Tuesday, July 29, 2008

My constant companion

I have a new constant companion. I've had this companion since last Thursday.....well Friday to be exact. And that companion, muscle soreness. It's no where near what it was last Friday. But it's still there as a dull ache. I guess why I'm writing about it is because I wouldn't mind this companion if the scales had been friendly to me today at my official weigh in. Well, let me take that back. They were friendly in that I did not show a gain. However, I also did not show a loss. I held onto a direct and complete maintain of my weight. My home scales showed me at 181.0 this morning while the weight watchers scales had me pegged at 181.4. That is typical...the weight watchers scales are usually within a half pound or so (sometimes up and sometimes down) from my home weight. So while I'm happy that I didn't gain and that I'm still hanging onto my maintenance period (by the skin of my teeth...I have to be below 182...as my doctor set my weight that he wants me at 180 pounds) I'm a bit disgusted to not be seeing any results as of yet. Now I know that they say that it takes a week or two to start seeing results so I'm OK. But still! OK....5 days down and counting until I start to see incredible results on the scales.

As aforementioned, today is my day off from cardio, my rest day. I'm going to try to do my strength training at home this evening to get it in. That will put me down at twice already this week. That's a good thing. Dang, now I sound like Martha Stewart. Todd is still waffling on our bike ride tomorrow morning. I'm pushing for it! I think it would be great. I would like to do it somewhat early in the morning so that we don't have to contend with any of the mid-day sun or anything. We'll have to see. Stay tuned for the outcome of this one.

On a different note. Richard Simmons has recently went onto Capital Hill to try to get people to see that one of the biggest problems facing us today is the rise in the obesity rates, particularly amongst our children. He was urging our country to do something about it. Focus more on physical education in schools, get our kids moving, etc etc etc. HOPEFULLY people stood up and noticed. I'm not saying the more physical education classes in school will cut it. I mean, I found every excuse to get out of PE in school (and look where I ended up...315 pounds) but if parents become more cognizant and schools are more cognizant and everyone is working together then we may get somewhere. The problem, our society has actually forgotten (or never learned) how to be healthy. We have people that don't know how to cook and or don't want to cook. We have whole families that don't know what it is like to get on their bikes and go for a family ride. (or whatever activity would fit for that family). When the family unit started splintering, so did healthy habits. And how do you get it back?

Todd and I were talking today on the way back from H-town. (he rode into town with me to my meeting). His comment was that if our government can't give universal health care (OK, I'll admit it, I don't have health insurance...as a part time employee it is not available to me and we can't afford self employed health insurance......so a universal system sounds mighty nice...and for you nay-Sayers, it works in Canada and other countries) then they should be subsidizing healthy options and programs. Help subsidize gym memberships...IF the person proves that they spent a certain amount of time. Subsidize weight loss programs (ones that are based on healthy guidelines) and visits to nutritionists. Work to make our country healthier and by doing that, our health care costs will decrease. Weight related illnesses (diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc etc )are at an all time high and rising. I can speak from experience with the cholesterol...weight management is the true cure! (yes, there are those cases that weight management wouldn't fix...but I'd wager a bet and say that many of them would be fixed). Even my husband with his IBS. After spending hundreds of hundreds of dollars (when we had insurance even) at the gastroentenologist we are able to control it by eating clean...meaning eating healthy natural foods and by exercise. WHOA! The problem.....and I don't want to say this too loudly because it will reek of political mumbo jumbo and it will sound like I'm on a soapbox but here goes.......people are getting rich off of our poor health habits!

Wow, I had not one iota of an idea that this entry would turn to that subject. I usually have no idea what I'm going to write, I just write away at whatever comes to mind! I guess I just needed to let loose that cannon!

6 comments:

Deborah said...

Boy are you ever right!!

Being a retired teacher I can tell you that more or longer PE classes wouldn't help. What would help in our school systems in the upper grades is the snack machines. They need to fill them with fruit and yogart instead of chips and candy. The school lunches are an abomination in our state. Everything is frozen and thawed. And they are definitely not healthy frozen foods. Yea, they had a salad bar but offered (in addition to fresh veggies) lots of mayonnaise based salads and guess what the kids ate the most of?

I really think that obesity started rampaging out of control with our youth when the home video games became available and affordable for families.

I wasn't overweight as a kid because I got outside and played and rode my bike everywhere. And an afternoon of intertainment was a lot of times at the local skating rink.

And you are right. "Big Food" is getting rich off the fattening stuff. It is so much more affordable than the healthy stuff. And I hate to admit it but it tastes better too. You can buy a bag of chips for the same price as one cucumber right now. How rediculous is that.

Michelle said...

I'm sorry you're sore. That bites! Take care and get that bike ride in. Go easy on yourself on the weight thing. Maintaining is the most important skill you will need for the remainder of this journey so any evidence you are able to do that successfully is a good sign!

Donna B said...

Hope you get to do the bike ride tomorrow! Wish I had a bike and we lived closer, I'd go with you! Beent hinking about researching bikes alot this week. Just don't want to spend a fortune on one, even though I know I like bike riding. Any suggestions?

Cammy@TippyToeDiet said...

Congrats on the maintenance. It's sometimes a disappointment not to show a loss, but I've learned that it's sometimes a blessing just not to gain. :)

I couldn't agree with you more on health care issues. What scares me a little, though, is what we might do with a universal health care system given our fine record with the fast food and grocery industries. :)

Anonymous said...

Great job on the work out! I know what its like to ALWAYS be sore. I think something's wrong if I'm not! =)

Your post was very thought provoking today, you made some good points, but in my opinion (if anyone cares) I don't think the government or anyone else can be blamed for my weight, other than myself. We all have a choice. Unfortunatley I made poor choices which affected my body and I take full responsibility. There have been YEARS in my life, where I did have a gym membership, and would go months at a time without stepping one foot inside. I knew HOW to eat healthy, but chose not too. I am pretty sure most people know that if they lose weight, they could come off of a lot of meds, but its up to them to get moving. Gym or no gym, its free to walk around the block. I KNOW its not easy, not in anyway, shape or form, but the opportunities are and always have been all around us. Is it someone else's resposibility to get us healthy?

Universal insurance scares me. I have to admit, I don't have much information on it, so an educated opinion I can not give you, the only thought that keeps coming to mind is my mom. She has ALOT of medical problems, and the thought of leaving her health decisions in the hands of the government scares the crap out of me!

On the flip side, I think society is making progress. I am one of the lucky ones that has insurance through my employer, and even more fortunate that my insurance actually covers my gym membership, they just started that like a year ago.

Not only that, but information is all around us. At our local libraries, we have books upon books on healthy living, eating, and exercising, not to mention workout and exercise DVD's for anyone to use at no cost. But we have to put in the effort to benefit from the resources that are around us. Again, its our choice.

I hope I didn't ramble too much! And I hope you didn't mind my differing opinion. They were just my thoughts.

Excellent post! Thanks!

OH- I almost forgot! Have fun bike riding! If hubby decided not to join you, just hop and and go it alone, maybe he'll suprise you and join you anyways! =)

--cara said...

I absolutely LOVE bike riding. I'm so addicted. It's so much fun racing down the road with the wind whizzing by. And boy can you burn the calories doing it. I can burn an easy 800 calories after an hour of bike riding. I love it (wait I already said that) :)

I wanted to check in on you to see how you're doing on your 18 Pounds in 18 Weeks challenge and I just realized that you're on a maintenance program. I had no idea. Great job! If you still want to try and lose more, just leave me a comment and I'll post your loss with the rest of the challengers.