If you could turn your life around in as little as 30 days, would you be prepared to take action and do it?
Today we’ve got a type 2 diabetes success story featuring an inspiring woman who took the 30 Day Turnaround Program and is now forging a completely new life for herself.
“I started this program to help me figure out how to eat low carb since that is what my nutritionist recommended. My blood glucose was reading 250 to 300 (13.9 to 16.7). My readings are now within normal range. And I’m down over 20 pounds (9kg) and feeling so much better. Thank you.”
Introducing Leisa
My name is Leisa M and I am a busy 56 year old wife, mother and grandmother.
I live in a tiny house and practice a homestead-type of lifestyle in the mountains of rural West Virginia.
I love God, my family, animals, gardening, canning, preserving fresh meats, boating, and being close to nature.
As a profession I am a church secretary and also the Vice President of a non-profit animal advocacy group.
A family history of diabetes
My family has a long history of diabetes and my grandmother lost her leg to the disease.
My son is a type 2 diabetic who has neuropathy in his feet and his last A1C reading was 13.
My sister is diabetic and has had A1C readings of 12 and higher.
I have a brother in law who is a double amputee and is on dialysis from complications of diabetes.
I also have a niece who has been a type 2 diabetic since age 5.
But even with all this around me, I easily dismissed my own A1C readings that slowly crept up from 5 to 6.7 over a range of a few years. I thought, well, that’s not too bad.
Still, I went and talked to a nutritionist who suggested a low carbohydrate diet and weight loss (I am 5’ 1” and weighed 240 pounds.). But, I was left with a problem, the nutritionist I saw really didn’t offer me a lot of information on how to do that. So instead of taking her advice I just went on eating like there was no tomorrow.
At least, until I got a sudden wake up call…
Suddenly I got the wake up call
In June of this year I went for a routine mammogram and was faced with the results of years of being in denial. Denial about my eating habits and ignoring my blood glucose readings, and the collective effect of what that denial was doing to me.
Suddenly I had to face that denial.
The veins and arteries in my breast were highlighted in bright white from calcium deposits and the beginnings of atherosclerosis (the most common form of heart disease).
After seeing my mammogram I started checking my blood glucose and it was running between 275 and 325 (15.3 and 18.1)!
I knew then I was in trouble and could no longer pretend everything was okay. I was tired all the time, could hardly walk without pain and barely had the energy to do the tasks that had to be done.
So I started looking online to research the low carb diet and stumbled upon the DMP website. The information here intrigued me enough that I paid for the 30 Day Turnaround Program.
And, I’m so glad I did!
I was motivated to make changes
Before I began the program I was eating a diet that consisted mostly of fruits, vegetable, potatoes, pastas, gravies, and lots and lots of cakes, pies, candy and soda pop.
After beginning the program I began reading labels and choosing foods that were not only low carb but contained the type of carbs that were slowly digested.
I now choose meat that is organic and high in quality so that the fats in them are less inflammatory. I cut out the constant snacks and concentrated on cooking meals that would satisfy me so that I would not stay hungry all the time.
I also began a simple walking program and now take the time to make grocery lists and plan my menus for the upcoming week.
The daily emails from DMP were a great reminder to keep my eating in line with the plan. The recipes and tips were invaluable. But for me the most important part of becoming a DMP member was the amount of information supplied and becoming educated about how different food affects my body and health.
I printed out each days lessons and put them in a binder so I have easy access to refer back to them when I need to.
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After just 30 days, Leisa’s results speak louder than words…
At the beginning my blood sugars ranged between 275 and 325 at the 2 hour post-meal point. Now my blood glucose ranges are between 96 pre-meal and 145 post meal!
I still struggle with my morning blood sugar readings being higher than what I would like but I feel confident that with time I will be able to bring them down as well.
At the beginning my morning fasting blood glucose was between 150 and 160. It is down to an average reading now of 125. My goal is to be able to bring it below 110 (6.1).
My weight has gone from 240 pounds in June, 2017 to 205.4 pounds now!!!
I try not to fixate on my weight as long as my blood glucose is coming in at an acceptable level but I cannot lie that as I see that number on the scale drop, I get a little excited!!!
How the 30 Day Turnaround Program has changed Leisa’s life
Since beginning the 30 Day Turnaround Program my life has changed so much.
My pain is gone, I now walk 3 miles (4.8 km) up and down our mountain with ease. My outlook on life is positive and I look forward to a future that is healthy and filled with being able to do the things I love and are important to me.
My advice to people who think that change and giving up a high carb diet is going to be just too hard, is for them to consider the ramifications and consequences of continuing on the path they are on (diabetic complications, amputations – it’s not a great prospect!).
Yes, change does take a bit of work!
But with the information and support of the 30 Day Turnaround Program it is doable… not only doable but exciting and enjoyable.
I thought there was no way that I could eat only 20 to 30 carbs (or even less) at each meal and not “fall off the wagon,” but the way I feel on this program is amazing and makes me want to continue to make progress.
