamon has been shown to actually lower blood sugar in diabetics because it enhances your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which regulates the blood sugar. I swear to you, I put it in just about everything now. I even added it to chili once!

So, how do you do oatmeal?

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• Waffles for Weight Loss (womenandweight.com)
• Insulin Resistance And Complex Carbohydrates (battlediabetes.com)
• baked oatmeal, revised. (cathweber.blogspot.com)
• Feed your family and fuel it forward – Help Quaker stamp out hunger! (fromdatestodiapers.com)
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• Fat-Burning Foods: Oatmeal (via Health News Blog) (healthnews.ediets.com)

So on my last post about my diabetes battle, where I mentioned that I’d “only” lost 7 pounds, a beautiful reader by the name of kirwin left a comment that totally put some things in perspective for me:

I know it’s not the numbers you were hoping for but seven pounds is seven pounds. Consider this: that’s a newborn baby. You did AWESOME, and you are heading in the right direction.

Keep it up. It’s the tortoise that wins the race.

To that end, because I’ve never in my life thought of measuring weight loss to the weight of your average, healthy baby… and because one of my dreams in life is to be a mom… I’ve decided to add the “baby meter” in a way that’s unlike any other baby meter you’ve seen!

I’m going to be naming these babies… and sending them out in the world to live outside my body! Once you give birth, you can’t put the baby back in. You have to name the baby. I see it like I’ve been nurturing these babies far longer than a normal pregnancy… in fact, it’s been about 18 years, so they’re due to get a life of their own, outside my body!

I’d like to introduce you to my first born…

Meet Elardabeth! She was the first 7 pound baby born during my battle against diabetes. Thanks kid, but you’re on your own now!

So for those of you who got to this page by clicking on the “What’s with all the babies?” link on the home page, now you know! I’ll be updating this page with all the babies and their names, every 7 pounds I lose!

Babies I’ve Set Free

Elardabeth

Well, Avenue just sent me their second email in as many days promoting a huge sale they’ve got going on. (For what it’s worth, unless I’m madly in love with something and need it for an event, I never buy anything unless it’s on sale.) The coolest part, is that if you spend $75 or more, you get free shipping!

For under $20 each ($30 in some cases), you can fill your spring wardrobe up with loads of great items. I’ve put together one outfit combo here, but don’t assume this is all there is that’s on sale! You can check out the whole thing (including $10 pants!) by going through to Avenue’s Deals of The Week page.

1. Cutout Banded Bottom Top
   Was: $29.90 Now: $19.99
   Available Colors: Green, Navy, Beet Red (shown)
   Cutout details adds intricate style to this banded bottom top. 3/4 length sleeves with cutout detailing at cuffs. Cutout design at neckline with scalloped trim. Double loop button closure at center back neckline with keyhole detail. Banded hemline with double loop button details and slight ruching. Knit. Imported.
   Cotton/Modal. Machine wash.
   Approx 27″ long.
   Women’s Plus Sizes 14/16-30/32.
   Style #3421693A
2. Denim Lite Skinny Jeans (Also in Petite and Tall)
   Was: $39.95 Now: $29.99
   Available Colors: Jet Blue (shown), Rinse Blue/Black, Medium Wash
   Tiny slits at the hem give these slim leg denim lite jeans a unique fashion element. Absolutely flattering and sleek!
   Modern fit-designed to sit slightly below your natural waist. Single button and zip closure. 5 pocket styling. Constrast stitching. Small slits at hems. Printed ribbon lining with fashion stitching in waistband. Stretch. Imported. Cotton/Polyester/Spandex. Machine wash.
   Petite approx 28″ inseam, Average approx 30″ inseam, Tall approx 34″ inseam.
   Jet Blue and Seaside available in Average only.
   Women’s Plus Sizes 14-26.
   Style #3071622A
3. Criss Cross Beaded Cuff Bracelet
   Available Colors: Blue, Pink, Brown (shown), White, Black
   $6.90
   This criss cross beaded cuff bracelet is all you need to make a strong jewelry statement. Wire. Acrylic beads. Imported.
   One size fits most.
   Style # 3736751A
4. Paparazzi Sunglasses
   Available Colors: Brown (shown)
   Was: $6.90 Now: $5.00
   These sunglasses with decorative embellishment will bring out your hidden starlet! 100% UVA/UVB protection.
   Acrylic frames with gold tone metal design at temples. Imported.
   Style #3764363A
5. Leah Embellished Slide
   Available Colors: Bronze (shown), Black
   Was: $32.90 Now: $24.99
   A bold faceted stone marks the spot on these X-strap slides with a modern chunky heel. Man made upper. Stone embellishment at center of vamp. Imported.
   Cloud Heel Strike Pad® Flexible non-slip sole.
   Approx 2″ heel.
   W/7-13.
   Style #3166607A

So what do you think of my new outfit? ;) Total cost is less than $87 which qualifies for free shipping! (Free Shipping offer ends tomorrow April 30, 2009, so better hurry and get in on this!)

Please share in the comments how you felt about this post, as this is the first time I’ve done a post like this… If you like it, I’ll do it more often!

As you might recall, this morning I had my 6-week check-in with the doctor regarding my diabetes diagnosis that I got on March 9, 2009. I’ve got a few things to report, some good, others not so much.

• I did lose 7 pounds since my last visit, 6 weeks ago. It’s not the numbers I was hoping for (or that my doc was hoping for) but it did prove to him that I’m taking this seriously, so that’s a good thing. He said a pound a week was okay for a normal person trying to lose weight, but he wanted to see a big initial drop, which I didn’t have.
• My fasting blood sugar (FBS) was 194. That’s about 10 points higher than it was the last time, so I’m really kind of upset over that. I’ve been doing really well with limiting carb intake, despite a few wagon trips.

