Educate Yourself, Plan and Succeed
Learn how diet and exercise can help you control diabetes.
Written by Vera Tweed
When she learned she was on the road to diabetes, Candace McHatton took control and changed her life.
In April 2006, Candace McHatton decided to take advantage of a free health screening offered by the Scottsdale, Ariz., software company where she is a customer support manager. A diagnosis of prediabetes came as a shock. “I had always been healthy and very athletic,” she explains. “To be told that I was on the verge of becoming a diabetic was terrifying.” Then 43 years old, McHatton, who is 5’ 7” tall, weighed 251 lb.
Her job had been unusually stressful, leaving no time for exercise, and during the previous year she had gained about 40 lb. “It took a couple of months before I got to the point where I realized that I was really damaging my body and my health, and that if I didn’t do something about it, I was going to be in trouble,” she recalls.
During July 4th celebrations, a friend introduced her to The Sonoma Diet (Meredith Books, 2005). After reading and rereading the book, McHatton decided that this Mediterranean eating plan—devoid of processed foods, and low in saturated fat, white flour and sugar—could work for her. In practice, it would mean no more fast-food breakfasts and lunches, candy or cookies for snacks at the office, or fatty meats, rich sauces and starchy side dishes at dinner.
After educating herself, McHatton set a date to start her new life: Aug. 1, 2006. Then, she says, “I flipped the switch.” After purging her pantry of processed foods and spending three hours reading nutrition labels in the supermarket, she stocked up on foods on the Sonoma plan. She started eating whole-grain cereals; some nuts; chicken, fish and lean cuts of meat; and lots of vegetables, steamed as side dishes or raw in salads or as snacks.
At the same time, she started exercising, getting up earlier to start each day with a walk, followed by sit-ups and push-ups in her living room. After two weeks, she was 4 lb lighter and inspired to do more. In the third week, the intensity of her daily morning routine increased, and she added an hour or more on an elliptical trainer in a gym after work, at least four times per week. Four months after starting her own program, McHatton had lost 40 lb, and her blood sugar and other health markers were in a healthy range—one that she has been able to maintain.
Based on her own experience, McHatton has this advice for anyone facing types 2 diabetes:
► Write down all the reasons why you want to get healthy, and keep your list within sight.
► Keep a daily journal of everything you eat, as well as your exercise.
► Tell your friends and family that you want to lose weight and get healthy, and let them be your support group.
► Educate yourself so you can eat in a healthy way for the long term.
► Start exercising with a 30-minute walk every day. That alone is going to make a huge difference in your life.
