Fixing me

Every January, folks around the country make New Year’s resolutions, and stick with them for, oh, about 3 weeks. I’m no exception to that, and have done it a time or two. Every year, though, around December, folks think “this next time will be different!” And I’ve done that, too.

Well, I have figured out what was causing that ridiculous fail cycle: thinking too small. Focusing on just one thing so that if it didn’t work (see my perfectionist side) then that was only ONE thing that didn’t work, instead of The Whole Enchilada failing.

Back in December I had finished the 4th week of a 9-week Couth-To-5K interval jogging program, and was feeling good about the progress, BUT… I noticed that the weight was still just creeping up up up. My diet hadn’t changed, and I was exercising good and regular, but the results weren’t what I was hoping for, on the scale. I’d had good results before with losing weight while dieting, but it would always come back.

So, I asked my doc to run blood tests and see if maybe there were thyroid or blood chemistry issues. Nope. Well, I mean my cholesterol was a little high, but otherwise all chemicals were where they should be. Oh, my sleep has been shitty for years. Doc recommended I try some benadryl and he also recommended Atkins to get going on weight loss — every visit with him would always end with saying I need to lose weight to take some stress off my heart (and him adding that he needs to lose some himself as well… as a show of sympathy and non-judgementalism on his part). So, recommending a program was a first. Done that before with good results, so I figured I’ll do it again.

Except.

This time it’ll be WITH exercise. I know, radical concept: doing a diet AND exercising at the same time. Whoa. OK, so while I’m at it, let’s think bigger (er, smaller) and look at what else needs fixing in me, other than the weight… lessee:

1. I need bifocals. No way around it, I can’t focus on stuff up close anymore. Dang. Getting old.
2. I need hearing aids. The ones I got a few years ago quit working, and I never really gave them a sporting chance to use often enough. My hearing sucks, and there’s no sufficient compensation. Ivy has now begun to accuse me of “not listening” to her :/
3. I will need skin reduction surgery. I have an apron. I have jowels. I have flappy batwing gramma arms. They will all have to go.
4. I will need lipo. Even with significant weight loss. There are little pocket fat areas I picked up while pregnant that I suspect will be stubborn hangers-on.

So, that oughta do it. No biggie, right? LOL. I’m addressing the weight/health already, and got back going on the C25K program after vacation and a nasty cold knocked me off course for a couple weeks. By the end of NEXT week, I’ll be jogging for 28 minutes straight. No mean feat for a fatty like me 🙂

Getting bifocals will be the next easiest thing to do. Exam and glasses — covered mostly by insurance, thank goodness. Hearing aids are going to be painfully expensive (probably $1200 per ear) and not covered by insurance, so that may have to wait until after my work bonus in September. The other stuff – skin surgery and lipo, are also expensive and not covered by insurance either, so… I’ll work toward them, and trust that God will provide for a financial means of covering those costs.

Point being, though, that I’m taking a WHOLE-istic approach to getting my physical self to where it should be, and treating myself with the respect I deserve.

Time to get on with fixing me. Keep your ears open — I’ll be posting about progress as it unfurls.