- Messages
- 314
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
In 2017, 1 week before Thanksgiving, I got the dreaded call. The nurse told me I had diabetes and they had called a prescription into my pharmacy. I was scheduled to be off work that following week, so, in my panic, I did the only thing I could think of. I started exercising, for the first time in 10 years.
I walked, and walked. But the only flat area behind my house is accessed from the front of the subdivision 1/2 (hilly) mile from my house. So I drove to that entrance to the park. Yes, I drove 1/2 mile to exercise. It was flat, with the exception of about 300 feet of a very steep hill. At the end of my walk, I had to climb that mountain. I did it, often stopping several times to catch my breath. Sometimes I felt lightheaded when I got to my car. And several days later when my Fitbit showed up, I was disturbed to see my heart rate would take just as long to recover as it felt like - I googled that - not great.
But, I kept walking, including a monumental 7-day hiking vacation in the summer, 2018, when I hiked 50 miles of rugged terrain. I added in weight lift too, joining a local gym. And I kept walking.
Due to a storm and a downed tree, I took a less convenient route through my park on my evening walk. Right past that darn mountain. So I walked up it. Got to the top and thought...wait...that’s it??? So I walked up and down it 5 more times
. Then checked my heart rate - 148 beats per minute, not even at my max. It really is a steep hill. It came down to 116 in 60 seconds.
So, yeah, that mountain is really just a mole hill now.
I walked, and walked. But the only flat area behind my house is accessed from the front of the subdivision 1/2 (hilly) mile from my house. So I drove to that entrance to the park. Yes, I drove 1/2 mile to exercise. It was flat, with the exception of about 300 feet of a very steep hill. At the end of my walk, I had to climb that mountain. I did it, often stopping several times to catch my breath. Sometimes I felt lightheaded when I got to my car. And several days later when my Fitbit showed up, I was disturbed to see my heart rate would take just as long to recover as it felt like - I googled that - not great.
But, I kept walking, including a monumental 7-day hiking vacation in the summer, 2018, when I hiked 50 miles of rugged terrain. I added in weight lift too, joining a local gym. And I kept walking.
Due to a storm and a downed tree, I took a less convenient route through my park on my evening walk. Right past that darn mountain. So I walked up it. Got to the top and thought...wait...that’s it??? So I walked up and down it 5 more times
. Then checked my heart rate - 148 beats per minute, not even at my max. It really is a steep hill. It came down to 116 in 60 seconds.So, yeah, that mountain is really just a mole hill now.
