If you missed last night’s Salad Making program on Zoom with special guest, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, she offered the following advice for anyone facing a weight loss plateau:
1). Learn to love yourself at your current weight
2). Focus on your health habits (Examples” How are you sleeping? Do you exercise regularly? Eating fruits and vegetables? Portion control, etc.)
3). Make a detailed list of what was working for you to begin with, and be honest with yourself. (Examples: Was it portion control? More, or regular exercise? Were you eating more salads?)
“I actually like people to do this during the weight loss process because most of us tend to underestimate what we’re doing and what aspects are working for us,” says Jill. “Then when we hit a tough spot, we can look at our list for motivation or a reality check. Maybe you were eating out less when the weight was coming off? Or maybe you were under-eating, and now you can see it’s not a good idea.”
4). Talk to your doctor about medical intervention using medications and/or surgery. using medications, devices, or surgery.
Finally, we tend to SHAME ourselves into getting better, but research proves this approach does not work. Self-compassion is much more effective at helping with blood pressure, weight loss or maintenance, sleep, and diabetes self-management. Be kind to yourself. We believe in YOU!
Jill Weisenberger’s Divabetic Salad Recipe features Arugula, Beets, Purple Cabbage, Jicama (a root vegetable that’s low in calories), Garbanzo Beans, Chery Tomatoes, and Avocado.
Divabetic Salad Dressing
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon herbs such as herbs de Provance, oregano or Italian seasonings
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons lemon juice (or vinegar)
8 tablespoons high-quality olive oil
Jill Weisenberger’s Tip: When cooked potatoes cool, some of the starch changes and becomes resistant to our digestive enzymes. Resistant starch then doesn’t get absorbed as glucose (so cold potatoes have slightly less calories and contribute slightly less to glucose levels). Resistant starch is food for our good gut bacteria.
Jill Weisenberger’s Stick With It is a self-paced video course that guides you step-by-step to the healthy habits you want. You’ll learn why your motivation and willpower move up and down like a roller coaster and what you can do to keep them up higher and longer!
Need a boost? Listen to Divabetic’s podcast focused on Eye Challenges related to diabetes with music from TLC. Guests include Sherrol Reynolds M.D. (Associate Professor and Chief of Advanced Ophthalmic Care at the Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, President of the National Optometric Association (NOA)), Rishi Singh, M.D. (Retina Specialist and Staff Surgeon at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic), Andrea Sledge, Natalie Karabel,Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES.
Don’t miss Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcast. This year’s A Christmas Peril is based on a real-life story premiering on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at 6 PM, EST. Starring Mr. Divabetic. Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle, Maryann Nicolay, Catherine Schuller, Terri Seidman, Wendy Radford, Seveda Williams, Chef Robert Lewis, and Trisha Artman.
Please join us for Divabetic’s freeBaking Party withStacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ onThursday, September 23, 2021, 7-8 PM. Stacey will be sharing tips for how to cut back on the sugar in recipes, using sugar substitutes and alternative flours, and cutting back on the carbs without losing any flavor, and demonstrating one of her most popular Sugar-Free baking recipes.
Our music inspiration, Alicia Keys’ make-up free movement, served as a self-empowerment tool for singer, songwriter, and maybe it can inspire you?
Alicia says,” I don’t want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing.”
Are you tired of hiding in disappointment from your inability to lose weight or keep it off?
“Motivation tends to lose its luster as we go forward (with goals). When you take the time to get in the right mindset. When you start losing your motivation to go to the gym or you start losing motivation for what you are eating then you go back to your ‘why.’ Your ‘why is crucial to your success,” says Dr. Lori L. Shemek, Ph.D., America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert and Author of ‘How to Fight FATflammation!. “When you revisit how you felt when you initially made your goal, that’s the key. When you attach that emotion to why you made that goal, then you’ve got it.”
People give up because they don’t have the confidence to pull it off,” continues Dr. Lori. “If you stop worrying about your behavior and focus more on your self-trust research shows that you will follow through. Be consistent with self-trust.”
November’s Diabetes Late Nitepodcast guest, Vanessa Hunter lost over 200 pounds and has successfully maintained her incredible weight loss for over 10 years. The self-proclaimed ‘VIP of Diabetes’ shares her journey and advice for others interested in transforming their diabetes health exclusively with Divabetic:
Q: Describe your lifestyle before you began your weight loss journey? (Habits, work schedule, other priorities in your life, activity level, meals, etc.)
