I interviewed Dr Ponder on his book "Sugar Surfing" . I asked him about the 6 key concepts and 3 virtues associated with sugar surfing, shots vs pumps, CGM, Texas Lion's Camp and much more!

As a figure competitor in training season I'm often asked questions such as what is my hemoglobin A1C or what are my blood sugars on a regular basis or how well regulated am I. The answer to that question is just the same as you or I or anyone else. What I enjoy about blogging is being able to share my experiences from an athlete’s point of view.

My diet changes weekly. Some weeks are higher in carbs than others. This week I'm on a low carb depleted diet as preparation getting closer to my show in April. What I have found is that every time my carb counting changes, my basal rate changes. I went from 11 units of lantus 2 weeks ago and experienced two days of low blood sugars so I went down to 9 units of lantus. That seemed to have worked well for me once I found the right amounts. This week I continued on Monday with 9 units of Lantus and I've experienced unexplained high blood sugar.

It's very frustrating, upsetting thinking what did I do wrong, and it affects my mood and sleep. What I have realized and learned as part of being an independent diabetic who knows how to properly increase or decrease my insulin, is that my blood sugar changes as I eat less carbs and do more cardio.

How do I treat myself independently? A must is wait two days to develop a pattern. Write EVERYTHING down form your carbs that you ate per meal to insulin to carb ratios, to insulin administered and the time of both that meal or blood sugar testing and activity level. After 2 days, you will have a clearer picture of what needs to be changed. Here is my blood sugar logs for the last two days.

What changes I have discovered is I need stronger lantus in the morning, so I've decided to increase my basal insulin from 9 units to 10 units. I gradually increase it. If I'm still high the next day, I will increase it to 11 units. One thing to emphasize is never make too many changes at once. If my blood sugars are still high in two days, I know my insulin to carb ratios needs to be changed. This is where I need my doctor’s assistance. I call in with my blood sugars and provide them with my weekly diet. Once I see a consistency, they help me in making changes.

I would love to hear your experiences with maintaining blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C with a nutrition plan and exercise – please scroll down and make a comment.

For those of you who felt guilty for eating unhealthy at your Super Bowl Party, today is a new day!  Here are some tips for getting back on track. 

My suggestion is take a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise of any type, walking, running, biking, gym time etc. Try to eat some protein such as grilled turkey breast or chicken, unsealed tuna, water, grilled fish etc. 

Decrease your carbs using portion control. I measure and weigh my food. If you don't have a scale, you can use a measuring cup. Some healthy carb choices would be 1/2 cup of brown rice, 5-6 ounces sweet potato, a nice big green salad with a cup of various veggies. I use balsamic vinegar which is a free dressing with nothing added to it. You can squeeze a lemon or lime in your salad which is also a free food. If you like dressing, we use portion control in my family - measuring 2 tablespoons.

Another way to eat healthy is reading labels and use the portions provided. I try to find foods low in fat and sugar. If you enjoy fruit, most people think it's a healthy choice, and it is if you also use portion control. Fruits that are good options include a cup of blueberries, a cup of strawberries, a medium size banana or apple, a whole grapefruit. I like to put cinnamon and Splenda on my fruit. A low fat Greek yogurt is a wonderful choice to go with a meal.

In my family, if we eat a more unhealthy meal than usual such as Mexican food, the next day I make grilled fish or chicken measuring 5/6 ounces and a steamed vegetable of any kind with brown rice or a sweet potato.  My children take a bike ride or a walk around our block to stay fit and healthy. We try to tell stories to make us laugh and help to realize not to feel guilty but to feel proud of what you have, who you are, and who is a positive influence in your life. It's ok to cheat with an unhealthy meal but it's never too late to get back on track and continue to pursue your goals.

Don’t let diabetes prevent you from having a great time at events like super bowl parties!

 If you live in Austin for any length of time, you soon know that it’s the Cedar Fever capital of the world.  Sufferers of Cedar Fever experience a general feeling of malaise, with symptoms similar to pneumonia. 

I woke up this morning  with sever Cedar symptoms - exhaustion, lack of motivation, difficulty breathing, sore throat, red itchy eyes, congestion and exhausted.  Because my children were home from school for the MLK holiday, I easily could have used this as an excuse to skip the gym.  I contemplated whether to go and my first thought was I could go tomorrow. 

This is when I push myself to go today - no matter how badly I feel .  Part of accomplishing goals is to know what they are and to follow through with a routine in spite of the exhaustion level.  Usually when I’m most exhausted I have my best workouts. I knew from experience that if I went to the gym I’d feel invigorated and set the mood for the day.  I went and had a great cardio workout for 45 minutes.

Later that day, my daughter wanted to go for a bike ride.  It turned out to be a beautiful 70 degree day, perfect for outdoor activities.   Being that my daughter is diabetic, it’s crucial that she gets exercise and I encourage her to be active.  You might think exercising a second time wouldn’t be advisable, but it’s fine to have 2 workouts in a day as long as you don’t overdo it. If you do a high intensity cardio workout in the morning, and you need to support your children or friend to encourage exercise in the afternoon, it’s ok to have a second, lower intensity workout.