Physical Therapy

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The MRI revealed a band of muscle holding three vertebrae in place. That means they are not moving independently so I have pain when I try to move that area. So I started physical therapy. This will be the beginning of conditioning my body to get back on track. Once I conquer that stubborn back muscle and force it to release the hostage vertebrae, I would be foolish not to continue exercising.

That’s what got me into this predicament in the first place. My priorities were out-of-place. I put work first instead of me. If I had considered that exercising was more important than that time I spent working off-site, I wouldn’t be in pain. Standing in one place for hours at a time without giving my body recovery from the strain on my back has taken its toll.

I have done my physical therapy exercises, at the therapist’s insistence, every other day. My muscles need time to relax after being worked out very specifically. The exercises aren’t hard but they are difficult because I’ve let my body get to the lowest point of inactivity. How did I let such a great idea as trying to lose weight go to waste? I’m working my way back and once I get there, I’m going to keep moving forward.

That’s a lot of talk until I actually do it. But feeling the way I do – struggling to cross my legs and lean forward on a chair – made me realize that I am not doing myself any favors. I’m going to work at this as hard as I can for as long as I can. Sitting in front of a computer for eight hours a day and then coming home and sitting for more hours have not served my health and well-being.

I’m off to do my “bridges” and “leg crosses” to strengthen my back muscles. More to come.

Gluten-Free Sites

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One of the best thing about One Dish Cuisine, the local gluten-free restaurant, is that the owner tries to help people with allergies eat right. She provides a list of sites that are provide gluten-free information and apps that help find gluten-free restaurants.

The best thing about eating gluten-free is how the body processes the food so much better. ‘Nuff said. I can really feel the difference when I don’t eat gluten-free. Food sits heavy on my stomach. Sometimes if I eat wheat, I feel like there’s a lead weight in my stomach. My energy seems to lag and I generally feel lethargic.

I’m not saying that eating gluten-free will be the cure for everyone. But if you feel poorly after eating any type of processed food, grains that have been stripped of their nutrients (like regular white bread), then you should try just two weeks gluten-free. Clear your system of all gluten products – you’ll be surprised how many there are. Then eat gluten-free for the trial period. See if you don’t feel better, even if it’s just the intestinal relief.

I’m fortunate enough not to be Celiac but if you don’t know if you are, ask your doctor to test you. It’s just a blood test but it’s worth knowing to help yourself feel better. Food is such an important part of our lives. We have to eat to survive so we might as well enjoy it.

Now my challenge is to balance my enjoyment of food (because I love to eat) with the reality that I need to eat less and exercise more.

Health Risks From Not Exercising

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I spent my afternoon visiting yet another doctor, this time, a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Apparently, I have arthritis in my hips and spine and it’s now causing me pain. Doctor’s solution – exercise. So I may not be able to allow myself excuses anymore.

So I’ve let myself become worse off than I was before I started this journey. Not that it wouldn’t have happened anyway. It just could have been easier on me if I had followed my original goals. Now I’m going to be “forced” into doing what I have needed to do all along – exercise with intent. How’s that for a wake up call.

I thought blogging about losing weight would make me more likely to actually work on it. But I was fooling myself. I’ve let myself risk my health and wellness by making excuses. How dumb is that? Now my body is forcing me into a place where I can’t allow that health risk to rob me of a full life. I’m not willing to let my health slow me down to the point where I can’t walk or need help walking. That will just make me feel OLD! And old is the last thing I want to be – at least not now.

There are too many thing that I have left to do. I want to travel and see the world. How awful would it be that I let my body breakdown to the point where I can’t get around to see the places I want to see. That is a wake up call. Generally, people don’t realize what they have until they lose it. I have an opportunity to help make things better by following doctor’s instructions. Is this the kick in the butt I needed? I sure hope so. I hate failing at something I should be able to be successful on my own.

After the MRI, X-rays, and physical therapy I will be able to judge the extent of the damage not exercising has caused. I’m hoping for the best.

 

Reality of Weight Loss and Workouts

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I finally had to face it – I am my own worst enemy when it comes to my weight loss. Yesterday was my anniversary. I spent a lovely day with my husband. At the end of the day, I decided to broach the subject of my weight. I feel disgusted with myself for wasting nine months of the year without losing any weight. I know it’s my fault. I’m not many excuses. But I am asking for help.

My dear sweet husband, who loves me the way I am, understands how this torments me. He gently points out that I don’t push myself. And he’s right. I don’t. It’s not that I don’t want to work at it but I just don’t have whatever it is to make me stay on track. If I don’t get feedback – lose a pound or feel better – I end up making excuses and set myself up for failure. What will make me take that final plunge into dedication to diet and exercise?

