Slow Progress is Still Progress
In which I share my progress after a year of working with a dietician...
Every day, I take some time to browse through the “for you” feed here on Substack to see what the strangers who live there are up to, get inspiration, and probably at least a little to get annoyed with all of the “I don’t have many followers - follow me!” and “you are a writer if you write” type posts that are way too common.
This morning, I came across a set of thoughts/affirmations from
and the one for Tuesday is a perfect reminder for me today.
See, I’ve been working with a dietician for just over a year now via the Nourish app (here’s a referral link for $15 off). KS and I meet virtually at different intervals to set food, hydration, and movement goals and talk about how I did on goals the previous week and how she can get me un-stuck.
When I first started, here’s what I shared about my “why” for doing it:
I want to lose weight as a means to lower my blood pressure and have greater ability to be more active. I’m very tired of getting winded going up two flights or doing an easy hike.
Yes, I did the very Diet Culture thing of equating weight to health, but we’re all a work in progress on riding ourselves of that thinking. Forgetting that part, I wanted to 1) lower BP - I’d been put on meds earlier in the year for this and 2) be more easily active. I also wanted to feel better, digestively - to 3) overeat less and 4) to not have my Crohn’s side-effects show up as often because of what or how much I ate. KS also wanted me to focus on improving several of my lab values that I had done in January - 5) lower LDL, 6) higher HDL, and 7) lower A1C. In October, I added 8) weight loss as a goal for lots of reasons like getting back into regular vs plus size clothes as they’re more available in stores, wanting to live longer, and wanting to prove to myself I could do it via diet/exercise without the risks of taking a GLP-1 medication.
I’ve got no magic formula, but moving more, eating more veggies, fiber, and protein, having less sweets, and drinking my water have all contributed. My body is not your body, so I’d highly recommend seeking out a Registered Dietician like KS to work with you. Many health insurance companies cover a number of sessions for free or low cost; mine covers an unlimited number in a year as they know the improvements an RD can make in health outcomes.
Well, there’s certainly been some progress, even if it seems like I’m standing still.
BP: My blood pressure is lower than it was before the last year, though perhaps not as much of a difference as my doctor may want. I plan to talk with him about this at my next physical. I also want to see what happens given I’ve changed the dose of one of my medications recently which may increase this again.
Activity: Before meeting with KS regularly, I was barely moving beyond what was required to function in my life. Now, I’ve been doing dance classes (usually via Diva Dance NoVA), taking walks during the workday, and trying to do more functional exercise like moving around heavy things around the house that, well, need to be moved. I’m not great at it. Many weeks, I just exist, but it’s at least on my mind. I’m consciously decided not to do more, to rest, instead.
Overeating: While I’ve had trouble with this generally for years, including a few where I had to work through a clinically significant level of binge eating, it’s more of an issue since I had major GI surgery in late 2018. I go from “I’m a little full” to “I may explode” in a couple bites. KS reminds me to take time when I eat, to pause for a bit when I’ve got a third of my meal left, to consider if I can physically fit the rest in my body. She’s also worked with me on smaller meals, eaten more often. Advice my GI doc also gives me.
Crohn’s-related GI side-effects: I won’t go into detail, but this has improved by limiting dairy-based fats (like usually choosing almond milk for coffee, not eating a ton of macaroni and cheese) and adding in more of the right fiber sources and drinking more water. And, when my GI system is happier, I am, too.
Lower LDL: From Jan to this week, I’m down 23 points. I’ve never been in the high range here but, hey, lower is better.
Higher HDL: From Jan to this week, I’m up 8 points. While still in a not-great region, it’s improving.
Lower A1C: From Jan to this week, I’m down 0.6 which means I’m not nearly as close to pre-diabetes as I was before.
Weight Loss: From Nov 19th of last year this morning, I’m down a total of 17 pounds which, sure, isn’t setting any records but it’s something. Many of my 1X shirts are too large and I’m down a pant size. And, again, this was only a true focus since October.
So, like Hannah said, I’ll keep on stacking those good habits, one over another, and I’ll see the progress over time.