February 15, 2012

• Helena Handbasket

  OMG My body has gone to hell.  In a hand basket.

  Sitting here at my computer every day I don’t notice the little things that are slowly going downhill.  Well, except for being stiff when I get up. 

  Before I lost my job in 2004 (and I consider that the big turning point in my health – I was 30 pounds lighter and much more physically fit) I used to walk 6 miles a day.  2 from the train station to the office.  2 at lunch.  2 back to the train station after work. It was fun.  Sometimes I’d leave the office and 4:30 and not get to the train station until 7:30 because I had to walk down the Magnificent Mile to get there. (And pass two ‘malls’ – Chicago Place and North Bridge).  But I always enjoyed my walks.  Sometimes I’d listen to books on CD.  I was also a member of a health club that was part of a hospital complex.  I would go there every night after work.  Monday, Wednesday and Friday I would do a full body workout (strength training) and Tuesdays and Thursdays I’d just do Aerobics.  I worked with a trainer once a week.  Although I needed to lose a lot of weight and was diabetic, I was pretty fit – I had definite sculpted muscles that you could see in my arms, legs and shoulders.  And under the keg there was a six-pack.  My abs were stronger than they had ever been in my entire life. 

  I never got back that energy after I lost my job.  First thing that had to go was my gym membership ($85 a month).  Next thing that went was the lady who came to clean every other week.  I did try to keep up my walking and was successful for a while, but eventually that fizzled out, too.

  Okay, so I’ve had 8 years to get myself back on track and instead I’ve gone to flab and gained back 40 pounds (although I’m down 10 from my highest point.)

  My doctor has been on me to be a little more aggressive in my weight loss efforts and getting exercise. 

  First things first.  I needed to get used to taking my meds like I am supposed to – until it becomes a habit and forgetting them is not an option.  Done.

  Next I had to get used to eating differently.  I’ve become LotsaStuffIntolerant.  Milk and most dairy products make me ill.  Beef makes me ill.  Animal fat makes me ill.  So I’ve gone ova-vegetarian.  No more dairy – now I get my dairy from soy (cheeses), coconut (coffee cream) and almonds (almond milk for cereal).  I’ve switched to eggbeaters instead of eggs.

  I have lost some weight – I think that thinking about other alternatives, like surgery, made my body put on the brakes and say “um. no way.” and so I lost some weight.

  Finally got the treadmill out and started walking on it half an hour every morning. This is where the OMG comes in!  I used to walk 3.5 to 3.7 mph on my walks.  I could walk 4 to 4.3 mph on a treadmill for short bursts (like maybe 3 or 4 minutes).  I am now walking 2.6 mph.  TWO POINT SIX.  That’s slower than when I first started walking back before when I was so out of shape. (back then I started at 3.0)

  So it’s like I’m in a hole that I have to climb out of just to land at ground zero. 

  But I am determined that I am going to live to my mid-eighties at least (although if I could keep my health I would want to live forever), so I guess every little bit is one step closer to being healthy enough to make it that far.

  • 11:44 pm
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