His plan – to workout with me and push my limits where I won’t do it myself. I am wary of it because I don’t want to cause any problems between us. Am I just kidding myself that he can help me where I can’t help myself? I have to be willing to listen and follow his lead without the excuses. I want to replace the “I’m too tired” with “I’m ready for the next set”. But I’ve got to find the motivation and that’s where I hope he can help.

I have talked about meals and exercise but I am not doing what I should do – follow through. This is a painful cycle I put myself through. I knew when I started out writing about this that I had been down this road before. I had hoped putting it into words would force my hand. But apparently not. So here’s where I use trust. The one person in the world that I trust the most is going to get the test of a lifetime. I hope he’s up to it!

Weight Loss Doesn’t Just Happen

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I have been on travel for the entire month and it really shows. This is the biggest reason I cannot lose weight. I’m out of my routine and I feel it. I have driven two hours each way to the work site and stay in a hotel during the week. I try desperately to eat well but I don’t get in the exercise.

I’m always inclined to say that my age is a reason but in this situation I believe it to be true. I get up early and get a good breakfast before the start of the day. I’m off to the work site which is very remote. I either need to bring my food or rely on someone driving into town to bring back lunch. Without access to any method of cooking, I’ve been eating sandwiches. I bake gluten free bread to take with me but even that has too many carbs. Snacks have been limited to fresh fruit. That’s good but not enough. My day ends at the work site around 5:30 but I have another half hour drive to the hotel and then look somewhere for dinner.

Dinner is always hit or miss. Even with the best of planning, it is not always easy to eat as well as I should. Even without a dessert, I am sure that restaurant meals have too many calories than I should eat. I even try to eat only half portions.

But my day is not done. I go back to the hotel to put in another 2-3 hours of work preparing for the next day. Working late hours, trying to get in at least 7 hours of sleep, and rising early the next day make for an exhausting week. I can’t find the time to exercise. Everyone says you can find the time. But I can’t find the energy after working 10-11 hour days. And it’s taking the toll on my weight loss and overall health.

One more week of this and back to the weight loss routine…

Time To Fess Up

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Since I have traveled for work lately, I’ve not stuck to my routine. As a matter of fact, I completely blew it. I managed to gain five pounds. How embarrassing! It’s totally my fault, I get it.

I was watching Extreme Make Over: Weight Loss and began crying. Each time the person loses track and falls off the program, they gain weight or fail to lose the weight they’ve agreed to lose. That’s my problem. I can’t stay focused on JUST losing weight. I don’t seem to be able to live the rest of my life and keep weight loss my priority. I don’t have Chris Powell pushing me to keep going.

How does the average person manage to lose weight – serious weight, not just vanity pounds – when they have to work a full-time job, go to school, or raise a family? Each of those has so many components to them that it’s not just one thing. It’s a variety of things that make up the whole. At my age, I am facing extreme fatigue at the end of the work day. I don’t know how I managed to do the other things, like raise my family and still have time to keep fit. Is it just growing older? I don’t like that thought.

I’m back on the road tomorrow. This time I am packing healthy snacks to take with me. A cooler with frozen gel packs should help me store things until I get to my destination. My dear husband bought me fruit and veggies to take with me. He tries to help me so much. I’m the problem. I know it. I need a mental break-through. I need the equivalent of a Chris Powell in my head to keep pushing myself – no matter where I am.

It’s only a couple of hours away on the road but a million miles away from my food comfort zone.

Gluten-Free Food At Its Best

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We just came back from dinner at what I think is the best gluten-free food I have ever had. If you are in the Howard County, MD area, you have to try One Dish. The owner, Maureen Burke, knows her stuff. She is friendly, knowledgeable and quite engaging.

Being our first time in her restaurant, she took time to show us around. She has two separate kitchens to avoid cross contamination. Not only does One Dish serve gluten-free food but casein, soy, egg, corn, fish, and animal product free. This woman knows her way around the allergen-free kitchen.

I had the meats pizza and my husband had the Reuben. You can enjoy this food at home, at work, or on the go and never know that this was “special” food. Taste is top-notch at this restaurant. The bonus is that I don’t go home with a stomach ache. There are no odd flavors or off tastes in this food.  I cannot say enough about the food. Whether you are Celiac or just prefer to eat healthier foods, this is a place you have to try. Once you do, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s different from all the rest of the gluten-free market.

I didn’t plan on this blog to be a review but it turned out that way. So I might as well finish it. One Dish also sells frozen food, including desserts – ice cream sandwiches, cupcakes and more. You can stock up on the frozen gluten-free foods and eat them at home, at work, or on the go. Mondays are 10% off days. It’s worth the trip.

So, I’m working on the weight loss between paleo and gluten-free foods. I am hoping that now that I have found this gem in a hole in the wall near home, I should be able to keep myself from straying too far afield. When I have to deny myself certain things because I can’t eat them in “regular” food, that’s when I get sucked into eating poorly. Now I can have my cake and eat it too!

