Mental and Physical Health and Wellness Track, 2022

[slimshady2357]

Only managed to lose 1lb (actually 0.4 kg, so 0.88 lbs ) in Aug. We had each of the girls come stay for a weekend and our anniversary last month... which are poor excuses, but there ya go. At least I did lose a little. Sep should be quiet, so hopefully do better this month. I think I need to tweak something else now, like add a little more exercise or change my food intake in some way again because it's getting harder.

[Sock Puppet]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

Is physical therapy something you do to yourself or something somebody does to you?

Yes.

[ChuckF]

Hubster got prescribed some pt for frozen shoulder. He went to the appointments, and after a couple weeks they give you the exercises to do yourself at home. And then you go to the appointments and they keep you honest under penalty of torture.

[Sock Puppet]

Gawdzawnest truth there.

[LarsMac]

I was on track to lose a pound this month, but the daughter went to the Western Slope to pick up a cabinet she bought on Craigslist, and stopped at the orchards where they are boasting a bumper crop of Peaches.

OMG! We got Cobbler.

[ShottleBop]

After my heart attack last September, my doctor doubled my dose of pravastatin from 10 mg/day to 20 mg/day. Three months ago, he started me on biweekly injections of Repatha. This is the lowest my cholesterol has ever been.

(Repatha does not work by preventing your body from producing cholesterol, but by delaying apoptosis of the liver cells that clear LDL from your blood.)

[viscousmemories]

I'm still mostly following the Bright Line Eating weight-loss plan although I've started to relax the rules over the past few weeks because I've lost >50 lbs. and don't need (or even want) to lose much more.

I've been very consistent with my morning routine as well (write 750 words minimum, read a book for 30 minutes minimum, catch up on and :thb:, brisk walk (now 4 miles)).

I would say my mental health is pretty good although I still have constant low-level existential dread and a feeling of not doing as much as I could (read: anything) to help make the world a better place, but at least I'm not standing on a ledge.

[Ensign Steve]

I haven't written in my journal in over a week. I was keeping up on Crossfit, but not trying to get my steps in on my non-Crossfit days, and then I blew off Crossfit this morning because I was so tired. I'm having old-lady PMS/menopause, so I have the rationale to make myself feel more forgiving of myself for my bad "choices", but I also know in my heart and brain that eating right and exercising is literally one of the best treatments for that as well, so I still feel like I'm shooing myself in the foot.

At least I'm posting this here and now, which is almost as good as journaling.

[Ari]

I feel I can be officially labeled as ‘old’ after going to a wedding with people who love to eat, drink and smoke, and all I had was a salad and a snack I brought because my current good gut health is way more important than like, having a good time, or whatever the youths do these days.

[viscousmemories]

Yeah I'm definitely old, because drinking and smoking doesn't even sound like a good time to me anymore. Eating is always a good time, though. That said I have started to appreciate preparing my own food over restaurant food, not least because restaurants so often half-ass it.

[Miss Shelby]

K so, I am a technical phobe. I’ve only had my iPhone for a few years and just recently Mr. Shelby bought me an Apple Watch. I admit its impressive . Now I know I have walked a minimum of 8000 steps per day, but it’s nice to keep actual track. Today it was 12000. Very satisfying.

Then I get home and I’m trying to watch my program. Jeffery Dahmer serial killer when I get an alert that it’s time to stand. My standing record has also been good. So to you Apple Watch, I say thank you and fuck you very much.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Stay ready so you don’t gotta get ready: pic.twitter.com/JTZTbSWHKU

— Lance ���� (@BornAKang) September 24, 2022

[viscousmemories]

I'm still doing my morning reading/writing.

I started walking every day on 7/20. That first day it was a 2 mile walk, but I added distance incrementally and by 8/30 it was 4 miles. On 9/16 I decided to jog for part of it (about .5 miles) and yesterday, 9/30, was my first time jogging the entire 4 miles. I think my next modification will be trying to increase my speed, because right now my jog is only about 11:40 minutes per mile.

I've relaxed the restrictions on bread, rice, and noodles, but I'm still limiting my food intake to three meals a day, restricting quantities, and not eating sugar. In total I have lost a little over 57 pounds and although I still aim to lose more, I'm happy to be where I am.

