Been Awhile

It's been awhile since I have posted anything here because I have been doing most of the corresponding via email.

For anyone who does check-in here, records are due this week.

July Goal: Choose your own goal! Email your own personal goal for July and I will hold you to it come the first weekend of July.

First weekend of July is July 6 and 7, NOT June 30 and July 1!!!

More coming soon!

Eat Better America, New Prizes!, and New Method of Goal-Setting

Eat Better America:

I want to share with everyone this email I received while I was in California last week. I haven't had a chance to share it yet, but I think everyone will benefit from checking out this new website:

Hi Allison.

My name is Melanie and I am writing on behalf of the web site EatBetterAmerica.com

Eat Better America is a free web site that offers fitness and health tips, healthy recipes and a support community. I noticed that you sometimes post web site resources for your readers who are on the challenge, so I thought you may have some interest in this.

One of the main features is called "Healthify My Recipe," where users can submit their favorite recipes for a healthy makeover. So far, they've healthified recipes for french toast, macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and a few others. That feature is in the "recipes" section of the site.

I'd appreciate it if you would check it out and let me know what you think. Maybe you could share it with your readers.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me personally.

Best,
Melanie

P.S. We honor all requests to end participation in our programs. If you do not wish to be included in any of our future initiatives, please send me an e-mail with the subject line "REMOVE." Thank you very much.

I have already signed up for the very flashy, very funny website that has a lot of personalized, informative sections that will help you with food and fitness. Check it out!

New Prizes!

My visit to the CWD La Jolla conference paid off just in the prizes I received as donations from the exhibitors.

1. Pumping Insulin by John Walsh and Ruth Roberts
2. My Other Checkbook, developed by John Walsh and Ruth Roberts
3. The Calorie King's Calorie, Fat, and Carbohydrate Counter (donated by John and Ruth)
4. Ultra Smart Ultra 2, donated by Lifescan
5. Ultra Mini, donated by Lifescan
   
6. a "Insulin is not a cure" mousepad, donated by Angel Wear Pump Stuff
7. a "Pump Out Carbs" lunch box, donated by Angel Wear Pump Stuff
   
8. three glucose tab keychains, donated by Accucheck
   

New Method of Goal-Setting

After reviewing the progress of everyone in the group, I have decided it would be the best for everyone if we started doing personalized goals rather than group goals. The reason being that everyone is starting out at different points and expecting some people who are averaging 180 mg/dl to drop down to 165 mg/dl is harder than someone who is already sitting at 150 mg/dl.

That being said, everyone will be given their goal at the beginning of the month that will hopefully slowly bring them down to their goal. Of course, you are responsible for your own progress. For people doing the A1C challenge, you are responsible for getting your A1C tested regularly and making your own adjustments. There are only so much I can do over a computer and as a non-CDE (yes, that's right, I'm not actually qualified to give you advice). Hopefully the goals for the Challenge are encouraging you in the right direction.

Good.

More prizes coming down the pike!

I just wanted to let you know of a few new prizes for the OC New Me Challege.

First, Diabetes Self-Management magazine has donated four books to the OCNMC, including one by Sheri Colberg-Ochs, an associate professor of exercise physiology and a consultant with dLife.

Also, dLife has donated 2 three-month memberships to the new dLife Meal Manager program! You can read more about it here. It's currently $19.95 per month, so this will give you three months to try it out and see how it helps improve your health! After the three months is up, you will have the option of extending it. The dLife Meal Manager will be the prize for June, so to qualify, you have to send me your May check-in (first weekend of May, coming up in about 3 weeks) and you will have to meet the goal for June. Hopefully this will encourage everyone to send in their May check-in logs and photos!

I will keep you all updated on any new prizes. Good luck!

Kicking In Second Quarter!

Okay, folks, we've now entered into the month of April thus beginning the second quarter of the OC New Me Challenge. I am very encouraged that everyone is working hard and sending in their reading. Just remember that there are still nine more months to go until the final check-in, so if you haven't made as much progress as you thought, keep hanging in there.

Here are the April results:

Congrats to Scott for losing another 3 pounds and a 14-day average of 155 mg/dl.
Congrats to Kathleen for a 14-day average of 163 mg/dl.
Congrats to Kelly for a 14-day average of 156 mg/dl.
Congrats to Catherine for losing another 2 pounds.
Congrats to Sara for losing another 2 pounds.

Winners:

Congrats to Scott for winning the A1C drawing! He will receive an autographed copy of Cheating Destiny by Jim Hirsch.

Congrats to Catherine for winning the Weight Loss drawing. She will receive a copy of When You're a Parent with Diabetes by the OC's very own Kassie Palmer.