I don’t want to waste one more minute of my life being sick, tired and miserable.
My advice is just DO IT!!!
If I can, anyone can.
Yours,
Leisa M
P.S. Leisa is now a VIP Member and continues to make great progress every day. We’ll bring you an update sometime in future. :)
WOW, thanks so much for sharing your story with us Leisa – so inspiring!!
This is exactly why we do what we do because we love helping people turn their lives around.
What did you learn most from what Leisa shared? Or what inspired you the most? Please leave your support and comments for Leisa below.
God bless you, Leisa! Hard work pays off!
Hi Leisa,
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing story. I am also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about a month ago and have started my LCHF diet plus exercise (walking). Just one thing that I would like to know and of course if you do not mind sharing it. Once reversed, can we eat a little bit of carb without worrying about the glucose level as before diagnosed? I am not talking about going back to old way of eating but sometimes when I am socializing it would be wonderful if I can eat a bit to show respect to others (yes, of course they need to appreciated my condition). What is your experience with this please (of course, again if you do not mind). Thanks.
Regards,
Johnny
Hi Johnny, we encourage you continue your low carb lifestyle even once your sugars return to normal ranges. Some people may find that even small increases in their carbohydrate intake will cause their sugar levels to start creeping up.
Hi Johnny. I have found that if I allow myself to ease up on restricting carbs it is very easy to convince myself that oh just a little won’t hurt me especially if I test and I stay in range. But I know that for me it just starts me on a path back to old habits that I have to conquer again. Easier for my to stay with my less than 100 carbs per day and find creative ways to be social thst don’t involve food. Lots of time I offer to bring a dessert and make one that is carb friendly. Most of the time those that know me well and have watched my journey unfold don’t even question my new normal. It has become more of a non issue the longer I go.
Best wishes on your journey!
I’m newly diagnosed and very overwhelmed with all the suggestions. My blood sugar is an adventure day to day and very difficult to understand. I test myself 3 to 4 times a day and also test what raises it and what doesn’t. I find eggs are the best.
There is definitely a huge learning curve when newly diagnosed, but it sounds like you’re off to a great start. Taking note of how certain foods effect your sugar levels is important – and you’ll probably notice that foods lowest in carbs, such as eggs, have the least impact. Keep looking around our site for plenty of free resources and let us know if you have any questions.
Hello to everybody on this thread. I loved reading the posts. I too have moved my numbers to the better.
Claudia, you said you have to start your “1c diet” again. My thoughts on the “diet” thing for me is….. I can not think of it as a diet…..I have to look at it as a life change, the way things are going to have to be if I want a good and healthy life. A diet to me is something you do for a short time. This new way of eating for a diabetic is for life.
The recipes on DMP site are awesome ,very simple to make and taste great. Also, the information they supply us is very helpful, as we all have found out. I have even made some of my favorite recipes diabetic friendly because of this information they given us. I know if I did not find Elizabeth & Jedha when I needed them I would be in dire need of a whole lot of medicine.
Thank you for all sharing life with a bunch of strangers.
Wow! You are so right. This has to be looked at as a life change not a diet. I’m so happy I found this site.
Debbie, that’s exactly how I feel. I was on so many diets in my life, to the point of even having my stomach stapled 30 years ago, that I am sick and tired even of the word “diet”. As strange as it sounds, if I hadn’t been diagnosed with diabetes in March, I would probably have just gone on as usual, eating too many sweets and starches. This is a complete life-style change for me and it’s working, much better than any diet. I am happy to have found Jedha and Elizabeth, too. They are life savers.
I look at it this way; I now eat to live, not live to eat.
As far as diet goes I also look at what consists of my diet that I eat. Not being on a diet. Like now I no longer eat rice, bread,pasta, potatoes and such…that’s just not part of the diet I eat anymore.
And for me anyway, I have fallen off the wagon now and then and when I chow down on some fast food like pizza or pasta or whatever, I find it just doesn’t taste as good as it once did.
Leisa, I appreciate your effort and success.
I am also a diabetic patient, Male,59 living in Ethiopia, Africa. For the last 5 years I was taking two types of medicines to reduce my glucose level. Initially my fasting glucose level was 124 but later on reached 170. My doctor increased the medicine volume and I become weak from day to day.
I started reading websites related to Type 2 diabetes, I cut almost all carbs from my diet & started physical exercise. Now, my morning sugar comes down to 97 and my Doctor reduced the medicine by 50%. My goal is to quit the medication & keep my blood glucose level normal through exercise and diet.
If you are committed to avoid carbs and doing physical exercise at least 4 times per week you will definitely control you blood sugar.
Thank you for your well wishes. Congratulations on your success as well. I hope you can soon reach your goals.
Congratulations Leisa !!. I am trying to lower my A1C as well. However my situation is different. I also have Heart disease and also recently have been diagnosed with colitis. So, it is very tough to have a low fibre, low carb, low sugar , low sodium and low fat diet. As well the colitis meds raise my A1C as well. Your story has given me some hope however.
