The Kitchen Table: "I want your life to be comfortable when you're old"

This isn't my best picture, but it is me, earlier this year at our first Knitathon in Calgary.

I included it so that you would have an idea of where I am, and what I am trying to accomplish at the moment.

I have struggled with my weight for years - since I was a child. I don't think I've been "normal" since I learned to read. Anyways, I weigh too much. In fact, two weeks ago, at my TOPS weigh-in, I bumped heads with a number that I thought I wasn't going to see again, and &(*&)&* it all, I did. So at that point, I once again had more than 100 pounds to lose in order to be at my goal weight. I’ve been in denial ever since.

Not really, but I really didn't want to talk about it with anyone, and I just felt so angry about the whole thing. Fortunately I also had an appointment scheduled with a health nurse whose specialty is chronic conditions. My obesity is even more chronic than my high blood pressure, meaning I've had it longer. I don't like having either one.

Tuesday after that awful weigh-in, we met and talked for over an hour. I discovered that I have about a 1 percent chance of dying of heart disease in the next 10 years. This is comforting, considering how much weight I've been carrying around. I don't have diabetes; I just have high blood pressure.

And I'm tired of talking about weight and exercise and diet. I'm tired of reading books about weight and exercise and diet. And I'm also tired of seeing others lose it, while I don't. It's not that I can't...it's just that I don't. Something has got to give, and I think it's really time that I started sharing this part of my story here. Today's the day.

Em (my daughter) and I are talking about gym memberships. There's a gym just down the street - no pool, no fun stuff, but close. There's also the Leisure Centre, not terribly far, but loaded with all kinds of fun stuff to do. And today, I'm too stuffed up to even go look at the gym that's close by.

The gym conversation ended with the quote that heads this post. But it's an important idea to think about. I am starting to hurt. Especially at work. Being obese is not helpful here. Continuing to be obese will certainly not help me be comfortable when I'm old (50 is the new 30 I've heard). LOL!! It is time to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

I don't think I'm going to blog about every bit of food that I ingest. That might be boring. But I will be trying new things and sharing those. Maybe I'll get Emma to take my measurements. Then I might just post them, or share the changes. ~Smile~

I will tell you this, though. I've started eating salad for breakfast. With half a can of salmon or tuna. It's not bad, and I get a good dose of vegetables into my system first thing in the morning. At night I just didn't feel like eating them.

As I said, the visit with the health nurse was a long one, but I came out of it with a set of goals that I will share next time!

I'm off to bed to sleep off my cold!

Last night (Thursday) was my TOPS weigh in - I lost 1 - 1/2 pounds. (98.5 of them to go!)

Small Steps: Part 2

"Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take small steps" says Saul Bellows. "Rome wasn't built in a day" either. This is about the small steps I am taking to build a better me.

A friend called me the other day because she was concerned about my blood pressure readings. I wasn't worried for some reason, but she was. So...I dutifully biked to work, and before starting took my blood pressure. It was high, too high. It was high all day. This is not good. Yesterday I did the same thing, taking my readings first thing in the morning and after a while at work. I did achieve a reading of 130, and I can't remember the bottom number.

This morning I 'm drinking some "Stress Relief" tea and missing the aroma of my morning coffee. If my morning number isn't through the roof, I think I may have to adjust the morning coffee routine just a tad.

I started this post on Thursday morning, but rather than deleting and starting over, I thought I'd just add more in italics. Switching the coffee didn't make much of a difference in the first reading anyways, so I'm back to enjoying it - there's just something about the smell of coffee and the loveliness of the milk foam that makes mornings NICE!!!

Back to normal print and my Well-Being Contract:

I'm supposed to walk 30 - 60 minutes, three times a week, I did it last week, and have two more walks to get in before Tuesday the 5th. One will be this afternoon. (Yesterday was great walking weather but I spent it raking leaves and washing windows!).

At my TOPS weigh-in on Thursday I lost another 2 pounds. It's coming off a little faster than planned, but what's important is the loss, not how much. We've been focusing on keeping a journal (Writing the bites) and that has been a help the last two weeks. If you want to know more about TOPS check out www.tops.org. It helps me to go there every week!

The other small step I need to take is to prepare my meals and snacks in advance. Yesterday I made a great Shepherds Pie - easy to make, easy to freeze and easy to pack in a container for lunches. Today I made a sweet potato squash soup which smells great! Later on I'll make some banana blueberry muffins to add to my snacks!

Here's a question for you: What small steps are you taking? I believe we can learn from each other and sometimes someone else's small step is just the one you need to take as well!

Have a wonderful day and thanks for reading!

Thank you Marcia for letting us into your world again! You have been a great encouragement to me and so I am now on my quest to start losing my 100 pounds. My goal is 25 pounds for the next 4 years. Can't wait until you join us again…..Ponnie

Marcia resides in Calgery, Alberta Canada with her daughter Emma (who is now a grown lady) whom she homeschooled for her entire elementary education, and they have a great story. Some of which will be featured in my upcoming e-Book, “Single Parents Can Homeschool Too”.

Picture: Marcia and daughter Emma