May Requirements:

A1C Group
14-day average of 165 mg/dl or below, with no more than 7 blood sugars over 300 and a minimum of 6 blood glucose readings each day.

Mid-month check-in: April 22-23.
Final check-in: May 6-7 (a.k.a. THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE MONTH).

Weight Loss Group
A minimum of 2 pounds.

Mid-month check-in: April 22-23.
Final check-in: May 6-7 (a.k.a. THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE MONTH).

Prizes:

A1C Group
Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner

Weight Loss Group
Conquering Diabetes by Dr. Anne Peters

In addition:

If you sign up for one of the programs listed in the post below and reach the goal for May, you will be entered into the drawing twice, which double your chances for winning the prize. You must forward a confirmation email from the program for verification.

Edit: I made a mistake with the pricing in the previous post. Two of the programs are pay-programs, one of the programs is free. It doesn't matter which one you sign up for. Also, if you sign up for another program like Weight Watchers, if you can show me an email proving you signed up, you get credit for that too.

Late Check-ins:

If you have not sent in your check-in for April, you must send it to me by 9:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, April 5 in order to qualify for the May drawing.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Suggestions?
Email me.

Weight-Loss Websites!

The OC New Me website is basically here just to provide support and also report on how everyone is doing. But there are a TON of websites on the 'net that are dedicated to weight loss and showing you how to do it well. There are also some websites especially for people with diabetes who want to lose weight and stay fit. Here's a run-down:

dLife's Diabetes Diet: There customized meal and fitness plans; diabetes-friendly recipes; and tracking not only exercise and weight, but also your blood sugar. Helps with goals in meal planning, blood sugar management, and weight loss. There are free receipes on the website. Edit: The program is not free, it's $19.95/month. However, you have to be a member of dLife first, and that sign-up is free. I got confused.

Fitness4diabetics: A coaching team comprised of diabetes educators, exercise physiologists, nurses and nutritionists. Customized coaching for your particular goals, includes four months of online consultations. They also provide online seminars for participants. Membership is $300-$425 plus a $125 set-up fee depending on the type of plan you choose. Read an interview on Six Until Me with the founder.

OneTouch Gold: Lifescan's diabetes lifestyle website. Includes personalized fitness and meal plans; articles, tips and columns; recipes and coupons; tips on beating burnout and depression; and other health guides. Membership is free.

If you find any other websites for people with diabetes, just let me know! Hope you find these resources helpful in meeting your Challenge goal.

March Monthly Drawing and April Goals

Congratulations!

Anne has won a copy of Diabetes Burnout by Dr. William Polonsky

Kathleen has won a copy of Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes by Amy Tenderich

April Goals

We are doing a repeat of last month.

Weight Loss Group: 10% of your total weight loss goal (i.e. if you want to lose 10 lbs, lose 1 lbs. If you want to lose 20 lbs., lose 2 lbs.)

A1C Group: 14-day average of 170 mg/dl or below with no more than 7 blood sugars over 300 mg/dl

Edit: Forgot to mention the prizes!

Weight Loss Group: When You’re a Parent with Diabetes by Kassie Gregario
A1C Group: autographed copy of Cheating Destiny by Jim Hirsch

Mid-month Check-in: Sunday, March 18
April Check-in: Saturday, March 31-Sunday, April 1

I have extended the April check-in to be the entire weekend. Cut off is 11:59p.m. PST on April 1.

You MUST send me your check-in whether or not you qualify for a drawing. I CANNOT stress this enough. I cannot verify your progress if I don't know where you are starting and ending at.

Help Me Help You...

I have only received 11 monthly check-ins this weekend. Out of that, 5 people qualify for the Weight Loss Group drawing and 3 people qualify for the A1c Group drawing.

Now, we had this problem last month where I received check-ins everywhere from the Thursday before to the Wednesday after. So obviously I have my expectations set way too high for people's ability to all send me their data on the same day. I'd like some input before Wednesday. Do you want to have your own special day to send in your logs? Is a Thursday afternoon just way easier for you than a Sunday? First thing Monday morning? The entire weekend as an option? I'm just trying to figure out how I can coordinate this because right now I feel like I'm disqualifying a lot of people because no one sent in their logs. Ya'll did a great job with the mid-month check-in so I'm just wondering why so many people are a no show this time around.

March Results:

Congrats to...
Scott for an average of 150 mg/dl
Kathleen for an average of 154 mg/dl
Manny for an average of 153 md/dl

Congrats to...
Scott for losing 6 pounds
Sarah and Anne for both losing 4.5 pounds
Sara for losing 4 pounds
Lori for losing 3.8 pounds

Keep up the great work everyone!

Drawing winner will be announced this Wednesday along with the April goals

If you have not sent me your check-in, do that ASAP!! I need it for your records. Thanks!