One More Week....

Logsheets and photos are due next week.....

Nervous yet?

Don't be. I'm sure everyone's doing great, or at least trying their best. I, for one, probably won't qualify for the weight-loss section because I haven't lost any weight. The blood sugar one I might be okay with, but only if this week can bring my average back down.

How is everyone else doing? Remember, you can email me questions or comments you'd like to pose to the entire Challenge community. We're here to work together!

Love ya!

On A Roll...

Okay, I'm nixing my plan to do alliterations as subject lines because I think that would get boring after awhile.

Tuesday's Tip

This one is courtesy of Kathleen:

When you are noticing your blood sugars fluctuating widely, "suck it up" and write down everything! Not just blood sugars, but boluses, basals, food, and exercise. Take a good, close look at and make the necessary adjustments.

My father likes this quote:

What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results each time.

Thus: if it isn't working, stop doing it! I'm glad I could help clear that up.

Pay Up, Baby

The following people have not sent in their wager:

Art-Sweet, Jenny, Sarah, Julia, Kate, Hannah, Lori, Mel, Kelly, Heidi, Erica, Manny, Catherine, Monika, and Shannon.

You have until Friday, January 26 to send in your wager or YOU WON'T QUALIFY FOR THIS MONTH'S DRAWING.

Check-In and Weigh-In Reminder

Just want to remind everyone that you need to send in a photograph of you on a scale and/or your logsheet (either one you've filled in by hand or one you've downloaded) on Sunday, February 4.

The next one after that will be February 18, but there won't be a drawing with that one.

Scroll down to see what the prizes are for this month.

Good luck!

Tuesday's Tip

Tuesday's Tip:

"If you tend to "graze" at night, set an eating deadline for yourself. For example, nothing to eat after 9pm or 10pm. And stick to it."

- Gary Scheiner, CDE

Share Your Secrets:

Making some headway in losing weight or lowering your A1C? Share your secrets, whether it's from a book, a magazine, an educator or your own personal discovery! Just email me what you are learning about being healthy and I will post them on the OCNMC website.

Reminder:

Paypal is now accepting your money! Please send in your wager by Friday, January 26 or... else.

EDIT: I just want to make sure everyone who has signed up is accounted for on my Challenge Track List. Please scan the list to make sure I have your name. If you aren't listed and you have already signed up, please email me asap! Thanks!

1. George

2. Art-Sweet

3. Scott

4. Jenny

5. Sarah

6. Kathleen

8. Julia

9. Kate

10. Hannah

11. Beth

12. Lori

13. Mel

14. Kelly

15. Heidi

16. Erica

17. Bernard

18. Wendy

19. Allison

20. Manny

21. Catherine

22. Sara

23. Monika

24. Shannon

and 25. Anne!

Sunday Success!

I am now a verified member of Paypal!

You can now send me your wager for the OC New Me Challenge on Paypal using my email address, amblass@gmail.com. I'm very happy that this is finally up and running and I can start collecting your money.

Operators are standing by.

Thursday Thoughts

Oh, me and my clever alliterations. Get used to it. I have thought of something for each day of the week.

PayPal Should Perish:

Anyway, everyone who has signed up has been asking me about Paypal and how the heck they are supposed to give me their money. Well, Paypal is evil incarnate. Let me explain.

I actually signed up way back in 2004 for Paypal and have, of course, forgotten by log-in. Because I used my checking account number for that Paypal account, I can no longer use it for another account. On Monday, I tried to close my old account, and miraculously was able to (Paypal even sent a nice note saying it was closed) but I'm still not able to use it because apparently deactivating the old account still means it's being used. Whatever. Yesterday (that would be Wednesday), I went to my bank to find out what my savings account number is. Found that out and attempted to sign up again. Success! Or so I thought. Apparently, Paypal isn't able to verify the account the easy way and is instead making me walk 40 miles through the desert with no food or water. Essentially, they have to send me money to confirm that I can indeed receive money.

So in 2-3 business days, you all will be able to send me money via Paypal. Luckily, I only have to do this once and next year I won't have to deal with this madness.

New People:

Welcome, Manny, Catherine and Shannon to the team! Woohoo! Manny is going to be on the A1C Team, Catherine and Shannon are on the Weight Loss Team.

Shannon, along with Julia, are actually just parents (be nice, it's not their fault they don't have diabetes), but because their group is so small, the parents are going to lumped in with everyone us. So much for reverse discrimination. If we get enough parents, I'll make it their own group, but I'm not handing Shannon and Julia essentially 11 prizes when the rest of you may not even get one. That defeats the entire purpose of the drawings and really it just isn't fair.

Thanks to Diabetes Self-Management for writing a nice little post about us!

End Notes:

1) The 5 pounds/175 mg/dl 14-day average are just the MINIMUM requirements. If you can lose more weight in a month, go for it! You don't have to stop at 5 pounds. You also don't have to send me a photo when you reach 5 pounds. Send in whatever you are on Feb. 4. Please don't send me any more downloads or photos than I ask for. I can't handle the information overload and it really doesn't do me or you any good because it's not like I'm going to do anything with them.

