Having had some problems with weight for over a year, I was at a loss. Prescription medicines I was taking were changed. I changed a few of these, kind of like watching food for allergies, to see which ones were putting on weight.

After having blood-work done I found a reason. My sugar level was too high. I am a diabetic. Even though my numbers didn't seem too high for me, my a1c was too high. Which is an average for three months.

The doctor said, not surprisingly, stop the sugar, or get onto some shots. Being a person that does not like shots, I got busy trying to get sugar out of my diet.

I have drank close to three liters of C.Cola a day for too many years now. I had a young intern tell me years ago it was okay, because at least it is liquids.

Don't believe this. I myself, don't even think you should drink the Diet Colas. That's my opinion.

Drinking cola hasn't been my only problem. I seemed to crave sugar in any form. Candy, twinkies, cupcakes, sugar, sugar, sugar!

Also, Love those Biscuits and Gravy! How about some fried Pork Chops (dipped in flour, of course) along with those biscuits and gravy. How I was so proud that I could turn out this delicious supper! (Dinner for you northern folks).

Mashed Potatoes with gravy, along with some kind of fried meat (dipped in flour). Yummy. What a great cook I became! Are you hungry yet?

Do you just love Southern Fried Chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy, cole slaw, sweetened tea?

Delicious. Gosh, over the years I became such a good cook. Plus, I got to eat all these foods and loved it.

Spaghetti? It used to be at least once a week. Going along with that was the French Bread (made with flour) and drenched with garlic butter. At least the garlic was good for me. Spaghetti? Yum!

Sweet Tea, every day when there was no cola, and sometimes when there was, everything had to have sugar.

Can you see all the hidden sugars in those delicious foods I listed?

Macaroni, and shells-and-cheese! More, mom, if you please! What could seem less harmful than macaroni? Sugar!

I stopped as much of these types of food as possible. It's hard to do when other people bringing food into the house don't understand what is sugar. Or if they understand, they will still buy foods with the less expensive prices.

Cutting out pastas and sugars of all sorts, and stopping with the colas, I lost fifteen pounds.

I did up my exercise. All this does make me feel better. The sugar made me feel weak and tired.

The exercise makes me feel like being up and around. It is helping my muscles. True, I sometimes have to force myself to get on that exercise bike, but I know it helps me.

People: don't wait until your children are bigger. Start them eating and drinking correctly as babies. Include water. Water flushes sugar, and other bad things. Water is good for us, and is necessary to drink plenty.

I'm on my way to feeling better, losing more weight, and avoiding shots. How about you???