Small-step daily goals lead to healthful and pleasant behavior change! I was gratified to have received this acknowledgment and expression of thanks from a dear client, with whom I have had the honor of engaging in his optimal health management these past 6 months. His note was so sweet, that (with his permission), I felt compelled to share it with you.
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Hi Robin,

Today was a celebration of what I’ve accomplished in these six months or so that we’ve been working together.  I pointed out that I’ve exercised 11 days in a row, and indeed have only missed 4 days this entire month.  I’ve include three gym trips in the past week, with the intention of making the gym a more frequent part of my exercise outings. I noted that I’ve reached the point where I look forward, most days, to my exercising — especially walking, during this special period of wonderful spring weather.  With the temps now getting into the 80s, I will be scoping out swimming pools with the intent of adding swimming to my mix of exercise; indeed, as the summer heat intensifies, it’s likely that swimming will replace at least some of my walking.

In terms of walking, I know that at some point I’ll need to increase my distance and time. At the moment I feel like I’m balancing that fairly well, but I know that psychologically I’m limited to what I think I can do; at some point I’ll push forward and realize I can do more. But I’m not beating myself up over that since I’m quite happy that I’m doing ANY kind of exercise now, compared to what I was doing a year ago or even six months ago. Realistically, I have to accept that walking at my current weight is not easy and the same expectations can’t exist that would if I weighed 50 or 100 pounds less.  (I forgot to mention during our session today, that when I met my pal Gregory for breakfast yesterday, he was already seated in the restaurant and watched me walk across the parking lot from my car…he said, “You look like an athlete out there.”  That was a huge boost; because it wasn’t so long ago that I could barely walk because of my bad heel and bad knee.)

My food intake seems to be fairly routine and solid by now, indicating that I’ve evolved into the 5-meal-a-day pattern that was part of my initial health vision and your initial prescription for me. I’m generally free of cravings for the baked goods, candy, etc., that used to control me.  I used to have some sort of fast food almost daily, together with at least one or two diet sodas.  Now fast food is limited to tacos every now and then, with an occasional burger or hot dog thrown in; for three months I had no diet soda, and now have one no more often than once a week.

As we approach my six-month blood work, I am anticipating that my numbers will be at or near normal. You cautioned me not to make the numbers the entire goal, and suggested that if they are normal it would be likely that my doc will keep me on Metformin, perhaps at a lower dose, for at least another six months. You underscored that diabetes is a condition that can be managed by healthful food and fitness choices and that it can “come back”, and that I have shifted to the lifetime commitment to the exercise and food disciplines that you have introduced to me.  I agreed that would be necessary. And I reiterated that this process has been quite pleasant and positive, and gets easier each day. It’s not been like the awful, rigid programs I’ve tried in the past.

I hope you know how much I’ve valued and appreciated your intervention, Robin. You’re a wonderful friend and teacher and I’m so grateful that you’ve committed yourself to helping me get back on the path to health.