Overweight women must work out twice as hard :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Health News
I am not like everyone else. I know this, but whenever these studies come out they make me nervous.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Running Errands
Is always better on the bicycle.
Back in Boulder I lived close enough to the grocery store so I could walk, now I can ride. It's just a little to far to walk there and back in a timely fashion. Today I circled a local pond on the way to get in a few more miles before stopping for pizza makings for M and cat food. I'll be seeing another show with twin sis tonight so he is on his own. Last night he just forgot to eat. I could tell when I got home that he had made it only as far as the ice cream and cookies. Not great nutrition, but better him than me. This is why I have no problems picking stuff up for him from the store if means he'll eat a little better.
Some may know that I have a love hate relationship with the grocery store-- I am loving it again lately. If I can't carry it back I don't need it. Also, it helps me to be comfortable with food. I often look at the pastries (especially at Whole Foods) but rarely buy them. Maybe if they had calorie counts I would be more tempted to actually make the purchase. Today I circled by the cupcakes with flower frosting and drooled. I bought shrimps instead for my salad.
One of these days.... Hmmm frosting. I wonder if anyone around here is doing shots? I'd ride 10 miles for one.
Back in Boulder I lived close enough to the grocery store so I could walk, now I can ride. It's just a little to far to walk there and back in a timely fashion. Today I circled a local pond on the way to get in a few more miles before stopping for pizza makings for M and cat food. I'll be seeing another show with twin sis tonight so he is on his own. Last night he just forgot to eat. I could tell when I got home that he had made it only as far as the ice cream and cookies. Not great nutrition, but better him than me. This is why I have no problems picking stuff up for him from the store if means he'll eat a little better.
Some may know that I have a love hate relationship with the grocery store-- I am loving it again lately. If I can't carry it back I don't need it. Also, it helps me to be comfortable with food. I often look at the pastries (especially at Whole Foods) but rarely buy them. Maybe if they had calorie counts I would be more tempted to actually make the purchase. Today I circled by the cupcakes with flower frosting and drooled. I bought shrimps instead for my salad.
One of these days.... Hmmm frosting. I wonder if anyone around here is doing shots? I'd ride 10 miles for one.
I wore a leather skirt instead
And was way more comfortable for last nights George Michael show. I had planned on wearing those knee shorts, but umm, just wasn't comfortable in them. I feel like everyone would be looking at my tummy hanging around my hips. Maybe I should make peace with the fact that I am just more comfortable wearing a skirt or dress. It's hard to feel that way though when people think you are always dressed up with no wear to go. Especially right now with no school and no job for the moment.
Never mind.
I should not have to apologize for my girlieness.
Never mind.
I should not have to apologize for my girlieness.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Making Peace
My extra me requires me to shop for a 12 in pants/shorts. I know this but have a hard time buying them. Sigh. I am very comfortable in a 8/10 for skirts and dresses (the non pencil type of course) but the 12 is hard for me to buy in bottoms. But today I did. I believe they are called walking shorts, I couldn't pass them up at 7 bucks. They look pretty cute even if the waist is all bunched up by my belt.
It's good exercise but with complications
I really enjoy riding my bike. As a kid we lived at the bottom of a hill. I am sure that hill isn't as scary as I remember it but it seemed huge. I would get about halfway up and quit, turn around and then coast back down. It was .2 miles.
Riding in the city can pose some challenges, but I do enjoy it. Since we have moved we are now on the backside of the hill that kept me from riding as much as I would have liked. But now, departing and returning to the house is relatively flat.
So... the challenges. Last week I headed out to the Minute Man bike path. Now that I known how to get there on bike lanes (Thank you Peoples Republic of Cambridge) I ride it at least once a week. Roundtrip is almost 30 miles. It takes you through Arlington, Lexington and then on to Bedford. So the last time I was on it just after I had crossed through Arlington center I saw about a hundred yards ahead some kid back his bicycle into a pedestrian. I had assumed he just didn't see her. Wrong. This kid was the biggest shit I have ever run across. I watched as he continued to buzz pedestrians and then swerve in front of those who were trying to get past him. He had a buddy with him who watched but didn't partake. Clearly this kid was going to do the same thing when I tried to pass him so I held back, and of course they slowed down. Getting nervous I was just like, okay, step on it. And of course he swerved in front of me. I am totally motivated by a fear of falling. My knee can't take it. I swerved to the other side and so did he and that was when I just unloaded on this kid. Screaming as loud as I could with more swears than I have used in a really really long time I let this kid have it. His buddy stopped in his tracks and I think I actually saw fear in this kids eyes. I was so mad. I kinda felt bad for calling him a useless piece of shit but he deserved it. Who lets their kids act like this. After the 30 second tirade of F bombs and the like, I peddled off and that was it. I was going to ride the bike path today but got a bit too much sun at the beach yesterday so instead I headed to the Charles River. It's a shorter ride by almost 10 miles.