[Ensign Steve]

I wrote in my journal for like 1 week out of 4 in September. I don't know what the deal is with that. I'm all over the place with my hormones and my eating is not great, but I'm alcohol-free and making gains at Crossfit. My weight is the same, but my shorts are fitting better. I found a new park with an awesome running track, well-lit and open late. I've been out there for exactly one run, but I'm excited to get out there some more.

[specious_reasons]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

I'm having old-lady PMS/menopause,

Mrs. Reasons told me she's going through "perimenopause" - which is something I didn't know about until she started to experience it. Seems like this is similar, but I though you were younger than us by a bit. It may be something to ask your doctor about.

[Ensign Steve]

I'm 45, and I started having early menopause symptoms at 42. It can take upwards of 10 years to do its whole thing. It's a truly magical time in a woman's life.

[specious_reasons]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

I'm 45, and I started having early menopause symptoms at 42. It can take upwards of 10 years to do its whole thing. It's a truly magical time in a woman's life.

So you are younger than us by a bit (I'm 51 and slightly older than Mrs. Reasons) - that sucks.

[lisarea]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

I'm 45, and I started having early menopause symptoms at 42. It can take upwards of 10 years to do its whole thing. It's a truly magical time in a woman's life.

and congratulations on blossoming into an old hag.

[Miss Shelby]

Originally Posted by lisarea

and congratulations on blossoming into an old hag.

and to enjoying frigid temperatures while the young girls at work are all freezing with the thermostat set at 75.

[Miss Shelby]

Could I persuade administration to move this to Ensign Steve’s sticky up top?

[Ensign Steve]

I missed this the first time. Do you want to be fitness buddies on the Apple watch? I'll DM you my Apple ID.

[Miss Shelby]

Originally Posted by Ari

I feel I can be officially labeled as ‘old’ after going to a wedding with people who love to eat, drink and smoke, and all I had was a salad and a snack I brought because my current good gut health is way more important than like, having a good time, or whatever the youths do these days.

I have recurrent gut problems diagnosed as IBS, gastritis. Crohns and other shit. I bring my ginger and turmeric tea with me whetting go. I got it from Trader Joe’s and I swear by it. It makes my gut feel good plus has other health benefits. An acquired taste, tho

[Miss Shelby]

Thanks yes I totally do.

[Miss Shelby]

I’m putting my watch on today, right now in fact, but dear fitness buddy ES don’t laugh. I plan on doing exactly nothing. You’ve been killing it though, friend.

[Ensign Steve]

End of October check-in! This thrad is more than 1 year old, and I am feeling a lot better. In a year I have gotten a new house and a new job and I am literally baffled that I got through both of those major life changes mostly unscathed.

I have graduated from the "is this mania" phase of feeling better to just enjoying the pink cloud while it lasts (but of course always waiting for the other shoe to drop). Someone should alert the media with this breaking news, but regular exercise does so much more to help my mood than taking anti-depressants ever did.

Boring doctor stuff:

show spoiler

My new job came with new insurance, so I went ahead and signed up for a new doctor. I went and saw her and because I am 45, she signed me up for all the screenings, so I have a bunch more appointments the next couple of weeks. I'm (facetiously) starting to question whether all this taking-care-of-myself shit was a good idea.

I googled for "how to talk to your doctor about being doctor-averse" and all the results are about how to get over your doctor-aversion, and I'm like, oh so this is just my problem, not the doc's? I don't think so. So I made sure to talk to my doctor about my issues and my traumas, and she completely did not get where tf I was coming from, but now the whole health center thinks I'm needle-averse and it's just like whatever.

Goals/habits-wise for October:

I was mostly alcohol-free, but ate a ton of sugar to make up for it. Halloween candy is definitely on the menu this year! Those two stats will probably switch for the month of November, though, as I will be spending a lot of time with Mom.

I had a good run at the new park with the awesome running track. It was my first run since May (yikes!) but my pace was still about what it was then, so no harm done I guess. And this is why we journal! The data never lies.

I also switched to a different Crossfit gym, and I am having a lot more fun at this one. I'm starting to have muscles again, it's a trip.