My weight has always been a struggle for me.

It’s not a matter of just watching what I eat and exercising. They’re more factors involved. I have to not only eat healthy - exercise - but manage my blood sugars on top of that.

I can’t abide by no-carb diet. Yes, fewer carbs are better for my blood sugars overall. But I need carbs - complex carbs - more specifically. These carbs provide me with the nutrients that I need. They also help sustain my blood sugar throughout the day.

I also have to adjust my insulin to meet my specific requirements. It could vary day to day. One day I could be very active and the next day, not so much. While exercising is great for keeping blood sugars stable, they do tend to drop low at times. Which in turns causes me to need something to eat, to pick me back up. It’s a vicious cycle.

What I’ve learned though is diabetes is all about CONSISTENCY. Doing the same thing over and over again. It makes blood sugars easier to manage and weight easier to lose.

There’s no magic pill - special trick - or quick fix

It takes patience.

I know first hand. When I was younger - maybe 18. I went through a period of lacking self-confidence. I had an eating disorder called Diabulimia. Where I didn’t take my correct doses of insulin. I put my body in harm out of pure desperation to lose weight.

I soon realized how damaging and harmful this was. I was doing no justice to myself. I chose to correct how I was eating, and start exclusively exercising. I started running, which is probably the best thing I’ve ever started doing.

I began to gain a certain sense of confidence - not because I was where I wanted to be physically - but because I felt better about myself mentally. I no longer aspire to be thin - I aspire to be healthy.

8 Years later now, here I am (3) months postpartum after my third baby:

I’m not worried about the extra weight. I’m just concentrating on keeping my blood sugar levels stable, eating right, and staying active. The results will come with time.

I’m a true believer that if you treat your body well, it will see you through for many years.

Believe me, my schedule is chaos and I’m constantly tired. But I just continue to push through. There’s always room for improvement. The days where I can’t believe I’m still up at midnight folding laundry - means it was a good day - It’s just living proof that finding that “extra time” can be done. If I want it bad enough - I have to go make it happen.

I no longer have hatred towards my body. I respect it - stretch marks and all. I feel good in my own skin. I admire the fact that I carry around my life attached to my hip. That I can beat the blues by just loving myself. I’m empowered that I can control this disease and not let it control me.