Time to put my money where my mouth is. I have been saying that I use cycling to control my blood sugar. Today I met with my diabetes doctor and I got good news: I have lowered my A1C level by .6 during the past four months of riding.
During that time, I lost exactly one pound as measured by their scale. But my wife will be the first person to tell you that number is a bit deceptive. I've put on muscle mass (mostly in my legs, but I see my arms becoming more defined as well) and lost fat. I look better in the mirror and in clothes. I've gone down a few sizes in my waistline and I now can fit into an XL t-shirt.
Exercise works.
I have to this point concentrated on including cycling into my lifestyle. I've made it stick. If I can't ride one day I'm itching to get out there the next. I'm excited for warmer weather so I can get back up to that 40 to 50 miles a week and probably more. I've done 30 miles this week and I feel great. I'll go out and ride in temperatures that would have left me at home just a few months ago.
Amy and I are going to join a gym. That's the next part of the lifestyle change. Nutrition is also an area where I need to make changes. While I generally try to keep my carbs down, I certainly don't pay close attention to the foods I'm eating.
Which is okay.
Too many people make resolutions and hit themselves with major changes that it's impossible to keep up. Old habits are hard to break. The key is to do a little at a time and focus on winning the marathon, not the 40-yard dash.
I have essentially kept off 50 pounds for eight months. That's a victory in itself.
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