I come through Harvard Sq and hop on the bike path at the corner of Memorial Drive and JFK Street. Today as I was coming down JFK I watched some guy bang a Uie (Boston term) and move into the right hand lane. You are not supposed to ride on the sidewalks in Cambridge so I was on the road. The first car turned right on red and the guy who had made the U turn started moving forward and edging right. Which is when my handlebars nicked his sideview mirror. I'm not sure if he saw me or not but he was kind enough to get out and ask if I was okay. More or less. When I went down it was, of course on my bum knee. Since my kneecap is so far out of whack it doesn't do much protecting. I rode on even after that incident but am now starting to regret it. My knee is a big ball of fluid. Something jabbed me just above my latest incision line and now I ache. Oof. I also scrapped up my wrist pretty bad, but all in all it could have been much worse. Imagine if he had turned into me. I should have realized he was going to turn right after he banged the U turn on one of the busiest streets in Cambridge, but there was no blinker. As I am fond of saying... I don't care where you are going, I just want to know when.
One of these days I should renew my gym membership. There is only so much lifting to be done at home. I'll cardio on my bike though as long as the weather holds out, I don't get run over or assaulted on the bike path.
PS. Edited to add-- I can only imagine if I had still been fat what that little shit would have said. I shudder to think.
Riding in the city can pose some challenges, but I do enjoy it. Since we have moved we are now on the backside of the hill that kept me from riding as much as I would have liked. But now, departing and returning to the house is relatively flat.
So... the challenges. Last week I headed out to the Minute Man bike path. Now that I known how to get there on bike lanes (Thank you Peoples Republic of Cambridge) I ride it at least once a week. Roundtrip is almost 30 miles. It takes you through Arlington, Lexington and then on to Bedford. So the last time I was on it just after I had crossed through Arlington center I saw about a hundred yards ahead some kid back his bicycle into a pedestrian. I had assumed he just didn't see her. Wrong. This kid was the biggest shit I have ever run across. I watched as he continued to buzz pedestrians and then swerve in front of those who were trying to get past him. He had a buddy with him who watched but didn't partake. Clearly this kid was going to do the same thing when I tried to pass him so I held back, and of course they slowed down. Getting nervous I was just like, okay, step on it. And of course he swerved in front of me. I am totally motivated by a fear of falling. My knee can't take it. I swerved to the other side and so did he and that was when I just unloaded on this kid. Screaming as loud as I could with more swears than I have used in a really really long time I let this kid have it. His buddy stopped in his tracks and I think I actually saw fear in this kids eyes. I was so mad. I kinda felt bad for calling him a useless piece of shit but he deserved it. Who lets their kids act like this. After the 30 second tirade of F bombs and the like, I peddled off and that was it. I was going to ride the bike path today but got a bit too much sun at the beach yesterday so instead I headed to the Charles River. It's a shorter ride by almost 10 miles.
I come through Harvard Sq and hop on the bike path at the corner of Memorial Drive and JFK Street. Today as I was coming down JFK I watched some guy bang a Uie (Boston term) and move into the right hand lane. You are not supposed to ride on the sidewalks in Cambridge so I was on the road. The first car turned right on red and the guy who had made the U turn started moving forward and edging right. Which is when my handlebars nicked his sideview mirror. I'm not sure if he saw me or not but he was kind enough to get out and ask if I was okay. More or less. When I went down it was, of course on my bum knee. Since my kneecap is so far out of whack it doesn't do much protecting. I rode on even after that incident but am now starting to regret it. My knee is a big ball of fluid. Something jabbed me just above my latest incision line and now I ache. Oof. I also scrapped up my wrist pretty bad, but all in all it could have been much worse. Imagine if he had turned into me. I should have realized he was going to turn right after he banged the U turn on one of the busiest streets in Cambridge, but there was no blinker. As I am fond of saying... I don't care where you are going, I just want to know when.
One of these days I should renew my gym membership. There is only so much lifting to be done at home. I'll cardio on my bike though as long as the weather holds out, I don't get run over or assaulted on the bike path.
PS. Edited to add-- I can only imagine if I had still been fat what that little shit would have said. I shudder to think.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
I miss my Mom
Terribly, I know she is on the trip of a lifetime, but still. She should be coming back to civilization tomorrow. Hopefully there will be an email from her.
In other news I am back on the wagon. Seems that my weight was creeping up, even with all the exercise and it being that time of month, anything over 160 (163 on Tuesday) is cause for me to buckle down. Not cause for alarm, but I get uncomfortable in my clothes if gets any higher than that. My jeans stopped fitting well and considering I just passed off my 12s (which I wore forever even when they were too big b/c they weren't that big) to twin sis I need to make sure I am paying attention. Besides eating like crap backs me up. I made a special trip for fiber today...
So twin sis came for dinner last night, we sat at the table and had steak and potato salad. Made me miss Mom even more, but it was nice to spend time with my sister. She made the comment today that the house seems to be pretty "bad snack" free. Ummm, she didn't look in M's baking closet-- marshmallows, chocolate covered graham cookies. Then in the freezer ice cream sandwiches, coconut pops and fudge brownie ice cream. It is all calling my name. I bet even my mom could hear it in Vanuatu.