Vanessa’s reply: Prior to losing weight I worked as a sales manager job for Verizon. I was an over achiever and commuted to a job with days that lasted 10-12 hours. I ate fast food and I didn’t have an exercise routine.
Q: Have you tried to lose weight in the past? Please describe what stopped you.
Vanessa’s reply: I had a serious food addiction and it prevented me from ever trying to lose weight. Combined with no desire to exercise, I had little to no hope of ever losing a pound.
Vanessa Hunter
Q: What triggered this weigh loss? Did any celebrities inspire you?Vanessa’s reply: Waking up sick triggered my health transformation. It was apparent to many people that I represented an extreme health risk; I had all the signs of poor health. Oprah, Jennifer Hudson, Monique and Beyonce inspired me. Halli Berry who is living with diabetes inspired me too.
Q: What were your initial thoughts when were you first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?
Vanessa’s reply: I had a 24-hour warning before I went to the ER for the big diagnosis in March 2010. When I woke up several days after admission, I was so grateful to be alive that my initial thoughts were – I’M NOT GOING TO LET FOOD KILL ME, I PROMISE.
Q: How did or does your type 2 diabetes factor into your decision to lose weight?
Vanessa’s reply: It played a major role in my desire to lose weight – I was under the impression that I could reverse my diabetes, so I went to the extreme to follow the rules, keep to the routine and find new activities to move my body. I lost 100 lbs. right before my co-workers’ eyes.
Q: Describe some obstacles in your weight loss journey and tell us how you managed to overcome them.
Vanessa’s reply: Obstacle #1 – Learning how to eat: the routine, the meal prep, the carb counting and more. I overcame this by doing research and reading everything I could find that related to my self-care journey.Obstacle #2 – Dealing with complications from diabetes. In my case it was gastro issues.I have yet to overcome the fact that my diet is limited, and fruits/veggies create sensitivity that leads to DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis).
Q: Share some tips that have worked for you to lose weight and 1-3 tips to maintain your weight loss ·
Vanessa’s reply: Drink lots of water, Walk after each meal, Meal Prep – better to be ready than to get ready!
Q: What advice would you give to someone who living with type 2 diabetes seeking to lose weight?
Vanessa’s reply: My advice is to know the carb limit of your diet, keep to a routine and seek help when you hit the wall.
Try Your Luck at Counting Carbs with Divabetic’s Carb Kitty Game
Q: The holiday season is just around the corner. What tools do you use to navigate the holidays and stay on track with your health?
Vanessa’s reply: ‘Tis the season to be jolly. That means we get to be the life of the party, not eat the life out of the party! Stay on track, enjoy the company, make memories, and avoid the illness.
Q: Tell us about the organization(s) you are involved in the diabetes community. What’s your goal? How did your October program go? What’s ahead?
Vanessa’s reply: My group, VIP of Diabetes has collaborations with Retina Risk – an app designed to protect our vision. We also collaborate with GlucoseZone for exercises specifically for people living with diabetes. I am a guest panelist monthly, and the next seminar is 11/23, 10-12noon at Mt. Airy United Fellowship, 701 W Johnson St @ Walnut Lane Circle. I actively volunteer for both The American Heart and American Diabetes Associations in Philadelphia. My website is www.vipofdiabetes.org and please follow me on Instagram @ness4wellness, all questions, invites, comments can be sent to vipofdiabetes@gmail.com
Q: Where do you turn to for online support?
Vanessa’s reply: Divabetic on Facebook of course. Online support provides daily inspiration, direction, answers questions, and lots more. Story: A client recently asked advice on meal plans and daily routines, due to an A1C over 11. Before our journey could begin, we needed to address the underlying reason for the spiral. Once identified the diet has been modified, and with a new outlook on exercise and compliance routines we are off to the makings of a successful wellness journey.
We’re sharing amazing Weight Loss Journeys & Helpful Ways to overcome fears related to Hypoglycemia with guests: Vanessa Hunter, Dr. Wendy Rapaport PsyD, Dr. Stewart Harris, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and Autumn Reed on Novembers’ Diabetes Late Nite inspired by Jennifer Hudson