 

 

Plan Ahead for Treats and Sweets

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I managed to get myself out to the store and stock up on snacks that will prevent me from overdoing a sugar attack. When I get a hankering for something sweet, get out of my way. I will find it one way or another. But planning ahead, I can keep myself from going overboard.

I bought bananas to make the one ingredient ice cream. Now you have to like bananas for this to satisfy the sweet cravings. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make the first time. Now I experiment with flavors. I’ve made the flavor combinations on the site. My favorite is the Peanut Butter and Honey. I’ve tried my own concoctions with caramel and other sweet treats but that defeats the purpose of cutting out the sugar.

My husband is now cooking paleo meals regularly. We still have our CustomFit Meals but it’s nice to have other options too. Cauliflower mash is one of my favorites. Instead of eating starchy potatoes, cauliflower mimics the creamy texture. Then jazz them up with a little creative seasoning.

I have to admit that I still want chocolate. I bought Quaker Chocolate Rice Snacks just to see if they would do the trick. They have a little chocolate flavor but the crunch seems to be more helpful than the sweet. Rice cakes have never been interesting to me as a snack. They have that dry cardboard – need a big glass of water just to get it down flavor. I’m pretty surprised that the flavor is greatly improved in these chip-sized snacks.

All the fitness gurus say to drink plenty of water. I found that is so true. I usually don’t think about it during the day because I have easy access to water all the time. On this last business trip, I was stuck in a demo for six hours, only breaking once for lunch, and no water. By the time he day ended, I had chapped lips.

Lesson learned.

Back on Track – Weight Loss a Priority

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I’ve traveled so much lately that I feel I haven’t given my weight loss goals a priority. First, I went on vacation. Of course, vacation isn’t the place where I want to think of cutting back on anything. I had a few creamy beverages that had too many calories. That’s done. I’ve got another 51 weeks until next vacation.

Then I had to travel for work. Went to Southern California on a whirlwind trip that didn’t afford enough time to do anything but work. My eating habits were already out of whack. The trip didn’t afford time to eat three proper meals so I ate what I could when I could. Domestic airlines don’t offer food any more; so for six hours I had peanuts and ginger ale.

I planned a bit in advance on the return trip. I packed a banana and some leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. Who says you can’t have ceviche for breakfast? Since I had a refrigerator in my room, I could save the food safely. It was actually nice to mix up meals so it wasn’t the same old thing. It still tasted fresh and I was happy I controlled my portions so that I had another meal out of it.

I had a good example with my coworker who traveled with me. She got up early in the morning or took time before dinner to work out. I really felt pretty ashamed. I was so jet lagged that I couldn’t motivate myself to do anything other than to drop into bed every time at every chance. Now that I’m home, I need to get back on track. (Heard/said that before!)

When I returned, my husband was so sweet. He knew how I was feeling – that unspoken communication that people have when they know each other so well. He offered work out with me to help me get my motivation back. Having just been away with someone half my age and full of energy kind of zapped my confidence.

So I will be back on track with weekly updates. Every day I will try to focus on what I actually need to eat – not just what I want to eat. My husband will guide me to work out for a healthier attitude for weight loss and most importantly health and fitness.

 

Vacation’s Over – Back At It

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I took a well-deserved vacation. I did what I wanted, ate what I wanted, and had a wonderful time. I did gain 3.5 lbs. but I feel better than before I left. For me, it was worth it.

Being away from the stress of everyday life gave me time to reflect on what I was doing wrong that blocked my weight loss. It’s not like I have all the answers but it is easier to think through things when you are not in your own way. Getting out of the routine of working all day, coming home to exercise, and eating specific foods helped me process on what I’m doing wrong. I wasn’t happy.

Happiness is a key ingredient to being successful in life. I know that rationally but haven’t been able to translate that in my daily life. I have felt let down for a long time and it’s time for me to take my life in a different direction. There is so much to check that I need to break it down into manageable pieces so I don’t overwhelm myself.

I can only change things under my control. So I need to start with me – everything else will fall into place (that’s what I hope). I can’t change things that I don’t the ability to change so I have to learn to let it go. Even when I know I may have the right idea or a better plan, if I’m not the one who can make the change, it’s not going to happen. Tough lesson for me to learn. It seems so simple in words but it’s so difficult (for me) in action. I always have a “plan”. But not everyone wants to buy into my plans.

Starting today, my first goal is not to waste time doing things that are not productive. Even if I am not in charge, I can decide to do what is most productive for me. It’s not productive to wallow in the “misery” of being overweight. I can be overweight and be healthy. I just need to make it happen. If I lose weight while I’m getting healthy, good for me. If not, I will be a better person in the long run. That’s hard for me to accept because of the body image I have of myself but it’s the first step.

First things first, then small steps to a better me.

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