In other news I am back on the wagon. Seems that my weight was creeping up, even with all the exercise and it being that time of month, anything over 160 (163 on Tuesday) is cause for me to buckle down. Not cause for alarm, but I get uncomfortable in my clothes if gets any higher than that. My jeans stopped fitting well and considering I just passed off my 12s (which I wore forever even when they were too big b/c they weren't that big) to twin sis I need to make sure I am paying attention. Besides eating like crap backs me up. I made a special trip for fiber today...
So twin sis came for dinner last night, we sat at the table and had steak and potato salad. Made me miss Mom even more, but it was nice to spend time with my sister. She made the comment today that the house seems to be pretty "bad snack" free. Ummm, she didn't look in M's baking closet-- marshmallows, chocolate covered graham cookies. Then in the freezer ice cream sandwiches, coconut pops and fudge brownie ice cream. It is all calling my name. I bet even my mom could hear it in Vanuatu.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Buck Up
That's what I keep saying to myself. Last week flew by-- it was lots of fun. There was a beach day, 100+ miles on my bike, a visit with M's family on the weekend and a boat cruise. Plus all the errands associated with not working I was amazed at how quickly it went.
And then it was Monday.
I saw the Doctor yesterday. I wish I weren't so damn bitter. Two years ago I was getting in shape, working out my knee in anticipation of my third ACL replacement. I was fit and excited to get back some stability and buy myself some more time before a TKR. We all know how that ended. Three surgeries later I was told the bone graft is healing well and that it's probably time to refer me to the joint guy. Sigh. So much to consider and I need more information. I left the office in tears as usual but tried to perk up.
I don't know what insurance companies or surgeons consider a good quality of life. But supposedly when your starts to suffer you can get a new knee. Exercise doesn't seem to have that much of an impact. And by that I mean it doesn't make it any less or more painful. If anything it helps keep the crap from building up in there. Crap could be anything, fluid, bone, cartilage etc. The doctor said that just because I could ride 20 miles a day doesn't mean I should be. That annoyed me. I want to be able to do these things. At 31 I should be able to do these things and more. I am pretty damn fit for someone whose lost 185 pounds. But that weight doesn't stay off by itself. I need to be active and I wonder-- how long can I keep up living my life, the way I want to, before my leg just craps out. Am I supposed to live my thirties in constant pain when there are things out there that could help me now.
When I had my last ACL surgery one of the motivating reasons was the surgeon told me that I would lose my mobility by time I was 40 if I didn't do something about the instability. So I did and no I am even worse off. I suppose it's another post but I must figure out a way to forgive that guy for f*cking up my knee the way he did. Not everyone is the perfection that was Dr. Doneldson. I miss that guy. He never blew me off, never ignored my tears about pain and always made me feel like I wasn't crazy when it came to my knee. My Doctor now is a product of the health care system.... and I think he feels bad he sent me to that butcher. I can't wait to see who he refers me to next. Maybe the right surgeon is out there. But in the meantime I do need to just get over it. The pity party needs to end. Besides I've eaten all the party snacks.
And then it was Monday.
I saw the Doctor yesterday. I wish I weren't so damn bitter. Two years ago I was getting in shape, working out my knee in anticipation of my third ACL replacement. I was fit and excited to get back some stability and buy myself some more time before a TKR. We all know how that ended. Three surgeries later I was told the bone graft is healing well and that it's probably time to refer me to the joint guy. Sigh. So much to consider and I need more information. I left the office in tears as usual but tried to perk up.
I don't know what insurance companies or surgeons consider a good quality of life. But supposedly when your starts to suffer you can get a new knee. Exercise doesn't seem to have that much of an impact. And by that I mean it doesn't make it any less or more painful. If anything it helps keep the crap from building up in there. Crap could be anything, fluid, bone, cartilage etc. The doctor said that just because I could ride 20 miles a day doesn't mean I should be. That annoyed me. I want to be able to do these things. At 31 I should be able to do these things and more. I am pretty damn fit for someone whose lost 185 pounds. But that weight doesn't stay off by itself. I need to be active and I wonder-- how long can I keep up living my life, the way I want to, before my leg just craps out. Am I supposed to live my thirties in constant pain when there are things out there that could help me now.
When I had my last ACL surgery one of the motivating reasons was the surgeon told me that I would lose my mobility by time I was 40 if I didn't do something about the instability. So I did and no I am even worse off. I suppose it's another post but I must figure out a way to forgive that guy for f*cking up my knee the way he did. Not everyone is the perfection that was Dr. Doneldson. I miss that guy. He never blew me off, never ignored my tears about pain and always made me feel like I wasn't crazy when it came to my knee. My Doctor now is a product of the health care system.... and I think he feels bad he sent me to that butcher. I can't wait to see who he refers me to next. Maybe the right surgeon is out there. But in the meantime I do need to just get over it. The pity party needs to end. Besides I've eaten all the party snacks.
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