I haven't blogged in awhile so I thought that I would get started again with this article that I was asked to write and copy it here to cheat. I figured since I plan to start hammering the open water swimming and cycling again that I should also start blogging again.
--------------------------------------------------
My name is Brian Phelps and I am a 46 year old type 1 diabetic who is also taking meds for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and depression (bye bye HIPPA). My Mom and both of my brothers also had type 1 diabetes and my Mom and oldest brother have died from the complications of the disease. I have always enjoyed swimming and I try to swim at least once each week with friends. In 2008 I noticed that the scale was gradually and continually showing weight gain. Although I was a fast sprint swimmer and “my friends” thought that that I was in good shape, I knew different. I decided to make a change. I lost about 40 lbs from the summer of 2008 to the summer of 2009 and have managed to keep the weight off by small daily habit changes. I would encourage everyone to take a realistic assessment of where you are physically and find someone, WHO IS HONEST (not polite), to evaluate your assessment. Most people are overweight and really need to do something about it.
Getting Started:
1) Learn how to read – labels.
a. Fats (saturated & trans = bad)
b. Protein (generally a good thing)
c. Carbohydrates (minimize the grams of sugars)
d. Just for free – Cholesterol in food doesn’t cause cholesterol in you, saturated fat does. Eggs are almost perfect as a food and should not be avoided because of the old wives tale that they cause cholesterol.
2) Sign up for a sporting event to compete in, pay money for that event and ask other people to come watch you. Fear is a powerful motivator.
3) Ask to join others that are already exercising or ask someone else to join you in your adventure. You need this for accountability, to develop friendships and to open ministry opportunities.
4) Check vitamin levels
a. Vitamin D – at least 3000 IU’s per day.
b. A good multivitamin
c. Fish oil pills
5) Stretch – old people like me really need to stretch everyday to avoid a blowout
6) Work activity into your habits. For my daily prayer time, I now walk the dogs for about 1 mile and have been doing so for several years now.
7) Pray for discipline – no big buts (but I am diabetic, but I am busy, but I am not an athlete, etc.)
One of my friends was about 60 lbs overweight and started working out and setting goals. He asked me what I thought he should weigh and I told him maybe 180 lbs or so. His overweight response was, “I will look emaciated at 180 lbs”. I said, “Okay, then shoot for breaking 200 lbs”. Now that he is around 200 lbs, I thoroughly enjoy telling him how emaciated he looks - NOT ;->. He is now shooting for about 180 lbs for his ultimate goal and he has signed up for several endurance events to keep him going. In America, it is very easy to feel okay about being unhealthy and overweight. I was on a plane once with someone from Norway and he was commenting on the portion sizes (and people sizes) in America and how large they both were. He was asking me how people can possibly eat that much. Treat this like an alcoholic treats an addiction. Get accountable. Find someone else who struggles and is winning and join them. It doesn’t do an alcoholic any good to ask another drunk at the bar if they think they are drinking too much.
I will never, repeat never, do this again but here is what I have done as an outreach to the diabetic community this past year. Because I had dropped 40 lbs and was in decent shape, I agreed to be a national captain for Triabetes which meant that I agreed to train hard for one year and attempt the toughest Ironman course in the world this past May. During this year, I had the opportunity to speak to over 200 children with diabetes at an American Diabetes Association camp (and get to again this year), I have made friends with hundreds of other diabetics and their families across the country and had the privilege to mentor kids with diabetes. My job was to inspire other diabetics to get out and dominate their disease, to educate them how to do it and have them explore their perceived boundaries of what they can do. This has given me opportunities that I would have never had before and these opportunities continue to present themselves almost daily.
I have never been able to run well and I will probably never run in a race again. The farthest that I had ever run in my life prior to 2010 was 3 miles.
During this training process, I attempted and finished the following events (slow but finished):
Bolder Boulder 10k run (6.2 mile run - 5/2010), Olympic Rattlesnake Triathlon (1 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run - 8/2010), 100 mile bike ride in Tour de Cure (8/2010), Full Marathon – Denver Rock & Roll (26.2 mile run - 10/2010), Half Marathon in Carlsbad, CA (13.1 mile run - 1/2011), Ironman California (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run – 3/2011), Full Ironman in St George, Utah (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run – 5/2011).
Guess what? I still need to take meds for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and depression and I don’t have six-pack abs (not even close). I also feel great and can take on any invitation for an adventure knowing that I am fit enough to enjoy myself. I have developed very close friendships that continue to expand as others join in on the fun. Don’t neglect how this new journey of yours can open up new opportunities and allow you to be a part of completely new friend groups. You can practice with a Masters swim team, join a local running group, join a local cycling group, join an adult soccer team, join a walking group, etc.. Don’t let anything, including your pride stop you (remember no big buts). If you ever want to go on a bike ride, do a lake swim or fish with me, just ask.
Thanks
Brian