2) Unless donated, prizes are expensive. Some very generous people donated prizes but so far, I only have enough for 6 months. If you have a cool company or excessive funds and would like to donate to the monthly drawing prizes, please let me know. I'm hoping to pick up some more throughout the year at various conferences, but donations are always appreciated.

3) Throughout the year, if you have a particular issue or concern about fitness or nutrition, please email me and let me know. I know lots of people and I can probably track down someone who can answer your question.

Tuesday Tidbits

Since Amy Tenderich posted about the Challenge on DiabetesMine this morning, I've decided to re-open the sign-up sheets for just a few more days in order to catch anyone who is interested who many not have heard of the Challenge until today.

Sign-ups close PERMANENTLY this Friday. I'm serious.

No extensions.

Nothing.

If you're just hearing about the Challenge, email me asap. The requirements for the drawing HAVE NOT CHANGED, so even if you sign up on Friday, you still have to lose 5 pounds or have a 14-day average of 175 by Feb. 4. It's the only way I can keep this semi-fair and not lose the rest of my sanity by having more than two requirements for the drawing.

Any questions, you know where I am.

Monday Memo

The sign up sheet is closed!

We have this year's OC New Me participants:

1. George - weight and A1C

2. Scott - weight and A1C

3. Jenny - A1C

4. Sarah - weight

5. Kathleen - A1C

6. Julia - weight

7. Kate - A1C

8. Hannah - weight and A1C

9. Beth - weight

10. Lori - weight

11. Mel - weight

12. Kelly - A1C

13. Heidi - A1C

14. Erica - weight and A1C

15. Bernard - A1C

16. Allison (that would be me) - weight and A1C

Art-Sweet and Kelsey may be joining since they left comments last week, but I haven't confirmed what they are doing.

EDIT: Kelsey's too busy with her thesis and making a baby (as if that's a suitable excuse for not lowering her A1C... whatever... ;-) ), but Wendy joined the A1C Group! Woohoo!

Now you know who else is in your groups. Talk amongst yourselves. Share ideas, etc.

The first Weigh-in and Check-in is on Sunday, February 4th. Please send a digital photo of you on your scale if you are in the Weight Loss Group. Please send a download of your logsheet if you are in the A1C group. If you aren't able to send in a download, you need to write one by hand and send in a digital photo of your 14-day average.

Monthly Drawing:
Start the year off right!

Weight Loss Group goal: Lose 5 lbs.
Weight Loss Group prize: a one year subscription to Diabetes Self-Management.

A1C Group goal: A 14-day average of 170 or below, with maximum 7 lows.
A1C Group prize: The Ultimate Guide to Carbohydrate Counting by Gary Scheiner.

Drawing on Wednesday, February 7.

New Prizes:

Thanks to Kelly Close (and Challenge participant) for donating two one-year subscriptions to Close Concerns newsletter diaTribe.

Thanks to Amy Tenderich for donating a copy of her new book, Knowing Your Numbers.

Almost There...

Thanks to everyone who has signed up for the OC New Me Challenge! I was so worried that no one would want to join (now why on earth would I think something like that?) but I'm glad to be proven wrong!

I will post a full list of participants on Monday.

If you have joined, I have not yet figured out the whole Paypal thing so I will post details on Monday or Tuesday.

If you haven't joined, you better do it fast! I'm not accepting anyone past tomorrow. You have to email me your current stat, your goal and your wager.

If you are doing the A1C challenge, I would prefer it if you could actually email me your logs. I know not everyone can, but if you have the ability it makes things a lot easier for me. Sending a Word document logsheet also works. But please don't lie! If you are doing the weight challenge, you pretty much have to take a digital picture of you on your scale. If you can't, email me.

Finally, here are some updates on our monthly prizes:

- A Pump Pak, mini-Pak keychain (great for carrying glucose tabs) and a pump T-shirt donated by PumpWear, Inc.
- A $100 gift certificate for a necklace at Monsoon Artisans, donated by Beth at In Search of Balance.
- A year-long subscription to Diabetes Self-Management magazine.

More coming soon!

Contest Guidelines have CHANGED!!!

After discussing this with a few people, I have decided to make a modification to the rules.

PARENTS ARE ALLOWED TO JOIN!

However, this is on the basis that parents will be in their own "special" challenge. Most of the prizes will be the same, but parents will have different monthly weightloss benchmarks. This will help me determine appropriate expectations for everyone but not discriminate anyone based on the fact they have a functioning pancreas.

If you are a parent and you want to join, same deal:
Current weight
Goal weight
How much you are wagering

Please e-mail me!

Also, new monthly drawing prizes have been donated by Gary Scheiner:

• Think Like a Pancreas
• The Ultimate Guide to Carbohydrate Counting
  

Update!

I've had a few people tell me that they want to join the OC New Me Challenge but that they weren't able to lose weight. I just wanted to make it clear that you can choose to do the weight or the A1C or both.

Also, the deadline for signing up is January 7, so please EMAIL me if you are going to be signing up. I know a few people have commented, but I need actual emails with your stats, goals, etc.

Update: Some of our first monthly drawing prizes have been confirmed! James Hirsch has donated a copy of Cheating Destiny and Dr. William Polonsky has donated a copy of Diabetes Burnout. More to come!

Thanks!