You certainly have a lot to deal with and that would be challenging. Sometimes we just have to try and make the best decisions we can and continually tweak and learn what works and what doesn’t. It seems as if Jehda and Elizabeth are very willing to answer questions and suggest some options so maybe they can help. I hope you find a way to improve your health.
You are a great inspiration for the people suffering from diabetes. Yes we can do control our blood sugar if we want actually to do.May Allah bless us all.
Yes we can. But i feel a lot of people would rather not have to take responsibility for their own health and rely on medications instead of educating themselves and make better decisions on their food and exercise.
That is so true, Leisa. I have a friend here who has diabetes and Crohns and she won’t even try. She has been on chemo and some other IV drugs for it and all it is doing is making her sick all the time. I told her about the low-carb plan and the Crohns site and she said she asked her specialist and he said, no way, so she won’t. I can’t understand how she can just sit back and get worse day after day. Even her son is diabetic and on this plan and he’s doing great, as is another friend with Crohns. Boggles my mind. I was just researching green smoothies for diabetics today and I may also give them a try. I need to get more greens, etc, and because I have stomach staples (for 30 yrs), I can’t eat nearly enough. I will monitor my blood very closely while I’m trying different ones to see which ones work better.
Good morning. I am newly diagnosed and trying to navigate my way. I found this site and you, thank you. Do or did you take medicine also?
Many of our members are having great success in reducing or eliminating medication. Always defer to your doctor before making any medication changes.
What an inspiring and motivating story Leisa for all diabetics!
If you could do it, surely everyone certainly can.
Thank you Winnie♡♡♡
Way to go, Leisa! I live on Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada, and I can relate to your story. I was diagnosed in March with T2. My Diabetic Educator told me not to give up anything. Everything in moderation. I tried that, and when I ate bread (my fav) my blood glucose went UP. So, I started researching and came across the low-carb lifestyle. In Mar. my A1C was 6.7%, in June 6.4% and in September 5.8%, which is below the cutoff of 6.0%. I am quite pleased with this. My weight in Mar was 155.6 lbs and is now 126.4, as of today. I have never lost weight so quickly and effortlessly in my entire life and I’m just shy of 70. I must say my DE did make me nervous last week when she said things look good on the outside, but we don’t know what this low-carb thing is doing to your insides. My ldl did go up .04 this time, so I need to work on getting that down. I am so glad I found the low-carb lifestyle because I was a bread/starch/sweetaholic and the low-carb sweets are awesome. I do not feel deprived of anything now. My dog and I walk, sometimes twice a day, and I’ve bought an exercise bike for bad weather, although I do use it every night.
Otherwise, since I believe in prayer I have been praying that God and I will conquer this. I will follow His guidance because it’s working. Let us keep up the good work.
Hugs and blessings to you!
Way to go Lynn!!
Don’t panic if LDL levels rise. On it’s own, it’s not necessarily a heart disease risk factor as there are several other things that need to be factored in. Also, has HDL risen as well? Which is often the case. That’s not to say ignore changes in your numbers or what your healthcare team advises, but just consider all angles or have further tests. You might find this info on cholesterol helpful.
Hi Jedha. Thanks, I do tend to panic ’cause this is all new to me. Yes, my HDL was 1.54, then 1.46, now it’s 1.56. My DE said that was good. My doc wanted to put me on statins, but I said no, those things will kill you. I want to take care of this the way that I’ve been doing because it’s working. I’m trying to stay off all meds if at all possible. Thank you for your very informative site and all the help you ladies give everyone and in Sesame Street language, too, which is what I understand. lol Couldn’t do it without you.
Lynn it sounds as if you are an inspiration too! I’ve never lost weight this easily either. Like you I want to do this without medicines. I have panic disorder and meds trigger attacks. Prayer definitely helps and I give thanks to God for leading me to this site. Praying for your continued success!
You are giving me inspiration to start lc diet again. My fasting level 140, the dr. Is taking an a 1 c last Thursday. I weighed 263 and 5 ft 5, last Thursday, that is not shocking since I’ve been eating compulsively for months.
Claudia
Claudia as I said if I can do it anyone can. That’s the great thing about this life…every day that we wake up breathing we have a chance to start anew. So jump back in and try again. I sincerely hope you are successful.
Thank you for sharing your story Leisa – you are an inspiration!
How long ago was it that you achieved this and how are you going now?
Hi James. I began my journey in June of 2017 and I am doing great. I weighed in this morning at 196 pounds so thats a total of 44 pounds gone. My blood glucose is well within the normal ranges for a type 2 diabetic and is most of the time even in the ranges for someone with out diabetes. My morning readings are even beginning to respond and now several times each week come in under the 110 level. On my birthday in September I celebrated…but not with cake and a carb rich meal…I celebrated by completing my first 5K and my daughter in laws joined me. DMP is the best gift I have ever given myself.