Would change in diet/exercise affect possible blood tests at my endo appt? should i wait until after the appt to stray from my usual patterns?

Depends how far: I assume you're referring to an endocrine appointment. Yes, some tests can be altered by diet and exercise. However, since a good diet and exercise are so important, it'll be hard to justify waiting more than a day or so before starting your new regimen. Check with your doctor to make sure they won't be testing again to see how you've responded to the exercise regimen, otherwise, I start today.

Probably no: Diet and exercise are life style changes and take time to change blood levels. We all hope to see immediate changes but generally it takes about 3 months to 1 year because people have different levels of compliance, education on how to make changes and what works for them. Get your lab work, establish your baseline and continue to do the lifestyle changes. Every 1% improvement is exponential.