Because of the above two points, he’s put me on a prescription diabetes medicine called Januvia. It’s supposed to suppress the appetite, lower blood glucose levels, and all around help when used with diet and exercise to lose weight.

I’ve read about drugs like Metformin and Janumet (a combination of Januvia and Metformin) used as oral prescriptions for those with Type 2 Diabetes who are having troubles with just diet and exercise.

I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t been 110% perfect with the diet or the exercise, however I’ve got another appointment in 5 weeks for another blood sugar test and a check-in with the doc (May 26th). I’ve also set the appointment with the CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator) for May 6th.

I’ve re-dedicated myself to using SparkPeople to journal my food consumption – It’s got to be a permanent factor in my life right now, because when I don’t use it, I can pretty much safely assume that I’m going over the 1200-1400 calorie limit.

I’m also going to be forcing myself to get on the treadmill every day. I don’t care what it is that has me “busy” – there’s nothing as important to me as getting on that damn machine. Period.

So there you have it – Maybe I should be going to the doc once a week, for a weekly motivation boost?!? LOL

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In honor of Easter, I’ve decided to put up this cute pic and give you guys a guide of sites I think you’d enjoy perusing. Have a BEAUTIFUL day, and we’ll see you next week with some great product reviews, books, and tips!

Lazy Easter/Spring Link Love Day

• Ten reasons to travel in April (telegraph.co.uk)
• Cook the Perfect Boiled Egg with the Power of Science (lifehacker.com)
• Spring deals for indoor waterpark lodges (gadling.com)
• A good workplace for rabbit allies. (stephendann.com)
• Easy Crescent Danish Rolls for Easter (frugalwahmstalkradio.com)
• Fresh, simple Italian Easter (canada.com)
• The Spark: Pass the Food Coloring! (dir.yahoo.com)
• Recipe: Rice Krispie Easter Eggs from Bouchon Bakery (thekitchn.com)
• Thank goodness nature doesn’t suffer from recession (telegraph.co.uk)
• Follow the fragrance (telegraph.co.uk)
• Guide To Basic Container Gardening (hbb2obm.com)
• Joe’s First Square Foot Garden Bed (the-enobling-journey.blogspot.com)
• 5 Things About Asparagus (fitsugar.com)
• 6 Reasons Spring Inspires Us to Be Fit (sheerbalance.com)

I don't want to be this woman!

I’ve been scrolling through the archives here, from before I did the major site change, and found this little gem from almost 3 years ago: 10 Reasons To Get Started Losing Weight Today.

Of course, in addition to that list is the really popular 100 Reasons To Lose 100 Pounds page.

But with the discovery that I’m now considered a Type 2 Diabetic, plus the recent passing of my birthday, I’ve got even more reasons to list out here.

1. Extended Health Issues. I’ve now had a 5 year battle against cervical cancer, having had biopsies twice and a chunk removed from my cervix once. While I’m not 100% sure that the weight has anything major to do with it, if anything at all, it sure doesn’t help. There are surgeries involved and extra weight just makes everything a greater risk. Add Diabetes to this, and now my body is basically telling me to get my head out of my butt and do something before it decides to fail me completely.
2. Still No Man, Still No Babies. Gah, I feel like a desperate retard every time I say (or write) anything about this. I just turned 32, and no matter how you slice it, even a “healthy” woman would start to panic at this age. Without getting into a debate about whether or not a man should love me for who I am and not what I look like, the bottom line is that I used that as a crutch for nearly two decades now. In fact, it was my protection in a way. Little did I know then that I’d actually be protecting myself better by having had more dating/relationship experience, which would’ve come naturally had I been more visually appealing to the men I’ve found myself interested in.
3. It Just Feels Better. Mentally, emotionally, and physically, good health just makes life a little better all around. No pain from sitting or standing too long. No depression from shopping for new clothes. No insecurity from hanging out with thin women or the men who ogle them. No fear of what may or may not happen to your health because of bad habits.

What reasons do YOU have to get started on your weight loss goals TODAY? Share in the comments.

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Granted, thus far the study has only been done on mice, and we all know that means that it may or may not yet apply to humans. But what they did was take subcutaneous fat (the layer of fat right below the skin) from the buttocks and moved it to the abdomen areas of the mice. The result was a drop in body weight and blood sugar levels in those mice. Researchers believe there is something in this kind of fat that improves the metabolism of glucose.

What they do know is that women with a larger backside and smaller stomachs have a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes than women with large amounts of abdominal fat. It all goes back to Dr. Oz and his grotesque display of that “omentum” on Oprah a few years back.

Belly fat in the omentum is probably the most dangerous. It’s only job is to provide fuel to your internal organs, but when you have too much and are not eating properly, it’s delivering toxic fuel to those organs. Fuel loaded with chemicals and poisons that aren’t good for your body. It’s almost the equivalent to putting sugar in your car’s gas tank. Fortunately with the body, as opposed to a sugared tank, you can actually reverse it before it kills the car.

If you’re interested in learning more about how your body works, especially when you’re dieting, you need to grab a copy of You: On A Diet by Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet C. Oz. It’s on my reading list for sure.

So get out those “Apple Bottom Jeans” and wear them with pride, ladies! (But get your bellies flat first!)

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• Are fat bums a sign of good health? (sciam.com)